by Hart, Allysa
Yay, love.
The two women I had spotted in front of Bekah’s entered my shop, and I held back a heaving sigh.
Time to pull out the charm, and give them the old Eros Adonis smile.
Just don’t make eye contact, or your morning will get really interesting.
Time to make sure everyone is in love but me.
I put on my most blinding smile, and greeted them warmly, careful to not look directly at them as I introduced myself.
“Good morning, ladies, and welcome to Cupid’s Matchmaking Service. Here we believe in true love, and when you know, you know. And I know that we can find you ladies some love today.” I grabbed two clipboards from the desk and handed one to each of them. “If you’ll just get started filling these out, we will see what we can do to get you matched up with your perfect match. Sound good?”
“Absolutely.”
“Sure thing.”
The first woman sounded far more confident in my abilities and excited about the prospect of love than her much more cynical friend did, but that was okay, because I already knew the perfect men for both of them. All I had to do was make a few phone calls, and if I played my cards right, they would both be believers before lunch.
Let’s get this party started.
Two hours later, my shop looked more like a singles mixer than a small-town matchmaking service, but that was what always happened once my day got started. People seemed to show up at exactly the right time to meet their one true love, whether I orchestrated the meeting or not.
I really need to get more chairs in here, I told myself as I leaned against the desk, balancing a clipboard on one knee while chatting up a group of brand new clients who had just walked in.
“Hi ladies, and welcome to Cupid’s Matchmaking Service. My name is Eros Adonis, and if you can believe it, I already have the perfect men in mind for each of you. If you want to fill out these forms and mingle amongst yourselves while I make a few phone calls, I bet you’ll be feeling like you were hit by one of Cupid’s arrows before the day’s end.”
I had just finished my spiel, and turned around to grab my cell phone and rolodex from the desk behind me when the front door flew open—and banged shut—loudly.
I turned around, startled to see Bekah standing in the middle of the fray of people. Before I could say hello, or react at all, she marched straight up to me, with anger in her eyes.
“You bastard!” she screamed.
Um...what?
I looked all around me, wondering if she was in fact yelling at someone else, because this time, for once, I truly had not done anything.
Everyone was staring at her, and talking amongst themselves in hushed whispers. They were just as confused as I was.
“You dirty, lying scoundrel! You filthy, rotten two-timing asshole! You despicable manwhore!”
Scoundrel? Two timing? Manwhore? What in the hell was going on here?
“Um...Bekah,” I began, looking at her, before quickly dropping my gaze to focus on her lips rather than her eyes. “Who are you talking to?”
She didn’t answer. No, that would have been too easy. Instead, she marched straight up to me, and slapped me across the face as hard as she could.
It felt like she had gotten stronger since the last time.
“Bekah,” I growled, fully aware that the gaze of everyone in the room had bounced from the angry screaming redhead to me, the guy with the handprint on his cheek. “What is going on here?”
I was lost. Genuinely confused, and a little worried. She wasn’t making any sense at all, and she was acting more than a little unhinged.
I needed answers, but she didn’t offer any. Instead, she grabbed at her hands, like she was wringing them together. Then I saw the ring on her right hand. A stunning one carat solitaire, princess cut.
And fake as fuck.
I deduced all of this right before she slipped it off her finger, and flung it in my face.
“It’s over!” she screamed, turning on her heel. I caught her by the back of the elbow before she could get away.
Everyone was staring at me, waiting for an explanation. I could hear the hushed whispers bouncing around the room.
Okay, I see what is going on here. Now it all makes sense.
I cleared my throat.
“Okay show’s over, folks. And we are closing up for the day, as it seems like I have some personal business that needs attending to. Come back tomorrow morning, and you can have a full explanation, and if you want it, a full refund.”
The clients shuffled out in silence, and as quickly as they possibly could. I had never seen it clear out that fast.
Finally, it was just me and Bekah.
I was still holding her by the elbow, and she was still facing away from me. I stalked to the door and locked it, dragging her with me as I went. When it was locked, the sign was flipped back to the side that said closed, and the blinds were shut, I released my hold, and turned her to face me, blocking the door with my body, in case she had any ideas about making a quick escape.
“That was quite a stunt you pulled there, little girl.”
She shrugged, and a hint of a smile played on her lips.
“You might have actually done some damage there, this time.”
“So? You can stand to lose a little business.”
“And you could stand to gain some, is that it?”
I felt for her, I did. Of course, she didn’t know that and I couldn’t tell her. She wouldn’t have believed me anyway, if I did.
“Some business would be nice, yes,” she admitted. “You rolled into town and said it didn't matter that there were two of us, that we could co-exist. Well, I’ve got news for you. Only one of us is existing, and it’s not me. I’m drowning.”
I could see the sad desperation on her face, and it broke me.
“I’m sorry,” I said softly, right before she jumped me.
Shit. I looked her in the eyes.
Chapter 11
Rebekah
I closed the door to my shop behind me, and let out a blood curdling scream.
What in the fuck was wrong with me, and why, no matter what the circumstances were, did I keep ending up in his arms? Naked!
