21

 

Eros watched with pride as Justin shot another arrow into the target. Though it didn’t hit the center, the boy was getting better and better.

“Yeah!” Justin pumped his fist in the air, then looked over his shoulder. “Did you see that, Mr. Eros?”

“I did, Justin. You’re getting good!” Eros glanced over the fence into the Claytons’ garden. Mrs. Clayton sat on the back porch, a glass of iced tea on the table in front of her, and a book in her hands. She’d been sitting there, watching them on and off for a couple of hours, satisfied that no harm was coming to her son.

She looked up from her book and glanced over to them. “Very nice, Justin!” she praised, though she hadn’t even looked at where the arrow had landed.

Eros smiled to himself. Over the last couple of hours he’d seen Justin gain more confidence in his abilities.

“Go, and collect the arrows, and we’ll do another round before it gets dark, okay?”

Eagerly, Justin nodded, put the bow down and ran to the target.

Mrs. Clayton took the opportunity and approached the fence. Eros walked up to her.

“I’m very grateful for what you’re doing for my son. I’ve never seen him so happy.” She smiled.

Eros shrugged. “He just needed to find something he enjoys, and a goal to work toward.”

She nodded. “Yes, he told me you encouraged him to sign up for the archery competition at the sports festival next week.” Suddenly she sighed. “I just don’t want him to get disappointed. There’s no way he’ll be good enough to win any prize.”

“Don’t say that, Mrs. Clayton. He’s talented, and he’s a hard worker. I’ll practice with him every day until the event. He’ll do just fine.”

“I hope so. I hate to see his hopes crushed. He’s such a sensitive little boy.” Her gaze drifted toward her son. “You don’t have children, Mr. Eros, but when your child is in pain, you’re in pain, too.”

“I understand,” he said. “I’ll make sure he achieves his goal.”

She nodded gratefully, then her gaze strayed away again, this time toward the house. “Oh, it looks like you have a visitor.”

Eros pivoted. There on the terrace of his house stood Psyche, still dressed in her work clothes. She waved at him.

“Hey!”

He smiled back at her. “You’re back. I’ll be done here soon.”

Psyche made a dismissive hand movement. “Don’t rush.” She pointed at her clothes. “I’m covered in soil from repotting some plants. I’m gonna take a shower and get changed.”

“Sounds good.”

She turned around and went back into the house.

“I rarely see you have visitors,” Mrs. Clayton said from behind him.

Eros turned back to her. “My girlfriend. We’ve only been dating for a short while.” It still felt strange to call Psyche his girlfriend, strange, yet exciting at the same time.

“I’ve got all the arrows,” Justin called behind him.

“Well, onto another round then! Shall we, Justin?” Eros asked.

“I’m ready.”

As Eros walked toward Justin to adjust his posture, he saw a man appear on the porch of the Claytons’ home. Eros glanced toward him and recognized him.

“I’m home, honey,” Mr. Clayton called out.

“Justin,” Mrs. Clayton said immediately. “Your dad’s home. Let’s call it a day.”

“But, Mom!” Justin complained.

“Mr. Eros has a guest, too, so let’s not take any more of his time today.”

Justin seemed to want to protest again, but Eros said quickly, “Tomorrow, same time, Justin?”

The boy beamed at him. “Yes!”

“Okay then.” He took the bow from Justin’s hands and watched him join his parents.

Mr. Clayton waved briefly and Eros nodded back, acknowledging his greeting. Then he turned back to the house, bow and quiver in his hands. He went inside and walked upstairs. Stepping onto the second floor landing, he could already hear the shower in the guestroom running. He smiled, about to head into Psyche’s room, when he realized he was still holding the archery equipment. Quickly, he went into his own bedroom and stashed the magical items in his vast walk-in closet.

The memory of what Psyche had looked like when he’d first surprised her in the shower—when he’d thought her to be a burglar—was already heating his blood. This time, he knew, his showing up while she took a shower wouldn’t be unwelcome. Maybe he’d even join her.

Already imagining the endless possibilities of making love in the shower, he walked to the guestroom, opened the door without knocking and eased it shut behind him. Psyche’s dirty jeans and T-shirt lay on the floor next to the closet, her handbag sat on the chair, and her cell phone lay next to it. The door to the bathroom was ajar, and the fan inside was doing its best to disperse the steam of the shower.

