The less vampy stuff Cyrus tried, the better off she'd be. When it didn't work on her, he'd know something was up. As they began to talk about The Golden Ass, she perked up, becoming animated as they shared their favorite parts. "It's not so much the prose I like as the ideas behind it. There's something about enduring love in the story of Eros and Psyche that just...turns me into a sap. She searches all the world for him, trying to prove her love after she innocently betrayed him. And even though everyone wanted them apart, in the end Eros was willing to defy the gods to be with her." She had continued talking even as he helped her out of the carriage, relaxing more as they talked.
Her feet sunk into warm sand and she faltered as they approached a garden of candlelight. It set their whole private world twinkling softly, casting her bronze skin in a warm glow. The music wafted around them, soft and melodic and enchanting, casting an elegant intimacy around them. This was...unlike anything she had ever imagined or even read about. "You did this...for me?" she asked uncertainly, looking up into his dark eyes. "Why would you go to all this trouble for me?"
Still in shock, she glanced down at the picnic, barely hearing his talk about the food. "No, I...I'm not a vegetarian. I love meat, actually." Shaking her head, she shook off her sandals, letting her bare feet sink into the sand as she stepped forward. Turning around she looked at him again, as if he would tell her this was all some elaborate prank.