“Because you’re mates.”

“Yes.” And wasn’t that a wonder? “I didn’t know that he felt that way, the way I did. But the other part is, he accepted me, what I am, what I have. No one had before Bran. Before all of you.”

“And I didn’t want to have sex with her.” Riley beamed at the waiter when he brought the Bellinis.

“But she’s very beautiful, and kind and wise. You’d have pretty sex together.”

Intrigued, Riley angled her head. “Are there gay merpeople?”

“Oh, yes. We’re very happy.”

“No, I mean— Are you, or some of you, attracted to the same sex? Can you mate with someone of the same sex?”

“Of course—differently because of the body, and there will be no young created, but you want who you want, yes? Love who you love?”

“Cheers to that.” Riley picked up her Bellini.

“Is one of the rules you cannot?”

“We’re eliminating that rule. Slower in some places, but we’re working on it.”

Annika huffed out a breath, frowned at her drink. “Are all the rules stupid?”

“Maybe some are, and the rules depend.”

Now Annika lifted a hand in frustration. “How can rules depend if they are rules?”

“We’re going to need more Bellinis,” Riley decided. “And pastries.”

“I can get behind that. But the rules, Anni, depend on the people involved, the situation. For instance, if Bran had been married or promised to someone else.”

“That’s the availability rule,” Riley added.

“I understand, and agree. I understand the willing. There must never be force. Clean—I’m not sure why this is important, at every sex.”

“It’s not that kind of clean. It’s more . . . letting your partner know if you’re healthy—sexually, that is.” Sasha shook her head. “I don’t see that as an issue for you or Sawyer, so we can table that complicated explanation for now. Other rules, the ones that depend? Some would come from the code or beliefs of who’s involved.”

“I know code. Sawyer’s honorable. Maybe too much honor. I tried to explain to him that when the painting happens, I can get away. He can take all of you—because he’s wounded, and leave me so—”

“Bullshit. That’s never happening.”

Frustrated, Annika turned to Riley. “But I can—”

“I don’t give a rat’s ass what you can. And if Sawyer had said different, I’d think less of him—and that’s after I’d flattened him.”

“It’s insulting, Annika,” Sasha said, more gently. “It insults us for you to suggest that.”

“I don’t mean to insult. I love you, all of you. I hurt his feelings?” Distress squeezed her heart, clouded her mind. “Oh, I’m so apology. I will sorry to him.”

“Just put it away,” Riley advised. “And remember, this is all for one, one for all.”

“All for one, one for all,” Annika repeated. “This is a code. I won’t forget it. I hurt his feelings, so he doesn’t want to have sex with me.”

“I don’t think that’s it. Definitely more Bellinis.”

With a nod, Riley signaled the waiter, engaged in a long, flirty conversation.

Interested, Annika watched the waiter glance back at Riley. “He would have sex with you.”

“Read that signal loud and clear. Sex with a stranger can be exciting, and the danger’s part of the excitement. But I have enough excitement and danger going on right now. Plus, this is about you and Sawyer. I can promise you he’s had sex with you a few hundred times in his head.”

“But I want him to have sex with his body.”

“Can’t blame you.”

With a nod to Riley, Annika leaned in. “He’s brave and strong and kind, and very handsome. But you don’t have sex with him.”

“Huh. Okay, yeah, he’s a cutie—a hot cutie, and nobody’s wimp, but . . . you want who you want, right?”

“Yes.” Pleased, Annika sat back. “It’s a mystery of the heart. I want Sawyer, and he wants me. His—your name for it—I can’t remember.” She patted her lap.

“Lots of names for that.”

“We’ll stick with penis.” On a laugh, Sasha poked Riley’s arm.

“His penis gets hard—this is for sex—when we kiss, when he touches me. That’s desire, and I see the desire in his eyes. But he doesn’t put his penis inside me.”

“Is it just that simple in your world?” Sasha wondered.

“There can be a mating ritual—this is more serious. Or it can be for fun. For the needs.”

“Not so different. Look, this is a good balance here, I think. I’m probably looser about sex than Sasha.”

“Hey.”

“Before Bran,” Riley added.

“All right. Your point.”

“I’m saying Sawyer’s code makes his rules—about you—complicated. He doesn’t want to take advantage of you, or the situation. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to bang you, or imagine banging you.”