Angel Falling (9 page)

“Nice digs.” My mouth twisted in a smile I wasn’t sure she’d believe. I don’t know what I expected, but the woman was rich. As in boo coo bucks. I’d never even been in a place that fancy. It was as if every piece of furniture was perfectly placed and nothing out of order. There was no clutter or much in the way of trinkets. Magazines were displayed like fans on different tables.

Before she could respond, I heard the familiar clicking sound I looked forward to after a hard day’s work. Butch ran as fast as his hind legs could carry him. He plowed into me almost knocking me on my ass. He spun in a circle, so I crouched down to pet him on the head, and gave my boy some lovin’ while he licked my face.

“Oh, good boy. Missed you, Butch. Were you a good boy for Aspen? Yes, I bet you were. I love you, too, Buddy.”

His long, pink tongue gave me one final lick along the entire side of my face. Aspen cringed and grimaced. Then the craziest thing happened. Butch left my side and ran over to Aspen and rubbed against her legs.

“Alright boy, but no kisses this time!” She petted Butch, scratching her nails along his neck. He curved into her side. I looked at her in shock. Her gaze caught mine. “What?”

“Butch likes you?” I couldn’t believe it.

“Yeah, we’ve become friends the last couple days. He leaves me be as long as I give him attention in the morning when we wake, then again each time I come home.”

“He sleeps with you?” No fucking way.

“Not with me. That’s gross. He sleeps at the foot of my bed. Why so shocked?”

“Because, Butch hates women. Except Ma and my sister-in-law, Jess, and that took some time.”

“Oh, no he doesn’t. Do you boy?” She petted him on the head some more and smiled down at the yellow lab. Butch preened up at her. I could relate. She was something to feast your eyes on.

“Well, I’ll be damned. You continue to amaze me, Darlin’.”

The situation was interesting and unexpected. My dog really didn’t like the ladies. Every time I brought a woman back to the ranch he would growl and scare the daylights out of her until they would beg me to put him outside. Usually, I would do my business with the lady and then take her home. Butch was more important than a roll in the hay to get my rocks off. Figured if the women were one night stand type of ladies then they should be okay with not staying over once the deed was done. Worked most the time. Once and awhile I’d have to deal with a clinger. I’d just cut em’ loose right quick and carry on about my business. They eventually got the hint.

Aspen continued to show me around the mansion masquerading as a penthouse. Why someone who lived alone needed so much space was beyond me. She stopped at the door closest to the master bedroom.

“And this is your room for the next eight weeks.”

I entered the room and sat on the bed, bouncing it a few times. It was big, with a blue comforter. The room was decked out in a nautical theme. Not my taste, but it didn’t really matter. I planned on hanging my hat in her bedroom, anyway.

“How much time you think I’ll be sleeping in this bed?” I wiggled my eyebrows at her seductively.

She cocked her head and grinned. “Where, pray tell, do you think you’ll be sleeping?”

“Don’t be coy, Angel. I’m guessing I’ll be in here, what? Two nights tops, before I have you laying out under me, begging for me to make you come again.”

“Again?”

“Oh yeah. I’m going to pleasure you in ways you’ve only imagined.”

From my spot on the bed I could see her eyes dilate, her hands curl into fists. “Pretty sure of yourself. For a man with a wounded shoulder, you sure talk a good game.” She was acting coy but her breath sped up, her hands tightened at her sides and she nibbled on her pink lips. My guess is she was imagining what I’d do to her and gettin’ turned on in the process.

I stood up and towered over her petite form. Gripping her hip I hauled her against my straining cock. She gasped when I rotated my pelvis against her belly. Tingles of pleasure ripped through me. She moaned and wet her lips again.

“Do you feel what you do to me? Just being near you?” She nodded. “When you’re ready to do something about it, you let me know.”

Her hands cupped my neck and her lips slanted over mine. The kiss was wild. Deep strokes of her tongue against mine had the steel pipe between my thighs reaching toward her, painfully hard. My right hand gripped her ass, grinding her more fully against my aching need.

The pressure was perfect. I breathed into her mouth. That sexy little body of hers slithered along mine, trying to gain friction where she wanted it most. I pulled her back until I felt the mattress behind me, then I sat.

