by Lietha Wards
She kept reminding herself that she loved Prissy over and over again on the way home. She could only take so much of her talking about herself. Not only that, she always caught the most popular boys and had the most popular friends, and everything just fell in her lap. She was good at everything—well, except for her grades. In contrast, Angel was a straight-A student and wanted to pursue a career in art. However, her father was ex-military, a former sergeant. He ruled the house in military fashion, and he wasn’t impressed that his intelligent daughter wanted to pursue a career in art when she could be a doctor or a lawyer, or have some other money-making career. Regardless, he did love his two daughters, even though he could be hard at times and wouldn’t relent about Angel’s wish to become an artist.
When they got home, she went straight to her room while Prissy got on the phone to gossip about Seth’s new girlfriend with her friends. Angel undressed and stood in front of the mirror, looking herself over. She guessed her body wasn’t that bad, but it seemed that her hips were too big and so were her breasts. No one knew that she bound them to decrease her cleavage. She was only five-foot-four, and she thought that a short girl with large breasts was very unattractive. No one had said anything of the sort to her, but watching her sister, who was five-foot-ten and long-legged, made her insecure about her body.
Sighing, she turned away and put on her nightgown, then went into her bathroom to brush her teeth, wash her face, and comb out her long brown hair.
Even though Alex had sworn off women emotionally, there were rumors that he had ongoing relationships with women who weren’t local. She knew he didn’t date local women because of the gossip, and it was probably a good move on his part.
He’d kissed her.
She paused, looking at her reflection in the mirror. He really had, hadn’t he? Her fingers went to her bottom lip as if she could capture the feeling of his mouth on hers. She’d thought over it at least a hundred times since then and wondered what had possessed him to do it. He must have been desperate. It was a horrible shot at herself, but it didn’t make sense why he would otherwise. What surprised her even more was him thinking that he could take such liberty with her.
She made a face at her reflection. Of course he would, the man radiated sex appeal like a neon sign, but why her? She wasn’t much to look at.
When they were younger, things were different between them. He was also more approachable, and she hadn’t been concerned about how she looked to him until she became a teenager. Ever since she was old enough to remember, he used to tease her, but when he came home permanently after his father died, he’d been more cynical about everything. It was as though he’d lost his sense of humor. Whatever had happened to him while he was gone had changed him. No one knew exactly what it was, because he didn’t talk about it, and if his mother knew, she’d never mentioned a word it either. That was why his behavior that night was so shocking. The statement about her being grown up had set her back, and then he’d kissed her. Did that mean he was interested in some way? As quick as the thought came, she shoved aside with a false laugh. It was an impossible ideation, no matter how much she wanted to believe it.
She set down her comb, pursed her lips, and shook her head. There was no way on God’s green earth that Alex, with his sinful looks, would find her attractive, especially with a sister like Priscilla. He could get anyone he wanted, and she knew of a few women who’d inquired after him that were just as pretty as her sister. It didn’t help that her boss’s female clients knew that she was the Harrisons’ neighbor. If they didn’t ask about Alex, they asked about Seth, because both men were unmarried and sinfully hot. She wasn’t one to gossip, though, and never gave anything up. Well, it was more for selfish than pure-hearted reasons.
She flicked out the bathroom light and crawled into bed. Usually, she read before going to sleep, but for some reason, that man had completely exhausted her. Not only that, she had to work for a few hours the next day, even though it was Sunday, and the book she was reading was frustrating the hell out of her. Maybe it was because the storyline was all too familiar. The Fountainhead, by Ayn Rand. It was about a man who was in love with a woman, but never let her know, and she could really empathize with the character. She set her alarm and turned out her lamp. Soon after, she was sound asleep.
***
The next day after work, her father sent her and Prissy to the hardware store with a list of supplies. Prissy had the car, so she had to come along, but she wouldn’t bear setting foot in the shop. Angel went in alone, but she didn’t mind it. She liked the owner and the people of Reidsville that she met in there. He was usually until noon on Sundays, but even if he wasn’t, he wasn’t hard to find. He lived just above the shop, so was always there after hours in case someone had an urgent request. He was a very kind man.
“Hey, Angel,” Mr. Isaak said with a grin as she came through the front door. “I haven’t seen you in weeks.”
“Mom says I work too much,” she answered, returning the smile. “Dad wanted me to pick up a few things,” she said, handing him the list.
“Oh, yes, that time of year for tagging and vaccinations. It’s been crazy around here the past few weeks.”
“Dad prefers it over branding.” She wrinkled her nose. “The smell bothers him.”
He chuckled. “You wait here. I’ll get this stuff for you.”
“Thanks.”
Twenty minutes later, her arms were full of supplies.
“Maybe I’ll help you out to your car,” said Mr. Isaak, looking at her load.
“No, it’s okay,” she returned, glancing around the store that was beginning to fill up. “You have your hands full too. Besides, Prissy’s waiting outside.” Just to prove her point, someone called for his attention. “See?”
“All right honey, see you next time.” He lifted his arm and waved goodbye before hurrying towards the customer who had called him.
