For The Love Of A God Read Online Free Page B

graduation, but the other kids had only laughed at the “statue hugger."
    His green gaze hardened, as if he had somehow caught a glimpse of her former sadness and didn't like it. “I mean no disrespect. I just don't think I've ever met anyone quite so ... frank. I'm not sure if I find it refreshing or not.” He paused, staring at her the whole time. “Look, I didn't bring you here to fire you, Miss Douglas. If that were my plan, you'd already be out the door, clutching your Holly Hobby purse."
    She looked down at her satchel. It was her turn to blush.
    "Actually, I have some plans for this gallery. Your knowledge of Greece is good, if not quite as extensive as mine. Even still, I thought I'd bend your ear a little."
    Her knowledge wasn't as extensive as his ? Who did he think he was talking to?
    Maia's heart started to palpitate again as her brain whirled. What plans did he have? The Greek gallery was set up exactly as her father had set it up years ago. Yes, they'd been doing some minor renovations, but the design was the one her father had created years ago. Everyone at the museum agreed it should remain. It was her dream to retain her father's vision for the gallery.
    Especially now, with her dad sick as he was.
    "Plans?” she murmured.
    He grinned at her again as they reached the entrance. He held back the drop cloths for her. “Yes. Sweeping changes, actually. Museum styles change, as you know. The gallery is outdated, crammed tight with every possible artifact on display. I want to see something more streamlined, less busy. Right now, it looks like a hoarder's basement.” He wet his lips, noting how her eyes dropped to watch. “Some sculpture will have to go. Starting with the statue of Eryx."
    She could barely push enough air through her windpipe to say, “What?"
    His eyes narrowed on her. “Eryx. Greek god of love."
    Maia's eyes burned. “I know who he is! What are you doing with his statue?"
    "I know some people at the Hermitage. They'd like to display the Eryx and I'm interested in a few of their items. You know, a little trade to freshen up the collection."
    "The Hermitage? The Russian Hermitage?” He was sending her Eryx to Russia? She fought the overwhelming rush of dizziness as she attempted to squeeze another labored breath through her thickened throat.
    "It's just a temporary change, Miss Douglas. Eryx is already down in storage. Don't worry, though. We'll bring him back, in about two years or so.” He stared at her.
    "No,” she whispered. Without waiting for Eric Lord to respond, she hiked up her long skirt and ran toward the spot where Eryx had stood for twenty-three years.
    As she careened around the corner, Maia didn't even hear the footsteps behind her. All she felt was the horrible, empty feeling in the pit of her stomach and the trail of her tears on her cheeks.
    Why him? Why her Eryx? He could have traded any other statue.
    She stopped before his pedestal and looked up toward where Eryx's face had been. The face which used to smile and wink at her. The face her father had pulled from the rubble and brought to light. The face she'd fallen in love with.
    He was gone. The pedestal on which her beloved Eryx had stood was bare, as if the god had never been there at all.
    Eric Lord caught up to her. She turned to him, her face white. And promptly collapsed into his strong arms.
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Chapter Four
    Eric fished the teabag out of the mug and tossed it into the trash. He turned and gazed at the sleeping Maia.
    What a basket case. All he'd done was shift a statue, and she'd reacted as if he'd pulled the plug on her comatose granny.
    Okay. So maybe he'd done it to provoke her. Maybe he didn't really have an arrangement with the Hermitage. But when he'd seen how strangely she'd acted with the statue, he had wanted to mess around with her mind a little.
    Museum employees were always so staid, so resistant to change. He always thought it best to come in and show them who was boss