Free Lesson in Love (Olympians, 2) by Marie Medina Page A

love.”
    He rolled his eyes at Ares. “Whatever.
I think everyone knows where my mother’s heart is.”
    Eros regretted saying it as soon as
Ares’ eyes flashed at him.
    “ No, you’re wrong. No one
knows that, not even Hera or Zeus. I spend the most time in her
bed. That’s all. She keeps her secrets locked up quite
well.”
    “ Sorry. You brought it
up.”
    Ares answered very quickly. “Yeah,
well, I wasn’t thinking.”
    “ Okay. That’s fine.” Eros
was beginning to wonder if something was going on with his mother.
Ares certainly seemed testier lately, and she had been keeping to
herself a lot, except for one or two drop-ins to tease him. Nothing
surprised him when it came to her. He focused on Ares again. “Yes,
I’m in love with her. She thinks I’m just fooling myself,
though.”
    “ How does she feel about
you?”
    Ares asked the question so casually
Eros wondered if he already knew the answer. “That’s the other
thing. I thought she hated me. I thought I was spending all this
time trying to win her over. According to her, she’s been in love
with me for a long time.”
    Ares didn’t look surprised. “How long
is a long time?”
    “ Years, she
said.”
    “ So she finds it hard to
buy that you’re in love with her after a month? I don’t think
anyone would blame her.”
    “ I guess. I don’t know.
She thinks I was forced to notice her. She thinks she seduced me.
She did, but not in the way she means. She started seducing me the
day she introduced herself to me in her restaurant. I was crazy
about her when I thought she couldn’t stand me. I just wasn’t going
to admit it then.”
    “ I can understand the
first part. It is pretty hard to believe you never noticed her.
She’s gorgeous. Those flashing eyes and all those
curves.”
    Eros glared at Ares. “Anything you
want to tell me?”
    Ares smiled. “I kissed her once.
That’s it.”
    Eros knew that had to be all that had
happened because Ares was enough of a bastard he wouldn’t hesitate
to tell all if they had ever been together. “Okay.”
    “ I can appreciate a
beautiful woman if I want to. I’m a free man.”
    Eros couldn’t help wondering if Ares,
macho as he was, wanted to talk about Aphrodite. He certainly kept
leading them toward the subject, but he got testy when Eros asked
something directly. Well, if he did want to talk, he’d have to
wait. Eros had his own issues to deal with. “Yeah, I know. Can’t
help it.”
    “ Jealousy will do that.
You’re lucky. More than one god would have tried to win Iris if she
didn’t keep her defenses up so much.”
    All Eros could think about was the way
she’d let down every defense with him the night before. She’d
invited him into her home and her bed, only to then tell him she’d
already let him into her heart a long time ago.
    “ I think I’m paying the
price for not noticing her before.”
    “ She wouldn’t do
that.”
    “ No, I meant in the bigger
scheme of things. You know how the Fates work.”
    “ I’m not really that sure
sometimes.”
    Eros wasn’t sure how to explain. “I
mean I could have made her happy years ago, but I never even looked
twice at her. The only time I ever noticed her was at a party, and
I only approached her because Poseidon was talking to her. I
thought she was the latest mortal he was into.”
    Ares laughed loudly. “That sure wins a
girl over, making her think you only want her because she’s someone
else’s and disposable to boot.”
    “ Thanks. I feel great
now.”
    Ares finally stopped laughing. “Look,
go talk to your mother if you’re that worried. If Iris has really
loved you for so long, she’s not going to stop after all this has
happened. Does that make any sense?”
    “ I know you’re right. I
can’t stand being away from her right now. It’s making me
nuts.”
    Ares got up. “Welcome to being in
love. Time’s going to go very slow for a while. It’s worth it, even
though it doesn’t always feel like it.”
    If