Green Eyed Temptation (Halos & Horns

by Lori Leger

  “Of course we hit the clubs. As a matter of fact, we lucked out and found one with their version of the Chippendale Dancers. They were quite accomplished.”

  “Did you get anyone’s phone number or address?” Angelique asked as Nan’s tinkle of laughter carried through the phone.

  “Oh honey, I got more than that. I told you, I’m a huge tipper.” She sighed loudly. “Now, how’s my Sonny doing?”

  “Sonny seems to be doing well. My stuff looks really good in here, Nan. I may not let you back in.” Angelique slapped at Mike’s hand as he tried to pull her toward him. “Stop it, Mike!” she hissed.

  “Is Michael there? Come on, dear. Don’t be greedy. Give this old lady some fuel to fire up my imagination,” Nan cajoled.

  Angelique gave a snort. “Old lady, my foot. You have a better love life than I do.”

  Nan clucked her tongue. “Well, that’s not the way it’s supposed to be. What’s wrong with that boy?”

  Angelique sucked in her breath as Mike’s tender lips found a spot on her neck. “Trust me, there’s nothing wrong with him.”

  “Then why haven’t you tapped that yet?” Nan asked, loud enough to be heard by Mike.

  Angelique’s jaw dropped as Mike gave a muffled laugh before leaning over to speak into the phone.

  “Believe me, Nan. It’s not for my lack of trying.”

  “Oh, so it’s you, then,” Nan surmised. “What are you waiting for, Angelique? You know that boy is head over heels in love with you, don’t you?”

  Angelique’s eyes settled lovingly on Mike. “So he says, but it happens he’s not the only one.”

  “Way to work it, girly!”

  “Yeah, well, I’m trying to make sure my choices from here on out are based on the right reasons.”

  “Humph … I always thought a screaming orgasm was a good enough reason.”

  Angelique cringed. “Oh, I cannot believe you just said that.” The old woman’s cackle echoed around her.

  “You’ve got to loosen up honey, or you’ll grow old before your time. Now put my boy on the phone so I can give him a few words of wisdom.”

  Angel looked in horror at Mike. “Oh, I don’t think so.”

  “Come on, dear, put him on the phone. What are you so afraid of?”

  Angelique finally relented and handed the phone to Mike. “She wants to speak to you.”

  Mike took the phone and cleared his throat. “Hey Nan, how’s Paris?”

  “I don’t know yet, Michael. It’s taken me all this time to settle in and get over my little escapade in N’Awlins. Enough about me, I’ve got one word for you, boy.”

  “What word is that, Nan?” he asked, curiously.

  “G-spot!”

  “What the hell?”

  “Did you hear me?” she asked.

  He wiped a hand over his astonished face. “Yes. God yes, I heard you.”

  “Now, I know a man of your age should know how to please a woman by now, but sadly, countless numbers of men go for years, relying on the old wham, bam, thank you ma’am method, but let me just tell you from experience—”

  “No! Don’t tell me, Nan. I swear to God you don’t have to tell me anything. I’m pretty sure I know.” He waved off Angelique as she gave him a questioning look.

  “Pretty sure won’t cut it, son. You’ve got to know where that puppy is if you want to make a woman happy.”

  “I know where it is.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Uh huh. I’m sure, Nan.”

  “But do you know what to do with it, Michael?”

  “Yes, Nan! I know what to do with a G-spot,” he said, sure he was blushing down to the roots of his hair.

  Angelique gasped, mortified at what she’d just heard. She reached out and grabbed the phone from Mike’s hands. “Nan!”

  The old woman gave a throaty chuckle. “You’re welcome, dear.”

  Angelique choked on what would have been a laugh if she hadn’t been so embarrassed. “I’m hanging up now,” she finally managed to spit out as she disconnected and dropped the phone on the couch. She and Mike sat, both silent, staring straight ahead in matching states of too-stunned-to-speak. Angelique finally chanced a look at Mike and had to laugh at the still-horrified expression on his face.

  He blew out an exasperated breath and shook his head. “Un-freaking-believable,” he groaned. “Your landlady is something else.”

