Part three
The museum wasn't too crowded. It had a few people linger in corners as groups of guide tours moved through the floors. After a few minutes of wandering, Posey found a large painting of a pomegranate.
It was in the hands of a woman. Her face was not visible. She clutched the bleeding fruit to her chest as if it was her heart.
Posey signed breathlessly as she scanned the painting. She didn't know how long she had stood there for but when a voice spoke next to her, she jumped in fright.
"What do you think this painting says?" A deep voice asked.
Posey turned to the man next to her and gasped.
Like a flood gate opening up, memories of midnight walks around New York and private museum tours flooded Posey's mind.
She stood motionless as the man took a step towards her. He reached out and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"Tobias," Posey breathed out his name.
"Hello, Persephone." Tobias smiled.
When Posey didn't move or object to him touching her, he took her hand into his and brought it to his lips.
Posey's heart beat wildly in her chest as Tobias placed a kiss upon her hand.
"I know a place that sells the best zeppolis," Tobias smiled. "What do you say we get out of here and go taste some?"
Posey nodded as she took a step closer to him. She placed a hand over his chest and looked into his eyes, "I'd like that very much."
Tobias looked down at her hand on his chest and a ghost of a smile spread across his lips. He could hear Posey's heart hum through her hand. It was as if her strong rapid pulse was seeping in through his body to jump start his frozen heart. The high points of her cheeks grew warm as the tips of Tobias's finger tingled to touch them.
"Where-" Posey lifted her thick lashes. If she wasn't breathless before then the day the man's dark eyes put her at the center of his universe surely made her heart skip a beat.
"Where have you been?" Posey finished.
"Were you waiting for me?" Tobias asked. The unfamiliar way his chest tightened made the God of the Underworld uneasy.
"Yes," Posey frowned. "Everyday."
"My apologies, my dove," Tobias leaned in a bit closer as if Posey was a magnet pulling him to her.
"That's not an explanation," Posey's frowned.
The corner of Tobias's mouth curved up in amusement, "I'm afraid I don't have an explanation."
Suddenly, as Tobias watched Posey's eyes, she began to pull her hand back from his chest. His hand tried to hold her close without his permission, but Posey slipped away. She took a step back as her gaze dropped.
"Persephone?" Tobias was surprised by how cold he felt suddenly. It was as if he was denied the warmth of the sunlight.
Posey lifted her head toward the painting of the lady holding the pomegranate. She could feel Tobias watching her as he waited. But she had no intention of leaving the museum with him. His lack of explanation for why he had made her wait so long irritated her. And not understanding why she was irritated bothered her even more.
As Tobias watched, Posey began to move toward the empty bench by the painting. She plopped down and let her shoulders drop. Her chest began to close up and the tears began to burn at the back of her eyes. After a few seconds, Tobias took two strides forward and took a seat on the bench beside her.
