The Rest of Forever: A Guardian Angel Paranormal Romance

by Carrie Pulkinen

  “Oh, for Heaven’s sake.” She tried to ignore his erection as she washed the vomit out of his hair.

  His gaze traveled up and down her body. “You’re pretty.”

  “You’re drunk.”

  “So?”

  Without warning, he pulled her into the shower and planted his mouth on hers. She fought to pull away, but his grip was too strong. She felt his erection press against her stomach and felt like vomiting herself. She dug her nails into his chest and pushed with all her might.

  “Get. Your. Hands. Off. Her.”

  April nearly fell to the floor when Daniel released her, but Damian caught her around the waist.

  “I’ve got this,” he whispered into her ear. “You go get rid of the pills.”

  “No. He’s my Charge. I’m going to finish what I started.”

  He nearly growled his response. “He’s our Charge, April. And you obviously need help.”

  She clenched her fists, and her jaw went rigid. “No. I. Don’t.”

  He released her and took a step back. “Fine. You want to get raped? Go right ahead then.”

  “He’s not going to rape me.”

  Daniel’s sedated mind finally caught up with the conversation. “Who are you?”

  Damian went tense as he turned to address the naked man. “I’m her boyfriend. You got a problem with that?”

  Her heart threatened to pound through her chest. Did he just say he was her boyfriend? When did that happen? She wasn’t about to protest the one thing she desired most, so she went with it.

  “Yep. Sorry, Daniel. I’m taken. Now, let’s get you to bed.”

  She shut off the water, and Damian helped her walk him to the bed. Daniel was dripping wet, but she sure wasn’t going to towel him off. He lay down, and she pulled the covers over him and turned out the light.

  He rose onto his elbows and shot her a drunken grin. “Thanks, Angel.”

  “Anytime.”

  * * *

  Damian picked up the last of the pills and flushed them. April was out of control. She couldn’t go around exposing herself like that, and he was about to tell her just that when he looked into her gleaming eyes and beaming smile.

  “What?” His clipped tone should have put her off, but it didn’t. Instead, her smile widened.

  “So, you’re my boyfriend, huh?”

  His heart nearly stopped. “What are you talking about?”

  “In the bathroom, you told Daniel you were my boyfriend.”

  Damn. He didn’t mean to say that. The words slipped out in all the excitement. “I just told him that to get him off you.” He shrugged and looked at his shoes.

  “Oh.”

  “And speaking of that. What in Heaven’s name did you think you were doing? You can’t just reveal yourself to your Charge when he’s two years out.”

  She crossed her arms and widened her stance, just as stubborn as ever. “Why not? Is it against the rules?”

  “Well, no. But you just don’t do that, April.”

  “No, Damian. You don’t do that. I do. You can’t expect everyone to do everything your way all the time. Besides, it worked, didn’t it? He’s sound asleep and still alive.”

  “I’m still your Guardian. And I’m your trainer. You need to learn to do things my way.”

  “Is that so? Or is it that I did something you’d never thought of, and you can’t stand me being right?” She grabbed a bottle of liquor and poured it down the sink. “And should we even be talking about this here in Daniel’s house?”

  Damian poured the last of the whiskey down the drain and glared at her. She didn’t get it. And he wasn’t going to spoon feed her for the next two years. Maybe she needed a different trainer, because he sure didn’t need all this drama.

  “You know what? You’re right. We shouldn’t be talking about this here. We shouldn’t be talking about it at all. Goodbye, April.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  April stood there dumbfounded. Goodbye, April? What was that supposed to mean? Goodbye forever? Because it sounded so final.

  Even though he was clearly wrong, she couldn’t leave it like that. She couldn’t lose him. She focused on him, and Jumped home.

  He sat on the sofa with his head in his hands, gently rocking back and forth. April’s heart jumped into her throat. He was in pain, and she’d caused it. The need to wrap her arms around him and hold him close overwhelmed her. But she knew he wouldn’t accept her comfort. Maybe he’d at least talk to her.