  She burst into another round of laughter. “Hell, she was your friend first.”

  “I had no idea she was such a …” He stopped there, and threw his hands up in the air, at an obvious loss for words.

  “A free spirit?” she asked.

  He cocked his head slightly. “I was going to say loose old broad.”

  She gasped and looked around as though someone else were in the house. “Not in front of Sonny! Have you lost your mind?”

  Mike’s brow furrowed as his chest rumbled with laughter. “What the hell’s he gonna do? Tell her?”

  Angelique bubbled with laughter. “God, I don’t know, but I like this place way too much to take the chance.” She stood, spreading her arms as she spun slowly around. “Do you hear that, Sonny? I love you and I think Nan is a wonderful, free spirit. She’s great just the way she is!” She dropped her arms and leveled her gaze at Mike, who cast furtive glances at his surroundings.

  “Yeah,” he mumbled. “What she said.”

  Angelique glowered at him through narrowed slits. “I swear, if you upset Sonny, I’ll be very angry with you.”

  He laughed and pulled her to him for a kiss. “I wouldn’t worry about it too much. I’m sure this house is far too intelligent to blame you for something I said.” He rested his chin on the top of her head. “I have to go back to work soon, my lunch break is just about up. What do you feel like doing tonight? Anything you want.”

  “No dancing, my feet can’t take it tonight,” she groaned.

  “How about if we watch some pay per view on my big screen and I cook supper for you?”

  The possibility of home cooking immediately peaked her interest. “Barbeque?”

  He kissed the tip of her nose. “Sure, if that’s what you want. Do you want chicken or steak?”

  “Mm, ribs baby. You know how much I love your ribs.”

  Treating her to his beautiful smile, he reached his hands up under her snug tee shirt. “I’m kind of partial to yours, too.”

  Always ticklish, she laughed and pushed her shirt down. “Drown them in that fantastic mystery sauce of yours, too.”

  “Will do,” he said. “I should be home by five. Come by any time after that.”

  “What can I bring?”

  “Just bring the wine if you feel like sharing it with me. I’ve got the rest. I don’t want you to lift a finger.” He reached down and gave her a bone melting kiss.

  Angelique groaned and pulled away before opening her front door for him. “See you later,” she murmured. Mike walked to his unmarked Tahoe as she watched, appreciating the rear view of the tight butt and broad, muscular shoulders. She closed the door and leaned against it, placing her hands on her belly in an attempt to control the need his presence invoked in her. She recalled the sounds of a neighborhood cat last night outside her window, obviously female, and obviously in heat. She’d thought the thing sounded like it was in severe pain. Angelique groaned inwardly, amazed at how much sympathy she had for that feline.

  Mike worked hard to concentrate on the route back to the department. Anytime he came into contact with Angelique proved to be painful. Especially now that she seemed a little more open to the physical aspect of their relationship. It was definitely a good sign, but he wanted more. Not just the lovemaking, although he grew hard just thinking about it. He wanted the entire frittata, as his grandfather used to say.

  He thought of Nash, who’d been so devastated after losing his wife and child. He knew for a fact that Nash wanted the same thing with Angel as he did. He also knew he’d be just as good to her.


  What was there to stop her from choosing Nash over him? After all, Liam was wealthy, able to provide so much better for her than he could on a cop’s salary. Mike had only a modest portfolio, having lost big in the stock market fiasco that had sucked up the life savings of so many individuals. Luckily, he’d invested half his stock in a safer, lower interest account. He was still better off than a lot of people, but nowhere near where he should be at this time of his life.

  He rolled to a stop at the intersection light and raked one hand through his hair as he caught his dark eyed reflection in the rearview mirror. What would it take to make her choose me over somebody like Nash? His greatest fear was to be left out in the cold where Angel was concerned. He studied his reflection until the car behind him impatiently blew the horn when the light turned green. Mike shook himself out of his silent musings and drove on to work.

  The department’s main room was filled with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, which he headed straight for.

  “Harper, how’s that lady of yours?” Captain Ted Nichols asked him.

  “Beautiful as ever, I just saw her for lunch.”

  “When are you gonna ask that girl to marry you?”

