“We've got them packed already,” Rath said.
They still looked crestfallen.
“Hey.” I grabbed their hands. “This will be great. I'm sorry I sounded like I didn't want to go.”
“This will be our first date with the three of us,” Rath said. “We wanted it to be special.”
I thought about it, and he was right. We spent a lot of time together, but the three of us had never gone out on a date. “Itwillbe special.” I wrapped my arms around Rath. “I can fade you there since you've never been.”
Rath grinned and embraced me. “All right.” Then he looked over at Xae. “See you there.”
Xaedren grunted.
And then I pictured that deserted stretch of beach Xae had once taken me to. The one he got summoned away from before we could fully enjoy it. That was the day we discovered exactly what I could do for my lovers. Seconds later, Rath and I appeared on the sand. Although it was night there as well, the moon shone over the water and the reflection brightened the beach. I hadn't bothered with shoes, and the sand was warm beneath my feet, desperately holding onto the day.
I let go of Rath to turn toward the water. Gentle waves rolled in from the horizon, lapping at the shore. They sparkled and made the softest, most lovely sound. A light breeze rustled the palm leaves, adding to the night music, and the scent of salt cleared my head.
“This is fantastic.” I went toward the water as Xae appeared. “So beautiful.”
“It is quite lovely.” Rath looked around, then set down the pack he carried. “Why don't you two go swimming while I set up dinner?”
“Thanks,” Xae murmured as he joined me.
I looked down at the spot where we had made love in the shallows, then up at him.
He grinned back knowingly. “Shall we actually swim this time?”
“A little.” I whooped and ran into the water, the kid I'd been earlier coming back to me.
Laughing, Xae waded after me and dove in.
Warm water embraced me and the feeling of flying returned even though I left the ocean where it was. Weightlessness was a little different in the water than it was in the sky, but just as wonderful and without the fear of falling. Although, I'd gotten over my fear, hadn't I?
Nope, I was not thinking about Jath or even Kel on my date with Xae and Rath. What the fuck was wrong with me? How many men did I need?
I came to the surface, the night breeze chilling my wet skin and sending a shiver through me. The contrast of the warm water with the cool air made me want to sink back below the surface and stay there. But then a body even warmer than the water slid up against my back.
Turning toward Xae, I opened my arms. “We're supposed to be swimming.”
“We are swimming together.” He grabbed my waist and pulled me into deeper water, then pumped his legs to keep us afloat.
A splash caught my attention, and I looked back toward shore to see a line of lanterns illuminating a blanket set with plates, glasses, and covered dishes. Then Rath's head broke the surface. He was beside us with a few strong pulls of his arms.
“Dinner's ready when we are,” Rath said.
“Let's enjoy the water a little first,” I suggested, then slipped out of Xae's arms.
I dropped back into the liquid warmth and tumbled about. I couldn't see much when I opened my eyes, just some shafts of moonlight creating dark shapes out of my lovers. Then they went under too. Powerful, beautiful, male bodies swam past me, and I reached out to stroke Xae's flank. He did a spin and came back to me. But by then, I needed air.
Gasping as I broke the surface, I stared across the mellow sea, wondering if there were any Delosar nearby. One of the underwater folk had taught me Water Magic, and she had been utterly beautiful, especially when she was in the water and her legs fused into a tail. But I didn't need to see a Delosar to be awed. My men were even more magnificent than a woman with a tail. I let out a soft sound of appreciation when they both surfaced beside me. As we tread water, I looked from man to man, overwhelmed by the angles their handsome faces, the soft light turning them into mysterious strangers. How could anyone be so handsome?
“Sweet Goddess, you two are breathtaking,” I said.
They looked at each other, then swam forward, each taking one of my arms to draw me into shallower water. They didn't dunk me or tease me like Keltyr, or even smile. This wasn't about making me laugh. Instead, their response to my compliment was more serious. More tender. While they could stand, I could just barely touch the bottom with my toes. But that was how they wanted it. Xae and Rath came together around me, lifting me between them. Rath was at my front, and Xae was at my back, and I couldn't decide who to kiss first. They made that decision for me, Rath meeting my lips as Xae bent to nibble my neck. And then our bodies were moving together, hard muscles forcing my flesh to yield, and strong hands stroking me tenderly.
Before we could get wrapped up in the magic of our lust, I broke free of Rath's kiss and slipped out of their embrace. As they stared after me in confusion, I swam for shore. They came forward more slowly, still processing my abandonment.
Once on land, I stopped and turned toward them to grin and say, “I need some food first. Let's eat before we get naked.”