Screaming didn’t make me feel any better, so I picked up a box of file folders and flung it at the door. The lid crashed to the ground and paper followed, fluttering through the air gracefully before landing and making a mess.
What the hell? It’s not like a client was going to walk through the door, and see it or me.
That would mean a customer would have to actually walk through the door.
“Arggggh!” I screamed again and chucked the phone book at the wall.
Angry, and sad, and terrified that I was about to lose the thing that meant so much to me, I slid to the floor and buried my head in my hands, and began to sob.
When the bell on the door jingled, signaling the arrival of a new client, or more likely, the mailman, I rushed to dry my eyes on my shirt sleeve.
It wasn’t a client or the mailman bringing me more overdue bills to ignore.
It was Kimmy, and I had forgotten to lock the door, again.
I looked up as she peeked her head in.
“Are you alright?” she asked, her eyes widening when she noticed the mess.
“No,” I snapped. “I’m not okay. And I’m not going to be okay anytime soon, and I don’t want to talk about it. Go away.”
She didn’t go away. She did the opposite of go away. She came in.
“Oh sweetie,” she clicked, flopping down on my desk chair. “Is this about Eros? Trouble in paradise?”
“There’s no such thing as paradise.” I scowled. “And if there was I assure you that Eros Adonis has nothing to do with it. Especially not my paradise.”
“Oh please. Honey, I know you’re not blind, and that man looks like he flew in from paradise. That boy is palm trees and white sand and fruity drinks all rolled into one with a cock attached, and I imagine it’s
a nice one, too.”
It was.
“And everyone has seen the way you two look at each other, Bekah. You can spin it however you want, but we see the truth.”
“Please. We look at each other like we are each trying not to get infected by the plague.”
Kimmy sighed, and then smiled. “Well, maybe you look at him that way sometimes, but he looks at you like he wants to eat you up. Or out. Out is probably more accurate.”
My face flushed at the memory of him doing just that less than an hour ago.
“Yeah, right,” I muttered. “All he cares about is taking away all my clients and putting me out of business.”
Kimmy frowned. “Still that bad, huh? What about the sale? How’s that going?”
“It’s not. I’ve put up signs, sent emails, passed out fliers, and even did a radio ad. And it isn’t doing a lick of good. Not a single client has even stopped by to ask for more information or inquire about their free consultation.” I shook my head. “No wait. I take that back. A lady stopped by this morning.”
“See that’s good!” Kimmy exclaimed excitedly. “You just have to give it time. It will pick up.”
“ No.” I stopped her short. “No, they came in to ask me if I knew where Cupid’s Matchmaking Service was located.”
“Oh. That blows.”
“It super blows.”
“Well girl, fuck. You were here first, and your nana before you. Matchmaking is in your blood. We need to get rid of him!”
Don’t you think I know that?
“I’m trying.”
And when he’s gone I’ll miss him.
Don’t have to worry about that. Your miracle isn’t coming. You’ll be gone long before he is.
Panic rose in my chest, and I burst into tears. Kimmy was at my side in an instant with a box of tissues from my desk.
“Oh sweetie, here ya go, let it all out. Sometimes all we really need to get our head on straight is a good cry. Or a good fuck.”
I’ve had a good fuck recently. Several of them.
“Sex is part of the problem!” I wailed. “Actually, sex is most of the problem.”
“Well now, this just got interesting!” Kimmy’s eyes lit up as she peered at me over the top of her glasses. “I knew there was something going on between you guys! I knew it! Now, spill. I want to hear all the juicy details.”
I hiccuped between tears. “He’s really sexy, Kimmy. Like drop-dead freaking gorgeous hot. And good in bed. Like, really good. But, what kind of horrible joke is the universe playing on me dropping this perfect specimen of a man in my lap, and then making him my competition—the one thing standing between me and everything I want?”
“Not everything,” Kimmy corrected.
I knew what she meant. Like anyone else, I wanted to find love. He wasn’t standing in the way of that. He was that. He could be my chance. I could see that now. I believed in love. I did. I wanted it, of course, but I couldn’t put it above all else. I couldn’t take that kind of risk. As much as I was attracted to him, as much as I loved his smile, and his choice in songs when he serenaded me, and the crazy insult wars we had whenever we happened to be in the same room, I didn’t think he felt, or could feel, the same way I could. The same way I did. He saw me as a nuisance, or a fun play thing. He probably kept me distracted so that it was easier for him to steal all my customers. I was probably just a pawn in his game to take over, and here I was falling for this man like an idiot. And worse, I knew I could free fall if I didn’t nip it in the bud.
“Yes, Everything,” I countered in a tone that brooked no argument. “He might be hot as hell, but I am not the kind of woman to allow myself to fall prey to these kinds of distractions. I've been letting him win, simply by fighting. By indulging in a fight, I’m standing in my own way. No more.”
Kimmy nodded. “Okay! You go girl. You show that stupid hot monster what’s up! You are back in the game! Let’s get your customers back! How can I help?”
“I have no idea,” I wailed. Getting my customers back, and avoiding Eros was easy to say, but doing it was a whole different ball game.
