Page 16 of Desired By Eros

“That works perfectly,” Psyche said, snapping her fingers once more. “Thank you! I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She walked away, barely able to contain her elation. She hoped her snapping her fingers wasn’t annoying. It was just how her body reacted when she was excited. Then she remembered to check her phone and winced—it was way past the hour she had promised Eros. She hurried to the meeting spot.

Eros was leaning casually against the SUV, chatting with two women. The conversation seemed light, their body language relaxed. As Psyche approached, the women glanced her way, said their goodbyes to Eros, and walked off.

Eros turned to her as she approached. “Took your sweet time,” he remarked, though she could detect that his tone was teasing rather than annoyed.

“Sorry, I lost track,” she admitted. “The orientation ran long.”

“Clearly. But you look…happy. Care to share?”

Psyche smiled brightly. “I get to start work tomorrow!” She snapped her fingers.

“That’s great. What does that mean exactly?”

“It means I’ll start the dig early, but I’ll have to camp for a week until they can give me a room.”

Eros straightened. “Wait. What? Why would you agree to that? They should have a room ready for you.”

“I love camping,” Psyche said, brushing off his concern. “I just need to pick up the essentials in town.”

Eros frowned. “Are you sure? And what about your…you know…Your condition. You’ll be okay out there?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine,” she assured him. Then she added, “Now, let’s go shopping. I need to get everything and get settled!”

Without waiting for his response, she spun toward the car. Eros sighed before getting into the car.

Once they were on the road, Psyche leaned back in her seat and quipped, “I told you I wasn’t going to go flying again.”

Eros glanced at her with a smirk. “Jeez, was it really that bad?”

“Yes,” she said, nodding. “Freezing doesn’t even begin to cover it.”

He chuckled. “What about bears? Don’t they love raiding campsites for snacks?”

“Uh, shifter,” she replied, raising an eyebrow. “I can hold my own against bears if needed.”

Eros shook his head but didn’t say anything.

The rest of the day was spent gathering all the things and camping gear she needed before heading back to the camp site. By evening, Psyche had set up her tent and completed her meticulous evening routine, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

Eros was somewhere in Healy. To her surprise, he didn’t go back home. “I’ll stick around,” he had said casually before heleft when she asked about his plans. “Not much to do back in Anchorage anyway. I might as well take advantage of the Alpha expanding my boundary.”

Sure enough, the next morning, Eros was waiting when she emerged from her tent.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

He straightened when he saw her. “How about breakfast before you head to the site?”

Psyche blinked at him. “Breakfast? With you?”

He shrugged. “Why not?”

She hesitated, still surprised by the suggestion. Then she nodded. “Fine. Give me an hour to get ready, and I’ll meet you at the car.”

“Take your time. I’m not going anywhere.”

Psyche moved through her morning routine, even in the wilderness. She made her sleeping bag as neatly as if it were a proper bed, took a brisk camp shower, dressed in layers suitable for the chilly morning, and checked off her to-do list. Despite being away from her pack, she felt lighter, freer. There was something comforting about the independence of her new surroundings.

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