Kaitlin’s jaw clenched as she gripped the steering wheel tightly, her vision blurred by the unshed tears she was holding back by force of will alone. She’d been so excited, not quite four hours ago, when she’d received an email from Mark’s assistant Carissa; normally when she heard from her, it was about Mark’s itinerary for a business trip.

She’d assumed this was the same, since Mark had told her he’d have to cancel their Valentine’s Day plans in order to leave town for a conference. A few clicks had the email open and Kaitlin staring at the screen of her phone in shock; it hadn’t been an itinerary attached to the email, but a booking confirmation.

The large logo on the top corner had caught her attention, the multi-colored rooster and the gold lettering for the L’Auberge Provençale . Kaitlin had read about it last year, it was one of the top twenty-five most romantic bed and breakfasts in the country. The landscape would make for beautiful photos, too, maybe something she could sell to a magazine. Mark had obviously made the booking for both of them and had Carissa send it to her.

Excited, Kaitlin rushed about packing an overnight bag with things she’d thought she’d need. Clothes, lingerie, her camera and her favorite lenses. Once she’d packed and checked everything, she locked up her apartment and made her way downstairs to climb into her aging Ford.

It was a peaceful enough drive from Alexandria to White Post, but of all the things that had been going through her head of what to expect, what she’d found was not among them. Upon being given the key and then directed to the room, Kaitlin had slipped inside only to find her boyfriend in flagrante delicto with another woman.

That was what had her driving around aimlessly, her mind awash with tumultuous emotions even as her heart shattered at Mark’s betrayal. While she’d always known their relationship wasn’t going to be forever, Kaitlin couldn’t help feeling thoroughly miserable.

None of her relationships ever seemed to last long. Whether that was because she didn’t care to make a fuss about her appearance, or because she was more of an outdoorsy type, who knew? One of her past boyfriends had even broken up with her due to her height; that had been a truly spectacular embarrassment as she’d been dressed up, heels included, for his sister’s wedding.

Apparently Josh hadn’t liked it that when she was in a four-inch pair of heels, she was three inches taller than him. It wasn’t as though she’d had any say in the matter, being swept into the wedding party as a last-minute replacement a week before the ceremony.

It was starting to be the bane of her existence: being a five-foot-ten Plain Jane who preferred to be out and about in nature with her camera rather than playing the social games the men she met all seemed to thrive on.

Kaitlin was drawn from her thoughts by a red light suddenly appearing on the dashboard and the speedometer steadily dropping. Though she pushed down on the gas, the engine merely revved louder and louder as her old Ford rolled to a stop, before finally falling silent.

“No, not now ,” Kaitlin groaned while dropping her forehead against the steering wheel. Blowing out a sharp breath, she straightened in her seat and reached down to try the ignition. She twisted the key and winced at the feeble whirring of the starter as it attempted to turn over.

Her palms slapped against the steering wheel in frustration before she unfastened her seatbelt. She pulled the hood lever, throwing the door open and forcing herself out of the driver’s seat, kicking the door shut, and moving to open the hood. She propped it open and leant down to glare at the engine as she checked the cables, but there didn’t seem to be anything obviously wrong. Nothing she could fix without the help of a mechanic, at any rate.

The absolute last thing she needed was to be stuck out here in the middle of nowhere overnight. Stepping back from her car, Kaitlin glanced skyward; what once was a beautiful, sunny day had turned gloomy and overcast as sundown approached. She shivered and snugged her jacket tighter around her.

Well, at least her mood matched the weather, and vice versa.

The loud rumble of a motorcycle drew her attention away from the brewing storm. She couldn’t identify the motorcycle; it was not like any she had ever seen before, black and chrome shining even in the dull evening light. Impressive though the bike was, it was the man astride it who really caught her attention.

Kaitlin turned, following the bike’s path as it passed her and pulled off the road. Short blond hair made it clear he wasn’t wearing a helmet. Her gaze locked on the man’s broad, muscular shoulders and the way the material of his t-shirt pulled tight as he shut off the engine. She couldn’t really help that her gaze wandered lower, down along his back to settle on his denim-clad ass, as he swung himself off the bike.

Kaitlin was, after all, only human, and from the back the man looked like an Adonis. His blond hair wasn’t too short or too long. It was just enough to be able to grab hold of during sex. The front view turned out to be even better and confirmed her Adonis speculation. Her gaze drifted up along his muscular thighs, then shot quickly past his groin to his hands.

They were large, capable hands, if the way he’d handled the motorcycle was anything to go by. Hands that she was suddenly picturing all over her naked body. Stop that, Kaitlin! She silently chastised her suddenly overactive libido. Some small part of her responded to that chastisement with What! You want us to stay heartbroken over Mark? With a specimen like that in front of us?

