———
“At last! Cupid’s Headquarters! I’m sorry I’m so late,” Lula said, practically breathless as she scurried to the front of the large flower-strewn room to meet with the head of the academy. “Are you all right, Cupid?” she went on. “You look ill or something.” When he didn’t answer, Lula snapped her fingers, bringing his gaze up from her breasts to her eyes.
“Sonuvabitch,” Cupid whispered as he gawked at her.
“Son of who?” She slanted him a curious look, her ego deflating a few notches upon the realization he’d evidently mistaken her for one of the other students—a male of all things!
“No, Cupid, it’s me, Lula. Daughter of Arrius and Venuvia. I’m a woman.” She straightened her shoulders, thrusting out her breasts so he’d be sure to recognize her womanly attributes. She watched his gaze slide to her breasts again, lingering there as if he’d never seen them before.
“No shit,” Cupid responded in a most uncharacteristic tongue-lolling fashion.
“Oh, you’re displeased that I’m not wearing my traveling garment, is that it? I can explain. You see, while I was in the chariot, one of my bags accidentally flew off before I could catch it. It was the one with my traveling clothes, which is why I’m still dressed like this.”
She motioned to her sheer outfit and Cupid followed her gesture with his eyes, this time landing his gaze at her pussy as he leaned over the counter to get a better look.
She paused for a moment, finding herself quite taken with Cupid’s Earthly disguise. The youthful mortal form he’d assumed had inky-black hair, chocolate-brown eyes, a tall, lean, yet muscular, build. And his golden tan was enhanced by the open-necked pale blue denim shirt he wore. Of course, Cupid was always a breathtakingly beautiful man, no matter what his chosen disguise. But Lula thought she liked this one most of all. He looked rough and manly and strong and…famished.
“You seem to be drooling, Cupid. Are you hungry?”
“Hungry?” His eyes roved over her from top to bottom and back up again. “Oh yeah, I’m suddenly starving, all right,” he finally replied.
“Really? With all these lovely flowers to munch on?” Lula said. “I’m surprised, Cupid. Have you tasted them yet?” He shook his head to say no. She snagged a blood-red rose from just inside one of the cool cases and munched on the petals. “Mmm, very tasty. Almost as good as the ones we have up on Olympus. Here, try it.” Lula held the rose out to him.
“Olympus?” She nodded and he gave her a curious look. “I think I’ll take a pass,” he said. “But, uh, you just go right ahead and chow down on the flowers to your heart’s content, honey.”
“Thanks, I’m hungry from the journey. My lunch must have been in the same bag as my traveling clothes. And what’s even worse, my invisibility powder…or liquid,” she shrugged, “or whatever it is, was in the pouch too. Along with…” Her teeth sank into her bottom lip and she hesitated. Trilling a deep sigh, she plunged ahead. “Along with my textbook and notes. I’m so sorry, Cupid, truly I am. Please don’t tell Cinnamus, he’ll be so terribly disappointed in me. You won’t say anything, will you?”
Offering a rather peculiar smile, Cupid shook his head back and forth slowly. “Not a word, honey. Not a single word.”
“Oh good. Thank you.” She felt her posture relax at that assurance. “You have no idea how much better that makes me feel. Especially after the remarkably difficult time I’ve had since Cinnamus dropped me off at the park. As I searched for you, women actually growled at me, voicing their displeasure at my appearance. Can you imagine?”
His elbows propped on the counter, Cupid broke into a slow smile. “Yup. I don’t doubt it for a minute.”
“And strange grimy men proposed the most intimate acts.” Lula rolled her eyes in disbelief as she recalled the unprovoked incidents. “A couple of them even tried to force me to accompany them against my consent.”
Cupid stood straight again, looking at her with concern. “Some jerk-offs tried to hurt you? Where, outside the store?”
He came around the counter, looking for all the world like a warrior ready to do battle for his lady fair. The fierce look in his eyes sent a bold ripple of pleasure to her clit, which made it an excellent time for her to remember that Cupid was a married man. Yes, Psyche was indeed a lucky woman to have a man as brave and fearless and yet as loving, caring and sexually adept as Cupid for her husband.
