Arcadian Nights (13 page)

Her head snapped up. “Since when do
you two ever talk? Since when is he even speaking to you? I thought
he was still mad about you and Aphrodite.”

Hermes shrugged, though he enjoyed
seeing her get so riled. It made him want her even more. “He seems
to have decided to give me a chance based on how you feel about me.
Ares and I never hated each other. We simply never talked much
before.”

“
I see.”

Hermes didn’t want to upset her, but
he had to know one thing. “He’s closer to you than anyone, the only
real family you have. You love each other, even though you both
find that emotion a challenge. Don’t you trust his judgment and his
desire to never hurt you? Why would he tell me that if it were not
true or if you didn’t want me?”

“
So he knows me better
than I know myself?” She looked like she might cry, and he wanted
nothing more than to hold her close.

“
I’m upsetting you. I’m
sorry.”

Her expression hardened, briefly. “I’m
not a child you need to placate.”

He sighed. “I’m not trying to do
anything of the kind. I’m trying to understand.”

“
It’s easy. I’m the
helpless one.”

“
Why?” He held her to his
chest and tilted her chin up so he could look into her dark eyes.
“Tell me.”

“
Because this is the first
time I’ve been in love.”

“
I don’t want to force you
to say it.” He almost couldn’t believe it. He hoped he hadn’t
pushed her, hoped she wouldn’t regret the words
tomorrow.

“
You are forcing me to,
but not in a bad way.” She snuggled against him. “You’re very like
my brother. He knows how to make me face things too.”

“
And how do you feel?” He
wanted to see her face, but he held her because she seemed to need
it so much.

“
A little angry, a little
scared, and very confused.”

“
Sounds like love to
me.”

“
Yeah, aren’t we
cute?”

He tried to lighten the mood. “I think
we are, actually. Both dark-haired and amazingly sexy. Great bodies
and forbidding stares that make everyone think we’re judging their
every move and finding them severely lacking.”

“
You’re trying to make me
laugh again.”

“
Is it
working?”

“
Maybe. I don’t think
anyone ever thought I was judgmental. They thought I was a
bitch.”

“
You are, just a bit, but
I prefer to think of it as a very appealing fire in your
blood.”

“
So is this what you
planned?”

“
What do you
mean?”

She sat up and looked at him. “For
tonight. Did you want to have this conversation?”

Being honest had served him fairly
well so far, so he decided to continue with it. “Sort of. I want to
have this conversation every time we’re together. But it’s not
quite what I planned.”

“
Really?”

He shook his head. “I may have gotten
the results I wanted though.”

“
Is that all you’ve
wanted? To hear me say I love you?”

“
It’s the most important
thing.”

“
So you’re happy
now?”

“
Are you?”

She ran her hand up his chest, over
his cheek, and then through his hair. “Still waiting for it to sink
in really. Scared about how things are going to change.”

“
They don’t have
to.”

“
But they will. Don’t
expect too much too quickly.”

“
I already have what I
want. I wish you’d stop thinking you’re going to somehow disappoint
me.” He pulled her to him for a long kiss. When he released her, he
said, “I can take you home. We don’t have to stay together tonight
if you need time to think.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck.
“What I need more than anything is to be in your arms. I need to
feel you close.” She began unbuttoning his shirt.

“
Are you sure?”

She nodded. “You told me you have
fantasies about holding me, telling me how you feel about
me.”

He shrugged his shirt off. “Yes.” He
knew how husky his voice sounded and felt a thrill when she smiled
at hearing it.

“
Then show me what you’ve
been fantasizing about. See what happens.”

He didn’t wait for her to say more. He
pulled her close and kissed her gently, his hands pulling her skirt
up so he could run his hands over her thighs. She sighed, and he
pressed her closer as he moved his fingers in slow circles over her
soft skin. With a thought, he made her dress disappear.

“
You didn’t like pink
anyway, right?” he whispered in her ear.

She ran her hands through his hair.
“Hate it. Always have.” She spread her legs as his questing hand
moved up. “Please touch me.”

He ran one finger over her wet slit,
and then up to circle her clit. “Please tell me you love me.” Even
though she’d already said it, essentially, she hadn’t looked into
his eyes and actually uttered those three words. He wanted that
more than anything.

She hesitated and took a deep breath.
“I wanted you to subdue me. This isn’t what I expected.”

He tangled his fingers in her hair
while his other hand began to caress her wet pussy. “Tell
me.”

She gasped as he slid two fingers into
her. He found a very sensitive spot deep inside her and began to
rub gently with both his fingers. The first time he’d found that
spot she’d exploded in his arms within moments.

He nuzzled her neck. “Tell
me.”

She turned her head to look at him,
the pleasure blatant on her face. “I love you.”

He captured her lips in a deep kiss,
continuing to caress her until he felt her trembling. She moaned as
she came, holding on to him tightly, her lips never leaving
his.

He moved on top of her, shifting her
hips into position. She opened her legs and welcomed him, pulling
him close and arching up to meet him. His cock slid into her
quickly.

“
Mmmm. You’re so wet,” he
whispered against her cheek. “You’re still quaking.” Her warmth
engulfing him sent shivers all over his body. Her pussy walls still
quivered from her release, caressing him in a way that drove him
into a frenzy.

She sighed. “I believe I have you to
thank for that.”

