Page 39 of Desired By Eros

“It’s not!” she insisted, trying to sound serious but failing as she grinned. “It’s me being honest. Would you prefer me to lie?”

“Never. If you lied, I wouldn’t get to see you do that adorable little thing you do when you’re trying to explain yourself.”

She blinked at him. “What thing?”

“That thing,” he said, pointing at her as she raised an eyebrow. “You wrinkle your nose just a little, like you’re trying to convince yourself as much as me.”

Psyche’s hand went to her face, and she laughed. “I do not!”

“You absolutely do,” he said with a grin. “And for the record, I think your pacing is smart. Keeps me on my toes.”

She shook her head, still smiling, and leaned back into the couch. “You’re impossible.”

“And yet, here I am,” he said, spreading his arms with a dramatic flourish, “completely at your mercy.”

She laughed again, and Eros felt a wave of satisfaction. Keeping things light felt right. For now, anyway.

Chapter 7

Psyche

Psyche found herself standing in a misty, prehistoric forest, where she saw Eros standing in a clearing, calmly talking to a Hadrosaurus as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The dinosaur nodded its head as if it understood him, its tail swaying lazily, its vibrant green skin glistening under the faint light filtering through the trees. The sun bathed the scene in golden light, and Eros’s voice was soft but steady, though she couldn’t make out what he was saying. Then, just as she tried to step closer, the image faded, and she woke up to the gentle light of morning spilling into her cabin.

She shook off the dream as she went about her routine, methodically washing up and dressing for the day. Her mind wandered briefly to their kiss a couple of days ago. She could still feel the phantom press of Eros’s lips on hers, but it didn’t make her awkward around him. Instead, it was a quiet warmth she carried with her.

When she stepped out onto the deck, she saw Eros leaning against the railing, looking out into the trees. He turned when he heard the door, his smile easy and welcoming.

“Good morning,” Psyche said.

“Morning,” he replied. “Heading out?”

“Yes,” she said, adjusting the strap of her bag.

“Okay,” he said, pushing off the railing. “I’ll walk with you.”

Psyche hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Okay.”

They followed the path, and she stole a glance at him. Eros looked relaxed, his hands in his pockets and eyes scanning their surroundings. There was no tension between them, but she couldn’t stop herself from thinking about the kiss. It hadn’t happened again, but the memory lingered, warm, and insistent. Oddly, it didn’t feel awkward—it felt…natural.

They were just outside the dig site when a voice called her name.

“Psyche!”

She turned to see a man approaching them, his pace brisk and his expression pleasant.

“Hi, Psyche,” he said, extending his hand. “I’m Bob, the new site manager.”

Psyche’s eyes flicked over Bob as she cataloged his appearance with the same precision she brought to identifying fossils. He was of average height, with neatly combed dark hair and a trimmed beard that gave him a polished look. His button-down shirt was tucked crisply into his khakis, and his boots, though scuffed, looked practical and well-worn.

His brown eyes seemed warm, but not overly so, and his smile was the kind that reached his cheeks but stopped just short of his eyes. Psyche noted all this automatically, her mind assessing whether he seemed approachable, trustworthy, or potentially irritating. So far, nothing about him made her uneasy, and that was enough for her to tentatively label him as “okay” in her mental ledger.

She shook his hand. “Hi, Bob,” she said, glancing briefly at Eros. “This is Eros.”

Eros gave a nod, his expression neutral.

Bob turned back to her. “I wanted to touch base and see if you needed anything.”

Psyche thought for a moment before shaking her head. “No, not at the moment. I have a team meeting, and then I’ll know my assignment for the week.”

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