Page 141 of Lost

“And that’s not what you want?”

“No. It’s exhausting. But it’s less scary than loving someone.”

“Unless you love therightsomeone.”

Aphrodite sighed and flipped back her ponytail. “But how the hell do you know when someone is therightone? I’m sure my father thought he loved my mother, like, a zillion years ago. But their marriage was a sham. By the time he died they hated each other. I decided right then that I’d rather be alone than take a chance at that kind of living nightmare. So, what about guys? Do I have a lover or whatever over there?”

Kevin’s chest suddenly hurt, but he couldn’t—wouldn’tlie to her.

“Yeah, well, that’s another thing that’s different about that Aphrodite and you. In Zoey’s world you have an Oathbound Warrior named Darius. He loves you. You love him. You two fit together.”

He couldn’t look at her, so instead he stared down at his hands.

“Wait, I thought that Aphrodite and you kinda had a thing over there.”

Kevin smiled sadly at his hands. “No. Well, only a little. Only what your heart had room for. You didn’t love me. You liked me.” He felt his cheeks getting warm and wished he hadn’t turned the damn lantern up so high when he was trying to dry Nala. “You did kiss me and tell me to find you in this world, and to just be myself because you’d love me in this world too.”

“Too?Sounds like I mighta kinda loved you a little.”

“Maybe a little.”

“And what about you? How did you feel?”

He swallowed hard and moved his shoulders. “How could any guynotfall in love with you?”

She didn’t say anything for so long that Kevin’s cheeks went from blazing hot to cold with the kind of embarrassment that comes from heartbreak.

And then he felt her move. She slid over so close she could touch him. Aphrodite reached out and took his chin in her hand, gently lifting it and turning his face so he had to meet her eyes.

“No guy haseverloved me. Not one. They’ve wanted me. Lusted after me. Tried to use me. Feared me. Hated me. But never loved me.”

“Then every one of them was a fool.”

“But you aren’t. Kevin Redbird, you are no fool,” she said.

His laugh was humorless. “I think the definition of a fool is someone who falls in love with a woman who is not his to love.”

“That Warrior isn’t here, Kev,” she said softly, looking from his eyes to his lips. “What if in this worldyouare my Darius?”

Aphrodite leaned into him, pulling him down to her. She kissed him, long and deep and hot. Their tongues met, touched, teased. Her arms went around his shoulders and suddenly she was in his lap and his hand stroked the length of her smooth leg.

“I want to stay with you tonight,” she whispered against his lips. “Ineedto stay with you tonight.”

“You can stay with me forever,” he murmured back—lifting her, turning her, so that their bodies pressed together as they explored the secret, beautiful places only lovers share.

And then finally they fit together. Perfectly.