Page 21 of Desired By Eros

“Thinking what? That I knew you’d cave?” he teased, grinning.

Psyche just rolled her eyes and reached for another slice, ignoring his laughter as he continued to poke fun at her.

“You know, if I’d known watching you enjoy that would be this…satisfying, I’d have ordered pizza sooner.”

Psyche paused mid-bite, blinking at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He shook his head, biting into his own slice. “Nothing, Psyche. Absolutely nothing.”

Psyche stuck to two slices of pizza, and enjoyed each bite, while Eros worked his way through nearly the entire spread with enviable enthusiasm. They talked about everything fromthe quirks of working at the dig site to his adventures hiking in Denali.

She found herself laughing more than she expected, especially at Eros’s animated storytelling, his hands gesturing wildly as he described dodging an overly curious marmot.

“That thing was fearless,” he declared, finishing off his last slice.

Psyche raised an eyebrow as he leaned back with a satisfied sigh, his plate empty. “It’s so unfair that you can eat that much.”

“Want me to help with your leftovers?”

She swatted his hand away, and they both laughed, the air between them easy and warm. They got the check and left, but as they stepped outside, the drizzle misted their faces, and Psyche let out an annoyed sigh.

“Great. I can’t fly in the rain,” she said, shaking her head. “I hate the rain. It’s like being slapped in the face with a thousand tiny pins.”

Eros tilted his head, amused. “Rain isn’t that bad, Psyche. Adds a little drama to life.”

She shot him a flat look. “You’re not the one suffering through it. I’m calling a car.”

Luckily, a car arrived quickly, and they climbed in. Psyche settled into the seat, and Eros leaned back, pulling out his phone. A notification lit up his screen, and he smiled, swiping to open it.

“It’s a photo from my mom,” he said, turning the screen toward her. The picture showed Aphrodite and Hephaestus on a beach, their arms around each other, smiling under a clear blue sky.

Psyche looked at it and smiled. “They’re such a cute couple. And so lucky to be on the beach instead of…this.” She gestured to the rain pattering against the car windows.

Eros chuckled, glancing at the picture again. “Yeah, I’m glad they’re finally together. Took them long enough, though. They spent centuries denying it.”

Psyche tilted her head thoughtfully. “Maybe they were just scared it wouldn’t work out. It’s a big risk, isn’t it? Especially if you care about someone that much.”

Eros looked at her, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face before he laughed. “You’ve got a point. Leave it to you to make love sound like a PhD thesis.”

She shrugged, a faint blush rising to her cheeks. “I think about things. A lot.”

Psyche looked out the window and groaned, staring out at the drenched scene. “Where are you going to stay?”

“I’ll figure it out. Don’t worry about me.”

“I can’t just let you stay out in this weather. Friends don’t do things like that.”

“It’s not a big deal,” he insisted, but she wasn’t having it.

“My tent is big enough for both of us,” she said firmly.

Eros arched a brow at her suggestion, his lips curling into an amused smirk. “Your tent? Psyche, are you trying to lure me in with promises of close quarters and a cozy sleeping bag?”

She blinked at him. “Lure you? No, it’s just logical. It’s raining, and you can’t stay out in this weather. Plus, the tent has plenty of space.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re something else, Psyche.”

“Is that a yes?” she asked, folding her arms and giving him a determined look.

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