Jormundandr wound leisurely back towards the shore after several more dives. I would have loved to explore the glowing coral reefs, but my body had other ideas when my stomach started to growl.

"Thanks buddy," I cooed as I slid off the sea serpents back once we were in shallow enough water. "Who's a good boy?" I scratched along his jaw and Jormundandr purred with pleasure and wagged his tail which sent small waves lapping at my calves.

"Good boy," Thor echoed as he patted the creature's snout. "You go home now."

Jormundandr whined and I didn't need to speak sea monster to know he wasn't happy. "Go home," Thor said again, more firmly as he pushed him away. "Jormundandr, go home."

The creature whined again, but swam away and I felt my heart get heavy as he vanished under the black water. "Poor baby," I sighed as I held my hand over my heart. "He's all alone."

"I know but it's what's best, there's not enough food here for him."

"How often does he come back?"

"Every evening, but how long he stays depends on whether or not anyone's here to play with him."

"Poor baby!" I shook my head as I looked back out over the water. I couldn't even tell where he was now. "I'll have to come here more often." I looked back at Thor. "That's allowed right? Even if it is royal lands?"

"Consider yourself holding an extended invitation." Thor said with a slight bow and I laughed.

"This must be what it feels like to be a VIP." My stomach gurgled and I smiled hopefully at Thor. "Does the VIP treatment include food?"

"Yes, just give me a second and I'll be right back." His form blurred like a heat mirage and I stared at the space he had occupied.

"Second," I muttered under my breath as I trekked up the beach, the sand sticking to the soles of my feet while I shrugged on my dry clothes over my suit. I felt pretty stupid for failing to bring a towel, but there wasn't much I could do about that now. I shivered slightly as goosebumps rose over my bare arms and hoped that the walk up the hill would generate some kind of warmth.

I turned, ready to make the trip and screamed as I saw Thor materialize before me. "You're late," I teased, inhaling the rich scent of tomatoes and garlic that emanated from the brown paper bag in his hand.

"Sorry to keep you waiting ma'am," Thor said, his low voice changing to a twangy Southern accent.

"Since when do you talk like your from Texas?"

"Since Sif got me into Clint Eastwood movies. So did you want to walk up again or-?"

"Let's teleport," I interrupted as my stomach growled again. "I don't want to risk climbing with food."

Thor nodded and took my hand. A heart beat later we were back on the hill, the long grasses sticking to my damp legs. "So, what's for dinner?" I eyed the bag as I said that and Thor smiled, reaching inside and pulled out what looked like a pastry wrapped in wax paper.

"Chow down," he invited and I wasted no time sinking my teeth into it. The bread was soft and warm, the tastes of garlic, tomato, hot sausage and gooey cheese mingling on my tongue as I sighed in pleasure.

"This is amazing," I said after a quick swallow. "It tastes just like these calzones I used to get at Davy Joe's!"

"What?" Thor asked as I plopped down onto the grass and started attacking my dinner.

I took the time to chew my food before answering. I didn't think choking was very attractive. "It's my favorite bar in Boston. They served these mini-calzones and I'd always order them every time I was there. They go great with beer."

"All I have is wine," Thor said, pulling out a bottle and two plastic glasses. "Sorry, I figured this was more romantic."

"I don't really discriminate when it comes to alcohol. Except for gin and tonic-that stuff is nasty." I'd given Melinda's a chance, but even that hadn't been enough to convert me.

Thor tore into his own calzone as he sat down beside me. "Agreed." His words were muffled by the wad of food in his mouth. I had to give him credit for managing to keep crumbs from flying out of his mouth.

With a deft hand, he pulled the cork from the bottle and poured a generous measure into each glass. "Cheers," I lifted my glass and Thor did the same.

"What are we toasting to?"

"Privacy, lovable sea monsters, finger food; honestly take your pick."

Thor considered that a moment. "How about being here with you?"

I had to smile. "I've heard worse excuses to drink." That earned me a laugh as our glasses tapped against each other. I look a sip of my drink, the wine was cool and I tasted the slightest hint of cherry.

"So, does it meet your approval?"

"The wine or this place?"

"Take your pick."

"I have to say I still prefer beer but this red does go nicely with the calzone." I took another bite as I looked out at the sparkling ocean below. "And this place is amazing; I've never seen a more beautiful place in my life."

"I'm glad you like it so much."

"Like is not even close to appropriate for how I feel about this view." I replied as I polished off the last my calzone and washed it down with a little more wine. It warmed my from the inside as a gentle breeze picked up. "I could stay here forever and just enjoy the view."

