* Steam Warning *
Lexi was wrong. She had been able to sleep, and she drifted off to the memory of Hades making love to her rather than the dismal conversation she had with Zeus afterward. In fact, she wanted to wipe Zeus from her memory, but her throat clenched around a knot as she watched the sun rise through her balcony door. Her life was still a mess.
Why did Zeus have to be her father? This was a man she adored; who bounced her on his knee and threw her in the air to hysterical laughter. Now, he acted like a warden, putting limitations on her like he owned her. Hadn't she followed the formula set up by her parents and adhered to the rules laid down by her teachers? Hadn't she played fairly in every game she competed in? It should be her turn to make the rules for her life. Wasn't that what her glorious birthday weekend was supposed to be about?
Lexi climbed out of bed, determined to make the day count. She took a shower and styled her hair. She even put on makeup. Then she chose her favorite pair of comfy pants, made of ass-hugging gauze fabric that flared at the bottom. She paired it with the black crop top she'd bought at a trendy Boston boutique. The words printed on the shirt stated No Touchy, but the message was not meant for Hades. Maybe it would entice him, a flirty taunt to make him forget the names of his former lovers. Hopefully, there would be time for more romance before the weekend came to a close.
She padded barefoot down the stairs with her laundry basket under her arm, blowing past the dining room door where she heard the chatter of guests enjoying breakfast. She ignored them and the smell of freshly-baked croissants, pretending it was just another day at the Maxwell estate as she headed for the laundry room.
After tucking her bras into a garment bag and setting the washing machine to delicate, she stared out the French door that led to the croquet lawn. The place where she had her big win. That was fun, especially seeing the look on Zeus's face when he had to settle for runner-up. Would she have enjoyed the win more if she had known his true identity then? Probably.
Lexi's nerves pricked, and she sensed a presence just before a pairof hands slid around her waist. She knew it was Hades by his scent, and in aspontaneous move, she grabbed one of his arms, using it as leverage to spinaround and twist it behind his back. The fact that he never resisted made the maneuver easier than it should have been.
"We need to work on your reflexes," she said. "I could have had my way with you before you had a chance to fight me off."
"Who says I would have fought you off?"
Lexi released his arm, and he quickly pulled her in for a kiss, paying no heed to the warning on her shirt. She responded in kind, opening her mouth so he could reach her tongue. Blood rushed to her groin, which immediately started to throb, and when she pressed her body against him, she discovered he was throbbing in the same place. The fact that he could have her engine revved in a matter of seconds offered more proof she was falling hard, which would only lead her down the road to heartbreak if Zeus had his way.
Had Lexi's brain been on vacation all weekend? Did she really think she could survive a three-day love affair with this perfect specimen of a man and not have her feelings crushed to dust by the end of it? She reluctantly pulled away, shaking her head as she backed into the door. "Dammit, Hades. Why does this have to be so hard?"
He looked down at his crotch. "Oh, you noticed."
"Be serious. You know what I'm talking about. How are we going to keep this up? And, believe me, I'd lie through my teeth to keep our affair a secret. But really, how?"
"I'm working on a couple of ideas. But first, can we talk about how amazing you are and how horny you make me?" He reached for her hips, using them to pull her back towards him. His touch felt like a branding iron as he staked his claim on her. And she wanted to be claimed by him, but there were so many hurdles to scale. Hurdles that disappeared once Hades found her lips again to continue his onslaught of tongue versus tongue, triggering the ache between her legs. She rode the wave until she felt herself getting wet. How did he do that?
"I can't stop thinking about the reasons we shouldn't be doing this," she said against his scorching hot mouth.
"It would be more fun if you stopped thinking about them." Hades nipped her bottom lip, sending a thrill through her, and his hand dipped between her legs. He cupped her mound, teasing her through the gauze with his finger. "You have bewitched me, Lexi. Your smile, your taste, your scent. The only place I want to be is anywhere you are."
Lexi's mind reeled, but it had no chance of catching up with her body, which spiraled like a kite caught in a gale. With a simple wave, Hades gestured the door closed, and she heard the lock click. A moment later, he was pulling her close, one hand on her back and the other sliding deftly up her shirt to her bare breasts. She arched into him as he took a nipple between his fingers, rotating it gently, expertly. The sensation it evoked shot straight downward.
