Page 9 of A Goddess Unraveled (Olympus Rising)

While lunch was served, Lexi went upstairs to change clothes and rub ointment on her bruises. Away from the others, she decided she needed more time before facing her parents again. They’d had plenty of arguments, and Nora had been privy to a few, but it sucked that Luke was being dragged into her melodramatic life.

Cherry brought up a plate of food, and Lexi enjoyed her summer salad and baked brie on the balcony. Her private hideaway hung over a courtyard in the southwest corner of the estate, above the French doors to her father’s study. The rows of cypress trees offered her some anonymity as she watched lunch taking place on the patio.

She made a point of locating Luke first. He’d placed himself in the perfect spot for her to view him between the trees, and he seemed genuinely engaged in a conversation with Nora, which was no surprise. They were both excellent at it. But every so often she would catch him glancing at her balcony. She couldn’t help wondering if the fight had convinced him to heed her parents’ warning and keep his distance. Or maybe even to cut his losses and leave for Asia sooner than he’d planned.

As guests finished their meals and began to migrate inside, Luke fortified himself with a large gulp of wine then stood and left Nora with a crooked grin. Lexi lost sight of him after that, which triggered a pain in her chest that had nothing to do with her fall on the beach. Would he disappear without saying goodbye? They’d shared an almost kiss.

Lexi left her seat and moved around the balcony, trying to get another glimpse of him. With Luke gone, there would be nothing to make the party bearable, except for Nora. Maybe Nora had his cell phone number. Would it be weird if she contacted him that way? She didn’t want to come off like a stalker.

“Psst.”

The sound came from below, and she hurried to the opposite side of the balcony to investigate, crossing her fingers. Luke was there, standing in the courtyard, partially hidden behind a hedge. Her heart literally fluttered with relief.

“Well, hello, there,” she said. “Did you enjoy your lunch?” Her voice hitched but she didn’t care. Something about his posture—hands tucked into the pockets of his pleated pants, head cocked casually—immediately soothed her.

“The food was delicious but conversation at the table lacked a certain . . . unreserved point of view.” He offered a simple smile, and Lexi held tighter to the railing.

“I promise not to tell Nora you said that.”

He chuckled as he glanced from side to side. “I expect my movements are being monitored, but I wanted to check on you to be sure you’re feeling better. How are the bruises?”

“They’re a nice eggplant color. If Will had stayed I would have worn my dress with the spaghetti straps just to show them off.”

“You should do whatever you like. And I support your right to fight for it.”

Luke couldn’t have said anything more thoughtful, and she prayed that he really meant it as she admired the way the sun played with his hair.

“Thanks, that means a lot. To be honest, it’s been hard finding anyone who understands. Most people just see the money and expect me to have a perfect life. You’re seeing me reach my wit’s end. Lucky you.”

She lowered her face, almost wishing it wasn’t so easy to talk to him. He was learning all her darkest secrets before he even knew about the good stuff.

“I don’t think we can give luck credit here. I like to treat these kinds of circumstances as fortunate events. Not that they’re all pleasant. But even unpleasant events can bring unexpected rewards later. Your rewards seem well justified, if there’s a battle to be had.”

“And will you be here or in Asia for that?”

Lexi stretched farther over the balcony, looking for tells on his face through the shadows of the cypress trees. He never flinched.

“A captain needs a second, right? And Asia isn’t going anywhere.” He glanced around again, while she struggled to keep her feet on the ground. She wanted to be with him so badly.

“This could well be the battle of my life. What qualifications do you have? Can you help me form a battle plan?”

He made a show of scratching the back of his head. “I’m sure I packed some in my suitcase. I never leave home without them.”

She let her laughter roll without worrying about possible bystanders. “I suppose there’s no better time than the present, then. Meet me inside the stand of pines out front in ten minutes.”

At first he appeared hesitant to help her explode her life, his forehead creasing as he gazed up at her. But it only lasted a few seconds. “Aye, aye, Captain.”

~

Lexi opted for a button-down blouse and jeans in place of something fancier. She was taking Luke on the estate’s private path, and it required sensible clothes. As for her escape plan, she might have chosen to climb off her balcony using the folding boat ladder she kept under the chaise—a gift from her brother after she’d broken her ankle jumping off the railing—but she didn’t trust her injured body not to fail her. Instead, she chose to follow her usual escape route through her dad’s study and hope for the best.

The first leg of her journey was a piece of cake, as everyone seemed to be outside enjoying the garden maze. When rounding the corner into the study, however, she found Cherry with her head inside the mahogany liquor cabinet. Lexi started to back out, but Cherry was a pro.

