Poseidon's Pleasure: Southern Cross, #3

By KC Kendricks

Brett Houston triumphed over his life. Raised by an abusive father, Brett sacrificed his personal happiness to keep the ones he loved safe. Ready to make big changes in his life, Brett treats himself to a Caribbean vacation. To his surprise, he ends up at a seaside ball, wearing a G-string and presiding over the festivities as Poseidon, the God of the Sea.  

Mark Matthews left behind his hometown, and his first love, to put down roots in California. With vacation time to use, or lose, Mark books a holiday on the island of St. Lucia, unaware of the surprise reunion Fate has waiting for him.

Brett cautiously examines the fractured bonds of the past, while questioning the possibility of a renewed future with Mark. It's simpler for Mark. He won't settle for anything less than a future tending to Poseidon's pleasure.

* * *

A younger Mark would have asked me what I was worth, but this mature man across from me looked sad and nodded. I suspected he felt sorry for me, that my life had been mapped out for me and I hadn't escaped it. His pity rankled, and I let the opportunity pass to tell him the sale of the company was pending until after the holidays, and I looked forward to a long, altruistic retirement.

"Well, I should go. It's great to see you again, Mark. I've wondered, from time-to-time, how you were."

"I've wondered about you, too. Can't you sit and talk a little longer?"

I was suddenly sixteen again, thrilled that someone wanted to spend time with me. But the time for such hope was long gone. My heart ached—that little thawing corner throbbed worse than a toothache—but it would break if I stayed. The past had to stay in the past.

"I really need to be going. I should make a few calls before tonight."

"Are you going to the party? I'll be there."

But you won't leave with me, will you? "I expect to be there, with a couple of friends." I stood, and he scrambled to his feet after me.

"I'll see you there then." Mark held his hand out again. My fingers closed around his. I shivered as the air between us crackled with a weird blue electricity. The avidity with which he looked at me stunned me. Could he really be that glad to see me? His hand squeezed mine, his grip strong enough to pinch my knuckles before he released me.

"I'll see you there," he repeated, his low, rich baritone full of a promise I refused to believe in. I nodded and turned away, going only a few steps before he called to me.

"Brett?"

I stopped and looked back. "Yes?"

"Are you free for lunch?"

I looked out at the blue Caribbean Sea. Every day, those waters responded to the mysterious tug of the moon, letting it push and pull its liquid depths, no damage done. My tides were frozen, unable to believe, or hope.

"Not today, sorry. Maybe tomorrow?"

Mark smiled and nodded. "Tomorrow is good. I'll find you tonight, and we can set a time."

My throat too tight to talk, I nodded. I walked back toward the resort, making it all the way to the boardwalk, and private misery, before my resolve caved in on itself and I looked back. From his patch of shade, Mark watched.

• Language: English
• Publisher: White Deer Enterprises/White Deer Books
• Release date: May 1, 2016
• ISBN: 9781533798633

KC Kendricks

KC Kendricks calls herself an accidental writer. After completing her first novel writing as Rayne Forrest, she was urged to submit it to a publisher, and everything snowballed from there. Today, the author has had over seventy books published. In July of 2021, she tried to retire but her employer offered her a deal to work at home. She accepted. Now she balances work, writing, and hearth and home in a controlled chaos. A native of scenic western Maryland, the author enjoys most activities that don’t include snow. In warm weather she might be found walking the dog, biking on the C&O Canal towpath, planting delicacies in her garden for the deer to munch on at night, playing in the creek, or lazing on the patio with her Kindle reader or laptop. She recently began to research her family history and can't drive past a cemetery without stopping to search for family sites. Her mission is to photograph old tombstones before the elements erode the stones and the names are lost to time. For more about KC Kendricks and Rayne Forrest’s writing life, please visit the Between the Keys blog at http:kckendricks.blogspot.com . If you’d like to know more about the author’s country lifestyle and her daily activities full of simple country pleasures (and a lot of work), please visit the Holly Tree Manor blog at http://hollytreemanor.blogspot.com . KC can be reached through her blog, Between the Keys. All comments are strictly moderated by the author and personal messages are treated as such. Follow the author on Twitter for up-to-date announcements at Twitter.com/KCKendricks.

