Chapter 14

For the millionth time, Demeus squeezed his hands by his side. If the jeweler’s son’s hand touches Helena’s skin anymore under the guise of fastening a jewel piece on her neck or wrist he may be forced to throttle him. And the smile on Helena’s lips gritted his nerve. Why wasn’t she smiling at him like that? She only ever seemed to argue with him and when she wasn’t arguing she was silent and her silence was even worse than her arguments. But with this jeweler’s son, she seemed to be at ease and they were conversing smoothly.

“Try this one on,” the jeweler said to her while holding up a nice piece of bracelet with ruby stones encrusted in the silver chain. The ruby stones were the same color as her hair. “This will look beautiful on you,” he said. Demeus had to agree with him. He could already envision the look of the bracelet on Helena’s pale skin. “Bring your hand, my lady, let me help you.”

“Let me do it.” It was Demeus who spoke to the surprise of everyone since he had simply been watching without speaking from the corner of the shop. Even he was surprised at the growled words. But he was holding out his hands and reaching out for Helena’s arm already.

Helena frowned slightly at the tone of his voice. At first, she thought he was simply tired at how long she had stayed trying on jewel after jewel but then she saw him pass a venomous look the jeweler's son’s way and it made her pause. Was that jealousy she saw? Was it possible that he was jealous because the Jeweler’s son was paying too much attention to her? She should be appalled by his reaction but she was pleased, a warmth filled her chest at his jealousy.

Demeus collected the bracelet and took Helena’s hand. Her eyes flew to his when their skin made contact. He gritted his teeth at the desire that crawled up from the tip of his toes to his groin. This was foolishness.

Helena swallowed. His hand was rough but his touch was gentle. He placed the bracelet on her wrist and as he hooked it his fingers brushed the inside of her wrist causing her to bite her inner lip. She was insane. What would Robos say if he saw what she was doing right now, lusting over a total stranger?

“It looks beautiful,” Demeus said.

She smiled. “Thank you, Ramus.” It was indeed beautiful.

Demeus gritted his teeth again. He suddenly wished he had told her his real name. That she called him Ramus made him hate himself for lying to her. He wanted to hear to sound of his real name on her rose-red lips. He wanted to kiss those lips and even as the thought crossed his mind his eyes traveled to her lips and licked his own lips.

Helena swallowed hard. How was she to think properly when he was looking at her like that. He made her want to wrap her hands around his neck and kiss him till she was drunk with the taste of him.

The jeweler coughed and the both of them visibly jumped back from whatever spell had held them bound. Demeus looked at the jeweler hoping to find a distraction from the walking temptation in front of him. The jeweler and his son were smiling and for the first time he felt embarrassed, he had been caught lusting openly for a woman.

“You should buy that bracelet for your lady,” the jeweler said.

Demeus tried to ignore the fact that the man no longer called her My lady but His lady as he nodded. “How much?”

“100 tai.”

Helena gasped softly. It was quite expensive. “You don’t have to buy it, Ramus. It’s quite beautiful but very pricey.”

“But it looks like it was made for you. Beautiful.” He wasn’t looking at the bracelet when he said the last part of that sentence, he was looking at her.

“But…”

Before she could argue any further he pulled some coins from the brown purse around his waist and slapped it into the jeweler’s hand. “Thank you, kind sir.”

Helena was in a place between happy and amazed. Happy because he had called her beautiful and had gotten her the bracelet which she loved so much and amazed because he was just a fisherman, how was he able to afford 100 kai? A bit of guilt threatened to dampen her happiness, what if he had spent some of his savings on her?

“Thank you,” she said softly.

“You’re welcome,” he said with a wide smile that exposed his beautiful teeth and put some light into the storm that was his eyes. “Come on, where else would you like to go?”

She suddenly felt too tired to explore. “Maybe we should go back to the inn.”

He nodded. He wanted to offer his arm but something told him she might reject it so he led the way back to the inn. Neither of them spoke a word as they walked back. The tension in the air was so palpable that it could be cut with a knife. Something had changed between them, something the both of them had tried to cage in since they met each other. That something was beginning to escape the cage they had both carefully made for it. It was almost uncontrollable this thing they both felt. It felt as though the heavens were conspiring to bring them together, to tell them something, maybe the fact that they were both meant for each other?

By the time they got to the inn, it was already quite late and the lights in the dining room were on which a crowd of men and women inside. Demeus stopped at the threshold of the inn and Helena turned to face him.

“Thank you very much, Ramus.” And she meant it. This was one of the best days of her life. Never had she had a day like this with Robos where the both of them would take leisure strolls around. Rather Robos was too busy jumping between the legs of every god and goddess who opened them.

“You’re welcome, Helena.”

She smiled. The sound of his deep voice was soothing in her ears. Pushing aside all thought she moved forward and placed her hands around his waist, resting her head on his chest. She could hear his heart beat heavily behind his ribcage and it was a reflection of her own.

Demeus hesitated for a second, just a second but he found his own arms wrapping themselves around her shoulders. Could she feel his desire? Could she tell that she made his brains feel like mush every time she was around him?

Helena pulled back and smiled at him. “Goodnight, Ramus. See you tomorrow.”

He nodded and stepped back. Hopefully, she wouldn’t look down and see the bulge her hug caused.

“Till tomorrow, Helena.”