Whole Lotta Apollo Goin' On [Celestial Nights 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Rebecca Joyce

“She’s crazy,” he continued to rant. Apollo was too domineering and liked to micromanage everything and everybody. He preferred things his way, or he threw a damn fit like a child. The only way to shut him up was to give in and do it his way, which, of course, made him happy. He believed he was right, all the time, and that he knew best. He could spend hours lecturing at great length, how and why he was always right, and Goddess help her, she loved the cranky, self-absorbed man.

  From the moment she started kindergarten she had fallen hard for the beautiful blond Norse God. He was energetic, alluring, and just plain fun to be around. She could remember him smiling at her, and like most small, naive little girls, she giggled, blushed, and ran away, thinking she was special. He did that. Well, now that she thought about it, he did that to all the girls, but he only slept with her…at least she thought he did.

  “I can be nice,” Apollo stated, looking at her. “I know I can. I can parade around town, and pass out compliments like bar nuts. Too easy. Hell, maybe I should just set up a booth in the club. When someone wants something nice said about them, they can come in buy a drink, and walk over to the box and there I’ll be.”

  “Sweetheart, I don’t think that’s what Rayne had in mind,” Fairy replied softly.

  “Well, tough shit. This is all her fault. Did you hear the town? They were laughing at me. Me! In my own club.”

  “I think they were laughing at the proposition Rayne came up with, not you per se.”

  “Oh, they were laughing all right, baby. I know it.”

  “Apollo,” Fairy sighed sweetly, smiling up at him. “You’re beautiful, sweet, and generous. They would never laugh at you. With you, yes, but never at you.”

  “You’re right. I am those things and more. I do a lot for this town, and they should have been more appreciative.”

  “Yes, they should have.” Fairy grinned as she appeased him happily. It was too easy to boost Apollo’s ego. He, like most of the males in Celestial, was as vain as they come. To know them was to love them, but that didn’t mean they weren’t a handful at times. Fairy had dealt with her fair share of Apollo’s escapades. Some were enlightening, while others were just downright ludicrous. The man had a talent for getting himself caught in the most compromising situations. The last of which almost cost him his relationship with her, but she wasn’t going to think about that. Just thinking about it got her upset, and she didn’t like being upset. Nope, the fact that he slept with her sister was the furthest thing from her mind.

  “What am I going to do, Fairy?” Apollo asked.

  “Well, first you’re going to apologize to Rayne,” she said immediately, holding up her hand to stop Apollo from interrupting her. “It’s the right thing to do, and you know it. Second, you’re going to get your game face on, baby. Because as much as it pains me to say this, the town and Rayne are technically correct. Oh, you can be sugary sweet, but you put a little too much arsenic in with the nice. You’re just going to have to go simple on this. Short and sweet, no add-ons.”

  “I know how to be sweet,” Apollo said huskily, stalking toward her like a panther. Smiling, Fairy replied, “I know that, sweetheart, and you’re very proficient, too.”

  “I can be very proficient.”

  “Extremely,” she sighed as Apollo started kissing the back of her neck.

  “And good,” she purred. “You’re superb, too.”

  “I’m bored,” his gravelly voice rumbled.

  Fairy whirled around in surprise. “Oh! I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was boring you.”

  Apollo chuckled. “You’re not. I’m about to go insane. I can only take so much of politics before I need some kind of release.”

  “What are you suggesting?”

  Apollo chuckled as Fairy’s eyes observed his sturdy desk.

  “Would you care for a glass of absinthe?” he asked, standing up and walking to the etched glass decanter on the side table filled with little glasses with bulbs on their bottoms. Fairy said nothing as Apollo took the decanter that was filled with a vibrant green liquid.

  “I’ve never had it before,” Fairy replied, wrinkling her nose and grinned. “But yes, I would like to try a glass.”

  Apollo poured the bright, green liquor into one of the small glasses, stopping when the absinthe reached the top of the bulb. He placed a fancy, slotted, silver spoon over the glass, then a sugar cube, finally reaching for a small pitcher of ice water.

  “May I do it?” Fairy interrupted as he was about to pour the water on the sugar cube.

