Cupid's Arrow Part Two

Welcome back to all readers out there. I hope you enjoyed the first part to Cupid’s Arrow. Don’t forget this month is the Tantalizing Tryst giveaway.

~ © Misty Harvey 2013

Cupid’s Arrow

Part Two

It had been a week, and Caleb was no closer to getting Nora to fall in love than he had been the first day. The frustration was mounting as repeatedly his arrows missed their target. He’d never been particularly good at using a bow. Still though, even this record would embarrass a first time archer.

Caleb stood on the busy street of New York. His clothes clung to his body as the sky down poured. The accompanying wind caused his skin to speckle with goose flesh.

This job was beginning to grow more tiresome than even he had first imagined. His boss appeared next to him. A smug smile played at his lips.

“I thought you said you’d be done by now.” His voice lilted in delight. Caleb just grunted. He knew what he’d see if he turned to look at the man, so he stared straight ahead at Nora.

“Is there a reason you are here?” Caleb snapped back.

“Have you read the information I left you?” The man asked. Caleb shrugged.

“Enough of it to know her schedule.” He clipped out. Caleb followed Nora after she’d purchased her daily magazines. He could see the man nodding his head out of the corner of his eye.

“I forgot to mention that she must fall in love by Valentine’s Day. Your time is growing shorter.”

Caleb whipped around to give the aging man a piece of his mind, but he’d disappeared. If his calculations were correct, he’d have only a few more weeks to get her to fall in love. Gloom settled in somewhere in his chest. Nobody fell in love in a month. The only bright light at the end of this tunnel was he didn’t have to get her to fall in love exactly. He just had to shoot her with a Cupid’s Arrow and let the magic take over from there.

He snorted, sounded easy, but he’d learned in a week sounds were deceiving. Caleb watched Nora cross the busy road through a small opening. Just as he was about to step off the sidewalk the opening disappeared. Traffic was back to being bumper to bumper.

He’d bet his sweet bottom that if he had mile long sexy legs exposed in a business skirt traffic would stop for him too. That and if he wasn’t invisible to the outside world, that would probably help as well. Maybe even wings, all the depictions of chubby cherubs flying around named Cupid flashed in his memory. Not that he wanted to be chubby, nor wear a diaper. He threw out the last thought on wings.

Caleb shook his head seeing his opportunity to dart across the road. He’d seen Nora escape the pelting rain into a store. Now he just needed to catch up. His feet sank ankle deep into a large puddle of water. Not even the streets of New York could accommodate all the rain.

The sound of tires racing toward him brought his attention back. Caleb stepped back onto the sidewalk just as the large bus hit a pothole hidden by the puddle. Icy water poured over Caleb shortly robbing him of air.

A chill ran up his spine, causing him to shake. Water sprayed over the unsuspecting couple next to him. They turned glaring at the small dog that had stopped to examine a fire hydrant.

Maybe, just maybe Caleb had been wrong. Sometimes being invisible did have its advantages. He let the couple pass by, standing still as the dog sniffed around his feet. The acute scent of the dog detecting he stood there, even if his eyes would tell him there was nothing.

“Hey, you deserved it. There have been more than a few pocket pooches just like you that have taken to piddling on my shoes.” Caleb looked at the road again. He found another opening and ran for it.     

He entered the store searching for Nora among the racks. She was talking to a man down the suit aisle. Caleb shrugged thinking that man looked good enough to be Valentine. He lifted the bow, hinging another arrow. It sailed straight past the talking pair.

Caleb cringed, retreating down a nearby aisle. The arrow had hit a mark. Granted the mark wasn’t the one he intended, but that old couple looked like they could use some spice in their relationship. He smacked himself in the face.

This was quickly becoming a bad day for him. He grumbled as he appeared again. The old couple had disappeared somewhere else. Nora had gone back to searching the racks, and Caleb vowed shooting her with an arrow wasn’t going to happen.

His mind whirled around other ways to accomplish the goal. He’d tried every trick he could think of, but no matter what his arrows missed. A devious smile traced his lips.

Sure, he had to get Nora to fall in love. Yes, she needed to feel impassioned by one of Cupid’s arrows. Yet, never had he read in any of the damned manuals Devin insisted he go over, did it say she he had to use the bow.

A thrill ran through him. The plan was crazy, but it just might be crazy enough to work. He watched Nora taking her find to a register. Oh yes, she had no idea what was coming.

The plan had to work. This was his last case before he was free to continue his own life. The sooner he got it over with, the sooner he could be sipping whiskey on his yacht far away from here.

If you missed the first part to Cupid’s Arrow you can find it here. See you next week as Caleb exposes his plan.

Part One