Good Intentions (43 page)

slightly less amused by the situation. They made eye contact with Manny via his mirror. He was sure of it. “I swear to fuckin’ God,” Manny heard the black cop say loudly as he got out of the car, “this is the third patrol car this year you’ve totaled.” “How do you figure!?” the white cop snapped back, also stepping out. “He backed into us! You saw it! The whole world saw it!” “Yeah, whatever. Tel it to your cat when you get home.” They both approached the front of the van. Then the white one stopped, looking around curiously. “Hey, Tyrone, is it just me or do you hear someone groaning in agony?” * Taylor only really believed their whole crazy story on account of the tail and the horns once she was briefly al owed to see them. They had also both ruthlessly and seductively cuddled up to her while they told her everything. Taylor was relatively convinced that they hadn’t held back anything other than details about Alex’s other flings, but at least they were open about the fact that such had happened. Or would happen. Probably both. Sort of nebulous there. If anything was worrisome, it was the fact that Taylor was will ing to sit through the whole story after she’d realized that yes, Lorelei really was some fire-breathing monster from hell . But she was a fire-breathing monster who really knew how to make her feel safe—and so did Alex, for that matter. And Lorelei was also a fire-breathing monster who really knew her way around Taylor’s surprisingly needful body. How the talk about Alex’s crazy supernatural relations had led to even more sex was something else she couldn’t really compute. She figured if she wasn’t going to run out of the suite screaming, though, she might as well have a

good time. Lorelei slid and crawled up over Taylor, separated from her now only by a thin sheet from the bed. Taylor lay partially nestled against Alex on her other side, still enjoying his embrace. “Thank you,” the succubus said softly. “For what?” Taylor gasped. She was sweating, trembling and almost delirious with pleasure. “For al owing us to apologize for our earlier omissions,” Lorelei answered hotly. The succubus invaded her mouth with a deep, probing kiss. “Huh,” Taylor mumbled wearily when Lorelei withdrew, “is that what this was?” “I still feel pretty guilty,” Alex said. “I don’t know if I can take anymore apology from you two,” Taylor said finally, “but I don’t know if I can move, either.” “You don’t have to,” Lorelei said, pulling away from her to sit up on her knees. She looked the younger woman over with obvious appreciation. “You’l find, though, that your body will handle far more pleasure now than it could before. Consider it another bit of apology.” Taylor nodded, breathing in deeply as she slipped her right arm lazily up and around the side of Alex’s head. “So is this al you do now? Sex al day and night?” “Not exactly,” he admitted. “We’re still working out a happy medium. I mean this is awesome, yeah, but I still want to have a life, too. And I don’t want to turn into an egotistical pig or anything.” “Better not,” Taylor smirked. “I couldn’t sleep with you, then.” “Is that something you want?” Lorelei asked her. “Maybe once in awhile,” Taylor admitted, her voice still weary but happy. “I don’t really know what to say. This is

wonderful. You’re both wonderful. But what that actually means, I don’t know. I’m not in a very rational state right now.” Her head turned from where she was nuzzled against Alex to look at the woman kneeling over them both. “What do you want?” “What I have now. Things that I have longed for al these centuries, al of which I could never have admitted to myself without great pain. I have love. I have friends. People who care about me for myself, and not for what power or pleasure they can take from me. I need never again lay with someone who deserves only pain and death. For the first time in thousands of years, I feel like I am something more than sex and manipulation and murder.” For a moment, Taylor felt very guilty about being between the two of them. Lorelei leaned over Taylor again. “I should also admit that I have more than a little desire for you.” With that, she planted a deep, aggressive kiss upon the younger woman. Then she rose from the bed. “For al my desires, what matters most here this morning is the two of you. I should let you have some time together alone.” Taylor lifted her head, looking from one of them to the other with a concern that she couldn’t really articulate. “I don’t have anything to say to one of you but not the other,” she said. “You do. It’s natural, Taylor. I am not worried. You came to the party last night looking for Alex, not me. He wanted to see you, too.” As she moved off to slip into the bathroom for a shower, Taylor turned toward Alex. “She’s real y…? I feel dumb for asking this after everything she just said, but is she really okay with this?” Alex laughed a little before he kissed her. “You’re starting to sound like me.” *