  He handed her the pitcher, a brow arched in interest. She smiled up at him, knowing she was intruding on one of his favorite pastimes. The man sure did love the art of pouring a good drink.

  Fairy picked up the pitcher of water, dripping it slowly over the sugar cube.

  “Now how is it that you know what to do?” he asked as Fairy marveled at the green absinthe taking on a pearlescent hue as drop by drop, the icy water melted the sugar cube and dripped down into the glass.

  “It just seemed the right way to do it,” she replied. Watching the drink mix was fascinating to her, in a mesmerizing way, that and Apollo’s voice. His voice was smooth like a good whiskey, warming on the surface, but with a hint of gravel that lingered. Her movements were sure and confident as she set the pitcher down and removed the spoon. She took up another little spoon and stirred the glass, mixing in the remaining sugar crystals. The glass now filled with a pale green, a beautiful opalescent liquid. Fairy raised the glass to her lips as her eyes rose to his. His eyes were as green as the drink she had in her hand.

  Fairy took a sip and Apollo arched his brow as if in question. She frowned for a moment as she thought about it. This was her first time with this drink. Generally, she abstained, but something about the green liquid drew her to it. She really didn’t know what to make of the taste. She could hardly describe it, yet it was interesting. Playing it safe, she said, “It’s nice. Different.”

  “How so?” Apollo motioned for her to have a seat in his favorite chair.

  Fairy sat daintily, crossing her ankles like all the good ladies she watched on television. Since living in Celestial rarely warranted anything like etiquette, she thought the time would be perfect to test out all the hard work she had been doing. Too bad there wasn’t some royalty around, she really wanted to try out her curtsey. That was one of the few things she kept hidden from Apollo, her secret list. Apollo had no desire to leave Celestial, where she wanted to see the world. Explore new cultures and taste all kinds of exotic food. She wanted to dress up and go to a fancy ball, and wear a mask. She wanted to run with the bulls in Pamplona, and then ski down the Alps after having a delicious cup of hot chocolate first. She wanted to do it all.

  “I think I expected it to be bitter. I don’t know.” Fairy took another sip and sighed. “It’s actually quite nice. I’m not sure I would want it all the time. I mean, licorice flavor is somewhat overpowering at times.

  “True, though there are other flavors.”

  “I don’t drink very much, you know that, and as for spirits, well, I prefer the ones that talk,” she replied, taking another sip of the absinthe.

  “You know that some say absinthe is an aphrodisiac?” he mused slyly.

  Fairy glanced at him, her eyes full with interest.

  “Really, how so?” she asked, her interest piqued.

  “Its slow drip of the water on the cube as it flows down into the green of the absinthe, the melting of the sugar, and the hidden qualities of the spirit.” His voice, now low and hypnotic, slid out slowly, honey-smooth. Fairy watched his mouth in fascination, the alcohol dulling her senses. She licked her lips unconsciously.

  A devilish grin twisted his mouth slightly as his eyes darkened in delight.

  “Do you know, you are as tempting as this drink?” Apollo posed the question in an offhand manner, taking a sip of his own glass.

  Fairy stared at him in surprise.

  “Don’t look so surprised. You are so lovely, and y
ou have this innocence about you that makes me want to reach out and pluck.”

  Fairy settled back into the sofa, relaxing just a bit more as she sipped her drink.

  “Well, aren’t you just full of flattery,” she commented, holding up her hand when he started to speak. “I don’t mind. I don’t get many compliments paid toward me and it’s really good practice for you, but you really need to save those compliments for the town. I believe Rayne was serious, and so was everyone else. If you want to win this election, you are going to have to be nice to everyone.”

  Apollo frowned. “Oh Goddess.”

  Fairy laughed. “It’s not going to be that hard, sweetheart. Just act as if you’re talking to me. It’s rather easy if you think about it. With me, you can be sweet and kind. All you need to do is put on your happy face.”

  “I don’t have a happy face,” Apollo murmured into his glass.

  “Yes, you do.”

  “No, I don’t. The only time I am happy is when I’m getting laid. Although, on second thought, that isn’t a bad idea.” Fairy burst out laughing. “You are not sleeping with me for the next week!”

