“What happened?”
“Like you care,” I snap.
“Ellie.” His tone suggests that I shouldn’t try him.
“I fell. Obviously.”
“Get over here.”
He pats the top of his desk. Glaring, I do as he says.
When I’m situated, I ask, “Happy?”
He doesn’t answer. Instead, he reaches down and opens the bottom drawer of his desk. I’m surprised when he pulls out a first-aid kit. He opens the box, setting it next to me on the desk.
“Need first-aid a lot?” I ask as he lifts my skirt over my knees.
He doesn’t answer as he cleans my scrapes. It stings and air hisses from my lips.
“Never know when you’re going to need it,” he answers right before he blows on the wounds.
The sting goes away and is replaced by heat throughout my body. It might have something to do with his scent that drifts my way. Or maybe the soft music playing in the background.
Trying to get control over my emotions, I say, “You know you basically just blew germs all over my wounds, right?”
He leans back in his chair. Suddenly it hits me just how close we are. I move, but he stops me.
“I still haven’t punished you, little mouse.”
My pulse pounds, but I can’t deny the throb of pleasure his words send right to my core.
“Isn’t looking like a fool running through the streets enough?”
“No.”
He rubs his chin as he looks up at me. I can only imagine what kind of punishment he’s going to come up with.
“Why did you tell Al to stay away from me?”
“He said that?”
I nod. “When you stormed into the bar looking like Hades himself.”
That makes him smile. “Hades? And who would that make you?”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to say Persephone. But that’s not me. That’s Jasmine.
I shrug because I don’t know.
“I think it would make you Minthe, the river nymph who seduced Hades.”
I rack my brain, trying to remember the story of Minthe.
“Hades turned her into mint after Persephone tore her body to pieces when she discovered their affair.” My throat is tight as I swallow. “That should be enough warning for us, don’t you think?”
I move, but he stops me by putting his hand on my leg.
“In the legends, she was the true love of his life and he never got over her. It’s why mint was used on funeral arrangements.”