Page 6 of A Goddess Unraveled (Olympus Rising)

It was after one o’clock, which usually meant nothing in the Maxwell household. Especially after a party. But tonight it was quiet. And with the rooms full of guests, the alarms would be off. Lexi just needed to stay on her side of the estate and use the same route she always did if she wanted to make a clean escape.

As she took the stairs to the living room, she knew exactly where to place her feet to avoid the squeaks. Then it was a hard U-turn left, a quick right, and a short jaunt down a dark hallway to her dad’s study. From there she accessed the French doors onto the courtyard, and she was free.

But her relief was short-lived. As she hugged the line of cypress trees along the west-facing path, the one less traveled, her stomach clenched as she thought about the prize at the end and the risk she was taking. Would her parents nix her travel plans if she got caught? Was her reputation on the line? How much did she care about the consequences of taking such a risk?

She’d worn her black strapless beach dress to hide the yellow bikini underneath, a recent purchase in preparation for her summer trip. It was not the kind of suit she wore for swim meets. If her parents had taught her one thing, it was to be comfortable in her own skin. But good advice only went so far without opportunities to test it out.

Luke was still there and still clothed when she arrived, so it hadn’t been a trick. Why did she feel like that would have been a relief? And what was hidden behind his smile as he watched her approach? It wasn’t forced. She could recognize those. Was he feeling relief?

“Hello, Lexi. I’m glad you decided to join me. I hope you don’t mind me taking advantage of your private beach. I rarely get to swim in the sea.”

“Our guests are free to use the beach whenever they like. And for whatever reason they like.” Damn . Did that sound wrong?

His smile never wavered. “It’s a beautiful spot. I expect you swim a lot.”

“I swam on my high-school team. We were division champs my sophomore year. I also played lacrosse for five years.”

“Nice. Sports require extreme dedication to hit that level.” He waved at the blanket. “Do you want to sit? Your mother insisted I have a blanket to take down with me. I enjoy the beach, but I’d rather not sit in the sand.”

“Same. There’s nothing worse than sand in unwanted places.”

Was she rambling? Was he rambling? She was probably just projecting her own nervous habit onto him. She sat on the blanket and experimented with different positions, finally opting for crossed legs. It wasn’t like she was nude under her dress. Luke arranged himself beside her, crossed-legged as well, so they were both looking at the sea. His knee came so close to hers that she could swear she felt his body heat.

“So, Lexi, what else do you enjoy besides swimming and playing lacrosse? Any hobbies?”

Now they were getting somewhere. “I ride horses. We have six here on the property. My favorite is an Arabian mare—Jackie O.”

“I keep horses too. I’ll ride whenever I’m not in the mood for a longer walk. It’s nice to have someone to talk to besides yourself.”

“I talk to my horses all the time. I’m sure they think I’m crazy, but none of them seem to hold it against me.”

She laughed nervously and he smiled, turning to hit her with those amber high beams. “The fact that you believe your horses are that sentient is a testament to your character. So, any other passions?”

Passions? Why did that word make her want to blush? “I like to read. I’m a big fan of Ernest Hemingway. Although his stories always make me cry.”

“I’m partial to Douglas Adams myself. But I’ll pick up Steinbeck or Thoreau when I’m feeling contemplative.”

“I love Douglas Adams. Did you know he was a script editor for Doctor Who ?”

“I didn’t, but I don’t watch much television. Are you a fan of the show?”

“I wouldn’t consider myself a fan, but I met the tenth doctor during a trip to London. I suppose that’s another passion of mine—traveling. My family and I have seen a lot of the world. I started a travel journal when I was seven and just recently ran out of paper. I’m about to start a new one.”

She stopped herself before she told him about her plans to burn the journal in a ritual fire, and the tilt of his lips made her think he was reading her mind.

“It seems we have a lot in common. I’ve traveled a good amount too. What’s your favorite thing about it?”