“Well, he closed up for the rest of the day, right? So that gives us a head start. Operation leave Eros in the dust and get rid of Cupid’s Matchmaking Service is a go. How do we do this? Let’s make a plan.”
She grabbed a spiral notebook and a pen off my desk, and shoved it into my lap. “Okay, what’s first?”
I grabbed the pen, and flipped the notebook open to an empty page, scribbling furiously.
Step 1: Stop sleeping with him.
Kimmy read over my shoulder. “Yup. that’s a good start. No more consorting with the enemy.”
I shook my head. “It’s not that easy. I never even meant to consort with him in the first place. I never mean to. It’s not at all a conscious decision. One minute we are fighting and trading insults, and the next minute, I’m jumping on his desk and ripping his clothes off. I don’t even know what’s happening. It’s like I can't resist him at all.”
“Jumping on the desk and ripping his clothes off?” Kimmy gaped at me. “Bekah, that doesn’t sound like you at all. Maybe this thing with him is worth looking into if he has that kind of effect on you.”
“No!” I yelled, firmly. “No, I am not going there. My days of sleeping with Eros Adonis are over. They have to be.” I hoped I was convincing her. I wasn’t convincing myself.
Kimmy looked disappointed, but she nodded.
Step 2: Stay away from him, completely.
“Completely?”
“Yup. I’m not taking any chances. If I don’t have to see him or talk to him, I can’t sleep with him.”
“Okay. what else?”
Step 3: Concentrate on creating business and making money.
I would start selling things if I had to. I could cut back on luxuries at home, and move into a studio apartment in my building. Hell, I could live off ramen noodles and peanut butter sandwiches for a while. It wouldn’t be the first time, and I was willing to do whatever it took to get my business back.
“Okay! Looks like a solid plan! Is that it?”
“There’s just one more thing.”
Step 4: Put an end to the prank war. No more pranks. Don’t give him any attention.
Kimmy frowned. “Shouldn’t that be step three?”
“It would be. If I didn’t already have one more prank in progress as we speak.”
“Oh. Well can’t you stop it?”
“I would if I could. But I can’t. It’s too late.”
She grunted. “Do I dare ask what it is?”
“You don’t want to know.”
Chapter 12
Eros
Keep your dick in your pants. Keep your tool in the box. Keep your arrow in its sheath.
No matter which way you said it, I really needed to stop having sex with her. Or letting her have sex with me, as the case may be.
God, or mortal, I was a man, and as a man, I could tell you that it is wholly impossible to do the above when the woman of your dreams is jumping onto your desk and ripping your clothes off.
Of course the fact that she was currently ignoring me, and had been for several days since the unfortunate ring incident, was making it much easier.
In theory. And in reality.
But in my fantasies we were fucking 24/7.
I dragged myself up the stairs to my apartment after a day that seemed like it had been twice as long as all the ones before it. It hadn’t been of course, but I knew exactly what had been making it seem that way. Bekah was now full-on avoiding me.
You would think I would be happy about the fact that she wasn’t letting mice loose in my shop, or throwing fake engagement rings at me, and making a scene in front of my customers, or leaving flaming bags of dog shit on my doorstep, but I wasn’t.
And I certainly wasn’t happy that we weren’t having sex every time we ended up in the same room together, either.
Sure, I felt guilty about that, but that do
esnt mean I wasn’t enjoying it.
I had been enjoying it very much, and I missed it.
I missed her.
And getting her to fall for me was starting to feel like an impossible feat.
Of course my perfect match had to also be a matchmaker.
And I had to be the competition.
The successful competition.
After all I’m fucking Cupid.But still, what were the odds?Had Zeus and my father known? Did they know?Were they keeping tabs on my progress or did they just plan to check in after a year? I didn't know, but I missed my father, a lot. Zeus, not so much.
I had been here in the states, living among the mortals, for only two weeks, but it was starting to feel like I had been here forever and I would never get to go home.
The days felt like they were getting longer and longer.
Word had spread like wildfire about my matchmaking abilities and the constant flow of customers was exhausting. The thrill of the perfect match had faded, and I had learned that it was a lot tougher to make matches while living amongst the mortals than it was from my perch in the clouds where I could take naps throughout the day or sneak away for a little attention from one of the ladies.
The nine to five thing was not my jam, and I was no closer to my goal than I had been on day one. Rebekah hated my guts, and I had no idea how to change that.
Romance is hard.
Add in the complications of being business competitors and being involved in a crazy prank war, and one of us being Cupid, and it was damned near impossible.
At least I knew I was still on her mind even if our little war seemed to have come to a screeching halt.
I caught glimpses of her peeking across the street through the blinds every so often. I’d smile and wave when I did, but the defeated glare she shot me in return practically gutted me. The very existence of me and my shop were making her miserable. I had been a fool to think things would turn around after our last encounter.
All attempts to reach her had failed and I was running out of ideas. I had sent more flowers, balloons, candy, dedicated songs to her, had lunch delivered, basically any romantic thing I could think of, I had tried, even while she was still pranking me. Nothing had worked. Most of the things had done the opposite of work and had been the opposite of appreciated.