Jaxson's Angel (3 page)

She carefully stepped up onto the dock, using Colton's hand for balance, and watched as he raised his head slightly and inhaled before cutting his eyes to the right. "I'll walk you to your car. I think Bud's still lurking around here somewhere."

"It's fine. He shouldn't be a problem." She only wished she felt as confident as she sounded. The man really did give her an uneasy feeling. The look in his cold eyes had clearly shown his intentions, and Angel wasn't about to allow herself to be alone with the man for a second.

"I insist. He's a rough character and fairly new to the area, but I haven't liked him since I first set eyes on him. I can't put my finger on it, but something isn't right with him."

Angel didn't know what to say so she remained silent, just enjoying the clean, salty air and the warm, sunny day. Once they arrived at her rental car, Colton told her to enjoy herself and he'd check with her in the morning, but to call his cell phone if she needed anything at all.

She quickly thanked him and drove herself over to the bustling boardwalk shops. A bathing- suit was at the top of her list, and she found a lovely white bikini, which looked like eyelet lace. Since she frequented a tanning salon back home, she knew her golden skin tone would look very nice against the white material.

While she explored the various shops, Angel indulged in a drink similar to a milkshake, called a Bushwhacker. She picked the chocolate flavor and sipped on the yummy concoction as she traversed the boardwalk toward the sandy shore.

She watched as several children played in the shallow water and found herself smiling as a small boy chased another with a small crab.

"I used to love catching those as a kid," Jaxson's smooth voice came from her left and Angel almost toppled over as she jumped.

"You scared me half to death! I thought you were going to call when you were ready." She stood, brushed the sand from her legs, and picked up the bag she'd used as her seat, before turning to him.

He stood there in a pair of khaki shorts and a white dress-shirt only half buttoned. The dark tan on his chest and legs combined with his slightly long blond hair, gave him a surfer boy appearance, while his crooked smile and eyes the color of faded denim gave way to his playful nature.

He stood and offered her his arm in a gentlemanly fashion. "Are you ready to go to dinner?" he asked, still smiling.

"Sure." She stumbled through the sand in her shoes for a moment, before stopping and slipping them off. "I think I'll just carry these before I end up sprawled in the sand."

He just chuckled. "I wouldn't let you fall."

Oooh, the way he said that made her insides quiver with delight. For crying out loud, she was feeling like a giddy little girl with her first major crush…and that's just what this was. She was crushing on Colton's brother!

* * * *

Jaxson felt like he was ten feet tall. He was strolling along the boardwalk with his beautiful mate, his Angel, on his arm. Women and men alike glanced their way, and who could blame them; she was like a dainty little pixie, beautiful in a natural way and radiating confidence and sass.

Her height, however, was downright petite next to his six-foot-four frame. Now that she'd removed her shoes with their heels, she couldn't be standing more than five-foot-two, and he felt his protective instincts kick into full gear.

This was
his
woman and his wolf was in total agreement, snarling in his head when a group of young men let their eyes linger a little too long. Jaxson barely kept the sound from escaping his throat as they made their way to the parking lot.
Down boy!

Needing to distract himself from his more primitive thoughts, he tried for polite conversation. "I left the car for Colton so we could ride together. I hope that's okay."

"It's fine. I actually hadn't even thought about it." She laughed. "You might want to drive though. I feel like I might have a slight buzz from the drink I had, plus I have no idea where this place is."

"So you're sampling the local drinks? What did you try?" he asked, accepting the keys.

"A Bushwhacker? It was very good."

"Yeah, they're pretty popular during the summer months. They even have a Bushwhacker Festival every year."

"Really? A festival just for a drink?"

"Yeah, it ends up being a huge party with live music, vendors, and a
lot
of drunks." He shrugged. "It brings business in though, so I can't complain too much."

"It sounds pretty wild," Angel remarked while looking all around them. She seemed to be taking in the scenery, and Jaxson hoped she liked what she saw. "There must be a ton of tourists here right now."