  She tiptoed around the sofa and sat down next to him. He didn’t move.

  “I’m sorry, Damian. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “Forget about it.”

  She sighed as she tried to think of something else to say. “In the meadow, earlier today. You were about to tell me something. What was it?”

  “I don’t even remember.” He rose from the couch and looked down at her. “Look, I just want to be alone right now, okay? Will you just...leave me alone?”

  She didn’t try to hide the pained expression she knew her face held. And when a tear slid down her cheek, she didn’t bother to wipe it away.

  Damian’s face held no emotion as he turned and strode out the door.

  Good job, April. Real smooth. Could she screw this up any worse?

  She picked up her book and tried to finish Romeo and Juliet, but she couldn’t focus. It’d only been half an hour since Damian left, but she couldn’t get him out of her mind. She needed a distraction. Something to keep her busy. Were there any Angels out at the lagoon this late in the evening? She hoped not. A moonlit swim would do wonders for her soul.

  She strolled down the path, enjoying the warm night air and the fragrance of the blooms. The stars in the sky twinkled brighter than she’d ever seen, casting a silvery glow on the dew kissed grass.

  She reached the lagoon and breathed a sigh of relief. She was alone. Slipping off her shoes, she tested the water. Perfect. With a giggle, she changed into the swimsuit she’d always wanted: a white halter one-piece with a plunging neckline. A golden ring held the straps of fabric together at her navel, and the high-cut bottom portion made her legs look incredible. She’d tried the suit on at the store several times, but even she couldn’t justify spending three hundred dollars on a bathing suit. Now she didn’t have to.

  She dove into the water and came up near the middle of the lagoon. The cascading waterfalls created a fine mist in the air, and she floated on her back, admiring them. She’d never seen a body of water so beautiful.

  When she was young, she and her friends would go down to the neighboring town to swim at a place they called The Ropes. It was a popular hangout for the Felicity teens. Probably still was. It was nothing more than an old, ratty rope hanging from a tree over the bayou. But it was their own little slice of Heaven. A place they could go to escape the pressures of school and family.

  She smiled as she thought of the times she jumped off the bridge that crossed the bayou. What a rush that was. It’d been a long time since she’d had a good adrenaline rush like that.

  She backstroked farther into the lagoon. She missed those days of having no responsibilities. Of freedom. Of course, she had more freedom now that she was a Guardian than she did as a human. She wasn’t chained to the dream of getting married and having babies. She didn’t need that anymore. She just needed to be herself. But who was she, exactly?

  She swam closer to the main waterfall and peered up at the cliff above. It was higher than the bridge she used to jump from, but she could probably make it. After all, she was made of pure energy. It wasn’t like she could drown.

  She pushed herself onto the bank and climbed the rocky hill that led to a smooth platform above the waterfall. She could’ve Jumped there, be she didn’t want to miss the building anticipation tightening her stomach. When she stood at the top of the hill, the breeze bit at her skin, making goose bumps rise on her flesh.

  She stepped to the edge and looked down. Her heart raced, and the sharp sting of ad
renaline flushed her system as she dove in headfirst. The lagoon bathed her in warmth, and she swam underwater for what seemed like half an hour. Who knew she didn’t need to breathe?

  When she finally swam to the surface, she was inches away from the waterfall. An opening in the rocks behind it appeared to lead into an expansive cave. She paddled to the side to get a closer look and discovered it was indeed a cave. Her sense of adventure sparked, and curiosity overcame her. She had to explore. She took a deep breath and swam under the falling water.

  When she emerged on the other side, she gasped at the beauty before her. Crystals lined the walls of the cave, glowing dimly in an array of color, though there was no other light for them to reflect.

  She pushed up onto a ledge and rose to her feet to examine the extraordinary stones. Beautiful. She slid her hand along the wall as she walked on the rocks. The smooth crystals radiated warmth, and her fingers tingled as they glided over them. As she ventured farther into the cave, the beauty of her surroundings quelled her normal fear of tight spaces. Until she lost her footing and tumbled into the water.

