Seduction (Curse of the Gods #3)(69)

I slicked the hair away from my face, glancing back and forth between the two big shadows standing near. Neither of them were reaching for me, even though I could see the bunching of their arms in the darkness—a sure sign that fists were being clenched.

“You really need to stop doing that,” Rome warned me. “We don’t know what might be in these waters, and if I can’t stop you from drowning, I can’t let you in the water.”

“But I can swim,” I protested. “I’m doing it right now! Look!” I spread my arms out, pulling my hands from the water so that they could hear the trickle of water dribbling back to the surface from my fingers.

“You’re standing, Willa-toy.” Yael sounded amused. “That’s not swimming.”

“Let’s agree to disagree.” I took another step backwards, and they matched it with a step forward. “How long do you think the others will let us stay out here?”

“Long enough,” Rome said, avoiding the question.

“I think we’re in the middle of the stream right now—it might not get any deeper,” I noted. “Do you think we could walk a little further up?”

“You want to see the waterfall?” Rome asked.

I nodded, before realising that they couldn’t see me. “Yes.” My voice was faint—smaller than I had intended.

I was standing there naked, in the dark, with two completely bare Abcurses and too much emotion for my rogue-dweller brain to handle. I felt vulnerable. Exposed. More exposed than if I had stripped and paraded my naked self in front of the entire academy and all of the gods. This was a different kind of openness. I was letting them in, inviting them into my grief and asking them to understand something that I couldn’t even explain.

“Of course we can walk to the waterfall.” It was Yael who spoke, his voice soft and understanding.

My mouth dropped open and my stomach flooded with warmth all at once. An understanding Yael? Wow. They really needed to stop surprising me.

“Lead the way, Will.” That had been from Rome.

When had they started using my nickname? I wasn’t sure, but I liked it. A lot. I turned from them and waited until the slow push of water against the back of my legs indicated that they were directly behind me. They weren’t going to go in front, or pick me up, or force me to get out of the water—they were going to follow behind and simply be there if I needed them. I started walking with a small smile curving my lips, and by the time the spray of the waterfall was raining over us, the smile had widened into something full of happiness. I laughed, again, and waded through the stream until the water was almost up to my neck.

“Am I swimming yet?” I called out, trying to be heard over the sound of the waterfall, even though they were both directly beside me.

“No,” Rome answered. I could hear the same low chuckle from him as before. “You’re still standing. Your feet aren’t allowed to be touching the ground.”

I pushed up from the riverbed, looping one arm around Yael’s neck, because it was easier, before using that leverage to pull my other arm up and around Rome’s neck. They helped to tug me up the rest of the way, their hands settling either side of my waist naturally, and I kicked my legs a little through the water.

“There.” I knew I sounded satisfied. “Now I’m swimming.”

“Now you’re hanging,” Rome clarified.

“You know what.” I turned toward his face in the darkness. “This is why I don’t ask your opinions on things.”

He grinned—I could see the white flash of teeth against the tanned skin of his face, and then, suddenly, I couldn’t take it any longer. I needed to be closer.

I needed more.





Seventeen





I acted without thought, tightening my arm around Rome’s neck until he had to bend down closer to my face. I could feel his breath against my lips and the contracting of his hand at my waist. I wasn’t thinking about the consequences any more, or about my mother. I didn’t care about Staviti, Cyrus, Rau, or any of the other asshole gods. My mind was full of Rome and Yael—the warmth of their skin, the hard press of their muscles, and the cool water that licked between us. I wanted to stay there forever … but instead, I would settle for something that might help me keep the memory of my first swim forever.

The pact was broken and I was ready for this.

“Willa—” Rome started to warn, but I wasn’t listening.

I pressed my lips up against his mouth, swallowing the sound that grumbled out of him. He resisted for a fraction of a click, but as I opened my mouth and flicked my tongue out to caress it against his, I felt his will crumble. In a flash, my body was shifted around. I wasn’t sure who helped me to face Rome, or when I had wrapped my legs around him again—with no barriers between us, I couldn’t stop from rocking against his hard length as our kiss became frantic.

There were hands everywhere, breath everywhere, and my brain was scattered from the feeling of his tongue pushing into my mouth. Yael was behind me again, pressing so close that I could feel him all the way down my spine. His hands wrapped around my front, his fingers brushing across my stomach. I could feel the pressure of his touch as it continued lower, sliding across damp skin, until it dipped down, almost level with my hips. With a low moan, I pulled back from Rome, trying to push up into the touch.