Rachel sat perched on the balcony rail outside the honeymoon suite. It was the sort of position that could only be comfortable for someone who had grace and balance beyond mortal capacity. The cold rain didn’t really bother her, either. She was fine with the way it left her white dress clinging to her body. In fact, it was probably for the best. It kept her from overheating. Watching the suite al morning and al through the night before had left her feeling very hot indeed. She had to keep her hands pinned under her butt because she had no idea who might fly past while she tried to relieve the maddening heat between her legs. Rachel was absolutely mesmerized by what went on in her charge’s bed. She was therefore very startled when she heard the voice behind her ask, “Have you been here watching them al this time?” Rachel yelped, jumping off the rail and whirling around. Floating there on angelic wings was Julia, Taylor’s guardian angel. Where Rachel looked fairly close to Alex and Taylor’s ages, Julia looked old enough to be Taylor’s mother. Her divinely beautiful mother, but older nonetheless. Age and image were very relative things among angels. The only real difference here was that the outward appearance of greater age and maturity only enhanced the expression of suspicion and disapproval on Julia’s face. “Uh, yeah,” Rachel said, recovering quickly. “I’m, like, guarding? Like a guardian?” “Like a voyeur,” Julia said dryly. Her arms were folded across her chest. “Cal it whatever you want,” Rachel shrugged, “point is I’m on the fuckin’ job.” Julia just shook her head. “Peace. I may disapprove of much here, but I do not mean to judge you. I am not blind to your predicament. Nor would I cal into question your devotion to duty.” Rachel let some of her hostility and frustration go with a huff. “Thanks,” she said, brushing strands of soaking wet hair from her face. “As I say, though, this does not exactly meet with my favor. Has the whore thoroughly corrupted my Taylor?”

“No. Lorelei hasn’t done anything that we could act on. And I don’t think I’d cal it corruption, anyway. She’s not…she doesn’t do that anymore, remember?” Julia shrugged with a frown. “I have heard your position in this. You’l forgive me if I reserve my judgment for now.” “Well , she’s about to leave anyway. Taking off for wherever to give Alex and Taylor some time alone. And he’s not a corruptor.” “I know Alex well . They have been friends for several years. I have seen much more of him than you have.” Rachel smirked, casting a meaningful glance back at the balcony door. “Well ,” Julia huffed, “not like that.” Rachel’s expression was unchanged. “They’re kinda hot together. He looks better naked than you probably gave him credit for. Better than Taylor expected. Seems like he can really use what he’s got, too.” At that, Julia huffed again. “Alex was a fine young man, but it wasn’t his physical appearance that kept him from having any chance with her before now. It was his lack of self-confidence and the way he wore his heart on his sleeve. He was looking for happiness from others that he should have been able to find in himself. It puts a girl off, you know.” Rachel’s smirk turned to a wider grin. “Doesn’t sound like the Alex I know. So I guess maybe this isn’t just Lorelei’s influence at work alone?” Julia scowled, but granted Rachel’s suggestion with honest consideration. “It’s possible that Alex has grown considerably since high school. I would expect that his recent trials have likely given him reason to feel more confident.” After a moment’s pause, she added, “The Alex that I saw last night was a very different young man than the boy I remember.” “Trials will do that to a person,” Rachel shrugged. Her smile became sly and mischievous. “You sure you don’t want to watch them for awhile?”

