Page 19 of Goddess of Storms

“Dude,” Phoenix sucks in a breath, “I thought I was in shape, but this hiking bullshit tells me I’m a liar.”

“You’re a fireman, this should be a breeze for you,” Nile chirps in.

“Well, mister fucking boat captain, you’re having a hard time, too.”

“Yes, I’m a boat captain. We don’t move a lot, mainly standing in one spot.”

“You two are being too hard on yourselves. Think of it this way, if you were a weightlifter and you tried to run a marathon, it’s not what you’ve trained for. This is the job Stone and I train for and it’s not always easy for us. Take a rest and we will keep going,” Harper pipes in.

I watch as the tension in both their shoulders eases and they slump a little farther against the rock they are leaned against.

The crystal-clear water is calling my name, and the sweat is begging to be washed from my skin. “Harper, want to take a dip?”

She smiles and nods as we both forget the other two are here and shed our clothes and head for the cool water before us. Our feet splash as we run into the water, not stopping until we are enveloped in the cool liquid.

We glance back to shore and Nile and Phoenix’s eyes are wide and their jaws on the floor.

“You’re welcome to join us,” Harper laughs and she links her arms and legs around me.

Her hot breath fans my neck as she whispers, “Gods, I have missed this.”

“You don’t know the agony it was for me to be so close to you and you didn’t know who I was. I hated the lying and the parading of women, but your mom insisted I keep my distance.”

“I always felt off, that there was something missing in my heart, that was one reason it didn’t work with Nile,” she explained. “You were the missing link.”

Crushing my lips to hers, I pull her tighter to me, letting all the emotions I’ve held in flow into it.

“Dude, let her breathe,” Nile says, ruining the moment.

With my hand, I send a wave of water to his face. He swims through it with ease, I mean I would if my father was the god of the sea, I wouldn’t have any trouble, either.

He just grins as he positions himself behind Harper.

“Always, the third wheel, Nile.” I laugh.

His face turns sour, “You’re still not funny.”

Phoenix calls to the three of us from the shore, “We should leave soon.”

Nile huffs, “But I just got in the water.”

Harper smiles at us both, “Race you to the shore.”

She doesn’t give us a chance to reply as she starts to swim to the sandy beach.

Fucking son of Poseidon. Nile overtakes her with ease as I start towards her. Once we get to where we can stand, I hollar at Phoenix. “Avert your eyes.”

“Dude, you don’t have to tell me twice,” he answers, turning his back to the lake.

Nile is almost fully clothed when our feet hit the shore. Harper and I scramble back into ours and then grab our packs and we are ready to get moving.

“That water hit the spot,” Nile comments.

“Of course, you’d say that.” I huff as I roll my eyes.

Harper takes my hand, “No fighting today, please. I know he isn’t your favorite but be civil for me?”

“Anything for you.” I whisper back.

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