“Are they as beautiful as you?” Enten forced his gaze to thaw a few degrees as he looked deep into her brown eyes.
Score. Tess exclaimed.
Glory spluttered. “Oh. I’m not a model,” she demurred. “I’m the director on this shoot. It’s my job to be the one way behind the cameras, not in front.”
Enten smiled. “They put you there so the others would not be jealous.” That was certainly the right thing to say. Enten waited for Tess’s comment this time.
Why you smooth devil. Loosen that loincloth, show a little cheek, and that woman will be taking a bite out of your ass before you know it.
It was Enten’s turn to splutter, and he met Glory’s look of concern.
“Are you all right?” she asked, worriedly. “Maybe you shouldn’t have gotten up so fast.”
“I’m fine.” He coughed. The only problem Enten had would be keeping the voices in his head under control while his attention remained on Glory. Every time she spun in his direction, he was aware of her spicy scent and the outline of two hard nipples poking through a tight, little pink shirt. They’d left her top layer back on the beach.
One of you go acquire Glory’s shirt for me where we left it on the beach.
Anshar laughed. Going to put it under your pillow tonight so you can work it before bedtime, you horny bastard?
Enten bit down and stifled a growl. There would be no more noises made that he couldn’t explain to Glory.
Marduk’s voice soothed him. Don’t listen to Anshar. We’ll pick it up for you. You just pay attention to your Chosen.
Thank the gods for the calming influence of Marduk.
With an invisible entourage, Enten, holding Glory’s hand, made his way across the sandbar. Shortly thereafter, they approached a group who Glory quickly explained consisted of twelve models, two photographers, a couple of make-up/wardrobe people, and her personal assistant. A lot of skin showed, as those to be photographed lounged around in bathing suits.
“Thankfully,” she whispered to Enten, “everyone is still in the shadow of the tents, so there’ll be no whining about sunburns later.”
“All right, folks,” Glory exclaimed loudly, walking briskly up to the group, Enten in tow. “This is Enten, a local performer I met up the beach, and I’m hoping to persuade him to join our shoot and agree to be in our ads. Amazingly, I don’t have to disturb our make-up person,” she grinned over at him. “Because his face is perfect just the way it is.”
It seemed like Glory attempted to needle the group, but Enten didn’t care. Instead, he preened.
She turned to the man she’d designated as her assistant. “Manny, can you get him the releases he’ll need to sign?” Enten’s countenance fell. Shit. If they had forms with them, maybe he wasn’t so special after all. Perhaps they met people on the street and hired them as extras wherever they went.
“Right away.” The obviously gay young man ogling Enten didn’t hide his appreciation. “But I’m having them snap a few extras so I can hang them over my bed.”
Glory bit down hard on her bottom lip. Enten grinned. Had she been thinking she might like to do the same thing?
Emesh piped up, huffing at his twin. Can’t he see you’re the straight one? If he tries to lay a hand on you, he’ll have to answer to me. His eyes flashed.
Enten wanted to laugh, but cleared his throat instead. You don’t find him appealing, brother?
Enten, you know me better than that. My tastes run toward the large and brooding…which this young man isn’t. He sniffed.
While Enten finished up with his twin via head-link, the female models and a couple of the males approached where he stood with Glory still grasping his hand.
“You are a hot property, big stuff.” The one who’d been introduced as Victorianna seemed sure of her doe-eyed allure. She stepped forward and ran her fingers up Enten’s chest before snatching them back. “Oh my God. You’re freezing.” She looked horrified.
Here was the reaction Enten had been used to back in Merrymount. He was about to explain when Glory squashed the girl like a bug.
“Keep your hands to yourself and your mouth shut, Vicky.” She turned to the other models. “And that goes for the rest of you as well.” They looked astonished that their director—whom Enten assumed was usually even keeled―had snapped at them.
Wow. Glory had chided them on his behalf. Not only that, but after entwining her fingers with his, she’d put an authoritative hand on his back. Enten was dumbfounded.
