Goddess of Light (Goddess Summoning #3)(41)

Pamela silently studied her wineglass. She didn't know what to say to him. She was definitely attracted to him, and what he was saying touched her heart. He seemed so open and honest. But she was afraid. Thinking of having a weekend fling made her nervous and giddy. Thinking of beginning a relationship terrified her.

She glanced up at his handsome face. He was watching her intently. She took a deep breath, but instead of mouthing some offhanded quip about romantic reformed playboys, she heard the truth slipping out.

"I'm divorced. I had a bad marriage. No, scratch that. I had an awful marriage. I haven't really even dated since then. You're being honest with me, so I need to be honest with you. Just thinking about the possibility of a new relationship scares me. I don't think I'm ready for anything more than..." She hesitated, not wanting to sound like a slut or a dolt.

"You must heal." Apollo spoke into her hesitation.

"Yes, exactly," she said, grateful that he had put words to what she was bumbling around trying to say.

"And you shall heal, sweet Pamela," he said.

"Thank you for understanding," she said, resting her hand on his. "I know it sounds crazy. I've only known you for a couple of days, but there's something about you that makes me feel like you honestly do understand what I mean."

"It's true, sweet Pamela. And you have no idea how rare it is to find that connection between two people." He had literally lived eons without it.

Pamela stroked her thumb slowly over his hand and fell into the blue of his spectacular eyes. "Oh, I think I might have some idea."

The knot that had been building within Apollo's chest suddenly loosened. It wasn't that she was unwilling to give herself to love, it was that she had been hurt. Terribly hurt. She needed to heal, and that was one thing that Apollo, God of Light, could do for her.

"I brought something for you tonight. I think now is the perfect time to gift you with it." Apollo reached into his pocket and pulled out the delicate gold chain. He held it up so that the light glinted off a small coin, mounted in a thin circle of gold, which dangled from it. On the face of the coin was stamped the strong profile of a Greek god.

"Oh, it's beautiful," Pamela breathed. The coin was gold but imperfectly formed, its shape more of a chipped-at circle than a regular coin, and she realized that its irregular shape marked it as being very old. "I can't accept it, though. It's way too expensive."

"I can assure you that it cost me nothing. I have had it a very long time. Please, it would give me great pleasure if you would wear it. After all, we were just discussing the god who is depicted on the coin."

"Really? It's Apollo?" Intrigued, Pamela leaned forward and cupped the piece of gold in her hands, studying the handsome profile.

"It's a better likeness than the fountain statue," Apollo said, smiling wryly.

"You know," she said, glancing from the coin to Phoebus, "it looks like you. I mean, not exactly like you. But the profile is similar."

"That is indeed a compliment." His smile widened. "At least it is a compliment as long as you don't say that I resemble yonder statue, too." He pointed his chin at the big-headed fountain Apollo.

"No." Pamela laughed. "You look nothing like that statue."

He chuckled, appreciating the irony of the situation. "If you wear the coin you could think of Apollo as your own personal god," he coaxed. "Apollo could be your talisman. Perhaps the God of Light will help you to solve the problems you're having with your client's unusual request."

Pamela looked back and forth from the coin to Phoebus, ready to tell him no thank you. But she hesitated. What was so inherently wrong about accepting a gift from a handsome man? She liked him; he liked her. Okay, she didn't believe for an instant that it hadn't cost him anything, but he was a doctor. It wasn't like he couldn't afford it. And it was an interesting coincidence that they had just been talking about Apollo, the god who had supposedly fallen in love with a mortal woman. It was also silly and romantic and out of character for her to...

"Thank you, Phoebus. I accept it."

Before she could change her mind, he stood and moved behind her so that he could fasten it around her long, slender neck. But first he held it in the palm of his hand and concentrated his vast, immortal powers on the little piece of gold.

"May it bring you everything Apollo represents: light and truth, music and poetry, and, most of all, healing." Then placed the gold chain around her neck.

"That was a beautiful thing to say," she looked up at him, touching the coin. She could almost swear that it felt warm against her body.

Apollo smiled and bent so that he could brush his lips against hers. He hadn't meant for the kiss to be anything more than a quick gesture of affection, but her mouth opened beneath his, and one of her hands slid up to press against his chest. Automatically, he deepened the kiss. Her mouth was sweet and slick. He wanted to taste more of her, all of her. He wanted...

"Ur, uh, excuse me."

The waiter's voice broke through the red haze of lust that had enveloped Apollo. The god snarled dangerously at the hapless servant, who was quick to step back and apologize.

"Sorry, sir. It just gets kinda crowded in here, and I was trying to move around your table."

"Find another pathway," Apollo growled.