"You kissed?"

"Shh!" I glance around us at the swimming pool to make sure my friend's shrieking wasn't loud enough to attract an audience. Fortunately, the loud bubbling of the hot tub drowned her out enough that no one seems to have noticed.

"I can't believe you waited until now to tell me!" Amy says, her brown eyes accusatory.

"Well, in my defense, we were busy swimming until now. I don't enjoy talking while doing lengths." Mainly because I always somehow swallow a mouthful of water when I try.

"So, who is this guy? Tell me everything!" Other than my sister, Amy is probably the person most wanting me to find someone. She longs for double dates and couple's game nights.

"As I said, he's my neighbor, and I helped him with his bunny. Well, bunnies now. And he's a very good kisser." I blush when a burst of warmth rushes through me as I remember his kisses from the other night. "Actually, make that amazing kisser."

"Oh, I remember you saying you had a hot new neighbor, but you never told me you'd gone on a date! You're a terrible friend! I've been with the same guy since high school. You need to tell me these things so I can live vicariously through you!" She nudges my shoulder playfully. "Tell me more!"

"Nothing wrong with having found the love of your life early. And you're getting married soon!"

She gasps. "Will you bring him to the wedding?"

I hadn't thought of that. The wedding is still three weeks away. In the dating world, that's like an eternity. It's much too early to ask him to join me for that. A plus one to a wedding is a big deal. Not really a casual hookup kind of date.

"It's too soon for that."

"Never too soon!" She scoffs. "Anyway, you were about to tell me all the juicy details of this kiss."

I laugh. "Was I?"

She sighs dramatically, leans her head back against the tub's headrest, and closes her eyes. "Fine. Don't. You never tell me anything fun."

"I rarely have anything to tell. This is my first kiss in... Longer than I care to contemplate." I try to remember my last one and fail. Was it that accountant my sister set me up with? He shoved his tongue down my throat on the first date when saying goodbye at my door. That was nearly six months ago. I've only been on two dates since, and one of them ended prematurely when work called me in for an emergency.

"Your love life is even more boring than mine," Amy complains.

"At least you have one."

She opens one eye to peer at me, a grin playing on her lips. "From what I'm hearing, now you do too."

My cheeks heating is definitely from the hot water, and nothing else. "It was only a kiss," I mutter.

We sit in companionable silence for a while, enjoying the relaxing bubbles enveloping us. It's our usual treat after our weekly swim. I close my eyes and shift slightly so one jet hits a stiff muscle in my shoulder. It's been aching since I had a particularly large dog make a sudden pull while I was still holding onto its collar. The water massaging my aching muscle is bliss, and I wish I had a hot tub at home.

"Oh, you know Luke's friend Trevor?" Amy's question brings me back from dreams of my personal hot tub massage, and I open my eyes to find her looking at me.

"Yes, I ran into him recently."

"Exactly. He mentioned you. Said he hoped you'd call." Amy was grinning again. "I guess you have more than one guy interested."

I frown. "No, I'm pretty sure Trevor just wanted to catch up."

Amy groans. "You're useless! Catch up is totally code for hooking up!"

Trevor wants to go on a date? I'm not sure how I feel about this. He's one of those guys that's been in the peripheral part of my world for what feels like my entire life, but I never paid much attention to. As the most popular guy in high school, I never even considered him as a potential date. I may have hung out with the other popular girls, but it was only because Amy was my best friend and the most popular girl. Basically, I was popular by association rather than any merit of my own.

"I'm not sure," I say. "He's never made a move before, and he's had plenty of opportunities through the years. Maybe in this case a catch up really is only that."

"Maybe, maybe not." She shrugs. "Honestly, I always kind of hoped you'd end up with Trevor since he's such a good friend of Luke's. We could do all the stuff together!"

"Trevor is just..." I'm not sure what I want to say. Trevor is just... What? I never thought of him that way. He was kind of an ass in school, if I'm honest. The popular guys usually are. He's older now, so maybe he's grown up. His bragging when I met him at the ice rink didn't exactly scream 'emotionally mature adult male' though. Then again, I'm not sure if Eros is either. At least, he doesn't brag about his new place or his job...

I frown as I realize I don't actually know what he does for a living. In fact, I still know very little about him. It's kind of strange. I may have tried to stalk him online, and he doesn't seem to have a single social profile. It's possible that he's just a very private person, but who doesn't at least own a Facebook account? It's almost like he magically appeared in my life out of nowhere. I should probably find out a little more about him. Especially if I'm planning to date him. And I definitely am. Especially after that kiss.

"Oh. My. God." Amy slowly breathes the words one by one. "Don't look, but there's a literal god here. Shit, I wish I had my phone!"

"What?" Of course, I fail to be subtle and immediately whip my head around in the direction Amy is staring. Oh! Oh... My mouth goes dry. "That's... That's him."

Eros is walking down the side of the pool, wearing only a pair of blue swimming trunks, and my friend's stunned exclamation is well-deserved. I suspected he was fit from the touching I did while... straddling him—I struggle to even think about it without blushing—but I had not realized quite how fit. Wide shoulders and narrow hips, muscles playing under his skin as he puts his arms behind his head and stretches. The flatness of his stomach is nothing if not a little intimidating, and is that the hint of a six-pack? How is it possible that this perfect specimen of a man has kissed me?

"I take it all back," Amy says, her mouth agape. "Fuck Trevor. This man is a god. How have you only kissed? I would take that to bed pronto!"