  Instinctively, she held her breath in anticipation of going under, but a pair of strong arms broke her fall. Damian’s arms. Pain still filled his eyes, and she jerked out of his grasp as quickly as she could.

  “I thought I asked you to leave me alone.” He sounded tired. Defeated.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t see the Do Not Disturb sign on the waterfall.”

  He grunted at her joke and stared at her. His gaze traveled to her lips and lingered there. Something sparked in his eyes, and it wasn’t anger. His tongue slipped out to moisten his lips as he drifted closer to her in the water.

  She pressed her back against the ledge, her feet slipping on the smooth stones beneath the surface. She had no idea what was on his mind, but she was tired of his games. He had her head spinning in circles like a dog chasing its own tail.

  “Why do you hate me so much, Damian? What did I ever do to you to make you despise me?”

  His eyes narrowed. “Is that what you think? You think I hate you?” He closed the small gap between them, but she was already pinned against the wall. She had nowhere to go.

  “Why else would you treat me the way you do?”

  He inched closer, his heavy gaze filled with lust, and her heart pounded in her chest. A strange energy danced between them as her Angelic connection to him pulsed, filling her body with warmth and need. His need.

  “Does this feel like hate to you?” He pressed his body against her and took her mouth in an urgent kiss. She gasped and slid her arms around his neck. His hard muscles and bare skin felt so good against hers, her common sense flew out the window. She twisted her fingers in his hair and slipped her tongue between his lips.

  His arousal was evident pressed against her stomach, and her head spun as he slid his hands over her body to cup her breasts.

  “Push me away, April.” His breath was hot against her neck as he nuzzled into her and nipped at her earlobe. “Tell me to stop.”

  “No.” She barely got a whisper out before he crushed his mouth to hers. His blistering kiss set fire to her soul, igniting more passion than she’d ever felt before. She had to pull away to catch her breath.

  His pupils were dilated, dark with desire, and his husky voice rasped thick with need. “Tell me you don’t want me, and I’ll leave you alone.”

  “No, Damian. I do want you. I want you so bad.”

  He groaned and kissed her again, with a deep, primal need. She couldn’t control herself. When he tried to pull away, she wrapped her legs around his waist and slid her hands to his face.

  “I need you, Damian.” She needed him like she’d needed no other. She couldn’t imagine wanting another man. Her womb tightened, and her skin tingled at his touch.

  “Oh, April.”

  She ran her hands down his chest and across his rippled abs. When she slipped her finger into the waistband of his shorts, he sucked in a sharp breath.

  “Not here.” He held her tight, and in an instant, they were home in her bed.

  * * *

  Damian breathed in a shaky breath and gazed into her emerald eyes. This was the moment he’d dreamed about. Her soft, supple body beneath him called to every masculine urge inside him. All he could think about was being inside her. Pleasing her.

  A soft smile curved her lips as she slid her arms behind his shoulders. “Make love to me, Damian.”

  He shivered at her request. Of course he’d make love to her. But he was going to do it slowly. To let her know just how special she was to him. He placed a tender kiss on her forehead. Then one on her cheek, her lips, her chin. The scent of her skin intoxicated him as he trailed kisses down her neck, across her collarbone, and down into the plunging neckline of her swimsuit. He could’ve kissed her all night. Her velvet skin was so warm against his lips. Her touch—her taste—sent him soaring on a natural high. He was in Heaven.

  When he’d kissed as far as the clothing would allow, he peeled the wet fabric from her body and tossed it on the floor. Good Lord, she was gorgeous. He could do nothing but stare as his eyes soaked in her beauty.

  He trailed his fingers along her curves, and goose bumps rose on her porcelain skin. He cupped her firm, round breasts in his hands and teased her nipples with his thumbs. They hardened like little pink pearls at his touch.

  His gaze took in her stunning body, but her eyes captivated him. Sparkling emeralds as deep as the sea, so full of love. “You’re so beautiful.”