For a moment Kaitlin had to admit that small rebellious part of her could be right. Mark had betrayed her with another woman, on Valentine's Day of all days, so why shouldn’t she have a little fun of her own? With a shake of her head, she dragged herself from her inner musings. Kaitlin’s gaze roamed upwards, passing over the biceps bulging from beneath the sleeves of the t-shirt, along the stranger’s shoulders and up to his face.

His face, while not classically beautiful, was still gorgeous in a rugged way. His chiseled jaw sported a light layer of stubble with a matching mustache that had Kaitlin’s thoughts detouring into what that stubble would feel like against her skin. I am so doomed! She mused as the good Samaritan approached her.

“Everything okay, Miss?”

The smooth, seductive drawl of his voice caused a rush of arousal to course through Kaitlin and pool between her legs. She shifted restlessly, her booted feet scuffing the loose gravel as she pondered the question. Before her brain could stop it, she blurted out “No, everything is not fucking okay! Men are pigs and cheating men are even worse.”

One blond brow rose towards his hairline.

Her own eyes widened as she realized exactly what she’d just said before she waved vaguely towards her car, mumbling, “And you meant my car, didn’t you?”

* * *

Well, that had most definitely not been the response he’d been expecting. The betrayal and outrage in her voice definitely had Eros’ curiosity piqued as to who had hurt her so. He’d hoped to beat the oncoming storm to the next town, but he had never been able to resist a woman in need. A beautiful woman at that, though she didn’t have a flashy eye-catching beauty like Psyche; hers was more a quiet, soft loveliness.

She had long, dark brown hair that he guessed would hang past her shoulders if it were loose, and expressive brown eyes that glinted with a combination of anger and unshed tears. Her clothing wasn’t classy or dressy; it was comfortable, reliable with her dark jeans and combat boots. The only exception being the red top that left her shoulders bare. They were very pretty shoulders too, he noted.

“Yeah, I meant the car, and for the record not all of us are cheating pigs,” he replied as he walked past her.

“Unfortunately, my track record seems to state otherwise,” she retorted as he bent beneath the hood of the car to examine the engine.

It was at times like these that Eros was grateful his stepfather was not only a talented craftsman, but a mechanical genius. But as he began to methodically check the engine over to try and identify the problem, his curiosity got the better of him. Turning his head, Eros found her leaning against the side of the chassis so she could look beneath the hood at what he was doing. He cleared his throat before carefully inquiring, “So what brings you out this way?”

There was a long silence, one that was only broken by a sharp clap of thunder, which had her jerking upright. Thunk .

“Ow, son of a...” Her words trailed off as she moved away from the car.

Pushing himself out from beneath the hood, Eros found her pacing while rubbing the back of her head. It wasn’t until he got closer to her that he realized she was swearing, and rather creatively swearing at that.

Feeling his lips pull into a grin as his attention turned back to her car, he figured if she was going to answer, she’d do it when she was ready. He wasn’t going to push.

“I thought my boyfriend-” Her voice stalled from beside him as she corrected herself, “My ex- boyfriend had arranged a week away for Valentine’s. His assistant sent me a booking confirmation for a romantic bed and breakfast. I guess I made an incorrect assumption.”

And that right there was why he refused to work today. Valentine’s Day. A made up holiday that depicted him as a cute little cherub with wings, in a diaper. Fuck. That. Shit. If the humans wanted to depict him that way, then there was no way he was helping them find love on this particular day of the year. Yet, for the first time since the inception of the human Valentine’s tradition, Eros found himself wanting to help the woman beside him.

“Well, you know what they say when you assume things,” Eros teased.

“Yeah, yeah. You make an ass out of you and me,” she shot back without missing a beat, even as she hip-checked him.

“Pretty sure the ass in this equation is your ex,” he replied while checking out the starter.

“Probably,” she agreed. “Shit. Where are my manners, here you are stopping and trying to help me and I didn’t even introduce myself. I’m Kaitlin, Kaitlin Taylor.”

“Nice to meet you Kaitlin. I’m Eros.” As he straightened from under the hood, Eros wiped his greasy palms against his jeans and scowled at the engine. “And I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do for your car right now. I can give you a ride into the nearest town though, if you’d like?”

“Yeah, that’d be great. Just let me grab my bag and we can go.”

As Eros crossed back to his bike he glanced skyward and grimaced. If memory served him correctly, which it usually did, they were at least two hours from the nearest town. Odds were good that by the time they got there they were going to be very wet.

