For the Love of a God [Gods of Olympus] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (5 page)

The hostess showed them to a table in the corner, complete with a single rose in a bud vase and a bottle of champagne nestled in a bucket of ice. How romantic.

He pulled the chair out and waited until she hovered just above the seat before pushing it in. “Champagne?” Neil gestured to the bottle with a small flick of his wrist.

At her nod, he popped the cork and poured out the sparkling liquid into her glass. God, he even knew how to handle the bottle properly, all wrapped in the white napkin and everything. Someone had done a good job of teaching him his manners.

He poured his own glass and took a seat across from her. “So, how was your day? I think Aaron said you were in school, right?”

Oh, he was in for it now. She loved everything about school, even talking about it. Almost everyone told her that once someone got her started on the topic of her studies, she’d talk their ears off. The only one who genuinely seemed as excited about her studies as she was was Aaron.

But Neil’s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.

“My day was good, thanks. My classes are almost finished. I’m just finishing up my honors thesis.”

Neil’s lips pursed in a low whistle. “Honors thesis? Tough stuff. What’s it about?”

She took a sip of her champagne. “I’m honoring in ancient history with a focus in Greek mythology. My thesis is on the origin of the goddess Aphrodite. There are so many different legends surrounding her birth. She’s fascinating, really. Is she Zeus’s sister or his aunt? Does she even have parents, or was she born completely from the sea?”

A blush climbed up her cheeks when Neil raised an eyebrow at her and grinned. “You’re really passionate about your studies, aren’t you?”

If she could sink through the floor, she would. “Yes. Sorry, sometimes I get excited and can go overboard talking about my thesis.”

“Don’t apologize. History fascinates me, too. In fact, if my parents hadn’t convinced me that there was no future to be had with a history degree, I would have been either a high school history teacher or a museum curator instead of a website designer. In fact, I have a minor in medieval history.”

Oh, Neil was a kindred spirit. Only Aaron had seemed to understand her obsession with history until now. He even encouraged it. “My parents don’t support my major either. In fact, they refused to help me with my tuition if I continued with history. But I wouldn’t change my major, so I had to drop out for about five years until I had enough money to go back to school.”

Neil nodded and picked up his menu. “I hear you. I’ve been playing with the idea of going back to school part time.”

She opened her own menu and pursed her lips. There weren’t any prices listed alongside the dishes. She’d bet her last paycheck that the prices were listed in Neil’s menu. Instead of being insulted, she was charmed.

Who said chivalry was dead?

* * * *

Eros sat in his home on Mount Olympus, watching Neil and Talia’s date unfold in one of the scrying bowls he’d borrowed from the Fates. He’d always known that Neil was a closet romantic. Roses, champagne, and a suit and tie? Hell, Eros hadn’t even known Neil owned a suit and tie. He’d certainly never worn it to work before. Not that they worked in that kind of environment, but
damn
the man cleaned up well.

And Talia. Talia was a work of art. Her dark hair was piled up haphazardly, some strands escaping here and there to frame her delicate face. Those big brown eyes sparkled as she talked about her studies, and the yellow sweater stretched tight across her breasts as she took a deep breath.

The color of the sweater did marvelous things for her skin tone, and the pants she was wearing showed off her ass spectacularly. She’d complained about the extra fifteen pounds she was constantly trying to lose but could never quite manage, but Eros loved her curves. It wasn’t like she was fat, just womanly. Who wanted to be poked by sharp hip bones?

In his mind, he could see her decked out in the most expensive gowns money could buy, diamonds and gems glittering at her throat. She deserved the best of everything in life, and he and Neil could give her that.

They were still talking about history, though, and that was
not
what he wanted them thinking about. Because quite frankly, there was nothing less romantic than discussing the details behind his mother’s birth.

“Oh, Eros, dear”—why didn’t his mother ever bother to knock, and how long had she been standing behind him?—“you didn’t tell me they were so charming.”

Throwing the scrying bowl against the wall in a desperate attempt to cover up the fact that he was spying was probably overkill, but no one wanted their mother to catch them secretly watching their crush. Or crushes, as the case may be. “You just like them because they’re talking about you.”

“Well, it is a point in their favor. I mean, who else is as interesting as me? But they are both certainly beautiful, aren’t they?”

And smart, funny, caring, and just about every other great thing one could think of.

“You are really quite in love with the both of them. I’ve never seen you like this. Did Hephy give you the special cuffs he made?”

Again with the images of his mom and stepdad. He really needed to stock up on Brillo pads. “He did.”

Aphrodite pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows. “Well, from the thoughts of your young man, I’m glad Hephy made them so that they don’t leave marks on mortals
or
gods.”

Dear Zeus, would the horrors never end?

His mom, of course, didn’t seem to pick up on the fact that he was trying to figure out the least painful way to pierce his eardrums. Maybe his stepfather could tinker in his shop and whip up something for him.

“Eros, baby, don’t you think they’re moving a little slowly? I mean, you’ve waited all these years for the ones who could love you the way you want to be loved. Why are you still waiting?”

Maybe because he was scared spitless? What if he used his powers to get them to fall in love with him and Zeus found out? He’d been expressly forbidden to use his powers for his own gain.

Mostly though, Eros really couldn’t stomach the idea of being in a committed relationship with two people if they didn’t love him of their own free will.

“Mom, I know you mean well, but could you just leave things well enough alone? I’m hoping that things will happen between the three of us organically.” Or as organically as possible, seeing as his power had been the catalyst for Neil and Talia’s current almost-relationship.

“Oh, darling, I wish you’d asked me just a smidgen earlier. I already gave them a small…push.”

Dear gods, his mother did not know the meaning of small. She never did anything halfway. Eros groaned and dipped his head to stare into the scrying bowl. Sure enough, the table was abandoned. “Are they going to make it home, at least?”