"My body sings when you touch me," she whispered as her head lolled against him. "I wish... I wish..."
"Your wish is my command. How may I please you, my lady?"
Lexi's gaze flicked to the door, a meager barrier against a god with type A personality traits. Hades didn't seem concerned as he backed her into the washing machine and lifted her shirt, bringing his mouth to one of her breasts. He blew his warmth across it before covering the nipple with his lips, and Lexi shuddered as he circled his tongue relentlessly, teasing her until she felt a build-up down below.
"Oh, yes. That'll do it." She reached between their bodies and rubbed his crotch, feeling the strength of his desire. Desire meant for her.
Ignoring her inner voice, the one telling her to rein in her hormones before they went too far, Lexi fumbled for the button of his pants. His hand came around to help her with the task, and she heard the zipper lower. When he pulled himself free, she took him greedily, caressing the tip with her thumb. She loved the way he felt, both soft and hard. It was unbelievably erotic, and she longed to have him inside her mouth, but she wasn't quite ready to cross that threshold.
"I'm helpless when you touch me," he said, his voice low and carnal. "I would love to take you from behind. With your permission, of course." The sensuality of Hades's request had Lexi's heart rate speeding up, and she agreed with an eager nod, giving the finger to her inner voice as it tried to warn her again.
Hades's hands brushed her hips as he eased her pants down until they fell to the floor. She turned away from him and grabbed both sides of the washing machine, leaning over it as he nudged her legs apart. She felt so pornographic, and the anticipation made her breathless.
"Your beauty intoxicates me. So perfect. So pure." His fingertips caressed her backside, fluttering like feathers as they drifted to her center. He tenderly grazed the sensitive flesh laid bare for him, sliding a finger through her slick fluids, and she stifled a cry. Then he pressed his finger into her, rotating in a sweet, slow rhythm as his hips undulated behind her. "Damn, what you do to me. I am blind with lust for you."
Hades withdrew his finger, and Lexi heard plastic tearing. Something fell at her feet, and she only had a moment to glance at the condom wrapper before she felt him at her entrance. He stretched her like he had the night before, without a hint a pain, only strength, thick and luxurious.
Lexi knew he wanted to sink himself deep. His need to fill her was palpable. She felt it in the way he controlled his thrusts, easing in until she tensed then pulling back, almost reluctantly. She so enjoyed being the focus of his desire, this handsome god with the golden eyes, and he drew out a moan as his hand drifted to her sex again, fondling her and bringing her closer to climax. A few more strokes and she was a goner.
"Yes. Like that. Don't stop."
Lexi struggled to express herself with words as her brain sent all its electrical stimuli to that miraculous spot under Hades's finger, and a moment later, her body expressed it for her as she came ferociously, clenching around him like a vise. His thrusts became more forceful then, causing his hips to slap her backside as he rode her like a man lost to his urges. The pleasure she felt at his frantic possession was impossible to describe.
"Oh... Lexi..." Hades drew out her name as he leaned over her back, his finger never losing contact as he shuddered through his release. This was the epitome of decadence. This was heaven.
As the frenzy subsided, Hades kissed the back of her neck, heaving a guttural sigh against her skin. He sounded like a man being tortured. Finally, he withdrew and discarded the condom in the trash. Then he handed Lexi her pants before tucking himself in. Afterward, he embraced her, nuzzling his nose in her hair and pampering her head with kisses.
"I am dreading the moment we have to part," he said. "You have me reevaluating everything I thought about loyalty."
"Loyalty? What do you mean?"
He pulled away, but only far enough to gift her with his beautiful gaze. "You said something on the way back from our river expedition, something about my loyalty to Persephone and hers to me. Do you remember that?"
Lexi frowned, wishing he hadn't chosen to bring up his mate during the afterglow. "How could I forget?"
