Free Skin of a Goddess (Goddess Ascension Book 1) by Victoria C. Johnson

chocolate addiction. Well, and the wine. Plus ice cream,” Apate lists off.
    Dysnomia glares at her. “As I was saying, what’s up?”
    “Nothing much on our radar.” Apate smiles with a wink.
    “I found out that there’s going to be a conference-wide meeting tonight. Not sure what’s going on, but Enyo’s hoping that some of the others took her advice on wanting to start guild wars,” Dysnomia gossips.
    Ana turns to Apate. “Told you she would end up telling ’em! You owe me. Cough up the cash.”
    They exchange a few choice bills.
    “Yum, who’s that? I haven’t been in a group with him yet, more’s the pity. He looks so big and rough. Guys like that are just begging to be tied up until they know who’s really boss. One night in my dungeon and he’ll know who to call mistress,” Dysnomia says, apparently eyeing a choice piece of ass.
    Apate starts laughing. “I’m sure he would.”
    “Yay, he’s coming this way!” Dysnomia grins, sitting up to pay tribute to her subject.
    “Peitho.” A massive hand lands on my shoulder, the first time he’s touched me that I can remember. I can feel that voice flow through me, and I’m not so much sure if it’s his presence or because I hear him in my head as well.
    “Hunter, how are you?” I ask, gritting my teeth.
    Dysnomia pouts. “It just figures you’d have already claimed him. Who did you get permission from? Ana and Apate? You really should keep us posted on which guys you’ve staked out so we don’t get our hopes up.”
    I look up to see Hunter regard her in confusion. “Permission? Guys?”
    Her grin turns positively wicked, and I know she’s going to do something to try to piss me off. “Peitho has a list of hookup rules that we helped her make. One of them is she has to get permission from two of the seven of us. She has really bad judgment, so it’s best if we approve of them before they get ‘involved.’ Quite the chore, let me tell you.”
    “Rules for hooking up,” he murmurs with something like disgust.
    Honestly, if he’s so convinced I’m the whore to his prude then why doesn’t he leave me alone? I will not be shamed and act like everyone’s dirty little secret for my very nature. I do nothing wrong. Sharing your body with another is one of the most natural acts in the world. I just wish he’d stop looking at me like that!
    “You’ll love the first rule—” Dysnomia begins with a grin.
    “Don’t!” I tell her.
    Sadly, she still finishes with, “Peitho has to see them in good lighting. It’s just horrible to wake up in the morning to find out last night’s fantasy is a nightmare in the light of day.”
    “Happened more than once to you, huh?” he growls.
    “You have no idea. I’ve seen some of them get kicked out before we made the no guys at the houses rule. I have to say, they were not the greatest of lookers, in any way. Luckily, Enyo and Lyssa take great pleasure in kicking her little friends out of our houses,” Dysnomia says, really starting to enjoy herself.
    Hunter’s hand on my shoulder flexes without tightening.
    “There’s really no reason to tell him about the rules. He’s not one of my guys,” I tell her.
    “That’s right, I’m not one of her guys. We’re handfasting for six months,” Hunter corrects me, sounding positively jolly about the fact.
    “Realllly, how did none of us know about that?” Dysnomia asks, eyes wide in fascination.
    “Actually—” Ana begins before I stuff a cookie in her wide, flapping mouth.
    I groan. “It’s very complicated, and we don’t agree on the matter. I thought it would be best to come to the group when I actually have something concrete to tell. So far, I don’t. I’d appreciate it, Hunter, if you wouldn’t speak about it either.”
    “Now, there’s another thing we don’t agree on. Telling people. The fact is, I thought it best to let our new arrangement be known, otherwise others will be hitting on you without knowing that you’re taken. I