“It’s all right now. I met with no real harm.” Lula stilled him from action by taking hold of his arm, which felt strong, hard and sinewy. She noticed he was quite tall as he stood near her now. And altogether far too sexy. “Fortunately, I remembered the lesson in chapter eleven on disengaging a male during aggressive behavior by causing intense, throbbing discomfort to his testicles with a firm, swift jab of the knee.”
Now Cupid’s mouth quirked into a wider smile. “You kneed some guy in the balls?”
“Two men, actually. I’m sorry. I didn’t want to cause harm to anyone while on Earth but I’m afraid I had no choice but to incapacitate them.” She shrugged. “It wouldn’t have been so bad if I’d been able to find your headquarters right away after we landed but…” She tugged a crinkled piece of paper from one of her pouches.
“Honestly, Cupid, I want you to know it’s not that I forgot to bring a map,” she explained. “It’s, well, it’s just that I brought the wrong one. See?” She turned the paper toward him. “This map is for the New Year’s party Saturn hosted back in December on the planet Skrodoe. So, naturally, I had to stop and ask people for directions to your headquarters after I disembarked and the chariot took to the air again.”
“Naturally,” Cupid agreed. “After the chariot flew away, right? Back to the planet Skrodoe.”
“No, back to Olympus.”
“Oh yeah…right.”
Lula squinted her eyes, studying the man closely. He wore faded blue jeans and she couldn’t help herself from relishing a lingering gaze at the sizeable bulge at his crotch. Interesting. Like most every female, she’d always found Cupid to be attractive and desirable, but she’d never before experienced the intensity of lustful feelings that she was at this moment. And that thought suddenly made her uneasy. What if he wasn’t really…
“You…you are Cupid, aren’t you?” she whispered, leaning close.
“Is that who you want me to be, honey?” The man smiled at her. It was a full, bright, dazzling white-toothed smile that set her insides on fire. “’Cause if that’s what you want then, yeah, I can be Cupid.”
Breathing a sigh of relief, Lula smiled. “Good. I was worried there for a moment because you’ve been looking at me so strangely. Cinnamus warned me you might be…” She looked left, then right, before whispering, “Incognito.” Lula winked and then he winked back at her. “At least now I understand Cinnamus’ concern over my academy uniform. He was right. By the looks and comments, I do believe people thought I was seeking payment for sex.”
Cupid arched an eyebrow. “And are you?”
Lula laughed. “Well, of course not, Cupid. I give of myself freely, just the way all of us nymphs do.”
“Ah, so you’re not a hooker, you’re a nymph, huh?”
“Of course. You know I am.”
“Right.” Cupid appraised her. “So how come I don’t see any wings?”
Clearly she was being tested, but what a strange set of questions Cupid had employed. “In the first place, Cupid, you know that not all nymphs have wings.”
“Uh-huh. And you’re one of the wingless variety, I assume.”
“No. Mine only come out when—um, at certain times,” Lula explained.
“And this isn’t one of those times?” the too handsome Cupid continued, snickering a bit.
Along with struggling to keep her libido under control because of the raw sexual magnetism Cupid exuded, now Lula found herself even more uncomfortable because he seemed to be teasing her or, worse yet, flirting with her. And that wouldn’t do at all.
Why, if Psyche ev
er suspected that Lula had been flirting with her husband, Lula would be expelled from Cupid Academy. And that would only be the beginning. She shivered at the thought of the fearsome vengeance Psyche might exact.
Lula narrowed her gaze. “Why are you asking me all of these questions, Cupid, when you already know the answers? Is this part of my final exam?”
“Look, babe, I don’t know what exam you’re talking about and I don’t care if you have wings or not. It’s been a hell of a long time since I’ve seen a working girl that looked like you—or who had such a great line. Cupid, nymphs, chariots, Olympus. It’s all very cute. But you don’t have to keep it up, honey, because I’m already hard just looking at those big gorgeous tits of yours. And look at those curls covering your pussy. Mmm-mmm, I don’t remember when I’ve been with a natural blonde, if ever.”
Lula’s jaw dropped. Cupid was looking at her as if she were a multi-course banquet again and he was clearly engaging in barefaced sexual banter with her. Much to her chagrin it made her feel all hot and twittery between her thighs, causing rivulets of her juices to dribble down her legs.