She leaned down and sucked on my tongue, nipping my lips playfully. The woman had me in a tizzy, ready to fuck her in seconds. My good hand slipped under her dress until I felt bare skin. Fucking thigh highs. She was going to be the end of me.

I had to see them.

With one hand I did my best and scrunched up the dress. She pulled her knee up to the mattress then straddled my lap. She was in the perfect position for me to smell and touch her where I wanted to most. My lips found the soft skin of her belly just under her navel. I swirled my tongue around the velvet expanse. The smell of her arousal intoxicated my senses and left me weak. Shimmers of excitement soared to my cock filling the thick stalk with an ache only one thing would cure.  

She held up her dress for me as I slipped a hand down to squeeze her tight ass. The lace of her panties were so soft. I scrapped a callused thumb across the silky expanse. Dragging my fingers around the lace to the front I dipped down and cupped her pussy. A moan slipped from her lips, her mouth hovering over mine. She was so wet her panties were soaked.

“Shit, Angel!”

She groaned a version of my name or God as I tunneled my fingers between the lace and her baby soft skin to sink one finger deep inside. She was scalding hot and I wanted to drink that heat. Her hips rotated around in circles as I plunged another finger in. She was so tight her body clasped onto my fingers like a vice. I could only image how it would feel when I pressed my cock into her. She sighed and rode my hand slowly. For this first time, I allowed it. In the future, I’d take control. For now I enjoyed watching her ride my hand as her greedy pussy gripped my fingers. It was so erotic, and only a prelude of things to come. I swirled my thumb around the hard button nestled between her thighs and was rewarded with a deep moan.

“Oh God, Hank.”

“You feel that, Angel. You feel me deep inside you?” I pressed up with my two fingers until my palm rested against her wet slit.

“Y-yes,” she stuttered, thrusting her hips in time with my fingers.

“That’s just a taste of what it’s going to feel like when I’m fucking you.”

Dirty talk worked for her; her entire body went rigid. “I’m going to come.”

One of her hands was braced on my good shoulder and the other on my chest, arching into me. “That’s it, Darlin’. Give it to me. I want to see you lose it.” Her hips moved up and down in tight, strong movements. I sucked and nibbled on her neck while she rode my hand. Hard.

A few more strokes of her clit and she shattered, screaming. Her swollen lips came down over mine. Our tongues stroked as she trembled. I kept plucking at her sweet pussy, drawing out her pleasure. When she calmed, I pulled my hand out of her panties and licked the wet digits clean. She watched in awe, her eyes a deep navy. Her taste was rich and sweet like the finest honey. Her gaze held mine and in that moment, I believed I could look into those indigo depths for a lifetime.

“God, you taste good. Just like honey.”

“Jesus, Hank.”

“Well no, but I’m glad you think I’m God-like.” We both laughed and she stood and righted her dress. I cupped a hand over my aching shaft and squeezed to relieve some of the pressure.

She looked down with hunger in her eyes. “You want me to ... ”

She was cut off by Oliver rounding the corner. In my haste to touch her, I’d forgotten the little fella was here. Had he walked in a minute before he’d be gettin’ quite the eyeful.

I casually threw my arm over my lap to cover my desire.

“There you are.” He looked us both up and down, his lips twitching. “You have a photo session and a meeting with the photographer for the magazine’s first fashion shoot in an hour. You about ready?”

“Um, yeah.” Her eyes never left mine. The need I saw in them could bring any man to his knees. She took a deep breath and broke the spell. “Just getting Hank situated. Thanks for reminding me about the shoot.”

Oliver looked us over with a grin, then focused on Aspen. His lips twitched into a frown when his gaze focused on Aspen’s head. He put his hands up and started fiddling with her hair. He pulled something out of his pocked, and swept a piece of her hair back in place.

“Excuse me? What are you doing?” I knew I had no right or claim to her but another man’s hands on her, touching her in an intimate way, had me ready to stick my boot up his ass.

“Excuse
me
?” His brows knit together as he kept messin’ with her hair.

I got up and was to her side in two strides. My hand curled around his wrist in a tight grip. “Why the fuck are you touching her like that?”

His eyes went wide. Good. Little fucker better keep his hands off my woman.

“Hank?” Aspen looked confused. “He’s fixing my hair.”

“Yeah, Cowboy, looks like some big man paws were rifling through all my hard work.” His pointed glare confused me.

