Lexi hoped Hades had not heard her hiccup. She didn't want him to think she was drunk. Was she drunk? Ambrosia didn't produce the same effect as regular alcohol. She felt like she could do or say anything without retribution, like the world revolved around her and she commanded it. So, ambrosia was like alcohol.

Poseidon gave Lexi zero time to wander the halls, cornering her as soon as she left the scrying mirror. "I trust your conversation with Hades went well," he said. "How did he take the news about the council's verdict?"

"He encouraged me to keep trying, which I already planned to do. If I get into their faces enough, I should be able to wear them down."

A smile tweaked Poseidon's lips. "That plan could backfire on you. The council may continue to vote against just to have you return to the meetings. You were quite dynamic today, and you shine with the radiance of a thousand stars. Are you not aware that many of the gods wish to claim you as their consort, Lexi?"

"I am aware, and I have made it clear to Zeus that I am not interested in consorting with anyone but Hades, so he can relay that message at the next council meeting." Lexi felt claustrophobic in the hallway where Poseidon had pinned her, and it didn't help that his eyes were pretty damn radiant. "Why don't we hit the banquet table? I'm hungry after that ride on the beach."

"Of course. I have been eager to introduce you to the delicacies created by the skilled hands of my kitchen staff. I believe you will find them even more tempting than what they serve at the palace of the gods."

Lexi walked toward the noise of the party as Poseidon spoke, pretending not to see the arm he extended. She felt guilty for avoiding his polite gestures, but this was self-preservation. Lexi only had herself to rely on since Kade was lost to a room full of goddesses. When they reached the banquet table, Lexi started filling a plate, and every time she set an item on it, Poseidon placed a duplicate next to it. When she added a hunk of gooey cheese, he drizzled a spoonful of honey over it. The game continued until her plate was full, after which he led her to an unoccupied couch. The aquamarine upholstery matched his eyes perfectly, although it was probably intended to match the sea.

"You have to try the goat's milk cheese," he said as he scooped up a mound of cheese with a spoon. "But first, close your eyes."

"Why? So you can sneak something else onto the spoon? I may be young, but I'm not clueless."

"No. The intent is to cut off your sense of sight, allowing you to focus on the sense of taste. One of the purposes of an orgy is to indulge the senses. I'm just trying to facilitate that for you. Have some faith in me."

Although her brain warned her to stay wary, Lexi couldn't argue against his logic. She and Hades had played the same game, although she had been tasting something altogether different than cheese. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth, allowing Poseidon to fill it. Despite the fact that all her senses were reeling—the musicians plinking out a lively tune, the savory smells coming off the banquet table, the warmth of the room enveloping her like a sweater—her mouth took center stage as the salty flavor of cheese combined with the sugary sweetness of honey, all spreading over her tongue in a sumptuous explosion. When the last remnants had slipped down her throat, she opened her eyes to find Poseidon grinning at her, looking altogether too devious.

"I take it you enjoyed the cheese?"

"Yes. It was divine."

"I'm so glad. We take pride in our goats. They are fed a specific diet to produce the finest cheese you will taste anywhere. Now, it is my turn." He handed her the spoon and pointed at the cheese on her plate.

"You want me to feed you?"

"It is only courteous that I enjoy the experience the same way you did. If I closed my eyes and tried to feed myself, I am sure I would only make a mess."

"I could guide you so that wouldn't happen."

Poseidon stuck out his lower lip, offering her a seductive pout. "You're not playing fair. If you're not careful, you might earn a reputation as a tease."

"Why should I care about my reputation? I don't live here."

"Surely, you don't want that kind of rumor circulating when you are trying to win the support of the council members." He raised his eyebrows, gesturing again to the spoon in her hand.

Lexi relented, scooping a bit of cheese and honey onto the spoon and bringing it to his lips. Poseidon kept his eyes open, waiting until she had met his gaze before closing them. As Lexi watched him savor her offering, she could taste what he tasted, the salty flavor mixing with the sweet while the creamy texture played with his tongue. She had to admit, it was a seductive experience watching another person take pleasure in something, and Lexi called up the image of Hades in the throes of release. It was her favorite expression of his.

When Poseidon opened his eyes, the grin crept back onto his face, as if he had been attuned to her intimate thoughts. "That was nice. How about a cherry?" He picked up two cherries and gave her one. "Same game."

Lexi wanted to protest, she really did. She knew Poseidon's intentions were lust-driven, and she hated herself for taking any kind of pleasure in the exchange. Promising to end the game after the cherry, she brought the fruit to Poseidon's mouth. He did the same, pressing the tender skin of the cherry against Lexi's lips, eliciting her sense of smell and whetting her appetite. As she opened to accept his gift, she watched him pull the cherry into his mouth with his tongue.

