Goddess of Love (Goddess Summoning #5)(57)

He smiled. "Then may I see you this evening?"

"Yes, you may." They grinned foolishly at each other until the time really registered in Pea's mind. "Oh, jeesh! What am I thinking? My friend should be done teaching her class in just a few minutes. I have to meet her and..." Pea scrambled around, discarding comments like See if she somehow fixed me up with Griffin or Make sure she didn't zap stuff from nowhere and freak out her class. Instead she settled for, "...and make sure her class went okay. It's her first day of teaching."

"Then I will leave you to your work and see you again in six hours."

"Could you make it more like seven hours? I want to have time to get home and, you know..."

She gestured down at her clothes.

"Ah, of course. In seven hours then." He turned to leave.

"Uh, Victor? Would you like my phone number and address so you know where to pick me up tonight?"

Looking chagrined, he returned to her desk and took the paper she'd scribbled her information on.

"I'm not very good at this," he said. "I'm sorry. You deserve someone who is more..." He moved his broad shoulders restlessly. "More practiced in the ways of love."

Her teasing smile faded. She knew too well what it was to feel awkward and not good enough.

"Don't say that. I like how you are. I don't want a suave playboy. I want someone I connect with - someone who understands me and someone I can count on."

"I give you my word that you may trust me. Always," he said.

"I'll hold you to that, Victor."

He took her hand, and when he bent, she thought he was going to kiss it again. But this time he surprised her by leaning forward farther and kissing her on her lips. It was a kiss filled more with promise than passion, but his scent enfolded her along with the heat of his body. He reminded her of a warm fire on a cold night, and she felt an answering heat within her. When his lips left hers, she wanted to pull him down to her and sink into his mouth. Instead she found her voice and said, "I'll see you in seven hours."

"Until tonight, little one."

Before he returned to Olympus, Vulcan followed the signs to the college's research center. It took a little magical nudging sprinkled judiciously on a few mortals here and there, but soon he was seated in front of a computer with a rudimentary knowledge of search engines. It wouldn't do for him to be blundering about the modern world without at least a basic understanding of the times and people. He cracked his knuckles and began pointing and clicking the intriguing little device they called a mouse....

Chapter Nineteen

"T hank you, ma'am. That was a great class!"

Venus smiled beatifically at the young fireman who had, at the beginning of the class, been holding his diagram upside down. "Thank you, darling. I'm pleased you enjoyed it."

"More than that, ma'am!" he gushed. "I can't wait to..." He broke off, blushing. "Well, I mean thanks. I learned a lot."

"You are most welcome." Venus stood by the classroom door, saying good-bye to her class. It really had gone well. They had been attentive and enthusiastic. She had thoroughly enjoyed herself, which she had to admit to herself, had a lot to do with the fact that the most attentive, enthusiastic and handsome member of the class had been Griffin, who was currently hanging back, very obviously waiting for the rest of the men to say their good-byes and leave. The last grateful fireman finally left, and the goddess's stomach fluttered as Griffin approached her.

His eyes smiled at her. "I didn't know you were a teacher."

"I'm really not. At least I'm usually not, though I suppose you could say that I have done my share of instruction about love." She paused, struggling to get the modern words right.

"So you're a therapist?"

Relieved that he'd provided her a viable profession, Venus nodded and smiled innocently. "Yes. A sex therapist. I taught class today as a favor for a friend who works here at the college."

"Then I will have to remember to thank your friend for causing you to be here today."

"Really? Why is that?" She felt better with the conversation leaving the technical whys and hows of her being there.

"I went back to find you, but you weren't there."

He was being blunt, so she decided to match him in honesty. "I waited until it was clear you were in no hurry to return to me. Then I left."

He blew out a long, frustrated breath. "I didn't mean to be gone so long. I didn't want to be gone so long. The mayor and the chief wouldn't let me get away until I explained every aspect of the community education plan I have proposed for the Midtown Station to them. I'm sorry if it seemed like I stood you up."

Venus felt herself bristling. "Actually I never considered that you might have stood me up," she lied. "I simply wearied of waiting, so I left."

Griffin frowned in response to her haughty tone.

"Well, it was lovely to see you again, and I do hope you enjoyed my class." Venus turned from him and started stuffing chalk and vagina diagrams back into her bag. Why was she being so short and rude to him? She'd wanted him to talk to her - wanted him to apologize to her. And here he was doing both and she was suddenly cutting him off. Venus silently considered her emotions.