  “I’ll get out the handcuffs and leash,” he muttered slyly as Fairy looked at him, wide-eyed in apprehension. The last time he used those items, he had her hogtied and bound to the bed for five days. By the time he let her up, her body was sore from overuse.

  “Walking bow-legged is not an attractive look.”

  “But we did have fun.” Apollo grinned.

  Giving him a shy smiled, Fairy replied, “Yes, we did.”

  Fairy stood quickly and walked to his desk, tossed back the rest of her drink, and sat the glass down. She braced herself against the desk and watched him through her lashes. The absinthe had swirled her senses. She felt relaxed and as he teased and insinuated with his words, she felt herself drawn to him.

  “Stop teasing,” she said confidently. “I am here to help you get through this.”

  Apollo rose slowly from his favorite chair and stalked toward her. He was like a panther, soft but very powerful. When he stood before her, she raised her eyes to his and looked into his blue depths. Her breath hitched when his hands slid along her stomach to encircle her waist. Her eyes lowered as she watched his hands knead and stroke. She was caught by surprise when he gripped her waist, lifting and sitting her down firmly on the edge of his desk. His thighs spread her legs as he stepped closer. Her breath whooshed out as he tipped her head back, his thumbs brushing her jaw.

  “Am I?”

  When his mouth brushed hers then pulled back, teasing, she tried to reach up, but he had captured them, holding them down to the edge of the desk. He brushed again, not taking her mouth as she wanted, desperately needed. She whimpered softly in frustration and he chuckled.

  “I won’t be rushed. You must be savored,” he whispered, then ran his mouth along her jaw, dragging his lips along the velvety softness as he inhaled her faint perfume.

  Well, Fairy could agree with him on one subject. Apollo never did anything fast. Words like fast, rushed, speedy, quick, hasty, prompt were nowhere near his list of vocabulary terms. The man was the perfect connoisseur of everything patient, sensual, sexual, and painstakingly slow. Those were qualities she loved about him, but not when she wanted to be pounded into the desk and ravaged. Making love to Apollo was sometimes exhausting, but the end result was well worth her time and patience, however, not at this moment.

  “Please,” Fairy begged. Her fingers struggled against his hands. She tried turning her head toward his mouth, but he pulled back again. She wanted to scream out in frustration.

  “Keep your hands on the desk,” he ordered. His tone left no room for argument.

  Fairy stopped struggling, her breath shallow in anticipation. She shivered when his hands slid up her arms in slow, deliberate caressing moves. But when he moved them to her hips, her heart raced, especially when, with a slight tug, he pulled her closer to him.

  Thank the Goddess she went home after the town hall meeting, because she was sure Apollo was about to be impressed with her current wardrobe. It wasn’t that she didn’t mind wearing the Batgirl costume, but when trying to entice a man who only had a single-track mind, she needed all the help she could get.

  When her dress stopped his movements, Apollo was forced to slide his hands under her dress. He worked the fabric higher, revealing the lacy tops of her stockings, her garters, and that luscious stretch of skin from mid-thigh to her hips. He growled and then graced her with a rare smiled as he stroked for a moment, eliciting shivers as his fingers brushed feather soft. He lifted her slightly, pushing the rest of the material up until he could see her silky underwear. A quick tug and he had her flush to him. Her breath left her and she let out a whimper of delight as she felt every ridge, every bit of the heat of his arousal through his thin slacks. His hands slid down her thighs, holding her tightly against his body.

  Before she could register all the intense sensations coursing through her body, his mouth was on hers, fully and deeply. She whimpered as he devoured her lips, biting and licking, diving in deeply, swirling in his tongue. Mastering her. She responded with as much ability as she could, but he was delving into waters deeper than she knew. It wasn’t that she was a complete novice, but he was an expert. Just his mouth alone was enough to make her wet. Add the sensations of his hips rocking against her hot core and in a few moments, she would be a goner.

  “Easy,” he whispered, brushing featherlight kisses across her cheeks. His mouth moved down to her neck, where he bit and sucked as his hands reached back to the zipper on her dress. He slid it down with its biting, raspy zipper sound. He pushed her dress off her shoulders and pressed featherlight kisses to her left shoulder before stepping back to look at her.

