Read Online Immortal Heat by Lanette Curington - Free Book Online
Authors: Lanette Curington
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laugh.
"Always." He was surprised when she reached out and grasped his hand.
"In case I lose my balance. I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all." And he didn't mind. He liked the feel of her small, soft hand in his. He shouldn't, he knew, but he did. He wondered what she would do if he swung her around and kissed her. >From the teasing way she had played with the hair on his chest when she'd fallen against him earlier, he didn't think she would mind at all.
Did he really want that complication in his life? He was happy...or so he kept telling himself. Had he been happier before Aglaia washed up on his shore and into his life? He couldn't remember. Suddenly, she turned his hand loose.
"I'll race you to that large egg-shaped boulder," Aglaia called out and started hobbling as fast as she could down the stretch of sand.
Hephaestus watched her a moment then followed after her. His stride was longer and he soon caught up and passed her by.
"Oh, that isn't fair!" she cried out in mock indignation. "You're accustomed to your metal contraption, and I haven't had time to get used to mine."
He slowed enough to look over his shoulder at her—and smiled. The golden headband was skewed to one side. Strands of hair, the shifting colors of the flames in his forge, lifted in the breeze then wrapped around her shoulders. She had grabbed the skirt of her chiton with both hands and raised it above her knees for unrestricted movement. And she limped just like he did. Unlike him, she would heal in time and no longer need the greave he had made for her.
Still, Aglaia was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, including his former wife. If Aphrodite knew his thoughts at this moment, she would be enraged even though she had never loved him. If she knew, she might exact her revenge on Aglaia and that he couldn't allow. If he and Aglaia became lovers, he would have to go to Aphrodite and tell her himself. He didn't want Aphrodite to hurt Aglaia in any way.
"You are so cruel!" Aglaia shouted at him, but she was smiling. "You're supposed to let me win."
"Am I?" he called out over his shoulder. He had almost reached the oval boulder, standing on its end, that she had designated as their goal.
"Of course! To boost my confidence, to show me I can do anything as well as before. Shame on you, Hephaestus," she scolded, but the words were spoken between giggles and he didn't take her seriously.
He was breathing heavily when he reached the boulder. He leaned back against it and leisurely crossed his arms, as if to say what's taking you so long? She was only a score of paces away when her greave-clad foot hit a small rock half-buried in the sand and her leg flew out from under her.
Aglaia landed on her backside with a small sound of surprise before she toppled down the steep incline toward the sea. Hephaestus pushed off from the boulder and ran after her, but she had rolled to a stop just above the waterline when he reached her.
His knees went weak and he fell beside her. She was positioned too much like the way she had been the day he had found her all bruised and battered and littered with sand. Her head was turned away from him, but the golden band had somehow managed to stay in her hair although it hung loosely to one side. She was a goddess, he reminded himself, and she couldn't die, but even such a simple tumble could cause more grievous injuries.
"Aglaia," he whispered and turned her face toward him. Her eyes were closed and she didn't move. He leaned in closer and her eyes sprang open, surprising him.
"Boo!" she said.
He sat back on his heels, aggravating the discomfort in his deformed foot, his hands spread wide on his thighs, and scowled down at her.
"Oh, Hephaestus, don't be angry." She tried to mimic his dour face, but she couldn't hold it for long. She laughed and this time he found himself laughing with her. "You have
"Always." He was surprised when she reached out and grasped his hand.
"In case I lose my balance. I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all." And he didn't mind. He liked the feel of her small, soft hand in his. He shouldn't, he knew, but he did. He wondered what she would do if he swung her around and kissed her. >From the teasing way she had played with the hair on his chest when she'd fallen against him earlier, he didn't think she would mind at all.
Did he really want that complication in his life? He was happy...or so he kept telling himself. Had he been happier before Aglaia washed up on his shore and into his life? He couldn't remember. Suddenly, she turned his hand loose.
"I'll race you to that large egg-shaped boulder," Aglaia called out and started hobbling as fast as she could down the stretch of sand.
Hephaestus watched her a moment then followed after her. His stride was longer and he soon caught up and passed her by.
"Oh, that isn't fair!" she cried out in mock indignation. "You're accustomed to your metal contraption, and I haven't had time to get used to mine."
He slowed enough to look over his shoulder at her—and smiled. The golden headband was skewed to one side. Strands of hair, the shifting colors of the flames in his forge, lifted in the breeze then wrapped around her shoulders. She had grabbed the skirt of her chiton with both hands and raised it above her knees for unrestricted movement. And she limped just like he did. Unlike him, she would heal in time and no longer need the greave he had made for her.
Still, Aglaia was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, including his former wife. If Aphrodite knew his thoughts at this moment, she would be enraged even though she had never loved him. If she knew, she might exact her revenge on Aglaia and that he couldn't allow. If he and Aglaia became lovers, he would have to go to Aphrodite and tell her himself. He didn't want Aphrodite to hurt Aglaia in any way.
"You are so cruel!" Aglaia shouted at him, but she was smiling. "You're supposed to let me win."
"Am I?" he called out over his shoulder. He had almost reached the oval boulder, standing on its end, that she had designated as their goal.
"Of course! To boost my confidence, to show me I can do anything as well as before. Shame on you, Hephaestus," she scolded, but the words were spoken between giggles and he didn't take her seriously.
He was breathing heavily when he reached the boulder. He leaned back against it and leisurely crossed his arms, as if to say what's taking you so long? She was only a score of paces away when her greave-clad foot hit a small rock half-buried in the sand and her leg flew out from under her.
Aglaia landed on her backside with a small sound of surprise before she toppled down the steep incline toward the sea. Hephaestus pushed off from the boulder and ran after her, but she had rolled to a stop just above the waterline when he reached her.
His knees went weak and he fell beside her. She was positioned too much like the way she had been the day he had found her all bruised and battered and littered with sand. Her head was turned away from him, but the golden band had somehow managed to stay in her hair although it hung loosely to one side. She was a goddess, he reminded himself, and she couldn't die, but even such a simple tumble could cause more grievous injuries.
"Aglaia," he whispered and turned her face toward him. Her eyes were closed and she didn't move. He leaned in closer and her eyes sprang open, surprising him.
"Boo!" she said.
He sat back on his heels, aggravating the discomfort in his deformed foot, his hands spread wide on his thighs, and scowled down at her.
"Oh, Hephaestus, don't be angry." She tried to mimic his dour face, but she couldn't hold it for long. She laughed and this time he found himself laughing with her. "You have
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