Deep Water

by Nicola Cameron

  “No.” Tears prickled in his eyes, and he blinked quickly. “Goddamn it, don’t do this. It’s bad enough that I’m going to die. I don’t want to hurt you, too.”

  Dunn went quiet, leaving Griffin hung on the cusp of the moment. “I would rather care for you now and mourn for you later, then never care for you at all,” the big man finally said. “I appreciate your wish not to hurt me, but this is my choice, and I want to make the most of it.”

  “Dunn—”

  “Come here. Please.”

  Swallowing, Griffin let himself be pulled into the other man’s arms, resting his head in the nook between Dunn’s shoulder and neck. It felt right, like he was made to lie in this man’s arms. Goddamn it, Moore, stop martyring yourself for one fucking moment. He’s an adult. If he wants to be with you, then take it and be grateful.

  “Thank you,” he whispered.

  “Hush.”

  Griffin closed his eyes. When he began to cry, Dunn stayed silent and held him.

  ****

  Out in the cove, three bottlenose dolphins pretended to play in the water, jumping occasionally to get a better view of what was happening on shore. Their night vision wasn’t very good, but like any other sea creature they could sense the presence of Poseidon. And it was very obvious that their god was on the beach.

  “He’s with the human,” the one known as Agata said to her sisters.

  Iole poked her snout above the water. “Are you sure?”

  “Quite sure. They got off the boat and went to the little building, but stayed outside.”

  They listened to the vibrations coming from the divine being on the beach.

  “How odd,” Melaina said, slapping her flippers on the water. “Are they mating? Two males? It’s not as if they can have calves.”

  “Our Lord does as he wishes,” Agata said. “Perhaps he finds pleasure in the human male.”

  “Perhaps,” Melaina allowed. “Nevertheless, we must report this to our ladies.”

  “We must,” Iole agreed.

  The three dolphins turned and swam for the cove’s exit. Their Nereids would be waiting for news of their wayward brother-in-law.

  ****

  The soft pale glow of dawn lit the bedroom, waking Griffin up. He looked at the other side of the bed but it was empty.

  After their rendezvous on the beach, Dunn had helped him into the cottage, waiting patiently while he plodded through his evening routine. When he stepped out of the bathroom in a t-shirt and baggy boxer shorts, the redheaded man had been sitting on the bed, hands clasped in his lap.

  “Would you like me to stay?”

  There was no question about it. Dunn had nodded and stripped down to a pair of designer briefs that fit him like a second skin. The first skin was flawlessly stretched over a body that looked like it had stepped straight off the cover of a men’s fitness magazine. Once again, Griffin had felt a combination of shocking lust and regret over his own wasted body.

  They’d gotten into bed, Dunn cuddling Griffin like they’d been doing it for years. And he’d had the dreams again. The first one about the moonlit lagoon was even better, now that he knew how Dunn kissed and felt in his hand. But the second one, where he was chased by a monster that was somehow Dunn, was much, much worse.

  Shit. Was I thrashing around or something? He would have to apologize if the big man had sloped off to finish the night on the couch.

  But he didn’t want to do that right now. It was easier to stay in bed and think about what was happening between them.

  Gender orientation be damned, he’d enjoyed the hand-job on the beach. Despite his own inability to get hard, it was deeply satisfying to bring the big ginger off. And Dunn’s willingness to hold him afterwards while he broke down had been a treasure beyond price.

  But the last thing he wanted was to leave a broken heart behind when he died. And now Dunn was effectively pledging to do just that. Griffin knew the right thing would be to leave that day, find another cottage somewhere, finish his time out by himself as he’d planned. But he just didn’t have the energy to do it.

  And he was scared. Having Dunn there didn’t make the tumor go away, but it gave him someone to lean on, someone who could mute that constant pulse point of fear to the point where it was bearable.

  Which is great for you, but what about him? He’s left with nothing when you die. Oh, and he gets to explain to his kids why he’s grieving over the bloke from the cottage down the way. By and Aph may be gay, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be able to handle their dad mourning for someone who isn’t their mum.

