Page 74 of Desired By Eros

He let out a slow breath. “I didn’t want to seem manipulative,” he admitted. “You wanted to break up, and I wanted you to know that I respect your feelings.”

She stared at him, her heart aching. “But, Eros…all those things you did—it means that you love me,” she said, searching his face. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

His carefully guarded expression faltered. Then, after a beat, he shrugged and said, “It might be genetic.”

She blinked. “What? How can that be genetic? That doesn’t make sense.”

He shook his head, a small smile ghosting over his lips. “Forget it, Psyche.”

She stared at him, exasperation and disbelief swirling inside her. “How can you be so dumb?” she asked, voice thick with frustration and something deeper—something raw and aching.

He let out a short laugh, though there was no real amusement in it. “Jeez, tell me how you really feel,” he said, arching an eyebrow.

“Oh, I will,” she shot back. Her pulse was racing, but she didn’t hesitate. “You know I wasn’t sure about us, but for you to go through all those things because of me? It’s obvious.”

She lifted a hand, fingers trembling slightly as they pressed gently against his face. His skin was warm beneath her touch, his sharp features softening as he leaned into her palm.

“Do you love me?” she whispered, searching his silver-blue eyes. She could see it now—everything he had been through and felt, all laid bare before her: the exhaustion, the pain, the devotion.

“Yes,” he said, his voice low but steady. “Of course, I love you. I’m crazy about you.”

A breath she hadn’t realized she was holding left her in a rush as she surged forward, pulling him into a kiss. His lips met hers with an urgency that sent a shiver down her spine. It felt right, like something slotting into place, like something she should have always known.

When she pulled away, her forehead rested against his, her fingers still cradling his jaw. “I love you, Eros. Can we love each other and be together?”

His answer came not in words at first but in another kiss—deeper this time, full of unspoken promises. When he finally broke away, his breath mingled with hers.

“Yes,” he murmured, his hands tightening around her. “That’s what I want—so much.”

She smiled up at him. “I’ve never felt this certain about anything before,” she said, her voice steady. “Somehow, you and me, we make sense.”

He chuckled, his eyes glinting with something both warm and mischievous. “Hold on,” he murmured, tightening his arms around her.

Before she could question it, the air around them shifted—her stomach swooped, like the moment just before a fall, and then suddenly, they weren’t outside anymore. The scent of pine and crisp Alaskan air was gone, replaced by the familiar scent of her room in the pack house. Her feet were on solid ground again, but her head spun, disorientated.

“What just happened?” she asked, blinking as she looked around.

Eros smirked, clearly pleased with himself. “We teleported.”

“How is that possible?”

“I got my powers back,” he said smugly.

“Really?” she asked, excitement creeping into her voice.

He nodded. “Yeah. I guess I know what it means to be human now.” His expression softened, and he cupped her cheek. “The council said I would regain my powers once I understood that.”

“Oh, Eros,” she whispered, her heart swelling as she threw her arms around him. She pressed herself into him, warmth spreading through her chest as his strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her impossibly close.

He held her tight, his lips brushing against her hair in a way that made her shiver.

Then she pulled back slightly, tilting her head. “But why are we here?”

His lips curled into a wicked grin, his eyes darkening with intent. “Well,” he said, lowering his voice, “we’re going to have make up sex, and I didn’t want to wait—especially since there’s a party we still have to go to.”

“You’re impossible,” she laughed. She barely had time before Eros claimed her lips in a kiss that sent a rush of heat through her body. It was deep and slow at first, his lips moving against hers like he was savoring the moment, memorizing her taste. He slid his hands down her back, pulling her flush against him, and she melted into his touch, her fingers threading through his hair.

Eros chuckled, brushing his fingers over her cheek. “You check all my boxes, and I didn’t even know that I needed them,” he murmured against her lips.

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