“Oh, wow. It would be impossible to pick a favorite. I love trying new food and meeting new people. And I’m always amazed at the different landscapes. Some of the places we’ve been look like they shouldn’t exist on the planet.”

“Agreed. Have you seen the stone forest in China? There’s a cool legend attached to it about a young woman who was turned to stone after being forbidden to marry the man she loved.”

“I haven’t been there, but maybe I can add it to my summer itinerary. That legend reminds me of a few tragic stories from Greek mythology. If you didn’t notice already, there’s a whole bookshelf dedicated to the subject in the living room. The Maxwells are a little obsessed.”

“I hadn’t.” He stared at the waves, his brows drawing in just enough to make her wonder if she’d said something to trigger a bad memory. Then he suddenly glanced over his shoulder at the path.

Lexi stiffened and jerked around like she’d been yanked by a chain. “Did you hear something?”

“No. I smell something. I think it’s lemon. What’s the season for citrus here?”

Really? He’d noticed that? “You’re not smelling citrus trees. That’s my lemon verbena body lotion. I’m sorry if it bothers you. Some people are sensitive to certain smells.”

“It’s nice, actually. I like lemons.”

So, he liked how she smelled. That had to be good. He turned his attention back to the sea, and Lexi found her brain vacant of things to say. He was probably expecting her to ask about him now. Or maybe he was comfortable with silence. She was fine just enjoying his closeness. How long had she been staring at his knee?

Say something .

“How did you hear about my party?”

Crap . That sounded accusatory.

Once again an effortless smile lifted his lips, immediately putting her at ease. “I heard about it through friends of your uncle Z. You’ve probably already learned that he and I don’t always see eye to eye.”

“Uncle Z rarely sees eye to eye with anyone. What happened between you two?”

“We couldn’t agree on something that had serious consequences. Two somethings, actually. And the relationship has been strained ever since.”

“Did you know he was going to be here?”

“Yes. Does that bother you? I know you two are close.”

He turned toward her, and the heat was back, flooding her skin and warming the breeze that was keeping them company. She should have tied her hair back, although it had been giving her cover whenever she stared at him.

“It doesn’t bother me. He’s someone my parents trust, so I’ve learned to trust him too. Despite his unpredictable moods, he does seem wise beyond his years. Don’t ever tell him I said that.”

“And inflate his ego? I wouldn’t dream of it.”

She chuckled. “He’s definitely perfected the art of the tantrum.”

“No arguments here.”

He continued to look at her, right in the eyes, but he didn’t let it get weird before turning his attention back to the sea.

“Nora told me you run your own business,” she said. “What kind of business is it?”

“I help people with end-of-life decisions.”

“Oh. Do you help them write their wills?”

“No. I act more as a counselor. People who are staring death in the face often need a bit of assurance that there’s more after this life. Hopefully something good. A lot of them cling to beliefs that make them second-guess all the decisions they’ve ever made. I help them make peace with their choices as they transition.”

“So, you’re a priest?” Lexi nearly choked on the word. Would a priest skinny-dip in the ocean? His laugh reassured her.

“I’m not a priest. Do you believe there’s an afterlife, Lexi?”

“I’m not fully committed to any one thing. Although reincarnation might be nice. We spend a huge amount of time just figuring out the basics. After a few lifetimes, I expect the hard stuff gets easier.”

“Ah, you’re an optimist. A fine quality.”

“And you have the most selfless job I’ve ever heard of. You could give Mother Teresa a run for her money.”

“You’re giving me way too much credit.”

“It’s still a job not everyone would consider, getting close to people who are dying.”

Luke’s gaze drifted away, out over the sand, where the surf ebbed and flowed in rhythmic cadence. Hopefully she hadn’t said something out of line. He seemed attached to his convictions on death.

“Where do you live?” she asked. “You said you aren’t able to swim in the ocean much.”

“My home is far from the sea, but I make time for an ocean visit when I need to relax.”

