The Stranger Behind Chapter 36: THROWING HIM OFF HER SCENT

Chapter 36: THROWING HIM OFF HER SCENT

Abigail

"What in the fresh hell is that?!"

The dining room ceiling stopped

dead as Eric led

into the mansion. Stretching the entire length of the ceiling above the long mahogany dining table was an enormous painting of so naked folks and gigantic beasts locked in violent magnificent combat.

There were lightning bolts and chaos all over them painting. Who on earth would place this above where people were apparently expected to sit and eat dinner like civilized human beings?

"Titanomachy," Eric said, appearing at my elbow, looking rather smug. "It is a painting of the war between the Olympians and the Titans. Zeus defeated Cronus,"

"Greek mythology nerd alert,"

He blushed at my words and tilted his head up at it. "Co on, you can’t deny it’s magnificent,"

Around us Arthur, Finnegan and three other guests settled around the spread out dining table with Arthur seated at the head of the table.

"It’s enormous," I chuckled, letting Eric lead

to my seat, which was, unfortunately, directly opposite my boss whose erald eyes were sharpened like daggers on . The warm heady scent of lasagna filled my nose as maids moved around us, serving the dishes.

"That’s rather the point." Eric said obliviously while his father grunted.

"Now you know whose idea it was to paint that atrocious thing above my table."

"Dad, you commissioned it yourself, stop acting like you don’t like it," Eric said cheerfully, pulling out the chair beside .

"I said it was atrocious," Arthur said pleasantly. "I didn’t say I regretted it."

I laughed, settling into my seat, and made another mistake of glancing across the table.

Finnegan hadn’t said much since Arthur had introduced us in the garden and he wasn’t saying much now either, just sitting there with those green eyes moving around the table and landing on my face several tis, I could feel my throat getting tight.

I was overreacting. There was no way he would know it was

at the club just because of a scent. True, but then if he now considered that Aphrodite had dark hair and was around my height... I wore contacts to hide my eye color but was that enough?

"The Olympians are fascinating," Eric was saying, "Every single one of them is a complete disaster personally but they’re very magnificent,"

"That’s gods for you," I murmured, picking up my fork.

"Which one would you be?"

"Excuse ?"

"If you were an Olympian." He gestured around the table. "Dad is obviously Zeus, absolute ruler, everyone does what he says and he pretends to be reasonable about it."

"I’m very reasonable," Arthur said, pouring wine. "Just because I wouldn’t let you skip around the Bahamas a little longer doesn’t an I’m unreasonable."

"Sure old man," Eric snorted, rolling his eyes playfully.

"You would be Apollo then," I snickered, pointing my fork at him. "Spoiled Daddy’s golden boy,"

"Hmm, remove the spoiled and you’ve got yourself a winner." Eric said without hesitation, spreading his hands.

"And Abigail?" Arthur smiled warmly. "Which goddess suits her?"

Oh, no. This was very dangerous territory. Why did I even talk about the stupid painting? How did we get to talking about gods and goddesses?

Eric turned to study , those blue eyes moving over my face as he rubbed his jaw.

"Hmm."

"Don’t think so hard," I faked a small smile, hoping the conversation would wrap up soon.

"No, it’s a tough decision," He drumd his fingers on the table. "You’re sharp enough for Athena-"

"Athena works perfectly," I said quickly.

"She’s the goddess of-"

"Aphrodite."

Our heads, every head whipped up to look at Finnegan, including mine. His green eyes were fixed on , his glass of wine raised to his lips. My heartbeat pounded loudly in my ears and a nervous smile tugged at my lips.

"Hell yes, Finn, you’re right! She’s definitely an Aphrodite,"

I wanted to bite Eric’s head off but the poor guy had no idea he was making things worse for . Rising up, because I needed to be away from his prying eyes before he turned Father Confessor and had

confessing my sins in a very ugly way, I mumbled sothing about needing to go to the bathroom and scurried off.

Aphrodite.

He definitely suspected. Had he said that na on purpose as so sort of test? Fuck, I think I just botched it if it was a test then.

I tried washing off the scent of the vanilla perfu on my wrist in the bathroom, trying to ignore the sight throbbing between my thighs from being so close yet so far to him.

He was right there when I stepped out into the corridor and every thought I had assembled in the bathroom scattered imdiately.

"Can I help you, Mr Wolfe?"

My voice ca out strong thankfully considering my heart had relocated to my throat.

His jaw clenched and a light gasp slipped from my lips when he stepped forward, backing

up against the wall. The scorching heat radiating off his body wrapped around , his scent teasing .

His head dipped.

Oh god.

His nose skimd the line of my jaw so lightly, his warm breath tracing from my cheekbone downward, every nerve ending I owned lit up, buzzing and prickling with a feverish awareness.

My breasts rose and fell too against the bodice of my dress, nipples straining and aching and throbbing against the fabric.

A loud gasp left my lips when his thigh, thick and solid pressed against my bare ones below the hem of my dress. My eyes widened, lips parted and a moan climbed my throat when he pushed his thighs between mine. No. Fuck, if I made a sound, he would know. He would definitely know.

His breath was warm on my jaw and my skin was prickling everywhere. I was certain he could hear my heart beating like crazy, my cunt clenching and throbbing and slick with want for him.

The sa mouth. The sa hands. The sa man who had worked four fingers into my sopping pussy on a sex club floor and left

ruined and denied and absolutely out of my mind-

My thighs pressed together around his thigh and the urge to ride on his thigh, to take the orgasm he had stolen from

filled .

"Abby? Are you lost?"

Finnegan stepped back and cold air rushed in where his heat had been. I nearly swayed at the loss of it, my body screaming for him.

His eyes burned into mine for one fierce second before he turned and stalked away just as Eric rounded the corner.

"There you are, I thought you had gotten lost," He stopped, narrowing his eyes at . "You okay? You look a bit... flushed."

"I’m fine," I said, with the brightest smile my desperately aroused body could produce. "

Wolfe would find out who I was tomorrow if I didn’t find a way to throw him off my scent. An idea ford in my head and a slow smile pulled at my lips as Eric led

around the house.

There was a way to throw him off my scent. I had done it before? Why not do it again?