“Can I get you anything, Miss Maxwell? More food? Bandages?”

“I’m fine.”

Cherry pulled out a bottle with a black-and-gold label. It looked old, and she talked as she brushed the dust off with her apron. “Have you come down to rejoin the party?”

Lexi wasn’t admitting defeat yet. “Yes and no. I was cutting through my dad’s study to avoid certain . . . conversations. I think I’ll say hello to Jackie O first. I want to see how she’s doing.”

Lexi crossed the room, navigating the furniture, while Cherry continued dusting. “I understand. You’d prefer that no one knows where you are for the moment.”

Taking hold of the doorknob, Lexi glanced at the clock on the wall, quickly deciding how much time she had before Cherry spilled the beans. “Yes. Thanks, Cherry.”

“Just be careful. Your bruises are fresh.”

No. The bruises have been there for a while . “I promise, I won’t be riding.”

Lexi opened the door and peeked outside. A handful of people remained on the patio, but most of them were staff. She made a quick exit, then a hard right before sprinting along the west side of the estate. Fortunately, that side held nothing of great interest, just the garages. The only person she could run into was Ham.

Lexi crossed her fingers as she stopped at the corner of the estate. A security camera blinked above her, but she knew nobody monitored them. Thankfully, the garage doors were closed, which meant Ham was helping somewhere else instead of tinkering with his limo. He treated that thing like it was his child, which she always thought was sad, since he’d never taken the time to have any.

It was an easy jaunt from there. Lexi just hugged the tree line leading to the front of the property, hiding in the shadows and avoiding protruding roots. She appreciated that some of the grounds were left unmanicured. Some things in nature were more beautiful when allowed to grow wild.

At the stand of pines, Luke was waiting.

“Good, you made it,” she said. “I got busted on my way out by one of our live-in staff, Cherry.”

His brows rose. “Was there trouble?”

“No, but she’ll eventually have to tell someone. We have about twenty minutes before a search party is sent out.”

“Did you have somewhere in mind rather than here?”

“Yes. I thought I’d show you more of the property. There’s a path that leads to the stables then out to the sea.”

“That sounds perfect.”

She thought about taking his arm, since it had worked at breakfast, but she’d been plagued with doubts since their almost kiss. She needed to know his relationship status. Sure, she was interested in exploring the wonders of romance, but maybe not the way Nora had described them. She didn’t want to end up a casualty of that war.

Luke waved her forward, which seemed perfectly natural and not like he was avoiding contact. It didn’t take long for her to become attuned to his proximity as they trekked through the woods. The warmth he gave off never seemed to leave him, and she could almost feel the sinew of his muscles as his arm swung beside her.

“So, are you making this trip to Asia alone?” she asked.

His smile didn’t give away anything, like his suspicion that she was prying. “Yes. Most of my trips are taken alone.”

“Is that by design? I’ve heard solo travel is quite different than traveling with others.”

“I have precious few vacation days, so I tend to use them as personal time. Occasionally, I’ll plan to meet someone along the way.”

“Oh. Is it different people each time? Or the same person?”

This time Luke grinned, but she’d expected it. She appreciated that he wasn’t clueless. “Different people.”

Had her question been answered? If so, how did she feel about it? Was he telling her that he wasn’t committed to one person? Was he reaffirming her family’s warning that he couldn’t be faithful to just one? If she pursued him any further was she destined to be a one-hit wonder on his playlist?

“Since we’re on the subject of travel,” he said, “after this solo trip of yours, what will you do? Are there any job prospects in the works to go along with that political science degree?”

Lexi rolled her eyes, then regretted it. She didn’t want him to feel insulted for asking such a run-of-the-mill question. “I’ve been headhunted already. It’s just a matter of picking someone to work for.”

“You don’t sound too enthusiastic about it.”

She chuckled. “Good. That means I hadn’t been wrong about you. To be honest, the poli-sci major was part of my dad’s grand design. He thought it would open the doors he could walk me through. Did you know that my mom has a doctorate? A PhD in bioengineering. She put her career on hold to raise me and Dion and live in this Brobdingnagian eyesore. I think she was fine with it when we were kids, but now . . .”

“Now what?”

Damn . How much information was too much?

“She’s not happy anymore. It may not be obvious to others, but it is to me and Dion. It’s not her marriage either. She and Dad are thick as thieves. I think it’s because she feels like her life isn’t her own. I don’t want to end up like that. I refuse to.”

“Even if it means doing something extreme?”

“Yep. I’m testing to see how far the boundary stretches. Who knows, maybe a compromise can be reached without bloodshed. I’m tired of fighting.”

