Pan's Conquest (Entangled Covet) by Aubrie Dionne Page A

wine. He needed it for such a heavy topic. The old Pan wouldn’t have been interested at all, but he hung on Rutherford’s every word. Why would a mortal get so hung up on one woman? It almost reminded him of his obsession with Syrinx. “Tell me more about her.”
    Rutherford nodded. “She was a chess player, and would beat me every time. She liked water lilies. She used to take her umbrella and fish in the pond for the biggest and brightest ones, then take them home and keep them alive in jars of water.”
    “Water lilies are beautiful flowers.” Pan wished he could take Rutherford to see the ones that blossomed at the base of Mount Olympus. Some were twice as big as his face.
    Rutherford finally took a sip. Then he settled into his seat and breathed deeply. “Time stopped that day.”
    Pan placed his glass down on the table, unable to drink any more. Guilt spread through him as he thought of all the times he’d picked on the old man for his lack of imagination. It was more like a loyal, steadfast heart—something Pan critically lacked. “I had no idea.”
    Rutherford smiled and patted his hand. “I’ve told you about my son.”
    “Yes, a little.” Where was this strange conversation going?
    “You remind me of him.” Rutherford studied Pan’s face. “A little too much at times.” He laughed. “I think of you as a son as well.”
    Pan glanced down, having a hard time processing Rutherford’s words. As a child of the forest, he had no parents, no siblings, no friends except for the redwoods, the hawks, the wind, and the river. What did it mean to have someone such as Rutherford as family?
    He didn’t deserve this old man’s affections.
    Rutherford dug into his pocket and brought out a little black box. “I’ve been thinking about it, and I want you to have this.”
    Pan took the box, afraid to open it, afraid he didn’t deserve what lay inside. “What is it?”
    Rutherford gave him a knowing half smile. “Something you’ll need for the future.”
    What could he possibly need for the future besides his reed flute? Pan ran his fingers along the top, feeling the old satin stretched thin over the plastic casing. Rutherford was waiting, and it seemed rude to give it back. Pan glanced at Rutherford, then opened the box.
    Two gold rings lay inside, one large and thick, and the other small and slender. Pan shook his head. “I don’t understand.”
    “Those are Eleanor’s and my wedding bands.”
    “Your wedding bands?!” Pan reached across the table and offered the box back. “I can’t take these.”
    Rutherford closed his fingers over Pan’s and pushed the box back to him. “I want you to have them.”
    “What am I going to do with two wedding bands? I’m a bachelor. Tonight, I went on a first date for God’s sake. I haven’t even given a thought to marriage.” In fact, Pan’s very identity went against it.
    Rutherford shook his head adamantly. “Someday, you’ll need them.”
    “But—”
    Rutherford stood. Somehow he’d finished his glass while Pan was preoccupied with the mismatched gift. “Make an old man happy, and humor me, okay?”
    “Rutherford.” Pan’s voice had a warning in it. “I’m never going to use these.”
    “Then they’ll sit in the box and wait.” He wiggled his finger. “I won’t hear another peep about it.”
    Pan closed the box and set it on the table as if it were a poison snake. Marriage? That was like eternal imprisonment, damnation to a hell worse than Hades could imagine. Rutherford had given him the thing he least wanted in all the world. Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to insult him. It was a gesture of kindness from an old man with nothing left. How could he refuse?
    “Rutherford?”
    The old man turned from the door and sighed. “The matter is closed to discussion.”
    “The discussion is over.” Pan stood from the table, feeling the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. He cared about Rutherford, and that made everything matter so