Aware of her perusal of him, Eros smirked as he amended the thought. Definitely wet, and in more ways than one. Swinging himself onto the bike and settling into the seat, he glanced back over his shoulder at the sound of one of the car doors slamming shut. He watched silently as Kaitlin slung the small overnight bag over her shoulder and approached the bike.

Offering her his hand, he assisted her in climbing on. “Comfortable?”

He felt her shifting behind him until she was pressed against his back, her arms coming to rest about his waist as she replied, “Yeah, I think so.”

His smile was amused as he squeezed her interlocked fingers. “Hold on. We have a long way to go, and if we want to stay dry, I'm probably gonna need to get a little reckless.”

“So long as you don’t crash, I think I can live on the wild side.”

Chuckling, he teased, “Dangerous permission, little girl.”

“Living safe has never gotten me anywhere, so why not try the other side of the tracks for once?” Kaitlin responded with a shrug.

“A wise philosophy, if also a foolish one,” he agreed, squeezing again before moving his hand to the handlebars. “Hold on.”

“I may be foolish, but I’m not stupid.” Her arms locked tightly around his sides as Kaitlin rested her chin on his shoulder.

Chuckling, he revved the engine and pulled out onto the road once more. Soon enough, they were flying down the road, her hair whipping around her and the roar of the engine ringing in her ears. Her heard her laughter; she clearly felt thrilled and exhilarated by the speed and the wind and the sense of freedom to be found on the back of his bike. He sensed the change in her emotions as she let the wind sweep away her pain and heartbreak. He knew she'd never felt like this before; as she clenched her hands tighter around his waist, he wondered if that had as much to do with him as it did with the wind and the bike.

Eros was caught off guard by the engine of his bike cutting out. It took all his control to keep it upright as he angled it onto a side road as it slowed.  When it finally came to a stop he put the kickstand down while grunting, “That’s strange.”

“What’s strange?” Kaitlin inquired as she swung off the back of his bike.

“My bike dying. It’s never done that before,” he replied while swinging off the seat and crouching to check the engine.

“Maybe I’ve infected you with my bad luck?”

“Maybe,” he muttered in response.

Since Hephaestus had built him the motorcycle, it had always run pristinely. The engine never missed and she always purred like a kitten upon starting. So it was more than a little suspicious to him that out here in the middle of nowhere, the bike just up and died on him, effectively stranding him with a pretty girl.

The entire scene screamed of his mother’s meddling. She’d tried more than once since Psyche had left him to set him up with random acquaintances, human and non-human alike. Not that any of them had ever piqued his interest as Kaitlin did now, though.

A sharp CRACK!  filled the air as lightning struck somewhere nearby, shortly followed by heavy thunder rumbling ominously above them. It was during the next bright flash of lightning that Eros spotted the tiny cabin nearby.

He pushed himself up from where he was still crouched beside his bike just as icy rain began to pelt down. Grabbing for Kaitlin’s hand he started off towards the cabin; despite their four inch height difference she managed with some effort to keep pace with his long strides.

Booted feet pounded on the now muddy ground as they dashed up onto the cabin’s porch. Turning his gaze to Kaitlin, Eros found her pushing her drenched hair back out of her face. His gaze dipped lower, taking in the way her jacket clung to her curves as she shifted restlessly. He needed to get her inside and out of her soaked clothes before she caught a chill.

“So, I guess we’re stuck out here until the rain stops?” Kaitlin stammered through chattering teeth.

“No. We’re going to ride it out where we can be nice and warm in front of a fire.”

Eros twisted the knob and pushed the door open with his shoulder. His eyes narrowed immediately; if he’d had any doubts about his mother's hand in the circumstances, they were gone now. The house was quaint and warm... and bordering on romantic. His tone was almost a snarl as he growled in Ancient Greek, “Damn it, Mother.”

“What was that? Greek? And wait the door was open?” Kaitlin asked as she peered inside. “Isn’t that weird?”

Eros sighed, “With my mother... no, not really.” Turning back, he ushered her over the threshold, “Quickly, before you freeze.”

He watched as she hurried inside, her eyes scanning the interior as she considered that answer. Kaitlin set her drenched bag on the floor as she moved toward the only other door in the cabin, her voice calling back, “So you’re telling me we just happened to break down outside a cabin your mother owns?”

“Nothing quite so simplistic. Knowing my mother, she has orchestrated every instant of this weekend... beginning with you receiving the ill-fated itinerary and ending with us here.”

“I don’t think I’m going to ask for clarification on that,” she muttered while opening the door, finding the small bathroom. Reaching inside, she grabbed one of the towels off a stack on the counter and threw it in his direction “I am, however, confiscating the bathroom to dry off.”