“Really, Eros. You are such a stick in the mud. I mean, you’re the god of love, darling. You should be happy if they were in the back alley, getting their boots off.”

He rolled his eyes and groaned. “Mom, it’s knocking boots or getting their rocks off. And please tell me they’re not in a back alley. Gods, Mom, they deserve better than that.”

Aphrodite heaved an exaggerated sigh. “I sent them home, darling. Why don’t you take another look in the Fates’s bowl and watch?”

He cleared his throat and cut his gaze over to the door. There was no fucking way he was going to watch Neil and Talia make love with his mother in the room.

“Fine,” she said on a pout. Her eyes brightened, and a big, bright smile crossed her face. “Oh! I just remembered Hephaestus was making me a new vibrator. I think I’ll pop in on him in his workshop and see if he’s ready to test it out.”

And everyone wondered why he didn’t live on Mount Olympus anymore.

Talia moved her legs restlessly and peeked at Neil from the corner of her eye. Something urgent had washed over her while she’d been sitting in the restaurant, and it had suddenly become imperative that she and Neil leave and find somewhere more private.

The heat that had darkened Neil’s eyes told her that he felt the same way.

He’d thrown some cash on the table, seized her hand, and rushed them out of the building.

Now they were sitting in his car. “I’ll bring you back in the morning to get your car.”

She bit her bottom lip and nodded. What was going on with her? Sure, she’d been ready to jump his bones since about three minutes after meeting him, but this was ridiculous. She’d been aching to explore Aaron’s body for months now, but that didn’t mean she’d stripped off his clothes, thrown him on the floor, and had her wicked way with him.

Whatever. “I have a roommate,” she informed him, hoping he would pick up on her hint.

“My place then.” Her hint had obviously been received.

He jammed the car into gear and zoomed down the street.

A warm hand landed on her knee, Neil’s long fingers feathering small touches through her pants. Why, oh why hadn’t she worn a skirt? “I’ve never been this desperate for someone before,” Neil admitted, his hand sneaking higher up her leg.

It was something that a lot of men would say, but she doubted many men would say it with such sincerity. “I know the feeling. But I can’t wait.”

Neil’s answering groan sent of flood of moisture to her pussy, and her clit swelled immediately. The seam of her pants pressed against her intimately, and she gasped at the feeling.

Desire slammed through her, hot and hard. Those stroking fingers were still moving up her thigh, getting closer and closer to the exact spot that needed his touch so badly. His pinky finger brushed against her, right over her clit, and she hitched her hips a little, desperate for more pressure.

Neil let out another moan, this one closer to a whimper, and wiggled that finger around. “I have to wait, but you don’t.”

Oh god. Did he mean what she thought he meant?

The pressure at her center increased. Yep, she was pretty sure he was going to finger her right here and now.

She let her eyes drift closed, and the sensation surround her. Neil began whispering to her, his husky words driving her even higher. “Yeah, princess. You like that, don’t you? When we get to my place, I’m going to stretch you out on my bed and lick every inch of this body. Then I’m going to love on you until you can’t see straight. After that, we’ll sleep for a little while, all tangled up together. When we wake up I’m going to make you breakfast, and you can eat it off my naked body.”

There wasn’t anything in his words that spoke of dominance, just something in the tone of his voice. She could see it now. He’d have her begging for mercy and give her the relief she would so badly need, only to start all over again.

Neil’s dancing fingers made it too hard to think of anything but the sensations he was inspiring. It was impossible to keep still, and her hips lifted, chasing after his hand and jerking when he switched his hand’s position so that the heel of his palm ground directly against her.

A ragged sob burst from her throat, and she was vaguely aware of the fact that her hands were clenched so tight, her nails were biting into her palms.

“Let go, princess. Let me watch you fly.”

Who was she to argue with the man? Her legs snapped shut, trapping his hand where she wanted it, and the tight thread that had been holding her back snapped.

It was like an out-of-body experience. She could have sworn she’d died and been brought back to life, the feelings were so intense. Sparks raced up and down her spine, setting off small explosions throughout her entire body. Her inner muscles fluttered, trying to clench around something that just wasn’t there.

“You’re so beautiful when you come,” Neil crooned in her ear.

His nimble fingers unsnapped her seat belt, and before she could make sense of where she was, he was already out of the car and opening her door. He helped her out, letting her hang on to his arm for support, as her legs weren’t quite ready to take all her weight.

Talia groaned as she walked up the driveway toward the front door. Each step had the seam of her pants shifting against her oversensitive folds. The sweet relief that Neil had given her was fast becoming nothing more than a memory.

When Neil stopped at the front door and kissed her, it was all she could do to remain on her feet. She locked her knees and gripped his shoulders in a desperate attempt to stay upright. He kissed her so passionately, taking over so completely, that it was impossible to participate. She simply opened her mouth to his demanding tongue and relaxed against him.

Neil pulled away and began fumbling with his keys. “If we don’t get inside soon, I’m going to take you right here against the door for everyone to see.”

The idea of someone watching her abandon herself to the pleasure Neil could give her was intriguing, and she let loose the whimper that she’d been struggling to hold back.

The door swung open, and they stumbled inside. Neil sealed his lips to hers and guided her down the hall. They bumped into walls in their haste to get to the bedroom. Something clattered to the floor, but neither of them stopped to figure out what fell.

Somehow Neil had managed to remove her sweater. Her breasts spilled over the top of her demi bra. He traced the edge of the satin until his finger stopped at the front clasp. A quick pinch and flick of his wrist were all he needed. Her breasts swayed freely, and he caught the tip of one between his thumb and forefinger. The light pinch had her determined to get him inside her as quickly as possible.