You Think Making Love is Easy?

I hear the door behind us open, and look over my shoulder to see a cupid enter. He turns, promising the crowd that he will see them later, and asking that they admit no one else. As he turns back to us, I sense that I should recognize him. I'm very good at auras, but lousy at faces.

"This so-called court is quite a disappointment, isn't it?" he asks.

I smile. Perhaps we were at the academy together.

"What's the betting out there?" I nod toward the hallway.

He smiles back.

"A one-year probationary recycle for your friend. Five years as a centaur for you."

My face falls. I had forgotten all about centaurs. Centaurs have to shovel their own poop.

"All rise."

The court returns, having taken barely enough time to sit down, let alone engage in any sort of deliberation. I help Octavia to her feet, and we face the bench. Our three inquisitors take their places. There is a long and painful silence as the stare back at us.

"Would you like us to sit?" I ask. Last time, Antonius had asked us to please be seated. But I get no answer.

It is Octavia who realizes that the judges are not staring at us but at our visitor.

"It's him," she whispers.

"Who?" I whisper back.

"Cupid."

I roll my eyes. No kidding.

"The cupid."

The long "e" in "the" draws my attention to the portrait of Cupid on the wall, and then back to our visitor. He smiles, and I execute a classic double take. Damned if it isn't.

"By all means sit down," he says. He stands and walks slowly toward the bench before turning back to us. "Let this be a lesson to you youngsters. If you're going to take a nap, set an alarm. I wouldn't have thought I could sleep for 200 years either."

He returns his attention to the judges, who stand as rigidly as if they were awaiting inspection. Cupid's voice is soft, an elegant tenor that still manages to capture everyone's attention.

"When Valentine asked me to establish this order, he gave me one command. Do any of you happen to know what it is?"

"Let there be love," the trio shouts. Everyone knows it; it is inscribed above the building's main entrance.

"And Cupid's Corollary?"

"Where there is love, there is life."

"Two rules, that's all," he says to us in an apologetic tone before turning back to the bench again. "Did I establish any Cupidicial Law?"

"No, sir," Valerius answers.

"Ah. Did I establish any specific procedures for identifying mortals in need of our help, let alone a single inflexible rule?"

"No, sir."

"Good." Cupid turns to us for another aside. "You do tend to forget things when you grow older."

"Antonius, I believe that by tradition I am entitled to serve as headmaster of any national academy, am I not?"

Valerius squeaks out a "yes" as Antonius's mouth moves without making any sound.

"Excellent. Then I thank you for your service, Antonius. We shall talk later."

Dense as he is, it takes Antonius a few minutes to realize that he has been dismissed. He scurries off, and Cupid slowly climbs the steps to the bench and takes his place.

"I vote not guilty," he says with a big grin.

"Not guilty," Tiberius adds quickly, his voice heavy with relief.

"Not guilty," Valerius mutters after a short pause.

"Well then, I guess it's unanimous. You two are free."

"We can go?" I ask.

"Not quite," Cupid says. "Let's head to my office and have a chat first."

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Like all of its predecessors, the Class of 2008 is graduating from the American Cupid Academy on Valentine's Day. This particular class is a little shell-shocked, though, having spent the last week and a half relearning a substantial portion of what they had studied for the previous year. They have been taught by their two newest instructors, Octavia Cupida and Julius Cupidus, who had turned their strict adherence to "minimum congruence" completely upside-down. We were aided considerably by Cupid himself, who, among other things, showed us how to project onto a screen the memories that we had previously shared only by touching. That allowed us to open a whole new world to this class of cupids.

After the ceremony was over, we nervously approach Cupid's office. He gives us an effusive welcome, however, even pouring us glasses of champagne.

"To a revitalized academy," he offers.

We clink glasses and drink.

"So, I don't suppose I can talk either of you into staying on?" he asks.

Octavia and I trade glances. Neither of us is comfortable refusing a direct request from Cupid, but neither of us wants to remain cupid instructors for eternity either.

"I know, I know," he says. "It was just a hope. Octavia, you will be pleased to know that Elise Collins went into labor about an hour ago."

Octavia's eyes widen.

"Oh, you have a few hours yet," Cupid says with a wave of his hand. "Certainly enough to finish your champagne. But you, Julius. You never submitted a rebirth request, did you?"

"No, sir. I had very little hope of getting it granted."

