Page 2 of The Demigod Complex
Not that she’d ever act on her feelings, especially not now. But even if she wasn’t about to disappear again, she couldn’t. The man still grieved his wife. He didn’t speak of her ever, but Leia had heard the rumors. He’d lost her not long into their marriage, which had to be hard…knowing he’d go through an immortal life without his love.
Castor wanted nothing to do with relationships.
How had all those other assistants before her not caught the “loner” vibes the man threw out? No wonder he’d hired Brimstone, Inc., to send him someone like her.
All the more reason to get herself under control.
Just as she had every other day, Leia ruthlessly squashed her feelings, the same way she’d grind a cockroach under her stiletto heel. Even when they were for a six-foot-three, Armani-suit-wearing chiseled tower of temptation with blue eyes and a heart big enough to rescue the world, though he liked to hide it behind a scowl.
Like now. His eyes practically shot bolts of lightning as he glared at Mike’s departing back.
She stepped forward, assuming he’d move out of the way to usher her into his office. Only he didn’t, his glower softening as he turned his gaze on her.
Only now she was very much in his space, inhaling the spice of his aftershave and the fresh-air scent of his skin. The heat radiating from him penetrated both his suit and her clothes. Demigods ran hot—something about all that supernatural power coursing through their veins. When she was a young water nymph, she’d imagined it would be nice to snuggle up to one in a pond, like her own walking hot springs generator.
But that had been before she’d lost her spring.
Instead of getting out of her way, Castor leaned forward, crowding her more. “Does Mike bother you often?”
“Did you know Marsha in acquisitions is pregnant? I assume you’ll want to arrange a shower?”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Distracting him with other topics sometimes worked. Not this time, apparently. She raised her eyebrows coolly. “Mikedoesn’t bother me at all.” As opposed to the man blocking her way. She was proud her words hadn’t come out all husky and needy sounding. In control, even if she wasn’t really.
“So, you wanted him to ask you out?” Doubt colored the words.
She stared at his top button, which was undone, as was his tie, exposing the kissable hollow at the base of his neck. Dang. Now she was wondering what licking that spot might taste like.
No, she wasn’t, because she didn’t let herself think things like that about her boss. Herdemigodboss. Herbillionairedemigod boss who had more money than Midas, more power than he knew what to do with, and whose only requirement for his assistant was that they not bother him with things like unwanted, unreciprocated feelings.
A wish she deeply understood.
Why were they having this conversation again? “I can handle Mike.”
He reached out and tipped her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze. “So, he needs handling?”
Her skin tingled at his touch. That happened every time he touched her.Because he’s the son of Zeus…and lightning,she ruthlessly reminded herself.
Time to put a stop to this or next she’d be throwing herself into his arms. She rolled her eyes. “You can put away your cape, Superman. I don’t need saving today.”
His jaw tensed, mouth pinching. She recognized that stubborn look. Castor wasn’t going to give this up. The man had a god complex a mile wide—a need to rescue anything he deemed helpless. In the old days, demigods spent most of their time fighting monsters or rescuing princesses or towns. He seemed to have found other ways to channel that drive.
Not for her, though. No thanks.
What she needed was a diversion. “I need to talk to you about something.”
He dropped his hand and stepped back. “What?”
Granted, distracting him with her resignation might not be the smartest of moves. Even if all that intensity had shifted away from the topic of Mike. Still, this had to be done.
“Let’s sit down first,” she said.
Castor frowned, then finally moved out of the way. Oxygen returned to her lungs as he led her inside his office. The view of the Austin skyline from his office never got old. She would miss this city more than most.
But it would be Castor she missed most of all.
…
