Page 4 of A Contemporary Mythos Summer
Biting on my lower lip, I dragged a finger over my collarbone. “Mm. Yeah. That’s the stuff.”
“You know, I’m not big on buoyancy.” He dragged a knuckle under my chin with a smile sparking enough to boil the seas. “But do whatever floats your boat.”
Letting out a sensual moan, I let that same finger dip into the top part of my cover-up. “You may need to pull the truck over before I self-combust.”
He laughed, gruff and magnificent, before interlacing our fingers, kissing my palm, and resting our joined hands on his thigh.
Leaning my head against the headrest, I took a moment to take him in—all of him. The father of my children wasn’t only an ethereal water god-king who has battled the Kraken, Titans, and Olympus knows what else, but he also had the best sense of humor and such aloofness to life in general. There were so many times I wish I could be as carefree as him—and before remembering who I was, Amphitrite, I’d been more like that. I missed it at times but I wouldn’t trade my previous life memories and family for anything. A sacrifice worthy of making.
“You know I appreciate you, right?” I whispered, smiling warmly once he quirked an eyebrow at me.
His brows pulled together, and he squeezed my hand. “None of that, Starfish. I know you think the world of me.” He winked and gave me that dopey grin that I’d remembered far too many times would make me smile in the middle of an argument, and he knew it.
Once we pulled into the parking lot, Poseidon hopped out and headed to the truck bed. After leaping several feet to the ground from the truck’s step, I met Seid at the back as he removed his surfboard.
“Surfing here? There’s barely a roll of waves, let alone a curl, Seid.” I pointed at the gently rolling waves of the Gulf slapping against the shore.
Poseidon furrowed his brow at me as he rested the butt of the board at our feet. “Cordelia, did you really just say that to me?”
I slapped a hand over my face. “Would you believe me if I told you Istillsometimes forget who and what we are?”
“Considering this very recently exploded in your brain like a tsunami all at once, I would believe that. Plus—” He lowered his head to kiss me—a brief brush of lips, a subtle lick, and warm water teasing my skin. “—I find it adorable that I still get to remind you.”
Letting out a shaky breath, I opened my eyes to stare at him. “Remind me?”
He pointed at the water before snapping his fingers. The water obeyed his command, swirling the perfect curls at the ideal height for surfing. Several astonishing wails from swimmers and beach-goers echoed around us.
“Subtle, sea-god. Real subtle.” Biting back a smile, I shook my head and nudged his arm.
We found as open of a spot on the sand as possible, considering how many people stretched the shores of Pensacola Beach on any given weekend. I snapped the extra-large towel, furling it open before flattening it over the sand. Sinking to my knees, I smoothed it out, stretching it to its max-width. A breath caught in my throat, catching sight of my husband, the King of the Seas, raising his arms above his head. With one hand he grabbed the collar of his tank and slid it off, his tanned muscles flexing and twitching as he tossed the shirt onto my beach bag. I’d known him for over a thousand years, and somehow, he still managed to make my stomach flip at the sight of him half-naked.
A smoldering grin pulled at Poseidon’s lips, his gaze landing on me over the rim of his sunglasses. As I unabashedly roamed his body—ogling him—I stood, playing with the dangling string of my cover-up.
Still grinning, he curled a hand over my hip and dropped his mouth to my ear, his warm breath moistening it. “Like what you see, Queen of the Seven Seas?”
“How do you do that?” I peered up at him and trailed my fingers through the wavy blonde tendrils framing his face.
“Do what?”
“Drive me wild despite centuries knowing you.”
His grip tightened on my waist, and he pulled me closer. “I’d say it’s my godly charm, but you’re not mortal anymore, so there goes that excuse.” The horse tattoo on the inside of his arm seemed to gallop as he drummed his fingers on the top of my butt cheek.
“Isn’t it straight charm then, hubs?” Beaming at him, I stood on my tippy toes to give him a peck on the cheek.
He patted my thigh. “Enough talk.” Lowering to the beach towel, he leaned back on one elbow, making a hurry-up gesture. “Why don’t you show me that white bikini?”
Grinning with my tongue poking from between rows of teeth, I turned my back to him, making it a spectacle of slowly raising the cover-up, pausing at my lower back. I played a sultriness in my gaze as I continued to pull it past my shoulders and over my head. Running my hands through my hair and hitching one leg, I snuck a peek at him. He’d slid the Aviators atop his head, his gaze trailing my curves with carnal intent.
“Like whatyousee, Simon?”
Remembering to call him by his mortal surfer guise name in public became less challenging over time. He snapped the sunglasses back over his eyes before smiling and pulling me to the towel, tickling my sides. I flopped to my back, cackling uncontrollably and slapping his hands to stop torturing me.
He paused, grinning and looming over me. “And you sayI’mthe one with the charm.”
“Holy shit. You’re Simon Thalassa,” a random male voice said from nearby.
Poseidon sighed, and his shoulders slumped.