Eros groaned at the statement, unable to suppress the thought of her naked and wet. Swallowing his arousal, he agreed in a choked voice, “Of course... I'll see what food I can find in the pantry.” Turning away, he muttered, “And then a cold shower.”

* * *

“You promised a fire too, if I recall!” Kaitlin called back to him while stepping into the bathroom and closing the door. Fumbling in the dark for a light switch, Kaitlin was saved from her fruitless endeavor as a flash of lightning lit the room through the tiny window; it was just enough light for her to find the switch and flick it on.

“I remember. I shall endeavor to do that while you dry off.”

“That’ll be easier said than done,” Kaitlin mumbled to herself as she began peeling off and shedding wet layers. Her boots were kicked off before she began her struggle with her drenched jeans. Once free, her soaked undergarments followed the rest of her clothes into the sodden pile. She grabbed hastily for another of the large towels to dry herself and try to get some semblance of warmth back into her chilled skin, feeling gooseflesh shudder along her flanks and back.

Once dry, Kaitlin bundled herself up in the large, fluffy towel and stared at the mirror. What little clothing she’d packed in her overnight bag was more than likely just as drenched as what she’d been wearing. She knew she couldn’t hide in the bathroom all night, not with the prospect of a comfortable bed and fire in the other room.

Not to mention the tall, sexy hunk of a man too, her subconscious provided helpfully. Kaitlin cracked open the door and peered out into the other room for a moment. Taking a steadying breath, she opened the door wider and strolled back into the other room, clutching the towel tightly closed at her chest.

Eros crouched before the fireplace, knees bare and spread wide for balance. The muscles in his back rippled as he worked to arrange the logs, before doing something quick with his hands to make the fire bloom. Bracing his hands on his knees, he straightened and turned away... which left her suddenly aware that he too was towel-clad, and likely as naked as she beneath it.

“Oh my,” she gasped, flicking her gaze away from him and toward the fire. Kaitlin stammered incoherently for a few moments before hopefully asking, carefully keeping her eyes turned away from that extremely impressive torso, “Any chance your mother has dry clothing here?”

“Unlikely,” he sighed ruefully. “If I know my mother, she has a specific plan for this little entrapment.”

“So you’re thinking your mother is trying to play cupid? But why me? I’ve never met you before, let alone your mother! And how could she have possibly known we’d even meet, considering both my car and your bike broke down?” What he was saying just didn’t add up.

Eros smiled softly before shaking his head, “You may not realize you've met her, but I'll bet you have. Someone forgettable but beautiful. Very wealthy but classy about it.” There was a pause before he continued, “May have tall, dark and hulking at her side, a man who’s handsome but always grumpy, as though he'd rather be killing something.”

Kaitlin considered that description for a moment before she dropped heavily onto the couch. One couple came to mind as she blurted out suddenly “Sounds like that self help love guru author who hired me to shoot her book cover.”

“Was her name Dita Lovely? Cause if so, then yes. That was my mother and her lover, Aaron.” His emphasis on the man’s name was snide, a look of distaste creasing his handsome features. “Technically, my father.”

“Your father is a little scary,” Kaitlin said thoughtfully while shaking her head. “He was always watching everything, everyone. I couldn’t work under those conditions.”

“Dear old Dad runs a weapons manufacturing company. He used to be a soldier, but Mother made him stop.” Shrugging, he continued, “Not that she was around much anyway. She was always leaving me with my stepfather, Heph. He is the man I consider my real father.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way but your mother seemed a little vapid and way more interested in the nearly naked male model than your father. She didn’t look that much older than me though so I’m guessing she’s had a lot of work done?” Kaitlin stared at the fire. “I’d hate to have seen your childhood.”

“It was... lonely. There weren't a lot of kids my own age.”

“That must have sucked. My childhood was the other way round; I was one of so many foster children that I was virtually invisible.” She scowled at the fire. Kaitlin wasn’t entirely sure why she’d just shared that particular tidbit of her past with a virtual stranger. It had seemed a fair exchange though, given his revealing details of his parents and his obviously fraught relationship with them.

“I'm not sure which of the two of us had the more lonely childhood, then,” he sighed, shooting her a sad smile.

“You at least know your own flesh and blood.” She rose from the couch and crossed towards him as she quipped, “And at least you’re not a serial killer... right?”

He chuckled, a smarmy grin on his face as he mock-leered at her. “Unless you mean my talent at giving killer orgasms, then no. I'm not a serial killer.”

Kaitlin snorted out a laugh at that, unable to hold it in as she shot back, “Uh huh. I’ve learnt not to take guys on their word, they have a tendency to overestimate their own talents.”