"Ah, yes. Your quota issue. You will be glad to know that we have replaced quotas with more ephemeral 'goals.'"

"That is good, sir."

"So I will give you your choice. Instructor here at the academy? Regional supervisor? I believe there's an opening in Tampa."

We all laugh. Tampa is where Antonius has been reassigned, not as a supervisor but as a warehouse tech.

"Thank you, no," I say. "I believe I'll take a rebirth."

He raises an eyebrow. "Are you quite certain? There's all that helpless infancy, the whining adolescence, the hormonal pubescence -- and then you have to get a job!"

"Still, sir, there is love."

I cast a projection of Gwen and Luke onto the wall. I was permitted a quick visit a few days back to see how they were doing. They are at a Greek restaurant, sharing food, laughing, and acting very much like a pair of 18-year-olds who think that they are alone in the mortal world in having discovered love. Their auras are radiant, curling around each other with even more strength and vibrancy than they had before.

I hear a gasp behind me, and turn to see Cupid quickly cover up a startled expression.

"Is something wrong, sir?"

"No, no. Not at all. So this is your young couple."

"Julius is in love." Octavia is teasing me. "Julius thinks her eyes are -- what's that word, Jules?"

"Opalescent," I say under my breath.

"That's it," Octavia says. "Opalescent."

"Seriously, sir, you obviously see something that I don't in these auras. I would very much like to know what it is."

He swallows. "Your Luke," he says. "Do you see that little white line there, near B-5?"

I stare. It is barely visible, but now that he has drawn my attention to it, it is clearly there.

"It indicates a flaw in his body. A flaw that will prove, er, fatal, I'm afraid. An aneurysm."

"Fatal?" My voice is a choked whisper. "Luke will die? When?"

"Quite soon, I'm afraid. I feel for your friend Gwen."

It will break her heart. I struggle to find something to which I can cling.

"Still, sir, as Shakespeare said, 'tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."

"Yeah, that's a crock," Cupid says. "Still..."

"So she just has to watch him die?"

Cupid nods.

"It is a tragedy," he says.

I stare at him for at least twenty seconds before I am finally able to speak.

"Then why are you smiling, you fucking son of a bitch?"

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

"Gwen?"

I was sitting on a bench in a park near my work feeling sorry for myself. My love life was pitiful. I'd just decided to take a break from it all, when the guy I'd seen walking along the path a moment ago appeared in front of me.

"Yes?" He looked familiar, but I couldn't quite place him.

"My God. I can't believe it's you. Do you remember me?" He sat down on the bench next to me and stretched his long legs out in front of him.

"No, I..."

Then he smiled. That smile.

"Oh, I remember now. The bookstore. You were sneezing." I smiled too.

"Right! I'm Luke. Luke Turnquist."

"How did you know my name?" I asked.

"You told me. Right before I started sneezing. I didn't have time to tell you mine."

"So, are you feeling better?

Luke threw back his head and laughed. "Yes, thanks. I wasn't sick. It was just allergies."

"Really. You're allergic to books?" I joked.

"Nope. The only thing that makes me go off like that is cats."

It was my turn to laugh. He must have gotten a good whiff of Teddy that day.

"What?" Luke looked puzzled. "Do you have cats?"

"Nope. Not me. No pets at all."

"Well, that's a relief. I mean, not that I have anything against pets. Just..."

"Cats." I finished for him.

"Yeah."

He was staring into my eyes and grinning. I grinned back. It was the strangest moment. I felt as if I knew Luke already. It was more than just recognizing him from the bookstore. It was like we already knew each other so well, so intimately, that we could finish each other's sentences. That kind of knowing. The kind of knowing where you look into a person's eyes and feel like you're home.

"Wow," I whispered and looked away. I could barely breathe.

Luke reached out and touched my hand. "What's wrong?"

Looking down at his hand, I wanted to clasp it between both of my own in the worst way. You can't justdo that. Not with someone you just met, no matter how strong your feelings are. I looked back up at Luke and saw the same confusion mirrored in his face. He jerked his hand away, curling his fingers into a fist and pressing it against his thigh.

"I went back there a couple of times, looking for you." Luke's breath was as shallow and quick as mine.

"The bookstore?"

He nodded.

"I knew it was crazy. I mean what are the chances you'd be there, right?" Unclenching his hands, he rubbed his palms against his thighs before he continued. "I've dreamed of you, of your eyes. I know it sounds silly, and I sure don't want to scare you."