They arrived at the stable, and Lexi fed Jackie O from the treat bag, thanking her friend for teaching that preppy clod a lesson. Then they took to the trail again, since there was a high probability of being discovered by someone in an apron. Besides, she wanted to show Luke her favorite spot, where the pines opened to the ocean, which she may have rambled on about until they arrived at the clearing.

“Who wouldn’t love this view?” she said, waving her arm at the sea as if she had control over its awesomeness.

“Only the blind.”

As they stood together, breathing in the salty spray and watching the surf roll up the beach, Lexi wished she did have more control over things. Not something so outrageous as over the forces of nature, but something that most people took for granted, like over her own life.

Suddenly, the hairs on her skin rose, and she realized they were responding to the touch of Luke’s hand as it drifted down her arm. Then, ever so gently, he slipped his fingers between hers. He had initiated the connection. Proof that he was interested.

Holy crap .

“How often are you able to visit the ocean?” Lexi asked, as she rode a tidal wave of hormones. Hopefully, they hadn’t already covered the topic.

“Not as often as I’d like.”

“That’s a shame.”

“Would you like to hear a couplet I wrote about the sea?”

“I’d love that.”

“ Turquoise, green, and sometimes gray, emotions in and out. / Those who dare to sit and feel, will nary have a drought. I wrote it when I realized that I’d be spending more time away from the sea than with it. It’s a reminder.”

She turned to smile at him as warmth spread through her limbs. “It should be a reminder to us all.”

Without a bit of warning, Luke pulled her toward him, and their bodies collided. Rather than push him away, she let him secure her in his arms as he backpedaled through the trees.

“I’m sorry if I startled you,” he said. “There’s a snake on the path, and I didn’t want us to disturb his sunbathing.”

Lexi glimpsed the snake as it slithered under a fallen branch. “That’s a Maritime garter snake. They’re harmless. But I appreciate your concern.”

“I’ve made your welfare my priority this weekend.”

Luke released his grip, lowering his hands to her waist and leaving them there. Thanks to the snake, their proximity had improved significantly, and his breathing pulsed in time with the crashing waves. Or maybe that was her .

“This is nice,” he said.

“Yes, it is.” She took a moment to appraise his lips, imagining. He was appraising her lips too.

“Lexi, I’d like to finish what we started in the pool. Before we were interrupted.”

Lexi’s throat turned against her, and she swallowed hard. She refused to swoon and miss her opportunity, but her body felt like melted wax. Luke appeared to be taking the plunge, no matter the risks. What kind of risks was he taking? Were they worse than backlash from her uncle Z or banishment from the estate?

Luke held her impossibly close, his heat soothing her like she’d been touched by the sun. Something else touched her as well, against her hip.

With only her fully aroused libido to guide her, Lexi uttered her reply. “Yes, please.”

With the barest tweak of his lips, Luke leaned in and pressed his mouth to hers with incredible tenderness. Her heart raced as she submitted to the rush. It was superb. His lips were superb. And she was vaguely aware of his fingers trailing up her arm to the nape of her neck, lingering there as if to savor the experience before sliding through her hair in a sudden rush.

Before the spell could be broken, she ventured further, opening her mouth and stealing a taste with the tip of her tongue. He responded with his pelvis, pressing his hand to the small of her back to urge their bodies closer. Then his tongue joined hers, dipping into her mouth and coaxing a gasp from her throat.

They stood amid the pines and seagrass, kissing like real lovers under the spring sunshine, the surf pounding the sand beside them. An hour might have passed, but it was probably only minutes before Cherry popped out of the path like a harmless, yet unwanted, snake.

“Pardon the interruption,” she said softly, her cheeks looking as if they’d been sunburned. “I followed the voices from the stable. I’m here with a message, Miss Maxwell. A game of croquet is being set up and your godfather insisted you be present. He was putting on his boots to look for you, but I volunteered to come in his stead.”

Cherry often seemed torn between her allegiances, and Lexi tried not to condemn the woman for her prying nature.

“Thank you, Cherry. I’ll be there shortly.”

Cherry left them, and when Lexi turned to Luke, he also appeared to have been exposed to too much sun. Was it from embarrassment or the heat of their kiss? Based on what she’d seen of his confidence and charm, she doubted he was easily embarrassed.

“I guess we need to head back before my family arrives with pitchforks,” she said. “I’m not ready to do battle over a missed game of croquet.”

“Au contraire,” he said, rebounding with a smirk. “A croquet game sounds like the perfect field on which to do battle.”