Paris was lovely but didn't provide much inspiration for anything but a desire to write novels about the wives and mistresses of the kings of France since Philippa Gregory and The Tudors on Showtime (which I need to get the DVD's of) stole one of my favorite eras of history. I brainstormed on the plane but only came up with ideas for other stories. I have been very stressed lately, but I've had a chill day today and I'm ready to write. So, please read, enjoy, and PLEASE REVIEW!!! Or you're damn well not getting an update anytime soon because these M rated chapters take a lot out of me and I need some appreciation for my efforts.

Much love, Cat.

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Thanks so very, very much to my beta Bards of Bedlam for getting me over my stumbling block in the middle of this chapter.

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"So, Ares, what do you think we should…"

He cut off her words, taking advantage of her parted lips and crushing them beneath his own, sliding his tongue into her mouth and ruthlessly claiming it and her as his, delving into it with all of the unleashed desire he had been keeping banked. His hands roamed possessively over her curves in a familiar way that he might have worried would shock her, but he found he could no longer care. Reason and all sense of propriety had flown from his brain. He was damn tired of being a gentleman and threw himself full force into the same reckless energy that overtook him in the heat of battle.

Even though her brain feebly reminded her that it was impossible for her heart to explode from her chest or for her to expire in the face of his fiery assault, it was no match for her body and a part of her she had never known which seemed to instinctually respond to him. He released her mouth only to trail soft, heated kisses down her neck. If he hadn't been pinning her body to the wall with his own, she would have crumpled before him. His breath on her neck was making her a bit delirious and she wasn't entirely certain that such feelings were healthy. As she began to rethink her decision to acquiesce to the demands of that innate response and the idealistic voice that seemed to be gaining confidence as their relationship progressed, he swept her up into his arms and suddenly she was being carried into his room and laid upon his bed.

His treatment of her had softened for a moment. The way he had laid her down had been almost reverential and he drew back to study her face for a moment, his dark eyes revealing nothing. Far from feeling uncomfortable, she felt warmed by his scrutiny as though he was trying to… "It seems like we've been here before," she teased. "Do you think you'll trap me here if you continue to stare at me for long enough?"

Ares smiled, but the seductive gleam in his eyes was decidedly wicked enough to tighten her stomach with excitement and just a hint of trepidation. "Merely contemplating how best to introduce you to overwhelming passion that will leave you too weak to move, too stunned to speak, too suffused with pleasure to think and eager as hell to do it again. Trust me, darling, entrapment is the furthest thing from my mind."

Her lips parted slightly. Whatever she might have imagined he would answer in response to her teasing, the reality had far surpassed it. Athena started to speak and then closed her mouth when no words would venture forth. She found herself trembling slightly, very aware of her breath leaving her body and new air taking its place as he lightly traced her lower lip with his thumb. He smiled knowingly and instead of getting riled up she could only contemplate his own mouth and how desperately she suddenly wanted him to kiss her again. The knowledge that the train of her thoughts was the height of foolishness did not stop them from coming to her in rapid succession. It was as though she had abandoned all of her lofty words and careful course of study and was operating on instinct, attuned to every heightened sensation. She shut her eyes, wanting to block out the rest of the stimuli, focus in only on his touch, on the distinct feeling that he could pounce on her at any moment yet held himself back and dealt with her with aching tenderness.

In response to gentle pressure on her neck, she tilted her head back for him, seemingly waiting endlessly to feel the heated kiss he pressed to the base of her neck. She clutched his shoulders, starting when he broke away and smiled into her eyes, lifting the back of his hand to her face, letting his fingers learn the softness of her skin, the curve of her cheek. Her breathing was growing more erratic. The man was barely touching her and she was about to faint from the intensity of what she was feeling. Gaia, but he made her crazy. How could he just sit there, affecting her this way while staying so aloof, so unmoved?

Athena launched herself at him, pressing passionate, unrestrained, untutored kisses in a random pattern to his lips, his eyelids, his cheek, the bridge of his nose, his jaw. He caught her against him, chuckling slightly, letting her do as she would while continuing his slow seduction, running his hands very lightly over the curves of her body while she tried with her kisses to push him to move faster, further. "It will be better if we slow down," Ares murmured as he helped her to pull his tunic over his head.

She shook her head, running her hands worshipfully over his chest. "I don't want to slow down. I feel as though I've been motionless for decades. Any slower and I might as well be moving backwards."

He laughed. Then stopped, sobering. "Are you sure you want this?"

Athena paused as well, his tone breaking through the haze of her desire. She knew what he meant, that he was considering the possible repercussions of their actions. Her mind and her heart and her body were all telling her conflicting things. She bit her lower lip, not wanting to answer, not wanting to have to say what she should, not wanting to have the face what would happen if she did. Instead of speaking she ran her hand over his arm, feeling the muscles flex slightly as he clenched his fist to maintain control as he waited for her response. Athena smiled slightly, thinking how this was not how she wished to finally have him in her control. She threaded her fingers through his and lifted their entwined hands to her mouth, pressing a slow, soft kiss to the inside of his wrist. He seemed to study her for a moment, but before she comprehend the look in his eyes, it was gone, replaced by a heated intensity tempered by a teasing glint as he pulled her hand down and repeated her kiss on the inside of her wrist.

Ares knew the issue would not resolve itself simply because they refused to speak of it, but found he didn't care. He did not have the necessary willpower to deny his own needs nor the desires of the beautiful woman before him. He rolled her to the side, so he was on top of her, caging her between his arms braced on either side of her head. She playfully arched upward biting his shoulder lightly. He pressed a sweet kiss on her collarbone. She tore at his remaining garments. He gently eased off her dress, allowing it to fall off the bed.

Maintaining eye contact with her as he did so, he lifted her hand to his lips, holding it imprisoned in his grasp, almost too tightly, and pressed a hard kiss to a knuckle, closing his eyes as he did so. She lifted her other hand to trail down his back in both a caress and embrace. He released her hand to thrust his through her hair and kiss her deeply, entering her so swiftly she had no time to dwell on pain before pleasure overcame it. Her nails dug into his back as she clung to him. The pleasure melded with pain as he made good on his earlier promise and tormented her with the same aching tenderness as before. She screamed as she came apart in his arms. He shouted her name as he collapsed upon her. They needed no words.

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It's a different sort of style for an M-rated chapter for me. I like to keep things interesting for myself as a writer and for my audience so I hope you like it. There may or may not be another M-rated chapter. It depends on the response I get how long I'll continue to extend the story as well as future consultations with my beta.

PLEASE REVIEW!!! Much love, Cat.