I like her, Enten. Emesh nodded his head in Glory’s direction. I think you should keep her.
Enten wanted to agree, but he had to rein in his hopes. Just because she championed him in front of her crew, didn’t mean she wanted any kind of a relationship with him. The first time she kissed him―and it was wishful thinking on his part it would even happen―she’d probably think she smooched a cadaver and run screaming the other way. It had happened way too many times in the past for Enten to discount the possibility.
Get the defeated look off your face, Enten. Just take this slowly. It’s looking good. Huh. At least Tess had his back, and that was some consolation.
Enten turned to Glory, looked down at her, which was something he was pretty sure not many males could do given her height, and smiled.
****
Glory wanted to kick herself. Here she was, in the company of the most beautiful man she’d ever encountered, and she’d let him think she only wanted him in a professional capacity. How frustrating. Couldn’t she have been honest with him and told him she found him attractive? Hell, forget attractive. He smiled down at her now, and it transformed his face from granite perfection to a living, breathing, perfect male animal. Glory had never been so fascinated. The guy was sin on stilts.
Apparently Gisella felt the same way, if the look on the model’s face was anything to go by. Glory stifled a sigh. Things for the afternoon would go just as she suspected. Who would want a tall, awkward stick-figure, when surrounded by—and being totally outshined by—these lithe twenty-somethings? Once Enten got a good, long look at Mandy and Gisella, and they had their sharp, little talons deeply embedded in him, Glory would be chopped liver. Yup. Barracuda approaching at twelve o-clock.
“I don’t care how chilly you are,” Gisella’s voice purred seductively. “Come play with me. I’ll warm you up.” She reached her fingers out to twine through Enten’s free hand and, before Glory could protest, the gamine brunette had pulled him away and out into the shallow waves. The camera started to shoot, and that was that.
As miffed as she was that the model had stolen Enten, she hid it, and the director in Glory took over.
Enten performed as a natural, taking the good-natured splashing the model initiated and keeping his body poised and relaxed. After the initial play, he loosened up even more to join in the fun. He lifted Gisella easily, above his head, his hands at her waist. When he laughed up at her, he displayed the whitest teeth Glory had ever seen. Gisella looked entranced, and that put the final damper on Glory’s hopes. She wouldn’t be reclaiming Enten’s interest today.
She slipped completely back into director mode, and putting an end to her brief bit of dreaming, it didn’t take long to get all the models in the water to join the fun.
The photographers gave her the thumbs up. Clearly this would be good. Glory only wished she could have kept Enten to herself for just a little while longer.
Chapter Five
Enten looked toward the land and cursed. Ah. The elusive Lahar, finally deeming to appear, made his way from behind scrubby trees. Apparently the previously missing god wasn’t about to be left out of the fun. Well, screw him. Before Enten had the chance to tell him to go pound sand, the immortal had already sprinted down the beach and joined him and the models in the water.
He turned toward Glory and observed her reaction to the god of logic. Dammit. The appearance of Lahar could turn his mate-to-be’s head in a different direction, and Enten didn’t like it. Lahar, dressed in a
n identical loincloth, showed a lot of well-toned muscle. The god’s body presented leaner than Enten’s, finer boned, and a few inches shorter. His skin glowed chocolate brown and he had those damned, big brown eyes ladies loved. What if Glory liked Lahar’s type better?
The women in the water instantly fell under his brother’s spell.
“Ooh. This one’s warm,” Mandy squealed, jumping up and wrapping her legs around Lahar’s waist. Always the professional, Enten assumed, the model remembered to smile and face the camera, joyously thrusting her hands up into the air to lift and accentuate her boobs. But he could tell the girl was still aware of and enjoying the male between her legs. And Lahar was certainly onboard with whatever she could dish out.
“So, Lahar, you finally show yourself once there’s merriment to be had.” Ah, hell. He couldn’t deny Lahar the fun of cavorting with models. It had been far too long. Enten sloughed off his jealousy, determined they would both enjoy themselves for as long as possible.
