Ablaze (8 page)

"M & M shorts?"

"Yup. Love M & Ms. Are you sure you
want to sit there and listen to me snore?"

"I have four brothers plus a cousin who
snore as loud as an electric chain saw. Not going to bother me."

"Alright. If I start snoring, pinch my
nose," she said and got under the covers. The sheet felt cool and crisp
and the pillowcase smelled as nice as newly laundered clothes. "I don't
normally take naps, you know. I tried, but no matter how tired and worn out I
was, sleep still eluded me." She fluffed her pillow, lay down and then
pulled the covers to cover her head.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking off my bra. It's not good to
sleep with this thing on. Suffocates the suckers."

"Fucking shit. What have I got myself
into?"

Angel laughed so hard she started snorting
and she wasn't embarrassed at all. God, she'd never felt this good since the
day Bianca wiped Dibs on her moth-scented glove. She pulled the covers off her
head and found Dylan shaking his head. "I'm not begging you to stay."

"I know, but I will. Just keep the
sheet up to your neck."

Angel grinned. "Right now, I feel like
a kid."

"Why?"

"Why? Don't you think this situation
hilarious? I hardly know you and yet you're already sitting by my bed like an
older brother watching his younger sister--"

"Wait. An older brother?"

"Yes. I'm only twenty-four. Did you say
you're in your early forties?"

"Early forties my ass!"

Angel burst out laughing. Oh, how she loved
to tease people. "Thank you, Dylan."

"For what?"

"For making me forget about the demon. No,
I don't think about him as much as I used to, but he hovers in my mind. You
know what I mean?"

"I know what you mean. Now stop talking
and close your eyes."

"I can't believe I'm doing this. We
barely know each other."

"There'll be time for that."

Angel held the end of the sheet to cover her
chin. "A man just broke my trust. I shouldn't let another man come within
a foot of my being, but I'm trusting you to watch me while I try to go to
sleep. Why is that?"

"Because it is your nature to see what
you wanted to see--goodness in every human being."

"Are you saying that you're good?"

"No. All I'm saying is that you don't
see evil in anyone."

Angel closed her eyes. "Manfred told me
to see what's good about someone before I look at his dark side. That way, I
would understand that person and not judge him quickly. I'm not judgmental…only
a babbler. Opinionated, but I respect others. I like talking to people. Maybe
too much. My friend Bianca said I tend to poke my nose in people's business
because I think I know what's good for everybody." She let out a lusty
yawn and then stared at the ceiling. "As far as I know, I am warm."

"You are. How could people not like
you, Angel? You brought the bright sun with you to shine on people, to make
them smile and feel good like when you just had a good meal."

"Wow. It's hard to believe you're the same
man I talked to downstairs. You sound like a poet or something."

"I'm a man of many talents."

Angel laughed and closed her eyes. "I
have talents, too, and definitely not a cold fish." She let out a sigh and
turned her head toward Dylan. "Watch for the demon. He's stup--" She
let out a long unlady like yawn-- "id. Goodness. Can't stop yawning."

"He is stupid."

"Yeah, he is. He said…" She tried
to talk, but her tongue seemed to curl up at the roof of her mouth. "And
definitely know how to satisfy, maybe not perfectly, but I could make him want
to want…" Angel felt like she was falling slowly. She could see green
meadow littered with yellow dandelions down below. "Hmm…Dylan…"

"I'm here."

She tried to move, but her body felt
boneless and as light as a feather. The grass tickled her skin when she softly
landed on top. She giggled and inhaled the sweet scent of green grass.

* * * *

Dylan leaned closer to Angel. She was
smiling and her breathing was even. She was asleep. He could leave her bedside
now, but he didn't. Instead, he crossed his ankles and watched Angel. Her
eyelids were flittering and her eyes were moving rapidly. She was dreaming for
sure. Definitely not about her ex because she looked happy.

Poor baby. She suffered so much, but still trying
her might to be brave. Fucking Willy might have had hurt her, but he failed to
squash Angel's sunny side. He could see that.

His gaze roamed Angel's face and realized
that she was more gloriously lovely up close. The combination of her interesting
character, looks, and the way she handled her tragic experience fascinated him.

Angel was right. The situation they were in
was interesting.

The way he and Angel started their
conversation was so cool. No pretense or bullshit. She didn't flirt with him. He
felt so comfortable talking to her. They carried on as if they'd met before. Angel
McCready was one awesome woman and not the suicidal brokenhearted one he
expected her to be. No other woman made him feel so close to her minutes after
they'd met. He even wanted to protect her. So insane.

Angel scrunched up her nose with her finger and
then rubbed her cheek on the pillow. She looked so vulnerable. Like a child so
innocent of the evil of the world.

Dylan leaned closer to have a look at her
thick eyelashes, full pink lips and the few splashes of freckles on her cheeks
and bridge of her nose. They were like stardust that he wanted to kiss right
now. Angel moved her legs, pulling the sheet lower to expose one smooth
shoulder. He spotted a few freckles there, too. Ah, so she must have them all
over. If she were his, he would find every single freckle on her body and mark
them all with a kiss.

