A LITTLE BIT OF HEART
© 2004 by Jaci Burton

Valentine’s Day

Eros looked down upon the shop where Maria worked, watching as people hustled in and out. It was almost closing time. All the humans wanted perfect hair today.

His heart filled with a combination of joy and sadness. Love filled the air today, the kind of love he wished people felt for each other every day of the year. But if these humans only declared their love once a year, then he would have to be satisfied with it.

And yet, there were so many lonely people, women and men who felt lost and unloved. 

It was his job to rectify that. Today, he had a very special assignment-Maria. 

After all, it was a big date night. Valentine’s Day, the day for lovers. He knew how Maria felt about Valentine’s Day. Burned out. She’d had more than her share of meeting the wrong man. It wasn’t his job to interfere in a human’s attempt at a love match.

As if she’d even come close. Adorable as she was, she’d picked one great crop of losers. But not anymore, because he’d been assigned to her this time. He’d just have to make sure she found the right one. After all, it was his job as Cupid to match up lovers who were destined to meet and end up together. 

Maria’s destiny had always been clouded. Typically he matched up couples easily, but for some reason he couldn’t ‘see’ her match. Which meant he’d have to go down there in human form and figure it out in person. Throw her into the arms of the man of her dreams, if necessary, but she wasn’t going to end this night unhappy and miserable. 

Her life was about to change. Eros swept down into the beauty shop, invisible as always, and stood next to Maria. She chatted pleasantly with one of her customers. He simply had to touch her heart and he would know who her love match was. 

She smelled like jasmine, sweet summer nights. He inhaled her fragrance and ran his fingers down her long, silken hair. Her sweet innocence called out to him in a way he’d never experienced. 

This one was special. He hoped her match was equally as special, because he wanted to make this a magical day for her.

She turned to a coworker and he took the opportunity to lay his hand upon her breast. Her heart fluttered, then a strong shock knocked him clear across the room. He found himself sitting on the floor, staring at her as she put her hand to her heart, then shook her head.

Gods! What was that? He picked himself up and asked the gods, unable to understand what had just happened. 

He listened for their response. They told him. Surely he hadn’t heard correctly. This kind of thing didn’t happen. He asked again. They told him again. 

Unexpected, to be certain, and yet the thought intrigued him. Well, at least he now knew exactly who Maria’s love match was.

Maria sighed and aimed the blow dryer at the woman talking incessantly, even though Maria couldn’t hear her. But she smiled, because her customer was in a good mood. Everyone was in a good mood today. And in a hurry. This was one of her busiest days. Women wanted a quick wash and style, men wanted their hair cut so they could look perfect.

She hated Valentine’s Day. Well, that wasn’t true. She loved it, loved everything about it. People smiled, giddy anticipation filled the shop where she worked. All her coworkers had dates tonight with their husbands or boyfriends. 

Everyone but her. Hell, that was no different than most Valentine’s Days. She always managed to either be ending a relationship or between relationships when Valentine’s Day rolled around. Or maybe she just chose losers before. But no more.

Dammit, this time she was going to be picky. No settling for some lame idiot with more brawn than brains, or one who didn’t know how to treat a woman.

How difficult was this, anyway? All she wanted was romance. To be swept off her feet by the hero of her dreams, like in the books she read. Trouble was, those men were fantasy. The reality of it was the pickings were just slim. 

So she’d spend another night with her cats and some great old movies. No way was she going to play third or fifth wheel and go out with her friends. Besides, seeing all that love and happiness would just make her more miserable. 

Why couldn’t she find love? Just because she’d dated her share of losers and lately not even those? Just because the nicest guys she knew were already taken? She was over thirty, nearly terminally single and damned sick of it.

What was wrong with the guys out there, anyway? She wasn’t hideous. People told her all the time how attractive she was. A big, beautiful woman, as all the advertisements for plus sized women said. Yeah, that was her, all right. Big and beautiful. With average brown hair, and, of course, an average body. Average, average, average. Surely there was some average guy out there for her.

