Chapter Seven

The date was magical, in a very earthly sense. Nothing happened, not even so much as a kiss. We sat under the stars, creating stories for each one, in incredible detail, some tragic, some funny, some romantic. It was a wonderful night and when he dropped me off at my apartment I fully expected him to ask to come inside, but he didn't. He just bent down and brushed his lips against my cheek. With a promise gleaming in his eyes.

Last night I tossed and turned, unable to get him out of my head. That cursed man! Yet, even as I cursed his name, I couldn't wipe the smile from my face.

At work I sit behind the desk, talking to the local readers, chatting with the teens about a new fantasy book and the older people about the steamy romance they had gotten their hands on. In between people I check on reservations, make calls and write on sticky notes. A body stands in my periphery and when I look up from my screen, my jaw drops.

Ares stands in all his denim jean and leather jacket glory, hair mussed from riding, a teasing, knowing grin on his shaved face.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, dumbly if I might add.

He leans his forearms against the counter. "I am springing you from this place."

My eyes go wide as I glance at my other coworkers who are staring at Ares. " I can't just leave, this is my place of work."

He smirks, tipping his head to my colleagues who now stare at me. "I don't think they will mind."

Anne, a woman in her forties nods enthusiastically. "Yes yes, she can go, we are practically closed anyway."

Not true, it's only noon and we don't close until six in the evening.

His smirk only turns more satisfied as they all rush me out of the door, telling me not to worry about work and that they can handle it along with the hurried whispers telling me to divulge all the details later, so not happening.

Once thoroughly shoved outside, I cast a glare at Ares. "Did you have to make a spectacle?"

He raises an eyebrow. "Did I?"

I throw my hands up and cross my arms.

"If you don't want to be around me, all you have to do is tell me to fuck off and march that beautiful ass right back inside."

His breath tickles my ear and I whip around to face him. He's right, I can walk away from him right now, and what can he do? Nothing. He'd be on his merry way and probably try again tomorrow. But the thing is, I don't want to go. I am curious to see what he has in store, especially after last night.

Heaving a sigh, I make my way towards his bike, strapping on a helmet and slipping my purse over my head so it rests against my hip and the strap lays against my chest. "Where are we going?" I ask.

He smiles as he makes his way towards me, patting the top of my helmet, for good luck he says, and slips onto his monster of a bike. "A wedding."

"A wedding?" I ask incredulously. "I am not dressed for a wedding, Ares." Is he fucking mental?

"No, I am very sane," he pauses, shit I must have said that last part out loud. "It's a biker wedding, no need to impress anyone with a surely sexy but highly unnecessary, cocktail dress."

I grumble about being under prepared as I slide my arms around his waist. He snaps on his own helmet and then we speed off.

-~-

Despite the lack of formal attire, everything is quite elegant. The pews are decorated with pretty flowers, the aisle carpet is a blushing pink and flowers climb the old church walls. It's crowded with men in biker cuts and a few in jackets, like Ares, laughing and waiting in the pews.

"I didn't know you were bringing a plus one Ares," A man, with a long grey beard and long dark hair with streaks of grey,  says.

Ares looks to the older man and slips his arm around my waist and I keep my mouth shut about the possessive touch. "Nitro knew and approved and Delilah said it was fine," Ares voice is calm but it seems as though he is speaking to all the men who have their eyes trained on us, or more specifically me. I do stand out in my stretchy pencil skirt and floral blouse, my hair in a tangled bun.

The older man holds his hands up, eyeing me one last time, lust clouding his eyes, causing disgust to curl in my stomach. As the older man walks away, a wiry man with an abundance of red curls runs smack dab into Ares and they both laugh.

"You son of a bitch! I haven't seen you 'round in the longest! Where have you been?" The country drawl on this man is so prominent it is obvious he didn't grow up in the city, but the far outskirts into the country.

"Jez, this is Aphrodite." Ares motions a hand to me and the thin man quickly backs away from Ares and smooths a hand over his rumpled black shirt.

"Good mornin', I am Jez, this man's longest standing friend." He slaps Ares massive chest, the expanse of it making the fragile human's hand seem like a small fly.

I giggle and look up at Ares who's eyes linger on Jez, surveying him. "He isn't the popular type?"

"Oh, definitely not ma'am. The boys in the gang barely tolerate him and let me tell you, we thought he was gay, hasn't taken a girl home since I met him, though the ladies love him," Jez rambles, joking at Ares expense which makes him a valuable ally.

Though it is clear he appreciates my beauty from the way he studies my face and eyes flick down my body, no lust clouds his eyes, nothing more than friendly feelings. "Oh really? And here I thought he was a man whore."

Ares casts me a glare as if he sorely doesn't appreciate us ganging up on him, but I can see the quiver he fights on his lips.

"Oh, girl, no." Jez slings an arm around my neck and guides me into a pew, sitting us all down. "He's basically a virgin. In fact," he lowers his voice conspiratorially. "I think he is a virgin, but we can't ask because obviously, he'll deny it."

"Obviously," I giggle.

Ares sits on the other side of me and for twenty minutes jokes upon jokes are cracked at his expense and he just takes it. Even joining in to say he has a chastity belt not a celibacy ring.

Soon all goes silent as the groom makes his way up the aisle and stands in front of a priest. The piano starts and everyone stands as we watch the bride walk down the aisle. The bride, Delilah, wears an enormous dress, full of glitter and the bodice cover in rhinestones, her hair pinned in a pile of purple curls. Even with all the extravagance, she is glowing and her eyes tear up when she lays eyes on her groom.

A lightness fills me as the ceremony continues and my hand finds its way into Ares, and my head falls onto his shoulder. The bride's mother reads a bible verse, next the sister sings a song, then comes the vows. The vows bring tears to my own eyes and I sniffle, wiping the stupid tears off my face. Ares squeezes my hand and when I look up at him he tips his head and I look over at Jez who... isn't watching the ceremony at all. He has a photo of a beautiful girl with blonde hair and hazel eyes in his hands, mouthing words that I can't make out.

Ares lets go of my hand and reaches his arm around me to pat his friends back. Jez looks over at Ares and gives him a wobbly smile, nodding before turning his attention back to the photo. Ares watches him for the longest time before giving me a squeeze and turning back to the ceremony.

Once the ceremony is over everyone files out after the bride and groom, anticipation building for the reception. As we head towards his motorcycle, Ares catches my hand causing me to pause. "Look, I really want to go to that reception with you," he pauses, watching Jez get into his car.

I look up at him and pat his chest. "It's okay. You need to take care of your friend," I say, meaning every word. It's clear the two have a close bond and it's also clear Ares will worry about Jez all day if he stays here with me.

Ares takes me home, walking me to my door. "I'll make it up to you," he says as I unlock my door and right now I don't have to heart to tease him about presuming he'll have a chance to make it up to me.

Instead, I turn and raise on my toes to press the smallest of kisses on his lips, so brief he has no chance to react. "I look forward to it." With that he leaves to go take care of his friend and I slip into my apartment, wondering how I let myself become so involved, but finding I don't regret it.