Eros

Chapter 32: Eros, God of Love

Angie could hardly control her breath, the rising and falling of her chest. Her heart spun and she didn't know whether to turn around or not. If she turned around, would he really be there? Was he just a creation of her thoughts and did she really die from the fall after all?

"You are here and yet, you doubt your eyes?"

She nodded and then shook her head. "I-I don't know what to believe anymore, Eros. You see, the only thing I had that was good, besides my father, was my mother and she was taken away." Angie bowed her head and peeked at his pendant on her quivering chest. "I was only seven when that happened and it shot me straight in the heart. I've struggled to trust others. Shayla," she laughed, "she was like my big sister. I grew up with her and that's why I'm so close to her.

"As you remember—," she stopped, unable to put her thoughts into words as the horror of Candi Miller's cruelty drowned her senses. "People have always treated me badly. Always, Eros, you were there if you care to remember. You know, Candi in the towel? I'm sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned that." She cringed and held her fists under her folded arms. She hated herself for telling him this! Such stupid ordinary mortal things to a god! A god!

"Your heart tells you to say these things, Angelina, I know. I behaved like a mortal down below, and have been known to stray here as well, but you alone have tamed my heart."

She felt him move closer and she trembled. She longed to look into his eyes, his form, his wings. She wanted to touch him and feel him against her, lost in his honeyed kisses. Only his love could heal so many wounds.

"Turn around, Angelina, let me gaze into your eyes."

Angie pressed her lips together. She was a wreck. She didn't want him to look at her wrinkled red face. Her wet, wet face. She was out of control. "See how I am?" she said without turning to him. "You don't want me. You are better off without me—I've done nothing but hurt you, Eros. As I had said once before, you are Pegasus and I am nothing more than Cer—."

Angie yelped.

She felt his hands, rough and gentle, against her shoulders as lifted and spun her until she faced him. His lips came crushing down on hers making her thoughts scatter like the whorls of mist that embraced them. She clung to him, her mouth moving right along with his.

Eros pulled away and she moaned a deep ache, her lips parted, breath heavy. His hypnotic gaze caressed her face, a smile curving his tantalizing mouth. She found herself entranced in his beautiful, beautiful eyes. Endless ocean blue, like the greenest part of its depths. Honey gold hair, feather soft in her hands. A face only a god can own.

Her heart thumped, yearning for the love of his. She blushed and lowered her lashes.

He moved, his hand dropping into her line of sight. "You kept this?"

Angie peeked at him and nodded very slowly.

Eros arched a brow while holding the stone pendant in his hand. He searched her eyes until she looked away.

"That was all I had left of you." Angie sucked on her lips and glimpsed up at him through her lashes. "Eros, I love you." She gazed at his wings, her heart responding double time at what she saw. He was real. "You're so beautiful. Us mere mortals have no idea how to paint you on canvas—every one of them has done you no justice."

A small tilt crossed Eros' lips; a one-sided smile that wrung her heart dry. "What care I for mere mortals when I have you in my arms?"

His tender eyes caressed Angie's face, and she felt the spark of his warmth carry her away. Dare she? Dare she hope for a life of belonging and happiness and love?

"Do you know what I like about you, Angelina?"

"I, I don't know," she whispered, unable to speak through her gripping emotion.

"I like it when you are soft."

She leaned into him and raised herself higher, her hands gliding along his silken shoulders.

"When you are breathless."

"I don't know what that is, my Eros, would you care to show me once more?"

Eros' eyes flickered wide for a split second before lowering into passionate yearning. "Of course I will show you."

This time, Angie closed her eyes. Every particle of her body sung. She was pleasantly forever lost. His fierce embrace engulfed her every particle. She didn't want to open her eyes, fearful that once seeing his gloriousness in every respect would intimidate her. Make her feel unworthy.

No, not this time. She let go of her every inhibition. Her hate. Her terror. Her torment. She let go of her every fear. Her loss. Her esteem. Her love. She let go of her passion. Her yearning. Her wanting. Her desiring.

Angie trembled, joy, at last, hers.