Heavenly Angel (21 page)

They found a high-topped table near the dance floor, and Angel ordered drinks for them while Joaquin helped her into a tall chair. Teresa looked around the club for people she knew and noticed many admiring glances cast Joaquin’s way. She and Angel came in here often enough that people knew they were a couple, but the newest member of their trio was gathering a lot of hungry looks.

Teresa had a tiny glimpse of what Rachel must have dealt with on a regular basis in the club, as Eli’s girlfriend. She recognized one of the women eyeing Joaquin hungrily from the table next to theirs. It was the woman, Clarissa, whom Angel had spoken with at the store when he’d come in to pick her up for her birthday lunch. She leaned toward Angel and whispered, “Isn’t that one of Patricia’s friends?”

Angel looked in the direction Teresa indicated and chuckled. “Yes, it is. She’s looking at Joaquin like he’s a prime cut and she’s starving to death. Why don’t you ask Joaquin to dance with you? Maybe she’ll get the message.”

Teresa doubted it, but she’d give it a try. She glanced at Joaquin, who was relaxing at the table, and then back at Clarissa’s group. She was still staring at him, and several of her female companions were doing the same.

Leaning toward Joaquin, she caressed his muscular shoulder. She knew in that position he’d be able to see right down the front of her top and her cleavage. He grinned ear to ear, and his eyes twinkled playfully, enjoying the view as she whispered in his ear.

“Can I ask you a question?” His shoulder was hard under her fingertips, and she couldn’t resist a lingering stroke over all those abundant muscles.

“Sure, sugar.” His lips sent shivers up and down her torso when he brushed them softly over her cheekbone. He whispered, “So beautiful.” Her core liquefied at his intimate touch and earnest words but also felt tingles on her neck and knew she was being watched by unfriendly eyes.

She obliged him kindly by brushing her lips against his earlobe before asking, “Would I be right in assuming that you’re mine?”

Joaquin laid his hand on her thigh, gave her a naughty grin, and whispered back, “Every single rock hard
inch
. Why?” His hand swept higher and higher up her thigh, sending exhilarating chills along her spine.

“The dark-headed woman dressed in black at the table behind us was a close friend of Patricia’s,” she said as her fingertips stroked into the silken hair at the nape of his neck. “She and most of her girlfriends are watching you like wolves eyeing a lamb wandering through the forest.”

“Really? What should we do?” he whispered suggestively. A great shudder went up her back as his hand strayed over her hip and along her rib cage. She could barely think with him doing that. The devilish twinkle in his eyes sent a bolt of lust straight to her clit. She bit her lip as it throbbed in happy response to his touch.

“I’m feeling a little territorial.”

He looked in her eyes. “You’re feeling jealous?” He glanced at the table she’d indicated. “None of those women have anything on you, sugar. Why don’t you come dance with me, and we’ll give them some clues?”

“I thought you’d never ask.” She slid her hand back over his shoulder as he helped her from the chair, palming her ass in the process. She glanced back at him, and he grinned innocently at her. As she stepped from her chair, she stopped alongside Angel and kissed him tenderly on the lips. He caressed her cheek and then settled back in his chair, looking contented.

Joaquin led her to the dance floor as “Remember When” by Alan Jackson began to play. She came smoothly into his arms, and he pulled her close against him. Resting her head on his chest, she closed her eyes, allowing him to lead. His hand at her hip stroked up and down from her lower back to the upper swell of her ass.

The area he stroked was super sensitive, and the way he touched her there telegraphed eloquently to the nerve endings in her clit but even more shockingly in her rear opening. She had to stifle a heartfelt moan at the naughty sensation. She opened her eyes and realized he was watching her face, his eyes filled with love and desire. He knew what he was doing to her.

She listened to the words of the song, and smiled up at him. He took that opportunity to lean down and kiss her tenderly on the lips. He released her right hand, and she reached up and threaded her fingertips into his hair at the nape of his neck and stroked him. His other hand joined the first which still caressed her lower back, increasing the sensation for her. He groaned as he released her from the kiss and gathered her to him, close enough that she could feel his stiffened cock.