His eyes were assessing and admiring as they scanned her. “I could provide a demonstration... if you were up to being my assistant.”

“Hmm, maybe,” she teased, looking him over. “You could be just the distraction I need to get over my broken heart.”

He bowed slightly, which should have looked ridiculous in his current attire, but instead only highlighted the cut of his abs and the rippling muscles in his shoulders. “At your service, Miss. It would be my pleasure.”

“I’ll hold you to that. Right now though, shut up and kiss me.”

He looked surprised, a chuckle bursting out of him before he reached for her, catching her waist in his big hands. “A kiss, is that all you want?”

“We can start there.” Kaitlin looked up at him through her lashes.

“And where would you like me to kiss you?” His eyes dropped from her lips to the towel she was still clutching close to her breasts. “If I’m only going to get one kiss, I think I should make it count.”

She smiled, her fingers walking up his bare chest as she replied, “Who said you’d only get one?”

One big hand came up to cup her cheek, a small smile on his face in reply to her own, as he murmured, "Well then... best to start at the beginning huh? The climax is always best after a little... frustration."

Kaitlin could see wicked intent in his eyes, could see plans and plots and wonderful torture unfurling in their depths. Shuddering as he set his mouth delicately to where her pulse pounded in her throat, she breathed huskily, “I have a bad feeling... that I'm never going to be able to let you go.”

“Hold on then... the ride is just getting started,” he murmured, before returning his attention to her neck.

His hand cradled her neck as he laved attention to the area, using soft bites and kitten licks to stimulate her. The other arm looped around the small of her back, keeping her upright when all she wanted was to sink to the floor. The fingers of that hand caressed her gently, before he pulled away just enough to speak. “I find my canvas covered... may I remove its covering?”

She moaned, fingers spasming where she clutched his arms. “Yes... don't stop, please.”

“Far be it from me to deny a lady’s request,” he rumbled softly, seconds before her towel was tugged loose, drifting to the floor.

Kaitlin startled; she had been so lost in the pleasure of their embrace, she hadn't really been paying attention to the question. And now she stood naked before this Adonis, somehow feeling both shy because of the imperfections she knew were there and emboldened by the lust she could see building in his eyes. Deciding to go with it, she cocked her hip slightly and put on the sexiest voice she could manage, purring, “Well, Maestro; does your canvas serve?”

Eros grinned at her for a moment, though he said nothing. As a result, she jumped when two fingers suddenly reached between her thighs and stroked along her folds. The pads were tender and knowing, tracing their way through the slippery slit as they played her like a well-tuned instrument. “Yes, Miss Kaitlin... the canvas is well primed for my masterpiece... thank you for your concern,” he teased, extracting his fingers and bringing them to his mouth.

She moaned, watching as he slipped his fingers between his lips. He sucked her juices from them boldly, his gaze locked on hers. “Such sweet honey you have. I find myself craving more.”

In a move that caught her completely off guard, she was suddenly on her back on the floor, the soft, plush rug tickling along her skin. Her golden god knelt between her spread thighs, eyes scanning over her body, before bowing his head to taste her.

Kaitlin arched, his tongue an electric charge as it traced a broad stripe across her folds. “Oh my God, Ross,” she whimpered, hands flailing out as she sought some kind of anchor. One hand found the rug. The other found his head, fingers twining into that blond hair she’d thought the perfect length for grabbing onto in just this situation.

Lifting his head, Eros smirked, tone teasing as he stated, “It’s Eros actually.”

Pushing firmly, she insisted, “I don’t care right now. It's rude to leave a girl hanging!”

“You are very right. I beg your forgiveness,” he chuckled, before lying down between her legs and pulling one thigh over his shoulder. Then he set his mouth to her and proceeded to get to work in earnest.

All coherent thought flew from Kaitlin’s head as a flash of arousal burst through her. Pleasure flooded her system as his wickedly talented mouth worked at her heated flesh. Tangling her fingers in his unruly blond hair, Kaitlin groaned, her back arching as Eros stroked a calloused thumb across her clit before pressing it slowly inside her.

“Oh god,” she mumbled, head thrashing back and forth on the carpet as Eros teased her. The combination of his mouth and fingers had her body coiling tight with pleasure.

He purred a response against her clit, causing her whole body to spasm. “So close,” she moaned, head thrashing as she chased her typically elusive orgasm.

Kaitlin gasped as Eros hummed against her clit, his fingers sliding between her slick folds and crooking to hit that bundle of nerves buried deep within. She shuddered as her orgasm blindsided her, intense pleasure coursing through her whole nervous system.

Eros lifted his head, fingers still moving as he worked to prolong her orgasm. “You're beautiful, in the throes of pleasure, with no other goal but bliss. It's glorious.”

