Page 22 of Winning Back Persephone

"This is delicious," I said instead of going down a more emotional route.

"Thank you," he responded. "It's a new recipe. I saw it a couple of months ago and saved it in case..." he trailed off.

"In case you needed to make me dinner," I finished for him.

"I wouldn't say that Ineededto make you dinner. In case I ended up in a situation where I could make you dinner again. I like cooking for you, Sephie."

"I like it too," I admitted. "I've missed your cooking. And insisting that we sit down and watch something on TV instead of letting myself work until I'm at the point of exhaustion."

"It must be bad if you're actually admitting it," he said. "You have to look after yourself. There's only one of you in the world, don't deprive us of you."

"Shouldn't you want to get rid of me so you never have to see me again?"

"Definitely not," he said quickly. "Even if we're not together, I want you to be able to live your best life, Persephone."

"Why does this feel like goodbye?" I whispered, setting down my fork.

"It doesn't have to be. We've known each other a long time, we've grown in that time, and things have changed between us. This is just one of those times where we're doing that."

"Do you truly believe that?" I asked.

"What else can I believe?" Hades responded. "I've known more of life with you than without you, I can't imagine you not being in it at all."

"Even if it's just as friends?"

"I'm not saying it would be easy, Sephie, but I'd like to think we can do that if we want to?"

I nodded and looked down at my plate. I wasn't entirely surefriendswas what I wanted. But admitting I wanted to return to the way things were meant admitting I was wrong, and I wasn't sure whether I was capable of that.

"Maybe," I said instead of agreeing to something I didn't really want.

"One meal at a time, right?" Hades suggested.

"One meal at a time," I echoed. Because what else was I supposed to say?

Chapter 12

PERSEPHONE

With dinner over and no more excuses for how to prolong the evening, I made my way to the front door. I knew I needed to leave, but I lingered in the hallway. Hades met my gaze, his intense brown eyes boring into me and making me feel as if the whole world no longer existed.

"I should..." I waved at the door, knowing he'd understand what I meant.

He nodded. "Let me get it for you."

My breath caught in my throat as Hades moved past me, bringing with him the scent that I'd associated with him for a long time. Most of it came from the same perfumed body oil he'd been using since before we'd met, and all it did was make me want to move closer to him.

"Hades." My voice cracked as I said his name, and I wasn't sure what I actually wanted to tell him. There had been so many things sitting on the tip of my tongue the entire evening, and right now, the urge was almost so strong that I couldn't ignore it at all.

"Yes?" He turned, and I realised just how close we were together. My breathing came a little ragged, and I tried not to think too much about what was going to happen next. Or how much I wanted it.

I had no idea which of us moved first, but his lips were against mine in a soft kiss that spoke of the years we'd spent together. It ignited every particle in my body. I reached for him, cupping his cheek with my hand and then through his hair, moving down to his arms and feeling the lean muscles beneath his shirt. He didn't have the imposing form of some of the other gods, but I knew as well as anyone that there was more beneath the surface than most people realised.

The kiss broke, but we didn't pull apart. Heat radiated from his body, seeping into me and making me want more of what I couldn't have.

"Sephie..."

"Don't talk," I murmured. "Just don't think about it."

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