I rewarded his effort with a bright smile to encourage this new behavior, before I reached out and took my card back and signed. The room key was actually a key, and I handed it to Gary for safekeeping as I returned my card to my clutch purse.

  “Enjoy your stay,” the man said while actually looking at my face.

  “Thanks.”

  We headed up to the room just long enough to see it. There was only a single queen-sized bed, and the furniture were all old-fashioned antiques, with a lovely chair and tables, as well as an in-suite bathroom. The comforter on the bed looked like a hand-made multicolored quilt, and there was a full-length mirror in the corner next to a vanity desk.

  Using farseeing, Bourbon Street was still busy this time of year, the bars at full capacity, but the streets themselves weren’t overrun with people, though there were still plenty of groups making their way around. I found a somewhat secluded spot and teleported us there. A few people would see the flashing golden light no doubt, but no one saw us just appear out of nothing.

  He took my hand and squeezed it, then let go when we started to walk down the street taking in the lights and music flowing from the various bars. I wasn’t sure what to do with that mixed signal, but by the time we’d reached the bar I’d ensured three hookups with my power for compatible couples that just needed a push, which was really fun actually.

  If only my own was so easy, but I wasn’t going to use power on Gary, and it probably wouldn’t have worked even if I was willing to be that shameless. Which I really wasn’t, normally I’d never throw myself at a man like this either, but he was driving me crazy. I just wish I knew what was holding him back, maybe it was not knowing the plan, but I really didn’t see that as relevant.

  Even if it kind of was in a way, but he didn’t know that yet. I didn’t really consider it manipulation, not really, I mean us getting together wasn’t necessary for my original plan to deal with Nate. But I wanted both.

  Regardless, we had a blast that night. It started out with a drink at a karaoke place, a couple of songs, then we moved on to the next place. He was a really good dancer too, if a little too well behaved with his hands. We didn’t get drunk, but I had a three drink buzz and maintained it all night, giving a few pushes in almost every bar to get people together was fun too.

  All night long he couldn’t take his eyes off me, and I’ll admit I entertained more than one fantasy of him owning and using me. He really was sweet, and confident and possessive, which hit all the right buttons. Like my mother, I longed for a love with a man that would treat me as his princess in public and his whore behind the bedroom doors.

  His attention, our flirting and dancing, drinking and carousing, had me completely primed for it. I mean, he was delicious, hot body, cute handsome face, and the man had a lot of confidence in his presence. He took care of me, looked out for me, even if I could handle myself I loved that attention, and my head was spinning with desire by the end of the night.

  When we got back to the B&B I stepped into the bathroom long enough to freshen up, and then went back out into the room. I wanted him to take this dress off, and I was a little shocked to see him lying in bed under the sheet, his pants and button down shirt thrown over the chair and I could see enough to tell he was still wearing the t-shirt and I was betting a pair of boxers.

  He looked me over with an almost pained look of desire in his eyes, but he disguised it well enough. Anyone else but me probably wouldn’t have seen it, and those butterflies in my stomach turned into iron balls that got all twisted up. He couldn’t be serious.

  I walked over and turned out the light, because I had some pride, and then slithered out of the dress, laid it over the chair too, and slipped into bed wearing nothing but a pair of black and lacy lingerie panties, the tube dress had its own support for the twins.

  The bastard was staring up at the ceiling like a gentleman, and the pregnant moment went on for a while. He was being a gentleman, and I was sure right then he wouldn’t be making a pass, despite the amazing time we’d had together, the potent sexual tension between us, and me throwing myself at him.

  The rejection made me feel dirty, awful, and I got angry. At least last night, with my own room, I was able to rub one out to get past my frustration. I couldn’t exactly do that while lying next to the man, and my body felt like all its wires were getting crossed as the frustration built. It was worse than that though, because he’d been touching me all night, I’d been sure he was going to ravish me that night.

