Page 34 of Tempted By Hades

She flashed him a small grin. “Of course it was. Just the same, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

After a pause, she said, “Why do you think The Fates allowed her to go back? Did they make a mistake in cutting the threads of her life, do you think? Is Eurydice somehow important in the grand scheme of things?”

“I doubt they would make such a major error.” Eurydice may have only mattered to one person, but she was still a person with a soul. “Who knows why The Sisters do what they do? It’s a mystery even to us.”

“Right.”

He searched her face. While he found her expressions usually easy to read, in this moment, he could not for the life of him figure out what was on her mind. Her eyebrows drew together, like she was deep in contemplation, but her lips twitched, like she was talking to herself. “Would you like to go back home, Persephone?”

Slowly, she lifted her face up. “No.”

“Then what do you want?”

“I want…” The most demure blush bloomed in her cheeks as her eyes turned into the darkest shades of coffee.

A tightness knotted in his chest as the air around them shifted. “Persephone…”

Her hands reached out to touch his face, her fingers sliding forward so that his jaw rested in her soft palms. Leaning forward, she pressed her mouth to his.

Her kiss was tentative, so he allowed her to lead, barely moving. When she pressed her lips harder to his, he sighed and placed his hands on her hips, drawing her closer. To his surprise, she slid right onto his lap, straddling him.

Turning her head to the side, she further deepened the kiss slanting her mouth against his and licking the seal of his lips. Her hands slid back to his nape, fingers raking into the hair, making him groan. With his lips parted, she slid her tongue inside his mouth.

Desire knotted at the base of his spine as she sank to her knees, her core brushing against the growing bulge in his trousers. He gripped her hips tighter and brought her down lower so she ground against him. She shuddered and moaned into his mouth.

As lust clouded his brain, his hands seemed to have a mind of their own as one of them pulled her blouse out from the waist of her skirt and slid under the soft fabric. Her bare skin was silky soft and warm, and he traced circles around her waist before moving up to cup one breast over her bra.

She moaned again and pushed her chest to his hand. With that encouragement, he dipped a finger over the lacy cup and popped out one breast. She let out a soft whimper when his thumb brushed against her hardening nipple. Meanwhile, his other hand found its way under her denim skirt and began to trace up her thighs.

Indeed, he felt like a passenger in his own body, his lust and desire taking over the driver’s seat. But with her sweet body draped over him, all he could think about was taking her and making her completely his. She wanted him too—she’d kissed him in the first place. All he had to do was ask.

But he couldn’t.

This was wrong. This wasn’t part of his plan.

Deep in his gut, he knew it was wrong to take advantage of her in this way. Revenge or not, he could not use her in such a manner. He only wanted her to be his mate and queen, and nothing else. That was easy. Once he got justice for the wrongs committed against him, he could free her from any commitment they made without any complications.

But to continue down this path without her knowing the whole truth made him feel lower than a jackal.

And so, he pulled his mouth away from hers.

“Hades?” She looked down at him, deep confusion on her face. “Wha-what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” He sighed. “Nothing with you, at least.” Gently, he caressed her cheek, then slid her off him.

“D-did I do something wrong?” she stammered as she sat up and righted her clothes. “Please, tell me…”

“No, you didn’t. It’s just that…” He raked his hands through his hair. Since they met, he had his suspicions, but of course, it would have been improper to ask her. But he supposed after what they had done—almost done—the time for propriety had passed. “You’ve never done this before, have you? You’re a virgin.”

“I—yeah. And so? Is that the issue here?”

“It’s not,” he said. “I don’t care if you are a virgin or not.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

How could he even begin to tell her? There was so much here that was wrong. He couldn’t even look her in the eyes because he knew if he did, he would feel even lower than he already did.

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