He looked down into her eyes as he
moved in and out of her slowly. “I’ve wanted you to give yourself
so freely for so long.”

She wrapped her arms and legs around
him. “Enjoy it. You may have to chase me down next
time.”

He ran his hand down her back and then
moved her leg higher so he could slap her on the ass, making her
giggle and pull him closer. “It will be my pleasure.”

“
Mine too,” she said
against his lips. She groaned. “Faster. I’m going to come
again.”

He pumped in and out of her quickly,
enraptured by every sigh and moan as her pussy tightened, ready for
another release.

She threw her head back and cried out
his name when she exploded beneath him for the second time. He held
her face and drank in her pleasure as she came, and when she opened
her eyes and kissed him, he went over the edge with her.

She dug her nails into his back,
heightening the pleasure as he came. He collapsed on top of her,
and then rolled to the side.

“
You’ve made me so happy,”
he said as he ran one finger down her cheek.

She smiled. “Because I’ve stopped
being so stubborn?”

He cupped her ass and pulled her
closer. “Oh you’re still stubborn, but I finally got you to admit
that we’re perfect for each other, no matter what brought us
together.”

“
Perfect for each other,
are we? Hmmmm. You may change your mind after a few more
fights.”

“
I doubt it. I like you
feisty.”

“
That’s a mild word,
compared to the ones others have used.”

He ran his hand up and down her side.
“Well, they can use any words they please. They weren’t good enough
for you. They didn’t understand you.”

“
I’m not just talking
about men.”

“
Neither am I. Even I
misunderstood you before, and I’m sorry.”

She looked down, running her fingers
through the dark hair on his chest. “You don’t need to be. No one
should be. I am what I am. I can’t go around spreading sunshine and
happiness any more than Ares could spread peace.”

He laughed. “True, but your purpose
and your nature are different things.”

She seemed to consider this. “You
think so?”

“
Of course. If our
callings defined us, we’d be different. Hera would certainly not be
the goddess of marriage, considering the frequent bed hopping she
does. Your brother would be cruel and unfeeling if war and violence
completely defined him. You of all people know it’s not true. If
your calling controlled you, then you would love no one and be
content to be alone. No relationship would ever work for
you.”

“
You’re right, but it will
take time for people to get used to not being wary of
me.”

“
They’ll adjust. Please
don’t worry. You now have another champion to fight for you. Your
brother can start focusing on fixing his love life.”

She laughed. “I think he should give
up for now. He needs to find a nice brunette and spend a few months
getting laid.”

Hermes had to laugh. She never ceased
to surprise him. “That sounds like a very male
solution.”

“
Well, he is a man. Should
work for him then.”

He felt a tightening in his chest as
she smiled at him, but it wasn’t unpleasant. “I love you. You can
wear black every day from now until the end of time, but you’ll
still light up my world.” He felt a thrill when she blushed. “And
none of that. You’re going to start taking compliments, whether you
like them or not.”

“
Oh, I like them. Just not
used to them.”

“
And are you used to
having three orgasms in one night?”

She giggled. He loved the
sound.

“
Well, my
lady?”

“
It’s been a while, but I
think I’ll adjust quickly.”

He spread her legs as he kissed his
way down her body, the craving to taste her overwhelming him. “I’ll
tie you down if I have to.” He looked up at her as his lips hovered
over her hot pussy.

“
Promise?” she asked
breathlessly.

“
Oh yes.” He bent his head
to taste her, reveling in her sighs and losing himself in her
sweetness.

* * * *

Hermes still had that sweet taste on
his lips when he arrived home to find Aphrodite on his doorstep.
She usually just let herself in, but perhaps she now thought she
didn’t have that right.

“
You’ve been avoiding me,”
he said as he stood before her.

“
I didn’t want to see
you.”

“
Why not? You and I didn’t
have a fight.”

“
You love each other. I
felt it.” She finally looked up at him. “It hurt.”

He shifted uncomfortably. What would
he do if Aphrodite said she was in love with him? What would the
goddess of love be like if her heart was broken? “I’m sorry. I
didn’t mean to hurt anyone.”

“
You couldn’t help it. You
can’t stop yourself from loving someone.”

“
Let’s go
inside.”

“
No. I should go. I only
wanted to see you.”

He stopped her before she could get up
to leave. “Since when do you run away from things?”

“
I’m not running
away.”

“
Yes, you are. Let’s
talk.” He held his hand out to her, and she took it. He led her
into the living room. “Can I make you a drink?”

“
No.” She sat down on the
couch and waited for him to pour himself some whiskey and then take
a seat beside her.

“
You said before you
weren’t in love with me. Were you lying?”

“
No. I wasn’t. I’m not in
love with you, but I still want you.”

“
So who are you in love
with?”

She smiled sadly. “No one. Never have
been. Strange, huh?”

He shook his head. “No reason you ever
have to fall in love.”

“
Seems odd for me to
always be alone though.”

“
You aren’t. You have a
son who loves you very much.”

“
When we aren’t
fighting.”

“
He always loves you, no
matter what. I can think of one way to patch things up with him
even more.”

She narrowed her eyes. “What’s
that?”

“
Tell him who his father
is.”

She looked away.

“
Aphrodite, this secret
bothers Eros very much. He just wants to know. And someone else
wants to know as well.”

She sighed and looked back at him.
“What good will come of it now? He hates me.”