Angel on Fire (33 page)

Carefully, she traced her fingertips over the front and back, seeking an opening of some kind. When that failed, she ran her fingernails along the sides, wondering if she could pry the pendant open.  An hour later, she buried her face in the pillow and pounded her fists into the mattress in frustration. 

With a sigh, she sat up and traced each and every curve of the pendant again without success before dropping her head back onto the pillow and closing her eyes.  Thinking back, she tried to recall the jeweler’s comments. 
Had he mentioned what the secret was? 
She could just call and ask him if she wasn’t wanted for murder. 

As the sky brightened with a pale pink glow, Angela gave up her exhaustive efforts and rose from the bed.  After a quick shower, she headed for the kitchen in search of her morning addiction.  Spying Sean asleep on the couch with
Taz
lying at his feet, she grimaced and set about gathering the coffee beans and grinder with minimal noise.  Her arms laden, she crept toward the laundry room at the other end of the cottage. 

As she rounded the corner, she slammed into a hard, hot body.   Startled, she emitted a shrill shriek before Chase’s mouth covered hers.  “Morning, Angel,” he murmured against her now wet, swollen lips.  “I didn’t mean to startle you.”   

“I’m not exactly complaining.”  She stood on her tiptoes and planted a quick kiss on his mouth before stepping around him. 

“Where are you going?” he demanded, following her. 

Pushing open a nearby door, she entered the small laundry room, plugged in the grinder, poured the beans in and ordered, “Close the door.”

“Why are you making coffee in the laundry room?”

“So I don’t wake Sean up,” she replied smartly. 

The corners of his mouth tilted up.  “Babe, I assure you Sean knew the moment you entered the room.  Men like us sleep very lightly.  It’s an occupational hazard.”

“Do you ever let your guard down?” she wondered, turning away from the counter to look into his vibrant green eyes. 

He shook his head, his expression grave.  “No.  I can’t afford to.  That doesn’t mean I don’t relax at all.  Just that I don’t relax completely and I’m cautious about my surrounding when I do.”

She bit her lower lip, lost in thought about the life he must lead.  Pushing those thoughts aside, she returned her attention to the coffee paraphernalia and smiled at him.  “Grab the beans, please, and I’ll start the coffee.” 

“Sure,” he replied agreeably. “Once you’re settled in the kitchen, I’ve got to check the perimeter.”

“Settled in the kitchen?”  She crossed her arms and tapped her toe.

When Chase simply shot her a questioning look, she cautioned, “You’d better not be one of those men who believe women belong barefoot and pregnant.” She slipped out of the room and tossed an annoyed look over her shoulder as he trailed behind her. 

She had just poured the water and grounds into the coffeemaker when Chase responded to her warning.  Quick as lightning, he pinned her to the counter immobilizing her with his weight as he nuzzled her neck. 
“Barefoot, no.
  I can definitely afford to buy you shoes. 
Pregnant, on the other hand?
  Well, that’s negotiable.  I can certainly promise we’d enjoy the process.”  After kissing her senseless, he sauntered from the room, leaving an astonished Angela propped against the granite countertop with her mouth wide open. 

“Careful, sweetie,” Cat advised, dragging herself into the room and sleepily digging through the cabinet for the oversized, earthenware mugs. 
“Lots of flying creepy crawling things around.
  You’re offering them a perfect home.”

“Yuck!” Angela frowned at her bleary-eyed friend who poured two cups of the fresh brew before adding two heaping teaspoons of sugar to the red cup.  “I don’t know how you drink it like that.”

“You purists,” Cat complained, “you really don’t know how to enjoy things.” 

“Don’t know how to enjoy what?”  Maddie waltzed in.  Catching sight of Angela, she smirked.  “From the looks of things, I’d say Angela sure enjoyed herself last night.”

Angela felt her face heat and covered her burning cheeks with her hands.  “For God’s sake, Maddie!” she objected in a low whisper. 

Pushing Cat out of the way, Maddie grabbed a cup of coffee and leaned over the counter, eyeing Angela inquiringly.  “So?”

“So what?”
Angela retorted, crossing her arms across her chest defensively.  She wasn’t breaking.  No way. 

“So, how was it?”  Cat teased.  “Is he as good as he looks?” 

“Based on the glow she’s giving off, I’d have to say he’s better than he looks and that’s got to be damn good because that man is fine.”  Maddie let loose a torrent of giggles as Angela turned bright red and started sputtering. 

“Babe?
  You okay?” Chase swaggered into the room, removed the cup from Angela’s hand, and spun her into his arms.  Kissing her deeply, he murmured, “Yum.  You taste like coffee.”  After pouring two more cups, he ambled from the room.  All three women watched as he left, their eyes glued to his butt. 

“Holy smokes!” Maddie muttered under her breath.  “That man is hot.”

“And he has one fine ass,” Cat added, fanning herself. 

“Stop it, you two.  That man is my….” Angela trailed off, loosely waving her hand in the air at a loss for words.

“He’s what?”  Cat demanded.