Her only response was an incoherent whine as Kaitlin bucked her hips up against his hand, her fingers tugging at his hair as she slowly shattered beneath him. When he finally stilled his fingers and her orgasm ebbed away, Kaitlin collapsed back onto the rug, panting as she fought to catch her breath.

He grinned as he teased, “So? How did I do? Have I passed muster and been found worthy?”

Cracking one eye open to peer up at Eros and his cheeky grin, Kaitlin murmured, “I think you may have killed me... just a little bit.”

“The Victorians called it ‘the little death’,” he chuckled, folding his arms over her hips and resting his chin on his wrists. “Could be a reason for that, huh?”

“Well don’t we just have a huge ego,” Kaitlin retorted while stroking her fingers through his hair, enjoying the silky feel of it. “From that preview though, it’s entirely possible that you could well have spoken the truth earlier.”

“I live to serve,” he chuckled, before pushing himself to his feet and offering her a hand. “Seeing as that was the preview, I'd prefer to have the main event somewhere softer. My knees aren't what they used to be.”

“Good thing that bed looks so soft and inviting then!” Curling her fingers around his hand, Kaitlin giggled as she was pulled effortlessly to her feet. Her free hand landed against Eros’ bare chest as she righted herself. Tilting her head back, she pressed a kiss to his jaw before murmuring, “Be a dear and grab the box of condoms from the front pocket of my bag?”

Nodding, he released her and moved to the bag she’d left on the floor. He sifted quickly through the contents, before lifting something from the inside... something black and lacy. “Hmm... I can't even tell you how distressed I am that this is too wet to be wearable. The lace would have looked delicious against your skin.”

“Oh my god, quit going through my underwear.” Kaitlin chuckled as she settled in the middle of the bed and teased, “If you get over here soon you may get the privilege of that wish at a later date.”

All but snatching the box from the bag, he tugged his own towel free before he practically dove at the bed, landing on top of her gently and prompting a peal of laughter. “Soon enough for you?”

“You are such a dork,” Kaitlin said between giggles as she snatched the box from his hands.

“Which just goes to show... you were that girl in high school who secretly thought the nerds were hot,” he joked.

“I was one of those nerds, thank you very much,” she shot back with a roll of her eyes.

* * *

Kaitlin pushed against Eros’ shoulder with her free hand and a frustrated growl when his solid frame never budged. Her tone was firm as she demanded, “Roll over.”

Chuckling, he rolled, insisting, “Good to know. You have a brain and a backbone -- my two greatest weaknesses.”

“A man who admits he has a weakness? That’s new,” Kaitlin hummed. Pushing herself up, she straddled Eros’ thighs and sat back while ripping open the box’s packaging.

“Mine are practically legendary among those who know me; there’s no point in keeping them hidden now,” he explained, fingers skating across her skin as he watched her intently. “I'm going to warn you; I was monogamous for a long time and I've never used one of those before. You'll need to take the situation in hand... as it were.”

Her fingers stalled as her brow furrowed at that particular piece of information. She looked down at him curiously, her brow arched. “Good to know you were a faithful, one woman kind of guy then?”

“Men who cheat are pigs. They're the exact opposite of what love is supposed to mean. Their perfidy disgusts me. I was with my ex-wife for nearly forever. I still love her, but she fell out of love with me. She's mortal... it happens. The point is; love should last. Men who spout love to get laid... they're an insult to mankind everywhere.”

“We’re all mortal,” Kaitlin pointed out as she pulled one of the foil packets free and dropped the box to the floor. Tearing the packet open, she discarded the wrapper, before bringing the latex condom to the tip of his erection and rolling it down over his throbbing cock with gentle strokes.

He bucked, his whole body convulsing at the touch. “Damn... it’s been awhile since there was someone else's hand on my cock, not just my own.”

She grinned wickedly at that, her hand continuing to languidly stroke him even though the condom was in place. Her tone was breathy and flirtatious as she teased, “Well that seems a shame. You are a specimen to rival Michaelangelo’s David.”

He smiled at her, lifting his fingers to smooth back a strand of hair. “As I said, I'm a one-woman kind of guy.”

“Maybe I should be grateful for your mother’s meddling then,” she purred. Wriggling forward, Kaitlin rocked herself against his erection as she leaned down to press a kiss to his lips, before murmuring against them, “Does that mean I get you for more than one night, or is this just some really weird dream caused by my broken heart?”

“You can have me for as long as you wish, Kaitlin. But if this is a dream, I hope we don't wake up.” His fingers trailed down over her shoulders gently, before he tweaked at her nipples.

