Page 102 of Flowers Near Me

Still tucked in his arm, she scrutinized his face. She dragged her knuckle down the center of his shirt. “Don’t start something you won’t finish, Hades. It wasn’t me who asked to stop back at the apartment.”

His insides went molten. “Patience, Sephy. We’ll have all weekend to pick back up where we started.”

Eyes unblinking and lips parted, Sephy’s face blushed in a delightful pink hue.

Using his power to deepen his voice, Hades added, “You know, that first time wereallykissed and I heard your little moans, it seemed like the right time to get you to agree to marry me. Didn’t want to waste the opportunity when I had you pliant and needy.” He trailed his fingers down the back of her arm. “Besides… there’s no world where our first timetogetherhappens on a couch. You should expect more from your lover.”

He pressed a gentle kiss to her flushed cheek, then strode away towards nothing, going nowhere. He’d been careful ever since she’d returned to the apartment after her magic sickness, to not push anything too far physically—at least not until their getaway. The want inside him had nearly killed him. But this was not the moment to stir the longing, yet he’d managed to fuel the flames higher. After months of careful planning, trying to win her heart, now he was close to convincing her to marry him.It’d been agony to wait.

Hades portaled to the guest bedroom he’d been staying in since Sephy had started staying in his private suite. Ripping a pillow from the bed, he slammed it to his face and screamed. Cerberus bounded through the door and nudged at his feet. Laughing to himself, he tossed the pillow on the bed and bent down to pet Cerberus. Whenever he removed his hand, Cerberus huffed and poked him with his nose. After a few minutes of trying to satisfy the fluffy beast, Hades stood up and adjusted his jacket.

Cracking his neck, he took a deep breath, then portaled back to Sephy, still standing in the large hall of the botanical garden’s central building.

“Sorry, little goddess. Did I miss anything?”

Her eyes traced up and down his body. “Where did you go in such a hurry?”

He smirked. “Just headed off to scream into a pillow as one does.” He hoped his wink was convincing. She cut right through his defenses unlike any other—immortal or otherwise—had.

“You’re funny.” She turned back to watch the flurry of staff moving carts and boxes.

The familiar clack of sandals on the tiled floor caught his attention. Hecate approached, giving Sephy a squeeze on her delicate arm.

“Hades, are you ready to go through the decor?” Hecate gestured towards a wire archway covered in flowers.

“What else is needed? The building already looks fit for a gala.” Sephy looked between him and Hecate.

He turned to Sephy. “Just some final touches I need Hecate to make. Please excuse us.”

“No worries,” Sephy said with a polite smile and gave him a quick kiss.

Scanning the room for Charon, he sent a pulse of power her way. With a stack of garment boxes in her arms, Charon met his eyes. He casually dipped his head, gesturing at Sephy.

“Persephone,” Charon called out. “Could you join the marketing team as they get some photos of the setup?”

Once Sephy was out of earshot, Hecate asked, “So these enchanted vines… you want me to charm them so that whenever Sephy is near, they’ll bloom?”

“Precisely.”

“Show me which ones to enchant.”

They toured through the building, Hades pointing to green vines being hung with tiny solar-powered lights attached to them. Buds dotted the twisting stems. He doubted Sephy understood the depth of her influence on plants, but he knew.

With the UnderworldUnlimited event planning machine in full force, Hades snuck off to a shop back in the ironworks district of Olympus. Hephaestus’ workshop had a large ‘closed’ sign across the door, but Hades portaled through anyway.

“Hades, I’m almost finished,” Hephaestus greeted him. The god bent over a workbench, working his hands around a small piece of jewelry.

“Good.” Hades leaned on a glass counter and unbuttoned the top of his dress shirt.

“Yours is finished if you want to see it. Over there.” Hephaestus motioned a fist behind him to a black metal box sitting on the desk.

Pushing through the gate between the displays, Hades picked up the box. Inside, a wide wedding band of obsidian sat tied to a velvet pillow. Removing the satin string, he pinched the ring between his fingers and squinted at the stamped design adorning it. “Well done, Hephaestus. They look just like her poppies.”

Hephaestus grunted and stood up. Cradling three small rings, he held them out to Hades. “Check out hers.”

Each one had a white gold band with melanite in the center. The largest band boasted the widest polished gemstone.

Untying a thick, charcoal stained apron, Hephaestus asked, “Why does she want three rings for her ring finger?”

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