  I was confused, hurt, and feeling dirty after being so aggressively available all night, why didn’t he want me?

  Gary said, “I had a good time tonight, Natasha.”

  He had a good time? He had a good time?! Was he kidding me?

  The hurt pride, dirty feeling, it all overrode my desire to let the man dictate the pace and pursuit. It wasn’t like I had any pride left, I felt mortified, and I really needed to know what the fuck his problem was.

  I let him have it all, with both barrels in my tone.

  “What the hell, Gary?”

  Gary replied, “What the hell, what?”

  I snorted, “Don’t act stupid, I know how hard your cock is right now. You’re confident, you look at me like a parched man in the dessert finding water, and we’re just about perfect for each other. So what the hell is it? What is it about me that has you resisting the strong connection growing between us. Physically, emotionally, and intellectually. So… what the hell, Gary? I have no pride left after throwing myself at you so hard tonight, so just tell me.”

  Goddess, it was mortifying, and I was glad the lights were out. Because as furious I was with him in the moment I was also blushing furiously after what I’d just said. I mean, it couldn’t be in my head, could it?

  He cleared his throat, “Sorry. You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met. Exuberant, kind, provocative, sexy beyond belief, and I feel seduced and swept away by it all. Even our morals seem to align well. But I don’t share, and if I take you, I won’t want to let you go, but I know I can’t keep you. It would destroy me.”

  My mind skipped, stuttered, and then I took a deep breath to suppress the rage.

  “Be very careful with your next words, Gary. Because I’m fairly sure you just told me I was perfect except you can’t have me because I’m a slut. What in the hell gave you that idea?”

  Gary sighed, “Your mantel. I don’t judge you for it, but the goddess of love isn’t exactly known for monogamy.”

  I closed my eyes to try to think past the fury. His assumptions were mortifying, but were they reasonable? I didn’t know, and I was feeling too hurt to care.

  “I’m not that nut bag Clarissa, and I’m sure as hell not a slutty and manipulative Aphrodite. You’re an asshole, Gary. You’ve been with me for over thirty-six hours, have I flirted with… no, have I even looked at another man? Did you see any desire in my eyes when I helped those couples?

  “Let me spell it out, I’m not a slut. Even at my wildest in college I only ever slept with one man at a time. I am open to threesomes with another woman, likely because of how I grew up and my father’s household. They’re all so in love with each other and happy. That’s what I want, love. Pleasure is just the fruit of that tree.

  “If wanting to share my love with a man and another woman or two in a family makes me a slut, then I guess you’re right. But I’d never want more than one man. It’s just asking for trouble, and I want my man to own me and care for me. Love would make room for more women, for support, but… fucking never mind. You’re a dick, and we don’t need to sleep anymore so what the fuck are we even doing here? The only reason I even got this room or the one in Vegas had nothing to do with sleeping.”

  I got up, my power flaring and dressing me in a demure dark blue casual business dress and gray shoes with two-inch heels. The matching bra to my lingerie panties as well, since the dress was loosely conforming and going topless without true support wasn’t an option for the twins, even if I’d never get older or sag. Not unless I wanted to make a spectacle of myself, and the last thing I wanted right now was to attract a man. Any man. I grabbed my purse, “I need a moment to myself. If you’re here when I get back, I’ll tell you the plan. If not, have a great fucking life. I’ll handle it on my own if I have to.”

  Gary said, “Wait…”

  But I didn’t hear the rest as I teleported out with tears in my eyes.

  It was just sunset now in Hawaii. I’d never been, but it didn’t take me long to find a patio bar by the beach so I could watch the sunset, just a quick search on my smart phone. I felt the pull of my power toward a woman and for the first time ignored it, too upset and pissed off, mortified and devastated.

  Gary thought I was a slut because of my mantel, that’s why he’d been holding me at arm’s length despite being perfect for each other. Fucking men, know it all idiots with their brainless assumptions.