Luke folded his arms across his chest, closed his eyes, and shook his head. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"I'm not afraid."

Reaching for the fingers that peeked out beneath his elbow, I slid my fingers between his hand and his chest. His heart beat hard and fast against the back of my hand, and his fingers curled around my hand and held it there.

Luke turned toward me and leaned his free arm along the back of the bench.

"Is your heart beating as hard as mine is?" he asked.

I drew his hand against my chest, inside my jacket, just over my heart. A dozen emotions flitted across Luke's face as he touched me. Among them, relief, amazement, joy, disbelief, and finally arousal. I saw that on his face as clearly as I felt the heat in my own cheeks at having his hand on me so close to my breast.

Luke pulled his hand away, leaned his elbows on his knees, and sighed. "God, this is crazy." He glanced at his watch. "Damn. I have to get back."

"Me too," I confirmed, looking at my own watch.

"I'm afraid if I let you go I'll lose you again."

I shook my head.

"No, not now."

"Can we meet somewhere after work?"

"Okay," I replied. "Where?"

"Pepito's?"

I smiled. "Okay."

Luke walked me to my car and kissed me on the cheek as I got in. He stood and watched as I drove away.

My attention span at work that afternoon was very short. Almost nonexistent, in fact. I couldn't get my mind off of Luke. It took me twice as long to get everything done, and consequently, I didn't make it to Pepito's until around 5:40. Luke was already there, sitting in a booth with a half-finished margarita in front of him. He caught sight of me walking toward him and smiled.

That huge smile was worth waiting all afternoon for. He rose, and I walked into his arms. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world to be in Luke's arms. We spent the next couple hours eating Mexican food, drinking margaritas, and talking, talking, talking about everything.

Finally, Luke said, "We should probably get out of here, but I'm not ready for this evening to end."

"Me neither."

"I don't live far from here. Want to come to my house?" he asked. "We could watch a movie or something."

"Or something." I grinned.

In fact, what we did was sit on Luke's couch and talk for hours. We finally kissed around two a.m., and it was perfect. I'd never known anyone who could kiss like that. Around four a.m., I think, we fell asleep in each other's arms, neither of us willing to let our time together end. Some time after that, Luke woke me and led me by the hand to his bedroom.

"Oh, Luke," I murmured. "I should go home."

"Shhhh." He silenced me with a kiss. "Stay with me. It's okay. Just sleep."

He handed me a t-shirt and pointed me in the direction of the bathroom. He must have used the other bathroom, because when I emerged wearing only his t-shirt and my panties, he was already in bed, smelling of toothpaste and soap. He held the covers back for me, and I slipped between the cool sheets and back into his warm embrace.

When I awoke late in the morning, Luke was gone. I knew he was still in the house, because I could hear him whistling and the distant clank of dishes. It felt so right waking up there; I loved the house. I loved Luke. The realization made my breath catch in my throat. I was in love for the third time in a little over a month. This time felt different though, and I hoped it wasn't just wishful thinking.

After washing and dressing, I found Luke in the kitchen making blueberry pancakes. Well, more accurately, he was leaning against the edge of the counter eating a stack of pancakes while more bubbled on the griddle.

"G'morning," he mumbled around a mouthful. "Here, try this."

He held a forkful up to my mouth, practically forcing me to take it or suffer maple syrup dripping all over my clothes.

"Mmmm." I reached up to wipe away the syrup and butter that glazed my lips.

"Oh, let me." Luke grabbed my hand away and kissed me, licking the syrup off my lips. He pulled away and smiled. "Mmmm. Good morning," he said and kissed me again.

I pulled back and smiled into his eyes. "Good morning. Thank you. That was very tasty."

Luke pulled a chair out for me at the kitchen table and scooted it in as I sat down. I watched as he flipped over the pancakes on the stove.

"There's bacon and juice there. Help yourself."

"You weren't there when I woke up," I said.

"Ah, it was becoming a little to hard to remain a gentleman with you in my bed. Maybe next time. Yes?"

"Oh, you're planning on having me in your bed again?" I teased.

Luke paused while filling a plate for me and turned to grin at me over his shoulder.

"Just as soon and as often as I can."

He set the plate in front of me and with one finger tossed a lock of my hair back over my shoulder.

"What do you have going on today?" he asked, sitting down across from me.

"Well, I need to go home and take a shower and do some laundry."