Bracing her knees on the mattress, Kaitlin pushed up, one hand reaching between them to curl around his sheathed erection and guide it to her slick entrance. With a gentle roll of her hips his tip slid easily between her folds as she carefully lowered herself down onto his thick, hard cock.

Their groans rang out in tandem, Eros’ hands clamping down hard on her hips. He said something in a language she didn’t understand, his tone fervent, his hips rolling up into hers. “Sweet goddess... you're so warm and tight . . .” he moaned, tightening his grip and thrusting hard into her.

She spasmed, feeling every inch of him as he plunged deep. The pulse of blood through his cock echoed against her walls and she gasped, falling forward so her hands were braced against his rock-hard abdominal muscles. “Fuck me,” she whimpered, nearly overwhelmed.

“Working on it, sweetheart,” he promised, grinding into her languidly, drawing out the sensation.

“Smartass,” Kaitlin huffed, one hand swatting at his chest. The feel of him buried within her was something entirely new; she’d never felt so thoroughly filled by any of her past partners. Then again, none of them had Eros’ impressive physique.

It wasn't long before Eros flung her onto her back, his cock still buried in her, and thrust deep. “Much better,” he grunted, his hips starting to rock as he pistoned in and out of her.

“Oh god,” she groaned, hands moving to grip his biceps firmly. Bracing her feet against the mattress, Kaitlin pushed up, lifting her ass to meet Eros’ thrusts.

“Better,” he agreed, speeding up. He put one hand on her shoulder to keep her from being shunted up the bed as his thrusts grew even more forceful.

He was slamming against her G-spot with every stroke; it felt so good that Kaitlin’s eyes rolled back in her head, shrieks of ecstasy spilling from her lips. Skimming her hands along his muscled biceps and up to his shoulders, Kaitlin quivered beneath him as her release wound tighter.

Her nails bit into his broad shoulders as fireworks burst behind her closed eyelids, her orgasm washing over her making her cry out as her inner muscles clenched tight around his cock. As the pace of Eros’ thrusts quickened, Kaitlin forced her eyes partway open to meet intense deep blue eyes, gazing down at her.

“You’re lovely,” he growled out, “so lovely, Kait…”

She felt beautiful under his intent stare, more than she ever had in her life. Smiling up at him, she rolled her hips to urge him on, gasping with pleasure as he stuttered to a sudden, jarring halt, heat welling inside her as he groaned her name loudly.

Collapsing back against the mattress with a shuddering gasp as another aftershock washed over her, Kaitlin took a moment to enjoy the weight of Eros’ larger frame pressing her into the mattress. As he fought to steady his breathing, which was coming in rasping heaves against her neck, she ghosted her fingertips lightly up along his spine until they could bury themselves in his unnaturally soft, unruly hair.

“I think you’ve spoiled me for normal men,” she hummed contentedly as her eyes struggled to remain open.

As she drifted off deeper into sleep, Kaitlin never registered the low rumbling words against her throat. “Good, because I have every intention of keeping you.”

* * *

Over the past week, Kaitlin had done her best to erase Mark from her life. She ignored calls from both him and his assistant Carissa, and instead spent a lot of time reliving the epically real dream of hot, rough sex with a sexy biker.

At least, she thought it was a dream. How else could she explain thinking she’d fallen asleep in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, yet waking in her own bed? Her entire body had thrummed with bliss and a glance at the mirror had confirmed she sported the look of someone thoroughly fucked. So she’d put Eros down as a figment of her broken-hearted imagination that had given her a rather vivid erotic dream.

Bang, bang, bang. The sudden pounding on her front door dragged Kaitlin sharply out of yet another fantasy as she glanced at the clock. Who in the hell was trying to smash her door down at six in the evening?

Her bare feet slapped quietly against the hardwood floor to the door. Leaning to look through the peephole, she sighed; she really should have expected Mark to turn up sooner or later. Some small part of her had wished diligently for later, though. Her hands made quick work of the chain and deadbolt before she pulled the door open and hissed, “What the fuck do you want?”

“What the hell are you wearing? I’ve left you over a dozen messages about this important business dinner with a client tonight!”

Sparing a glance down at her tanktop and well loved sweats, Kaitlin shrugged before looking back up at Mark. “I’d have thought my not answering your calls, voice messages, texts, and emails would have made it clear I didn’t want anything to do with your cheating ass.”

“What? Oh come on, you can’t still be mad over that.”

“Oh really? You expect me to not be mad that you spent a week rolling around with another woman, starting on Valentine’s Day of all days?” Kaitlin snarled. She planted her hands firmly on her hips as her anger boiled back to the surface. Her hands itched to slap him, hit him, something. Instead she willed them to stay firmly where they were.

