Page 9 of Desired By Eros

A warmth spread through her chest as she recognized it as a compliment, though she simply nodded. They continued through the house, Artemis showing her everything from the twins’ favorite blankets to where the pacifiers were kept. By theend of the tour, Psyche’s phone was filled with notes, and she felt a cautious sense of confidence building.

They settled back in the living room when Artemis looked over at her. “You’re a natural, you know. If you ever decide to take a break from studying dinosaurs, I think the pack would love having you around as a babysitter.”

Psyche smiled faintly, shifting Liam so he was more comfortable. “Thanks. But I think I’ll stick to fossils for now.”

Artemis laughed. “Fair enough. But it’s nice to know I can count on you.”

Artemis’s phone pinged. “I have to head out soon,” she said apologetically as she tucked her phone back into her pocket. “But let me show you the backyard first—it’s where the babies usually spend their mornings when the weather’s nice.”

Psyche followed Artemis through the sliding glass door onto the back deck, her eyes immediately drawn to the sprawling yard. At the center was a large, enclosed baby pen, shaded by a tall maple tree and surrounded by a soft patch of grass.

“We set this up so the twins can get some fresh air and stretch their little legs,” she explained, opening the gate to the pen and gestured for Psyche to step inside. “It’s perfectly safe—Cade reinforced it himself.”

An animal with striking white fur and a confident strut ambled toward them. Psyche tilted her head. “Is that…a goat?”

Artemis laughed as she unlatched a smaller gate connected to the pen, allowing the animal to step inside. “That’s Goat-zilla. He’s kind of our pet.”

“Goat-zilla? Why do you have a goat?”

“Oh, we have more than one now,” Artemis said, leaning against the pen’s edge. “They help maintain the vegetation around the territory. Keeps the underbrush under control, and they’re surprisingly low-maintenance.”

Psyche watched as Liam toddled toward the goat, his chubby hands outstretched. Goat-zilla didn’t flinch, simply lowering his head to nuzzle the boy gently. Phoebe soon followed, giggling as she grabbed at the goat’s fur.

“I guess the babies like him,” Psyche remarked.

Artemis chuckled. “Oh, they adore him. To them, he’s like a living teddy bear.”

Psyche glanced at Artemis and saw the faint curve of her lips—the kind of smile that invited a shared laugh. Psyche hesitated, then mirrored it, her own smile faint but genuine.

Artemis straightened, brushing her hands together. “They’ll be fine out here for about an hour as long as it doesn’t get too cold. After that, they’ll start becoming grumpy, and it’ll be time for their bottles.”

Psyche immediately pulled out her phone and set an alarm. “I’ve got it covered.”

Artemis gave her an approving nod. “Thank you. You’ve been a lifesaver already.”

She shrugged lightly, her gaze returning to the twins, who were crawling after Goat-zilla in delighted circles. “They seem easy to look after.”

“Well, I’ll leave you to it, then.” Artemis slung her bag over her shoulder and glanced back toward the house. “If you need anything, just call or text me—or Cade.”

“I will,” she assured her.

Artemis lingered for a moment, her expression warm. “Thanks again, Psyche. Really. I’ll see you later.”

As Artemis disappeared around the house, Psyche turned her full attention to the pen. The babies’ laughter mingled with the soft bleating of the goat.Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.

She settled onto the grass, then pulled her phone out and quickly navigated to her email, her heart sinking a little when she saw no new updates about her application to the digsite. Maybe tomorrow, she told herself, though the uncertainty gnawed at her. She put the phone in her pocket and glanced up, checking on the twins.

Phoebe and Liam were toddling around Goat-zilla, their laughter ringing through the yard. The goat eventually plopped down near Psyche, chewing contentedly as if he belonged there. Soon enough, the babies crawled over to them, watching her as they tugged at her shirt and patted her hands.

She remembered the parenting books she’d read before arriving. They emphasized engaging with young children to encourage their development. She reached for their toy blocks and started stacking them, encouraging Phoebe and Liam to join in. The twins giggled and copied her, their clumsy hands knocking over the small tower before eagerly building it again.

It was peaceful until a smooth, amused voice interrupted. “How pastoral. You with the babies here.”

Psyche stiffened and turned, her gaze meeting a striking figure. Eros stood at the edge of the pen, his golden hair catching the sunlight, and his trademark smirk firmly in place.

She frowned, trying to decipher his tone.Was he mocking her? Or just being…Eros?Either way, she decided to respond. “This isn’t pastoral,” she said flatly.

Eros chuckled, his smirk widening as he stepped through the gate and into the pen, his movements unhurried. “Really? It looks pretty idyllic to me.”

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