Heavenly Angel (4 page)

Chapter Four

Late August

Angel checked his watch as he climbed down from his truck. He was right on time as he walked into Stigall’s Department Store. He wandered around until he found her kneeling on the floor in the baby department, restocking a shelf. She was busy sorting packages and didn’t hear him sneak up behind her and squat down.

He placed his hands over her eyes and whispered, “Guess who, beautiful?”

She giggled playfully. “Um, Gerard Butler?” At his growl, she giggled again. “John Cusack? Chris O’Donnell? Or, could it be?
The man of my dreams
? My Angel?” she teased, putting her soft fingertips up to his hands as he kissed the top of her head. She looked up at him and smiled happily as he offered her his hand. She tucked the last package into the display and allowed him to lift her to her feet.

“I’m here to take you out to lunch for your birthday, unless you’re already expecting Mr. Butler,” he teased.

In the last few weeks, the more time they spent together, the more comfortable she became around him, gradually revealing her quick wit and sense of humor. The change he liked best, however, was that she no longer averted her gaze from his as a matter of habit.

Nonchalantly, she waved her hand and said, “Oh, no. Gerard called, he even begged, but I told him he was too late. I’m already taken.”

“Yes, you are. I’ve brought a surprise for you. It’s out in the truck. Can you get away for lunch now?”

“Yes, let me get my purse and let Margie know I’m leaving. I’ll be right back.”

He nuzzled her cheek before kissing it. It made her blush, which he loved about her. She disappeared through the stockroom doors, and he slowly made his way to the front of the store.

“Well, if it isn’t Angel Martinez,” he heard a seductive voice say as a woman moved up beside him.

He looked down at her in surprise as she reached up and slid a hand down his arm. Chills went up his spine as he recognized Patricia’s best friend, Clarissa. He didn’t want to be rude to her but backed away several inches. It didn’t seem to deter her because she closed the distance between them again.

He kept his tone carefully neutral. “Hello, Clarissa. How are you?”

“Fine, busy with work. I heard about Patricia. Have you talked to her?” she asked, showing either her utter ignorance or stupidity, or both.

“No, Clarissa, not since she
shot
me,” he replied flatly, arching an eyebrow.

“Oh, well, no. I guess you wouldn’t have, would you?” She rolled her eyes before looking him up and down like a juicy steak she wanted to sink her teeth into. “So, I see you’re all better.”

“Yes, I’ve made a full recovery, thank you.”

“I was wondering if you were dating anyone. Maybe you’d like to go out. I always had a thing for you.”

Just what I always wanted. To go out with my psycho ex-girlfriend’s ultrapromiscuous best friend.
“As a matter of fact, I am dating someone.”

Her smile widened, and the look in her eyes was calculating. Her tongue flicked out and licked her lip. “Oh? Well maybe we could get together sometime, you know? Have a good time?” The seductive way she said it made his gut clench. He frowned darkly at what this young woman suggested and how Teresa would react to the idea. He suppressed a growl as he looked up and saw Teresa approaching. She was close enough by now that if she was listening, she would be able to hear what Clarissa was proposing. The look in Teresa’s sweet eyes indicated she heard but didn’t understand. Her delicate eyebrows were knit together in dismay as she slid her little hand into his.

“No, Clarissa. What you and Patricia called fun was not something I ever participated in with her or condoned. You have the wrong idea if you think that’s something I would want to be involved in. Take care.” He led Teresa from the young woman, who blushed angrily as Teresa looked her in the eye. Angel wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and they walked out into the humid August sunshine.

“That was interesting,” Teresa ventured carefully.

“That’s an understatement. That was a friend of Patricia’s. They used to run around together, before…you know.” He decided to say as little as possible about Clarissa. If Teresa didn’t understand the gist of what Clarissa was offering, he wanted to keep it that way.