"You're cheating," he said as he closed his eyes.

"No, I'm not." Lexi closed her eyes as she bit down on the cherry, spitting the pit into her hand. Both taste and texture were drastically different from the cheese and honey combo, but the tangy fruit juice complimented the flavors lingering in her mouth. It was a superb recipe to share with Fiona; cherries and honey over gooey goat cheese.

A nymph pulled up next to them when Lexi opened her eyes. She held a tray filled with glasses of white wine. "Can I interest you in a glass of chardonnay?" she said. "It will pair nicely with that delicious food on your plate."

Lexi nodded, taking a glass from the nymph. Wine she could handle. The music changed to something more bass driven, and a game of kiss or tell began across the room. She suspected Kade had instigated it, as he was rallying all available goddesses to join in. Poseidon used the growing noise level as an excuse to lean into Lexi's ear.

"Have you ever played kiss or tell?"

"No. I have never heard of it."

"It is exquisitely simple. The game requires at least two players, and they take turns asking each other questions designed to unearth secrets or embarrassing revelations. If the question cannot be answered, for whatever reason, a kiss must be exchanged in penance. Would you like to play?"

Lexi expressed her disinterest in the form of a grimace. "I don't think it would be appropriate for me to play a kissing game with anyone other than Hades."

Poseidon tsked. "You are a goddess. You are allowed to enjoy yourself in whatever manner you wish and go home to your mate without remorse. It is how the gods have behaved for eons. I suspect even Hades has told you this."

"It doesn't matter what Hades thinks about it. I was raised as a mortal, and kissing you would be considered cheating."

Poseidon's eyes gave away his surprise, and his mouth lifted into a smirk. "I had not actually suggested you play with me. I thought you might want to join the fun across the room, but I would love to play one on one with you."

Lexi looked at the glass of wine in her hand, already half gone. Could she blame alcohol for her wandering thoughts, for the mental picture she had of Poseidon kissing her, of the lust building between her thighs? He smelled of the sea and stable, a heady scent that intoxicated her. If she tasted the forbidden fruit now, would she use it as justification in the future? She stared at her lap, blocking out Poseidon's face. How was she supposed to think straight with his pouty lips right there? She had her own handsome god at home. A god who could bring her to an aroused state just by being in the same room, or touching her skin, or whispering her name.

"You worry too much." Poseidon leaned in, speaking dangerously close to her now. His breath tickled her cheek, inciting a chill only one man had ever incited before. "It is only a matter of time before your urges win out. The spark you carry is hot enough to satisfy any god's lust. Kiss me, Lexi."

Damn. Now his voice sounded like Hades. Had she not noticed that before, or was it the wine? Was he right about her urges? Would she eventually give in to the charisma and sex appeal of other gods, like Persephone did, like Hades did? Had no god ever remained faithful for eternity? Poseidon's hand came to rest on her leg, and he brushed back the fabric of her dress, exposing her knee. His gesture triggered her adrenaline, and she knew she had to react to it or surely be swept into the arms of another man.

Lexi slid away from Poseidon, putting space between her mouth and his lips, which were so close she could smell the cherries. "I'm content with the way I'm living my life," she said, having to wing the conversation while under the influence of alcohol and raging hormones. "I will let you know if I decide to branch out." She stood and the sugar cubes hidden in her cleavage came loose, dropping through her dress to the floor. Poseidon glanced at the cubes as she kicked them under the couch. "Thank you for sharing your home with me. It's lovely. I'd like to go back to the palace of the gods now, if you'll be good enough to arrange a ride for me."

Poseidon looked crushed, like a child being told he couldn't have a cookie, and he dug his palm into his lap. The maneuver was less than subtle, and Lexi knew why he had done it. He pushed up from the couch and rested his hand on her shoulder, holding her in place. "You have incredible willpower. Stronger than most of the gods I know, including myself. I cannot remember the last time I was denied something as simple as a kiss."

"But a kiss is not simple, not when it is shared between two people who desire each other." Lexi waved her hand at the giggling crowd of gods and goddesses in the center of the room. "Those are simple kisses, exchanged as part of a game. You have asked me for a kiss that I cannot give because..." She bit her lip when she realized what she had done.

"Because you desire me?" Poseidon released a moaning breath as he ground his hand into his crotch again. "Damn, Lexi. You're killing me."

"I really should go."

Lexi tried not to notice the immense hard-on Poseidon struggled to hide under his toga, and he appeared to be in some amount of pain as he snatched the arm of a passing nymph, asking her to ready a chariot to carry Lexi back. Although she expected Poseidon to excuse himself to the nearest facility, he escorted her outside, helped her into the chariot, and wished her a pleasant night, after which he made a hasty retreat to the ocean and jumped into the water, toga and all.