I shake my head. “I don’t think I have the right kind of clothes.”
“Of course, you do…”
“No, Ascot, I don’t,” I close my eyes and sigh. “I mean, where we’re going to Greece, where all your relatives…” I shake my head. “They’re all freaking gods! I can’t compete with that.”
He wraps his arms around me, pulling me close. “I’m not sure what you’re expecting in that pretty head of yours, but I can assure you, it’s nothing like what you learned in history class.”
“Oh, so, I won’t need a toga and a tiara made out of fig leaves?” I joke, letting the sarcasm fly out of my mouth.
He laughs and pulls away, placing his fingers under my chin and I look up. “You have nothing to worry about,” he leans down, giving me a soft kiss.
“That’s easy for you to say,” I whisper. “You haven’t been home in eons. How do you know for sure?”
He smirks, trying to keep a serious face. “Well, for starters, we have to blend in. I mean, take Eric or even our father for example. It’s not like they look any differently than anyone else you might see on the street.”
I smirk. “That’s where you’re wrong. You, Eric and your father are all exceptions. You attract people without even knowing it, not to mention you’re all fucking gorgeous.”
“Well…”
“And here I am,” I continue, “some random chick you met in an old apartment building, and now you’re stuck with because of a freak accident.”
“Hey,” his brows push together, “is that really what you think?”
“I…”
“Because you are not some random chick,” he whispers, his expression suddenly serious. “If you haven’t yet figured out how amazing and beautiful I think you are,” he shakes his head, “then I must be doing something terribly wrong.”
Shit.
“I-I’m sorry, it’s just…”
“And furthermore,” he continues, “I never, ever want to hear you speak about yourself like that again,” his nostrils flare.
Uh, oh.
I lock eyes with him, trying to keep from breaking down and balling straight into his chest. No man has ever been so wonderful, so loving, so wanting of me. I’m not used to it, and doubt myself sometimes. Truthfully, the fact that Ascot cares for me so deeply, so completely is overwhelming. I’ve never felt this kind of intense love in my life.
A single tear drops down my cheek, and he thumbs it away, his expression softening. “What happened to you wasn’t an accident, Elise, I know that now,” he whispers, pulling me back into his arms. “It was pure fate.”
I close my eyes, surrendering to the warmth of his embrace. “I feel like the luckiest girl in the world,” I sniff, “but sometimes I’m unsure about everything.”
He cups the back of my head. “You never have to be unsure about me,” he whispers, kissing the top of my head. “Not now and not ever.”
I pull back and look up into his deep green eyes. “Thank you,” I smile, getting on the tips of my toes. He blinks and leans down, studying my eyes, my nose, and my mouth before gently touching his lips to mine, warm and soft. “I think I needed to hear that,” I touch his face with my palm.
He grins, pushing away a strand of hair from my eyes. “It’s time to go, Father and Eric are waiting.”
“Wait,” I blurt out. “What about Caduceus?” I glance over to his aquarium.
Ascot smiles and leans down, reaching for something on the floor. “He’s in here,” he says, holding up a beautifully carved, wooden container, the size of a large shoebox.
“It’s gorgeous,” I whisper. “What kind of wood is that?”
“It’s ancient Kauri from about,” he glances up at the ceiling, calculating. “Forty-five thousand years ago.”
“Whoa,” I whisper to myself, moving closer to get a better look. “I didn’t even see the small holes on top, they’re so perfectly intertwined in the carvings.”
“Yes, my uncle, Dionysus, is a master at sculpting wood,” Ascot glances down adoringly, holding the box in both hands. “See this?” he points to the side, tracing his fingers over a valley with hills and sections of grapevines.
I lean in with awe, examining the complexity of detail.
“That’s his vineyard in Mount Nysa. He’s way better known for his wine.”
“Really?”
“Mmm, hum,” he whispers. “The white wine you like…”
“No,” I smile up at him. “Did it come from him?”
Ascot slowly nods. “Eric makes sure to stock me up whenever he comes for a visit.”
“Wow,” I shake my head in disbelief. “I knew it was just about the most delicious wine I’d ever had, but this…I’m blown away.”
“My uncle’s been making it long enough,” he chuckles, cocking a brow. “Would you like to visit his winery while we’re there?”
“Are you kidding?” I smirk. “That would be amazing.”
“Consider it done,” Ascot says, shifting the box under his arm. “He’s another relative I haven’t seen in ages,” he whispers with a hint of regret in his voice. “Anyway,” his eyes come back to mine. “I’m sure he’d love to meet you as well.”
I reach up and smile, palming the side of his handsome face. “I can’t wait.”
***
The private jet is larger than I expect, looking more like a small plane than some tiny propeller job, I naively envisioned in my head. Outside on the tarmac is a tall, thin woman in black slacks and a white, long sleeved shirt, holding a tray of fluted glasses filled will with bubbling champagne. She smiles as we approach and Apollo suddenly appears at the entrance door, clasping his hands together.
“Ah, you’re here!” he calls out, raising his voice over the jet engines. “Come, come,” he waves us up the small flight of stairs.
Ascot gives me a nod, taking our bags to a guy appearing out of nowhere and hands him a tip. I wait a few steps in and Ascot quickly catches up, holding the wooden box with Caduceus as we make our way inside.
The cabin smells of gardenia and fresh baked bread, and is surrounded in beautiful glossy, wood and soft white leather seats. The sound of classical music is playing low in the background as the flight crew of two men and two women, all wearing black uniforms, greet us before we take our seats.
“Wow,” I whisper, leaning closer to Ascot, “I feel like a celebrity.”
His smile brightens as he takes my hand. “Well, my love,” he kisses the top, “you should probably get used to this,” he whispers, glancing up at one of the male flight attendants. His expression changes as he leans in, handing Cad to him. “Please keep him warm,” he says with authority, the attendant giving him a quick nod.
“Elise, you are a vision,” Apollo approaches, wearing a tailored black suit, a white pocket square and gold cufflinks.
“Thank you,” I smile, as he sits on the bench seat across from of Ascot and me.