"Wanna get together later? Maybe get a pizza. Watch a movie?"

"Yeah, I'd like that."

Luke leaned his elbow on the table and his chin in his hand and kept smiling at me.

"Okay, well just come back over after you get all your stuff done."

I arrived back at Luke's house just as it was getting dark. The overnight bag I'd packed I left in the car. On one hand, I didn't want to be presumptuous. On the other, I was pretty sure I was staying. Luke had a pizza delivered, and we did try to watch a movie. However, we kept making out and weren't really following the movie, so he finally turned it off.

"What do you want to do now?" Luke asked, waggling his eyebrows.

"Hmm. What doyou want to do?"

"I want to take you back to my bed, just like I promised you this morning." He brushed his fingers against the side of my neck. "Then I want us both to get naked and make love all night long."

Part of me hesitated. As much as I wanted to make love with Luke, I didn't think I could handle another relationship going awry, especially so soon. Luke felt so right, but frankly, I didn't trust my own judgment at that point. I'd never been promiscuous. All my past relationships had lasted at least a few months until Danae, and I certainly had never taken up with someone new as quickly as I had with Teddy. Still, what can you do when you're pretty sure you're in love with someone and they want you and they're holding you and smiling at you?

We stood at the foot of Luke's bed as he unbuttoned my blouse, kissing each bit of skin as it was revealed. My heart felt as if it would hammer through my ribs. I shivered as he unbuttoned my jeans. He pushed them down, and I stepped out of them, standing before him in just my bra and panties. Luke pulled his sweatshirt off and gathered me close, his hands warm on my skin, his lips on my neck. His fingers fiddled with the hooks on my bra for a moment, and then I was free.

Luke stepped back to look at me. "God, you are so beautiful."

I smiled. "No, I'm not."

"Yeah, honey, you are. Come here."

He pulled me toward the big mirror over his dresser.

"No, Luke. Please."

He stood me in front of the mirror and pulled my panties down from behind. I lowered my head, not wanting to confront my reflection. Luke wrapped his arms around me, his warm chest against my back.

"I want you to see what I see," he whispered in my ear. "Look at her."

"Luke."

"Look." He waited for me to raise my eyes, then smiled. "Look at that hair. So shiny and soft." His hands fanned my hair around my shoulders. "It smells so good." He rubbed his cheek against my hair and ran his fingertips down my sides and back up. "Look at those beautiful, sexy eyes."

I liked the way we looked together, Luke and I. We seemed to fit.

Luke's fingers trailed along the sides of my neck and down my chest.

"Look at all this creamy skin. It's so smooth."

My breath caught as his hands cupped my breasts and he rasped his thumbs over the nipples. My eyes drifted shut, and I leaned against him, arching my back and pressing my breasts into his hands.

"Luke," I breathed.

"These are just about perfect," he murmured, squeezing my breasts. "Open your eyes, honey. Look. Look at how beautiful and sexy you are."

I did open my eyes, and watching Luke touching me and feeling it at the same time nearly brought me to climax. His big hands glided down over the curve of my belly, stealing my breath. I gasped as his fingers pressed my mound and curled around my lips, his fingertips sinking into the slippery warmth.

"Do you see it?" Luke's breath was warm at my ear. "Do you see how gorgeous you are?" His tongue flicked out of his mouth, and he ran the tip along the side of my neck. "Do you see how sexy you are?"

"Yes," I moaned, closing my eyes again and leaning my head on his shoulder.

Taking a step back, Luke let go of me and removed his jeans and boxers. He wrapped his arms around me as I turned to face him, and our bodies pressed together for the first time, completely unencumbered by clothing. We stood that way for a long moment, my arms around his waist, my face pressed into his neck, his cheek against my hair, simply breathing each other in.

There's no way for me to adequately describe what I was feeling. Luke's warmth and energy seemed to combine with my own to create something completely new. It was like our souls were coming together on some other plane, entwining and becoming one.

With a deep, shuddering breath, Luke began a slow tracing of his fingers over my back and down my buttocks. He dipped his head and rubbed his face against my hair, then found my lips with his own. Our kisses were hungry, our tongues searching and plundering, insatiable. Luke stepped backward, pulling me with him, and we both collapsed onto the bed, still kissing, still tasting each other, more urgent now. He kissed and licked and sucked his way down to my neck, while his hands clasped my breasts.