  I’d gone another ten steps before I stopped. I didn’t want to be that person that ignored others in pain, just because I was feeling crappy. I brushed the tears off my face, and a little power ensured I’d skip the whole red eyes thing. That I’d look as amazing as I had since I’d woken up yesterday morning. A lily just appeared in my hands. I didn’t need to find one, creating flowers strangely enough was one of my powers, as I turned around and walked up to the woman.

  She was severely scarred, along her neck and down her body, from third degree burns. She was young and lovely otherwise, a quite beautiful blonde with a body I was a little jealous of actually. She didn’t just have tits, she had an ass too. I mean, my top-heavy look was hot, I knew that men loved it, but I wished my hips were a little wider sometimes. Though I had to admit, no man had ever complained about my tight and petite heart-shaped ass.

  “This is for you, Karen.”

  Karen blinked, “Do I know you?”

  Oops. I got their names too, but so far I hadn’t revealed that to one of my giftees. I’d been a little preoccupied with my own drama, obviously.

  I shook my head, then said, “Will you accept it?”

  She frowned, then tilted her head, “Why not. Too bad you’re not a hot guy though.”

  I chuckled, “Enjoy it.”

  Maybe it was shallow, but it was the gift of beauty, and a part of my mantel. She’d have quite a surprise, when she woke up tomorrow morning with better skin and more perfect hair than she’d ever had before. Beauty was important. People said it was a shallow measure, and it was a shallow measure of worth in relationships, but it was where a relationship started. Attraction.

  Not just relationships, but how people treated you from bosses to strangers on the street. The world and humanity was influenced greatly by beauty, from flowers and gardens, to the sunset I was about to watch. It was a major component of advertising, entertainment, and anyone decrying it was just denying the truth. I was built into everyone, nature admired beauty, and it was powerful. As powerful as love, pleasure, and fertility.

  It would change Karen’s life significantly, for the better. It wasn’t about the right or wrong about it, or what people thought should be reality, it was about what was. Period. It wasn’t ever going to change either.

  I winked playfully and turned to walk away.

  “Wait, what’s your name?”

  I smiled and said over my shoulder, “Natasha.”

  She broke off most of the stem, and slid it behind her ear and through her hair, “How does it look?”

  I grinned, “Beautiful.”

  She smiled and walked off with a wave.

  Even the simple beauty of a flower could have an impact.

  She was also worthy of it, a strong woman of inner beauty, and incidentally also a witch.

  I moved over to one of the empty smaller tables, and I looked out at the ocean. It wasn’t long before the waitress brought my drink out, and I sipped it. I still felt angry at Gary, but helping Karen had helped me as well, I always felt a sense of serenity and empathy when giving someone the gift of my mantel.

  He’d thought I was a slut, but he hadn’t been judging me with disgust or contempt at least. He’d just thought that made us incompatible. Which… was still really stupid and messed up, a black mark against him and he was the last person I wanted to deal with right now. But I might be willing to give him another chance, because of that lack of condemning judgement against me.

  But he’d have to earn it, there’d be no more throwing myself at his dumb ass. Assuming he even changed his mind after I’d set his ass straight, that is.

  The gods didn’t need to sleep of course, and I bet Gary was doing it now simply out of habit after the last twenty-two years. I supposed if I was stuck in a prison, I’d want to sleep as much of my sentence away as possible. We could sleep, obviously, and I imagined being awake twenty-four seven in a prison… well. Like I already said, habit. I had no intention of sleeping again if I didn’t have to. I smirked, beds were for only one thing now, and that was my second mantel. Pleasure. Oh, fertility too, I supposed, and I actually blushed at that thought.

  Certainly not lying there in frustration and staring at the ceiling in mortification.

  “This seat taken, baby-girl?”

  I blinked, and turned my head with a smile, “Nope. How the hell did you find me?”

