by Sam Cheever
I shook my head, angry with myself for the ridiculous emotion. Why would I be afraid to fulfill pre-screening with a client? It was ridiculous.
I pushed my fingers through the thick, silky black waves of my hair, pulling it away from my cheeks. I shook my head and it swung around my face, landing in a more natural way across my shoulders.
Reaching into my purse I pulled a red-brown lipstick from its cluttered depths and ran it over my lips, then rolled them inward to distribute the color more evenly. Having stalled for as long as possible, I sighed, tugged my short skirt down my thighs and headed out of the bathroom.
I knew he’d entered the building as soon as his feet hit the foyer tile.
I hurried toward my office, preferring to meet him under the professional aura the tastefully decorated room provided. I had just landed in my chair when I heard the elevator ding.
The heavy doors slid open.
I forced myself to turn away from my open office door. Peering at my computer screen without really seeing it, I visualized him as he stalked toward my office door, his long, elegant limbs moving with the grace of a large cat and his gorgeous gray-green eyes focused on me behind my desk.
I studiously ignored him.
He didn’t speak.
It wasn’t the first time I’d gotten the impression he knew that I was able to sense his presence, even when I pretended that I couldn’t.
I turned finally, unable to resist, and sucked in a breath before I could stop myself.
Bion Chronos was not a god but he should have been.
His long body leaned against the doorframe with a muscular grace that was inborn and unconscious rather than studied. One shoulder, amazingly broad, leaned casually against the polished wood and his long arms crossed his chest, bulging a bit under the tight white shirt he wore.
The shirt was unbuttoned at the top, showing soft, dark curls across a broad chest, and had been left untucked. His ridiculously long legs were crossed too and were encased in tight jeans. One scuffed brown boot was tucked over the other on the shiny cherry floor of my office.
My eyes caressed the entire picture, from the top of his head, covered in silky black hair that was cut short to frame a strong face, down the long length of him, to the heavy boots. Then, against my will, my gaze started back up, lingering a bit too long somewhere in the middle, where the jeans did some really nice things just under the loose tails of the shirt.
I licked my lips and forced myself to look at his face, which wasn’t exactly a hardship. His eyes were a dark gray-green, surrounded by thick, black lashes. His jaw was strong and square, with a permanent dark stubble that he couldn’t seem to stay ahead of with his razor. His chin had a large dimple in the middle that I wanted to stick my tongue into.
His skin was a dark and probably natural golden brown.
I did a mental head shake and blinked, realizing how far I’d fallen beyond my professional and self-imposed restrictions. Gulping audibly, I focused my gaze on his gorgeous eyes.
They had the longest, thickest lashes I’d ever seen.
“Hello, Daphne.” His voice was husky and deeper than an exploratory well in the Sahara.
I gulped again. “Mr. Chronos.”
He shook his dark head and pushed himself away from the doorframe. He didn’t exactly walk toward me. It was more like he sauntered across the room, the casualness of the movement not hiding the firm purpose inherent in his steps. He stopped in front of my desk and placed both hands on its cluttered surface. He leaned toward me over the desk, his full lips slightly open, and gave me a slow smile. “I must insist you call me Bion.”
His cologne swamped me in masculine musk, urging me into its sphere like a vampire’s call. I felt my eyes widen. I wasn’t entirely sure that the aroma came from a bottle. I suspected it was his own personal scent, pure male pheromones.
I couldn’t help myself, I leaned away in self-defense and pushed my chair back a bit frantically, catching my foot on a slightly ajar drawer and nicking my soft, black leather boot.
“Damn!” I muttered. They had been my favorite pair of boots.
He lifted his hands from the surface of my desk and lowered himself into the chair that had previously contained Dema Pence. His eyes tracked me carefully as I moved around my office, pretending to shut it down for the night.
I was really just stalling for time. Trying to figure out how I could get out of the appointment.
When I ran out of things to do I turned to him and forced a smile. “I guess I’m ready.”
He gave me a slow grin that melted the ligaments in my knees. “And you’re obviously thrilled.”
I smiled. I couldn’t help it. Shrugging, I grabbed my purse and headed toward the door. He fell in behind me, placing his hand in the small of my back.
My skin, under his hand, tingled deliciously.
“I am. I love my job, Mr…”
“Uh uh uh.” He shook a long finger at me. The nail on the end was clean, square and nicely trimmed.
Incredibly I think I blushed. “Bion.”
“Generally I feel sorry for workaholics, Daphne. But in your case I’m pleased that your work forces you to spend time with me.”
I did a mental head shake, deciding that Mr. Chronos and I would need to have an understanding. Obviously he wasn’t up on the whole untouchable Cupid thing. Not that I could tell him I was a Cupid. Humans didn’t know, nor would they believe if they knew, about my race.
It was just better for everyone if we kept a low profile.
But occasionally a human tried to breach the unspoken laws governing our two races. That would be fine except that, ultimately, they always rejected us for reasons that even they didn’t fathom.
It had been declared by the gods. Cupids could not enjoy long-lasting love.
An unbreakable rule.
