“Please. You’ve done wonders for me.”
The masseuse hesitated a moment then gave a little nod, pocketing the currency. “Thank you.Verygenerous.”
“And thankyou. I feel like a new woman.”
Maria slipped on her robe and headed for the door.
“Enjoy the rest of your stay.”
“We will.”
She headed back to their private little bungalow, wondering just how much money Zepharos had given her to tip with. Judging by the reaction, it was apparently a considerable sum.
She found him dressed in crisp, clean attire, a loose-fitting outfit that was basic, comfortable, and accentuated his natural attributes in a delightful way. He turned to mark her arrival with a cheerful little grin.
“You look happy.”
“Oh my God, I feelincredible. You don’t know what you missed.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself. There are some clothes for you over there. Our own will be laundered and returned in the morning.”
“Whatdon’tthey do for us here?”
“I haven’t found that out yet,” he said with an amused grin. “Are you hungry?”
“Famished.”
“Then get dressed. Dinner is sure to be something special.”
As it turned out, it was even better than her already high expectations. There were other couples present, but all were seated in private booths of woven reeds, keeping them all in their own worlds, out of sight and earshot of each other.
Then there was the food itself. Their dinner service was essentially an alien tapas tasting with myriad remarkable flavors and textures presented for them to sample. The range was broad, with hot and cold served along with complementary wines and coolers. Every last detail was perfectly curated, from the remarkable amuse-bouche, to the steady stream of bites, down to the final flight of sweet liqueurs, each small glass matching its accompanying dessert. When they finally finished, the pair were full but not uncomfortably so, and their bodies were positively aglow from the food and alcohol. Not inebriated by a long shot, but comfortably buzzing and feeling no pain.
By the time they left both were in the absolute best of spirits and utterly relaxed. Maria leaned against Zepharos’s muscular frame, lacing her fingers through his. She felt him tense slightly, his energy shifting toward the uncomfortable.
“Relax. You said it yourself. We need to blend it.”
“Uh, but?—”
“Just go with it, okay? Trust me.”
She could feel his pulse thundering through his palm, which had become quite a bit hotter all of a sudden. It seemed the man accustomed to being the forward one was taken quite off-guard by being the recipient rather than instigator. But despite his momentary surge of tension, his shoulders slowly relaxed as they walked, easing into the moment and simply enjoying it.
Maria felt the shift, the vibe returning to what they’d hadwhen they’d finished dinner. They both felt good, and now that he’d eased up, walking hand in hand was as natural as breathing.
She turned and pulled him off the trail, reveling in the safety of the area. Nothing would come after them. Not tonight.
“Come on, let’s explore.”
“Uh—”
“My turn. I lead, you follow, okay?”
His cheeks flushed slightly. “Very well.”
She wandered through the trees, moving away from the illumination of the buildings but easily seeing the way, pleasantly surprised to find the plants in this valley had a sort of natural bioluminescence, providing them enough light to safely walk wherever they saw fit.
It’s got to be from the minerals in the springs he was talking about,she mused, utterly enchanted by their surroundings. She looked up at Zepharos’s face and saw he was just as in the moment as she was. She squeezed his hand and pulled harder.