Patricia had made many assumptions based on what she knew of his upbringing and had pestered him endlessly about a threesome with Ethan. Her fixation with the notion had taken an obsessive turn when Grace had come into Ethan’s life. She completely rejected the idea that there was an intrinsic difference between what Ethan had with Grace, Jack, and Adam and what she wanted from Angel and Ethan. In her mind there was no difference, and he could never persuade her otherwise. Her quest had not ended successfully.

“Yeah.” She smiled up at him and patted his hand on her upper arm, and, bless her heart, she changed the subject. “So, what did you bring me?”

“It’s a surprise. You’ll see it in a minute.” He helped her into the truck before he climbed in. “I’m taking you for a nice lunch at O’Reilley’s. Is that all right?”

“That sounds wonderful.”

He drove them over to the restaurant and parked in the shade of an oak tree. He reached in the glove box and pulled out a square box. Smiling at the surprise in her eyes, he handed the box to her.

“Open it. Tell me what you think.” The suspense was killing him. She opened the hinged box and gasped in surprise. He smiled with pleasure.

She removed the large locket from its box. It was sterling silver on a pretty silver chain. The front of the locket was an intricate scrollwork design, and embedded in the center was a vibrant, oval-cut peridot, her birthstone.

“Peridot? How did you find this?”

“I didn’t. Clay made it for you.”

“Mr. Cook made this for me?”

“Yes, I had him make it for you, beautiful. Happy birthday.”

“Thank you, Angel. It’s lovely.” She handed it to him, and he unclasped the chain and put it around her neck. She lifted it and looked at it. He pushed the catch on the side and showed her the interior of the locket.

“I’m glad you like it, Teresa. It looks beautiful on you.” He sighed with satisfaction when she impulsively threw her arms around him.

Unbuckling her seatbelt, Teresa wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She brushed her lips against his, and he pulled her more closely to him. His hand held the back of her head, bracing her for his gentle assault. He could’ve stayed with her like that for the whole hour, her full breasts pressed to his chest, but then he heard her stomach growl. Their kiss parted with a chuckle from them both.

“Let’s get you fed, beautiful. I don’t want you starving.”

“Not much danger of that. My fat stores will sustain me through a few skipped meals.”

“Hmmm. I like you exactly as you are, so don’t waste away on my account.” His gaze roamed over her curvaceous form before climbing out of the driver side door.

“Sweet talker,” she whispered shakily to him as he opened the truck door and lifted her down on account of her dress. They walked hand in hand through the parking lot.

“Just telling the truth.”

“Thank you, Angel. I appreciate that.”

“Should I tell you what I have planned for tonight? Or should I surprise you?”

“I love your surprises. Do I need a babysitter?”

“No, not tonight, if that’s all right.”

“That’s fine,” she replied easily as he pulled open the front door and held it for her.

* * * *

Teresa dressed in her blue jeans and boots and pulled her hair back into a long ponytail. She dressed Michael in his little Wranglers and cowboy boots, which got him all riled up.

“Gonna be a cowboy! Pschew!” He pointed his imaginary six-shooter and fired before hugging his mama’s leg. “Mama’s a cowgirl!”

Angel gave a soft wolf whistle when she answered the door. He kissed her cheek, and then he squatted down to give his buddy, Michael, a high-five. Michael went right to him, and he lifted him onto his arm.

“You ready, beautiful?”

“I sure am.”

“Mama’s a cowgirl!”

“She sure is, buddy.” Angel gave her a sexy wink over Michael’s head.

He drove them out to the Divine Creek Ranch and spent the next hour showing her and Michael around the horse barn. The horses were all huge, and they’d both enjoyed the awe in Michael’s eyes when Angel showed him Languir and Esperer. Angel taught Michael how to say their names, but the closest he could come to the proper pronunciation was “Long-ears” and “Air-air.”

They smiled at his cackle of joy when he saw the two newly born foals in their stalls with their mamas.

“Hossie babies!” Michael cooed and clapped his chubby little hands together.

