A crawling sensation made her freeze. She saw a shadow move out of the corner of her eye. Terror overcame her as she turned to see the shadow on the couch. It was barely visible in the low light cast from the kitchen.
Her knees almost buckled, and her muscles tensed, her lungs filling to scream—
The sound never came.
A hand lifted as though taking responsibility for her muted state. “Sorry,” the figure drawled, smooth as silk. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Relief nearly made her collapse, but she straightened and glared at Hermes. Her lips formed curse words that never came, calling him every imaginative name she could think of.
He gave a careless wave of his fingers, and she felt her vocal cords loosen.
Shutting the fridge door with force, she stalked toward him. “You silenced me?” she asked quietly.
He turned on a lamp, then reclined on the couch as if he owned it. “Well, yeah. If you’d screamed, I would’ve had all three gods charging in like pissed-off guard dogs. I wanted to talk to you. Not them.”
Iliana crossed her arms, still rattled. Hermes didn’t just drop in without a reason. “What are you doing here? Is something wrong?”
“Do I need a reason?” Before she could answer, he disappeared and reappeared in front of her.
She jumped, the water bottle slipping out of her hand. As it fell, Hermes smoothly caught it. She snatched it back, narrowing her eyes. “Why?”
“I wanted to make sure you were safe. That you got here okay.”
Iliana’s heartbeat stuttered.
“You seemed…off. After the Fates,” he explained softly. He moved his hand to her cheek, caressing her with startling gentleness. “Are you okay? How have the gods been taking care of you?”
The tender touch clashed with the warning in his words. If they weren’t, she didn’t doubt he’d do something about it. But what?
“They’ve been perfect.”
His eyes searched hers, then a moment later, he said, “Good.”
She didn’t want to admit how much that possessiveness—dangerous and tempting—excited her. Her body leaned in before her mind caught up, longing flaring through her. It took every ounce of stubbornness not to close the distance and kiss him.
Hermes’ lips hovered close to her, so close his breath fanned her skin. She smelled his citrus-and-cedar scent, which never failed to excite her. It reminded her she was alive. “When you look at me like that, I think you want me.” His nose brushed her cheek, the touch of skin intimate. The lips she’d been staring at ghosted along her jaw.
“I’m attracted to you,” she answered honestly. There was no point lying when her body was already betraying her—nipples hardening, skin flushing.
His hand slid from her cheek to the base of her throat, his fingers gently circling the column, his thumb resting against her racing pulse. She stilled, but not because she was scared. It was more primal. Her thighs clenched, and she bit her lip.
He wasn’t threatening her. It was a question. A promise.
“All you have to do is say yes,” he said, his lips brushing her jaw, “and I’ll take you. Right here. Right now.”
Gods, part of her wanted to. She could picture it vividly. Giving in to him. Letting him take her right there on the couch, easing the fire he’d stoked with every breath and touch against her overheated skin. A night with Hermes would be reckless. Wild. Pleasure without fear. Freedom without strings. Just sensation and release.She wanted that. She wanted him. The temptation to give in was strong. Her hands itched to touch him, to drag him close and say yes to everything he was offering.
Then, other images crashed through her desire. Thanatos, launching them into the sky just to see her laugh. Anubis, with his golden eyes, calling her Neferet. And Hypnos, challenging her at every turn, refusing to let her hide from hard truths.
If she said yes to Hermes now…
Desire raged inside her, but it didn’t make everything else disappear. She pulled back, hating how much it hurt to resist him.
Hermes withdrew his hand slowly. The flash of disappointment in his eyes almost made her feel guilty until he masked it with his usual grin. “What is it?”
Still reeling, she took a moment to reclaim her sanity. Only when she was sure she wouldn’t blurt outYes! Take me now!did she manage, “I can’t.”
Amusement shone in his eyes. “Why can’t you? I can see you want me.” His gaze dragged down her body, taking in the hard points of her nipples, the flush climbing up her chest, the rapid rise and fall of her breathing.