Yet, as Bion Chronos carefully handed me into his small, black sports car and leaned over me unnecessarily to click my seatbelt closed, I inhaled his wonderful musk and wished it wasn’t so.
For about the hundredth time since he’d walked into my life.
Chapter Two
Over and Above
I watched the lights from the heavy traffic play across Bion’s face as he drove. He’d put Irish music on the stereo, my favorite, and my body melted against the seat in response to the beautiful, wrenching music.
At least I think it was the music.
His hands, large and capable-looking, tapped the throbbing beat against the steering wheel as he drove. He glanced over and caught me staring.
A long, slow smile spread on his face. “You look edible tonight, Daphne.”
I frowned and he laughed.
“You know, you’re the only woman I’ve ever met who takes offense when I tell her she’s beautiful. Why is that?”
I shrugged and jerked my gaze away from him. “I don’t mind a little flirting, Bion, but my job is to find you your perfect match.”
“What if I’ve already found her?”
My gaze flew to him, eyes wide in panic. “Have you? I mean…I always wondered why you came to us. You certainly don’t seem to need any help…” I stopped, feeling my face burn with color.
He laughed. “Oh but I do. I’m a man, I need lots of help.”
I snorted before I could stop myself. Then grinned at him. “There is that.”
He nodded, grinning. “Left to my own devices I pick all the worst kind of women. Sexy, outrageous, extremely naughty and always, always, always after my money.”
He didn’t look like it bothered him all that much.
I nodded, seeing an opportunity to return the conversation to business. “The candidate I’ve selected for you has lots of money of her own. She’s very sexy of course but she knows how to carry herself and works a room like nobody’s business.” My eyes widened, I couldn’t believe I’d said that.
Bion laughed. “I’ll take her!”
I frowned.
He glanced over when I said nothing and
saw my frown. “What did I say now?”
Shaking my head, I tried to smile. “Nothing, that’s exactly what she said when I showed her your file.”
He grinned, nodding. “See, we’re a perfect match. Now you can stop working and just enjoy your evening with me.”
I sighed, I couldn’t help it. My life suddenly seemed so complex and off-kilter. And I wasn’t sure when it had happened. One day I’m a hardworking Cupid just doing her job and enjoying it, the next my head is completely turned by a gorgeous face and a sexy voice.
The car stopped and I looked up, squinting at the large, low-slung building in front of us. “Why are we stopping here?”
Bion’s grin widened. “Why not?” He unstrapped his seatbelt and got out of the car. My gaze slid around the busy parking lot, assessing the dozens of people who were excitedly milling around. They were all extremely short.
Bion opened the car door and took my hand to help me out. “There’s nobody here who can drive yet.”
He laughed. “Do you mind being the tallest girl in the place?”
I looked at him and laughed, enjoying the way his dark eyes sparkled with fun. Then I shook my head, deciding it was the perfect way to serve out a couple of the hours I owed him. Good, clean, harmless fun.
Boy was I wrong.
The Roller Dome was chock-full of energetic, squealing pre-teens. They filled the halls and niches of the huge place with noise and boisterous activity.
I stood behind Bion as he paid a very surprised-looking clerk for two tickets and marveled at the young humans. They seemed so full of confidence and spunk, totally unlike kids from the days when I grew up, a couple of hundred years earlier.
Bion took my hand and pulled me toward the counter where they were handing out skates. A bored-looking retiree found us both skates that looked like they’d been around for a couple of hundred years themselves.
Picking our way through a wild assortment of discarded clothing and school bags, we sat down on a long wooden bench to strap the skates on. Picking up the first skate, I peered into it carefully, grimacing a little before pulling it onto my foot.
Bion laughed. “It’s probably best not to look too closely at them. Just close your eyes and strap ’em on.”
I grimaced again. “I’m just praying that every single person who’s ever worn these over the last two hundred years has also worn thick, clean socks.”
He threw back his dark head in a roar of laughter. I couldn’t help smiling with him.
Bion stood up and pulled me to my feet as soon as I had the skates tied onto my feet. I shrieked in surprise, wobbled dangerously and my feet immediately shot out from under me. He’d been standing with his legs spread in a wide stance that I assumed helped him stay balanced on the surprisingly slippery skates. My legs shot through his and I landed on my back between his legs, blinking up at him.
He still held both of my hands and his lips twitched as he looked down at me. “I take it you’ve never roller skated before?”
Completely stripped of all pride, I looked up at him, trying to ignore the suggestive giggles of the little girls who surrounded us, and grinned. “What was your first clue?”
Bion levered me up off the floor and took a firm hold on one arm. We headed toward the well-lit floor, Bion rolling along fairly easily except for having to try to help me stay upright, and me with my feet and knees bending out from under me on every other step and sliding in every direction but forward. He was almost carrying me by the time we reached the low, concrete wall that surrounded the huge, oblong skating area.
If my incredible clumsiness hadn’t been so embarrassing the whole experience would have been thoroughly enjoyable, since I was basically draped all over Bion in an effort to keep my keester off the floor.
If ever I could have used those little wings…
The shiny wood of the skate floor looked intimidatingly slippery. I eyed it as we reached the end of the carpet and looked up at Bion, who had a fine sheen of sweat across his forehead from trying to keep me on my feet.
