Fallen Angel (29 page)

“
Fine, I get it. Can I go now?”

“Look at me.”
He had to know for sure, he had to see her eyes one last time before he let her walk out the door.  She closed her eyes and then she looked away from him.

“I have got to be the world’s worst judge of character. First I spend every day of my life sleeping doors away from a sadistic murderer and I don’t even know. Then I think fate has brought me this wonderful guy
who loves me and wants me to be happy but it turns out you’ve just been manipulating me in this well fabricated revenge plot because I am apparently the princess that wronged you in another life.” She finally looked up into his eyes as the tears overflowed. “Congratulations Luke, of all the traumatic things in my life you hurt the most. You win.” Luke was stunned to see the pain and tears in her eyes, he hadn’t been expecting that.  She took advantage and pulled her arm free of his grasp then jerked open the door and walked out.  Luke felt like the world’s biggest heel, he had been so certain that she was regretting their having made love, that she didn’t want to be there, he was operating on raw emotion but he certainly hadn’t meant to hurt her.

“Angie wait.”
He called when he found his voice, but she didn’t wait she continued walking swiftly down the hallway. He padded after her still only wearing pants.  She had a head start but with his long strides he caught her before she reached the stairs. He reached for her arm but she jerked away.

“Don’t touch me.” She said through clenched teeth.  She didn’t want him to touch her so he stepped in front of her barring path.

“I did not manipulate you.”

“Fine, let me pass.”

“What is the matter with you, you’re like a whole other person.”

“Ha me? You’re the one who went to sleep wanting to marry me and woke up wanting me on the next train to anywhere else.”

“That is not true. I said it was your choice.”

“Well I made the choice so get out of my way.
” She held her head high but cursed her traitorous emotions as tears continued to flow from her eyes. Luke could hear someone coming up the stairs behind him. He reached for her but she pulled away again so he just grabbed her and flipped her over his shoulder.

“Luke put me down or I swear I’ll scream.”  He walked the short distance back to the room and dropped her on the bed. She quickly scrambled to the other side and got off eyeing him warily. The way she was looking at him cut him to the quick, she really didn’t trust him anymore.

“You really think that I could… that I would force you?” He asked softly but he could see the answer in the fear in her eyes.

“You a
re not the person I thought you were, I don’t know you.” She said softly the pain her words inflicted cause his anger to flare in response.

“What is wrong with you, are you sleep walking again? How could you go to sleep happy and loving me and when you wake up I am the enemy.”

“Why do you keep saying this is my fault? I never wanted to hurt you, I was only trying to protect you, when you said you… you… you still wanted to get married I agreed. You’re the one that changed your mind and didn’t want me to go back to your ranch. You just didn’t want me to leave you because you wanted the pleasure of throwing me out. Fine I told you, you won, you hurt me more that I hurt you. Now let me go and you can get on with your life.”

“No Angie, I never meant to hurt you.” He walked around the bed to her but when he got close she took a step back. He sighed and sank down onto the bed.  “You felt guilty, regretted making love to me.”

“I did not.”

“You couldn’t even look at me.”

“I… it wasn’t because I regretted making love to you.”

“Why then?” Angie flushed she really didn’t want to be having this conversation. She crossed her arms and
looked away frantically trying to think of a way to explain her actions.

“Angie, nothing has changed. I do love you and I do want to marry you but only if that is what you want. I meant it when I said that I didn’t come here to guilt you into coming back.
” She stepped around him to the door and he didn’t try to stop her but when she grasped the handle she couldn’t turn it. She leaned forward resting her forehead on the door. Fresh tears filled her eyes and she squeezed them shut.

“I knew.” She said quietly. “I caught him killing one of those girls. That’s why I ran, that’s why you found me all the way out on the ranch when I got thrown in that storm. I caught him and instead
of telling someone, instead of getting the authorities I just ran away. That’s what I see in my dreams, all the women that he killed after that. The ones he is still killing, I could have saved them and I didn’t.  You are not my penance Luke, you are my undeserved savior giving you up is my penance.” She felt him pull her away from the door. He turned her around and wrapped his arms tightly around her.

“Angie, you are not responsible for anything
, none of this is your fault.” She tried to pull away but he didn’t loosen his grip. So she laid her head against his bare chest.

“But if I had gone to the authorities they could have caught him.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Well I know all I did was run away and now he’s still killing people.”
Luke sighed and squeezed her.

“Don’t do this to yourself, you didn’t do anything wrong, you were scared and that’s okay, you didn’t hurt anyone.”
He could feel her tears on his chest. “Angie, you have to trust me on this, they know who he is now and they still haven’t caught him. But they will and then if they need you to you can testify against him and do your part to help.” He finally released her so he could tip her face up to look at him. Her eyes looked so sad. “Please don’t cry.” He whispered, wiping the tears off her cheeks.

“How could you think that I would regret being with you? That you are my… my penance? Luke you are my bliss.”
He smiled down at her, hearing those words from her lifted him, he felt warmth rush up through his stomach.

“And you are mine.”

“I thought the ranch was your bliss.”

“It was before you
came along.  Now without you it just feels empty and lonely.”

“Really?”

“Really.” Angelica smiled and another tear slipped out of her eye but this one wasn’t from pain. He bent and kissed her and she wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him back forcefully. He sat down on the bed and pulled her onto his lap. He kissed her neck nipping lightly on her collar bone and she moaned softly.

“Oh Luke, you’re not my penance, you’re the reason I am going to hell.” She said even as she tipped her head allowing him access. He laughed.

“I told you, you’re not going to hell.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that you don’t know what is inside my head.”

