Seth’s striking face was a mask of determination, jaw hard and lips thin. His eyes were an incredible, luminous tawny color. My hips buckled and my back arched as he drove in, over and over until the tension broke apart once more, taking him with me. He stiffened, kicking his head back as he groaned out my name. Veins jutted out in stark relief as he pulsed deep inside me.

When he lowered my legs and eased out, he climbed over me, kissing my lips. I had a hard time mustering the energy to do much more than lie there as he disappeared to take care of the condom. I hadn’t moved by the time he returned.

Seth was all okey-dokey about that.

He stretched out beside me, tossing his arm and leg over me. He drew me close and every part of us was touching. Both of us were nude and sweaty and it was freaking perfect. In moments like this, it was easy to let myself think, dream, that he and I were just normal, like any other couple in the world.

His hand grazed my breast. “I was thinking . . .”

“I didn’t know you were capable of that,” I teased.

He chuckled. “Sometimes.” That wandering thumb of his found the hardened tip. “But I was wondering if there was any way I could convince you to stay here while we head to California.”

That knocked me out of my pleasure-induced haze. I turned my head toward him. “Come again?”

“You don’t really need to be there. Hercules, the legendary Bag of Dicks, can find them without you,” he explained as my eyes narrowed. “We can bring the demigods back here, to you, where it’s safer.”

“Besides the roaming packs of daimons, potential shades and Titans, and halfs and pures fighting constantly,” I pointed out.

He raised his head up, propping his cheek on his fist. “Yeah, but the Covenant is warded against Titans.”

“For now.”

“But you’ll still be safer.” He smoothed his thumb over my nipple, but that wasn’t going to distract me. “I just don’t want you in a dangerous—”

“Don’t say it.” I lifted my hand, placing my fingers against his lips. “I get it, Seth. I really do. You want me to be safe. I want you to be safe, but you know that you can’t keep me here. Eventually I’m going to have to fight the Titans.” My heart rate kicked up at the thought even though my voice was level and calm. I sounded so mature and accepting of my future that I thought I sort of deserved a basket of chicken tenders or something. “That’s going to happen.”