Goddess of Light (Goddess Summoning #3)(54)

"Yeah, I think I did."

"Wear those with one of your sleeveless shells. Just be sure it's a shell that's also high-necked. That way he gets to see a little of your legs and a little of your arms, and just the outline of everything else. Then if he's a good boy, he can unwrap the rest of the package after he's made amends."

"V, you're incorrigible," Pamela said.

"Yes, I am, but I also know what looks good on women."

"You've got me there. Okay. I'll wear the slacks. And I won't sleep with him. Again."

"Sleep with? You didn't say anything about sleeping with the Jedi. I may not be hetero, but even I know no one sleeps with Jedi Knights."

"Stop it. You know I'm talking about sex."

"Pammy, you can have sex with him. Just make him miserable first."

Pamela started to say something, and then changed her mind. "Okay. Maybe."

"Don't okay maybe me. I know that tone. What's wrong? Give, girl."

"I like him," Pamela said softly.

"Yes, you've made that more than clear. So what's wrong with that?"

"No, I mean I really like him. And I don't want to. It's just not very smart."

"Pammy, listen to me. What's not very smart is letting Mr. Control Freak Duane poison your future. This Phoebus guy might not be the one. He might just be someone to have a fun Vegas fling with, and you will forever remember him as the man who got you out there again. But you'll never find out what he is, or what any other guy is, if you aren't willing to take a chance. Love's like that. You have to chance losing to win."

"I don't know if I can," Pamela said. "We've already established that I'm not a very good gambler."

"You can," V said firmly.

"How can you be so sure?"

"If you were meant to be alone, you wouldn't agonize over the should I or shouldn't I's. You'd accept the shouldn't I as what feels best for you and move on with your life. Be honest. Can you really tell me that it felt better before you met Phoebus?"

"It felt easier," Pamela said dryly.

"Well, doll, it's easier to make bedroom window treatments out of the same material as the bedspread. Does that make it better?"

Pamela grimaced, visions of perfectly matched floral prints assailing her. "Definitely not."

"Please take a chance, Pammy. You deserve to be able to really live again."

"I love you, V," Pamela said.

"That's what all the girls say. Have fun tonight. And try not to overanalyze the poor tripod. Remember, you can be smart without being uptight."

"Huh?"

"Never mind. Go get dressed."

"Okay, I'll call you tomorrow," Pamela said.

"By the way, you do realize that this is the second phone call in a row during which you haven't once mentioned work, don't ya?"

"Bloody buggering hell! I am losing my mind. How did it go with Mrs. - " she began, but V's laughter cut her off.

"Pammy! Stop. It's a good thing that you actually have something besides Ruby Slipper on your mind."

"Yeah, but - "

"Yeah, but everything's fine. As usual. You have no worries. Call me tomorrow after you meet with Faust. And remember - fun and fantasy, Pamela, fun and fantasy..."

"You look beautiful as well as amazingly seductive tonight," Apollo said, kissing her hand with his lips lingering on her skin almost as suggestively as his eyes.

Great, she thought as her stomach pitched and rolled at the sight of him, the exact opposite of the look I was going for.

"I'll bet you say that to all the girls," Pamela quipped, borrowing V's line.

"Not lately, I haven't," he said, his summer-sky eyes going all dark and serious, "and never with as much sincerity."

"Then thank you," Pamela said, trying unsuccessfully not to fall under the blue spell his eyes cast. Like a cat ridding itself of water, she shook herself mentally and neatly changed the subject. "How's your sister?"

"She is well. Still troubled, but well." He kept Pamela's hand enclosed in his own as he propped one foot up on the bottom rung of the tall chair next to her. He wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her soundly right there in front of their cafe, but her body language told him clearly that he needed to take it slow and easy. "Diana did not mean to offend you this afternoon. As she said, she has not been herself lately."

Pamela started to shrug an offhanded "no big deal" comment when she stopped herself. Instead, she squared her shoulders and looked directly into his bottomless eyes. "I'm not going to pretend that it didn't hurt my feelings to find out you're leaving so soon and you didn't say anything to me about it. To tell you the truth, it made me want to run away from you."

"Ah, truth..." He nodded his head thoughtfully, thinking how very much he appreciated her honesty, and at the same time realizing how few women had ever been honest with him. They had adored him - worshiped him - vied for his attentions. But he didn't think any of them had ever really been honest with him.

"It caused you pain to think that I would leave you without an explanation. And I am sorry for that." He touched her cheek. "The last thing I desire is that you feel that you have to run from me to protect yourself." He let his finger touch the gold coin that dangled around her neck. "Please trust that your feelings are safe with me."