None of this made a lick of sense. “You think I’m thick boy?” My tone came off more as a growl.

“Hank, you’re misunderstanding. Oliver does my hair. He picks all my clothes. He makes sure I’m always put together,” she said.

Explanation received, still in the dark. She must see that I was having a time with this.

“Oliver’s
boyfriend
was a makeup artist and stylist. Ollie picked a few things up from him over the years.” She smiled sweetly.

“You’re into dicks instead of chicks?” Oliver was gay? That explained a lot. I don’t know how I hadn’t picked up on that earlier. Must have been all the drugs. I looked the man up and down. All the signs were there. He dressed fancy all the time. His hair was never out of place. He even had a perfectly manicured face. Damn, now I felt like an asshole.

“Well, I guess I’m not needed here anymore now am I?” Oliver turned around and stomped out of the room.

“Ollie, no. He didn’t know.” Aspen yelled after him. “God Damn it, Hank. Haven’t you ever met a gay man before? Jeez. You hurt his feelings.”

I shrugged. “Sorry. I saw him putting his hands all over you and I reacted. Not going to apologize for that, Darlin’, but I didn’t mean to offend him.”

She blew a breath out long and slow. Watching her pink lips pucker in agitation was like calling my dick to attention with a “here boy, come out and play, boy.” This line of thought was not going to get me anywhere but in the doghouse.

“We’ll talk about it later. But you will apologize to him.” Apparently I’d screwed up royally. Looks like the little fella was a big deal to my angel. My over-reactive possessive side was going to be hard to squash down. Gay or not, a man like me didn’t want any man touching his girl. 

Aspen was worth the trouble so I conceded to fixin’ it. “I’ll talk to him. He could use a little toughening up though.” It was true. The man freaked out and scampered away like a puppy running away from a rolled up newspaper.

“He is my best friend and the most important person in my life.” Her eyes were harsh. It was the first time I’d seen her truly angry. “You will treat him with respect or this” she gestured between the two of us, “will be over before it has ever even begun.”

The most important person in my life.
The phrase stuck but good. I didn’t like it one bit. I was fixin’ to change that about my girl. One day she’d be saying that about me. God-willing.

“I get it. Angel, I’m sorry. I don’t give a rats ass if he’s gay or not. I’ll fix it. Promise.” I tried to touch her hair but she backed away. That stung more than a bumble bee landing one of its stingers in the soft patch of skin at the arch of your foot.

“I’ll be home for dinner. Gustav will take care of your lunch. The in-home nurse will be by in an hour. She’ll be visiting three times a day to change your bandages and set up your cold therapy.” The warmth of our shared experience a moment ago had been destroyed and replaced with a chill so cold it ran bone deep.

I nodded. “Thanks.”

She turned to leave and then stopped at the threshold to the door her back to me, head hung low. “I’m glad you’re here, Hank.” That simple phrase was a start back on the right track.

“Me too, Angel.”

Chapter 6

The last thing on earth I wanted to do was spend an entire afternoon consoling Oliver after Hank’s outburst. He was worried that Hank had a problem with gay men. That wasn’t the issue. It was clear after Ollie left that Hank is possessive and old-fashioned. Something that you didn’t often find in a man on this side of the country. Still, I could maim the man myself for treating Oliver poorly.

Hank said he’d fix it and I have to believe he will. I told Oliver that Hank wanted to talk to him about his behavior and apologize. Of course, my Ollie wanted to pout and hell if he didn’t have the right. Instead, my focus should have been on overseeing our very first photo shoot for Bright Magazine—not dealing with a pissed off gay man with the undeniable power to use guilt better than my holy-rolling Grandmother.

The photographer was a pill, but well known. He shot for all the top fashion magazines and would skyrocket Bright right to the top … as long as he was kept calm. That was my job—CEO and babysitter to needy, overconfident snobs. I should take lessons from Ollie. He’d had to deal with me and my crap for years. At least my upbringing gave me the tools needed to deal with men of his caliber and pedigree.

Without much effort I had the photographer eating out of my hand and following every task needed to complete the shoot in one day instead of two.

My goal was a bit self-serving. If we completed the shoot, I’d have the next day with Hank. How we would spend the day was open for discussion, but I genuinely wanted to get to know him better. We both needed some time to understand this connection between us. Time to figure out if it was just physical, or something more.