Poseidon looked around the small living room. Kiiara’s home was simple and practical compared to his palace beneath the sea. He relaxed against the back of the oversized sofa and propped his bare foot on a glass coffee table. When one corner lifted, and there was an ominous creak, he quickly removed it. He could hear her berate him for breaking her furniture.

On second thought, maybe he should set it back down. Kiiara’s spunk intrigued him, and that was a difficult task. Ennui had set in millennia ago, and not much got a rise out of him anymore. Hain had pissed him off by stealing his Trident, but it didn’t get his blood pumping like this tiny mortal woman.

Perhaps he would gift her sturdier furniture. After all, every piece he owned could hold the weight of a giant if needed.

A small group of photographs on a side table caught his eye. One was of Kiiara on her boat. She was holding a large bluefish and smiling from ear to ear, clearly proud of her accomplishment. Another was of her wearing a military uniform. She looked younger and wore a serious expression, but the fire he had seen behind her blue eyes burned just as brightly in the picture. The last one was of her when she was a teenager, and Kiiara was hugging an older female, perhaps her mother.

Poseidon picked up the photo to study it more closely. The two were standing on the beach with their arms wrapped around one another. They wore solemn expressions, causing him to wonder about the circumstances around the photo.

“Okay, I’m ready,” her raspy voice intruded. Glancing over, Poseidon noticed she was wearing the same clothes. In one hand, she held a large duffle bag, and in the other, the bucket holding her fish friend.

“I thought you were going to change clothes?” he asked and set the photo down. Not that he minded the view, but the whole point of going to Kiiara’s house was for her to put on warmer clothes.

“Oh, God no. It’s way too hot outside. I figured I’d change when we land at the airport,” she explained and adjusted the heavy load she was carrying. What the hell had she packed, every article of clothing she owned?

“We won’t be going to an airport,” he disclosed.

“Please tell me we’re not riding your sleigh that far?” she asked and slumped her shoulders, noticeably dissatisfied with the idea.

“No, we’re not. I’m flying us there. It will be much faster. Now change clothes. We won’t be taking extra…whatever is in there,” Poseidon imparted as he gestured to the large bag.

“You will have your hands full trying to keep hold of your friend. In fact, I suggest you place him in a closed container, so the water doesn’t spill.”

“Hold up. What exactly do you mean you’re flying us there?” Kiiara asked incredulously.

“Woman, do you know nothing of me? I am a God with powers beyond your comprehension; flying is just one of them,” he barked. Why was he explaining himself to this female? She may have piqued his interest, but her idiocy was grating his skin, and he stood from the sofa with half a mind to leave.

“Look, I’m sure that wherever you come from people fall to your feet and lick your ugly toes,” she jeered, looking pointedly at his bare feet. “But here’s the thing. I have a severe case of acrophobia, and just the idea has my insides turning,” she confessed and plopped down on top of her duffle bag, rubbing her stomach.

Poseidon glanced to his feet. “I’ll have you know my feet are beautiful. My subjects do worship me and would consider it an honor to pay homage to my perfect toes,” he admitted as he lifted one foot and pointed it towards her.

Suddenly, she reached out and grabbed his heel, causing him to lose his balance and fall on his ass. As soon as he heard her disturbing snort followed by snickering, his chuckle joined hers, and moments later they were laughing uncontrollably. Trying to catch his breath, he grabbed her ankle, pulling her down.

She landed softly on top of him, and her long tresses fell across his face. Sky-blue eyes met his and a sudden jolt of lust coursed through his veins at the feel of Kiiara against him. The urge to taste her lips and lick every inch of her curvaceous body slammed home. So why was his inner voice screaming he needed to be a fucking gentleman around her?

Shaking off his need, he got to his feet and helped her stand. “I give my oath that you are safe with me. The best way to overcome your fear is to meet it head-on. It’s the fastest way there, and that fish is on borrowed time,” he added. He knew she was loyal to her friend if nothing else, and hoped his challenge would incite her.

After several long moments, she huffed, “Fine. I’ll be right back,” she conceded, then snatched the bag from the floor and stomped back to her room.

A few minutes later, she returned, and Poseidon admitted he preferred her in the tank and shorts from before. Hopefully, he would stay better focused on the mission now that every square inch of her was covered in material.

“Let’s make this quick. I’m sweating like a stuck pig in this get-up,” Kiiara acknowledged. He couldn’t resist grinning. She looked like a child standing there with her bucket of fish, ready for an adventure.