“Tell me.” He breathed into her ear then pulled the lobe into his mouth. She pushed his chest and he fell back onto the bed, she turned straddling him and laid over her him kissing his neck, she ran her tongue up to his ear and nipped the lobe. Then whispered right into his ear,

“If I could spend every
minute touching you I would, if I could always have your hands under my clothes I would keep them there, if I could figure out how to keep you inside of me I would just hold you there forever permanently joined with me.” She continued to kiss lick and nibble her way down his neck, at the same time she moved to one side and unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans, he moaned softly when she touched him and it gave her goose bumps. She slipped her pantaloons off and straddled him again. She moved down and impaled herself on him and gasped at the sensation, it felt different when she did it herself. She pushed herself down as far as she could and he moaned and gripped her thighs. Slowly she pulled herself forward then pushed back down again she gasped again when she felt him hit the bottom of her womb it sent shockwaves through her, but she repeated the process until she had tears running down her cheeks and she was gripping his shoulders from the effort.  Her world shattered and she felt her whole body shudder as she collapsed on to him. She couldn’t move, she lay there trying to catch her breath and Luke wrapped his arms around her.

“Angie,” He whispered, “We are
permanently joined. We may not be able to stay physically linked like this all the time, and we may not be legally married yet but there will never be another woman for me. My heart, my life, my whole world belongs to you.  I love you.”  She lifted her head and looked at him, her face still wet with tears.

“I love you Luke.” He pulled her face down to his and kissed her deeply.
When he released her lips she laid her head back on his chest. She smirked, she was almost completely dressed and he was barely dressed. She lifted her head and grinned at him.

“What?” he asked looking a bit confused.

“This is how we could do it.”

“Do what?”

“This is how we could make love under every tree without me having to take my clothes off!” He laughed and she grinned again. “Only one at a time though.” She winced as she eased off of him.

“Are you alright?” He frowned. “Did I hurt you?”  She smiled at him.

“No you didn’t hurt me. My body is just not accustomed to this particular activity, I am a little sore.”

“Oh,” He pulled her close and kissed her, “Do you want me to kiss it better?”

“Don’t be silly,” she laughed, “you can’t kiss it, it’s…” She flushed bright red and he laughed.

“That shade is very becoming on you
.”

“Oh Luke we’re both goin
g to hell.” She said burying her face in his shoulder. He laughed again,

“Good at least we’ll be together.”
  She lifted her head and smiled at him.  “You know what I am starving.” She laughed.

“Me too.”

Angelica couldn’t stop smiling as she walked with Luke
she had her fingers laced with his and he was lightly teasing her as they walked. The hotel dining room wasn’t open for supper yet so they were just killing time walking on the boardwalk in front of the storefronts. She stopped in front of a dress shop and pointed out a hat that she liked and he teased her that it would keep neither the sun nor the rain off her head so what was the point and she laughingly told him that it was fashion so he asked what the point of fashion was, making her laugh again and then he pulled her close and kissed her right in the middle of the boardwalk apparently not caring who saw.  She grinned at him when he released her she very much preferred his new carefree approach to their relationship.

“I think we can probably head back to the dining room now.”

“I think you’re probably right.” She said strolling away from the dress shop. He released her when he held the door open for her and she passed through and nearly walked into Brent Westbrook.

“Angelica?”

“Brent.” She was stunned she wasn’t sure what to say.

“What are you doing here?”

“Having dinner.” She said dumbly.

“No I mean I thought… I thought you were dead.
You’re father was distraught.”

“Have you been in contact with my father?” She asked hoping she didn’t sound as panicky as she felt.

“Not since just after the fire. He was distraught about losing you, said he had resigned his position and he was leaving town didn’t even stay for the funeral.” Angelica forced her face to remain neutral, she knew why he hadn’t stayed for the funeral and it wasn’t because he was distraught. “I am very glad to see that you are alright.” He reached toward her and she subtly avoided him. Luke had stepped up behind her and she saw Brent notice him.

“Brent this is
ahh…” She looked up at Luke, he was evaluating Brent with that intense stare. She got the distinct impression that if Brent made a single move or even said something he didn’t like Luke was ready to tear him apart. She felt warmth spread through her and she smiled. “This is my husband Luke Harrison. Luke this is Brent Westbrook.” Brent looked even more stunned, in fact the look on his face was almost comical.

“You’re married?” he said surprised and she just smiled.
“Ah… congratulations.” He said and held out his hand.

“Thank you.” Luke said shaking his hand. “Angie we should probably get going.”

“Yeah we should. Nice to see you Brent.”

“You too.” She walked away leaving Brent standing there still looking stunned. She felt Luke’s hand on her back as he led her to the table. He held her chair and then took his. He ordered a bottle of wine and poured her a glass
.

“Shall we toast?” she asked lifting her glass. He smiled,

“How ‘bout to us?”

“Perfect.”  They didn’t talk about anything serious through the meal, they just talked and enjoyed the wine and each other’s company. When they finished they went back up to the room as soon as he closed the door he pulled her close and kissed her.

“What was that for?”  She asked when he broke the kiss.

“Because I wanted to.”

“Oh, that’s a good reason.” She smiled up at him. She stepped away and began rummaging through her bag. He sat down and watched her, he was still feeling a little dazed. He knew who Brent Westbrook was he had never expected to actually meet him. Matt had described him as a political big wig so he’d expected someone older. Someone that would have made Angie a trophy wife like she’d said. But Westbrook was his age, young and what he assumed most women would consider good looking.  When Angie had hesitated making the introductions he had wondered for one agonizing second if she was having second thoughts. Now he realized he should’ve known better. He knew she loved him, he was just having a hard time getting used to the idea. He had seen her avoid the contact, it was minor but she hadn’t wanted Westbrook to touch her at all even in just a gesture, and yet when he touched her she melted under his fingers like butter.  He stood and crossed to her. She had just pulled her nightgown from her bag. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against him.