  “As soon as she’s decided she wants me to, Cap’n. She’s still narrowing down the playing field.”

  “You mean you’ve got some competition out there?”

  Mike nodded. “Yeah, we were neck and neck, but I think I’m pulling ahead a little more every day. I got a lucky break when a horse threw him.”

  “Wait a minute,” an officer called out from over by the coffee machine. “You’re not talkin’ about that private detective watching the lady with the twins, are ya?”

  Mike nodded. “His name’s Liam Nash.”

  “That’s the guy Mel’s got the hots for,” Hennigan called out.

  All eyes in the precinct turned to Mike, who shrugged. “It’s news to me.”

  “Do tell,” Captain Nichols demanded of Hennigan.

  “It’s true. I overheard her when she called that Sarah lady, to let her know she would be on guard duty with her this weekend. I heard her talking about that Nash fella—I’m telling you, man. She was happy as a fat cat with a bowl of cream when she found out he’d be there in the same house with them. Something’s up with her and that guy.”

  “I don’t know,” Mike said.

  “What do you know, lover boy?” Bishop asked him.

  He grinned at the large man. “I know Mel’s gonna kick all your asses for talking about her behind her back.”

  “We’re not talking about her. We’re discussing her non-existent love life,” Bishop replied.

  “Maybe after this weekend it won’t be so non-existent and Harper, here, can breathe a sigh of relief,” the Captain said, giving Mike a hearty slap on the back. “Hey son, if you need any advice from a man with many years of wisdom under his belt, just ask.”

  Mike laughed. “Uh, no, Cap’n; I think I got my quota of that today.” He told them all about Nan and the advice she’d given him about the G-spot. They all got a good laugh out of it except for Bishop.

  He sat there with a puzzled look on his face. “What the hell’s a G-spot?” he finally asked.

  Raucous laughter broke out in the precinct’s main room, prompting several officers to come out of their own offices. The subject got passed around repeatedly, and Bishop asked the question again.

  “So what is it? I’ve heard of it before, but I’ve never seen one, so I figured it was just a myth.”

  The laughter in the room grew to dangerous levels as the women officers expressed their sorrows for poor Mrs. Bishop.

  Finally, Hennigan stopped laughing long enough to ask a question. “Hey, Bishop, you still live off of Pecan Avenue?”

  “Sure do.”

  “Is your wife at home today?”

  “She should be—why?” the tall, lanky cop asked, sounding suspicious.

  “I figured I could stop by later and show her where hers is,” he said as the entire room erupted in more bawdy laughter.

  Mike drove out of the precinct’s parking lot whistling along to Jake Owen, singing Don’t Think I Can’t Love You blaring from his truck’s radio. It’d always been a favorite, but more so since it was his and Angel’s favorite song to dance to.

  He pulled up to the red light, distracted by thoughts of what he’d need to pick up for the barbeque at his local Winn Dixie.

  Ribs, of course, apple sauce, honey, brown sugar…

  When the light turned green, he took off slowly.

  He had potatoes and eggs at home, but was out of mayo…

  Too preoccupied, he didn’t notice the black Hummer coming hard at him from his right side until it was too late to avoid it.

  In the nanosecond before the vehicle hit him, all sense of time and motion slowed to a near stop. He heard a loud ticking in his head and realized it was the passing of time. Not in seconds, but milliseconds. Everything around him began to move in a freeze frame effect—mere fractions of an inch at a time. In that instant Mike saw the driver and passenger of the Hummer and recognized that moment as his own personal miracle. He knew instantly it was God’s way of telling him not to give up, that he would live through the accident.

  He watched the passenger door crumble inward as the window shattered in slow motion, the spider web of broken glass spreading until it encompassed the entire window.

  An instant later his last conscious thought rolled through his mind like a message in marquee lights.

  Just get on with it. I’ve got a destiny to fulfill.

  CHAPTER 22

  He wandered aimlessly through chambers of random thoughts and memories. It took him awhile to figure out why everything felt differently. He finally realized that he wasn’t walking, but floating, gliding effortlessly from one spot to the next. Not slowly, but flitting around quickly, like a Humming Bird, only faster, as though all he had to do was think about where he wanted to be and he was there.