  Her lips curved into a perfect pink bow as she slid her hands down his back and tried to work his shorts over his hips.

  “Let me help you with that.” He closed his eyes, and the garment disintegrated.

  “Well, that’s convenient.”

  He chuckled and continued his quest to kiss every inch of her perfect body. She moaned as he took a breast into his mouth and circled his tongue around her nipple. She kneaded his back as he worked his way down, trailing kisses to her navel. She spread her legs, and he nestled between them, gliding his tongue along her inner thigh.

  When he reached her center, he lapped at her, and a tiny gasp escaped her throat. Dear lord, he loved everything about this woman. The sounds she made. The way she moved. Her scent. The feel of her thighs against his shoulders. Her body tensed with every flick of his tongue, and when he slipped his fingers inside her, she arched her back to take them deeper. She was so wet and tight, it took all his self-control to not take her right then and there. But she deserved more. She was a gem he wanted to treasure.

  He focused on his mission, working her in circles with his tongue. Her hips bucked when she reached her climax, and when she cried out, he held her still, relentlessly giving her the pleasure she needed. She tried to pull away, but he gently held her, slowing his pace until her breathing calmed, her tense muscles relaxed. As she breathed a sigh of satisfaction, he went back to work, making love to her with his tongue until she came again.

  “Damian, please. I need you inside me.”

  He climbed on top of her, and she took his length in her hand, guiding him to her center. Her wet warmth closed around him as he pushed halfway inside her. She felt so good he had to hold his breath before he lost it. But when she wrapped her legs around him, pulling him farther inside, he gave up the fight.

  With one long thrust, he plunged into her, and she moaned. He held her face in his hands and kissed her as they made love. She was warm and sweet, and they fit together as if their bodies were made for each other. They belonged together.

  He couldn’t hold back any longer. He thrust his hips faster and faster as she arched her back, sending him deeper inside. She tightened around him when she climaxed again, and he found his own release soon after. His orgasm ripped through his soul, tearing it to shreds and molding it back together again—stronger than it was before. He was whole again.

  Breathless, he collapsed on top of her and nuzzled into her neck.

  * * *

  Ap
ril’s heart overflowed with emotion—with love that grew stronger with every beat. She tried to steady her rapid breaths. There was no going back now. He belonged to her, and nothing could keep her away from him.

  A soft moan of protest escaped her throat when he pulled out and rolled onto his side, but he pulled her body to his and tenderly kissed her lips. Gazing into her eyes, he brushed the hair away from her face.

  “April, I...” He let out a heavy sigh and rested his hand on her shoulder.

  “What is it?”

  “I...I really enjoyed that.”

  Heat rose to her cheeks, and she grinned. “Me too.”

  “I need to tell you something. It’s something I want you to know. About me.”

  Her heart raced in anticipation. He’d never willingly offered her information about himself. What could it be? She had a million questions bouncing in her mind, and she bit her bottom lip to keep from spouting them out.

  “Okay. Shoot.” She tried to be nonchalant about it, but his serious expression squelched her humor.

  “I had a wife once. A long time ago.”

  A pang shot through her chest. “Juliet.”

  “Yeah.” Though his gaze fell on April, he looked right through her. Reliving the undoubtedly painful memories of his past.

  He seemed to be a thousand miles away. Distant, though they’d never been closer together. She reached up to caress his cheek and bring him back to her. “It’s okay. You can talk to me.”

  He sighed and focused on her once more. “I’m sorry. I don’t talk about this with anyone. I haven’t talked about it since it happened.”

  “You don’t have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable.”

  “No, no. I want to. You need to know. See, Juliet was my wife, and I loved her more than anything in the world. I thought she felt the same about me. She was the Guardian of a woman. Catherine was her name, I think. Catherine was married, and she and Juliet became good friends.

  “She visited their home all the time, and I thought it was nice. She didn’t have many close friends in this realm, and I was happy Catherine would be crossing over. But when Catherine turned thirty and ascended, everything changed.”