Grinning, Eros started unbuttoning his shirt and was about to take it off, when Psyche’s cell phone chimed. He looked in the direction of the sound and noticed that she had a new text message. He was already turning away when something caught his eye. The name of the sender. He snapped his head back and picked up the phone.

The message was from Wayne, Psyche’s ex-boyfriend.

Think about what we talked about today. We’re good together.

For a moment, Eros stood there in stunned silence. Psyche had seen her ex today? The same guy she’d mentioned at their dinner at the French bistro, where she’d said that he’d been a cheat and a mooch, and therefore the very reason why she was gun-shy when it came to relationships?

The water in the shower suddenly stopped running. Eros dropped the cell phone back on the chair as if he’d been burned. Maybe it was all entirely innocent. It had to be, because only last night, he and Psyche had resolved to give this relationship a try.

Eros took a few deep breaths and turned to the bathroom door just as it opened wide.

Psyche, a towel wrapped around her body, let out a startled gasp and pressed her hand to her chest. “What are you doing?”

He smiled and stepped closer. “I was gonna surprise you in the shower, but I guess you’re too quick for me.”

She laughed. “I don’t like to waste water. Sorry, maybe another time?”

“You’ve got it,” he promised. Then he pulled her into his arms and brushed a kiss to her lips. “So, how was your day?”

“Oh, as usual, quiet.” She eased out of his arms and turned to her bag, pulling out panties and a bra. “I had exactly three customers today. Not stellar.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. So what did you do to keep busy?” Surely, now she would tell him about Wayne.

“I did some repotting and tidied up the office. Updated my cashbook, you know. Boring stuff. How was your day?”

Eros noticed how quickly she changed the focus of the conversation, turning it onto him. And it didn’t sit well with him. Psyche wasn’t telling him the truth. But he wasn’t born yesterday. He knew how to turn the conversation around again.

“I almost stopped by your shop today,” he lied.

“Oh?” She turned away, looking for something else in her travel bag.

“Yes, to take you out to lunch, but then I thought it might be presumptuous of me to assume you didn’t have plans for lunch already.”

“Actually I had no lunch plans. I just grabbed a sandwich from the deli next door and ate it in the shop. I don’t like to close the shop for lunch, in case I miss any customers.”

Eros forced a smile. “Yeah, I understand.”

He’d given Psyche ample opportunity to tell him that she’d seen Wayne today. Yet she continued to hide it from him. Why? Why was she refusing to fess up to the fact that she’d seen her ex-boyfriend today? Was it because she was playing him? Was she hooking up with Wayne, in case it didn’t work out between them?

“I saw you were teaching the neighbor’s boy again. That’s very sweet of you.”

It appeared Psyche knew a thing or two about turning a conversation around, too.

“He’s a bright kid. I enjoy his company.”

“Where did you learn archery? You seem to be very good.”

Very good? He was the best in his field. But he wasn’t going to brag about it. It would only raise suspicion. So he shrugged. “I’m average, but good enough to teach a young kid. It’s all about form and concentration. Not so much about strength.”

She unexpectedly brushed her hand over his chest, making him realize that he’d unbuttoned his shirt to join her in the shower. “I don’t know about that. You look pretty strong to me.”

Was she trying to seduce him? Why? Had she sensed his suspicion? Was she trying to divert his attention so he wouldn’t ask any more questions? Did she really think he was that easy?

He took her hand and pressed a kiss on her fingers, so it wasn’t obvious that he was trying to stop her. “How about you get dressed and we go out for a bite to eat?”

For a second, disappointment swept over her face, but she hid it quickly and smiled. “Sounds great. I’ll see you downstairs in ten minutes?”

“Sure.” He turned and left the guestroom. After closing the door, he stood there for a few seconds. Was he being suspicious without good reason? And if he was, who could blame him? Gloria had been screwing around on him for months before he’d caught on, and he wasn’t going to let the same thing happen to him again. No, this time, he’d be proactive and make inquiries to find out if his suspicion was warranted. Better to know now than to find out months down the line after he’d invested his emotions. His emotions? Was he really ready to bring his emotions into this? Or had he acted too impulsively when he’d told Psyche that he wanted a relationship? Had he made another mistake? He hoped not.