by Lacuna Reid
Now, we both laugh.
“That’s awesome,” I tell him. “You’re going to have to teach me to swear like a Greek.”
“Oh – the Greeks. We are the best at swears, I tell you. My favorite is ston poútso mou louloúdia kai gýro-gýro mélisses.
“What does it mean?”
“It translates to: ‘there are flowers and bees around my dick’,”
“No!”
“I’m not kidding.”
“What?”
“Yes – the meaning is – like ‘I don’t care’.”
“That’s…” We both giggle too much to speak. Once we calm down, I say, “I think I’m gonna have to learn Greek.”
Chapter Nineteen
Mira
When all the prep is done, Elias and I take a break, and he offers to make me a cocktail.
“I won’t say no,” I say, smiling at him. I have to turn away from those sparkling blue eyes, made even more striking against his jet-black hair and tanned skin.
What is it with this place and sexy men? Maybe they’re all gay… but then there was that kiss with Theo… and all this flirting. That’s when it hits me that I’ll have to see Theo again in an hour or so, unless I can avoid serving the dinner and sneak upstairs before Theo arrives.
“How about a Martini?” Elias asks.
I gulp, not wanting to feel like the heathen that I absolutely am, and also not wanting to hurt his feelings.
“I’m joking,” Elias says, laughing at the look on my face.
“He told you!”
Damn Gino and his ‘good communications’!
“It’s okay, Mira, I’ll make you a nice drink. It will be a good one for tonight, too, ‘tsa bit like a Margarita – Gino’s very own invention.”
I wait while Elias chops, mixes and blends. He hands me a martini glass with a pale green slushy iced liquid inside and a sprig of sage.
“What is it?” I ask.
“It’s called Salvia Lemono, Gino’s invention.”
I take a sip and it’s delicious. Lemon and sage. Exactly the sort of thing I like, even though I’d never thought to make it before.
“It’s like a Mediterranean margarita,” I say. “I like it!”
“I’ll prep some more for tonight.”
“Okay… but, Elias… I’m wondering… will you need me to stay for the actual dinner?”
“Of course you’ll stay – the dinner is for you.”
“What?”
“Yes, in honor of your arrival. Sorry. Is it bad we make you cook your own celebratory dinner?”
“It’s not bad… it’s just… I’m just a sous chef. I don’t understand why everyone is acting like I’m special.”
“We do things differently here, Mira… and you are special. That’s why you’re here.”
“He’s right,” a voice says behind me. I turn to see a man standing by the doors. It’s Gino with his light brown hair and his green eyes. He’s the whole reason I’m here and yet somehow, I now know less about him than all the other guys here.
Chapter Twenty
Mira
“Gino!” Elias says, practically climbing over the benches in his excitement to greet his friend.
“Good to see you!” I watch them hug and feel left out for a moment. They are obviously very close. For a moment, I even wonder if there’s something romantic between them.
Gino comes over to greet me next. He has a big smile on his face.
“I thought you had more work to do in New York,” I say, smiling back at him. It’s hard to resist an infectious smile.
“I cut it short,” he says. “I wanted to check on how things were back here, how you were settling in.”
“Seriously?” I ask, unsure why Gino is being so attentive.
“Yes. I’m sorry I gave you so little information, Mira. I didn’t want to overwhelm you. I wanted you to choose to come here and then figure it out… oh, and I wanted to give you these.”
He holds up a basket of fruit.
“Quinces!” I say, excited to see the unusual old-fashioned fruit that I love so much.
“You said it was your favorite word. I wanted to do something nice for you. So, tell me, how are you feeling?”
“I’m still a bit confused,” I say. “Mostly about why you are all treating me, as if I’m special…” well… all except Helio.
Gino puts his hand on my shoulder and guides me out towards the dining area. “All will become clear,” he says. There’s something about him that’s so warm, so likable. I’m not sure why but I trust him, just like I did when I met him in that bar.
“I hope El Cielo is to your liking,” Gino says, leading me towards the large windows on the other side of the dining tables.
“It’s wonderful,” I say. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“What’s that you’re drinking?” Gino asks, examining my glass. “Oh – my favorite…” He sighs as if lost in a happy memory. “Mira, it’s so good that you’re here.” He wraps me into a hug which seems like an overly familiar thing to do considering I hardly know the guy, but somehow it feels right. My body responds to his, burning, sparking, tingling with warmth.
Gino pulls back, as if realizing his faux pas. “I’m sorry Mira… I feel… how do you say it? I feel drawn to you.”
I blush, remembering my kiss earlier with Theo, not to mention the intimate moment with Elias, and wondering how I can get away with having feelings for three men at once. At least, Helio is far too arrogant for my liking, even if he is built like a Greek god.
“It seems there’s so much to discuss with you. Are you free tomorrow morning, say at nine?” Gino asks
“Sure,” I say.
Gino nods, “I’ll find you.”
He excuses himself to go and attend to some things before dinner, and I decide I’d better freshen up, since I’m apparently the guest of honor now.
I rummage around in my suitcase. Yes, Mira, you should have unpacked properly when you arrived. That way your green dress would be hanging up and not a rumpled mess.