  She arched her back slightly, showing off just a little.

  “You know, your skin is so perfect, like a baby lamb,” he mused, stroking upward, cupping her breasts encased in light white lace. His thumbs brushed her delicate apricot nipples that were velvety and taut.

  All she could do was sigh. Words drifted into nothing as his touch invigorated her.

  When Apollo flicked his thumbs over her skin, Fairy arched further into his hands. Her head dropped back and her fingers gripped the edge of the desk until her knuckles turned white. His hands were warm and big enough to cup her fully. When he kneaded her, she let out a breathy moan.

  “You’re beautiful,” Apollo said as he traced his finger along the edges of the lace, fingering her breasts. Fairy always believed she was too pale. She was never one of those girls who could bask in the sunlight and let it warm her skin. Nope, if she did that, she would be in a serious amount of pain. Apparently, her pasty-white skin and the sun did not mix.

  His mouth moved back to hers, parting her lips gently as he reached behind her once more to unclasp her bra. He slid the straps off her shoulders, kissing her still. He dropped the lace to the ground and pulled her arms up around his neck. Fairy held him willingly, wrapping her arms tightly. She kissed him with so much passion and desire that she almost forgot he was trying to seduce her. As if she could stop him. The man was cunning and very proficient when his mind was made up.

  Fairy speared her fingers into his short golden locks of hair, her fingers tangling in the silky cool waves. It was times like this that she wished she hadn’t been so hasty to seek revenge. His hair was stunning, long, and thick like waves of shimmering silk. Now, it barely touched his shoulders.

  Her naked torso pressed against his hard chest, the fabric of his Batman costume rubbing against her nipples. She felt like she couldn’t get close enough to his body. She twisted against him, brushing her nipples against the fabric.

  Apollo laughed against her mouth. He pulled back slightly, just enough to reach for the hem of his shirt. He worked quickly to loosen the shirt from the tight black spandex pants of his costume. Nevertheless, Fairy couldn’t wait any longer. He had lit her on fire, and she needed to feel him, skin to skin. Her hands found
their way to his waist, and she slid them along his warm skin. She pushed the fabric up from his waist, lingering on his stomach before her lust overrode all civility. Grinning, she grabbed his shirt in both hands and yanked hard, ripping it from his body. Giving a little tug, she removed the remaining fabric clinging to his wrists. The only sound in his office was the swish of the cotton hitting the floor.

  Fairy’s hands went back to his chest as she stroked and rubbed her fingers over his smooth, warm surface. She slid her hands up to his collarbone before sliding back down his chest. She loved that Apollo let her explore as he kept his arms hanging loosely at his sides. He looked content just to let her touch him. She held his waist then slid back up to brush his nipples with her thumbs.

  She felt giddy when Apollo hummed in pleasure and she pressed a kiss to the middle of his chest. His hand reached up to slide into her hair, gripping lightly, tilting her head back as he kissed her again, plundering her mouth. He controlled her movements, holding her hair in a firm grasp. She gasped when he pulled her head back and ran his tongue from the hollow of her throat to her chin.

  He pulled her off the desk and, in a quick move, pushed her dress off her hips to puddle on the floor. His fingers stroked her lacy, silky white thong, and brushed her clit. His teeth nibbled her neck as she clutched frantically at his shoulders. He wrapping an arm around her waist as his free hand pushed into her panties, working them off until they slid down as well, to tangle with her dress.

  Fairy squeaked in surprise as Apollo lifted her and sat her back down on the desk, the cold wood a shock to her skin. She soon forgot the cold as he stepped away from her and quickly undressed, kicking off his black boots. She licked her lips in pleasure when he stood proudly before her, in all his glory, naked. Not only was Apollo a devastatingly gorgeous man in the face, his body was designed for female appreciation, and she was very appreciative.

  He had a body like that of a runner. Lean, with a full chest. He fit the classic hero shape of broad shoulders and narrow hips. Fairy had always thought that look was overrated, but after seeing him in all his glory, well, she quickly jumped on the bandwagon. Apollo’s body was pleasing, and had one of the nicest physiques in Celestial, but what she loved most about it was how easily her legs could wrap around him, without a lot of work.