Eros

Chapter 10: Unexpected Guest

"Hello Angie, have you found everything in order?"

Angie could not blink away from the image. She nodded in silent reply. Her fingers lightly caressed the black shield containing the golden etched cupid with wings.

"'Eros. Attic red-figure bobbin, ca. 470 BC–450 BC'," she read under her breath.

"Well, I close in . . ." the librarian consulted her watch with a flick of her wrist, "five minutes."

Angie ripped her eyes from the book only after putting her index finger. "Thank you."

She turned back to the book and kept reading. It was very interesting that Eros was named after the god of love. She blushed. Cupid was the god of lust and sensuality, too, among other things!

Her heart flipped as she thought of Eros' kiss and how easily he made her soft and breathless. Just like the ancient Cupid. Heat crawled over her face and she wet her lips. She could still hear his husky voice.

She took a deep breath, and continued to read aloud this time.

"'It is said that the god of love favored roses. He tamed lions and tigers and wrestled with monsters of the sea. The fourth day of every month was sacred to Cupid.' Hmm, interesting." Angie jotted down a few notes before continuing, "'He was first depicted as a glorious youth, filled with surpassing beauty and grace with wings of gold. He spent some of his time chasing butterflies—many poets and philosophers have questioned his capability of chasing girls because of this.'"

Angie giggled.

"'It was later recorded, due to the fact that his mother was Aphrodite, that he could not surpass her wisdom nor beauty, hence, becoming the cherubic baby—full of mischief.'"

Angie glanced at her fingernails in thought. Stories. There were so many beautiful stories about Greece. Her heart fell. Why would Eros find little old Angie so interesting? If only New York contained such rich history as Greece. She frowned. Maybe she could learn a few words and surprise Eros with them?

"Can I run some copies, please?" She asked, setting the load of books on the counter along with an English-to-Greek translation book.

"Ten cents a sheet." The librarian smiled over her glasses.

As soon as Angie arrived home, she locked herself in her bedroom. She thumbed through her copies, stretched out in her pink pajamas. She was an old-fashioned kind of girl; she liked holding paper in her hands rather reading from a computer screen. It gave her a permanent sense of ownership.

She put the copies aside with a yawn soon after the alphabet danced circles across the white sheets. The moon splashed cold silver light between the curtains, giving her room a mythical feel. Her pillow beneath her head sighed when she rested against it with a groan.

"It's going to be a challenge, facing him like that." Angie shook her head. She wasn't sure if she wanted to show Eros what she had learned tonight. Was she just being silly, believing it would have any impact? She huffed with disgust at her naivety. Would he stand by and stay quiet while others poked fun of her weight like he had with his roommate?

She turned to her other side. Why did she let it bother her so much? It wasn't the first time anyone had brought up her size. Hot tears tickled her lashes and she blinked them away.

No, I shouldn't bother with Eros anymore. He isn't my type, anyway.

Angie closed her eyes. Behind her eyelids, she saw Eros's strong face and soft eyes. His kisses making her lick her lips. Honey. They tasted like honey.