“I’ll never want anyone else, Teresa. Not after loving you,” he whispered huskily as he executed a turn with her and kissed her again. “Especially not a woman who was friends with someone who harmed my brother. If you’re feeling territorial, I say it’s time you staked your claim.”

She stifled a giggle, whispering, “Who gets ‘staked’ in that scenario, exactly?” His chest rumbled with a chuckle at her humor, so unlike her.

He glanced around. “For the purpose of our discussion, you get to do the honors
this
time.” His fingers slid down her back to her ass, and she did the kissing this time. They never missed a beat in the dance as she tilted her head and pressed her lips to his. She parted her lips and stroked his tongue with her own. Her body responded to his nearness, her pussy felt swollen, and her clit throbbed in need. He hugged her tightly to him from lip to toe.

“Sugar, have I told you what a talented kisser you are?”

“Nuh-uh,” she replied with a shake of her head and a grin on her lips. “Why don’t you tell me all about it?”

“You start out sweet and innocent, kind of shy. Then you melt into me, and you sneak in with that sexy little tongue of yours. Soon, it’s not just your lips kissing me. It’s your whole delectable body. You’ve made me your devoted slave with those kisses.”

“Well, thank you, handsome. I love the way your hands feel on me, especially when you slowly slide them down my back and over my derriere.” She shivered as he mirrored what she was telling him. “That spot where you’ve almost gone too far is right where I like them as if you might still slide them a little lower. Yes,
right there
. Oh,
honey
.” She shuddered lightly and bit her lip. “Your hands right there say, ‘She’s mine.’ I love belonging to you.”

Glancing over to Clarissa’s table, she added, “Do you think they got the message? I sure hope I’m not going to be watching women approach you all night.”

“Don’t worry. Any decent woman can tell now that we are here together. Any others I’ll turn down. It’s our first time in here as a threesome. They’ll get used to it.” As handsome at Joaquin was, she knew he’d always attract women, whether he meant to or not.

After the song ended, he escorted her back to the table where Angel sat talking with Brice Huvell and Corina Scott, who’d just come in. Angel introduced Joaquin to them, and they greeted him.

“Corina and Brice have some exciting news, Teresa,” Angel said with a smile.

Teresa smiled expectantly at their friends. “Well? Don’t keep me hanging. What’s up?”

Corina peeked up at Brice and said dreamily, “Yesterday, Brice asked me to marry him.”

Teresa hugged her excitedly and made a big deal over Corina’s engagement ring. Corina spotted the diamond on Teresa’s finger and looked at her and Angel with big eyes. “
No way!
We got engaged on the same day?”

“Uh-huh, but it’s even better than that Corina—” She put her lips to Corina’s ear and told her she was considering Joaquin, as well. She giggled when Corina’s eyes popped wide open again, and she looked over at Joaquin.

“Wow! I
never
would have guessed it. Still waters run deep. I’m so happy for you, Teresa. This has been a wonderful Christmas, hasn’t it?”

“The best. The absolute best. Have you talked to Rachel and Eli?”

“Yeah, their flight gets in late tonight. They told us they would be coming by the club tomorrow night. It sounds like they had a wonderful time on their honeymoon.”

The three of them chatted with Brice and Corina for a few more minutes before the happy couple finally made their way to the dance floor.

“They seem like nice people,” Joaquin said as they watched little Corina peck Brice on the cheek. He responded with a gentle caress and held her close.

Teresa nodded. “They’re special. Rachel introduced them to each other, and Brice and Eli have become good friends, as well. It’s a nice, tight-knit group we’re a part of. Most of us sort of knew each other one way or another, but Grace has drawn us all together until we’re like family. Grace is also a bit of a matchmaker, too.” Teresa grinned at Angel.

Angel agreed. “Yep, and God bless her for it. So, when are you gonna dance with your fiancé?”

“Right now, honey.” Teresa turned to Joaquin and kissed him again.

