Page 9 of Tempted By Hades

Persephone

Persephone idly arranged a display of small potted plants near the cash register. Her fingers traced the delicate leaves of a nearby succulent, lost in her own world.

A voice interrupted her reverie. “Hey, P, is your head up in the clouds again?”

Startled, she turned to see Geri standing there with a teasing grin.

Geri, with her dark hair and gray eyes, exuded an air of mystery that contrasted with Persephone’s sunny disposition. Despite their differences, they had formed an unbreakable bond over the past year. Geri had a shadowy past, and Demeter, Persephone’s mother, had taken her in when she arrived in New York City, providing sanctuary from the unknown.

“Lost in the world of plants again?”

She chuckled. “Can you blame me? These plants have a way of enchanting even the darkest of hearts.”

“I think it’s because of that guy who came in earlier looking for your mother.” She leaned against the counter, her smirk becoming a grin as warmth spread across Persephone’s cheeks. “Well, well,” she teased, her tone laden with amusement. “That customer seemed quite taken with you. Or perhaps it was the other way around?”

“It wasn’t like that,” she stammered, her attempt to sound convincing falling flat.

Geri raised an eyebrow. “Oh, come on. I can see that look in your eyes. You’re positively…thirsty.”

Her embarrassment turned to a mock glare. “I am not thirsty! And you’re just imagining things.”

“Imagining things?” Geri laughed. “Please. I’ve known you long enough to recognize the signs. Besides, it’s not every day a handsome stranger catches your eye.”

Persephone rolled her eyes. “I don’t even know if he’s interested. He was just being polite.”

“We’ll see about that. Who knows? Maybe he’ll come back. And when he does, you’ll be ready to charm the socks off him, won’t you?”

She gave Geri’s arm a playful swat, but she couldn’t deny the flutter of excitement that stirred in her chest.

The doorbell chimed, and in walked Adonis, his presence as vibrant and magnetic as always. With his dark skin and charming smile, he exuded a natural confidence that drew people in. If he weren’t fully human, some might have thought he was a god.

Persephone and Geri greeted him with warm smiles, but their friend had overheard the tail end of their conversation.

“‘Thirsty?’ Who’s thirsty?” Adonis chimed in, his eyebrows raised in mock curiosity.

Persephone groaned, realizing her attempt to deflect Geri’s teasing had backfired.

Geri burst into laughter. “Oh, Persephone here was just telling me about a very polite customer who asked about her mother. She’s just denying the obvious.”

Adonis grinned, his mischievous charm adding to Persephone’s embarrassment. “Thirsty? Now that’s news,” his tone teasing yet affectionate.

She rolled her eyes, her cheeks flushed. “You two are impossible,” she huffed.

Adonis chuckled, his naughty grin widening. “Well, who wouldn’t want Persephone to be ‘thirsty’ for them? She’s gorgeous and everyone’s desire,” he teased, winking at Persephone.

Persephone, blissfully unaffected by Adonis’s lighthearted flirtation, dismissed his comment with a light-hearted laugh. “Oh, please, Adonis. You’re incorrigible.”

Geri nudged her. “Oh, come on, Persephone. Adonis is just jealous he didn’t get to witness the charm of this mysterious customer himself.”

Adonis feigned offense. “Jealous? Me? Never. I’m just here to remind you both how lucky you are to have such a fascinating life, full of mysterious strangers and hidden desires.”

Persephone was determined to steer the conversation away from herself and flashed a mischievous grin at Adonis. “Oh, Adonis, you’re always one step away from romance, right? I don’t think I could ever be as thirsty as you.”

He placed a hand over his heart, feigning offense. “Probably not!” his voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “Persephone may not be ‘thirsty,’ but I wouldn’t mind being the one to quench her curiosity.”

Geri burst into laughter at the shocked look on Persephone’s face. “Naughty! But hey, maybe fate has something unexpected in store for her.”

Adonis’s grin widened, and he nudged Persephone’s shoulder. “Who knows? Maybe it does. And if not, at least we get to witness the drama.”

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