20. Marina

The sounds of the ocean and the salty tang of the breeze were soothing, but Marina was too tired to enjoy either of them as she and Peter made their way towards the bungalow area.

She shuffled her feet and concentrated on not falling on her face and on keeping her eyelids from drooping. It sucked to be a human, especially when paired with an immortal who looked as fresh and energetic as if he"d slept the entire way from Long Beach to the Oregon Coast.

He wrapped his arm around her middle, propping her up, while his other hand pulled his suitcase with her duffle bag balanced precariously on top of it. Everything she owned fit into that one bag that wasn"t even full. She was still trying to overcome the embarrassment of him seeing the room she"d shared with Larissa and how meager her belongings were.

Marina had caught the pinched expression on Peter"s face when she"d collected her things and hugged Larissa goodbye. He hadn"t commented on anything, but he had seen and internalized that he had fallen in love with a real Cinderella who had next to nothing to her name.

When they reached the first bungalow, Peter stopped and looked down at her. "Do you want to check this one out?" He nodded towards the door.

Looking up the street and the ascending line of bungalows, she shook her head. "I want the top one." Surprisingly, no one had thought to use the abandoned facilities to house more guests. They could have commanded a premium price. "It has the best view, maybe even of the ocean. It"s on the top of the hill, so its windows should clear the lodge"s steep roof."

Peter glanced up at the hill, then back at Marina, his brow furrowing. "Are you sure you can make it up there? You look like you"re about to fall asleep on your feet."

He wasn"t wrong, but she was stubborn, and she wanted that bungalow. "I won"t. I can do it."

Peter chuckled, then turned around and crouched down. "Hop on," he said, patting his back. "I"ll give you a piggyback ride the rest of the way."

Marina hesitated momentarily, glancing around to see if anyone could see them, but the area was deserted, and the five hundred feet uphill looked daunting.

"Thank you. You are the best." She climbed onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Peter stood up with ease, hoisting her higher, and grabbed the suitcase and bag with his free hand.

As he began to climb the hill, Marina couldn"t help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation. "I"m so glad that no one can see us. It"s like a scene from a romantic comedy or The Twilight Zone."

"I get the romantic comedy, but why The Twilight Zone?"

"It"s just creepy that this entire resort section is unoccupied. It"s so quiet and dark out here."

"Perhaps, but it works perfectly for us." Peter kept climbing the hill. "We can sleep in a different bungalow every night until your transfer request is approved."

When he reached the top, he set her down, pulled out his phone, and checked the photo of Eleanor"s list with all the lock numbers. After a moment, he found the right one and entered the combination.

Peter reached inside and flipped on the lights as the door swung open. When Marina made a move to step in, he blocked the doorway with his body. "Isn"t carrying the lady over the threshold a human tradition?" He swung her into his arms.

"It used to be, and only for brides."

"Well, I like it." He walked in and deposited her on the couch. "Don"t move. I"ll just get the luggage and close the door."

The bungalow was small, but it had everything, and it was perfect. There was a little kitchenette with a stretch counter that held a stove, a sink, and a coffee maker. The refrigerator was tall and narrow, and there was a microwave oven.

Peter brought in their luggage, closed the door behind him, and purposefully strode toward the couch. "Ready to see the bedroom?"

"Yes." She started to push to her feet but found herself in his arms instead.

"Another threshold," Peter explained as he dipped his head and kissed her lips.

The bedroom door was nestled between the kitchen and a dining nook, and as Peter pushed it open, Marina saw the large bed in the middle. There was also a dresser, two narrow nightstands, and a desk under the window.

"This is amazing." She looked up at him with a happy smile. "It looks so small from the outside, but it has everything we need, and it"s so cozy and pretty."

Peter grinned. "I love it too, and we didn"t check out the bathroom yet."

He put her down, took her hand, and led her into the bathroom.

Flipping on the light, Marina felt her jaw drop as she took in the glass-enclosed shower and the deep, inviting bathtub. "Oh, wow." She ran her fingers along the cool porcelain. "I love having a tub. I only indulged in one at your cabin on the ship."

Peter wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. "I"m glad you approve."

"Approve?" Marina backed against him. "I more than approve." She turned in his arms, looking up at him with a smile. "You know, this is the first time in my life that I"ve had a place of my own. I could see myself living here with you, and I don"t even mind my boring maid job. We could just stay here. Can you ask to be permanently stationed in Safe Haven?"

Peter cupped her face in his hands. "I could, but I won"t unless Kian doesn"t approve your request for some reason." He kissed her forehead, then pulled back to look into her eyes. "My house in the village is much bigger, and there are so many more opportunities for you there. You could study while interpreting for the Kra-ell or just babysitting here and there. You don"t want to spend the rest of your life changing sheets and cleaning bathrooms. Nothing is wrong with that, but you are so talented with languages that it would be a waste. You will be happier in the village. I promise."

Marina bit on her lip. She had been so excited about moving to the village with Peter, but now that she was here, in this perfect little bungalow, she wasn"t so sure. After all, Larissa and her other friends were here, and although she wasn"t particularly close to any of them, she would miss them.

On the other hand, she wasn"t so thrilled about the other humans in Safe Haven. It wasn"t nice to think negatively about the community members who had welcomed her people with open arms, but she wasn"t a fan of their chosen lifestyle.

Then again, living in a village of immortals where she was at the bottom of the food chain wasn"t so great either.

"What"s the matter?" Peter asked. "Are you having second thoughts?"

She nodded. "There are advantages and disadvantages to both places, but all I care about is being with you. I"ll be happy wherever you are."

He brushed his thumb across her cheekbone. "If you want to stay here, in Safe Haven, then I will put in a request to transfer here permanently. We can keep this bungalow and make it our little paradise, but I suggest that you sleep on it. You shouldn"t make any decision while you are so bone tired."