Page 14 of A Contemporary Mythos Valentine's
Shrieking, I turned and jumped into Eros’s arms.
“We’ll have to challenge Apollo and Laurel to a friendly archery competition at some point. You’re pretty damn good, sweetheart.” He didn’t let go of me, instead, wrapping his arms around my lower back and holding me against him.
“I’m game if you think you can make it through an entire competition without jumping down each other’s throats.” I trailed my fingers through his hair as I grinned down at him.
“I’ve been warming up to the idea of having an amicable relationship with the dolt.” He botch-winked at me. The two-eyed wink that he’d only been able to do since the day we met, despite claiming he could properly wink.
Sighing, I played with the buttons of his shirt. “Do you think Aphrodite’s been alright with Hedone?”
“I’m sure she has.” He let me slide down his body until my feet landed on the stone floor. “But we should probably get back anyhow, huh?”
“This has been amazing, Eros. I really needed this.”
“Me too. Here’s to the first of what I hope to be many ‘us time’ adventures.” He took my face in his hands, and as he kissed me, ported us away.
We appeared in California behind Aphrodite’s apartment complex. After ascending the stairs, we waited in front of her door. After only a few beats, she answered with Hedone resting on her hip. Aphrodite’s hair was frizzled and disheveled, and the bags under her eyes suggested she may not have gotten any sleep if any, the entire weekend. Our eyes widened at her before we stole a sidelong glance.
“So, uh—how’d it go?” Eros elongated the “o.”
Aphrodite motioned us inside, and no sooner had the door clicked shut, she shoved my daughter at me with outstretched arms. “I love my granddaughter. Olympus knows, I do. But now I remember why I stopped at you, Eros.”
“Was she that bad?” I frowned and kissed every square inch of Hedone’s giggling face.
Aphrodite waved her hands over her face and hair, morphing them back to normal. “Oh, thank Zeus. I was so frazzled I couldn’t even getthatto work.”
Eros chuckled and pinched Hedone’s cheeks before letting her grab his large fingers in her tiny hands. “Well, we appreciate it, Mom. Hope it wasn’t so traumatizing you wouldn’t do it again for us?”
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t, but can you give me some time to recoup?” Aphrodite put her hands on her hips and blew out a breath.
Chuckling, I hugged Hedone to my side and pressed our cheeks together. “I missed you, rosebud.”
“We’ll get out of your hair, Mom. But thanks again. We really needed that jumpstart.” Eros pressed a hand between my shoulder blades, guiding me toward the door.
“I’m glad to hear it. Now, if only I could get a jumpstart.” Aphrodite pouted as she splayed her hands, her powers sputtering as they had for some time now.
Biting my lip, trying to resist the temptation to interfere too much, I said, “Aphrodite, how do you feel about heat and hammers?”
The expression she gave me looked as if I’d ask her how she felt about Medieval torture devices. “I hate sweating, and hammers just sound like getting calluses on my hands.”
I turned my head away because there was no stopping the grin pulling at my lips now.
“We’ll see you later,” Eros said before ushering us out the door. “Heph and Aphrodite, huh? I can feel what you’re sensing there, but you realize it’ll be a disaster before blossoming into anything more?”
I smiled up at him, bouncing Hedone on my hip. “Yes, but in the end, their efforts will be worth it and make it all the more majestic.”
“Love and the forge. Such polar opposites.” Eros chuckled as he absently rubbed Hedone’s back.
“Time to go home.” I tickled Hedone’s belly. “Who wants some oatmeal?”
Eros groaned and winced as if he could imagine the feel of it in his eye already.