Far from the sea? Talk about noncommittal. Maybe he didn’t want people to know where he lived so they wouldn’t stalk him. He was kind of stalkable. “Where are these vacation spots? I’d love to know where you go to relax.”

Luke pressed his lips together in thought. Hmm , those lips . . .

“When I’m really missing the sea, I hit the Mediterranean coast. I also love Peru, Argentina, Singapore. The cuisine in Singapore is outstanding. Have you been to Asia?”

“Yes. Both Japan and Vietnam. Vietnam is where I fell in love with rice fields. I haven’t looked at a grain of rice the same way since.”

Time passed with ease, something that Lexi rarely experienced, especially with men. She was usually in a hurry to get to the good part before some killjoy ruined her fun. They talked about everything from pad thai to poetry to Luke’s lifelong relationship with the violin. When she spoke, he listened to her, his expressions shifting based on the mood of each story, as if everything she said mattered to him. Nora had been right—he was easy to talk to and charming as hell. Lexi also noticed how his tousled hair seemed to give off its own light. She’d been watching a strand dry on his forehead in a gentle whorl.

The desire to reach for his hand grew stronger the longer they were out there. It rested on his knee just a few inches from hers. Could he tell she was attracted to him? Was he attracted to her ? The guy probably had hundreds of women in his contacts list. Maybe she was barking up the wrong tree. Was his hand inching closer to hers? Did he want her to make the first move? Or was he completely unaware of it? There was one way to find out. With a single intake of breath, Lexi lifted her hand and rested it on his.

He responded with a smile and a surge of warmth that, under different circumstances, would have made her worry he was running a fever.

“This has been fun,” he said. “I feel like we could talk all night. Do you want to swim? I need to warn you, the water is cold. But you probably already knew that.”

Wait. Was that a brush-off? Was he trying to tell her he wasn’t interested in anything more than a chat? Maybe he was in a committed relationship and Nora had steered her wrong. Lexi glanced at their hands, still clasped on his knee.

“I’m sorry if I overstepped,” she said as she pulled away.

“Not at all.” Luke caught her in his gaze, giving her permission to stare into those amber depths. “I’d like to hold your hand. I just don’t think your brother would approve.”

He glanced to the west, and there was Dion stomping across the sand toward them. Lexi had been so preoccupied with making a love connection she’d completely ignored her spy radar.

“Lexi! What the heck are you doing out here?”

She stood and dug her heels into the sand as she glared at her brother. “You would know, if someone had invited you. But they didn’t!”

With a violent sweep of her arm, she waved him away. At the same time, a gust of wind swirled between them, stirring up a cloud of sand that blocked his path. He coughed as he stumbled backward.

“See? Even Mother Nature doesn’t want you here,” she said.

But he wasn’t listening. Or maybe he didn’t care. He dodged the sandstorm and tromped over to the blanket like Poseidon himself.

“You’re supposed to be in bed,” he said, eyeballing Luke as if the guy was holding a gun to her head.

“I’m not supposed to be doing anything. And who made you my keeper this weekend?”

Dion frowned. In fact, he had the audacity to look hurt. “Is it a crime to want to look out for my sister?”

“Your sister can look out for herself,” she said.

“I believe this chance meeting is fortunate,” said Luke. “Why don’t you join us, Dion? Lexi and I were just talking about how much she enjoys traveling with her family.”

Dion rubbed the back of his neck, looking like the wind had been sucked from his sails.

Good .

“Well, it’s almost two o’clock, and there are a lot of activities planned for tomorrow . . .”

“By all means, Dion, go get some rest.”

Lexi raised her eyebrows so high she felt a strain behind her eyes. After all the complaints she’d made to him about their parents micromanaging her life, here he was doing the same thing. Sometimes she felt like she was trapped in some kind of curfew hell.

Dion sighed and glanced down at the blanket while Lexi held her breath. “I suppose I could hang out for a little while.”

Crap .

Apparently, hell was real.