At least she had her cats and a good lineup of movies to watch. Tonight would be her annual Meg Ryan fest. Popcorn, her babies all around her and great movies to cry over. Meg Ryan always got the guy. Maybe she would study the films and learn something. Like how to become cute, blonde and perky, instead of big, brunette and cynical.

Maria stared at the clock as she finished combing a customer’s hair. A half hour and she’d be out of there. If she was really lucky, no one would walk through the door at the last minute. She waved goodbye as her friends began to leave. She’d offered to close up the shop. Why not? There was no pressing reason for her to want to get out of there early. She didn’t have anything better to do. Might as well let her friends get on their way.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?”

Maria smiled at Stephanie and shook her head. “No, you go ahead. I’m exhausted, been on my feet for ten hours today. All I want to do is curl up with my cats and my movies.”

Stephanie frowned. “You’re never gonna find a man hiding out in your apartment, Maria.”

“I know. But you know the kinds of losers I hook up with, Stef. I just don’t have any luck in the man department.”

Stef placed her hands on her hips and shook her head, her wild, red locks falling over her shoulders, her multiple earrings making musical sounds as they brushed against her neck. “Well I don’t know why. You’re beautiful, Maria. Long, dark hair that touches your waist, a heart shaped face that belongs on a magazine cover, and the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen. And that body. Look at you, girl, you’re every man’s dream!”

Maria snorted. “Yeah, right. Men really go for full-figured girls like me, don’t they?”

“Honey, you just don’t see it, do you? Trust me. There’s a man out there for you. Someone who will sweep you off your feet, knock your socks off, and hopefully your panties, too,” she added with a wink.

Maria had to laugh. “I love you, Stef. Now get out of here and have fun tonight.”

After Stephanie left, Maria swept up the shop, threw the wet towels in the dryer, and closed up the cash register. Figuring she was in luck, she was just about the lock the door when a man walked through it.

Correction. Not just a man. Adonis. A god. The most beautiful man she’d ever seen. Her heart did that weird jumping thing it had done earlier. Really, she didn’t need this.

“I hope I’m not too late.”

Oh, that voice. Deep, dark, like rich, sinful chocolate. Forbidden yet irresistible. He stood well over six feet, and had a body that he must work on religiously. Tight jeans hugged his well-shaped ass, and there wasn’t an ounce of fat on those abs. His t-shirt fit snugly around his broad shoulders and chest. Her heart really started to pound now.

Was it possible to drop dead at the sight of a good looking man? 

“You need a haircut?” Or are you here to whisk me away from my life of drudgery and take me to your castle in the sky? 

“Uhh, yeah. If you don’t mind.”

Why not? She could indulge herself in a little eye candy before she went home. Then she’d have someone to think about when she got down to business with her vibrator. “Sure. Come on in and have a seat.”

“I’m Ross, by the way.” He held out his hand and she shook it, then nearly jumped in the air. A hot little spark sailed through her. Ross must have felt it too, because his whiskey-colored eyes widened in surprise.

“Nice to meet you, Ross, I’m Maria.” Figured she’d have a serious chemical reaction to a guy who was way out of her league. 

His hair was thick, dark, wavy, the kind that needed nothing but a little trim. “How much you want me to take off?”

“Everything.”

“Excuse me?” No way was she going to shave this guy bald. He was gorgeous, from his thick head of hair to his handsome, angular face that could easily grace the cover of any fashion magazine.  

“What was the question again?”

“How much of your hair do you want trimmed?”

“Oh, that. Just a little. Whatever you think is best.”

Weird. She combed his hair and began to shape it up, which was all he needed. “Big date tonight?” That was her standard question of the day. 

“No.”

Her hand stilled. “No? Why not?”

“I haven’t asked the girl yet.”

This guy didn’t strike her as the shy type. “Why haven’t you asked her yet?”

