Page 45 of Cupid's Last Arrow

“With either,” Carl says with a smile I can hear. “She has a good heart.”

“I know she does.”

“Don’t fuck it up.”

“I plan to do right by her, but I have to try harder since Dee hasn’t given me a solid yes yet,” Eros fishes. “I’m not sure why that is.”

“You’ll probably figure it out soon enough if you’re themergergod that you think you are,” Carl pokes. “And fortunately for you, she doesn’t play games.”

I feel bad since Eros has me playing his fiancée. I try to remember that I’m not manipulating Carl other than making him realize he’s about to lose his chance with me… if he ever wanted it. However, I suspect this will all flop and I can finally move on with my heart.

Eros doesn’t immediately respond, as if he’s lost in thought for a moment. He then changes the subject. “I was thinking of making something simple tonight—a salad, chicken, and risotto.”

“Sounds good.”

I hear Carl walking out of the kitchen, so I call out as I walk in. “Eros? Do you need me to help with dinner?”

As I fly around the corner, Carl almost collides with me, his arms catching me as I’m almost knocked backward. His eyes dip down to my exposed cleavage.

I give him a friendly smile and break from his hold. With a bounce in my step, I move out of Carl’s way. “How was your day at work?”

“Fine. I’m going to rest for a bit.” Carl gives me a weary smile.

“We’ll call you when it’s ready,” I say brightly and hurry over to help Eros with the prep without a glance back at Carl.

My love god catches me by the waist and pulls me to him, leaning down and pressing his forehead to mine, and stares into my eyes as if I’m the thing that makes the world go round. It’s a sweet gesture that has my heart thumping even if it’s fake. He bumps my nose with his and winks.

Carl stalls at the kitchen archway and watches us as Eros and I give each other light touches as we move with the efficiency of a couple familiar with making dinner together.

It’s actually strange how easy it is to be with Eros. We naturally fall into step like we’re a couple who has known each other for years.

Giving and receiving affection is becoming easier for me. Eros somehow makes me feel safe. Perhaps it’s because I know there are no expectations, except for me to relax and have fun, and I know Eros doesn’t want me sexually. He knows of my interest in Carl, and he’s even helping me.

I find myself giggling as Eros dances around me to get the next ingredient he needs. I even snap a few shots of his dance moves with my phone camera.

Carl finally walks away, but Eros doesn’t stop with his playful manner.

I’m chopping cucumbers for the salad when Eros comes up behind me. His body presses close to my backside, and his face is next to mine. Strong hands move down to my fingers, and he adjusts my hold on the knife and cucumber.

“Like this,” he whispers over the shell of my ear, and shivers race down my spine.

Holy hell, I get that he wants to sell this whole fiancé thing, but my body is starting to respond to his closeness… to his kind and caring attention.

He moves the knife to thinly slice the pale green flesh, then slides my fingers down away from the blade, using myfingernails as a guide. “Once you get comfortable with the motion, you can move quite fast.”

I audibly gulp with the suggestive innuendo, but I allow his fingers to rest on my hand as he showed me.

“Good girl,” he praises when I get the hang of it. “Just like that.”

Is it lost on my mostly celibate mind and body that he’s using a cucumber to show me this technique? No, it is not. I’ve read enough modern steamy books to know what he’s playing at, but I don’t know why it’s working so well on me. My temperature must have risen several degrees by now, and I don’t think it’s only from embarrassment.

Since we did his fall in love in under five minutes trick, I’ve felt closer to him emotionally. I dare say I feel much closer to him than I ever did to Carl. Is it only because he’s a love god? Is it because he treats me exactly how I’ve craved to be treated all these years? But again, that’s probably all his magical godly powers at work. It doesn’t mean that he actually likes me or desires me, even for a one-night stand, which I wouldn’t consider anyway. If I did fall in love with Eros, I’d know better than to try to do anything about it.

Besides, Eros’s whole goal right now is to get me hooked up with Carl. His affection is part of it—healing my aversion to touch and making Carl jealous.

Reading more into the way his hand is trailing up my arm and how he’s placing a sweet kiss on my shoulder would be insane.

I imagine if Eros ever finds his soulmate, they would feel like the luckiest person in the universe. I hope he finds them, although I find myself stupidly jealous of this person. However, I will be the first to congratulate him and wish them the best, because he deserves love after waiting his entire eternal existence for them.

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