Dirty Lying Sirens

Chapter Twenty Four

A/N: I got carried away with this one guys lol. Enjoy. Warning: Mature chapter.

Madeline

I hadn't explored much of Caspian's house. In fact, apart from the main living space and a very updated bathroom. The kitchen I had only seen from the doorway in the living room, and my bedroom I hadn't seen at all. But as Caspian helped me carry my new dresses and bags to a room at the end of the hall opposite the kitchen, I was awed.

The bed was low to the ground on some kind of light wood platform. Cream-colored bedding overflowed the bed, holding more of the colorful details around every edge that I'd become accustomed to. One wall had a window looking out to the side of the yard. There wasn't a lot to see that wasn't lush green plants, but I was still excited for it. Another wall held a wardrobe where Caspian hung my dresses, and the wall above the bed had a huge tapestry depicting a tree with a dozen colorful birds in it.

"It's gorgeous." I turned to Caspian with a grin as I dropped my bag on the floor. "Thank you for letting me stay tonight."

Caspian's eyes softened as he closed the wardrobe, finished hanging the dresses. "I'm happy to have you here."

Heat crept up my neck, and I changed the subject. "So, how does one use an Atlantian bathing pond, do I need a bikini?"

Caspian chuckled, then his eyes turned sharp and hot. "Clothing optional."

The heat on my neck crept higher, but there was nothing but a smile on my face. "Oh? Is that normal, or is that a house rule?"

"It's not uncommon here," he said, shrugging off his shirt and his scent mixed with the light sandalwood he burned in his house was intoxicating.

When bare-chested Caspian stood in front of me, it was easy to lean down and grab a towel from my bag. "No clothes then."

Amusement crinkled at the edges of his face as he turned to leave the room. "I'll see you in the backyard, then. Just through the kitchen."

He left, carrying his shirt and closing my door behind him.

A delicious shiver ran down my back, and I turned to the mirror hanging next to the wardrobe. I tied my hair up, unsure of how much actual "bathing" went into this little adventure we were about to have. I could always let my hair down later, but if we got frisky, and I sure as shit hoped we would, I didn't want sections of wet hair in my face to get in the way.

Hair up, clothes gone, I wrapped my towel around me until I got to the yard. Padding barefoot through the house, I walked through the kitchen. It was warm and welcoming, with a small fireplace in one corner that looked quite old. But many things in Atlantis had been this way. A mix of old and new that reminded me of picturesque European villages. On the one hand, I loved the hand-painted and carved look of things here. On the other hand, showers and toilets from this decade were really nice to have. I know they had been stuck in this bubble for centuries, but that didn't stop them from keeping up with modern luxuries.

My heart raced as I put my hand on the light green painted door to the backyard. Caspian was already out there, right? What should I be expecting? The use of the word pond had me hesitating, but not for long as I pushed open the door.

The evening light through the water high overhead cast an enchanting glow on the yard. A white wall bordered everything, but I almost couldn't see it through the ferns and flowering bushes. In the middle of the yard was a round pool of water, with a very hot Caspian sitting with his back to me, his arms resting on the ground outside the pool. He turned to see me and tossed me a sly grin. I couldn't tell if he was naked from this angle, but with my towel on the same was true for him.