The cruise ship was headed for Temptation Island, so help me. From the synastry chart reading with the manghuhula to the bonus points kiss to this back story business. I was in a state of bisexual confusion and couldn't think straight, no pun intended. Did I—was I into Devon like that? Was this simmering enthrallment just my luck or human nature?

"What happened in the showers?" Lexie asked, curiosity brightening her grin.

"It's not like that." I gave her a warning look. She gave me an unfazed stare that screamed that she didn't believe me. Also, that she found the idea that I might be lying kind of sexy. Or was I reading too much into things?

I shot a pleading glance at Devon, hoping he would clear this up because—honestly—nothing had happened between him and me in the showers. The guy had stood watch for me while I changed the first few times we balled together until the rest of the crew got used to having someone nonbinary share a locker room with them.

"Nothing crazy happened. Take your Boy Love fantasies elsewhere," Devon teased.

"Enby love," I corrected him with a half-smile. I was glad when we got back to solidifying our fake dating history. By the time the three of us felt confident of the details, I was antsy to jet, and so was Devon.

He went one way, and I went another. I spent the rest of the day avoiding both of my pseudo-paramours. I had no idea how they felt about being thrust into a transactional relationship, but the situation was dredging up complicated emotions for me. Was I supposed to be getting more and more attracted to Lex by the minute? Or to Devon?? Devon Bentley, the dude I got sweaty with on the basketball court?

Part of me wanted to see what else the ship had to offer by way of hotties. The other part needed time alone. I crept to the uppermost deck where the fun and exciting cruise line diversions failed to reach. The sun was low in the sky, and the wind was warm in my face. I sat on the open-air terrace near the radar, crossing my feet at the ankles. There were few people milling about, and I wondered if we were allowed to be in this area. No one said otherwise.

I squinted into the distance as my thoughts shifted from lusty fantasies to my real world problems. As far as my vision could make out, the world was blue. Thinking of home drew a lump in my throat and made my eyes smart. I blinked, ducking my head. I had struggled for much of my life to help my parents understand my evolving gender, but it felt like their acceptance stopped at words and failed to manifest as actions.

With a stepdad who was certain my every move was an all-out rebellion against him, there was no explaining I just wanted fairness—to get the job or not get the job based on merit, not politics. But when others made the very act of existing political, it meant that people like me had to fight for the right to show up as we were.

I was crushed at suddenly being a statistic, another homeless queer person who had been kicked out by people who claimed to love. Maybe I had been naïve to think that my family was different, that my life was different.

I dashed the tear that tried to seep from the corner of my eye. Sucking in a cleansing breath, I studied the choppy waves. I needed the money. If Lexie, Devon, and I could pull this off, I would use my share of the winnings to find a home so that no one would ever have so much control over my sense of stability again. If we didn't win, I would take Devon up on his offer and stay with him until I got back on my feet.

The antics of a paid spiritualist entertainer aside, I was intent on establishing my right to take ownership of myself. To me, self-sovereignty meant being unapologetically me without worrying what others thought, and I could only do that alone. So, as attractive as Lexie and Devon were, whatever sexual charades we had to play to win would remain in the realm of no fucks given. I couldn't catch feelings, and I damn sure couldn't afford more bad luck.

It was hours before I returned to the stateroom. Late enough for my partners to be back from their bonding session yoga class. I entered the room and found them sitting in bed, sharing a room service platter of fresh fruit. I didn't bother to ask how the session had gone because it seemed obvious. The two of them were chummier than ever. A peel of laughter made me remember how vibrant Lexie could be when she chose to let loose.

After I showered off the sea spray and lingering sadness from my day of introspection, I pilfered a cluster of grapes and dropped onto the loveseat with my feet propped on the armrest. Lexie and Devon's quiet engaged chatter carried on, and I didn't interrupt. Instead, I grabbed my headphones to my audiobook, but the gentle rocking of the ship made my eyelids drift shut prematurely. Sleep took me.

I had dreams of the kinky hallway kiss. Only, in my dreams, the explosive passion building right beneath the surface found an opening and broke new ground. I switched from passive observer, intrepid explorer of the unknown, to dauntless adventurer. My mouth found Devon's, Lexie's, Devon's, Lexie's—back and forth in a dizzying chase—as our bodies danced a tango that I hardly knew the steps to.

I woke up in a cold sweat with my sex begging for release.

Lexie rubbed my knee again. She had nudged me awake. "Slept okay? You seem tense. Your bonding session with Devon starts in an hour," she murmured with a drowsy smile.

"What time's it?" I stretched and yawned. It was an attempt to act natural.

"Barely enough time for us to grab breakfast before we go. Rise and shine, sleepyhead," said Devon from the comfort room. He was wide-awake, five-alive.

When he blew past, Lexie and I both made involuntary sounds of appreciation as his cologne struck like an unexpected summer lightning storm. He smelled like freshly laundered sheets flapping in the rain, oak and sandalwood forests closing in around the road less traveled, patchouli smoke sessions and seventies sex. Or something like that.

Devon was dressed in a pair of blue pleated trousers that matched that vintage scent. They were cuffed at the ankles above suede loafers. A faded t-shirt with a stretched collar added to the casual, thrown-away vibe. I had to admit I was feeling his take on boho style.