Manfred told him everything about what Angel's
fiancé had done on television. The man must be nuts to say that he couldn't get
satisfaction from Angel. Jesus, look at those lips. Who wouldn't want to kiss
those? How could any man not feel the need to touch this woman? She possessed a
charm stronger than a magnet.

Dylan thought about Camille. The first time
they'd met, he was immediately drawn to her and believed that she was the one.
He did. When he found out that she was pregnant, he was beyond happy. He bathed
in an unbelievable joy. The next day he used his savings to buy her a ring, proposed
to her, and she accepted. They had planned to get married the following summer.
Then everything went sour when Camille suffered from early contractions. Seven
months into her pregnancy, Camille had their baby. That day should have been a
joyous moment. Instead, it was the day he found out that the baby wasn't his. Clare's
father was the African-American intern who refused to acknowledge her pregnancy.
He knew firsthand how it felt like to be betrayed by someone you love dearly. His
past with Camille was his own demon. For a long time now, he learned to keep it
at bay by immersing himself in his stories. As long as his mind remained
occupied, Camille and her betrayal wouldn't hurt him anymore.

"You'll be okay, baby. Just hang in
there." He was about to touch Angel's cheek when he heard the familiar
sound of Hendrix's motorcycle. The rest of his brothers would be in the
restaurant soon. Instead of touching Angel, he adjusted her blanket. "Sweet
dreams."

Chapter Seven

Hendrix, his younger brother, held a plate full
of baked chips with cheese and reaching for a banana muffin when he made it
back down to the restaurant. Though dressed in
Levi's
jeans, black
leather jacket, scuffed black boots, and looked like a ruffian, beneath his brother's
shoulder length wavy hair was a man who loved to laugh, respectful, and would
protect his brothers no matter what. But then no one would have guessed that
unless you got to know Hendrix. All of his brothers for that matter.

"Hey, pigsty. Did you wash your hands
before touching the muffins?"

"Mer, mer. Stop being a freaking dad.
What were you doing upstairs." Hendrix gave him a smile that he knew too
well.

Dylan thought about the sleeping princess
upstairs. He didn't want to leave her side, but rather watch her all night, but
it would be stupid and so, left the room. However, a simple wish of being in
her bed hovered in his head while walking down the stairs and as he stood on
his spot right now. "Just making sure I flushed the toilet, Hen."

"You know, ladies can tell if you're
small." Hendrix raised his little finger "Even without seeing your used
condom."

"Screw you."

Hendrix took a bite off the muffin, crumbs falling
all over the floor. "Heard your guest arrived a day early."

"Yeah. Surprised to see her walk in
here."

"Where is she?"

"Asleep."

"How'd you know?"

"Because I watched her go to sleep."

"Holy shit! You freaking scored on her
first day here?"

"It's not what you think, whelp. Will
you sit down and eat your food. You're leaving crumbs all over the floor."

"Good. Gives Tony something to do."
Hendrix sat on the chair Angel occupied earlier and then propped his booted
feet on the next chair. "So these sandals and that purse belong to your
guest?"

Dylan looked at the pair of sandals on the
floor and a purse big enough to be mistaken as a duffel bag. Lack of sleep
often resulted to forgetfulness. He picked up the sandals and purse. "Yeah.
These are Angel's."

"Ah, Angel. Love the name."

Me, too.

"When's the crew coming? I'm hungry. And
what's for lunch? I'm not going to wait."

"Rice and broccoli beef, Hen. And you
will
fucking wait for everybody."

"Jesus, stop being an ogre. Mother told
us to stick together, but I don't recall her saying we should live with a stick
up our asses."

"Shut the fuck up and just do what you're
told."

"I'm not ten anymore, Dylan. Just so
you know. Twenty-one. Legal age. I can drink and hang out at bars."

"I don't care if you're fifty. You will
listen to me."

"Sir, yes, sir!" Hendrix made a
mock salute before giving Dylan a finger.

"You're such a prick."

"And you love me."

That was just it. He loved all of his
brothers, even annoying Tony. Dylan walked behind the bar, opened a cabinet and
then put Angel's sandals and purse inside. Later, he'd give them to her.

The restaurant's door opened. Marley,
Morrison, and Tyler walked in. Dylan shook his head. Jesus, if there were a
swagger contest, his brothers would definitely win.

Every day, he looked forward to seeing his
brothers. If one of them weren't going to make it, they knew they must call.
They were all responsible that way. It was how their mother would want them to
operate.

Before their mother died, they all took
their vows never to abandon and turn their backs on one another. Through thick
or thin, they would remain close knit. Their mother raised them that way--on her
own. Love, respect, loyalty, and support. Those were the traits that she
ingrained in their brains. She said any poor man could live better than anybody
if he had a good heart. It had been years since they all cried beside their
mother's bed. Hendrix was only ten, but they would never forget how her passing
had welded them even stronger.