While he was beautiful beyond words, Lula would never for even one moment entertain thoughts of coupling with Cupid because he and Psyche were joined for eternity. Woe be unto anyone who angered the major gods on Olympus.
But this was simply so unfair! Not only was Cupid looking particularly lickable in his latest Earthly guise, but he was clearly and purposely tempting her as well. It was a cruel test to be sure, but one she imagined the other female students must have endured too. As hot, wet and needy as she felt, Lula most certainly would not jeopardize her entire future by succumbing to Cupid’s leering suggestions.
“I think I understand,” she said. “You’re speaking in some sort of coded Earth vernacular while you’re incognito, right, Cupid? No doubt I would understand your meanings better if I’d had an opportunity to study chapter twelve before my textbook flew out of the chariot. It appears that you are testing my ability to be clearheaded and exercise restraint even when exceedingly sexually aroused. Am I correct? Because this is certainly not the way you usually talk to me.”
She narrowed her gaze at him again and took a deep sniff. “Have you been partaking of the fruit of the vine?”
Cupid laughed, clapping his hand against his chest—his big, broad, solid-looking chest. “If I’m drunk it’s only with desire for you, and maybe from the scent of all these flowers.” He gestured around him. “What did you say your name was?”
“Don’t you recognize me, Cupid? It’s me, Lula.” She wondered if perhaps he might be suffering from some form of travel sickness from his chariot ride earlier. It had been known to happen to others, causing a temporary state somewhat mimicking inebriation. “Remember? I’m in Perfect Love Matches 101 at the academy this year. A freshman. Cinnamus is my instructor.”
“Yeah, sure, I recognize you. The name’s Dake.” He extended his hand. “Glad to meet you, Lula.”
“Dake? You mean that’s your Earthly name for this trip?”
“Yup, short for Dakin. It’s the only name I’ve got, sweetheart, on Earth or the planet Skrodoe or anywhere else as far as I know.”
“I don’t understand. You told me you were Cupid.”
“Eh…no, not technically, I didn’t.” He chuckled. “You just assumed I was Cupid because of the sign.” He gestured to the large three-dimensional pink block lettering high on the wall behind them, in back of the counter. “It’s a natural mistake.”
She gazed at the gilt-edged words, reading them aloud. “Cupid’s Headquarters. It’s right there in plain lettering.”
Scanning her surroundings, Lula felt certain this was the right place. There were pedestals topped with miniature statues of the gods and a lovely border around all the walls depicting the Roman deities, not to mention the generous representation of Cupid’s form and likeness almost everywhere she looked.
“I must have the right place,” she muttered. “This place most certainly has Cupid’s personal touch.”
“Yeah, that’s ’cause Zeb’s really into mythology.”
A distinct feeling of apprehension zigzagged up Lula’s spine. “Where are all the other students? Are they already out on assignment?”
“I usually don’t go in for hookers,” the man called Dake said, failing to address her inquiry, “even high-priced ones—don’t have to—but damn if you’re not about the sweetest little thing to come my way since…well, since I can remember. And I don’t even mind if you’re nutty as a fruitcake.”
He chuckled. Chuckled! This man was laughing at her!
“Listen, honey, I’m on duty now. There’s a shitload of flower crap I have to put together for…Cupid…but I’ll be free in a couple hours. You want to come back here to meet me or should I pick you up someplace?”
Mustering all her bravado, Lula stood her ground, refusing to break eye contact with this Dake. “What have you done with him?”
“Who?”
“Cupid, of course. Where is he? If you’ve harmed him in any way, I’ll—”
“Whoa! Whoa, take it easy, sweetheart,” Dake said, stepping back, his hands raised in a gesture of surrender. “Zeb is fine, okay? He’s just waiting for his car to get repaired, that’s all. He should be back sometime within the hour.”
“You mean his chariot is broken?” Lula was thoroughly confused. Nothing and no one had been making any sense since she disembarked from Cinnamus’ chariot earlier. “Who is this Zeb you speak of?”
