Goddess of Love (Goddess Summoning #5)(76)

"Yep," she called. "Hey, while I'm taking a shower make yourself at home. I have lots of breakfast stuff in the kitchen, and the automatic coffeemaker should already be working its magic."

She squealed around her toothbrush when he stuck his head in the bathroom.

"Are you quite certain you don't need my assistance, my lady?"

"Yes!" Pea ignored his sexy leer and pushed him out, shutting the door. She giggled and hummed all the way through her shower.

Pea was ready for work in record time. She checked her watch as she hurried from her bedroom. It was seven-thirty. She could have a short breakfast with Vulcan and still make it to work practically on time. And anyway she was never late for work. A few minutes this one time wouldn't hurt.

Vulcan was sitting at her kitchen table. Surprisingly his bulk didn't look awkward or out of place there. Instead he seemed to complement the room, filling it up and making it even homier. He was sipping a mug of coffee with his eyes closed, which made her smile.

"So you hadn't had coffee before, either?"

"Never," he said, opening his eyes and grinning at her. "Its smell is as divine as its taste."

She poured herself a cup. "Do you mean that literally, God of Fire?"

He hesitated, and then smiled like a little boy. "I think I do."

Pea laughed, but her laughter turned into a choking fit. When Vulcan wasn't blocking her view she could see that her table was filled with hand-etched silver platters brimming with hunks of aged cheese, exotic fruits, bread that smelled freshly baked and thinly sliced pieces of cold meat.

"What is all of this?" she sputtered.

He looked from the feast to Pea. "Breakfast?"

"You zapped it here?"

Vulcan studied her for a moment. "Zapped - as in I could have zapped you into a tree?"

"Which you wouldn't do, remember?" Pea said through partially clenched teeth.

"Which I absolutely would not do."

"Then yes, that's what zapped means."

"Then yes, I zapped the food here."

"Vulcan," she began, hesitated, and then bent to kiss him on the cheek and patted his back, too, for good measure. He did look scrumptious at her kitchen table, and he probably didn't know any better. "I'm a little uncomfortable with zapping." She sat in the chair closest to him so that their thighs brushed together intimately. "Zapping isn't something that happens in Tulsa." At Vulcan's disbelieving frown she added, "Truthfully. Zapping would freak out most modern mortals."

After a pause she began to fill her plate.

"Freak out?" he said.

"Think of freak out as being uncomfortable multiplied times ten."

"And this really makes you uncomfortable?"

"Really."

"I had no idea."

"Oh, I believe you. Venus was shocked to find out it was a problem, too."

"Then I will refrain from zapping."

"I would appreciate it."

"Your request is this god's command, my lady." He gave her a little seated bow with a flourish, which made her giggle and blush.

And it was in the middle of her blushing giggle that Venus burst into the room.

"Pea, darling, I have so much to - " She pulled up short when she saw Vulcan.

"Hello, Venus," he said.

"Hello, Venus," Pea said.

"What, by all of the flapping phalluses of the gods, is he doing here?" Venus asked. Pea looked at Vulcan. "I thought you said she wouldn't be upset."

"Yes, but I didn't say she wouldn't be shocked."

"She is right here!"

"Venus, please don't be mad," Pea said, her face starting to crumble.

"I'm not mad!" Venus shouted. Then she closed her eyes, took a breath and started over. "I'm not mad," she said in a more sedate tone. "Why should I be mad? I'm just wondering why Vulcan is sitting at your kitchen table having breakfast." The goddess glanced at the laden table and her eyes widened. "And a zapped breakfast from Olympus at that."

"I told him to make himself at home while I was in the shower," Pea said.

"Which I did," Vulcan said.

"Yeah, and he didn't know how I felt about the zapping part so - "

Venus's upraised hand silenced Pea.

"The two of you are making no sense."

"Sorry," Pea muttered.

Vulcan shrugged.

Venus narrowed her eyes at him. He was certainly being uncharacteristically chatty. And he looked relaxed. And he was wearing jeans and a sweater. She studied him harder and felt a jolt of pure shock. Vulcan had had sex! Good sex, too, from the look of him. She opened her mouth to say that it was about time, and an insane thought crossed her mind. The Goddess of Love turned her sharp gaze on Pea, who wouldn't meet her eyes and who began to squirm in her chair. Literally.

"By Gaea's earthy vagina! You've had sex!" Venus gasped. "With each other!"

"Please don't be mad," Pea repeated.

"Stop saying that," Venus said.

"Don't bully her!" Vulcan shouted.

"Don't yell at me!" Venus yelled.