"What's on the agenda?" I asked.

He lifted his itinerary from the TV stand and peered at it. "Something called a sound bath?"

"Oh, that's gonna be noice." I swung my feet to the floor and sat up. "Jhene Aiko has this music video where she does a medley of songs while playing singing bowls. If it's anything like that, you're gonna love it. Soothing as hell, man."

I hurried through my morning routine so we could dash off for a bite to eat before we were required to get throuple-sy. Checking myself out in the full-length mirror, I approved of the floral print harem pants paired with a form-fitting tank and slippers, hair pulled in a topknot.

Devon and I headed out the door. "Lexie, you want to come with and hang out on the sidelines?"

Lexie shimmied from beneath the covers, revealing a cutesy pajama set. A flurry of libido danced low in my stomach. "Nah, you guys have fun," she said. "Oh, Dev, don't forget you told your mom you'd call this morning!"

He pocketed his key card and slid on designer sunglasses. "Will do."

"What's going on back home?" I asked as we walked the colorful halls.

"Making sure my cousin took care of the yard." He put his phone to his ear, and I dug a hand in my pocket for mine, wondering whether to call Perla and check on the folks. Maybe they had changed their minds about giving me the boot. Maybe not. Getting the replacement phone from Lexie had been such a kind gesture, though.

"Hey! Auntie Mary? I didn't know you were in town this week! How have you been?" Devon lit up on the phone call. "No, I'm on vacation with a few friends. Just checking in on Mom and Dad. Are they home?"

I scanned his handsome face and couldn't fight the soft smile that materialized. The guy was the kind of good-looking that could easily grace a fitness mag. Tearing away my gaze, I tugged my itinerary from my pocket to see where we were to go for the sound bath. Devon fell in step behind me. We strolled down the stairs with a boisterous group of travelers, and I eavesdropped on the happy conversations going on around me.

Some of the passengers seemed thrilled with their bonding sessions. I couldn't decide if I wanted to things to go well or tank horribly with Devon. Which outcome would let me walk away unscathed?

Although I thought I knew what to expect, I couldn't imagine what was in store for us, and I hadn't thought to ask Lexie how her intimate alone time with Devon had gone the day prior. How lovey-dovey did they expect us to get, exactly?

Devon switched the phone to his other ear and casually grabbed my hand. Color suffused my cheeks, but I knew the gesture was for show. I surreptitiously studied at the way our fingers wove together, his smooth brown skin against the warm hue of my own.

"Auntie, you are too nosy. Close the blinds and get out of the neighbors' business." Devon chuckled. I pointed us in the direction of the Sound Suite, as per the arrows on the wall. When we reached our destination, I peered through a narrow window in the door and geeked at the fact that inside was a Zen Garden. That was. . . unexpected but awesome.

Holding up two fingers, I tapped the time on my phone to let my companion know we had two minutes until our appointment. Devon nodded. "Well, whenever Mom gets home, tell her that I called, Auntie. Ooh, tell her the funniest thing happened here, too. Some fortune teller lady tried to convince me I'd end up a rolling stone like Dad." He met my gaze and grinned, rolling his eyes. I noticed maybe for the first time that he had a tiny dimple right above the left side of his mouth. It was cute.

His aunt said something that made him shake his head in amusement. "Yeah, she said if I don't settle down in a serious relationship soon enough, I'll regret it and end up a rolling stone like. . ." Something else from other end made him pause, and his eyes rounded in surprise. "Seriously?"

Curiosity ate me alive. "Put it on speaker," I coaxed.

With a distracted from, Devon did as I had requested. His Aunt Mary's voice crackled through the speaker, ". . . Some truth to that. Neville used to be a real womanizer," she chuckled. "And marriage certainly didn't settle him down. So, take what that fortune teller said with a grain of salt if she's telling you a relationship is the anchor."

"Auntie, Daddy was running around before he met Momma?" Dev asked quizzically.

"Honey, before and after. Not only did she know, but they had an understanding. You recall, your daddy was a trucker all his life. She let him know that whatever he did on the road was his business so long as it didn't make its way back to her. If rumors got too loud in town, she told him, he could get ready for a divorce. That's why as far as everyone else locally knew, he was a family man. You know what slowed him down? He got sick, and there was only one person there for him. Your mom.

"Which goes to show you," Auntie Mary replied sagely, "it don't take getting serious to find love, but it takes love to get serious."

The door to the Zen Garden room opened, and a beautiful Asian woman in a dark blue robe beamed in greeting. Devon whispered, "Let me call you back, Auntie." As he put away the phone, the look on his face was like he had seen a ghost. I hadn't expected the personal conversation between him and his aunt to get so . . . personal. But I squeezed his hand to let him know he didn't have to shoulder the news alone. Family secrets were heavy stuff.

Our guide backed away and spread her arms to invite us into the peaceful space. "Devon Bentley and Vic Diwata? Welcome to your Three's Company sound bath bonding experience," she said in a pleasant accent.

"It's not a group session?" I asked, realizing we were the only ones that had shown up.

"No," Devon supplied. "No, the bonding sessions are one-on-one."

The Asian woman nodded, retreated into a room off the garden, and closed the door. "For your privacy," her voice came over hidden speakers. "I will play for you now."

The singing bowls commenced.