  I focused on hiding him from farseeing, so he wouldn’t be seen with me if Nate got it in his head to check up on my father. Probably not necessary, but it made sense to be safe.

  He grinned, “I lo-jacked you, princess.”

  I laughed, then tilted my head as my eyes went wide, “You know where all your art is, don’t you?” I asked accusingly as I brushed the tigress with my fingertips.

  The idea didn’t make me angry, it made me feel safe. I was older, wiser, and almost done with college, but I never wanted to stop being his baby-girl. I loved my overprotective dad.

  He winked, “I do, everything I ever made. Call me overprotective of my goddess daughter. Which was quite a shock considering...”

  I waved that away, “The spirit me made an amazing choice. How’s Aunt Amber?”

  He nodded, “Twenty years in Tartarus is not pleasant, but nor was it cruel. She’s recovering. She’s also changed, I guess twenty years in her own head allowed her to break down some prejudices, but that kind of isolation can make someone a bit… fragile. Anyway, I came here to check on you, when I felt you move so far. Do I need to kick Gary’s ass?”

  I snickered, “No, dad. That might be too dangerous. If his ass needs kicking, I’ll do it.”

  He grinned, “That’s my girl. Good. I have that information for you. The FBI and NSA gets my texts in triplicate, so I figured I’d kill two birds with one stone when I came to see if you were okay. Mandi Cohen, Vicki Smith, and Amelia Davis meet all the criteria you gave me, including your wish list.”

  The criteria was mostly toward the plan, the wish list part were goddesses that just might be interested in creative relationships and love with a single man and multiple women. A polyamorous family and harem of sorts, though the love and pleasure would go all ways, not just to the man.

  It might be a moot point now.

  “What made you think I was in trouble?” I asked, as I took a sip.

  He shrugged, “You relocated twice within hours. Either something triggered your temper, or you were in danger.”

  I chuckled, “That first one, but he didn’t do anything to hurt me, he was just an idiot.”

  Well, he had hurt me, emotionally, but he hadn’t done it on purpose or with malice. Just… stupidity and ugly assumptions.

  He snorted, “Men are good at that,” he pulled out some folded paper from his back pocket and handed it over, “All you’ll need to know. June typed it out for me. I added some information of my own that may prove useful.”

  “Thanks, dad. How’s mom?”

  He grinned, “Wonderful, and still in shock at looking and feeling eighteen again. Plus, how welcoming the muses, Brenna, and Caitria are. They all love her, have for years. She doesn’t see herself very clearly at times, and she’s only now after twenty years finally figuring out that I’ve been wrapped around her little finger this whole time. I think I overwhelmed her a bit, when everything I’d been holding back came pouring out of my mouth at once.”

  I felt a tear in my eyes, but this time a happy tear, I also giggled at his joke, “Good. I knew it would work out, but it’s good to hear it.”

  He nodded, “I should go, be careful, Tasha. You know I love you most, those other brats are nothing but a pain in the ass compared to my sweet baby-girl.”

  I snorted in disbelief, he babied all my brothers and sisters just as hard, but I also hugged him.

  “Favorite only eldest daughter, maybe. I will. I also won’t keep the idiot waiting too long either.”

  He chuckled, patted my back, then got up and walked away, and I took a sip of my drink.

  I wouldn’t keep Gary waiting too long, my anger as usual burned hot and fast, and it was already fading. I just felt frustrated, stupid, and humiliated by his assumptions and how I’d acted all night. I’d never thrown myself at a man so hard before, I’ve never had to, and I’ve never wanted a man as much as I wanted Gary. He was the total package, but still obviously a clueless man despite all of that.

  I was also going to enjoy the amazing sunset over the pacific, while I finished the drink.

  That would be soon enough, and he did deserve to suffer a little. Asshole.

  Chapter Six

  Gary

  The hot shower sluiced around my body as I stuck my head under the spray. My thoughts were in turmoil, and there was a lot going on up there including a whole bunch of questions.