“Why are you smiling? My ridiculous outfit? It feels like when my mom would overdress me to go and play outside during wintertime,” she revealed and outstretched her arms playfully. “It’s impossible to run and play when you can barely walk,” Kiiara added and took awkward steps to show her confinement. Adorable, he concluded, even bundled from head to toe.

“Not ridiculous. Let’s go,” Poseidon barked, ignoring the urge to tell her how sexy she looked.

Poseidon didn’t like the attraction he felt towards the mortal. She would never fit in his world, and he had zero interest in remaining in hers any longer than necessary. He walked out the front door, and she followed, locking it behind them.

They walked to her driveway, and after he scanned their surroundings to make sure the coast was clear, he quickly grabbed her waist then blurted, “Hold tight.”

He figured it was best to take her by surprise so she wouldn’t have time to be afraid. With a burst of strength, his body left the ground. His innate power carried him through the air at a speed no mortal could fathom. Poseidon had no wings and wondered if the female would panic when she didn’t see any. Humans didn’t understand his abilities and would expect him to have wings like a bird.

As he was about to ask, she opened her mouth, and all he could hear was her deafening scream as she clung to his body. He enjoyed her clawing his flesh more than he should’ve as her body wrapped tight around his waist. Water splashed from the bucket and he had to use a trickle of his power to return it to the bucket or her friend would not make it to Antarctica.

Within moments they were high above the clouds, soaring through the sky. Poseidon had one arm around her while his other stretched out to guide his way. Poseidon loved to fly. It came in second to his love of power, especially the power wielded with his trident. It was imperative he find Hain and stop him before the weapon accepted him as its owner.

Pressure to his ribs grabbed his attention. Kiiara was stronger than he imagined. Each time he dipped lower, the sensation of free-falling caused her to squeeze her legs tighter, and he lost his breath from the force. Suddenly, he envisioned her beneath him in his bed, bucking against him as he claimed her willing body.

“Oh, I think I’m going to hurl,” Kiiara muttered then buried her face in his neck, bringing him out of his fantasy.

“Hurl? The fish? If you do, I promise you won’t like when I dive to retrieve it,” he declared.

“No, silly. Hurl, as in vomit. You know, blow chunks,” she explained.

He glanced down at the female. Her face did look a little green. “Please do not hurl or chunk anything on me. I have a queasy stomach, as well,” he confessed.

“You mean the great Poseidon has a fault? Surely, you jest,” she teased and smiled. Without a doubt, her smile was her finest attribute. It lit up her whole face and had him itching to caress her sun-kissed cheek.

“Yes, but just the one,” he mocked and squeezed her waist playfully. She slapped his shoulder, and he loosened his hold as if he might drop her.

“Aaaah!” she screeched. “Don’t you dare let go of me!”

“I kind of like you at my mercy. Beg for me,” he husked, irritated with how his shaky voice belied his gruffness.

“I don’t beg. Ever. I’ll let you drop me to my death before I beg.”

“Mark my word, Kiiara. You’ll be begging before our journey ends,” he vowed and tightened his grip on her waist.

“Begging for what, exactly?” she asked, narrowing eyes on him.

A low chuckle escaped his throat. “You’ll see. Don’t worry. You’ll enjoy it.”

* * *

Kiiara wanted to punch Poseidon’s smug face. He was so full of himself it was ridiculous. Unfortunately, her body disagreed with her mind. Even now, with his strong arm around her waist, she struggled to keep a clear head. The awkward position of flying had her core pressed against his hip, and she fought the urge to move around to the front of his hard body and soothe her ache.

She couldn’t remember the last time a man had her so aroused. Too many months to recount. Her last boyfriend, Ryan, had turned out to be a liar and a cheater. She found out he had been seeing her, living with another woman, and dating a third. How the hell anyone could focus on three people was beyond her. She found it difficult to please one man, much less several. Since then, she’d taken a break from dating and had been flying solo for the past nine months.

Now, her libido was in overdrive for the first sexy man to come along. She’d be damned if she allowed herself to fall for some self-proclaimed God with great hair and a rockin’ bod. Okay, so he was a real honest-to-goodness God, but that was, even more, reason she shouldn’t fall for him.

“You doing okay?” Poseidon asked, drawing her out of her musings.

“Yeah, much better. My nausea stopped. How come I can feel a temperature change but not the wind? Is there a shield around us? And, aren’t you cold?” she rambled as she looked at the gorgeous man.

