Page 40 of Desired By Eros

“Great,” Bob said, his smile widening. “Well, let me know if anything comes up.” With that, he gave a little wave and hurried off toward the main site.

Psyche turned to Eros, watching his reaction. “He seems okay.”

Eros raised an eyebrow. “You think so?”

She nodded thoughtfully. “Yes. I didn’t get a weird vibe from him.”

Eros shrugged. “Okay. As long as you’re comfortable.”

She smiled. “I am. So, I’ll see you later?”

“Yeah. See you later.”

She walked toward the site and felt a curious mixture of calm and anticipation. Everything felt like it was falling into place, though she wasn’t entirely sure why.

She had barely taken a couple of steps when something caught her attention—a familiar laugh. She turned and saw Eros talking to Marge. The two seemed engrossed in conversation, Eros smiling his signature, easy grin. Then, Marge placed a hand on his arm and kept it there, holding on like she belonged.

A sudden, inexplicable pressure built inside her, and Psyche’s chest tightened. She told herself to stop staring, but the odd feeling lingered. Turning away, she tried to push the strange sensation aside, remembering the dream she had the night before.

She quickly pulled out her phone and logged into Aspie Forum, finding the dream section and typing out the details. When she finished, she read the interpretation:the friend ismore than a friend.Psyche frowned at that, dismissing the idea, and choosing to put it aside for now.

She walked into the team meeting feeling a bit distracted but quickly found herself focusing as they discussed the tasks for the week. She was assigned to work on a new excavation area, something she had been hoping for, and the thought of unearthing more Hadrosaur tracks made her heart race with excitement.

The meeting ended and she stepped out of the building, eager to get started, when she spotted Marge leaning against a nearby wall. Marge’s long black hair framed her face perfectly, and her sharp green eyes seemed to catch the light with every blink. She was dressed casually, yet her confident posture and the way she carried herself made her seem effortlessly put together. Psyche noticed how attractive Marge was—her skin flawless and glowing, her figure slender yet curvy, and her voice light and melodic as she spoke with someone nearby.

Of course Eros would be attracted to her. Her chest tightened again, and for a moment, she wondered,Is that why we haven’t kissed again?The thought of Eros’s smile when he was with Marge made her question her own feelings, but she quickly shook the thought away, reminding herself that she had no right to feel possessive.

The pain in her chest was sharp, and it didn’t feel right. She quickly left the office, heading toward the site doctor. When she explained the sensation, he listened intently, then placed the stethoscope on her chest. After a few moments, he said, “It’s probably nothing, but I’d suggest you monitor it. If the pain persists, you can take some ibuprofen. But for now, just rest.”

Psyche didn’t want to take medication, but she thanked him, telling him she would return if the pain continued. She decided to sit on a bench outdoors, trying to breathe deeply and clear her head. Just as she was starting to calm down, a notificationpopped up on her phone. It was from Diana on Aspie Forum, with a new message and a photo attached.

Psyche smiled as she clicked on it, admiring the knitted sweater Diana had made.

Diana then asked how Psyche was doing. Psyche hesitated before replying: I’m feeling some pain in my chest.

Diana replied almost immediately: What does it feel like? When did you first notice it?

The realization hit Psyche like a wave: I felt it for the first time this morning…when I saw Eros talking to Marge.

Diana’s reply was quick, filled with emojis: I think you’re jealous, Psyche.

Psyche blinked in disbelief, then typed: Jealous?

Diana: Yeah! Have you ever felt that way before?

A sense of confusion washed over her: No, I’m going to have to process this. Talk later?

Diana replied: Of course.

Psyche checked the time and realized she had to head to the dig site. The site bus dropped her off, and she took in her surroundings—a side of a mountain with exposed rock faces. She knew there was a small shed nearby for storing equipment, so she dropped off her bag and got to work. The images of the prehistoric forest and Eros talking to a dinosaur resurfaced in her mind and lingered. She shook her head and focused on her work.

The quiet hum of nature surrounded her as she knelt down to work, and she was relieved to be alone at the dig site. The delicate task of carefully uncovering more Hadrosaur tracks required all her attention. She was in the zone, completely focused on the layers of dirt she was peeling away when a voice suddenly broke through her concentration.

“Hey, Psyche,” Eros called out, and she jolted, her heart racing.

She turned to him, remembering the dream she had and Diana’s suggestion that she might be jealous. Her gaze flickered away quickly as she felt a strange sensation bubble up in her chest. She couldn’t be feeling those things—jealousy? Ridiculous.

They were friends. Sure, they had kissed, but that didn’t mean anything. It had felt good, but that was all. Eros was charming, easy to talk to, and there were always women flocking to him. What chance did she have in that sea of attention? Her insecurities rose up quickly, and she shifted uncomfortably, trying to push the thoughts aside as she forced a smile.

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