If their mother were still around, she would
be proud. Marley, at the age of twenty-seven was already a successful
contractor and had won numerous multimillion-dollar bids to erect buildings and
subdivisions, Tyler owed a scuba diving business--number one in Seattle.
Morrison, a mechanical engineer, also owned his repair shop specifically for
Porsches. Hendrix, the youngest and a student at University of Washington,
received a full four years scholarship in computer engineering. All were successful
young men and he couldn't even be any more prouder.

Marley tapped the back of Hendrix's head. "Hey,
Hen. Stuffing your mouth again, huh?"

 "So hungry. Without these chips, I'd
be on the floor right now. Passed out."

"You're such a fucking dramatic,"
said Tyler who immediately took the plate away from Hendrix.

"That's why he's still a virgin."

"Fuck you, Morrison."

"Ohhh. The little peep is getting mad."
Morrison sat on the barstool, then smacked his hand on the counter. "Hey,
Tone! Come out here, man."

"I'm going to watch the Mariners."

"They suck, Marley. Tired of watching
the team get beat all the time."

"You're a fan of the Mariners, Hen.
Admit it. Heard you dreaming about Ichiro the other night." Marley made
thrusting motions with his hips, then said, "Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
Ichirooooo. I'm coming!"

"Fuck you." Hendrix got up and threw
a muffin at Marley.

Marley ran to the other room reserved only
for them. Cursing, Hendrix followed.

Dylan watched and listened to his brothers'
banter. They did this all the time. If one didn't say one nasty remark about
the other that would mean something was wrong.

"Where is your pretty guest?" Tyler
walked around the bar, reached down and then placed ten bottles of cold Guinness
on the counter.

Dylan looked heavenward toward Angel's
bedroom, then shoved his hands in his pockets. "Did Tony call all of you
guys to tell you about Angel?"

"Tony texted us. Heard she's mighty
fine."

"Goddess Venus herself."

"So you tended her cuts and rubbed her
feet with Olive oil."

"Jesus. I told Tony to cook us lunch,
not to blab about Angel." Dylan picked up five bottles and started walking
toward the other room.

Tyler laughed and followed him. "He's
just looking out for you. So you like this guest of yours?"

"I like all women. I flirt with them
all the time."

"But Angel, you
really
like. About
time you look at another woman."

"Looking and liking are two different
things. And I'm
not
looking."

"Ah, fuck, but don't fall in love. Your
fucking rule will eventually turn your dick into a prune."

"It's the only way--"

"Wait! It rhymes. Rule and prune."

"-- to avoid heartaches, Tyler."

"That's the shittiest thing I've ever
heard. Tony said Angel's a keeper. Beautiful, witty, and easy to like. Do you
think she's a keeper?"

"Women are as fleeting as a seeing a
shooting star. Am not sure if one that is not still exists."

"Hey, look at me."

Dylan stopped walking and turned to look at
his brother. "What?"

With his fingers curled around the necks of
two bottles, Tyler pointed his index finger at Dylan. "Bro, just because one
woman ripped your heart apart doesn't mean the rest of them would do the same.
Not all of them are alike. Mom's an example."

True. Their mother never loved another man
but their father. She died loving him, which baffled all of them. Their jerk of
a father left when Hendrix was just two and ran off with a younger woman whom
he met at the bar where his struggling band played every night. Dylan
remembered seeing him once or twice and both times the asshole was drunk,
asking his mother for money. Mom, as he remembered, never said no to him and
would say I love you to Dad before he leaves for God knows where.

"Mom's one of a kind, Tyler."

"But her kind exists."

"Like Willow?"

"Shut the fuck up, Dylan."

"I'm shutting." Dylan raised his
hand in surrender. It wouldn't do to talk about Tyler's lost love. He thought
for a moment. Could Angel be one of them? Sure, he felt an instant attraction
toward her personality and her beauty, but was she the kind who would stick to
her man and not sleep with someone else behind his back? He bet she knew her
effect on men. Heck, only an idiot--like her ex--would not bask in her glow,
warmth, and loveliness. A minute with her was comparable to walking at the
beach on a sunny day. The heat on his skin made his blood simmer. Until now,
just thinking about her smooth skin produced a pleasant feeling like seeing a
girlfriend on a first date. Say she was a keeper, so what? He wasn't looking
for one.

"You guys coming back later for dinner?"

"Of course. We want to meet your angel."

"You fucking deaf? She's not my angel."
My angel. No way.

Come on, Dick-lan. Don't close your door
permanently because a bitch walked in and out of it. They're not all the same."

"Let's hope, for your sake, Tyler, that
they're not extinct yet. And if you call me Dick-lan again, I'll cut off your
balls and give them Tony to fry."

"Whatever, Dick-lan." Laughing,
Tyler walked away from him in a hurry.

Dylan shook his head at his brother.
A
star shines only at night, brother. Come morning you won't see it again. Women
are like that. Unfortunately.