I turned back to her and finished my beer. I was trying not to let my anger become too obvious to the cops watching my every move. “What are we doing here Angela? Because it’s pretty obvious you haven’t decided you’re ready to date me.”
She wouldn’t look me in the eyes. “It’s complicated,” she murmured so low I barely heard her over the music.
“You know what I think? I think you make your life far more complicated than it needs to be,” I told her through gritted teeth then turned towards the bartender, a longtime friend of mine. “Hey Adam, will you do me a favor and make sure the two human cops don’t follow us out of here?” I slapped some money on the bar for our drinks and a nice big tip for the extra help.
“You can’t do that,” Angela sputtered and we both ignored her.
Adam scooped up the money. “Sure Rook, no problem.” He called the bouncer, Seamus, over and they had a chat before Seamus moved to intercept the cops.
“Come on, we’re getting out of here.” I grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door. She didn’t exactly come along easily, but she didn’t dig her heels in and stop me either. I supposed that was the best I could hope for in that moment.
When we were outside heading around the building to my bike I let go of her hand and told her, “You should start braiding your hair.” Then I handed her a hair band from my pocket.
“I don’t think I’ve ever met a man that keeps hair ties in his back pocket before,” she said tartly as she threw a quick braid in her hair.
I turned on her and got right in her face. If she wanted to play games, I’d be more than happy to play. “That’s because all the men you know are so afraid of stepping outside the boundaries human society has set for them, that they wouldn’t dream of growing their hair long enough to need one. Is that what you want Angela? A man who fits into your neat little world or do you want a man who can make you feel like this.”
I backed her against the wall and trapped her with the weight of my body resting against her long, lean form. She brought her hands up to push me away but I pinned them near her head, holding her in place firmly but not hurting her. If she had struggled I would have let her go, but she didn’t.
Leaning in I brushed my cheek along hers then whispered in her ear, “Do you feel that Angela? Do you feel your heart beating that hard, fast, erratic rhythm?”
“That’s because you’re holding me down and I’m afraid of what you’re going to do.” It sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than me.
“Oh no Angela, that’s not it,” I murmured as I ran the tip of my nose gently up and down the sensitive flesh on her neck, she shivered and I inhaled deeply as I caught the damp, musky scent of her arousal in the air.
“You’re wondering what I’m going to do, but fear is not what makes your heart race whenever I’m near. It’s anticipation Angela.” I ground my erection against her lower abdomen and a quiet whimper escaped her.
I placed a trail of light kisses along her neck then asked quietly, “Do you remember what it felt like to have me inside you Angela?” My voice was rough as my own memories washed over me. “We didn’t have much time that night but I remember what it felt like to have your wet heat gripping me as I pushed us both over the edge of ecstasy. Do you know how long I dreamed of that moment?”
Angela squirmed, searching for relief from the desire I was causing in her while I continued rubbing my throbbing erection against her, the friction making me crazy with the need to rip her clothes off and bury myself inside her. “The next time I take you, I’m going to savor every moment, and before we’re finished I’m going to taste every inch of your luscious body.”
She groaned, a frustrated sound of desperate need and I released her hands as I reached down to grip her ass wedging my thigh between her legs, dragging her denim covered center over the tense muscle. Her arms came around me and I claimed her mouth, her lips parting when my tongue demanded entrance, tangling with hers. The taste of her was intoxicating, clouding my mind with visions of our naked flesh slick and heated, sliding together with erotic frenzy.
Had it only been a month since I’d last felt her in my arms, since I’d last felt this awakening in my cells? It felt like a lifetime ago. Every time I touched her something inside of me lit up. It was like an explosion of energy was ticking closer to detonation with every slide of her tongue along mine, with every moan she couldn’t hold back as her body ground against mine. My heart was racing as I tried to rein in the lust, the need threatening to consume me. Now was not the time or the place but I couldn’t get enough of her.
Angela tensed as she cried out, the blissful sound swallowed by our hungry kiss. My grip tightened on her ass, the need to be inside her, to feel her inner muscles contracting around my erection was almost unbearable.
From the parking lot out front we heard a male voice say, “Her car is still here, maybe she went this way.”
Her hands that had been pulling me closer started pushing me away and she broke the kiss to say breathlessly, “I can’t let them see me like this Rook, please.”
There was desperation in her eyes that I couldn’t deny. I swore and spun away from her. Deep breaths, I just needed to take deep breaths.
After a few moments I regained enough control to set time back just as the other two cops rounded the corner. I took us back to the point when she was braiding her hair. She hesitated for a moment then continued braiding as she said, “You know that’s a little disconcerting when you do that.”
“You’ll get used to it.” The comment came out harsher than I meant it, desire still making my heart pound, my blood rush through my veins. I scrubbed my hands over my face then said, “Look, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. Let’s get out of here before your friends interrupt us again.”
“Rook, I’m sorry, for everything I’ve put you through and for tonight, but I don’t think I should go with you,” she said with tears shining in her eyes.
I moved in front of her and ran my fingers down the side of her face. It took every ounce of restraint I had left in me to be gentle with her. I was angry and frustrated, but she was so beautiful, and I hated seeing the pain in her eyes. I wanted to take all the pain away.
