For The Love Of A God by Rosanna Leo (ebook reader for comics .txt) 📕

about how lovely Sarah looked. How perfect. How scrumptious. How enticing... She could go on and on. And Sarah was beaming at him.

And then Eric turned to Sarah's date, the mystery man, and shook his hand. Looking very much like he'd met him before. But she didn't pay the man much attention. It was Sarah who bothered her. The sight of her with Eric was a little too much to bear. In five minutes, he'd given his assistant more smiles than he'd given her all night. Than he'd ever given her.

"Okay,” she said to her friends. “Can I just say I really hate how jealous I'm feeling right now? Eric tells me he wants me, but that he shouldn't be with me. Why is it he acts like he's in pain when he's with me, but with her, he's all sweetness and light?” She turned her back on the scene across the room, so annoyed it bugged the heck out of her.

"Aw, honey, there has to be something wrong with her. I'm sure she's just been given those looks to make up for some horrible personality defect,” said Sheila as she patted Maia's shoulder.

"Or Chlamydia,” Dino concurred with a kind smile. “Besides, Sarah's beauty is way too ... obvious. Too accessible. You're more mysterious, and thanks to us, super hot tonight. Eric couldn't keep his hands off you."

"Well, I'm sure he's come to his senses now Sarah the blonde goddess has entered the room,” Maia said. “And you know what? It's fine with me. I'm tired of this game. He can go shower Sarah with his intense, withering gazes and contradictions. I don't need his kisses."

"You go, girl,” said Dino. “Ooh, look! Check it out. Sarah and her date are dancing now. And the guy's eating her face."

Maia looked. True enough. Eric had disappeared, but the dark-haired man did indeed look as if he were trying to inhale Sarah through her mouth. But, God, it was sexy! Powerful. Raunchy. Even from across the room, she could see their tongues tangling.

Lord, it made her even more frustrated and horny. She wanted it too, and wondered if she'd washed her hands of Eric's kisses a little too soon.

Where was Eric anyway?

Within seconds of stepping outside into the fresh air to clear his head, Eric knew it wouldn't help. Every smoker from the gala seemed to feel the need for a cancer stick break at the same time. Now he had a boner, his head was pounding from the drink, and his nose was stuffy. He'd never understand the mortal obsession with nicotine. There were much more enticing obsessions out there.

Like Maia.

In a short time, she had indeed become his obsession. And it wasn't good. That was how things with Chloe had started.

And yet, he knew they had never escalated this quickly, even then.

Yes, he'd grown to love Chloe. At least, he thought it was love. Certainly, it was the closest he'd ever come to real love. But, in all honesty, it had been a tad one-sided. He'd been a cad with her. Using her for his pleasure, telling himself he was giving her the ultimate pleasure as well. It hadn't stopped him from fucking every other passing willing female.

Sure, he'd been another man then. A selfish one. But was he really any different now?

He'd promised to make Chloe a goddess, his wife, knowing she so wanted to hear those words. She so wanted to please him. But even before Nemesis started sniffing around, he'd grown bored and told himself Chloe would be fine on her own for a while. And had sunk into a drunken pit of debauched pleasure at one of Dionysus's orgies.

He'd killed her as effectively as Nemesis had. And the guilt lived on to torment him through the centuries.

He knew in his heart, as well as he knew his own face, he wouldn't survive the guilt of hurting another. Better he suffer alone than hurt Maia with his attentions.

But was it already too late? Nemesis had seen them about to make love. Had she seen the fervor in his eyes, the want? The need for Maia?

Surely, if she thought he loved her, she would have struck by now.

Did he love her?

It was so soon. And yet, the thought of her with another man at the dance had thrown him into a jealous rage.

Staring through the smoky haze, he made up his mind. It was time to go away altogether. It was time to disappear and let Maia forget all about him. Then Nemesis would go away too.

She'd be safe. They'd both be alone, but Maia would be safe.

Eric looked back once at the banquet hall entrance and started walking away toward the parking lot.

At first, he didn't hear Sheila Flynn's raised voice. “Mr. Lord,” she called. “Eric! Wait!"

He turned, blinking. What did she want with him?

Sheila ran up to him, as quickly as she could in her stilettos. Her pretty blue eyes reflected just how worried she was. “I just saw something. I didn't know where you were so I came out here."

"Yeah,” he muttered. “I needed some air."

"You have to come!"

"Look, Sheila ... please just tell Maia I have to go—"

"No, you have to come!” She pulled on his sleeve. “Maia's in trouble."

Eric blanched and sprinted back toward the hall.

"Get off me!” Maia shoved at Jeremy again, but he persisted in pawing at her.

"Oh, come on, baby. You're clearly up for it,” the board member slurred. “Just look at your sexy dress."

Maia cringed as Jeremy breathed on her, smelling way too much like way too many pina coladas. Something told her the smell of pineapple and coconut would make her eye twitch for a long time to come.

He leaned in for another wet kiss, which she fended off as best as she could.

It was uncanny how they'd run into each other in the coat-check room. She'd ventured there looking for Eric, and thought she'd heard his voice somewhere near the back, behind a rack of wraps and trenches.