“These lips will be right here waiting for you when you get back, sugar.” He growled low to her and made her giggle when he patted her ass. She allowed her hips to sway seductively as she walked away.

Angel looked behind her as she followed him and said with a chuckle, “Joaquin’s ogling your ass shamelessly, like he’s a starving man.”

“Really?” She giggled and turned her head back in time to see Clarissa rise from her chair and approach Joaquin. A low growl emitted from her throat, but she held onto Angel’s hand and followed him to the dance floor.

“You’re fierce when you’re riled up, aren’t you?” he asked with a sexy chuckle.

She smiled up at him a little sheepishly. “I’ve never felt this way about anybody before, Angel. I want to rip her hair out, every last strand of it.”

“I wonder how she even got in. Ethan told me he’d banned her the same time he banned Patricia and all the others.” He gestured with a lift of his chin. “There, see? Joaquin turned her down flat. No small talk or anything. He’s too busy watching your lovely ass right now to care about any other women in this place.” She sighed blissfully when he slid his hands down her back, clutching at her waist and her hips.

She rested her head on his chest. “You say the nicest things. Were you watching my derriere earlier when I danced with him?”

“Sweetheart, I wasn’t just watching your body. I was fantasizing about it. Feel that?” he asked in her ear as the hand resting on her bottom pressed her against him. He was very hard, and her pussy responded instantly, swelling and seeping moisture for him. “You keep me that way. Even this fierce little territorial streak of yours is a turn-on,” he murmured to her as he spun her on the dance floor.

“I’m glad you don’t mind.”

“Why would I mind? It’s good to know you’re wanted completely.”

“That’s exactly how I feel. I want you completely.”

“Like we both want you, beautiful. Look at the way his eyes drink you in. He adores you every bit as much as I do.” He leaned down and kissed her tenderly.

She looked over at Joaquin and smiled at him and blew him a little kiss, and then noticed a very tall woman approach Joaquin.

Never taking her eyes off of him, she said, “Angel, it’s that awful woman.” She watched Joaquin’s face change as Dinah sat down in Teresa’s chair. Joaquin’s look of distaste was barely veiled as he turned to the woman who was dressed in a bloodred spandex dress. She was overly made up, and her hair was a wildly teased disaster. She gave Joaquin her best seductive grimace and spoke to him, casually pushing Teresa’s wineglass across the table away from her with one long fingernail.

Teresa had seen Dinah in action before, on the night of the bachelorette party. Charity had gone to the ladies room, and Dinah had approached Justin. When Charity walked into a room, you could almost feel the self-confidence and sexiness roll off of her. She had a heart of gold, but she was
not
someone to piss off.

Charity had returned to Justin’s side, taken one look at Dinah, and had told her in clear, graphic language to back off. There had been no doubt she’d fully intended to back up her words with action if Dinah hadn’t moved her rump out of Charity’s seat in a hurry. Dinah had wisely taken the opportunity to walk away.

Justin had chuckled and turned to Charity and said, “Baby, you are the shit, aren’t you?”

She’d brushed the seat of her chair as if Dinah might have left critters behind. Then she’d sat down in it, and smiled dreamily up at him. “I am.”

Teresa watched Dinah now with repugnance, knowing there was no way she would ever possess enough intestinal fortitude to confront that woman. “She touched my wineglass.”

“I saw that. We’ll get you a fresh drink when we return. You’re staying out here with me until she leaves. Don’t let her get to you.”

“Well, at least I’m stranded on the dance floor with a man I love.”

“And who loves you in return. Joaquin was excited to hear you’d be receptive to his proposal,” he said, obviously trying to distract her.

She giggled. “I could tell this afternoon when I was watching you tell him.”

“I thought I felt your eyes on me. So you saw my thumbs-up?”

“Yes, sneaky. Any idea when he’s planning on asking?” Her heart pounded at the thought.

“I think he’s waiting for the right moment. It’ll be soon, that much I know. He may even have it on him tonight.”