Hades softened his expression, the flush of arousal still coloring his cheeks. "I know it's difficult for you to comprehend the lives of the gods. You probably wonder how we find happiness in our relationships when we shun monogamy. I have to agree with mortals on this. The emotional pain of knowing another god is taking pleasure in someone I hold dear is not something I relish, and your comment about loyalty shocked me. Not only did it have me revisiting that pain, but I also admired your desire to make sense of it."
"I want to understand, but I don't think I could ever live like that. Even now, after the short time we've known each other, I feel nauseous when I think of you...taking pleasure in Persephone. Or anyone else for that matter. I knew I was opening Pandora's box when I decided to let you in, but now I'm facing the ugly truth that it will all be over after today, and it hurts like hell."
"It doesn't have to be over, Lexi. You asked me how we can keep our affair going, and I was prepared to offer suggestions...before you distracted me."
His comment had Lexi grinning. "I don't think it was me distracting you."
"You don't have to do anything to distract me." He brought his fingers up to trace the contours of her lips. "Just being in the same room is enough."
Although Lexi enjoyed the sensation of his fingers as they tickled her skin, she wanted to hear his thoughts before he got distracted again. "So, are you going to share your suggestions?"
Hades stepped back, glancing at the floor as he dragged his fingers through his hair, ruffling it on one side. He didn't seem very confident in his ideas, and it had her stomach lurching. "Well, I could come to you in disguise. As I mentioned before, I can take the form of a dog. I use this method when I need to mingle with mortals who are familiar with my face and don't wish to see it."
It didn't take long for Lexi to shoot down his first idea. "That sounds like a handy trick, but my school doesn't allow dogs on the property, so you would either get chased off or hauled to the animal shelter. And if you tried that at the estate, you would only attract attention. If you haven't noticed, we live in the middle of nowhere. I'm sorry, Hades. Try again."
"Okay. How many school breaks are you given? You could take a solo trip and we could meet at a neutral location."
Lexi's eyebrows rose without being prompted. "You've met my parents, right?"
He offered a frustrated nod, rubbing the back of his neck and looking more uncertain by the minute. "You could follow me to the underworld and see if it suits you."
Hades bit his lip, a move she had not seen him make, and she squinted at his sober expression. Was he asking her to give up everything to spend eternity in...hell?
"Are you suggesting I disobey Zeus?"
Hades shook his head vigorously, and he started circling the laundry room. "Forget I said that. It's too soon. I want it to be your idea, not a desperate measure."
As Hades paced, Lexi opened the laundry room door, and her muscles relaxed when she found the hallway empty. She'd half expected to find Zeus listening in. Lexi turned and reached for Hades's arm, stopping his incessant circling. His skin felt clammy and hot, as if he suffered from a fever. When their eyes met, she saw desperation there. "I want us to happen more than you know, Hades. Just tell me what you want, and we will try to work it out together."
Without taking his eyes off her face, Hades brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, leaving a wake of chills. "I want more than half a future. I want to extinguish the loneliness that haunts me. I want a mate who will never abandon me. You are more than I imagined, Lexi. You have conjured a need in me no mortal has ever evoked, but that is where the difficulty lies. Immortal blood runs through your veins. You have so much more to offer, and it would be dishonorable of me to ask you to disregard your destiny to spend your eternal life with a god who caters to the dead."
As Lexi watched the fire in Hades's eyes shrink, she felt as if her heart was being pummeled by Chef Pastille's mortar and pestle. Was this really the fate of the god of the underworld? To live alone among the souls of the deceased? Surely, he spent time with Hecate and Melinoe. What about Charon, the ferryman? That guy probably had interesting stories to tell. And he had Persephone during the winter months. Hadn't they created little gods of their own? Or, had Hades's offspring abandoned him for Olympus? Was that what he meant by half a future?
"This may be somewhat premature, but I'm willing to consider your proposition, if that's what this is." She closed the distance between them and gifted him with a soft kiss. "Is that what this is?"
His respirations stilled as he breathed the word, "Yes." Then he claimed her lips, taking his fill like he might not have another chance. Lexi had a lot to think about, and having Hades's tongue exploring her mouth definitely helped his case. But how long would this passion fuel them? Eternity was a very, very long time.
PLAYLIST SONG: Ecstasy by Vast