Crispina rolled her eyes but approached the pool from the opposite side. The boats had drifted a bit, so if she knelt and stretched as far as she could, her fingertips could brush each. She arched an eyebrow at Aelius, then flicked the sail of his yacht, causing the boat to capsize.
Aelius let out an outraged shout. “That’s not fair!”
Crispina shrugged. She hooked a finger onto the edge of Max’s boat and drew it gently toward her. “The goddess is fickle.”
Max let out a gleeful shout as his boat bumped against the other side of the pool. “I won!” He raced around the pool to retrieve his dripping boat from the water, holding it reverently.
“Through treachery,” Aelius grumbled.
“I’m sure the goddess will be on your side another time,” Crispina said. “Max, go put that in your room before dinner.”
As soon as Max vanished, Aelius wrapped a firm arm around Crispina’s waist, drawing her close. “I rather like my fickle goddess.”
Heat rushed through her at his embrace. “Perhaps she will not be so capricious if worshipped properly.”
“Mm.” He lowered his head to brush her cheek with his lips. “I am prepared to worship. And make averylarge offering.” His hand squeezed her bottom, sparking another jolt of desire that tightened in her core.
She wanted nothing more than to abandon dinner and retreat to their bedroom, but Max reappeared. Aelius jumped away from her, affecting a casual posture.
Max frowned at her. “You’re all red.”
“That’s very rude,” Crispina said, hoping the sharpness in her voice would hide her embarrassment. “Run along to dinner.”
He trotted toward the dining room. Crispina turned to shoot Aelius an apologetic smile, then followed.
Chapter 20
The next day, Crispina left Max in Gaia’s care and paid a visit to Horatia. She relayed the real story of how she’d ended up with Max, the argument with Aelius, and their reconciliation. Horatia listened with wide eyes.
“So, I came to ask if you have any tunics Max might borrow until we can make some things for him,” Crispina finished. “And I thought Max might enjoy meeting Paullus. He needs a friend, and they could play together. May I bring him over? Or would you prefer to visit?” Horatia had not visited Crispina since before her marriage, which Crispina had attributed to the recent birth of her baby.
“I’ll send someone with some spare tunics straightaway,” Horatia said. “But for the other matter, well…” She fiddled with a carnelian ring on her left hand. “I’m not sure they’d get along.”
“They’re children. Children play together, don’t they?”
“You said yourself the child was unruly and foul-mouthed. I worry about the influence he’ll have on my Paullus.”
Crispina raised an eyebrow. “Max may have absorbed some undesirable habits from his upbringing, but he’s a good boy. Your son’s influence would only help him develop more genteel behavior.”
Horatia chewed her lip. “Is Aelius going to adopt him?”
The unexpected question threw Crispina. “I-I don’t know.” She hadn’t thought that far ahead. Would Aelius do that?
Horatia shifted on the couch. “I realize you’re not a mother, so it’s difficult for you to understand these things.”
“What things?” Horatia’s air of superiority rankled, but Crispina strove for equanimity. She had already recognized she knew very little about caring for a child, so maybe Horatia’s experience would be helpful.
“Well, as a mother, I must put my child’s happiness above all else, even helping a friend.”
“How is meeting Max detrimental to Paullus’s happiness?” A defensive edge sharpened Crispina’s voice.
“It’s nothing personal, of course. I’m sure he’s a delightful boy. But Paullus is of an age where his friendships matter to his future success. He must be associating with future senators and consuls. Not…” Her words trailed off.
Crispina bristled. “Not what?”
“Not a vagrant who’s become your latest project,” Horatia snapped.
Crispina’s nails dug into her palms. Horatia could be haughty and vain sometimes, but she hadn’t thought her friend’s worse traits would extend to depriving a child of a playmate. Anger bubbled inside her, and the words came as fast and sharp as arrows. “Paullus would be lucky to befriend Max. You’ve changed, Horatia. Once we used to hold those lessons together. But now all you care about is—”
