Page 34 of Desired By Eros

Her middle sister muttered something under her breath as she crossed her hands over her chest.

“I’ll see you in a few weeks, dear.” Agnes stepped forward and raised her arms toward her, but stopped when Eros shot her a pointed look. “And Lord Eros, if you find yourself still earthbound a few weeks from now, do come and join us for my father’s birthday party. My parents and pack would consider it an honor if you grace us with your presence.”

“A generous invite, thank you, Agnes.”

“Come along.” Agnes tugged at Christine’s arm and dragged her off toward the large, heavily-tinted SUV across the lot. Assoon as they drew near, the suited driver leaning against the side smoking a cigarette snapped to attention, and he scrambled to open the door.

“We put on quite a show, didn’t we?”

Psyche took a deep, calming breath. He doesn’t like you, she reminded herself. Yet, he checked off one more thing on that list—wants only to be with you, at least that’s what she inferred from the chocolate cake’s meaning.

He was just playacting.A ruse—one she agreed to—to get back at her sisters.

Yet, that pain in her chest buried deeper.

“Ready to go back? You should get some rest; we have a long flight tomorrow.”

She groaned at the reminder. “Alright, I need to prepare myself.”

Chapter 6

Eros

Eros flew in circles high above the sprawling Denali forest, his sharp eyes scanning the ground below for any signs of danger. The vast wilderness stretched endlessly in every direction under the soft glow of the morning sun. He didn’t need to take this long—it was safe enough—but he couldn’t help himself.

Psyche, nestled securely in his arms, had her face pressed against his chest, her arms loosely draped around his neck. Every time she did that, it stirred something deep inside him, something warm and oddly grounding. She wasn’t self-conscious about it and didn’t try to play coy or put on airs. She just…was. It felt real, natural, and he liked it far more than he cared to admit.

He tilted his head slightly to glance down at her. “You okay?” he asked, his voice cutting through the wind.

She shifted slightly, tilting her head back to look up at him. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

He grinned, unable to help himself. “Just checking. You look pretty comfy.”

She smirked. “I am. You make a decent flying couch.”

Eros let out a laugh. “A flying couch? That’s the best you’ve got?”

“Well, you’re not exactly fluffy, but you’re warm, so you’ve got that going for you.”

“Good to know I have my uses,” he said, shaking his head as he began his descent.

Landing smoothly in the quiet clearing just outside Psyche’s worksite, the gentle thud of his boots was muffled by the soft forest floor. With a swift motion, he tucked away his wings as he set her on her feet. She immediately dissolved into giggles, her laughter light and infectious.

He kept his hands on her waist, unable to stop himself from smiling. “What’s so funny?” he asked, tilting his head to catch her eye.

“I just remembered the look on my sisters’ faces when they caught us kissing,” she tried to stifle her laughter but failed miserably.

He chuckled, his grip on her tightening briefly. “Oh yeah, that was priceless. I wish we could’ve taken a picture of it.”

Psyche stepped back, slipping out of his hold, and folding the blanket. Eros had to fight the instinct to pull her back, already missing the warmth of her body against his. Instead, he put on his shirt and shoved his hands into his pockets, watching as she hooked her arm through his. That small gesture struck something in him—a quiet intimacy that made his chest ache in the best way.

“So,” he said, his voice casual despite the thoughts swirling in his head, “what’s on your agenda for today?”

“A lot of work, obviously. But I was also wondering where we’re going to have dinner later.”

Her tone was matter-of-fact, but her words caught him off guard. He blinked, looking down at her. “Dinner?”

“Yeah,” she said, glancing up at him with a small smile. “I’ve been liking our dinners together.”

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