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Elodie sat on the couch inher apartment in a state. Pajamas, unwashed hair, food containersfrom takeout littering the room. She couldn’t make herself lie inthe bed. Not where he’d held her so sweetly after her previouskill. At least she wasn’t in the cabin where they’d made love.This…what they’d done here had just been fucking.
Liar, a tiny voice in her head whispered.
She was starting to hatethat inner voice.
Elodie hadn’t been outsince she’d gotten home, and even though tonight—Valentine’sDay—was one of her best hunting nights, seeing all those couplescelebrating their love…she didn’t feel up to facing that. She’dfeed in another day or two when the hubbub of the holiday had dieddown.
At least she was no longerbeing stalked by a vengeful minotaur. Delilah and Alasdair hadunspelled Cretan’s pals from Chance’s arrows, then taken them backto their people for punishment, which she hoped was being handledright. She was too heart weary to check in. Delilah would tell herif something went awry. Elodie needed to be alone.
And no one noticed.She hadn’t shown up anywhere, talked to anyone,and no one had noticed.
The thought made her tenseand then sit up straighter, letting go of her knees.
What am I doing?In all her years she’d been bitter, jaded,disgusted even. When previous lovers had left her, she’d been heartsore, but not broken. What she had never been, though, not once,was defeatist.
Damned if she was going to let herselfbecome that now.
It was Valentine’s Day. Ifthere was ever a day to lay all her cards on the table, declare herlove, and let the chips fall where they may—which was probably toomany idioms—this was the day. If Chance had taught her anything, itwas that hope and love were both worth fighting for.
Elodie jumped up and headedinto her room, where she pulled out a dress worthy of the classywoman she was and started getting herself ready to knock ChanceEroson’s socks off.
Another idiom. Apparently,courage meant thinking in cliches.
An hour later, she appliedthe last touch to her makeup, then stepped back from the mirror tocheck out the finished effect. This wasn’t the siren. This was her.Entirely her.
The dress was understated,navy with a slim, sleeveless top and flaring skirt, but cut sobeautifully it showed off her curves and made her feel sexy whilebeing nothing like the over-the-top dresses she wore when hunting.Her white-blond hair she’d pulled into a simple ponytail. Makeupalso understated.
This was the woman shewished men saw when they looked at her. Who she’d hoped Chance saw.This wasn’t the casual version of her, but Chance had already seenthat version.
A knock at her door made her jump.
She wasn’t expectinganyone. With a frown, she went through to the foyer and checked thepeep hole, then hurried to open the door. “Delilah? Did somethinggo wrong with—”
A gentle hand on her armstopped the worries spilling out of her mouth. “Nothing’s gonewrong. Cretan was acting without the consent of the bull shifter’sleaders. This is over. No one will come after her again.
“Oh. Okay.” That was arelief at least. Elodie stepped back to let her friend in. “Youcould have called. You didn’t have to come all this way just totell me that.”
“I didn’t.” Delilah eyedher up and down. “I came to tell you to stop hiding and go talk toChance. He’s back in town tonight.”
He hadn’t been home? It hadbeen days now. Where had he gone? She’d just assumed when he hadn’tcalled or gotten in touch or showed up—
Turning away she grabbedher matching coat and handbag. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I haveto go see Chance.”
“Then turn around andlook.”
Suddenly popping up in front of her, Delilahsmiled, then disappeared.
On a gasp, Elodie whirledto find Chance standing in her hallway. Despite the cocky grin,there was an uncertainty in his eyes that made her heart soar. Thatand the bouquet of roses clutched in his hand.
“Chance,” she breathed,then launched herself at him.
He caught her against hischest with a grunt, one arm wrapping around her tightly as sheburied her face in his neck. “Whoa.” He chuckled. “Now that’s thekind of greeting I could get used to.”
“I thought you left becauseyou were horrified.”
He sighed. “My fathersummoned me home to Olympus to explain. He did it so fast, and youreyes were closed, so I didn’t get the chance to warnyou.”
He was right. He’d beenthere. She’d closed her eyes. And when she’d opened them, he wasgone. Definitely no time. But why had he been summoned?
