Amanita: Poison Shot

Chapter 80: The Iceberg Melts

Sigi was begging me to sweeten his sour worries.

His warm breath sweetly hit the skin on my face because he was still really close to me, sitting on the floor, with both hands flat right beside either side of my thighs.

He smelled so good after the shower. And his hair, still a bit wet, spiky and mildly dishevelled, made me want to touch it – badly.

"How do I feel about both of you? I'll lay my cards on the table, if that's what you want," I whispered back weakly. "But you don't have to worry about anything, Sigi."

I could see how my words were giving wings to his hopes by the way his pupils had dilated and the way his cheeks had ignited with passion. He licked his lips briefly.

"Do you...?"

"One: I'm not a whore," I replied whispering seriously, cutting his question. "So, no. I'm not having sex with Eros. Not now, not ever. Which leads me to two: ever since this mission to befriend him started, I've felt dirty around him. I feel as if I'm using him. And I am. I feel awful.

"My friendship with him is something already hard to handle. When this mess is over, I want to tell him the truth. And tell me, what do you think it's gonna happen then? If he's got any feelings for me, be it love or mere friendship, I don't think they're gonna survive the truth."

I knew Eros liked me – in a romantic way. But it wasn't mutual. He was like a delicious cherry on top of a huge ice cream which wasn't meant for me. I might have stared at him because he was drop-dead gorgeous, but that didn't automatically mean that I had fallen in love with him.

"So, no. Eros might not be in the picture in the long run," I added with sadness. "I know that. And to be honest, I'm sorry – but only because I'm gonna hurt him. Because he's been super nice to me. He's a great friend. He deserves better than a liar like me. Every time I see jealousy in your eyes or your words, I don't get it. Does this set you at ease now?"

"It does," he admitted whispering.

"I told you before that Eros and I were only friends. You choose to believe me now?" My complaint wasn't genuine, just an amused one.

"I understand you better now. One thing, though: if he ever kisses you again, I'm gonna go berserk." His threatening tone of voice matched the intensity of his eyes fuelled by fury.

But Eros had already done so. The previous day. Right before Apollo's press conference, after meditating with him on the Cliffs.

"I get that that kiss he had given you on the first and only day you worked in the Sappho Residence was meant to protect you from his father. But if he tries again, I'm gonna..."

"Sigi..."

We remained in silence for some seconds, staring at each other.

"Only one small, insignificant detail remains." He stressed the word insignificant as if it was exactly the opposite. "How do you feel about me? Is your father right?"

"Maybe," I teased him.

"Daphne..."

"The 'L' word doesn't come out of these lips that easily, you know," I admitted. Iceberg-cold Daphne was sailing those waters still. "I guess what my former friends said about me is true. I'm cold like an iceberg."

"Let me help you then," he whispered with desire written all over his lips.

That was when he leaned on me a bit further, reducing the little space between us to none.