Warriors of Poseidon 04 - Atlantis Unmasked

a soft belly. Grace would never be attracted to him.
     
    Shame followed immediately, crackling in the wake of the smug thought. Bold words for a man with a face like a monster‟s .
    Atlantis Unmasked - Warriors of Poseidon 04
    Page 137 of 314
     
    Even Alexios, who had never read a child a bedtime story, knew that the original telling of “Beauty and the Beast” ended in the beast‟s horrible death. Only in modern whitewashed faery tales did the beauty ever end up in the beast‟s arms.
     
    The trainee laughed and put a hand on Grace‟s shoulder, interrupting Alexios‟s morose train of thought. He unsheathed one of his daggers and stalked across the grass.
    Beasts might die eventually, but in the meantime they were great at slicing a man‟s nuts off for presumption.
     
    Grace looked up at the sound of his approach, and the smile faded from her face as she studied his expression. She subtly moved so that she was blocking his path.
     
    “That was good. Try that,” she said to the man behind her, never taking her eyes off Alexios.
     
    As the recruit rushed off to share his newfound knowledge with his fellow trainees, Alexios sheathed his dagger and scowled at Grace. “He should keep his hands to himself.”
     
    “I could say the same of you.”
     
    “Those days are over.”
     
    She raised her eyebrows and the intriguing rosy flush appeared in her cheeks again, but she said nothing for a long moment. Then she tilted her head and smiled seductively.
     
    Dangerously.
     
    Whatever she had in mind, he had a feeling he was in trouble.
     
    Atlantis Unmasked - Warriors of Poseidon 04
    Page 138 of 314
    “How about a little target practice?” she said, all but purring. “Winner buys dinner for the entire group.”
     
    He folded his arms, trying not to jump on the challenge. Trying to be cautious.
    Reasonable. “You are a descendant of Diana, goddess of the hunt.”
     
    She pulled a long strand of her shining hair over her shoulder and stood twisting it around her finger.
     
    The symbolism was not lost upon him.
     
    “You‟re a trained warrior, with more than a few battles under your belt,” she replied. Her eyes dropped down to his belt, or where a belt would be if he wore one with his blue jeans, and she smiled like a cat lapping particularly fine cream.
     
    That symbolism wasn‟t lost upon him, either.
     
    He closed his eyes. “Poseidon help me.”
     
    “I‟m not sure your sea god is going to intervene in target practice, but hey, if prayers help, you be my guest,” she said, laughter and challenge in her voice.
     
    “You‟re on,” he said, opening his eyes. “But I choose daggers for my own part.”
     
    She shrugged. “Whatever floats your—”
     
    “Continent?”
     
    Her lips twitched, but she couldn‟t suppress her laughter. As her eyes lit up with amusement, turning honey gold in the sunlight, an epiphany slammed into him with the force of one of her arrows striking its target.
    Atlantis Unmasked - Warriors of Poseidon 04
    Page 139 of 314
    He wanted to hear the sound of her laughter again. And again and again. Every day for the rest of his life.
     
    Definitely in trouble.

Chapter 13
    Grace was tired of watching him. Wanting him. Wondering what would happen if they ever managed to push past her wariness and his barricades.
     
    The man had issues.
     
    He‟d been captured and tortured badly enough to leave that horrible scarring on his body. A pale reflection of the scarring on his soul. He needed time. Time to heal.
     
    But sometimes healing needed help.
     
    She wanted to be the one to help him. In spite of his warnings and denials. He was a mystery wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a tall, hard-muscled body. His kindness and strength made something sharp and broken inside her yearn toward his heat. Maybe it was time to claim him. To see if sex could be more than fumbling disappointment.
     
    To learn if there were any feelings left in the dark and cavernous hollows of her heart.
     
    Or maybe she should run. Now. She hesitated, her bow in hand, and watched as Michelle crossed the courtyard toward her. Alaric wasn‟t with her, probably off to conquer France or squash bunny rabbits or whatever he did for fun.
     
    Retreat was good. Retreat. Safety was usually an excellent strategy, in matters of battle and matters of the heart. Discretion, valor, staying alive to fight the good fight, et cetera, Atlantis Unmasked - Warriors of Poseidon 04
    Page 140 of 314
    et cetera.