“Because she doesn’t know me.”

It was getting weirder by the minute. “You’re going to ask a girl out on Valentine’s Day that you’ve never met before?”

“Yeah, it kinda looks that way.”

She had to give him credit for having balls. “Is she available?”

“I don’t know. Are you?”

It took a few seconds for what he said to register. “Could you repeat that?”

He turned in the chair so that he faced her and graced her with a smile that made her forget how to breathe. “Are you available?”

“You’re joking, right?” Stef put him up to this. Or Carol, or one of her other friends.

“No, I’m not joking.”

“Yeah, right. You must be a model or something, and my friends got together and paid you to play this little Valentine’s Day trick on me. Well you can tell Stef that it wasn’t funny.”

“Who’s Stef?”

“Okay, Carol then.”

“I don’t know any Carol.” He stood up and took her hands in his. She jerked them away, and he reached for them again, holding them firmly within his own. “You’re my destiny, Maria. We are fated to be lovers.”

He was an actor, that was it. Damned good one, too, because she could easily fall for his lines. “I think not, Ross, but thanks for the entertainment. Tell whoever paid you for this little performance that my heart is now resting comfortably at my feet.”

“You have a wonderful sense of humor. Why didn’t I notice that about you before?”

Now he was getting scary. She backed away as he reached for her hair. “I think you need to leave.”

Ross sighed.  “This would have been much easier if you’d been fated to be with a mortal male.”

Great. Stuck in a shop alone with Mr. Looney Tunes. “Mortal? And who are you, the Incredible Hulk? Spiderman, maybe? How about Batman? I really go for Batman.”

“I am Cupid, Eros, the God of Love.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Catwoman.”  Sheesh, why did she always get the nut cases?

“You don’t believe me.”

“Well, duh, Ross….or do I call you Eros?”

“Ross is fine. I’ll simply have to prove to you that I am who I say.”

At least he was entertaining. She crossed her arms. “Go for it. This should be good.”

In an instant the room went dark. Startled, Maria didn’t know what to do. And she felt funny, like some strange electricity was running through her body. She could hardly breathe, and panic began to set in. Just as she was about to scream her bloody head off, a soft light began to glow within the room, growing brighter and brighter by the second.

By the time she could make shapes in the semi-darkness, she realized she was no longer in the shop.

Instead, she stood in a huge ballroom covered with wall tapestries of naked lovers entwined. Golden statues of the Greek gods sat in the corners of the room. She blinked, convinced the statues were staring at her.

It was the most elegant place she’d ever seen. Ross stood in front of her, dressed in a tux and looking utterly edible in black and white. An orchestra played on a raised stage—soft, beautiful, danceable music. There was one table in the center of the room, with a bouquet of pink roses in a crystal vase centering the pristine white tablecloth. A bottle of champagne chilled in a silver bucket, and two empty glasses sat on the table.

But the really strange thing was that she was no longer wearing her baggy blue jeans and oversized top.  Instead, her body was adorned in black velvet. A long gown that hugged her curves swept the floor. She looked down and saw beautiful matching heels in velvet. Her toenails were even painted, and she hadn’t had a pedicure in ages!!

Her hair fell in soft waves and her cleavage, oh dear God her cleavage. How did she get her boobs into this dress? She looked…

“Wow.”

Her head whipped up at the sound of Ross’s voice. He gazed at her with pure male appreciation and a hunger that sent vibrations through her body. He strolled over to her, his movements deliberate, his eyes darkening to a smoky brown with every step toward her.

“You look incredible, just as I knew you would.”

This wasn’t real. “What did you do to me? Am I dreaming?”

“No. This isn’t a dream.”

It had to be. Maybe in shock she had fainted, bumped her head and this was all some sort of coma-induced fantasy thing.

“Come dance with me, Maria.”

Oh, why the hell not, since it wasn’t real anyway. Ross held out his hand. He pulled her close and wound his arm around her, pressing her against him.

