Page 13 of The Best Trick

“Uh-uh-uh,” Zeus grunted, and I knew he was coming along with me.

“Fuck, goddess,” Odin gasped. “I cannot last with you like this. Your pleasure slays me.” He came somewhere, lord knows where. And then Thor untied my hands. I felt warm and pliant and happy.

“I guess the hot tub was good,” I said.

Odin hoisted me up over his back and carrying me—not to the hot tub, but to the pool.

“Nooo!” I cried.

He threw me in, naked. I grabbed a floaty bed and floated in the glorious sunshine. It was incredibly peaceful until my guys stripped off all of their clothes and did cannonballs into the pool, splashing ridiculously, nearly toppling me. Because that is what you get with guys.

We swam for a while, and then we ordered a huge haul of food from the grocery store and unpacked. Zeus was excited to grill some of the local fish.

The guys grumbled about needing to brush up on their art history and art scene intel. Just in case Sue came sniffing around.

“Well, luckily, I'm just the cheese expert in this identity, so I don't need to know about art. Yay! I'm really going to check out the hammock for sure,” I said, turning to Zeus. “The amenities of this backyard, just all of this, it’s a wonderful surprise. It really is.”

“What do you mean?” Zeus asked.

“You said there would be a surprise at this Airbnb, right?” I said. “Wait, it's not the hammock and hot tub? That’s not the surprise?”

“I didn't say the surprise would beatthe Airbnb,” Zeus said.

I could sense Odin and Thor perking up. They would not be at all thrilled with the idea that the surprise was yet to come. But nobody wanted to be in a fight after the last fight.

I grabbed my book and went out and sat on the hammock. It was everything. I read and napped, and soon delicious aromas were wafting my way. So I went and joined my guys, and we had a sumptuous meal. Later, Zeus and Thor took a walk down to the beach, and Odin and I hung out on the couch.

I got back to my book. Odin was looking at the magazines and brochures that Sue had out on the side table. Suddenly he let out a huge, loud man-groan.

I looked up. “What's wrong?”

“I think I found the surprise,” he said ominously, holding up a small brochure.

“What is it?”

He handed it to me. It was a brochure advertising romantic hot air balloon rides for two up and down the coast. The operation was owned and managed by a ballooner named Harley. With the romantic balloon ride for two, apparently, Harley packed a couple a picnic basket with a bottle of champagne and snacks and flew up with them over the coast. The pictures showed the couple toasting with champagne glasses.

“Make a champagne toast to your beloved against the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean as you soar above the treetops,” the brochure read.

A romantic balloon ride for couples. Zeus catnip if I ever saw it.

“Damn,” I said.

Balloon rides generally seemed like fun, but I could see the un-fun way in which this one would all unfold, and I was sure Odin did, too: Zeus would decide that the four of us, as a romantic unit, should be able to go up in the balloon together, and if it wasn't allowed, there would be trouble.

Big trouble.

Zeus’s willingness to fight for our love wasn't always the best thing ever, let's just say.

Zeus went on a long run the next morning, and Odin and I showed Thor the balloon brochure.

“Damn,” Thor said, draining his coffee.

“My sentiments exactly,” I sighed. If only the balloon rides were geared toward groups!

“Fucking-gtailor made for Zeus to freak out on,” Odin said.

Thor nodded. “Zeus did mention he wanted to do an excursion tomorrow. Something about us getting on our disguises and going into town. This must be it.”

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