Page 27 of Soul Mates: Hercules Valentine and I
“Tabs gets that a lot,” Eden says, flashing her white-toothed grin. “Plus, she never leaves the dorm, so I’m pretty sure you’ve never seen her.”
Suddenly, Nero claps his hands. “Herc, sit up. You’re going to crush Tabs, dude.”
It’s difficult to hear him refer to me by my fake name.
Eden grimaces at Hercules. “Don’t you think you should take him home?”
Nero flops a hand nonchalantly. “Nah, he’s fine.”
Her frown intensifies. “But he’s really smashed.”
“Yeah, well, he’s going to be this way for a while. So pay him no mind.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.”
“Sure it does. And I’d rather learn more about you than talk about Herc.” He refocuses his attention solely on Eden. “Where are you from?”
Eden studies Hercules and then raises her eyebrows at me. “Delaware,” she faintly says. She told him the truth.
“You mentioned the dorm. Are you in college?”
I turn to see what Hercules has just done to make Eden narrow her left eye even more.
“Yeah,” she whispers.
Hercules’s eyes are closed.
“Which one?” Nero asks.
She shakes her head. “I’m sorry, but you’re such a crappy friend, Nero.”
Nero points a hand at himself. “Me? I’m the best friend this guy has.”
“Well, a better friend would look after his buddy and not try to hit on me.”
“First, I’m glad you’re acknowledging that I’m hitting on you, because I am. And secondly, he's going to be like that whether I'm here or not. Long as I keep my eyes on him, he'll be fine.”
“You sound like he's drinking his blues away or something.”
“Damn, you’re smart. That's another reason why I like you.”
Eden points to me. “If you're looking for smart, that's your girl. And secondly, one conversation is not long enough to grasp whether you like me or not. Beyond our first date, I can turn into a raging lunatic.”
“Is she a raging lunatic?” he asks me.
I’m barely paying attention to their weird way of flirting. All I want to know is why Hercules needs to drink away his blues. And he’s leaning against me again. I don’t want him to move away. I love the way his solid bicep feels against my arm. He’s so strong. Also, my body is having another reaction to him, one I can’t control. I’m pretty sure the crotch of my panties is soaked. My nipples are sizzling too. My brain might be confused about what to make of Hercules’s nearness, but my body isn’t. I’m staring into his lidded eyes again. My lips are parted, and I want to maul his mouth.
Suddenly, his eyes open a bit wider. “Hey, do you want to get out of here?”
My jaw drops. He’s talking to me. “Yes.”
“No,” Eden objects.
My eyes scold her, but how can I tell her that I’ve been waiting for him to ask me that all my life?
“He’s drunk. He’s not driving her while drunk,” Eden says.
“He’s Hercules Valentine, Glory. There’s a chauffeur and a fancy car out front, waiting to take him wherever he wants to go.”
