Melia came up with idea of taking a Caribbean cruise as a way to change her life. Her love life. It seemed like a great way for her to do the thing that had become a frustration — she wanted to meet sexy, available, men.

Right off the bat, she hit it off with Nick. He was great looking, had a good job, he liked her, and he was available. That meant he was everything she wanted. Her plan was working.

When she meets an odd, yet exciting man, and learns he is an ancient god of the sea and that he wants her… it capsizes her world. He introduces her to his world, his ideas of sex and passion, which swamp everything she’s known before. And he even hints that she belongs in his world.

~~~~~ PG Excerpt ~~~~~

The girl was svelte with watery blue eyes and silver hair. Her skin was a strange coppery color and she looked and moved like a young woman, but those blue eyes… there was something very wise and worldly about them. And they were out of sync with her easy smile.

One of them, Melia thought, her eyes or her mouth, is lying to the world.

Regardless, Poul was obviously taken and that realization made her feel a sadness, a heaviness. Still, that a handsome man had been attracted to her, and she had no doubt of that, made her confident.

Now he patted the girl's hand. “I am Poul and this is Amy. I'm afraid we must get her this all-important drink.”

“I'm Mel… Melia,” she said.

His smile warmed her. “Of course, you are.”

“What do you mean, of course?”

He laughed. “The myth.”

“What myth?”

“Excuse me,” he said. “I forget that people don’t know the old stories anymore. We are from Greece, Amy and I — a place called Aegae.”

“A wonderful name.”

“It's a place of legends and many myths. We are proud of our myths. Now, according to Greek legend, Melia was a daughter of Oceanus. I saw you swimming and knew you, such a graceful swimmer, would be her — Melia.”

“I suppose that makes as much sense as any other explanation.”

“My drink, Poul,” the girl said.

“You must excuse us,” he said, and then her gorgeous admirer stood and led the girl to the bar.

She watched them for a moment, seeing the possessive way Poul’s arm encircled Amy’s waist as they ordered drinks. Then she climbed out of the pool and went to her chair to where she’d left her towel and dried herself off. Seeing that even more women were topless now, she decided to join them.

Undoing the tiny bra, she dropped it on the table. She was aware of men’s eyes tracking her every movement as she stretched out on her back on her chair.

She closed her eyes knowing that people, men were still staring. That was good. After all, she had come there to be seen.

After a time, a gorgeous man of about thirty came over and stood by her chair. She opened her eyes and shaded them with her hand, taking a good look at him. He was squarely built with short black hair. She had seen him watching her. “Hello. My name is Nick. Are you alone?” She liked that he seemed surprised at the possibility.

“All by myself.”

“Can I join you?”

When she said yes, of course, he sat on the chair next to her. Immediately, he began to flirt. He ordered them drinks and they sat on the chairs talking.

It amused her, in a good way, that he addressed much of his conversation to her breasts. This was a world that felt wild, different, exciting.

Around them, people ate and drank and talked. A few swam, splashing in the pool.

With all this going on she remained acutely aware that single women watched them, her and Nick, from behind sunglasses. Perhaps they had designs on Nick. He was certainly attractive enough. She saw other men talking to each other, but glancing over at her, weighing their chances of cutting in on Nick.

It all made her feel desirable and wanted. It also made her acutely aware that she wanted Nick to make a serious pass at her. How glorious if he tried to seduce her on the very first day of her ‘I want to experience the new’ cruise.

Kurt Dysan

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