He just shrugged. "It's the beginning of summer. Snapper season just started so the charters are staying booked, but the other boats are busy too with dolphin tours and such. Why don't you tell me a little about you?"

"Me?" She frowned and fidgeted in her seat. "There's not much to tell really. I went to college straight out of high school and graduated with my master's in English literature and history."

"That's impressive." So much so, in fact, it made Jaxson, with only his business degree, feel a little intimidated. A smart woman was hot, but he'd only gone to community college, while she'd probably spent years getting her master's degree at a university.

"My parents always pushed me to do more than was expected," she said in a way that made him wonder if there was a bit of tension within the family, but she continued on. "I guess since I was an only child, they just wanted me to have the best of everything, including an education. When I decided to become a literary agent, it was because I had an undeniable love of books. All kinds of books from history to romance and sci-fi to paranormal lined my bookshelves in my room."

Angel shifted in her seat so she was facing him. "When I first received your brother's manuscript, I thought my heart would burst. His characters are so realistic, it's like they exist in real life. I have never seen werewolves depicted in such a human way before."

"Werewolves?" His brother was writing about werewolves? Was he insane?

"Yes. His paranormal romances are so hot right now he could easily find himself a agent within a bigger agency and be contracted with one of the top six publishers if he wanted." She sighed and plopped back into her seat. "The way he describes the bonding between a werewolf and their mate is just so moving. To imagine a couple could actually be so close their souls actually link during their first sexual encounter, leaving them connected in such an intimate way for the rest of their lives. What woman wouldn't want that kind of love?"

"Do you believe in soul mates?" Her answer would reveal a lot to him and might give him an inkling as to how she would react when he was forced to confess that he was indeed a werewolf himself. That would certainly explain how his brother could describe them so well, now wouldn't it?

"Yes, I do. I don't think very many people will actually find their
true
soul mates, merely someone they are highly compatible with, simply because of the size of the Earth's population, but I certainly like to think it could happen."

"It's all up to fate. If you're destined to find your true soul mate then you will. That's what I believe." And apparently, Fate was smiling down on him because he was sitting with his. "Here we are. Let's go see about getting a table."

Once they were both seated, Jaxson picked up again on the topic of his brother's writing. If Colton had been as accurate as he was suspecting, then maybe the fact they were both werewolves wouldn't shock her too badly. Who was he kidding? It would be a shock to her either way. Nobody truly believed in the existence of werewolves and such; that's what made it so easy to live in the open.

"So are all of his stories romances, or are there some action or mystery ones too?" Jaxson really regretted not having read any of his brother's work. He could use a little help right about now.

"Well, they're all romance-based, but there is usually an undercurrent of danger. The danger can come in the form of a physical or emotional threat to harm the couple or put a wedge in their relationship. Either way, there's always an obstacle to be overcome before they get their happily-ever-after." Angel sipped her sweet tea and studied him for a moment. "You haven't read any of his books have you?"

Jaxson suddenly felt like he was back in school, sitting at his desk and sweating bullets because his teacher was asking about the homework he hadn't done. "No, I haven't," he replied sheepishly. "I always thought romance books were just filled with sappy love scenes and unrealistic male characters created to entertain lonely women or bored housewives."

Angel shook her head, making him wonder if she thought less of him for not having read his brothers work. "Well, that's a shame because your brother's books are actually read by both men and women. He makes the men in his books into Average Joes who just happen to have a tendency to turn furry every so often, but they fight hard, love harder, and always manage to win the heart of the woman in the end. It's the thought of finding a similar man that keeps women reading these novels. The fact that a man is writing them, I think gives them hope."

She seemed to feel very strongly about his brother's writing, and Jaxson found himself actually considering reading one of them. What better way to get back in her good graces, not to mention his need to see just how many guarded secrets his brother was spilling to the general public? "Which one is your favorite? I'll start with that one."