The man had on a short-sleeved t-shirt and leather pants that ended with bare feet. Surely, he was going to freeze to death when they reached Antarctica.

His beautiful eyes met hers. They were a unique shade of green, reminding her of a stormy sea.

“Yes, we have an invisible barrier protecting us. If not, you would die. You don’t realize this, but we’re moving faster than the speed of sound. And no, I’m not cold. My body is much like the creatures of the ocean. My blood adjusts to any temperature and regulates accordingly. I’ll be fine.”

“Wow, that’s a handy trick. Surely beats wearing three layers of clothing to keep warm or sweating your ass off during the hot summer months,” she conceded.

“Yes, I prefer your ass where it is,” he professed with a straight face.

Poseidon’s lack of knowledge of slang was amusing. Half the time, she couldn’t tell if he was flirting with or making fun of her. She caught him staring a few times, followed by an insult or rude comment, so she wasn’t sure what he thought of her.

“Are we getting close?” she wondered aloud.

They were high above the ground. High above the clouds, for that matter, and Kiiara couldn’t see much else. That was probably a good thing because if she glanced down to a vast ocean, she might lose it. It would be far worse to see mountains or a forest and imagine falling to her death and splattering on land. She shuddered at the image and felt Poseidon pull her closer.

As conceited and self-centered as he was, he promised she would feel safe with him, and she did. He was true to his word, if nothing else, and she admired that in a person.

“Yes, it won’t be much longer. How is your friend doing?” he asked.

Kiiara lifted the bucket so she could get a better look. The fish was still alive, but its fins were barely moving.

“He’s hanging in there but not sure for how long. Hold on, Kevin. Embrace the suck, my friend,” she implored.

If Kevin could hear her, he’d know what she meant. Every Marine knew it from basic training. It meant the situation was horribly bad, but deal with it anyway.

“He should be doing better. As the temperature drops, he will revitalize. I’m going to drop lower and remove a layer of protection. I don’t want to subject you to a sudden climate change,” Poseidon stated before Kiiara once again plummeted toward certain death, which brought her nausea back to the surface.

Taking deep breaths, she managed to control the urge to spill her breakfast when she realized she hadn’t eaten anything all day except a protein bar and a cup of coffee. Probably a good thing with the rollercoaster of retch she was riding.

As he dove lower, she could see they were over the ocean. Water as far as the eye could see, even though it was mostly a blur due to the ultrasonic speed. She got a glimpse of how fast they were moving when she couldn’t adjust her eyes.

“How can you see? Everything is nothing but a blur of color to me,” she professed and squinted, trying to see if that helped. Nope, not even a little.

“It’s not my sight guiding me. The sea and tides direct my course,” Poseidon answered in a deep baritone.

His voice slid across her skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake. Tingles erupted, and her body heated even though she could feel the temperature continue to drop. Her attraction was undeniable, and it was titillating.

“Not to mention, I’m a God, perfect in every way,” he added.

And…it was annoying, she amended and sighed at his conceit. Why couldn’t Hain be her knight in shining armor? She found that man physically repulsive in every way. It was impossible to overcome his vanity even if he looked like the perfect man.

Bright white came into view, causing Kiiara to squint. “What is that?” she asked, unable to look directly at the blinding hue.

“Snow. We’re approaching land. The air is bitterly cold, and sometimes the winds are brutal. Make sure that pretty little ass doesn’t freeze off,” he teased.

She felt another blast of air and shivered. Staying in the freezing temperature for any length of time was not going to be fun. Hopefully, it would be a short and sweet visit and then she could go back to the sandy shores of North Carolina and bask in the summer sun.

“When we land, I’m going to search for Hain. Then I will turn your friend back and take him home immediately. His body can’t take the freezing temperatures. You will be alone until I come back for you, understand?”

Kiiara hadn’t thought of their return trip. Of course, Poseidon couldn’t carry them both and fly at the same time. As they came closer to the icy ground, small dots of black came into view. She felt the final barrier lift and was bombarded by a blast of cold air and an unfamiliar sound. As her vision cleared, hundreds of penguins came into focus.

She loved penguins. In fact, she had an impressive collection of the tuxedo-wearing animals, including several stuffed animals decorating her bed. In the rush and chaos of helping her friend, it hadn’t dawned on her they were headed to the homeland of the majestic Emperor penguins.

As soon as her snow boots touched the ground, she began jumping up and down with excitement. “Take all the time you need. I’ve died and gone to penguin heaven!” she squealed.