  He wished he were still young enough to pull the covers over his head and pretend he was still all right. But fifty didn’t give that kind of luxury. With a sigh, he sat up and waited out the inevitable dizzy spell, then got up.

  To his disappointment, Dunn’s long form wasn’t sprawled across the couch in the living room. There was no sign of the other man anywhere in the cottage. Griffin tried to ignore the little twinge of hurt. He never said he was going to stay. He does have a business, you know.

  That didn’t really help, though.

  Weary, Griffin forced himself to make some tea and toast. Unenthusiastically poking at a piece of browned bread with a butter-laden knife, he heard a knock at the front door.

  His hopes rose until he remembered Dunn always came to the back door now. Probably some local kid looking to mow the lawn or wash my car.

  Framing a polite refusal, he went to the front door and opened it. Instead of the expected teenager with a bucket and squeegee, three beautiful brunettes stood there beaming at him.

  “Hello,” the tall one in gold purred. “My name’s Lisa, these are my colleagues Jennifer and Patricia, and we’re from Divine Events. We’ve just opened a branch in Olympic Beach, and we’re throwing a get to know us party for people in the area.”

  “You won’t be asked to make a purchase or spend any money at all,” Jennifer, dressed in designer blue, added. “We simply want to show off what we can do for the folks of Olympic Beach.”

  “We’ll supply the transport, food, drink, and entertainment,” Patricia, resplendent in a lovely red dress, cooed. “All you have to do is show up. And we’re here to give you your own personal invitation to our party.”

  Griffin blinked at both the seamless sales pitch and the sensory overload of having three stunning women on his doorstep. “Er, well, that sounds great and all, but I’m not really local—”

  “Oh, that doesn’t matter,” Lisa said with a bright smile. “We have branches in a wide variety of areas. I’m sure that one of them could assist you with your event needs.”

  Griffin became aware of a light, deliciously floral scent in the air. He leaned against the door frame, breathing it in. The world went a bit swimmy, but he felt good so it was all right. “Thing is, I don’t plan on throwing a party anytime soon,” he said apologetically.

  “But if you see what we can do, you can recommend us to friends, family, and coworkers,” Jennifer said with a coquettish eyelash flutter.

  Patricia closed in on him, casually brushing his arm with one full breast. “We find that word of mouth is just as important as actual sales. We’d love to show you what we can do, Mister…”

  “Moore. Griffin Moore.” His tongue felt a bit thick, which was strange because the rest of him felt really, really good. The thought of spending some time with three beautiful party planners and getting the full effect of their work sounded like a damned good idea, now that he came to think about it. I could call Dunn, have him join us. “When’s the party, anyway?”

  “Oh, this morning,” Lisa cooed, slipping an arm through his and getting in another subtle tit rub. “All you have to do is come with us, Griffin. We’ll take care of everything.”

  “We’d love to take care of you,” Jennifer said, stepping right into his personal space and hitting him with the full force of two large, crystal blue eyes fringed heavily with dark lashes. “You’ll have so much fun.”

 
“Yes, you will. We’ll treat you right,” Patricia said, taking his other arm. “Just come with us.”

  “Come with us, Griffin,” Lisa said. Her voice sounded so lovely, sweet and low like soft bells. “Come with us.”

  A tiny part of his brain reminded him that he was only wearing Y-fronts and a vest. But somehow that didn’t seem to matter, not in the face of three gorgeous birds and their party invitation. Why was he resisting, anyway?

  He let them guide him off the porch into a waiting BMW. Lisa and Jennifer sandwiched him between them in the back seat while Patricia slid into the driver’s seat. “Why don’t you three enjoy some champagne while I get us to the party?” she said gaily.

  Griffin laughed when Lisa pulled a magnum of Moët & Chandon from a waiting ice bucket. “Christ. Haven’t had that stuff in years,” he said happily. “You ladies are spoiling me.”

  Lisa smiled at him. “That’s the plan, Griffin,” she said, expertly undoing the wire seal and popping the cork. Golden wine foamed over her hands, and they all laughed as she tried to get as much as she could into the waiting glasses held by Jennifer.