He actually couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so alive. Could it be the nearness of his future mate that made everything seem sharper, clearer? Or was it just the novelty of having wet bodies all around, touching and rubbing up against him.
Hell, at the moment, who cared? Enten threw caution away and played with zeal, finding he didn’t even mind the occasional tussle with one of the males. That visceral pleasure could either be due to the length of time he’d been without human touch or perhaps he had a little of Emesh in him after all. His pondering must have made it through to his brother.
No, you’re far from gay, my twin. But if you decided to do one of them on my behalf, could you make it the one with the huge nuts in the striped number? He really does it for me.
Sorry, bro. Not bending over for anybody. Besides, he smirked, feeling really good, now that I have a Chosen, I’m as good as married and can’t be dallying with anyone else, male or female.
In his exuberance over rediscovering the joys of touch, he hadn’t forgotten Glory, who sat a little apart from everyone, leaning forward every now and then, pointing something out to the photographer. A chilly smile came to his lips, and his eyes—if they weren’t so cold—would have smoldered as a devilish inclination occurred to him.
Enten rose, wet and shiny from the waves, and strode forward on muscled calves. Water droplets glistened as they flung from his body in motion. He knew what Glory and the cameras thought. That he channeled Bo Derek, albeit in male form with his dreadlocks and beads. He could almost feel the cameras loving him from where Glory sat, and made sure his every twitch got caught on film.
She was clearly so used to being outside the action that her mouth formed an enormous “O” as Enten sprinted up the beach toward her and showered her with salt spray. He made sure his eyes sparkled like frozen crystals as they gazed down at her with devilment dancing in his gut. Before she could think to protest, he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder, carrying her back down the sandy expanse.
“Enten. Stop,” she squealed, perhaps mortified with the indignity of her position, posterior first toward her charges. “Enten,” she burbled. “What are you doing?”
What was he doing at that particular moment? Removing her canvas sneakers and tossing them away, all the while striding closer to the water. He didn’t feel the need to answer. All Enten could think, was that he wanted her close…and he wanted her wet. Everything else could wait.
He became vaguely aware of the models’ voices egging him on, and the gods’ in his head doing the same as the water rose to thigh deep. But Enten was more in tune with the warm rise and fall of Glory’s chest against the cold muscles of his back. He moved into waist-deep water, chest high with the waves.
Before she was in danger of her head going under, Enten wrapped one hand possessively around her ass, drew her forward into the cradle of his arms, and gave her a quick command to take a breath, submerging them both.
Underwater, he couldn’t help himself. His lips found hers in a firm but quick kiss. If Glory was surprised, she didn’t show it. Instead, she returned the pressure, and he nearly roared with pleasure, deepening the connection, and still she didn’t pull away. Why?
The cold ocean must be masking the coolness of his mouth. That had to be the reason she wasn’t repulsed. But did she experience the same jolt to the loins as he? If so, might she be tempted to kiss him again without the ocean as a buffer? His air supply grew short, just thinking about it, and… Oh shit. She was human. His mate needed air. Enten pushed them to the surface.
Their heads breached the waves, and far from looking panicked, sunshine reflected in Glory’s smiling eyes. Her arms found their way around his neck and she gazed up at him with a dreamy lethargy. Damn. He felt like a god.
Enten glanced over at Lahar who smiled at him ridiculously. The whole thing felt surreal. He experienced the warmth of the ocean―to him it felt very warm―the press of soft breasts against his chest, and the salt on Glory’s lips. Enten couldn’t help but think something had to go wrong. Wasn’t it right about now he should be waking up from this vivid dream?
Shouts from up the beach drew his attention, and instead of popping out of a sound sleep, he became more grounded seeing Marduk and Tess, Anshar, Lenore, Dagon and Holly, headed for him at a run. Not to mention Enlil, who sprinted out in front of the rest by a good margin. So they wanted to join the fun, huh? Enten spun Glory about and raised his voice to let out his exuberance. “Yee-haa,” he cried, egging his fellow gods and goddesses on.