“Maybe it’s time you did what you want to do, not what you think you should do,” I told her quietly. “You don’t have to make me any promises, just come with me and we’ll find somewhere to talk.”
She nodded hesitantly biting the inside of her lip and I led her to where I’d parked. After strapping on the helmets we climbed on the bike and I told her to hold on. Then I shot forward like we’d been fired from a cannon. Angela’s surprised scream faded into the night as I rode fast and hard putting distance between us and her backup. When I was sure they wouldn’t be able to follow, I slowed down enough to enjoy the scenery. Moonlight lit up the beaches with their rolling surf as we passed by. Angela molded herself along the back of my body and held on tight, and for those few moments everything was right in my world.
I pulled into one of my favorite diners and parked where my bike wouldn’t be obvious from the road. It was a small hole in the wall with a 1950s feel that was owned and operated by an older married couple.
When we came through the front door a bell rang and a short round female with medium blonde hair and wrinkles around her eyes called out, “Hey Rook, it’s been a while. Do you want the usual?”
“I’m just having pie tonight Rosy, apple with lots of ice cream,” I called back.
Angela and I sat in a booth near the back. There were only two other couples in the diner, one seated at the counter and the other in a corner booth by the jukebox which was playing an old Elvis Presley tune. Rosy had once told me that she just couldn’t take today’s music so she kept the jukebox filled with her favorite oldies.
Rosy came over to our table and asked, “And what will your lady friend be having tonight?”
“Rosy, this is Angela,” I told her, then to Angela I said, “This is Rosy,
she owns the place with her husband Earl.”
Angela gave Rosy a genuine smile and it was good to see her happy if only for the moment. “It’s nice to meet you Rosy. I’ll take a slice of apple pie with ice cream as well if it’s not too much trouble.”
“Oh it’s no trouble at all honey, I’ll have it right out. Do you two want something to drink?”
We both asked for sodas and Rosy went into the back to prepare our order. When I glanced at Angela she was looking down biting the inside of her lip. I wanted to know what was going through her head but I wasn’t sure how to get her to talk to me.
Before I could come up with anything to say Rosy came back, her smile as bright as sunshine. She set our plates and glasses on the table and said, “Here you go, you be sure and let me know how you like it. I make all the pies we sell here myself, no frozen nonsense in my diner.”
When she was gone I took a bite of pie, closing my eyes while I savored the homemade goodness.
Angela laughed, a light happy sound that made me smile. “You really like this pie huh?” She tried her first bite and sighed. “Oh that is good. This place could put twenty pounds on my hips if I’m not careful.”
I chuckled shaking my head. “Leave it to a woman to eat the most decedent pie ever baked and ruin the moment by worrying about her figure.”
“The moment isn’t ruined; my taste buds are still begging me for more. I’m just thinking it wouldn’t be a good idea for me to come here very often.”
We ate our pie for a few moments, smiling and laughing. It was nice and I wished we could be at ease like that more often. When the pie was finished the laughter faded and we both knew we couldn’t put off talking about the issues between us any longer.
Angela started with, “You were in your office weren’t you, when I came for our meeting and Dragon met me at your door?”
I smiled recognizing her strategy - a good offense is always the best defense. I sat back with my arm along the back of the bench considering my options. I’d been angry the last time we spoke just like I was now, but this time I needed to keep a cooler head or I’d only push her further away.
“What makes you think that? Didn’t Dragon tell you I was called away for an emergency?”
She shook her head. “No games Rook, I know you were there. When I got close to your door I felt this weird energy that sent shivers up my spine. I didn’t realize it until I walked into that bar tonight and felt the same sensation, but that’s what I’ve felt every time you’ve been near me since we traveled through time together.”
I shrugged one shoulder and admitted, “I was there.”
“We had an appointment Rook. I wanted to talk to you about the murders; that’s why I made an appointment instead of just dropping by again. I didn’t want to have another flunky thrown at me.”
I smirked at her, “Dragon is not a flunky, he’s my boss.”
“You know what I mean,” she said clearly frustrated.
“Yes, I do. But I also know every person you’ve talked to in my place was just as capable of answering your questions as I was. We don’t have anything to do with the murders and we’re doing everything we can to put a stop to them. Unfortunately, they likely won’t end until Travali is dead, and he’s making it very difficult for us to find him.”
“But the people you’ve sent to talk to me aren’t even people are they?” she snapped and I’d finally had enough.
I sat forward with my hands on the table trying really hard not to reach across and shake her. “First, we use human terms to blend in. If we went around saying male and female instead of man and woman, or beings instead of people, then the humans would take notice. Second, you don’t really care if any of us are people anyway. If you did, you wouldn’t be here with me now. You’re just throwing these things out there as road blocks so you can avoid talking about the real issue. I let Dragon take that meeting because I told you to call me when you were ready to talk about us. The meeting had nothing to do with that topic, so I didn’t need to be there.”
“But there is no us Rook, there can’t ever be an us,” she insisted with tears in her eyes. “Can’t you understand that?”