They stopped by the office in the first barn, and Angel came back out with Michael still on his arm, wearing a pint-size little straw cowboy hat, just like the one he was wearing.

“Mama, I got hat, jus’ like Angel!” He clapped his hands again. “I cowboy!”

“You sure are!” she murmured, chucking him under his chubby little chin. “Thank you, Angel. I hope that wasn’t very expensive.”

“I’m glad it fits him. I had to guess on the size, and Rosemary helped me out with it. Looks good on him, and it will keep the sun off his head when we take him riding. Are you hungry, honey?”

“
I
hungry! Wanna corndog. You got corndogs, Angel?”

“We’ll have to see what they have, buddy. Let’s take Mommy out to eat for her birthday.”

They both laughed when Michael sang “Happy Birthday to You” at the top of his lungs while Angel helped them back into the truck and drove into Divine for supper.

* * * *

Teresa smiled as she looked at Angel in the dark movie theater. He was watching the movie, and Michael was sound asleep in his lap. It was Michael’s first movie theater experience seeing an increasingly rare G-rated movie. He’d loved it but had fallen asleep in Angel’s lap halfway through. They watched the whole movie then strapped the sleepy boy into his car seat, and Angel took them home. Michael remained sound asleep while she changed him into his pajamas and tucked him in for the night. Then she joined Angel in the living room. She took a detour through the kitchen, got glasses, and filled them with ice.

From the living room, Angel said, “Mom called today to see how I’ve been. She asked about you, also.”

“She did?” Teresa asked as she poured him a glass of iced tea. She liked his mother and admired her feistiness. She wondered sometimes what it would be like to be fearless and impetuous.

“Yeah, I think she took a liking to you when they were up here a few months ago. The dads said to tell you hello, too. One of my brothers may be coming out for a visit. He’s been thinking about making a permanent change and moving up this direction. Jack’s talked to him about coming on full time to help with the breeding operation. I could use the help with the stud service and training Coraggio and Valiente, the new colts. You’d like Joaquin. He’s very easygoing.”

“Is he a flirt like you?” she asked as she sat down next to him after handing him a glass of tea.

“He’s worse if you want to know the truth. Very charming,” Angel said with a teasing glint in his eyes. “He and I are a lot alike.”

“Uh-oh. Tell me he’s married,” she said with a giggle then sipped from her tea glass.

“Nope, single and free.”

“What will the ladies of Divine do? They’ll have another handsome flirt to chase after. You’ll be running stray women off from the ranch every day.”

“Oh, no. I’m definitely more handsome than him.” He chuckled as he nuzzled her throat and pressed his lips to her flesh.

She chortled and said, “I’ve seen your parents, Angel. They could only make beautiful children.” She turned into his kiss and rested in his embrace. He was always free with his affection but never demanding, so she had gradually learned to relax in his arms. He seemed to know where her limits were by instinct and never put her in an uncomfortable position.

“Well, you’ll have to see for yourself whether or not you think he’s handsome.”

“I’d hardly notice with you around, Angel.” She snuggled into his chest where her head fit perfectly into the hollow above his strong pec and below his collar bone.

She shuddered lightly as his hand slid over her hair and down her back. She was content just being with him like this, sitting quietly and enjoying each other’s touch. There were times, like now, when she sometimes wished for more than a touch.

Angel lifted her chin, and she gazed into his golden eyes. He licked his sensual lips, and a stab of desire traced through her body at the simple gesture that bore just a trace of self-consciousness tonight.

“I love you, Teresa.” He smiled at her gasp of pleased surprise and kissed her again. He stroked her throat where her pulse now pounded and pulled her closer for another tender assault. “Yes, honey. I really do love you.” His voice was husky with sincerity.

Her lips trembled as he smiled at her, and his eyes twinkled. “I love you too, Angel. I love you so much.” She allowed him to pull her closer and kiss her soundly before she added, “This has been a wonderful birthday, the best ever. Thank you.”