Her breasts swelled up and over the low-cut décolletage of her dress. Ross looked down and back up at her, and smiled. “You’re gorgeous.”

The funny thing was, for the first time in a very long time she felt gorgeous. Maybe it was because of the way he looked at her, like she was the only woman in the world for him. She sure hadn’t received that look from any of the other guys she had dated.

For a dream-fantasy, this sure felt real. His heart pounded against her breast. Fortunately, she was tall, and with these heels she was nearly eye level with him. Why not go for broke? “You’re gorgeous, too.”

He laughed, then. “I don’t know why I didn’t see this before.”

“This what?”

He twirled her around to the rhythm of the music, his body fluid and one with hers. “This connection we have. Touching you was like an instant shock to my heart. Don’t you feel it Maria?”

“Of course I do. I’m madly in love with you, Ross, and you are with me. It’s my dream, after all, so I get to have it the way I want it.” Really, she had to get her dream men to grab a clue.

“You can have anything the way you want it, Maria. And soon, you’ll realize that this is your reality, that your life will always be like this.”

“Uh huh. Just shut up and dance with me.”

He did, and it was wonderful. Their steps matched perfectly, even though she hadn’t danced ballroom in ages. They fit together as if their bodies were made for each other. And not once did she feel too tall, too fat, too not worthy for this gorgeous hunk of man.

After all, that’s what dreams were for, right?

“Would you like to live with me among the clouds, or would you prefer I remain mortal?”

Truly, as dreams went, this had to be one of her all-time favorites. “I don’t know, tell me about cloud life.”

“It’s magical. There is no time, and you will not age. We move through the planets and bring love to those we encounter. There are many who do not see love even though it stands right in front of them.”

His enigmatic smile had her wondering if he was referring to her. “And I suppose now you’re going to tell me you love me.”

“Yes, I do love you, Maria. You are my soulmate, the other half of my heart. Even I didn’t realize it until we contacted that you were meant for me.”

When was she going to wake up? She was really beginning to enjoy this fantasy. Spending the rest of her life with a gorgeous man like Ross? Oh hell yeah. She could get used to that idea.

“Can we have children if we aren’t mortal?”

His eyes darkened and he cast her a wicked smile. “Would you like to have children with me? We could make beautiful angels together, Maria. But we would have to live as mortals to do so.”

Before she could answer him, he threaded his fingers through her hair and cupped the back of her neck, drawing her lips toward his. When he kissed her, her toes curled, lightning struck, the room darkened again and she clutched his arms to keep from falling in a heap at his feet.

Lord, that was some kiss. His tongue was sweet, his lips full and gentle as they coaxed her response. She whimpered against his mouth and licked at his tongue, suddenly wishing they were alone, that this was real, instead of a dream.

“I can make all your dreams come true, Maria. Let me show you.”

They were no longer in the ballroom. Instead, a king sized bed centered a room draped in silks. Everything was pure white, except for a single red rose between the pillows of the bed. Ross took her hand and led her over to the four-poster, standing her next to it and bending down in front of her.

She found it hard to breathe. Her throat had gone dry, her pulse racing so fast and furious that her limbs began to tremble. “Wha…what are you doing?”

He lifted first one foot, then the other, slipping her shoes off. When he looked up at her and smiled, she felt like a puddle of liquid. “I’m undressing you. Do you mind?”

“Uh…no.” Fantasy, Maria. Think dream-state here, and just go with it.
He was like a musician, playing a sensual melody on her body. He stood and twined his arms around her back, reaching for the zipper of her dress. She swore she’d never heard anything more erotic than the sound of that zipper slowly traveling south. When he began to slip the dress off her shoulders, she hesitated. Even in her dreams she was self-conscious about her body.

