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Unfortunately, there were plenty of other things to worry about.
For starters, Never was hellbent on finding a way back to her world to check on her brother. I couldn’t fault her for that. When the tables were turned, I’d done everything I could to find my way to her.
And I would do anything to keep her safe and happy, even if that meant saying goodbye to her again.
Which was why, less than a day after we’d managed to limp out of the eddy with a cracked mast and half our sails missing, at a time when there was more work to be done than there were hands to do it, I was still in bed hours after the sun rose. I couldn’t bring myself to move her. Not when she was gloriously naked, with her lush body draped over mine in the most deliciously possessive position.
I’d thought about getting up and fetching us some food from the kitchen. By now, I was sure Cook had the place looking like new. I’d also thought about waking her to take full advantage of the fact that she was here with me.
For now.
Instead, I’d spent the last few hours staring up at the dark ceiling, my gaze tracing the beams while I agonized about what would come next.
I had tapped every source I could think of trying to get to Never’s world. I’d leaned on friends and enemies alike, and I’d called in every favor I’d ever collected. But it was all for nothing. The only thing with the power to draw me out of my curse and into the human world was Never.
She’d summoned me with the potent combination of her blood and my magic. Now that the latter had been returned to me, I was just as trapped as I’d always been.
Except, my sentence in the Nassa was mine, not hers. And if I was right about what was happening to her, there was a chance she could make that trip on her own.
A whisper of worry snaked through me at the thought, and I had the desperate urge to bury it. Because that troubling thought would inevitably lead to questions I wasn’t ready to answer.
What if she really could leave? What if all she needed was to learn how? Would she go and leave me behind? If she did, would she ever return to my world? That last one hinged on how she felt when she learned the truth, and I didn’t have high hopes.
I tried like hell not to think about any of it, but every time I closed my eyes and tried to enjoy the warmth of her skin pressing against mine, I couldn’t help it. I’d only just gotten her back.
“Morning, pirate.” Never’s voice was a balm, sliding over my nerves and soothing the raw edges better than the realm’s best enchanted rum. She trailed her fingertips down my chest, raising goosebumps in their wake. “You seem awfully tense for first thing in the morning.”
I caught her gently by the wrist, stilling her wandering hand. The need to roll her onto her back and make her come until her body was spent and her throat was hoarse was undeniable. But I needed to decide what, if anything, I was going to tell her before that happened.
“For the record, first thing in the morning was hours ago,” I said.
Her eyes searched mine. From the questions swirling in them, I was doing a terrible job of convincing her that nothing was wrong.
So, I kissed her on the forehead and let out a heavy sigh. “Unfortunately, I need to get up and see to the repairs.” When I moved to sit up, she rolled onto her back and watched me go, leaving all those lovely curves on full display. It was torture turning away from that delectable view, but it had to be done. “Can I bring you something to eat?” I asked, getting to my feet.
Every step I took felt like a coward’s retreat. I shouldn’t be walking away from her; I should be holding her close and telling her everything. She had a right to know who—no, what—she was now. Or, more accurately, what I suspected she might be.
Would the other gods come down to my level to punish me for sharing my power with a mortal? Maybe, but they hadn’t stepped so much as a toe in my realm in eons. If that disinterest carried forward, I might be able to hide what I’d done from them indefinitely.
For the first time in my long life, I sincerely hoped they’d all forgotten about me and that I stayed forgotten.
Never, on the other hand, wasn’t disinterested. She was intelligent and observant. She would figure things out on her own, given enough time. Factor in the way she seemed to be a magnet for danger, and the odds were high she would put everything together sooner rather than later.
I pulled a pair of pants from the armoire and slipped them on before turning to face her. She hadn’t answered my question about breakfast, and when I got a look at her, she was studying me.
“What’s on your mind?” she asked. She’d propped herself up against the headboard and pulled the covers up to her waist. Her crimson hair hung in chaotic waves around her head, highlighting the pink in her cheeks.
It took all my willpower to keep from closing the distance between us. “I just want to make sure everything is getting squared away,” I lied.
One dark eyebrow winged up. “Uh huh.” Then she motioned to the door. “Go on then. Go do your captainy things. I can find my own breakfast.”
“You’re sure?” I turned, snagged one of my soft linen shirts off a hanger, and pulled it on.
“Yep.”
She sounded convincing enough, but I could feel her uncertainty.
My gaze fell to my hands, remembering the way it had felt shoving so much power into her body. Nothing had gone the way I’d thought it would since the moment this woman crashed into my life, and this morning was no exception.
