I clear my throat, and Ares’s eyes shoot open, lifting his head up to look at me. I can’t get this stupid victorious grin off my face, and he seems to notice. “Why am I not surprised to see you here?”
“Getting some fresh air?” I give a little laugh.
Ares runs his hand over his jaw. “Do you think I’m like this because of you?”
I cross my arms over my chest. “I know you are.”
“How are you so sure? Maybe I’ve been making out with a beautiful girl, and she left me like this.”
His response doesn’t affect my smile. “I’m sure because of the way you looked at me back in there. And the way you’re looking at me right now.”
Ares stands up, and my courage falters a little. “And how exactly am I looking at you?”
“As if you were a second away from losing control and kissing me.”
Ares laughs with that husky laugh that I find so sensual. “You’re delirious, maybe it’s the alcohol.”
“Do you think so?” I push him backward, and he falls into the chair.
Those deep eyes don’t leave mine as I move closer, and with both legs on either side of his, I sit on him. Immediately, I feel how hard he is against me, and I bite my lower lip. Ares’s face is inches away from mine, and having him so close makes my poor heart beat like crazy. He smiles, showing off his perfect teeth.
“What are you doing, Witch?”
I don’t answer him and bury my face in his neck instead. He smells delicious, a combination of expensive cologne mixed with his natural scent. My breathing accelerates as I leave a trail of wet kisses all over his neck. I make him put his glass of whiskey on the floor and guide his hands to my ass and leave them there. Ares sighs, and I continue my attack on his neck. His hands squeeze my body, and I feel him get even harder against me. I start to move against him gently, tempting him, torturing him.
A slight moan escapes his lips. I smile against his skin and move my mouth until I reach his ear. “Ares,” I moan his name in his ear and he presses me tighter against him.
I pull away from his neck so I can look into his eyes. The dark desire I find in them disarms me. His nose touches mine, and our accelerated breaths mingle.
“Do you want me?” I ask, moistening my lips.
“Yes, I want you, Witch.”
I lean in to kiss him, and as our lips are about to meet, I turn my head to the side, and stand up quickly.
“Karma is a bitch, Greek God.”
Feeling like the queen of the universe, I walk away from him and back into the club.
NINE
The Plan
“Are you all right?” Apolo asks as soon as I appear at his side again. “You’re all red.”
I try hard to fake a slight smile as I sit down. “I’m fine. I’m just a little hot.”
Apolo’s eyebrows furrow, almost touching. “You saw something unpleasant, didn’t you?”
No, actually, I just left your brother with an erection the size of the Eiffel Tower.
Apolo takes my silence as a yes and shakes his head. “I’ve told Artemis that the candle room isn’t a good idea, but he won’t listen to me. Why would he listen to me, anyway? I’m just the kid in the family.” I notice a certain bitterness in his sweet voice when he says it.
“You’re not a child,” I say.
“To them I am.”
“Them?”
“Ares and Artemis.” He sighs and takes a sip of his soda. “Even to my parents, they don’t take me into account when making decisions at all.”
“That can be a good thing, Apolo. You have no responsibilities. This is a stage of life that, according to my aunts, you have to enjoy. There will be time to worry about those things when you’re an adult.”
“Enjoy? My life is boring. I have no friends, at least not real ones, and in my own family I’m a nobody.”
“Wow, you sound very sad for such a young man.”
He plays with the metal rim of his soda. “My grandfather says I’m an old man in a child’s body.”
Ah, Grandpa Hidalgo. The last I heard, he’d been placed in a nursing home. The family made that decision after discussions among his four children, including Apolo’s dad. From the sadness in Apolo’s eyes, I could tell that this was one of the many decisions where they didn’t take his feelings into account.
That innocent, beautiful face shouldn’t look that sad, so I stand up and offer him my hand. “Do you want to have fun?”
Apolo offers me a skeptical look. “Raquel, I don’t think that . . .”