Ginny was lounging in the hot tub when she heard a splash. She didn’t bother moving. Ever since Boreas had run away without explaining himself, she had been in a bad mood. If somebody was going to bother her, she was going to ice them out.

“Hey,” said a deep voice. “Is this seat taken?”

Ginny looked. Boreas was sitting next to her, his skin already turning red from the heat of the hot tub. She shook her head.

“It’s all yours,” said Ginny, pushing her sunglasses back up and leaning back, basking in the warm sun.

“I wanted to apologize,” said Boreas.

“I’ll stop you right there,” said Ginny. “I don’t want an apology, Boreas. I want an explanation.”

“I…I have a secret,” said Boreas.

“You have a lot of those,” said Ginny.

“No,” said Boreas. “I just have one big secret. But…if I tell you that secret, everything might change between us.”

“What is this, between us?” asked Ginny. “See, I thought I was having these sweet dates with this guy, Boreas, but now, I don’t know who I’ve been spending my time with.”

“I understand,” said Boreas. “I’ll just leave you alone, then.”

“That’s not what I’m asking for,” said Ginny, taking her sunglasses off, folding them up, and putting them down by the edge of the in-ground hot tub. “Boreas. Just tell me the truth. You think you’re the only one with secrets? I can handle it. Trust me.”

“Wait a minute,” said Boreas. “Ginny, if you have secrets too, isn’t it a bit hypocritical of you to be mad about me hiding my secrets?”

“I never said I wasn’t a hypocrite,” said Ginny, crossing her arms. “But…you have a point. Okay. Look. Obviously, all this stuff we got going on, it’s a mess. And, we need to have a heart to heart or whatever. But, I don’t think I’m in any state to do that right now. Are you?”

“No,” admitted Boreas.

“Then, how about we take today and tomorrow to think about things, and meet up the day after that?” asked Ginny. “Today’s the twentieth, so, let’s meet up at your place, on the twenty-second, okay?”

“Sounds good,” said Boreas. “Now…if you don’t mind, I think I need to get the heck out of this hot tub before I boil up like a lobster.”

“Well, you’re already turning red as a lobster,” said Ginny.

“You mind if I do my laps in the pool while you’re here?” asked Boreas. “Or, do you need more space?”

“I have never been one to turn down a good show,” said Ginny. “Be my guest.”

Boreas slipped out of the hot tub, into the refreshing pool, to the swimming lanes marked off for lap swimmers. There were only three swimming lanes, none of which were in use, as most of the other singles were busy playing pool volleyball in the main pool area.

Ginny slipped her sunglasses back on and thought about her secret, about how she could reveal it to Boreas. Obviously, he was a man with secrets, but there was no way his secret was as big as hers. Her secret could change everything between them.

After all, he was a shifter…but he wasn’t like her. It was statistically improbable.

She thought about what Boreas liked. He was a mysterious man, a man with secrets, which made him damn sexy, but also frustrating. She knew he was charming, sexy, handsome, and liked swimming, but that was it.

She thought back to their dinner. He’d liked eating. So did she.

He also liked drinking.

He had that bottle of ice wine he was saving for a special occasion, a bottle they hadn’t opened during their dates.

He’d commented on the set of glasses in the marketplace. He hadn’t liked them much, but apparently, he was in the market for a decanter and set of glasses.

What if Ginny told Boreas the truth? Could that count as a special occasion? If so, Ginny knew exactly what she had to make for Boreas.

Boreas thought about how he could break the ice. As he swam back to the side of the pool where Ginny was still lounging in the hot tub, he saw a glint of silver on her broad chest.

That’s when it hit him.

He knew the perfect way to explain his powers to Ginny.

And he knew just who he had to talk to so he could put his plan in motion.