“Zebulon.” Dake shrugged his big meaty shoulders. “A-K-A Cupid. He’s the one who runs this place. I’m just filling in for him until he gets back.”
“So Cupid is using the name of Zebulon while on the Earthly plane for this trip?”
Dake gave her another of those strange looks. “All I can tell you is he’s been Zeb for as long as I’ve known him.”
“Are the other students with him?” Lula asked.
“Students? Well, he mentioned that Alfred had classes this morning. Is that what you mean? Say,” Dake went on without waiting for her to answer, “are you here to fill in for Edwina? ’Cause I could sure use someone who knows what the hell they’re doing here until Zeb gets back.”
“If you’re asking me if I’m prepared to work, the answer is yes. That’s what I’m here for, of course. I have my bow and quiver of arrows with me, so just point me in the right direction and I’ll get started.” Lula saw Dake’s jaw drop just a bit.
“You’ve got a bow and arrows?”
Lula nodded. “Secured to my shoulder.”
Dake craned his neck. “Don’t tell me…they’re invisible, right? Just like your wings.” He had the audacity to smirk at her then.
“Well of course they are. You know the standard student issue is designed to be invisible to the eyes of mor—” Lula gasped. “You’re mortal!”
Dake clapped his hands to his chest and abdomen, as if checking himself out. “Yup, last time I looked.”
“Ahhh, so that explains why my body is preparing itself for sexual union,” Lula said matter-of-factly. Dake’s jaw seemed to drop again. “Naturally, I got worried when I thought you were Cupid because I’m not supposed to be sexually attracted to Cupid to the point of feeling feverish.”
“Naturally,” Dake responded. “So are, uh, are you saying you want to fuck me?”
“Fuck you? You mean have sexual intercourse with you?” Dake nodded and Lula did in return. “Oh yes. Absolutely. I think that would be very exciting. A multi-orgasmic experience. Shall we do it now?” She looked at his mouth and frowned. “Is there something wrong with your jaw, Dake? It seems to hang open whenever I speak to you.”
Dake snapped his mouth shut. “This whole thing is crazy,” he mumbled. “I’m so fucking hard I could—”
“Are you making reference to your cock? Because I noticed that it seems to be straining at the seams of your blue jeans. It must be quite large.” She licked her lips. “I can’t wait to see it and touch
it.”
“Holy fucking shit,” Dake growled. “Stop it right there or I swear to God I’m going to come all over myself right here in my pants and that would definitely not be a good thing.”
“Of course not. I want you to come inside my pussy. It’s all ready for you too. All hot and wet and slick.” Lula smiled as Dake’s eyes grew wide and sweat beaded above his upper lip. Clearly, he was just as ready as she was to sample the immense joys of sexual union. “We just need to find a place to—”
The bell jangled as the door to the shop opened and several people filed in. Lula watched as Dake scooted back behind the counter, grabbed a peppermint pink smock from a hook behind him and tossed it to Lula. The words Cupid’s Headquarters were embroidered over a chest pocket embellished with little hearts.
“Put this on. Now!” Dake commanded, and Lula complied as soon as she shrugged out of the shoulder strap that held her bow and quiver of arrows against her back. Dake looked at her with a baffled expression. “What the hell are you doing?” he asked.
“It’s my invisible bow and arrows,” Lula told him. “I can’t get into the garment until I remove them from my back, otherwise they’ll stick out and I’ll look like a hunchback.”
Mumbling some sort of oath, Dake rolled his eyes skyward. Once Lula had finally slipped into the smock, she stood there looking around. “Now what?” Dake grumbled. “What are you looking for?”
“A safe place to store my bow and arrows. I can’t afford to have them get into the wrong hands. Especially after I’ve already lost the other things I told you about.”
She wondered why Dake gave her that really strange look again. After all, it was a reasonable request. Since he didn’t seem to want to assist her, Lula searched a bit more until she discovered the deep shelves beneath the counter.
“Can I put them down here?” she asked. “Do you think they’ll be safe there?”
“Oh absolutely,” Dake said through a choked laugh. “I guarantee it.”
The weighty bow and arrow set clanked with a distinct thud, followed by a scraping sound as Lula shoved them to the back of the bottom shelf.
Finding Cupid Page 3