If my face wasn't already scarlet from the hot tub, I suspect I would blush. At least I hope there's no further level of redness, since I don't think my skin could take any more heat. I must look like an overcooked lobster. Suddenly self-conscious, I sink a little lower in the tub, my nose barely above water. The jets have stopped, leaving the surface calm enough to allow me this little hideout.

"What did you say his name was?"

"Blurbos," I mutter underwater, desperately hoping he won't turn around and see us.

"Eros!" Amy shouts loudly, and he turns around to stare at her. Probably wondering who this random stranger is shouting his name.

I consider sinking under the surface entirely, but his eyes shift slightly and I can tell when he catches sight of me as his mouth stretches into a smile. Shit! This is so embarrassing. Why did Amy have to call him over? I must look like an idiot, so I sit back up as I watch him padding over to us on bare feet, the eyes of nearly every woman in the room on him. He has a magnetism about him that is difficult to resist.

"Hello," he says as he reaches us, standing next to the tub, his abs at eye level. I try to ignore my fingers itching to touch him.

"Hi!" Amy beams at him. "I have heard so much about you. Oof!" She glares at me as I elbow her before continuing, as if nothing happened. "Why don't you join us?"

"I guess I can have my treat before my exercise." He chuckles as he gets into the tub and sits down beside me. As his leg rubs up against mine, I try not to faint. The heat of the tub has obviously made me oxygen-deprived. I don't think I've ever been this attracted to anyone before. But I also have never dated anyone this good-looking before.

Amy, who doesn't have a shy bone in her body, is looking way too happy about running into him. "So, Eros," she says. "You must tell me everything about you! As Penelope's best friend, I'm honor-bound to approve of all her dates."

"Amy!" I hiss, suddenly reminded of why I've never introduced her to anyone I'm dating until quite a few dates in. Fortunately, Eros seems to take it in stride, laughing at her enthusiasm.

"Not much to tell, really." He smiles lazily as he leans back and casually puts an arm along the side of the tub, resting it just behind my head. "I'm just a regular guy."

"You obviously work out." I can't believe she just said that. She has no shame. "What do you work with?"

"What's with the third degree?" I scowl at her. But she doesn't even have the sense to look guilty, only smiles.

"I'm just being friendly."

Eros chuckles. "It's all right. Amy, I'm a consultant."

I turn my head to look at him. He's not watching me at the moment, his eyes on my overly inquisitive friend. I don't remember telling him her name. Maybe I've mentioned her during our dates. It's not as if I don't word vomit around him, and I probably only remember a third of what I've actually said.

"What do you consult in?"

"Acquisitions."

"Sounds interesting, but I have no idea what it means. Typical consultant speech." She laughs. "I'm a paralegal. My fiance is a lawyer. Where are you from?"

I bore my eyes into her, but she pretends not to see. Annoyed, I hit the button to start the jets and the engine sputters back to life, filling the tub with bubbles yet again. It's still possible to have a conversation, but at least it drowns out some of the sound and the further away you are from each other, the harder it is to hear.

"I've been a little everywhere," he says. "Never really stayed in one place very long."

"Army brat?" I would have kicked her leg under the water for the continued interrogation, but I'm distracted by Eros moving his arm from behind me and into the water, placing his hand on my knee. Even in this hot water, his skin on mine is warm and the butterflies are back inside me.

"Something like that." He looks more amused than annoyed by her, so hopefully, he won't hold this against me. I suck in a breath as he leans back a little in the tub and his hand slides further up my thigh.

"So, Amy," I say to steer the conversation in a different direction. "Have you picked your dress up yet, or did you want me to do it?"

"Oh, would you mind?" She flashes me a grateful look. "I'm swamped with preparations these last few weeks. You could bring it over Friday and we can have a girls' night while Luke is at his parents' house."

"Sounds great!" I'm very relieved to have stopped her from asking more questions until she turns back to Eros again.

"Are you coming to the wedding?"

He raises his eyebrows and looks between us. I cannot believe she threw me under the bus like that. No, wait, I can—I just don't appreciate it.

"Congratulations on getting married." He smiles.

"Thank you, it's been a long time coming, but we wanted to wait until we both finished our studies." She continues to ignore me when I try to stare her down, to shut her up. "You should totally come as Penelope's plus one. She doesn't have one yet, and it's only three weeks away."

Would it be too much if I sank under the surface and just didn't come back up? Maybe evolution could hurry a little and give me gills, and I can live at the bottom of this hot tub and see no one ever again.

"If it's okay with her, sure, I'd love to come."

What? I try not to stare, but I suspect I am. That's a big commitment this early on. But I guess he could just bail if things turn sour.

"Awesome!" Amy looks disgustingly pleased with herself as she leans back against the headrest and closes her eyes.

Leaning in, Eros's breath tickles my skin as he mumbles into my ear, his voice low and seductive. "Will I see you again tonight? I've missed you."

We've not seen each other since our movie night, but that was only Friday and it's Sunday today. I won't lie. I've missed him too, and I've not been able to stop thinking about those kisses. If love spells were a thing, I imagine this is what it would feel like. That inexorable pull to someone, even if you can't explain why. Other than his stupidly handsome face, I suppose.

"I promised I'd come over and help you try to bond your bunnies," I say, hoping it doesn't sound like some weird euphemism. I really did promise to help him with the bunnies. "Tonight I'm working, but I could come sometime next week?"

"Any time." His lips gently brush over my shoulder before he leans back, and I have to remind myself to breathe. This man is definitely out of my league. In every way. I turn to jelly around him, and that just can't be healthy. There's definitely got to be some magic involved here. Maybe he's a wizard. Like a very sexy Harry Potter.

"Maybe not Tuesday," I mumble, making him laugh, which stirs Amy, and the spell is broken.