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And the fog gradually started to lift. Like an invisible hand was slowly clearing it from her eyes, from her mind, from her heart. The home smelled exactly as Athena did most days and as she was carried through the open plan first floor, Aphrodite could see a teapot with tea still steeping. Bergamot. Of course, Athena would smell like tea. Like the comfortable, cozy, relaxing brew one would curl up with before reaching for a good book. It was so fitting that she snuggled closer and tucked her nose into the hollow of Athena’s neck, inhaling again and again.

To her surprise, Athena giggled—a sound so sweet and unexpected coming from the serious, quiet, and broody goddess, it made Aphrodite laugh in response. Soon they just stood there, Aphrodite safely ensconced in Athena’s arms, in the middle of the living room, laughing and then kissing, Aphrodite feeling her lips thawing under the careful and gentle exploration of the mouth she’d missed so much. And she wanted badly to just say so. It was past time she started saying exactly how she felt.

“I missed your mouth.”

She could feel Athena’s smile against her own, then the kiss deepened, Athena’s tongue dipping into her, and she could smile no more. The sharp arrow of desire pierced her with such power, she lost her breath. She needed, she craved, she hungered. Athena seemed to sense exactly what was happening, because, without ceremony, she dropped Aphrodite to her feet before clever hands made quick work of her outer layer.

Then suddenly, to her utter horror, she was left bereft of those skilled hands as Athena became a woman possessed, building a fire in the hearth, piling up blankets from the couch, at once undressing and trying to coddle Aphrodite and make her warm, kiss her, caress her.

“You are insane for this, you know? Coming to New England in the middle of winter in what? What even is this?” Athena was now tugging away the flimsy but fashionable clothes, attemptingto cover as much of the unwrapped skin with her mouth and hands, the process more healing than sexual.

“It’s couture!” Aphrodite tried to inject all the affront she could into her voice, but her teeth were still chattering, and it didn’t sound too convincing even to her own ears. None of that mattered anyway.

The mouth she’d missed so damn much despite only having had it on her skin two days ago was back licking and biting and nipping and pleasuring and all she could manage was to hold on. And so she did. To the lovely, silky mess that was Athena’s hair, to those delightfully muscular shoulders, to that sensitive neck. Everywhere she could reach, she wanted to touch and consume and be consumed. But her earlier intention had been the right one: Things needed to be said. Out loud, before lust overtook them again.

“You are so good at this.” As she spoke, she tugged the beloved face back because she craved to taste these lips one more time, but also because she wanted to be looking into those amber eyes as she spoke. Athena could obfuscate as well as anyone, but the shimmer in her gaze always gave her away. At least, where Aphrodite was concerned.

She had known Athena loved her during their night together, she could sense her support during her resounding speech and she was keenly aware she had been heartbroken by the decision Aphrodite had announced so proudly. Others may not have noticed, but Aphrodite read it easily enough in the eyes that looked at her now with a mix of concern and curiosity.

“And because you are so good at this, I have to say some things before you make me lose my train of thought entirely.” She gave the kiss-swollen lips a quick peck. Because they were there, and so what? She wasn’t a saint. Merely a Goddess.

Athena opened her mouth, but Aphrodite put a swift finger to those lips, effectively silencing her. Not to be outdone, Athenanipped at it and smiled. For once, she seemed completely uninterested in talking.

So Aphrodite gave in, just for a few more seconds, and brought their mouths together again. How perfect could this be? How unwise had she been to ever consider giving it up so easily? The words bubbled inside her and she placed her forehead against Athena’s, holding her close, still shivering as much from desire as from the cold.

“Too good. At this and at so many other things. You. Too good. And too good to just pick up where we left off. I don’t deserve all this. Well, I do, but you know what I’m saying…” Athena laughed then and tightened her embrace.

“I have no idea what you’re actually saying and why you were attempting an icicle transformation on my doorstep. But here you are. And I find that wonderful.”

“Why do you… How?” Genuinely perplexed, Aphrodite merely stared in awe.

“Oh love,” Athena sighed and kissed her again, before Aphrodite could decide if she did or didn’t like the cute nickname. “I just do.”

“No, no, wait. First you give me clarity, and now you’re taking it all away.”

“I… what?”

“Please, don’t be all smug and gorgeous when I must have my wits about me. I came to apologize. To grovel. Ineedto apologize and grovel.”

“Ah… okay.” The ‘okay’ was uttered as if it had twenty syllables instead of two and it was clear that Athena was totally uncomprehending of what was happening. So Aphrodite set out to illuminate her.

“I was wrong. I left you. And I’m sorry. I made a very public choice that hurt you. And it was wrong and selfish and wrong. So I was…” She stumbled, her nerves getting the best of her.

“Wrong?” Athena’s eyes had little dancing sparks in them now, and her expression was akin to mischief itself.

“Yes… And…”

“Selfish? And wrong?” Definitely mischief.

“Yes, both. Wait, what is happening here? You’re not hurt? You’re not upset?” She raised her hands to cup the smiling face and still felt as if she was missing something exceedingly important.

“Of course I’m hurt. And upset and all those other things. But not with you, Dite.”

“Not with me?” Where was the famed clarity this woman always brought her?

“Oh Gods, you are so beautiful, even standing here looking like you’ll keel over dead from the cold, with your blue lips and chattering teeth. Your eyelashes are frozen. And I just love you so much. And it’s terrifying and amazing. But mostly terrifying. Yet you’re here and perhaps things aren’t as bleak as they were when I left Vegas?”

Aphrodite gaped at her after hearing the entire speech. She was, however, stuck on the words that had made her heart beat faster and turned her cold shivers into ones of a peculiar quality.