Goddess of Love (Goddess Summoning #5)(51)

"No, it's simply easier if I tweak things here and there, as I did with the deputy chief, and we keep this as much to ourselves as possible."

"Venus, I've never taught a class before."

"Oh, you have nothing whatsoever to worry about. Just teach what you know."

"Cooking? For stress relief?"

"Actually, darling, I was thinking more of your dancing."

Pea's eyes got big and round. "Ballet for firemen?"

Venus shrugged. "Why not?"

Pea giggled. "You've got to be kidding."

"Not at all. Dance is an excellent stress reliever, and you're an experienced dancer. Besides that, it will provide a good opportunity for all those delicious men to see you at your best."

"I don't know...What if they're really there, Griffin and him. No way will I be able to teach with them...you know...looking at me. Not after what I did with him."

"Darling, please remember that the reason we've manipulated events so that the men come to you is because they will be on your territory - your place of power. You're in control this time. You do the choosing. Plus I'll be your behind-the-scenes assistant. If you get in trouble, I'll simply..." Venus waggled her fingers.

Pea looked only a tiny bit less worried. "Oh yeah."

"Then it's all decided. Let's have one more cup of this luscious coffee and then we'll be off to the college. We wouldn't want to be late for class."

Pea glanced at her watch and frowned.

"What is it, darling?"

"Well, if you'd told me yesterday that I was going to have to teach a ballet class I could have bought something a little nicer to wear than the sweats and T-shirts I usually wear to ballet."

Venus's smile was slow and knowing. "I've already taken care of that little detail. There's a lovely new Coach bag in your closet. Inside it you'll find what you need for your first day as a dance instructor."

"You think of everything, Venus!" Pea hugged her.

Venus patted her arm. "Not everything, darling. Just everything important." With an effort she pushed the thought out of her mind that if she really thought of everything and if she really was as together as Pea believed her to be she wouldn't have let that man dupe her, nor would she be hiding the fact from Pea.

No matter, she thought as she blew on her coffee and watched Pea hurry down the hall to her room to retrieve her new dance bag. Somehow I'll make him sorry he ever trifled with Love, and I'll figure out how to fix Pea's infatuation with the cad.

The goddess ignored the sick feeling in her stomach. It wasn't possible that Griffin had hurt her. He'd just surprised her when he'd left her sitting there and not returned. That's all it was. She'd help Pea connect with her mystery man, or if he wasn't suitable, she'd simply find her friend a man who had honesty and integrity, as well as sex appeal. Then she'd return to her normal life on Olympus. Perhaps she'd plan a lovely orgy with satyrs and forest nymphs. That's it. An orgy would fix her right up.

After all, it was completely, utterly impossible for the Goddess of Love to be lonely.

"You look beautiful, darling! Simply beautiful." Venus brushed a nonexistent piece of lint from Pea's shoulder. "I knew the blushing pink leotard and wispy skirt would complement your figure and your complexion perfectly. And don't worry. There's nothing at all for you to be nervous about."

"I may puke."

"No, you may not."

"Okay, tell me again. You're sure you...zapped everyone in my office so that they'll think this is normal?"

"What they see will appear normal to them today. Tomorrow they won't remember a thing. The firemen will all think of this little class as just something they were directed to do - nothing out of the ordinary at all. Except they will particularly remember the alluring beauty named Pea who conducted the class...." Venus paused, considering. "Do let me know if you're interested in any of them at all. I can have him 'remember' asking you for your phone number."

"Wow. You can do all that?"

"Darling, Love can do anything."

"Oh yeah. Sometimes I forget. I don't have much experience with real love."

"Well, we'll fix that very soon." Venus patted her arm. "So, if you're ready, let's go."

They walked down the hall a short way from Pea's office to a large classroom. Both women stopped and peered through the small glass rectangle in the closed door.

"I can't do this!" Pea leaned against the wall, looking scarily pale.

"Of course you can. I'll be right here and - "

"No! I can't walk in there without knowing what to expect."

Thinking fast, Venus said, "Fine. I'll go in first and...and..." The goddess hesitated. And she'd what?

"Take attendance?" Pea offered.

"Exactly," Venus said with relief. "I'll simply take attendance and check to see if everyone is there and ready. While I do that, you watch from out here. Then you'll know if Griffin and/or your mystery fireman are here, and then you'll know what to expect."

"O-okay," Pea stammered doubtfully.

"Okay," Venus said firmly. She straightened her exquisite violet suit, running her hand down the front of the black silk shell that was just low enough to expose the tops of her creamy br**sts. She waggled her fingers. A pen and a professional looking clipboard appeared with a list of names on it.