  He made an effort to see himself, but couldn’t. He tried to raise a hand, a foot, to get a glimpse of any part of his body that used to exist. That still existed, actually…just not here…not now. What should have been a reason to panic couldn’t shake him from his perpetual state of calm. He knew, without knowing the how or why of it, that his mortal self still existed. His subconscious, or whatever the hell it was, flitted around the chambers until he came across a memory that pleased him immensely.

  He and Angelique together, and judging from their surroundings, he’d cooked for her. He’d barbequed some ribs, just the way she liked them, slathered with his secret sauce, and cooked to sticky perfection. The meal was over and she’d turned up her stereo so they could dance to what he knew had to be their song. It was the same damn song he’d been whistling when he left the station. He could hear Jake Owen crooning in the background.

  He watched Angelique close her eyes in bliss as his corporal form held her closely and sang the sweet, meaningful words softly into her ear. From this vantage point, he could actually see her face. She was smiling—the beautiful, sincere smile of a woman who was in love with the man who sang to her. He continued to watch Angel’s face as he twirled her around the huge living room, watched the smile light up her face as he sang the last line of the song to her.

  But when had this happened? Where had this happened? How was he able to see a memory he couldn’t recall happening? His cop senses kicked in and he began to observe things. Like the room they were in…the furniture and other items…the view from the huge picture window.

  He gathered information like so many puzzle pieces. Once he’d collected them all, they flew together in one instantaneous conclusion. The discovery filled him with an overwhelming sense of tranquility that flowed freely over him, an absolute certainty that this particular scene wasn’t a memory after all. But something else entirely.

  Wild eyed and frantic with worry, Angelique burst through the doors of Lafayette General Hospital, with her purse in one hand and her
phone in the other.

  “Angel! Over here!”

  She pivoted toward the voice and headed immediately for Red and Tiffany. “Where is he?”

  Red greeted her with a hug. “Mike’s in surgery. We just walked in thirty seconds before you did. Luckily, we were in town already when a mutual friend of ours from the department called me for your number. We’re going up to the surgical waiting room.”

  They stepped into the elevator. “Are any of your sisters working here?” she asked, stepping back to let someone else in.

  Tiffany answered for her. “No, but I know several doctors working in the trauma wing. Mike’s in good hands.” She placed an arm around Angel’s shoulders. “He’ll be fine.”

  Angelique nodded, too afraid that if she spoke she’d lose control over her closely tethered emotions.

  Hours later, a surgeon walked away from the crowd that had gathered in the waiting room, all there over concern for Detective Mike Harper.

  Tiffany pulled on Angelique’s arm. “Sit, before you pass out. You’re pale, Angel. Are you feeling light headed?”

  “I’m fine.” But Mike could be paralyzed, or a vegetable, or have permanent brain damage. Her terror intensified with every worst case scenario the doctor had come up with.

  “The possibilities the doctor mentioned were just that, Angel—he was only trying to prepare you for what could be, not what is. You heard the rest of it. There are too many miraculous stories to mention when it comes to brain trauma recoveries.”

  Angelique paced, feeling unsettled and overcome by the smell of overheated coffee. “What is a medically induced coma, exactly, and how could that possibly be good for him? I thought the longer a person was in a coma, the less chance they had of ever coming out of it. Wouldn’t that be dangerous?”

  Tiffany shook her head. “I’m orthopedics, not brain surgery, but I did speak to Tanner while we were waiting to hear something. He’d already listed this procedure as a possibility so I can explain it to you. You see, severe head trauma can cause the brain’s metabolism to be altered…off, so to speak, so that parts of the brain aren’t getting enough blood supply. Keeping him on Propofol for a while will shut down the brain, and slow its metabolism so it uses very little energy to repair itself. Hopefully, by doing that, it can survive without any serious damage.” She placed her hands on Angelique’s shoulders. “In short, it repairs itself faster and with less energy while it’s asleep. When the swelling goes down enough they’ll stop giving him the Propofol and wake him up. That’s when we’ll be able to see if it’s successfully healed itself.”