"I could too." Thor said, looking at the ocean appreciatively. "Every time I come here, I feel like a weight is being lifted off my shoulders. Everything I'm dealing with just seems a lot smaller when I'm looking at the ocean."

"I feel the same way when I look at the stars," I replied, looking up at the night sky as I spoke. "Makes you realize how big the world is." I laughed at that and Thor raised an eyebrow at me. I hadn't known he could do that.

"What's so funny?"

"Well, the world is way bigger than I thought it was. There are two other worlds I never knew about."

"There's technically nine."

"Nine?"

"Well that's counting Midgard," Thor explained as he took a sip of his drink. "As well as Niflheim, Muspelheim and Hel. And none of us know if they actually exist."

"What are they?"

"Niflheim is the world of primordial darkness and ice, Muspelheim has fire giants that are supposed to help bring out Ragnorak and Hel is just the lead of the dead." Thor ticked them off in his fingers as he went, watching me to gauge my reaction. "We don't actually have proof they exist. If anyone ever did go there, they never came back."

"That's three worlds, and then there's Asgard and Midgard and Jotunheim. What are the others?"

"Alfheim which is where the elves are from. Svartalfheim which is where dwarves are and then Vanaheim which is where my mother is from."

"You're mother isn't from Asgard?"

"The people of Vanaheim are much like us, just a different culture. I think a good analogy would be like your home, the United States and the United Kingdom. Same race, different customs."

I whistled. I had to wonder if Asgard would ever run out of surprises for me. "Wow. Guess there's a lot more to see in this world than I thought. Where have you been?"

"I've been to all the known worlds-save Jotunheim at least once."

"What was your favorite?"

"Svartalfheim was probably the best for me." Thor said instantly, beaming with enthusiasm. "They're amazing engineers and builders. There's stuff there you just can't see anywhere else. Like in Hrothgar's castle, the ballroom doesn't have a typical chandelier." He plucked a blade of grass and scooted towards me, drawing in the sandy soil as he continued to speak. "It's a gigantic gem. A yellow diamond I think, I don't know for sure. But they carved it into a giant rose, it spans the whole ceiling."

I eyed his crude drawing. I saw a deformed oval rather than a flower. I couldn't help but giggle the longer I stared at it.

"What's so funny?" Thor asked dryly and I turned my attention back to him.

"I'm no botanist but that looks-," I was about to say 'nothing like a rose' but the words died in my throat as I felt Thor's calloused hands curl around my face. He was smiling at me, but this one looked different. He wasn't smiling like something was funny, this was something softer but even more intense. Or maybe that was the way he was looking at me now-with desire in his eyes.

"You have an amazing laugh," Thor muttered, his right thumb brushing across my lips. The gesture made my heart skip a beat and when it picked up again, I feared it'd break through my ribs. He's going to kiss me, I thought, my eyes closing instinctively and a second later I felt his lips on mine.

The taste of wine lingered on his lips as I smiled against his kiss, inhaling the scent of his skin. A mix of salt from the ocean and somethingsharper, metallic, almost like how the air smelled right before a thunderstorm. The smell was good, manly and unique and my stomach flipped with excitement. The feeling increased as I felt Thor's hand move away from my face and then tangled in my damp hair, his arms tight around my body and holding me securely. Almost like he feared I'd draw away before he was ready to let me go.

The gesture sent a thrill through me and so I responded, I let myself reach out to him, wrapping my arms around his neck and holding him closer. Silently telling him I wasn't going anywhere. Not yet at least.

The kiss lasted a moment longer and then we broke apart, slightly out of breath, or at least I was. "Well," I said, my voice slightly higher than normal as I felt Thor toy with my hair. "That was unexpected."

"Unexpected good or unexpected bad?" Thor asked, letting the ends of my hair slide slowly through his fingers.

"Good," I said instantly, heat rising in my face. "I almost forgot how nice a first kiss is."

Thor moved in again before I could react, pecking another kiss across my mouth. "Second ones are nice too," he remarked, his breath tickling my face and I couldn't stop my grin.

"Yeah, they are." I breathed back, feeling rather light-headed and it had nothing to do with the alcohol in my system. I leaned into his twisting out so I could look out at the sea again. I felt his arms shift, sliding down to wrap loosely around my waist. "How long are we allowed to stay here?"

Thor's lips brushed my ear and my stomach flipped again. "As long as you want."

"If we stay that long I'll need to build a house."

"I don't think we have that kind of time tonight."

"That's okay," I said, letting myself relax into him a little more as I watched the sea. "I'm pretty comfortable here."

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New chapter! I have no self control so I've just been updating a fair bit this week! You guys have no idea how badly I have been wanting to write this scene! All I can say is, finally!

Write on! :)