“Relax,” he whispered, drinking from her lips in a kiss so tender she melted like chocolate in the summer. His lips moved down her neck and across her bared shoulder, then followed the trail down her arms. Every inch of her skin that he revealed undressing her he worshiped with his lips. Her legs trembled and she held onto his arms for support.

“You have a beautiful body, Maria,” he said when she was finally naked. Ross stepped back and removed his jacket, then his shirt, revealing a bronzed chest that she longed to touch. His abdomen was flat and muscular. Thoughts of what in the world a guy who looked like Ross was doing with a girl who looked like her ran rampant through her mind. Funny how even in her fantasy dream state her insecurities showed.

“Believe in the beauty you possess,” he said, his gaze roaming over her breasts, her belly and her hips. “You have the most incredibly sexy legs I’ve ever seen.”

Still watching her, he flipped open the button of his slacks and drew the zipper down. Maria watched and licked her lips as he slid his pants down over his muscular legs. Dark, fine hairs curled on his thighs, leading to a vee of dark hair between his legs and the most perfect cock she’d ever seen. If she’d ever seen anything that was ‘just right’, Ross’s cock was it. Just long enough, thick enough and perfect enough that she felt the moistening between her legs and an eager anticipation swell inside her.

He pressed her onto the bed and kneeled over her, nudging her legs apart and settling against her. Her framed her face between his hands and kissed her. Warmth spread throughout her limbs, centering in a pool of damp desire between her legs. A thrumming need began to hum inside her. 

“I’d like to take all the time in the world to make love to you, Maria, but we’re limited right now. Besides,  I can’t wait any longer to be inside you.” 

His barely leashed control excited her. Knowing he wanted her so badly that he couldn’t waste time with the preliminaries suited her just fine. She wanted him. Now. In response she lifted her hips, her clit brushing against his cock and setting her on fire. 

He reached between them and positioned his shaft at the entrance to her sex. He took her mouth in a heart-stopping kiss at the same time he thrust inside her.

Oh no. This couldn’t be happening. He filled her completely, stroking slowly and then building up a rhythm. Sparks of intense sensation flew around her as if magic sex dust had been poured over her entire body. She felt the contractions begin, surprised that she could even think about climaxing this way. It had never happened before. It couldn’t. 

But it was. And Ross felt it too. His lips curled in a wicked smile as he drove hard against her. She splintered into pieces as an amazing orgasm had her crying out his name and raking her nails down his back. With a loud groan he came with her, clenching her buttocks and holding her close to him.

Wow. Never had sex been so…fulfilling before. Oh, why couldn’t it be like this in her real life? Where were men like Ross in her reality? 

If she was lucky, she’d never wake up.

“It will always be like that between us, Maria. All you have to do is say the word.”

She blinked, not understanding this dream. When she opened her eyes, they were back in the shop. Ross held her. Funny he was still wearing his jeans and t-shirt and she was once again dressed like a sloppy hairdresser.

“Did I faint?” she asked, wondering why she was still in his arms.

“No. I just gave you a glimpse of what your future could be like.”

“That dream wasn’t real, Ross. None of that was real.”

“You look incredible in black velvet, Maria. And out of it.”

Wait a minute. If she’d passed out and had some kind of fantasy, how would Ross know? She blinked, pinched her arm. Ow, dammit!

No, this time she was wide awake. “Are you telling me that what I just thought I dreamed actually happened?”

“Yes. You need only to open your heart to realize it.”

The last time she had opened her heart, some big gorilla of a moron had walked right in and stomped his ugly monkey feet all over it. Now, while Ross didn’t look anything like a gorilla or a moron, she still guarded her special treasure carefully.

“I know you’ve been hurt before,” he said, as if he could read her hesitation. “But those were the wrong men for you. I am the right man.”

“Oh, you are, are you?” She’d heard that one before, too. Yet remnants of their lovemaking still heated her body. 

“Yes. Would you like me to show another way it can be between us?”

Did she want that? He had magic, of that she was now certain, although a part of her still found it hard to believe he was who he said he was.  But the lure was irresistible. She had to know. “Yes, Ross. Show me.”