“I’m not sure I’m up for this.”
He swiped his sleeve over his brow and chuckled. “To tell you the truth I’m not sure I am either.”
I let go of his arm with one hand to swat him on the chest and my feet flew away from me. I shrieked as my butt hit the industrial-style carpet under us and my feet and legs ended up inside the ring.
A series of answering shrieks followed mine when a group of four little girls, skating happily along the wall holding hands, suddenly saw my legs in front of them and had to swerve violently to avoid them.
Bion stood over me, shaking his head and grinning. “You can’t really be this uncoordinated.”
I frowned and tried to push myself off the floor. He reached a hand down but I swatted it away in a fit of temper. My feet wouldn’t stay under me to allow me to pull myself upright so I finally turned over and got to my knees. As soon as I did I realized I was most likely flashing my pretty red lace undies to the room at large and I panicked, trying to get my feet under me more quickly.
The damnable skates carried my feet away from me again and I went down, face first. I just lay there, wanting to cry.
Suddenly a strong pair of hands slid around my waist and pulled me upright. Bion dragged me to my feet as if I weighed nothing at all and set me between his skates, holding my slithery demons with his own well-mannered skates so they couldn’t take off without me again.
A boy and a girl who looked to be about twelve pushed past us and I heard the boy complaining to the girl about the old people clogging up the entranceway.
I grimaced.
I could use some damn arrows too.
Bion held me firmly around the waist and rolled around me until he was pressed against my back. I stood there, nearly panting from the effort of trying to stand and the press of his hard, sexy body against me.
He leaned close and spoke in my ear. “Relax. I’ve got you now. Just lean against me and let me do the work.”
I shivered at the way his voice rumbled against my back and his breath danced softly against my ear. I managed a slight nod, afraid any further movement would send me to the floor again.
Suddenly Bion’s muscles bunched and we were in motion. I gasped when I realized we were on the slippery floor, moving smoothly around the shiny wood oblong.
I forced myself to take deep breaths and release my tense muscles and, after a few minutes, I started to enjoy the experience. Bion kept us close to the wall. He was apparently doing a really fine job of intimidating the little wieners who effortlessly shot around us. They were staying well away from us.
Or maybe they’d seen my moves and were staying as far away from me as possible.
Suddenly the music changed and the lights in the building dropped so that the skating rink felt like a dance floor. In the center of the space a giant ball flashed bright chunks of light around the floor and we were suddenly surrounded by dozens of very short couples holding hands. The floor felt relatively empty compared to the previous song.
I sighed and laid my head back against Bion’s chest, finally giving myself up totally to his care. His arms slid more tightly around my hips and ribs and his body softened behind me, allowing our bodies to sway with the music.
It was the most incredible thing I’d ever experienced.
Bion’s lips found my ear again. “This isn’t so bad, is it?”
I smiled, “Mmm hmmm.”
His lips touched my ear and my eyes flew open. He felt me jerk and tightened his arms. His lips made a warm trail down my neck and nestled into the sensitive place where my neck met my shoulder.
I gasped as I felt his mouth open and he sucked gently. My body broke out in pleasure gooseflesh.
“Bion…”
“Shhhh. Don’t talk. You’ll fall.”
I giggled. “Don’t be an ass.”
I felt his lips bend into a smile against my neck. Then he lifted his head and rested his chin on top of my head an
d I went back to enjoying the skating experience, forcing myself not to think about the fact that we’d just broken every human-Cupid rule ever written.
Just at that moment I didn’t care.
I just didn’t want to stop skating.
Because it felt really good to glide around wrapped in Bion.
And because I never, ever wanted to cross that damn carpet again.
*
Bion stood and waited as I unlocked the door to my apartment. He felt large and warm at my back and his scent called to me. I fumbled with the key for an embarrassingly long time and then turned it finally and pushed open the door.
Part of me wanted to push the envelope and try to invite him in. The sane part of me knew it would be a giant mistake.
I really hated the sane part of me.
I smiled at him. “I had a wonderful time. Amazingly.”
He laughed. “I think you’re starting to show a certain aptitude for skating.”
My smile widened, “Really? You think so, do you?”
He took a step closer. “I do.”
I took a step back but then realized that put me into my apartment and could be construed by someone who was willfully misconstruing everything I did as an invitation. I held my ground, clutching the doorframe with one hand and the knob with the other.
He’d have to go through me if he wanted in.
He smiled as if he’d read my mind and leaned into me. Before my mind registered what he was doing his lips were on mine.
I gasped and tried to jerk away but his arms came around my waist and he pulled my body up snug against his. His musky heat flowed through me like sunshine on a beach and my body warmed and softened against his.
I felt every inch of his body and reacted to every nuance of movement. From the way his lips pressed gently against mine to the touch of each finger splayed across my lower back.
My body tightened and wetness pooled between my thighs.
I sighed.
His lips lifted from mine and his forehead lowered until it rested on top of my head. “Tonight was wonderful.”
I nodded, unwilling to step away from him, though I knew I had to. I leaned against the doorframe and forced myself to say the words. “So. Shall I schedule that meeting for next week?”