  “To new friends,” Jennifer said, pressing a glass into Griffin’s hand.

  “To new friends,” he agreed, clinking his glass against theirs before taking a sip. The wine was just as delicious as he remembered. It was definitely going to be a wonderful day.

  The BMW pulled onto the main road and headed south.

  ****

  Poseidon eyed the luxurious clump of railroad vine growing on the beach, its lavender blooms glowing against the sand. Lovely as it was, the flowering vine hadn’t been there the night before, and was undoubtedly a result of divine seed falling on the sand.

  I really shouldn’t have let him do that. But it had been irresistible having Griffin lying beneath him, gorgeously flushed and panting from their kisses. When his mate had reached down and taken him in hand, Poseidon had almost spent right there and then. It had been an effort of, in a word, Herculean willpower to hold off and enjoy Griffin’s inexperienced but enthusiastic stroking for just a little longer.

  The only canker in the rose had been Griffin’s inability to rise to the occasion. Poseidon had no plans to let his mate suffer from unrelieved arousal and had been more than willing to explore other ways of helping him orgasm. But in the end Griffin had needed comfort more than release. The sea god was a bit proud of himself for recognizing that and for offering Griffin the chance to let go of his fear and anger.

  But listening to his mate struggle to cry silently had torn at his own heart like Prometheus’s eagle. I swear, my beloved, I will not let you die. If I have to tear the oceans apart, I will find a cure for your illness. And then I will bring you and Amphitrite together, and the three of us will finally have the life together that we were denied.

  He shifted his attention to the water, extending his senses. A small system was building off to the southwest, promising rain later in the day. If we plan on sailing, we’d best get it done early.

  He walked up to Griffin’s back door, knocking. And afterwards I could lure him onto the couch for more kisses. Surely I could get him out of his clothes with a bit of effort—

  Something was wrong. He scanned the cottage.

  Griffin wasn’t there.

  Quickly, Poseidon checked the rest of the cottages. The doctor’s cottage held a sleeping Nick and two mers eating breakfast, and his sons’ home held only Ian and Bythos. The rest of the unoccupied cottages were just that—unoccupied.

  Did he wake up and think I’d gone? I should have left a note. The Seabird was still docked, and he didn’t see any other boats on the water. Wait. He has a vehicle, doesn’t he? Perhaps he had to go to the market for something?

  Poseidon jogged around to the front of the cottage, hope fading when he saw Griffin’s car still parked in its spot. “Damn it to Tartarus,” he muttered. “Where are you, beloved?”

  And then he smelled it. A floral scent that hung on the breeze like the curtain of a bedroom window. A very familiar scent.

  Rage flooded through him. His sisters-in-law had been there. And there could only be one reason for that.

  Thrusting out his hand, Poseidon summoned his trident. Find the Nereids Iaera, Pasithea, and Ligeia.

  The trident glowed, tugging him towards the water. Furious, he followed.

  ****

  Griffin opened his mouth for another grape. Lisa popped it in, and he bit into the juicy fruit with relish.

  “You like?” she cooed. Somewhere along the line she’d shed her gold dress, and was now wearing a very well cut bikini in the same color. She lounged next to him on the huge pouf, a bowl of chilled grapes between them.

  “’S great,” Griffin said, swallowing.

  “My turn,” Jennifer said, leaning across him to snag a grape. Her blue dress was also gone, replaced by an azure bikini filled with a beautifully curved, ripe body that would have made his pre-cancer cock sit up and howl. She held the grape up to his lips and he opened them obediently, taking the treat.

  “Feh—grapes. What you need is the liquid version, sweetheart.” Patricia knelt gracefully in front of him, red bikini blazing in his field of vision as she refilled his champagne glass yet again from the magnum. It had to be a new one by now, didn’t it, he thought muzzily as he was encouraged to take a sip. They’d finished the first bottle in the car, then another one on the boat, and now…

  Where were they again?