“Close your eyes, and think about what you really want.”

“You mean fame, a new car, enough cash to pay the rent? That sort of thing?”

He shook his head. “No, not that. Your dream of love. What do you want from love, Maria?”

She already knew the answer. It had been her dream since childhood. She closed her eyes and imagined herself in a house. Nothing fancy, just a nice little ranch-style. One story, four bedrooms, two baths, a man she loved with all her heart and a couple kids running around. And a big back yard. And dogs. She’d never had dogs and she always wanted them. Of course her cats, too. And a job she loved. She wanted her own shop, the kind of place everybody in the city would want to come to. Trendy, but not snooty. And she’d only work part-time so she could have fun with her kids, be the PTA mom and that sort of thing.

“Open your eyes.”

Suddenly she was there. In the suburbs, exactly the house she wanted.  Dogs barked out in the back yard, a beautiful brown Labrador and an Irish Setter. Two little kids ran after the dogs, one a tiny cherub about three years old, with brown hair and curls like her, the other a boy, maybe a year or so older, who looked just like…

“Ross.”

He stood next to her and caressed her cheek. “Your dream is wonderful. I can make it happen for you—for us.”

How could they actually be standing in the kitchen of her dream house? How could any of this be real? How could her heart be so filled with the love she never thought she’d have?

“Like I told you. You need only to believe in the magic, to believe in love, to believe in me.”

She searched his face, then asked, “But what do you want, Ross?”

His lips met hers in a kiss that seared her senses. He folded her into his arms and she felt safe, protected, loved…truly loved, for the very first time. 

“That’s easy. I want you, Maria. In any way you can dream of. In the clouds, or living a mortal life, my soul is connected to yours forever.”

“You would give up your magic to live a mortal life with me?”

“Yes.”

Could she do this? Could she admit to loving someone she’d only just met? This whole scenario bordered on the ridiculous, and yet she couldn’t deny the tug of something real, something tangible, on her heart. Ross truly was everything she’d ever dreamed of. Gorgeous, yes, but more importantly kind, considerate, funny and easy to talk to. Is that what the term “soulmates” meant? She’d always wondered.

He was her dream man.

So what was she waiting for?

She looked up at him and smiled. “I want a mortal life, Ross. I want the house and the kids and the dogs. More than that, I want the kind of love that I’ve dreamed about.”

“Done.” He bent his head and took her lips again, and this time when she clutched his shirt and felt his heart pounding against hers, she knew it was real.

There really was a chance at love out there. And she’d found it in the most unexpected way.

“Now what?” she asked, breathless after his thorough kiss.

“Now we get to know each other, the way it’s supposed to be. We have all the time in the world, Maria. We have the rest of our lives.”

“So, first we date?”

He helped her lock the door to the shop, then offered his arm as they walked down the street. “Sort of. I think I already know who and what I want.” He stopped and turned to her, taking her hands in his and offering a wickedly sexy smile that sent her pulse racing. “Maybe we can bypass some of the preliminaries?”

“Oh good. Because I had this thought about how I would like to spend Valentine’s Day.”

“Really? How’s that?”

She stopped when they reached her apartment. She wound her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his, murmuring, “Well, it has nothing to do with watching Meg Ryan flicks on television.”

“Whatever you want to do, Maria. By the way, I am Eros, you know. Not to brag or anything, but I know a thing or two about lovemaking.”

When he licked at her lips, shockwaves roared through her body. She could well imagine what he knew. She had experienced only a glimpse at what he knew. She wasn’t sure she could survive it. But then again, maybe she’d surprise him, too.

She wanted a lot. And tonight she was going to see that every one of her dreams were fulfilled. As she led Ross upstairs to her apartment, she realized that she wanted to fulfill some of his dreams, too. 

The fun would be in discovery. The magic would be the love she already knew she’d found.