Book preview

Poseidon’s Pleasure

by

KC Kendricks

––––––––

This book is a work of fiction. While references to actual places or events may occur, the names, characters, incidents and locations are from the author’s imagination and any resemblance to anyone, living or dead, is coincidental.

––––––––

Copyright © 2009, 2016 KC Kendricks

Cover art © 2016. 2023 KC Kendricks

All Rights Reserved

––––––––

All rights reserved. Reproduction of this digital e-book for file sharing or selling, regardless of whether any type of currency is exchanged, other than what the author grants in writing, is strictly prohibited by law. Permission is given for brief excerpts for the purpose of professional review. Piracy is a crime.

Thank you for purchasing a legal copy of this work.

This book is intended for mature readers over the age of 18.

Published in the United States of America

About Poseidon’s Pleasure

Brett Houston triumphed over his life. Raised by an abusive father, Brett sacrificed his personal happiness to keep the ones he loved safe. Ready to make big changes in his life, Brett treats himself to a Caribbean vacation. To his surprise, he ends up at a seaside ball, wearing a G-string and presiding over the festivities as Poseidon, the God of the Sea.

Mark Matthews left behind his hometown, and his first love, to put down roots in California. With vacation time to use, or lose, Mark books a holiday on the island of St. Lucia, unaware of the surprise reunion Fate has waiting for him.

Brett cautiously examines the fractured bonds of the past, while questioning the possibility of a renewed future with Mark. It’s simpler for Mark. He won’t settle for anything less than a future tending to Poseidon’s pleasure.

Praise for the writing of KC Kendricks

KC Kendricks never disappoints!"—Fallen Angel Reviews

..beautifully moving in all the right places...KC Kendricks gives us a well-crafted tale- The Romance Studio

Good to the last word....- Sensual Reads

...Seriously entertaining and totally engaging...- Joyfully Reviewed

...solidly written contemporary romance...-Jessewave

Books by KC Kendricks and Rayne Forrest

For current availability, please visit KC’s bookshelf at

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Ian Coulter’s Amethyst Cove Series

Double Deuce

Deuce of Diamonds

Ace, Deuce, Trey

Circle of Steel

Steel Wheels

The Sundown Saga

The Back Stairs

Beneath Dark Stars

River Walk

Moon Dances

Fly By Night

The Southern Cross Series

Netting Neptune

Taming Triton

Poseidon’s Pleasure

Between The Moon and the Deep Blue Sea

Catching Fireflies

The Men of Marionville Series

A Hard Habit to Break

Open Roads

What You Don’t Confess

Your Whisper in the Dark

A Cat Named Hercules

Leather Jackets

Station to Station

Dreams to Sell

The Right Brew

Where There’s Smoke

Bourbon and Blues

Twice Removed From Yesterday

Centerville Muscle

Bored, Stroked and Blueprinted

Memphis

July Heat

Levi & Stacy

Shining Victory

No One But You

––––––––

Single Titles (not part of a series)

A Friendly Neighbor

A Perfect Hire

December Promise

Devilishly Delicious Dane

Desert Snow

Doors of Time

Eye of the Beholder

Give Me One Night

Hey, Joe

Highway Nights

Hot August Comes

Kentucky 98 Proof

Lick Me (Must Love Dogs)

Lightning Shifts

Passion’s Victory

Please Use the Door (a ghostly romance)

Ride Your Luck

Riding Against the Wind (sequel to Ride Your Luck)

SABRE

Seducing Light

September Morning

Shine A Light

Surrendered Victory

Tango in the Night

The Ghost at the B & B

The Quest

Undeniable

––––––––

Titles Written as Rayne Forrest

Science Fiction:

A Hero’s Bargain

Across Time

The Curiosity Shoppe

Science Fiction Series:

The Rea Cheveyo Chronicles: Kiana

The Rea Cheveyo Chronicles: Talyss

The Rea Cheveyo Chronicles: Reza

Futuristic Elements:

After the Sea Sprite Ball

Mischief at Midnight

Money Back Guarantee

Step Into Tomorrow

To Bed a Spy

Paranormal Elements:

Beyond the Night

A Hidden Heaven

Contemporary:

Loving Luke

One Summer

Right From the Start

Table of Contents

Poseidon’s Pleasure

About Poseidon’s Pleasure

Praise for the writing of KC Kendricks

Books by KC Kendricks and Rayne Forrest

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

EPILOGUE

About the Author

Dear Readers,

A bonus read from Between the Moon & the Deep Blue Sea

CHAPTER 1

I was quite sure I’d lost my mind. A man my age had no business booking his holiday season vacation with a rainbow singles posse on a Caribbean island. The plane ride had convinced me I’d better hang with the girls, not because lesbians were tamer, but they’d at least be kinder in their criticisms when I donned my swim trunks.

This was my attorney’s fault, plain and simple. I’d been in Austin’s office, discussing some upcoming changes in my life, and a brochure for this little adventure was on his desk. He’d assured me I would love the Southern Cross because his brother’s partner owned the place.

I now had a new creed—beware of smiling lawyers with pretty eyes.

The pilot’s voice snapped across the loudspeakers, instructing everyone to buckle up. Girls and guys alike whooped and hollered, with the sound of safety catches clicking into place keeping rhythm. The young fellow beside me fastened his without a word. He’d been quiet the entire flight, but then, I thought he’d looked a little green around the edges. If we landed before he upchucked, I’d be eternally grateful.

A caravan of vehicles awaited the group at the airport. I retrieved my luggage, only to have it immediately whisked away by a handsome, dark-skinned man. He let me know, in no uncertain terms, that for a man with pretty blue eyes like mine, he’d deliver it to my suite personally.

I declined, privately amused at his flirting with me. He hadn’t seen me with my shirt off, nor was he going to anytime soon.

At the resort, a younger fellow with a wide smile escorted me to my suite. The large, open room was at the end of the row with a charming little patio and a great view of the mountains. Inside, a large vase of pink lilies sat in the middle of the table. I flipped open the attached card.

——

Brett, welcome to the Southern Cross. Austin’s family is our family. Please join us at our table this evening.

Colby and Theron.

——

Theron was the brother my lawyer spoke of with such great fondness. The Colby on the card was Colby Denton, the owner of the resort. Austin alluded that Denton might have some helpful stateside contacts for my latest altruistic venture, a halfway house for battered gay youth. While I appreciated the tip, I was determined to leave business behind while at the resort.

I would join him for dinner, though. I might as well hobnob where the best booze would be, so I called the concierge desk and asked them to relay my acceptance of the invitation. A lovely feminine voice, full of the lilting accent of the islands, informed me dinner was at seven-thirty on the east terrace.

That gave me four hours to kill before I had to get ready for my dinner date. The breeze carried the scent of sea spray to me, and I couldn’t resist the idea of a walk along the shore. I dug out shorts, a T-shirt, and sandals, and headed for the beach to take a leisurely stroll. If the water was warm, I might even wade in up to my knees.

The wide white strip of sand was in pristine condition, obviously well-maintained by resort personnel. A few colorful beach umbrellas were scattered here and there, and a single palm tree provided a patch of natural shade. Under the swaying fronds, two men sprawled, one with a book, the other with a laptop. A picnic basket with a wine bottle perched on top of it sat nearby. It was an idyllic scene, the sort one should see in an island paradise.

I made my way down to the water’s edge and started to walk toward the sun, my thoughts drifting to opportunities lost. I’d never taken the time for a romantic resort vacation with any of my ex-lovers. Maybe that was one of the reasons none of them had stayed with me. Too often, I put my work first. Now I’d reached the age where lovers were few and far between. The ones I did occasionally have...well, for