Page 111 of Soul Mates: Hercules Valentine and I

I smooth the material of my dress across my lap, not sure how to answer that question. I'm more than nervous to be seen with him—I’m scared. But I can't say that, because then he'll ask why.

“You're afraid to be seen fraternizing with me?” he asks.

I look up and at him. He's smirking.

“You are my boss. What rules have you made about consorting with the man in charge?” I’m shamelessly flirting, and it feels so liberating.

Hercules snorts a chuckle. The SUV stops, and now I’m being detained by the power of his hypnotic eyes. “My employees are adults. They can have sex with whoever they want to have sex with.”

“Is that what we’re doing? Having sex?” I can hardly believe I asked that.

A loud honk makes me jump. We tear our gazes off each other to look beyond the windshield. The light has turned green. He starts driving again. By the way he’s looking straight ahead, I don’t think he’s going to answer my question. Maybe he doesn’t want to make me feel cheap.

“It’s okay if all we’re doing. As you’ve said, you hired me, and I’m an adult.” Actually, it’s not okay. Just the thought of Hercules using me to get his rocks off and falling in love with another woman pains my heart.

He steals a glance at me. “You’re more than sex to me.”

That is a huge revelation. My heart goes from hurting to soaring. If only he knew the truth. He’d know why I feel so strongly about him. Our connection goes way back, and it’s solid. That’s why we’re not merely screwing. What’s happening is that the past is being actualized.

“I thought something was going on between you and Lilith Cope,” I say in an attempt to learn why it looked as if they were a couple only a few days ago.

His eyebrows shoot up as a light turns from red to green. “Oh yeah?” He sounds surprised.

“It’s the way you touched her.”

Hercules continues focusing on the road as we head uptown. “I touched her?”

“More than once. You don’t remember?”

“No,” he says with an adamant shake of his head.

I can hardly believe he’s saying this. I study him, looking for a break in his unfaltering demeanor.

“What?” he asks while balancing looking at me and at the road.

“You’re telling me nothing’s ever happened between you and Lilith? She seemed really comfortable with your hand on her back.”

“I’ve taken her out on a few of dates.”

I point at him. “Ah-ha. Then there is something going on between the two of you. Like you and me, right?” I want to take that last part back as soon as I say it. I don’t want to hear how unspecial I am to him.

“Certainly not like you and me. But full disclosure—I was interested in her until I saw you.”

“Really?”

He manages to look at me and the road. “You doubt me?”

“No, never.” I put my whole heart and soul into my answer.

Again, he’s frowning. Maybe he thinks I’m falling in love with him too soon. I do love him. I've always loved him.

“I mean, you’ve been open and honest with me this far,” I say, cleaning up my last response by sounding more levelheaded.

Hercules stares straight ahead, frowning thoughtfully. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that either. In the future, he can use it as a statement against me. He’s been honest, and I haven’t.

Finally, he reaches out toward me with his palm open, gesturing for me to take his hand. Our skin connects. I’ve never felt so at home in my body as I do now.

I swallow, relishing the overwhelming moment. God is giving me another opportunity to come clean. I’m less than a moment away from telling him the truth, but then his console rings.Mothercomes up on the screen in front of us.