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her ear. She d walked every inch of the castle grounds in search of something green and
alive, and found nothing.
It was only her second day in the Underworld, but the landscape was already as
familiar to her as the back of her hand. She d managed to avoid getting lost in the castle,
thanks to the constant presence of her ladies-in-waiting. But she d dismissed them to go for a
walk outside, craving the solitude she d grown so weary of since her divorce.
The business of running his kingdom had kept Hades occupied all day, and when she
found herself dining alone with Anemone in her private chamber for lunch, she felt a pang
of disappointment she couldn t dismiss, as much as she d wanted to squelch it. The last thing
she needed was to develop feelings for another man, not after what had happened with
Riley.
It could only lead to another heartbreak, and she wasn t sure it could take another
blow without shattering into a million fragments.
 I thought I might find you here.
She looked up at the sound of Hades s voice to see him standing before her, looking
more gorgeous than any man had a right to be.
 This is the closest thing I could find to a garden. She swept her arm out.  Asphodel
must be the state flower here. She shook her head.  I m afraid to ask about the state bird.
Hotter than Hades 45
He laughed, a sound that always made her want to laugh too, whether she got the joke
or not.  This was Persephone s grove. She had a taste for dark things. He rubbed his chin.  I
suppose she got her fill of color and blossoms during her time above each year.
 I can t imagine ever getting my fill. She took the asphodel from behind her ear and
fastened it to the buttonhole of his black shirt.  Flowers have been my best friends ever since
I could remember.
His arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him.  You re named for a
flower. It makes perfect sense that you d have a close kinship to them.
 My father was an avid ... actually, a fanatical gardener. Her voice shook from the rush
of emotion that came from being close to Hades.  He named me after his favorite bloom.
 An excellent choice. He bent down and nuzzled her ear. Her breath came in a
dizzying gasp.  You re as fragrant as any blossom of the field. His lips did something to the
spot just below her ear that made her knees buckle.
She lifted her hands and pressed them against the muscled wall of his chest, trying to
still their trembling. No man had ever affected her like this. It made her wonder would
happen if her hands dipped a little lower ...
Suddenly he released her. She managed to avoid whimpering in disappointment ...
barely.
 Would you care to join me for dinner on my balcony? His face betrayed no hint of
arousal. Maybe she didn t have the same effect on him as he had on her. Her heart sank like a
leaky rowboat.
 Sure. She took the hand he offered her and kept silent as they turned to walk the
path back to the castle. How could she be so stupid? One minute she warned herself against
having feelings for him, the next she could barely keep her hands off him.
Zeus had better find a solution to their problem sooner than later, or else she was in for
another crack in her battered heart.
46 Alecia Monaco
* * * * *
 That dinner was spectacular. Hyacinth breathed out a sigh of contentment.
 There s a reason why they call it ambrosia. He twined his fingers through hers,
feeling the same lightheaded sensation he experienced every time they touched. It had taken
an effort worthy of Hercules to pull himself away from her in the grove earlier, but he d
done it despite his body s throbbing objections. He wanted her to be sure of her feelings if he
finally got the chance to make love to her.
When, he reminded himself. Not if.
 I thought chocolate was fabulous, but after tasting ambrosia, my life-long love affair
with the Hershey bar may be in grave danger. She laughed.
He considered her words.  Often your potential greatest pleasure is hiding in plain
sight, waiting for you to find it.
She bit her bottom lip and kept her eyes focused on the tapestries covering the walls of
the hallway.  Sometimes the greatest pleasure is just hiding, period. You end up blaming
yourself when you can t find it, and disappointing everyone else in the process.
Her ex-husband. He knew it.  You speak of that imbecile who left you for another
woman?
She d apparently developed a feverish interest in tapestries. Without turning to look at
him, she spoke.  I was a total letdown -- no pun intended -- in bed. She twisted the fringe of
the nearest canvas around her fingers.  He said I was frigid.
Hades spat a curse.  You ve already disproved him on that point. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]