I find the dress. It was something I picked up from the designer section in a thrift shop, and it’s seen better days.
I pull it out and with it comes the stack of bills I’ve been neglecting. Knowing my first pay will come through sooner or later makes the letters with their red “overdue” stamps less intimidating. I put them on the kitchen counter and throw on the dress, doing my best to press out the wrinkles.
It looks good with its boat neck, showing part of my shoulders, and its pencil skirt. It makes me feel a bit like Audrey Hepburn. Even though it’s a little rumpled and worn, I’m glad I haven’t thrown it out yet.
Chapter Twenty-One
Mira
When I return to the dining room, Theo and Gino are already seated at the table, chatting about Gino’s latest business ventures. A thrill runs through me at the sight of them… both of them.
Settle down, Mira…
I give them a quick wave and scoot to the kitchen to help Elias. As we carry the platters of chicken, polenta, and ratatouille to the table, Helio enters, giving me another cocky wink. My body responds, even though my mind is wishing he would fuck off.
Gino gets up, casually brushing past me as he goes to retrieve the pitcher of salvia lemon. I feel a shiver through my body at his touch and I crave discovering more of what those deft fingers would feel like all over my body. “I better make the next round,” he says, as he freshens up our drinks. “Elias always goes too light on the sage.” He winks at me too, in a totally different and less arrogant way than Helio. It’s almost like Gino is reminding me of some inside joke that I should remember. Something stirs in the back of my mind, but nothing becomes clear.
It dawns on me that this is the first time I’ve been in the same room as all four of my new smoking hot employers, and the realization gives me the odd sensation of being overheated despite it being a perfectly normal temperature in here.
Theo doesn't make ey
e contact with me as we take our seats. He lifts his glass to toast my arrival, and only briefly glances in my direction. Dread sets in. He’s avoiding me because of that kiss… Even thinking about it sets off sparks of desire inside me, but clearly, I’ve done something wrong. Don’t kiss your boss, Mira… any of them… not even if they all insist there are no bosses at El Cielo, not even if all four of them are smoking hot.
The guilt sets in, and even though all four guys are making appreciative noises, clearly enjoying the food Elias and I spent hours preparing, I can barely taste it. Theo is oddly quiet during the meal, making me feel even worse.
“You cook like my mother,” Helio says, a teasing lilt to his voice. “It’s so good. Shouldn’t you be married already?”
I wouldn’t normally stand up to someone like Helio. My instinct is to ignore him, avoid him, pretend I didn’t hear, but something about this place has gotten into my bones; it has changed me. I glare at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re just jealous that she doesn’t like you,” Gino retorts, softly punching Helio in the arm. Then he turns to me. “Ignore this ignorant prick, Mira. His whole family are patriarchal bastardos.”
Helio laughs. Something dark flashes in his eyes; it sends a shiver of primal fear through me.
“Just because you are all playing along with this game, it doesn’t mean I’m going to,” Helio says, staring right through me. “Mira is a filthy tease, even if she doesn’t know what she’s doing here.”
The tone of his voice cuts into me. Even though this dinner is supposed to be some kind of welcome thing for me, I feel like an impostor, and now one of my new bosses is treating me like a piece of meat.
Normally I’d say nothing, I’d bear the humiliation and carry on… I’d suffer through the rest of the night until I could excuse myself and then dive into bed and hide from the world, but there’s something about this night… this place… the pheromones that are now going crazy in my brain, and perhaps it’s also partly due to the couple of glasses of salvia lemono that I feel the sudden and surprising urge to stand up for myself. I’m not going to sit around and be subject to this kind of shit.
“Excuse me?” I get up from the table, shame rushing to my head to join all the pheromones having a party up there.
“He doesn’t mean it,” Elias tries to calm me, but it’s too late.
“I’m here to work for you, not to put up with belittling and harassment.”
I storm out of the room.
I’m already in the lobby when I hear someone following me. I’m so embarrassed by Helio, so ashamed I’m almost ready to pack up right now and get the hell out of here, but there’s a flicker in the corner of my eye – a glowing being that I’m sure is Micah.
“Mira.”
I turn to see, not a heavenly being at all, but Gino. It must have been a trick of the light.
“Don't let him get to you,” he says.
“He’s such an…”
“Asshole? Yes. That’s Helio. It’s… well it’s complicated. He’s not always like this. I promise.”
“It’s fine,” I say, trying to pull myself together. “I just hope I can avoid him most of the time.”
Gino chuckles. Then his expression softens. “I know it’s an unusual situation here. We've known each other…”
“For a long time – yeah, I get it.”
“Do you, though?” Gino asks.
He takes a step towards me, lifting my chin with his fingers, looking at me with those dazzling green eyes. I almost melt into him.
“What's going on here, Gino?” I ask, trying to resist the spell of his gaze. “Why am I really here? What is it that you’re not telling me? Everything about being here feels so deliberate – like it was planned a long time ago. What’s going on?”
“You’re right,” Gino says, looking down. “It has been very deliberate – we wanted you here, Mira.”