  He blinked up at creamy silk fabric overhead. They were in a little pavilion, like something out of 1001 Arabian Nights, filled with huge velvet poufs and smaller cushions for their feet. Little tables scattered around the pavilion held a staggering variety of food and drink, and he could hear soft music playing in the distance. Out front was a perfect blue sea almost exactly the color of Jennifer’s bathing costume. It was the ideal location for a party, just as they’d promised.

  A party?

  Oh, right. They were party planners, and wanted to show off their skills. “When are the others getting here?” he asked, blinking at the pavilion.

  The women shared an amused look. “I’m afraid you’re the only one who took us up on our invitation, darling,” Lisa said with an adorable little pout. “You don’t mind having us all to yourself, do you?”

  A flicker of guilt penetrated the pleasant haze. “No. But I wanted to invite my friend—”

  “We don’t really need anyone else, do we?” Jennifer added, leaning closer. He couldn’t help staring at two round, creamy breasts as they pressed against his arm. “We’ll have so much fun, honey.”

  “You are having fun, aren’t you?” Patricia said, big blue eyes wide and ingenuous. “If there’s anything you need, we’ll get it for you. All you have to do is ask, sweetheart.”

  He nodded, and his head spun from the movement. Beautiful women, good wine, amazing food, gorgeous surroundings on the beach. It was all he wanted, wasn’t it?

  Something niggled at the back of his mind. Something about kisses and a soft, baritone moan.

  He blinked, struggling to sit up. “Dunn,” he croaked. “I need Dunn.”

  “No, you don’t,” Lisa said firmly, pushing him back. “You’d much rather be with us, wouldn’t you?”

  The other two moved in until he was surrounded with lush feminine beauty and a perfume that spun his senses.

  But part of his mind was still fixed on Dunn. “Why can’t we invite him?” Griffin said woozily. “He’s my friend. I like him. I think I’m falling in love with him.” He grinned in wonder. “I’m falling in love with a bloke. Fancy that.”

  Lisa tsked. “He’s a party pooper and an old grouch. And he’s married. You don’t want him.”

  “You want us, sweetheart,” Jennifer purred. “We’ll take such good care of you.”

  He could feel hands on his belt now, tugging it loose from its buckle. “No,” he said, putting his hand on a feminine one.

  Patricia frowned at him. “Why not? Don’t worry, honey. We’r
e all clean, I promise.”

  Another hand moved lower, caressing his still-clothed and flaccid penis. It felt ... wrong.

  “What’s wrong, darling?” Lisa asked, biting her lower lip. “Don’t you want us?”

  All of them jumped when an authoritative voice barked, “No, he doesn’t, you vapid harpy. Now get your hand off his cock.”

  Griffin was suddenly alone on his pouf, sinking into the engulfing fabric. All three bikini’ed women now stood like a wall in front of him, hands planted on hips as they argued with—

  Dunn. Relief washed through him, sweeping away the muzziness. He wanted Dunn, that’s who he wanted. Tall, handsome, bearded, muscular Dunn, who stood there wrangling with the party planners while one hand rested on the huge, glowing trident planted at his side.

  Trident?

  He struggled to sit up, and realized he was in his underwear. What the everlasting fuck was I thinking?

  More of the haze cleared. No, I wasn’t thinking, that was the problem.

  He glared at the trio of rounded backsides facing him. “What the hell did you do to me?” he croaked.

  Lisa turned, startled. “You’re awake? That’s impossible,” she said. “You had enough nectar to knock out a bull.”

  “You fed him nectar?” Dunn bellowed. “How dare you?”

  “How dare you, brother-in-law?” Lisa spun back, pointing an angry finger at him. “Canoodling with your mortal lover out in the open like that? You know Amphitrite comes to the cove regularly to visit her patients. I know you’re heartless and cruel, but that goes above and beyond even for you.”

  Griffin could see Dunn flush. “I was not canoodling, whatever that means,” he said angrily.

  “No, you were spilling your seed freely, as usual,” Jennifer spat at him. “And leaving behind evidence that Ammie will see.”

  “How could you?” Patricia demanded, stamping a foot. “How could you deliberately hurt her like that, Poseidon?”

  Griffin felt his jaw drop open. He had to have misheard it, or it was a nickname, because there was no way, no way in hell—