"You're going to read one?" She was giving him a skeptical look, clearly showing her doubt, and he was more than ready to prove her wrong.

"Yup, I'm dead serious. Now tell me which one you like best and I'll start reading it tonight." He smiled at her and felt his chest expand when she beamed right back at him. "You know, you have a really beautiful smile."

Angel ducked her head and blushed at his compliment, which only told him she wasn't used to receiving them. Well, she'd get used to hearing them soon enough.

"Thank you."

"You're very welcome."

The waitress arrived with their meals and they both descended into a comfortable silence as they enjoyed their food.

He was happy to note her healthy appetite, since most of the women he dated tended to live on salads and bottled water. After dinner they enjoyed some small-talk as they fed their fries to the ravenous little fish hanging out by the restaurant's small dock, before heading over to the beach.

* * * *

The soft white sand between her toes felt very good. It reminded her of her childhood spent by the rivers and lakes, and she simply took a moment to enjoy the cool water brushing her feet. It was both refreshing and relaxing, and Angel was so glad Jaxson had suggested they take a stroll down the beach before heading back.

"It would be nice to just set up a chair and relax at the water's edge," she mused. "I think I'll do that tomorrow, since I bought a bathing suit today at one of the shops."

"Hmmm, and will I get a glimpse of you in this swimsuit?" Jaxson's eyes were dancing with laughter as he teased, and Angel couldn't help but smile.

"If you play your cards right."

"Oh, I play cards very well." He smiled down at her, looking like such a rogue she instantly realized how much Colton utilized his brother's personality and body language in his writing. "Perhaps you'll play a game with me one day?"

"You are a terrible flirt, Jaxson."

"Really? I thought I was pretty good at it." He slumped his shoulders and pretended a pout, leading her to playfully swat his arm.

Of course, being her usual graceful self, she promptly tripped over her own feet in the sand and found herself being scooped up into Jaxson's strong arms.

Feeling absolutely mortified, Angel chanced a glance at his face, fully expecting laughter, only to find his intense blue eyes locked on her lips. The pale blue color had darkened, giving away his desire. Angel's own body responded in a rush of heated awareness, leaving her feeling dizzy and anxious all at once.

Inside her head was a steady plea being issued by her long-dormant hormones,
Kiss me! Kiss me! Kiss me!
The inner chant ended on a gasp as he lowered his head.

There was a brief brush of lips followed by another, which lingered a little longer. It was almost as if he weren't sure of his welcome…until Angel brought her arms up around his neck.

The nature of the kiss changed instantly,
drastically
, going from light and sweet to an intense mating of tongue and teeth as they nipped, sucked, and thrust in an imitation of a much more intimate coupling. It seemed to go on forever, with a primal need blossoming from deep in her belly.

She could feel the evidence of his arousal against her abdomen as she dangled in his arms, a willing prisoner of his passion…until he pulled away.

Angel couldn't help the little whimper of disappointment that escaped as he slid her down his body and her feet met the ground once again. In an effort to hide, she rested her forehead on his chest.

"Good grief," Jaxson panted, his voice gone deep and husky. "I'm not sure if I should apologize for not being a gentleman or just say forget it and take you to the sand right here."

Angel felt a delicious shiver race down her spine with the images now flooding her mind. "People would see us." It was a pitiful excuse given how every part of her body was screaming for more of this man, but her conservative nature just had to pick that moment to reawaken.

"There's always the water."

Angel gasped and looked up, noting the mischievous look in his eyes.

"Want to go scare some fish?" Jaxson joined her when she began laughing. His outrageous nature was something she was coming to enjoy more and more.

"I'll tell you one thing, you are an
amazing
kisser." She felt heat creep into her cheeks even as she spoke.

"You're not too shabby yourself," he replied. "Maybe one day we can see what else we do well together because, sweetheart, that kiss was phenomenal."