Love's Forge Read Online Free PDF Page B

things? That he loved her so fiercely? She knew he did love her. Her own powers told her that. They always had. Sometimes she wished her powers away, wished to be someone and something else instead of the goddess of love. Her life would be so much simpler.
    Hephaestus emerged from the shadows and turned the water off. The tub had filled enough to cover her breasts as she leaned back to consider him. He didn’t look angry. He looked very aroused.
    “Thank you. I’ll feel better after a bath,” she said. Arguing and unkind words would get her nowhere. She shifted her legs upward to partially cover her breasts. “It’s going to be hard to bathe though.” She wiggled her fingers to emphasize her point.
    “I know. I’m going to bathe you.”
    She hadn’t expected that. She’d thought he would insist on watching so she couldn’t try to get away. “I’d rather do it myself.”
    “I want to do it.” He pulled his shirt off, revealing a chest far more tanned than she’d remembered. Every inch of his body was chiseled, and the sight of his smooth, bare chest made her remember how good it felt to touch him. He looked twice as powerful as Hades or Zeus, and he was more muscular than Ares. His dark gaze smoldered as he looked at her. He seemed pleased as she admired him.
    She averted her gaze. Being nice was one thing. It might help her gain her freedom. Being encouraging might make him more determined to keep her.
    He laughed softly.
    “So glad I still amuse you,” she said when he sat down on the tile ledge by the tub.
    “You do lots of things to me, Aphrodite.” He touched her shoulder and pushed gently. “Lean back so I can wash your hair.”
    He moved to the wide ledge behind her and removed his pants. She didn’t know if he wore anything under them and didn’t look to find out. The tub was wide enough he could put his legs on either side of her in the water. “Come on. Lean back. I’ll support your head.”
    He used a cup to pour the warm water over her head. She relaxed a little as he massaged the shampoo into her hair. It smelled like jasmine. He rinsed her hair slowly, his fingers gently working through it and all too often caressing her neck. When he was done, he got up and moved beside her.
    “You’ll need to move up a bit now.”
    She didn’t look at him. The chains holding her slowly moved forward and she scooted in that direction slowly until her feet were about an inch from the other end of the tub. “This is a little undignified, you know,” she exclaimed hotly. She turned her head to glare up at him, and that was when she saw he was actually naked.
    He didn’t have an erection, but his cock was still startling. He was larger than any other man she’d ever been with. She’d told Ares he was to stroke his ego, but Hephaestus had an amazingly thick nine-inch cock. As much sex as she’d had, he still stretched her and pushed her to her limits when he was inside her to the hilt. She looked away and tried not to remember how amazing he always felt. Sex had always gotten her into trouble, so she had to resist now. However, his cock was going to be very hard to ignore once he’d climbed in behind her, which she could tell he was about to do. She had to be firm because he had to see that this behavior wasn’t the way to her heart, that she wouldn’t be his while he was holding her and Ares captive. She had to make every effort to help Ares.
    He moved behind her and stroked her cheek as he stepped into the tub. He settled in behind her, but she leaned forward so her back wouldn’t brush his chest.
    “Aphrodite?”
    “What?”
    “I’m not going to fuck you.”
    He reached behind him and took a sponge in his hand. He poured sweet smelling lavender soap onto it and worked it into a lather. He pushed her hair aside and began washing her back. His movements were thorough and soothing. He held her right arm and scrubbed it just as thoroughly, and then did the same to her left. He used the cup