Goddess of Love (Goddess Summoning #5)(64)

"Yoo-hoo! Love birds! Jeesh, get a room." Alicia giggled.

Griffin laughed good-naturedly. Then he held out his hand to Venus. "Well, my goddess, are you hungry? I could take you home and feed you."

Venus smiled at his use of her nickname and realized, now that she didn't feel so nervous about their date, she was actually hungry, and she'd definitely like him to take her home. "Yes, I am."

She took his hand, liking the way he wrapped it through his arm, as if he were a gentleman warrior, escorting his lady love who belonged to him and only him. And she thought again how much she enjoyed being treated like a woman and not like a deity. Then she remembered exactly why they were there and added, "But you can't leave your own art show."

"Why not? My publicist is here. She's better than I am at this kind of stuff anyway," he said, grinning at his sister. "See you girls later," he called over his shoulder as he pulled Venus with him toward the warehouse door.

"Good-bye girls," Venus called over her shoulder.

The sisters waved at her while they blew kisses at their big brother. Outside the sidewalk was busy with people going to and from the art show and the other little shops that had purposefully stayed open late to capitalize on the gallery opening. It was a beautiful, clear night, but the wind had whipped up, making it a little cool, and Venus snuggled closer to Griffin.

"Here, take this." He slipped off his jacket and put it around her shoulders. "And let me walk on the street side of the sidewalk. You never know when some idiot will drink and drive and jump the damn curb." Then he threaded her arm back through his, and tucked her on his left side, keeping her close to him. She was enveloped by his warmth and she felt protected and cared for - two feelings that were foreign to the Goddess of Love. She usually made certain such things were brought to others' lives. Had anyone, god or mortal, ever worried about anything as simple as whether she was too hot or cold or whether she was protected? She knew the answer too well. She'd been worshipped for eons. People made pilgrimages to ask boons of her and to be granted the blessing of love in their lives. But people didn't care for and protect her. She was a great goddess - they wouldn't believe she needed or desired their care. Well, they were wrong.

"Thanks for being patient with my sisters. I know the four of them together can be a little overwhelming." His words broke into her internal reverie.

She smiled at him. "They're going to be mad at you for leaving early."

"Nah, I'll just be changing a lot of oil. And here's the secret." He bent down and whispered into her ear. "I don't really mind doing it. The girls are always grateful, and I like knowing that they're taken care of. I still change my mom's oil every three thousand miles."

Venus wasn't exactly sure why oil needed to be changed so much, or from what into what it needed to be changed, but she liked the fact that Griffin did it for the women in his life almost as much as she loved the way his breath tickled her ear and sent sensuous shivers down her neck.

"Too bad you didn't get to meet my mom tonight. She's on a cruise with two of her girlfriends. She'll be pissed when she gets back and finds out she missed the art opening."

"What about your father?"

Griffin's open, warm expression faltered. "He left us when I was a teenager. Found a younger wife and made a new family."

"I'm sorry," Venus said. So he'd been father as well as brother to his sisters and the man his mother depended upon. Little wonder he understood women so well. Griffin shrugged. "Don't be sorry. It happened a long time ago."

"It was his loss," Venus said.

"That's what I used to tell the girls when they'd get down about it."

They'd stopped at the passenger's side of Griffin's huge truck. On impulse, Venus said, "You're a good brother, Griffin DeAngelo. May you be richly blessed for your kindness to your family."

Then she kissed him softly on the cheek, purposefully sending just a hint of her magic through him with her blessing - not enough for him to notice, but enough to bring him unusually good luck for the next several days.

When she pulled back she thought he would smile, open the door for her, and help her into the truck's maw. Instead he surprised her by taking her in his arms and lowering his mouth onto hers. Over his shoulder she saw the fullness of the winter moon and it seemed to be shining a beam of silver light down on them. An omen, she thought as her eyes closed and she opened her mouth to Griffin's possession. A lover's moon shining for us alone is an excellent omen. It's saying I should allow myself a lover who isn't a suppliant or an immortal. It's saying I should allow myself to love. And then she wasn't able to think about anything except Griffin's mouth and the perfect way they fit together as she slid her arms up around his neck and molded herself to him.

"Come home with me," Griffin murmured roughly against her lips.

"Yes," she whispered.

Griffin's two-story stucco house was just down the street from Pea's snug little home. He unlocked the door and ushered her into a dimly lit, spacious room. Instantly a huge long-haired calico cat began winding around his legs, purring a welcome. Griffin scratched the top of her head.

"Venus, meet Cali Alley Cat. She's not really an alley cat, or at least she's not since she adopted me, but the name stuck to her. I'll get her saucer of milk. If I don't she'll never leave me alone. Make yourself at home." He hurried toward a room at the rear of the house, and then called over his shoulder. "Oh, the real lights are there by the door. Sorry, I should have flipped them on for you."