“Yes, exactly what is he to you?” Maddie encouraged. 

“Well,” Angela nibbled on her lower lip pensively.  “He’s…well, he’s…boyfriend sounds lame; lover sounds ridiculous.” Her face contorted as she tried to find the words to describe their relationship.  “I don’t know,” she finally conceded.  “He’s just…mine, I guess.  I don’t know where we’re going with this but I l-like him.”

“You l-like him?”
Cat probed warily.  “Don’t tell me you think you’re in love with him, Angela.  You don’t even know him.”

“It’s none of your business, Catalina.  I may not have known him for long, but I know the kind of man he is.  He’s strong, honorable, considerate, smart and very protective.”  Looking down at her hands to avoid her friends’ admonishing gazes, she admitted, “He reminds me of Dad.”

When she finally had the courage to look up, she found her two friends staring at her sympathetically.  “Okay, honey.  We’ll let it go for now,” Cat decided.  “But if he hurts you, he will pay, and I plan on telling him that.” 

Although she rolled her eyes, Angela was grateful for Cat’s support.  She’d need her friends if Chase broke her heart.  On the other hand, she really hoped Cat didn’t upset Chase.  After all, the last thing she wanted was for him to decide a relationship with her was too much effort.  She sighed aloud.  Life was getting complicated. 

Lost in thought, she missed all of Maddie and Cat’s questions until Maddie poked her.  “Hey!” she whined, and they both laughed. 

“Breakfast?”
Maddie asked.

“Yes,” Angela answered as her stomach rumbled loudly. 

“Any idea what they eat?”
 Maddie pointed to Sean and Chase who were engrossed in conversation near the bay window. 

“Food,” Angela replied absently, her eyes lingering on Chase as images of the night before replayed in her mind.  Her eyes glazed over until Cat dropped an ice cube down her back.

“
Arggg
!” she screamed, the cube slipping down her shirt and into the waistband of her pants.  She wriggled frantically as rivulets of ice cold water from the melting cube trailed down her backside. 

“Babe?”
Chase arrived at her side and grasped her waist, holding her still.

“Ice down my back,” she gasped in response to his unasked question. 

He shook his head, amused by her antics, before grabbing a small kitchen towel from the counter and patting her back dry as Sean watched in amusement. 

“She looked like she needed to cool down,” Cat informed through her gales of laughter. 

“Just remember, Cat,” Chase advised warningly.  “I protect what is mine.”  He held Cat’s gaze, his eyes dark and serious.  Cat’s laughter faded at his tone.  She swallowed the lump in her throat before nodding her understanding. 

With those words, Chase staked his claim, and Angela knew her life would never be the same.  When Chase turned his hot gaze on her, an electric current raced through her body.  When the silence became unbearable, she brushed her lips across Chase’s before admonishing Cat.  “That wasn’t very nice, Catalina Penelope Herrera.  Now, what’s for breakfast, people?  I’m hungry.  Besides, I figured something out last night, and I need everyone’s help.” 

Everyone jumped in with questions, but Angela held up her hand in the universal stop signal.  “I’m not talking until I have food.” 

Twenty minutes later, they passed platters of eggs and sausage around the large, square oak table, which sat in front of the glass doors to the side patio.  Angela took a large bite of her warm cinnamon roll covered with cream cheese frosting before speaking.  “Okay, so I was thinking last night.”

“Wow, really?” Cat interrupted, her eyes flashing mischievously.  “Is that what they call it nowadays?” 

Angela glared.  “I’m being serious here, Cat.  The way I see it there are three chips and three necklaces.”

“Tell us something we don’t know.”  Griffin plunked his elbows on the table and rolled his eyes. 

“I would if you’d all stop interrupting!” Angela shouted.

“What are you thinking, Angel?”  Chase rubbed a hand up and down her spine.  Angela knew he was trying to soothe her, but his touch interfered with her ability to think so she pulled away. 

“Dad had the three chips that day.  He went to the jewelry store.  We know he checked on my pendant, and I assume he bought Maddie and Cat’s the same day.  What if he put the chips inside the pendants?  They are big enough, aren’t they, Griffin?”

Griffin’s eyebrows shot up at Angela’s question, and he eyed the pendant around her neck. 

“Does the heart open?” Chase asked, reaching around Angela’s neck and releasing the clasp. 

“I think it must,” she replied, “but I can’t figure out how.”

“Come on,” Griffin objected.  “I admit the chips would fit, but what makes you think Mac would hide them there?”

“When I talked to the jeweler, he told me that each piece of jewelry Dad had him make for me had a secret. 
Hidden engravings, that kind of thing.
  It would make sense that the pendant had a hidden compartment.  Cat’s note said, ‘Peace
be
with you always in your heart.’  What if Dad meant it literally?” 

“It’s a good theory, Angela,” Sean conceded as he leaned back in his chair.  Pushing a stray lock of hair out of his eyes, he smiled grudgingly.  “Good work. 
Any thoughts on how to get the hearts to open?”