Ares' Temptation Read Free Page B

current of jealousy rose inside him. He searched the room. “Who is your companion?”
    Kaye scrunched her eyebrows. “Do you think I’d be sitting with you if I had one?”
    Was she mocking him again? Anger rose inside him, and he squelched it back down. He’d have to suffer her ridicule if he was to win her over. “Seeing as though you do not have a…date, let us continue our discourse on warfare and peace.”
    She stared at him as if he were mad. “I thought you were quite finished with my thoughts on peace.”
    Ares swallowed. He had been. Conversation was idle chatter he only used when necessary. But now it was imperative. “You have some valid points I’ve never considered.”
    She turned toward him with a skeptic frown.
    He took a deep breath. “I’d like to atone for my earlier inattention.”
    “What are you going to do? Behead someone in my honor?”
    Ares balked and glanced away, searching for the server. He needed another mug of ale. Sparring with swords was so much easier than with words. Kaye had more than a few sharp barbs at her disposal. “Perhaps you would like to dance, when the music begins.”
    She coughed into her napkin as if the bite of pasta caught in her throat. “I didn’t know a serious warrior like yourself danced.”
    “Only when forced.” He flinched. He shouldn’t have said that. “Or when a beautiful woman is without a partner.”
    Kaye narrowed her eyes. “So, is someone forcing you?”
    In some manner, yes. But that answer would never do. “More like there’s a beautiful woman in front of me.”
    Kaye’s fine features brightened. “If you put it that way, then, sure.”
    Triumph coursed through him. He’d won his first skirmish. “Excellent.” This wouldn’t be as hard as he had thought. He may even regain his powers by the end of the week.
    Beside him, Kaye lost control of her fork. Again. It twirled in the air, and he expected it to land in his lap before she caught the utensil in one swipe, just above his left leg. Her eyes brightened. “Would you look at that. I’ve never been so coordinated in my entire life.”
    “A marvelous feat, indeed.” He aimed to appear pleasantly surprised, but underneath his calm smile, shock and frustration spread through him.
    Just as Hekate had said, the mortal’s touch had stolen his powers.

Chapter Three
    Two Left Feet
    Kaye threw the fork up in the air and caught it like an expert juggler each and every time. Something crazy was going on. Maybe all these gods and goddesses were rubbing off on her? Or was it a magical potion in the champagne?
    Beside her, Ares drew lines in the moisture on the side of his ale mug. After about the fourth throw, she lost his attention. In fact, he seemed somewhat annoyed.
    Kaye put the fork down. “You haven’t touched your shells.”
    She’d spent enough time with Syrinx to know gods and goddesses didn’t need to eat, but everyone else in the room was making a show of enjoying the courses, even if they didn’t require nourishment.
    “I prefer venison and roasted boar.”
    “Oh.” She bet he hunted it himself and skewered the animals with his sword. Honestly, why she agreed to dance with him was beyond any reason or logic. But he’d called her pretty, and she was at a wedding, and that was it. It was just one dance. This relationship couldn’t go any farther than light-hearted bickering. What could a war god and a floral assistant possibly have in common? Waitresses came around with plates of vanilla cake with pink frosting. Small sugar doves decorated the side of each piece. Kaye tried to find some common ground. “What about dessert?”
    He waved the waitress away. “Dessert doesn’t interest me.”
    “Oh come on.” She dug her fork in. “You have to try it. Here, have a bite of mine.”
    Ares frowned, and Kaye wanted to crawl under the table. What was she thinking? The God of War didn’t eat cake.
    He sighed as if he’d changed his mind and nodded. “Very well.”
    She