Most days he wasn’t. Though she and Nick had formed an alliance and were sharing their knowledge and manpower in this fight, she knew how hard it was for Nick to be around her. Especially when Demetrius was in the room.
“He can’t stand to see us together,” Demetrius said at her back, closing the door behind them. “I know how he feels and I can’t blame him. Sometimes I wonder if you’d be better off with—”
“Don’t say it.” She turned to face him, knowing this fear came from the very bottom of his soul. The soul he still didn’t think would ever be good enough for her, even after she’d bound her life to his. “Don’t even think it. He is not the one I want, Demetrius. He’s not the ándras I’m in love with. He’s not the one—”
His hand captured hers. He yanked her close, cutting off her words. She bumped into his solid chest, then groaned when he lowered his mouth and kissed her in that way that made her toes curl against the carpet.
Touching him was always like this. Electric. Exhilarating. Explosive. Like the very first time they’d kissed on the island where Atalanta had trapped them. If the goddess had planned to use Hera’s soul-mate curse to her advantage, she’d failed. Because their connection wasn’t a curse at all. It was the best part of her life.
His big, strong hands framed her face. He coaxed her lips apart with his tongue, slid into her mouth when she opened for him. He tasted like the coffee they’d had earlier and the sin she wanted to experience now. He changed the angle of the kiss, took her deeper, drew her so close he was all she could feel and see and know.
She was breathless and aching with need when he eased back. His eyes, those dark pools of obsidian, tugged at her soul. “Gods, kardia. I hate what Nick’s going through, but I can’t let you go. Not even for him. And I’ve wanted to kiss you like this all day.”
Her fingers tangled tight in the fabric of his shirt. He was so big—everywhere. All solid muscle and brawny sinew. She loved that about him. Loved that his size—which had once scared her to death—was such a huge turn-on now. “You’d better never let me go. And for the record, Argonaut, I’ve wished you’d kiss me like this all day.”
He pressed his lips to her temple, trailed hot kisses across to her ear that curled her stomach. “You know why I can’t. Because as soon as I touch you I just can’t stop.”
He captured her mouth again. Kissed her long and slow and so completely, she melted. She felt his arms encircle her, felt her feet lift from the floor. Knew he was carrying her to that big bed but couldn’t think of anything except getting him naked and taking him deep into her body, right where she wanted him most.
He laid her out on the bed, nudged her knees apart, and climbed over her. “Ah, kardia. You drive me absolutely insane, you know that?”
She smiled, traced the line of his thick dark eyebrows. “Nice to know I still hold sway over you, Guardian.”
“You always will.” He turned his lips into her palm, kissed her softly. “I—”
A knock sounded at the door.
She captured his jaw and drew him back to her. “Ignore it.”
His lips found hers again and he flicked the button on her slacks, had both hands inside her pants and was pushing them down her hips when the knock sounded again.
“I know you’re both in there,” a voice called. A familiar voice. “I can hear you getting all hot and bothered. Keep your panties on for a few more minutes, Isadora. I need to talk to you.”
Demetrius broke the kiss again and growled, “Orpheus. He’s got the worst damn timing.”
Isadora sighed, not about to argue with her mate. But she did need to talk to Orpheus and knowing the ándras, if he was awake now, at three a.m., there was no telling if he’d still be here in the morning.
She kissed Demetrius one last time and pushed against his shoulder. He rolled off her. “Time-out. Let’s give him a few minutes. We can pick up where we left off once he’s gone.”
Demetrius didn’t look so sure as she stood and buttoned her pants. But she smiled because she very definitely planned to continue to prove to him he was the one she wanted—the only one she wanted—as soon as Orpheus was gone.
She smoothed out her blouse and hair and crossed to the door. When she opened it, Orpheus had one hand braced high on the doorframe and looked anything but pleased that he’d had to wait. “You missed a button.”
Isadora glanced down, realized her breasts were nearly hanging out. She didn’t even remember Demetrius undoing her blouse. Cheeks heating, she quickly covered herself as Orpheus stalked past her into the room as if he owned it.
Demetrius pushed up on his elbows. “Your timing sucks, O.”
“It always has,” Orpheus answered. He turned to Isadora. “I need to ask a favor. And don’t go falling over from shock, but I figure since you’ve asked me for a hell of enough favors over the last year, you can give me one without question.”
Isadora had, but that didn’t mean she was going blindly into any “favor” with Orpheus. “What do you need?”
“Your mate.”