My teeth ground together while I tried to maintain my control. It didn’t work, the dam burst and everything I’d been holding back came flooding out of me. “Has any of this ever been real for you Angela? All those times you opened up to me, the heated looks when you thought I wouldn’t notice, the endless excuses to see me even when your cases had nothing to do with Myth and Legends? Or did your boss put you up to all that too, just like tonight?”
She started to deny it and I cut her off with a slicing motion of my hand. “Don’t bother; I know you wouldn’t have brought backup for a date with me unless you had no choice. I figure your boss is getting pretty desperate to stop these murders and told you to do whatever it takes to get me to talk. The problem is; I don’t have anything to say that would help the police solve this case. And since you know that, you wouldn’t have agreed to that stunt back there unless you had no choice.”
She wiped at the tears rolling down her cheeks and asked, “What do you want me to say Rook?”
Her tears cooled my anger, awakened another part of me that didn’t like to see her cry. This wasn’t how I’d imagined the night going when she invited me to go out with her. I wanted to pull her into my arms and make her see there wasn’t any reason for either of us to suffer like this.
“I want you to be honest with me, and with yourself Angela,” I told her softly. “I want you to say you care for me as much as I care for you. I want you to say you’ll give us a chance.”
When she met my gaze there was so much pain and longing in her blue eyes that my heart cracked wide open. “I want you Rook,” she admitted, renewing my hope that someday we’d finally be together. “I’ve always wanted you, but being with you would change everything and I have to consider how that would affect my daughter, Rachel.”
She looked like a scared rabbit and I chose my words carefully. “I can understand that and I wouldn’t expect anything less from you, but sometimes you have to think about yourself too. You’ve told me about the problems Rachel’s been having and I could help you if you’d let me.”
Just before the bombing, Angela had come to see me straight from the latest crime scene. She’d broken down because her daughter was mixed up in drugs and prostitution and she’d been worried that Rachel might be the next body she was called to investigate.
Angela leaned back crossing he arms over her chest and shook her head. “I don’t know Rook, but I can’t do this right now. Those two cops we ditched are going to be worried about me. I need to check in soon or every police officer in the county will be out looking for me.” She rolled her eyes and actually smiled. “They consider you to be the most dangerous person at Myths and Legends. That’s why they wouldn’t let me go without backup tonight.”
I smiled back at her. “That’s because they haven’t seen Dragon when he lets out his inner beast.”
“True,” she laughed. “Now I’m imagining my lieutenant staring up at that enormous black and red dragon quaking in her boring, practical pumps.”
We had a good laugh at that then we settled our bill and said goodbye to Rosy. When we were outside, before we put on our helmets, I pulled Angela close and held her for a moment. She was stiff at first then she melted against me with a sigh. It felt so right to be with her. There had to be a way to convince her we belonged together. Maybe I needed to get some advice from a woman, one who’d recently had her world turned upside down and come out on top. Tomorrow I’d call Serafina first thing and see if she had any suggestions.
I smoothed Angela’s bangs back from her face and kissed her forehead, then placed a gentle kiss on her lips before I handed her a helmet and slipped mine on my head. The ride back to Mike’s wasn’t nearly long enough even though I drove about five miles under the speed limit the entire way.
When we turned into the driveway for Mike’s th
e parking lot looked like the staging area for a search party. I had to laugh, but when Angela pulled the helmet off, her mood was somber and I knew this wouldn’t help her make the decision I needed her to make. I told her I’d see her later and she headed towards the police cruisers as I gunned the engine and took off before anyone had time to stop me. I hadn’t done anything illegal and I was sure Angela would come up with an excuse for leaving with me.
When I returned to Myths and Legends I went straight to the underground gym, the one where bench pressing excessive amounts of weight wouldn’t raise any eyebrows, and found Doyle sparring with Serrano. Doyle ran the fight scene for the resort. He had short strawberry blonde hair and looked to be in his late twenties. Serrano appeared to be in his early thirties with shoulder length black hair and was in charge of all the restaurants and room service.
Doyle took one look at me and asked, “Need to go a few rounds?” He was barely breaking a sweat when Serrano was clearly exhausted.
“Yeah, give me a minute to change and I’ll be right out.”
Doyle would give me a good work out and help me relieve some of the pent up frustration inside of me. He was a few inches shorter than me but built like a brick house and he was a skilled fighter. As the leader of the largest wolf clan he had to be able to hold his own. He wasn’t as good as me or Dragon, but if he had a lucky day he could take either one of us.
I went to the locker room to throw on some gym clothes and when I came back Serrano thanked me for taking over. I clapped him on the back and laughed, but when I climbed into the ring things turned serious real quick. Doyle could sense I needed a distraction, and he delivered blow after blow with his brutal strength. He had my undivided attention for the rest of the night and when I was finally tired enough to pass out, I fell into bed alone and dreamed of holding Angela while I slept.
Chapter Eight
I called Serafina the instant I woke up and she agreed to meet me for breakfast at The Dragon’s Lair, a casual dining restaurant at Myths and Legends. When I arrived she was already seated at a table with Claire. Since nothing was ever coincidental with Claire, I wondered what the psychic was up to as I wove my way through the dining room to their table.
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