Free A Taste of Greek (Out of Olympus #3) by Tina Folsom, Cynthia Cooke

the salad was practically chock-full of aphrodisiac foods.
    “How is that any different than believing in aliens from outer space?”
    Hermes had to smile. What mortals called aliens weren’t really aliens. They were randy little fuckers who’d been expelled from Hades’ Underworld for causing too much trouble, like wanting to probe other souls and experiment on them. At some point, Hades had had enough of them and catapulted them into outer space.
    “I guess no difference at all,” he agreed.
    At that moment, the sky thundered overhead with a deafening boom, then lit up in explosive brightness as lightning arced through the sky. A torrential downpour started outside their window, drenching the unexpected and unprepared. Hermes couldn’t help the grin that split his lips. It appeared that Zeus had finally figured out how his cell phone worked and picked up his voicemail.
    “What is it with the weather out here lately?” Penny asked.
    He shrugged, focusing on his lunch again. He wasn’t going to let Zeus destroy his date with Penny. He could summon him all he wanted, but Hermes wouldn’t respond. What part of “on vacation” did Zeus not get?
    “Do you think there are people out there who still believe?” she pressed.
    He knew there were. A thought came and went. Maybe he could help her with her article. Maybe if he told her a few things—things that weren’t really a secret, but hadn’t been fully explored by mortals—he could get Penny to thank him for it—in a carnal kind of way.
    He gazed into her eyes. “Perhaps. The hard part will be finding them, unless you know where to look.”
    “True.” Her beautiful eyes perused him for a long moment. “But I’m excited to try.”
    He’d bet she would be excited to try all kinds of new things. The journey he would take her on would be exciting for both of them. And long. Suddenly, just taking her to bed this afternoon wasn’t what he wanted anymore. No, he wanted to delay gratification, both his and hers.
    Besides, something about her words had made him think. The earnestness that had crossed her face when she’d told him how important it was for her to gain approval from the tenure committee, gave him pause. Suddenly, there was so much more to explore than just her body. Her mind intrigued him. And that had never happened before. At the same time, it made him cautious. He didn’t want to get involved in a relationship. Maybe he should end it here and now.
    “Listen, I have a party I’m helping throw on Saturday.” The words were out before he could stop himself. Hadn’t he just decided that it was best not to take this any further? Obviously, his body had a mind of its own and wasn’t listening to his brain.
    “With your friend, Triton?”
    “Yes. I’m supposed to bring a date and, well, would you like to go with me?” There, now he’d said it. There was no way back from this.
    She beamed. “Absolutely. I’d love to go with you.”
    He lifted his wine in a toast and wondered whether he was toasting to his own downfall. “To exciting new ventures.”
    She clinked her glass against his. “And exciting new friends.”
    Oh, we’ll be more than friends , he mused. At least friends with benefits. Lots of benefits.
     

9
     
    The night of the party, Hermes glanced out the window of Triton’s and Sophia’s Bed and Breakfast on Battery Street, which they’d aptly named Olympus Inn , watching for Penny to arrive. The fact that he was actually anxious to see her and was acting like a schoolboy waiting for his first kiss wasn’t lost on him. He downed his drink and turned away from the window.
    “Waiting for someone?” Eros asked, a wide knowing grin splitting his face.
    “Not at all,” Hermes lied, and joined his friend at the bar.
    “It’s a good thing. You and I are the only confirmed bachelors left and I’m beginning to fear we’re a dying breed.”
    Hermes laughed. “You don’t have to worry about me.” He wouldn’t be trapped