Page 17 of Accidentally Abducted

Zeph's smile is so bright it makes the glow under his skin flare visibly. "I would like that very much."

I finish stripping and step to the edge of the pool, testing the water temperature with my toe. It's perfect;hot enough to be relaxing without being scalding. "How deep is it?"

"The main pool is approximately two meters at its deepest point, but there are shallower areas for... different activities."

"Different activities," I repeat with a grin. "I like the sound of that."

I slide into the water and immediately understand why Zeph spends time here. It's not just warm,it's alive somehow,with a gentle current that seems to massage tired muscles and skin that feels softer than regular water. The glow is more pronounced now that I'm surrounded by it, and I realize it's reacting to our presence.

"This is incredible," I breathe, sinking deeper until the water reaches my chest. "It's like a full-body hug from someone with really excellent taste in water temperature and possibly magical healing properties."

"The water contains minerals that promote healing and relaxation," Zeph explains, dropping his robe and sliding into the pool with a grace that suggests he's completely in his element here. "And the temperature and current are adjustable based on individual preferences."

"Of course they are." I watch, fascinated, as Zeph moves through the water like he was born to it. His movements are different here,more fluid, more natural. And when he dips his head back to wet his hair, I catch a glimpse of the gills on his neck fluttering slightly. "You know what? This is deeply unfair. You're basically a gorgeous water god and I'm just some guy who gets excited about adjustable shower heads."

"Like what?"

"In your element. You move differently in the water."

Zeph glides closer, and I notice that the glow under his skin is brighter now, more vibrant. "Water is... soothing for my people. Essential, even."

"How often do you need to do this?"

"Daily, ideally. Though I can manage longer periods without immersion if necessary."

I think about this, about Zeph quietly managing his physiological needs without mentioning them, and feel a pang of guilt. "Have you been skipping this because of me?"

"Not skipping," Zeph says quickly. "But perhaps... abbreviating my usual routine."

"Zeph." I move closer to him, reaching up to touch his face. "You don't have to abbreviate anything for me. This is part of who you are."

"I did not want you to feel excluded."

"Excluded? From this?" I gesture at the glowing pools around us. "Are you kidding? This is like having access to a private resort that probably costs more than I make in a year. I don't feel excluded, I feel like I've accidentally stumbled into some kind of alien luxury lifestyle that I'm definitely not qualified for."

That gets me a laugh, warm and delighted, and Zeph's hands settle on my waist under the water. "You are not what I expected, Jake Morrison."

"Good unexpected or bad unexpected?"

"The best kind of unexpected," he says, pulling me closer until we're pressed together in the warm, glowing water. "The kind that makes me reconsider everything I thought I knew about what I wanted."

The words hit me harder than they should, carrying implications that we're both probably not ready to examine too closely. Instead, I focus on the immediate,the feel of his skin against mine, the way the water makes everything more sensitive, the golden light that pulses brighter when we touch.

"So," I say, desperately needing to lighten the mood before I do something stupid like have feelings, "are you going to show me how this whole aquatic cleansing process works, or are we just going to float here having a moment?"

"I can show you," Zeph says, and there's something in his voice that suggests cleansing might not be the only thing on his mind.

"Lead the way."

What follows is the most thorough and sensual bathing experience of my life. Zeph produces some kind of cleansing gelthat smells like ocean air and feels like silk, and proceeds to wash every inch of my body with a attention to detail that's both practical and incredibly arousing.

"Your skin is very responsive to temperature changes," he observes, running his hands over my shoulders and noting the way I shiver despite the warm water.

"Your skin is literally glowing," I point out, trying not to think about how good his hands feel. "Like, actually glowing. It's very distracting."

The glow flares brighter at the comment, and I realize I'm never going to get tired of that response. "It is involuntary," Zeph says, almost apologetically.

"I figured that, otherwise you'd probably have better control over your mood lighting." I grin at him. "Though I have to say, it's convenient. I always know when I'm doing something right."

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