The pregnant Tess waddled behind, managing to keep up despite her considerable girth. Enten watched as Marduk scooped her into his arms effortlessly, and then the whole bunch dashed into the water, laughing like mad.
Glory’s mouth wouldn’t stay closed. “Four more larger-than-life, gorgeous males. And women too?” She gulped. “Don’t tell me. They belong to you?” She turned and gazed up at Enten who did not let her go.
“Yup.” He beamed over at the group, unused to seeing his friends cavort this way. He edged a path toward them in the water, still holding Glory, to make the introductions. “This is Marduk,” Enten nudged his chin in the direction of his boss with long, dark hair. “And his wife, Tess.” He indicated the gray-eyed, pronouncedly pregnant goddess, kept aloft by her husband.
“Guys, this is Glory.” He said it with pride as he approached.
“Nice to meet you, Glory.” Tess squealed as Marduk dipped her ass into the water.
Glory ogled the group. They were all ridiculously beautiful. Between them and the models, her plain-Jane status became painfully apparent, but she managed to hold onto her aplomb, smiling and dipping her chin in acknowledgment.
“This is Anshar and his wife Lenore,” Enten continued.
Blond ponytail and platinum bombshell made quite a picture, sandwiched face to face with the petite female’s legs wrapped tightly around her husband’s middle.
“Don’t mind us.” Anshar swaggered. “She can’t get enough of me.”
“Don’t let him fool you, Glory.” Lenore pushed at him playfully. “He’s got me mushed up against him so tightly I couldn’t move if I wanted to.” She arched her back, forcing her large breasts up, obviously digging her crotch into him even harder, which made her blue-eyed giant growl.
Enten clearly chose to ignore them. “Over there is Dagon and his bride, Holly. They are newly mated…uh, married, and she is the twin sister to Tess.”
Glory got a nice wave from the curly haired woman before the golden-skinned Dagon, all black eyed and dangerous in visage, picked her up and tossed her into the waves, diving after her with an elegance Glory hoped the photographers had captured.
She had heard that traveling circuses and acts such as these were real family affairs, and guessed this group was no exception. She envied them their obvious closeness. When she was off on a shoot, it was always with different groups of models where the crews changed regularly as well. What Glory considered “the young people” all stayed pretty clo
se together, not having the inclination to make friends with her, the older director. Her assistant, Manny, was her only constant, and although a lot of fun, they didn’t hang out together in their off time.
“The single guy headed toward the model you called Victorianna is Enlil.” Enten kept up the introductions, but with this male, he sounded a bit insecure. Glory studied Enlil. Certainly, he was quite good looking, his long golden braids twined with lapis beads, and his auriferous eyes offsetting those colors made a compelling combination. But Glory had no intention of “going for” Enlil. As far as she was concerned, Enten was loads more appealing.
Because Enten’s confidence appeared to wane, Glory attempted a verbal build up. “He’s good looking, but I’ve always been partial to a man who accessorizes with gold.” Glory tugged one of Enten’s dark braids, and it must have been directly attached to his heart strings because he gave her the brightest smile. So intense that it warmed his features enough to momentarily supersede the chill she already expected to come from him.
Glory watched in amusement as Enlil had reached the wide-eyed Victorianna by this time. It was funny, a stiff breeze seemed to come up out of nowhere, aimed directly at the model and it tightened her nipples beneath her scant bathing suit.
“Now there’s a picture.” Glory loved it. Slightly naughty sold. “I’m missing some really good stuff here,” she said to Enten. “You need to put me down. As much as I enjoy being in your arms, I’ve got a job to do.”
“Let the photographers take care of it,” Enten pouted and groused. “I want you to stay with me.”
“Sorry, Enten. It’s what I get paid for,” Glory reasoned, all the while trying to remove his arms from around her.
“I said you will stay,” Enten’s words came out clipped, clearly not happy to let her go. The cold, which had momentarily been dispelled, seeped back into him. Glory went rigid. Had he just given her an order?
Frozen Stiff Page 4