Goddess of Love (Goddess Summoning #5)(30)

"That's me!" The light changed and someone behind them honked. "Well, see ya." Pea sped away.

"Perhaps next time you shouldn't mention the penis. Men - mortals and gods - tend to be intimidated by women who own larger penises than they have."

"I'm a moron," Pea said with a moan.

"Of course you're not. You were just nervous. Let me tell you a little something about men that will make speaking with them much easier for you. They desire us even more than we desire them."

"How can that be true?"

"It goes back to the whole penis thing."

"But I've known women who chase man after man. They seem way more interested in the men than the men seem in them."

"That's not desire - that's neediness, and you're not a needy woman. I'm talking about real desire. Something that's raw and hot and passionate."

"Are you being serious?"

"Absolutely."

Pea shook her head. "That can't be true, at least not true for me before today. No way would Griffin want me more than I would want him. And, anyway, he was definitely more interested in you."

The resentment in Pea's voice was none the less obvious for its hesitancy.

"Darling, I'm sure that was your imagination," Venus said smoothly, refusing to acknowledge the instant connection that had, once again, sizzled between Griffin and her. Instead she continued, "Did you notice how obviously pleased he was when he realized you're you?"

Pea chewed her lip. "Well, I supposed he was, but still I can't believe he could want me more than I want him. He just doesn't seem that interested."

"He would be if he had touched you, stroked the softness of your skin, felt the wet heat of your passion. You would make him burn even before your own body began to simmer."

"You think so?"

"Trust me." Venus pointed at a parking space they were coming up on. "Park there."

"But the restaurant is way over on the other side of Utica Square. We'll have to walk almost a block to get to it."

"Exactly," Venus said.

"That man just whistled at us!" Pea whispered excitedly to Venus.

"Yes, he certainly did. Look around darling, every man with a pulse is looking at us." She leaned close to Pea's ear and added with a throaty laugh, "And I do mean us. You're sexy and confident and beautiful, and they all know it."

Pea looked at Venus with eyes that were huge and stunned. Then she glanced around them. "By Ares's perfect ass you're right!" she said with a gasp.

Venus's laughter called even more eyes their way. "Oh, no! You mustn't pick up my habit of cursing. Persephone will say I'm a horrid influence on you." But the Goddess of Love said it with a smile. She was so proud of Pea. The two of them didn't just walk across the upscale shopping area - they strutted. Pea strutted. Venus could literally see her confidence growing by the moment. The little mortal was actually tossing that lovely, curly mane of hair back and holding her chin high as she strode by Venus's side, matching her measure for measure. Venus couldn't have been more delighted. And dinner did nothing but reinforce Pea's newfound confidence. The waiter was young and terribly handsome. He fawned over them - both of them - and one man at the bar sent them a delightful bottle of very good wine. Overall, the whole afternoon was an excellent boost to the mortal's ego.

And now they were back at Pea's cozy kitchen table, indulging in what Venus thought happily was feeling like a wonderful new tradition - drinking Pea's excellent hot chocolate and talking like old friends, only tonight Pea wasn't wearing that wretched contraption she called footie pajamas. Tonight she was wearing the blush-colored silk nightdress Venus had insisted she purchase from the luxurious lingerie department at Saks and its matching rose-colored robe. With her hair all tumbling around her shoulders in big, glossy curls and her face flushed with excitement and the wine from dinner, Venus thought Pea could easily have been mistaken for a goddess herself. Kindness, Venus decided. Pea could be the Goddess of Kindness....

"Do you think he'll be there tomorrow?" Pea asked, pulling Venus out of her reverie.

"He?"

"Griffin."

Venus felt a ridiculous jolt at the sound of his name, which she carefully hid. "There?"

"The street corner. You're not paying attention."

Venus smiled at her. "Sorry, I was thinking about how absolutely beautiful you look."

Pea grinned happily back at her.

"And I have no idea if he'll be there tomorrow or not. Pea, darling, the corner of a busy street is not the most opportune place for you to seduce him."

"I'm not going to seduce him!" Pea practically squeaked.

"Of course you are. You're just not going to do it on a street corner." Venus ignored the strange sense of excitement just hearing the man's name gave her. It was ridiculous anyway. Even had Pea not been besotted with him, it had been ages since she had dallied with a mortal. Actually, it had been ages since she'd dallied with anyone....

"Venus?"

"I'm sorry, Pea. My mind was wandering. What were you saying?"

"I said, how am I going to have even a shot at seducing..." Pea stopped and giggled at the word seducing as if shocked that she was thinking of seducing a man. "...Griffin if I don't see him?"