Angel groaned as she came out onto the steps. The curb where Prissy had parked the car was empty. She stepped down on the sidewalk and looked along both sides of the street. It was busy for a Sunday, and there was no sign of the car or Priscilla anywhere. Where the heck did she go, and why did she do these things?
Just then, someone bumped into her, knocking her over and making her drop her bags. She fell with a sharp yelp, skinning her knees and sending the bags flying.
“What the hell!” a familiar voice snapped.
“Owwwww!”
She glanced up to see Alex, of all people, grab a man by the collar, shake him like a rag doll, and drag him back towards her. “Tell the lady you’re sorry!” he growled, shoving him forward without releasing him.
The other man blanched and apologized, his eyes as wide as saucers. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”
Alex muttered something to him that Angel wouldn’t dare to repeat, and he shoved the man so hard that he stumbled backwards and nearly fell down. He shook a finger at him. “You’re lucky I don’t bust your teeth for leaving her like that.”
As soon as Alex released him, the man scrambled out of there as if he were on fire. She couldn’t blame him. Alex had loomed over him like a mountain and that alone was intimidating, never mind his fierce looks or strength. An image of a German Shepherd shaking a Chihuahua came to mind.
The object of her thoughts turned his attention to her. “You all right, honey?”
The words held none of the anger he’d shown moments ago. She nodded, still stunned by his display of temper. She’d never seen him so angry before. She had heard about his temper, but had never witnessed it herself. Now she understood the stories she’d heard. Alex was menacing when he was angry.
He crouched down and helped her sit up. “I could go pound on him, if you like.” Then he saw her torn pantyhose and skinned knees. He released another curse that made her flush, and he began to rise. His expression darkened as he scanned the street for the man he’d just assaulted, but the guy was long gone.
Angel reached up and grabbed
his arm, realizing his intent. She stopped him because she was worried he’d get arrested for beating someone up in the middle of the sidewalk in front of many witnesses. She really appreciated his concern, but she wasn’t worth getting locked up over. Her knees did hurt, but she didn’t let on so Alex wouldn’t follow through on his intentions. “I’m tougher than you think, and I’m sure you frightened him into diapers as it is,” she said, and was relieved when she saw amusement replace his fierce look. She couldn’t help but smile back.
“Come on, I’ll help you pick this up,” he said, shaking his head with a smile. He bent down and helped her up first. “If you won’t let me beat the crap out of him, I can at least make sure you get righted.”
They picked up her supplies together, but instead of letting Angel carry them, he held onto the bags and looked around. “Where’s your ride?” he asked. When she didn’t answer, he looked down at her. “Ah hell, it’s Prissy, isn’t it?” What a surprise, he thought.
“She’ll be back,” she replied, embarrassed by her sister’s actions. It seemed like every time Alex was around, Priscilla pulled one of her stunts. Her sister never did this any other time, but she knew that no amount of talking would convince him otherwise. The evidence was too damning.
Alex made a rough sound. “I’ll take you home. You’ll be here all night if you wait for her.” He scowled and led her down to his truck. “Get the canopy door.” She did as he asked, and he put her stuff in the box and locked it up. “Wait in the truck. I need to get a few things,” he said as he opened the passenger door for her.
“You’re sure?”
“Get in, Angel,” he said with a glint in his eyes. “I have to go by your place anyway. Quit hesitating. I won’t be long.”
“Thanks, then,” she said, hopping in with a nervous smile. If Priscilla showed up, she’d go home with her so as not to give her something to rib her about, but at least she had a place to wait. Not only that, if Priscilla didn’t come back, she’d get to spend more time with Alex. Somehow, that eliminated the throbbing in her knees.
He shut the door and went back into the store. Oddly enough, Prissy didn’t return the whole time she was waiting for Alex. Obviously, some boutique had captured her. Normally, Angel would be irritated, but getting to spend time with Alex erased all of that.
He looks good enough to eat, she thought as he came out of the store shortly afterwards. He held the door open for another man, someone he obviously knew because he nodded and began talking to him. It gave her a chance to study him, something she could easily turn into a hobby. Alex was a big man and towered over the man he was talking to, yet he was comfortable with himself. Her eyes scanned over his normal working attire, and she had to admit that she preferred him in the untamed manner he presented with his Stetson pulled low over his brow and black t-shirt tucked tightly into the waistband of his worn jeans. A black leather belt and large shiny buckle looped around his waist. The t-shirt stretched nicely over his form and didn’t leave much of his powerful build to the imagination.
If she didn’t know better, she’d think he had grown a little more muscular since that day by the pool. His other arm curled around the bag he carried, and her eyes ran up the impressive outline of his bicep. She knew that the rest of him was probably just as nice, but some of it had to remain a fantasy because she didn’t see anything below the belt.
God, why did she always start thinking about what made him male? She would blush herself permanently crimson if she didn’t stop thinking about him in such a way. She was curious, though, and she couldn’t help herself.
When he shifted to release the door after the man he was speaking to went inside the store, she saw the muscle in his arm bulge. She nearly groaned, thinking that God certainly had gifted this man, then quickly averted her eyes when his attention turned to her. She didn’t want to let him know that she was gawking at him—again. However, she craved to see him walk towards her with that sexy cowboy swagger he possessed. I have it bad, she thought, rubbing her forehead with her hand.