A shiver runs through me, and I can’t tell if it’s terror or excitement.
“Why?”
“There's something about you, Mira. I saw something in you the moment I first laid eyes on you... I can't quite explain... It's like you're the missing piece in a puzzle.”
“What's the puzzle?” I ask.
“This place...” he gestures around, “…our lives. You feel it, don't you?”
I nod. “This place is like...”
“Home?” Gino says exactly what I’m thinking… what I’ve been thinking this whole time.
“Strangely... yes.”
“We've all helped to shape it to be this way,” Gino says. “It might sound crazy, but we've been waiting for you a long time.”
“It does sound crazy,” I respond. “You’ve only just met me.” But even as I say the words, I can feel how empty they sound compared to the ring of truth in Gino’s voice. The dream flashes back to my mind. Running with Alfio in the forest, turning to see Gino. Is it possible he knows about the dreams? I want to ask him, but that would really sound crazy. Of course that would be ridiculous. I must have had too much to drink.
Gino watches my face, intently, then he nods, as if we both understand each other.
“Now please, come back, I've brought the most exquisite truffles for dessert.”
Against my better judgement, I follow Gino back to the dining hall. Helio is much more pleasant for the rest of the evening, but Theo still seems to be avoiding me. I go to sleep that night, fantasizing about a much, much raunchier dinner party, where I end up on the table… as the dessert!
Chapter Twenty-Two
Mya
The sound of birds and the running stream is beautiful… soothing. I'm collecting water from the sacred spring, angling the pottery urn while grasping the overhanging tree-branch for balance. My foot slips against the wet rocks. I reach out to break my fall and collide with a tree stump. There’s a painful gash in my left hand, and I try to stem the tears that bubble up.
I limp back towards the temple, careful not to drop the water urn.
As I am nearing the courtyard garden, I hear my name.
“Mya,” I turn to see Alfio, coming towards me.
“What happened?” he asks.
“I just hurt my hand,” I reply. “The rocks were slippery.”
“This will need attention,” Alfio says. He reaches down to take the water vessel from me and gently guides me with his hand wrapped around my back. “I'll take you to the doctor.”
“Are you always out here?” I asked him.
Alfio smiles at me.
That's the smile of a boy caught red-handed.
“It's more pleasant than scribing inside the gloomy scribes' quarters,” he replies, gesturing to one of the small out-buildings at the back of the temple grounds.
I smile back at him, wishing that his hand would travel further, but it stays in proper position, gently guiding my upper back as we walk towards the medical chambers. Only the pain in my hand distracts me from the thrill inside me, being so close to this delicious man.
I lean my head against his chest, inhaling his scent. He smells of sage and rosemary, from the garden perhaps.
He briefly kisses my forehead, then pulls back sharply. As if he's been struck with something.
“I shouldn't,” he mutters. “Priestesses are sacred.”
As we get into the medical chambers, Alfio says, “Lasonas, this Priestess has been hurt.”
A man is sitting with his back to us at the table. He stands, and I notice his skin is much darker than Alfio’s, and his eyes are deep green. Another beautiful man.
Lasonas’ eyes flick from Alfio to my hand, and then back to the man beside me. I can instantly tell there is a tension between the two of them. For a moment, I forget about my hand and I think only of the two gorgeous men next to me.
Lasonas’ eyes stare deep into mine. “Who are you?” he asks, and I feel it again: that deep sense of connection. How could it be possible that these four men and I could all share some kind of spiritual bond? Wha
t kind of trick of the gods is this?
As Lasonas moves towards me, I feel drunk on infatuation, which stifles my pain.
He washes and tends to my hand gently, and I can't help but thinking I’d like that attention in other places.
Alfio stands behind me the whole time. His breath gently caresses my shoulder with that sweet scent of sage.
Being in such an enclosed space with two delectable men is almost too much for me. By the time Lasonas is finished, I feel a gaping emptiness inside me, that I want them desperately to fill.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Mira
I’m barely out of bed and dressed the next morning when there’s a knock on my door. It is exactly nine. Gino is dressed in a green silk shirt, my favorite color, and tight black jeans. I want to hug him, as if he’s an old friend, but I hardly know him at all. Of course, I was drawn to him that first moment I met him in the bar, and yesterday he was so lovely and understanding when I was upset, but I know nothing about this guy, really, with his light brown hair in its suave cut and his green eyes almost the same shade as mine. His elfin build that makes me think of fantasy in more ways than one. I let him take my hand and kiss me on both cheeks, enjoying the intimacy.
“You have such a lovely presence, Mira,” Gino says. “Such good energy.”
“I could say the same about you.”
“I’m so sorry I couldn’t be here to help you settle in.”
“No need to apologize again. I’m fine.”
Gino gives me a meaningful look. The problem is, I don’t know what the meaning is exactly. I figure it relates to all the other mysteries these guys are keeping from me about this place and why I’m really here, but asking about that seems to get me nowhere.
“Do you feel like coffee?” Gino says.
“Yes, desperately. I haven’t made one yet.” I try to hide the fact that I only just got out of bed.