“Kaitlin, she’s a client,” Mark wheedled, while stepping forward into her personal space.

“What, and you became a male prostitute without telling me?” she retorted with a roll of her eyes. “Get the fuck out of my apartment and my life.”

“Kait, everything okay out here?”

The unexpected voice from her bedroom was familiar and had her turning her back on Mark to find the owner. Her eyes widened at the figure standing in the doorway: tall, blond, blue-eyed with killer abs. It was her dream hunk come to life. His name slipped free of her lips in a breathy, startled murmur.

“Eros?”

“Who the hell is he? And why is he standing in your bedroom shirtless?” Mark asked from behind her, his voice stunned.

Everything within her was urging her... no begging her to go forwards. Kaitlin hooked one bare foot behind the door and kicked it shut before she bolted towards Eros, all but throwing herself into his outstretched arms and burying her face against his bare shoulder.

“I thought you were a dream.”

“I’m aware. I’ve been very aware of your dreams this past week, thanks to Morpheus.” He pressed a kiss to her hair.

Kaitlin lifted her head, brow furrowed in thought, as she inquired, “How did you get in here?”

“Same way I got us both in here a week ago, darlin’. A little bit of magic.” Eros lifted one hand and snapped his fingers.

She blinked once, then twice, as a necklace appeared out of thin air, dangling from Eros’ fingers. It was a silver chain that held an arrow right in the center. “How did you...”

“I’m a god, Kait. One of the Greek Pantheon,” he explained while unfastening the necklace and placing it around her neck.

“You’re Cupid?” she mused, lips twitching as she looked him up and down before teasing, “I’d thought you’d be shorter and wearing a diaper with cute, fluffy, white wings.”

Eros groaned at that. Wrapping his arms around Kaitlin, he pulled her back into his chest. He pressed a kiss to her forehead as he murmured, “My wings aren’t white, and I most definitely do not wear a diaper.”

“No, you do not,” Kaitlin hummed appreciatively. Taking a step back, she lifted one hand to trace his abdominal muscles before she hooked her fingers into the waistband of his black jeans. “I do, however, love this look. Granted, not quite as much as when you're naked, but it's a close second.”

He threw his head back and laughed; she was taking the news of his divinity surprisingly well, all things considered. He’d known from the start that she was tough and resilient; much though he resented his mother’s interference, Aphrodite really was the best matchmaker, next to him, that there had ever been. “Let’s fix that, then,” he responded to Kaitlin’s remark. “Because naked sounds pretty damn good to me too.”

Giggling at his enthusiasm, Kaitlin pressed a chaste kiss to his lip, nibbling at his lower one before Eros pulled away and started for the front door. She turned to watch him saunter away and, drinking in the delicious view of his ass in tight denim that left nothing to the imagination, she pulled her shirt off and threw it aside, her sweats following shortly after.

She was silently thanking whatever deity had possessed her to wear her sexy, black lingerie this morning as Eros’ words about wanting to see her in them echoed in her mind, and her promise to let him. Kaitlin settled against the doorjamb and tried to position herself into a sexy pose before purring, “Hate to see you go, love to watch you leave.”

As he flicked the deadbolt on the door, Eros turned, one blond brow climbing toward his hairline as he took in the scene before him. His mouth watered at the sight of Kaitlin’s soft curves; the black lace concealing her from his view was familiar and had a grin tugging at his lips. “Is that the lingerie from the cabin?”

“Mhmm,” Kaitlin hummed in affirmation as she trailed one hand lightly between her breasts.

With a snap of his fingers Eros vanished from sight and Kaitlin felt her heart drop into her stomach. Her mind whirled over the scene to try and figure out if she’d done something wrong. A tickling sensation between her shoulders had Kaitlin reaching behind her, though she found nothing. When it happened a second time, a pair of muscular arms wrapped around her waist as warm lips pressed against the pulse point of her neck.

Kaitlin giggled as Eros’ scruff of a beard tickled against her skin. She turned in his arms, eyes going wide, as she took in the large black wings extending from his back. She curled one arm around Eros’ lean waist as her other hand brushed across his ribs and continued on to stroke the pristine feathers. “Oh, they’re so soft.”

Eros groaned as her gentle strokes through the feathers of his wing sent a sharp burst of arousal coursing through him until it pooled in his groin. He pulled Kaitlin tight into his chest, his wings curling around her as his mouth descended on hers in a hungry kiss.

* * *

A Match Made In Olympus is just one of the stories from Red Hots , a Valentine anthology from Shenanigans Press! Click here to find it on Amazon , ONLY until the end of October 2017!