He got in and started the engine. “Did you want to use my phone to call your sister and let her know I’ll take you home? I’d make her wait like she makes you wait, but I know that you’re too damn nice to do it,” he added grimly.
“Alex, you know I can’t do that to her,” she said, confirming his statement. “I’ll borrow your phone, if you don’t mind. I left mine in the car.”
Shifting in the seat, he dug his cell phone out of his jeans pocket and placed it in her hand. It was warm from his body heat, and Angel wasn’t sure she could dial her sister’s number with steady fingers. His hand had brushed hers as he set it in her palm, and she felt a tremor move through her body over the contact. She silently chastised herself for letting such a small gesture rattle her so much.
“Angel?” He grinned. “It’s just a phone.”
Angel realized that her expression must look ridiculous because she was staring at his phone with awe. She flicked her eyes to him—Alex had tilted his head and had an amused look in his eyes. “Oh, yes.” She quickly flipped open the phone to call her sister, trying to ignore his chuckle. Could she feel more like an idiot?
He shifted the truck into drive and pulled away from the curb just as Priscilla answered her phone. Angel was completely aware of him listening to her conversation as her sister told her that a tire had gone flat and she’d taken it to the garage to get it fixed.
“You could have come and told me,” she argued.
“What? You always take forever talking to that old guy in there. I figured you wouldn’t even notice I was gone. Besides, Angel, I did call your phone about ten minutes ago, but you left it in the car.”
Priscilla had to be lying about her being in the hardware store forever, because she’d only been in there for about ten minutes. “Well, it doesn’t matter. Alex will take me home. I ran into him.”
“Really?”
Angel could hear her sister chuckle, and she gritted her teeth, knowing what would come next.
“Don’t hurry home then, Angel. A man like that will take all night to—”
Exasperated, Angel flipped the phone closed and handed it back to him. “Thanks.”
“Did she tell you why she left you?”
“The car had a flat.”
“Sure it did,” he said with annoyance. “Most likely, it had to do with that new mechanic over at Al’s service station.”
Angel sunk a little lower in her seat. Would her sister really do that to her? She knew the answer to that. Yes, she would. “I know her number. I would have called her if I’d had to wait any longer.”
“Yeah, and she would have come back as soon as you called. Need I remind you that you left your phone in the car, nearly got plowed over by some fool, and were left standing alone on the street?”
“Okay, Alex, I get your point.” She released a heavy sigh. “Can we change the subject?”
“Sure, how about I pull off the road and let you take advantage of me?”
She darted her wide eyes to his and noted his amused expression. He was obviously teasing her. “Like that’s going to happen.”
“Oh, it’ll happen, honey. I’m just biding my time.”
“Quit teasing me.” He had no idea what that kind of talk did to her.
“I wasn’t,” he responded with a mischievous grin as he removed a cigarette from the pack on the dash in front of him. “I’m perfectly willing to let you take advantage of me.”
Even if she knew how, right? She couldn’t look at him anymore. The man was too darn potent. Turning her head, she looked out the side window as the sound of a lighter flicking reached her ears.
“Okay, honey, I’ll leave you be. For now,” he added after a few seconds of her nervous silence. “But remember, I told you I’d see you later, and I’m going to hold you to that.”
“Go right ahead,” she heard herself say, knowing that he was just teasing her.
He chuckled at the disbelieving tone in h
er voice.
They didn’t speak for the rest of the drive, but Alex turned on the radio to fill the silence. He realized that he had made her uncomfortable, and he knew when to stop pushing. The last thing he wanted to do was frighten her about intimacy. It would set them back, and he didn’t want to risk that. He liked touching her too much.
CHAPTER TWO
It was after five on Monday, the end of her workday, and she was bending over to get her purse out of the desk drawer when something shaded the light of the room. She slowly brought her head up to see Alex standing there in a sheepskin jacket, jeans, and a tan Stetson. Of all people to come in last, she thought, eyeing Alex’s large frame and feeling her stomach twinge.
“Jason in?” he asked, running his eyes over her body with an expression of disapproval. “Honey, you have to have decent clothes in your closet somewhere. Every time I see you, you’re dressed in something from a thrift shop.”
She just stared at him. Every time he came near her, it felt as if someone had plugged her into a light socket. Every cell in her body seemed to come alive. Unfortunately, it seemed as though he only looked at her nowadays with constant disapproval, with the exception of rescuing her the day before yesterday. He’d been a real gentleman then. She wanted to tell him that her clothes in no way came from a thrift shop, but she was at work and needed to act professional. Not only that, he seemed to be resisting a smile when he said it. She finally realized that he was goading her again. He was used to getting an answer when he asked a question, though. As the moments passed in silence, his faint amusement disappeared.
“Hell, woman, don’t look so stunned. Anyway, is he in or not?” he asked again with obvious impatience.
She nodded quickly and pushed the intercom button. “Mr. Harrison is here to see you,” she informed her boss, thankful that Alex didn’t notice her hand tremble.
“Send him in,” came the reply over the intercom.