“I think not. I have other charges. You have only the one. I came in part to say that you are doing well as a guardian angel. Others had their doubts that a mere messenger could rise to this, but al things considered I believe you are handling yourself quite well .” Rachel blinked. “Wow. Um. Thanks.” Julia nodded, al owing a bit of a smile. “And if the succubus steps an inch outside of her boundaries, I expect you to pitch her into the bay.” With that, Julia soared away on her broad white wings. Rachel let out a long, deep breath. Finally, she’s gone, she thought. The praise meant a lot to her, real y…but when she resumed her perch on the balcony rail, she was pleased to see that she hadn’t really missed much of the show inside. * “I’l be back before too long,” Lorelei said after leaving Taylor with one more long, melting kiss. “But I need Alex for a moment or two outside, if that’s al right with you?” “Sure,” Taylor smiled, her hands lingering before the two parted. With that, Taylor settled back into the bed. She watched as Lorelei, clad in a casual but sexy blue dress, tossed Alex one of the suite’s bathrobes and led him outside. The moment the door shut, they were in one another’s arms with lips and tongues intertwined. Al weekend long, Alex had at the forefront of his mind the thought that he would never, ever really have enough of her. The kiss was just one small part of that, but it was every bit as awe-inspiring as the rest. “Thank you for this,” he said softly.

“No. Thank you, Alex. This is wonderful. She’s almost as delicious as you. I’m beginning to develop an addiction to good-hearted people,” Lorelei grinned. “I meant this whole weekend. Everything. You.” She looked at him with a glimmer of joy in her eye. “Reward me by enjoying yourself,” she said, bringing her hands up his chest and then around his neck. “Talk. Make love. Hold back nothing. But remember also that this is already somewhat overwhelming to her.” “It’s overwhelming to me, too.” “I know. I just don’t want to see you misled by your popular culture’s obsession with aggrandizing young love. There is a very big world out there. I would not have made a point of reuniting you with your high school crush had she not al but literally fall en into your lap the way she did. It may well be that the two of you truly are better as intimate friends than lovers. I need not remind you that if this does not work out you certainly won’t go through life broken-hearted and alone.” “I’m not looking for that. I’ve got you. Honestly, I didn’t think I’d ever see her after graduation. I was shocked as hell to run into her again.” Lorelei nodded. “Consider that she might not have become so interested in you now had you not already made your peace with losing her.” “Are you always going to counsel me on how to handle other women?” he smiled. “It serves my purposes. Truth be told, I’m being entirely selfish,” Lorelei answered. She pul ed him closer to wrap him in another long and loving kiss before she released him. “Go. Decide where to go from here, or leave it unspoken as you wish. I would be more than happy to be ruthlessly used as a bargaining chip,” the succubus added with a wink. “I’l be able to keep myself amused for awhile.” Alex didn’t ask what those were. He simply nodded, said, “I love you,” and went back inside.

Taylor was standing a short distance away, staring at her naked body in the mirrored closet door. “I am fucking hot,” she declared in amazement. “I know. Turns out I’ve always known,” Alex chuckled. “No, I mean look at me.” “I’m really looking at you.” “I had a bit of a bel y. Just yesterday. My legs weren’t this toned. And my butt was flatter. I’ve got like a perfect, tight bubble butt now. Look at me!” “I am. I always thought you were really beautiful, Taylor.” “Okay, maybe I was cute, but not like this. I could be in movies just because I’m this hot. I wouldn’t even have to be able to act.” “Glad you’re setting your personal standards high there.” “God, I’m getting turned on again just looking at myself.” “Well , then, I’d hate to get between you and you,” Alex smirked. Taylor laughed at his comment and at herself. She finally tore her eyes off the mirror to look at him. “I sound really stupid, don’t I?” He shrugged. “I’d do you. My girlfriend would do you, too. hell , if you want, I can have Lorelei change herself to look just like you and then it’l be like having sex with yourself. If I was you I’d think that was really fun.” She laughed again. “Wow, can she really do that?”

“Apparently. I haven’t asked her to do anything like that, though. I guess it takes some effort or energy or something and she’s not really completely recovered from the way I found her.” Taylor stepped close to him, sliding her hands into the bathrobe. “As long as you’re not having her look like me when you can have the real thing,” she grinned. “I’m really glad you came.” “Over and over and over,” she smirked. He groaned at her pun. “Yeah, that, too.” “We’ve got a lot to talk about, don’t we?” she murmured. “We do.” Alex’s tongue twitched at the sensations she was putting him through. His eyes fluttered. “But you’re driving me crazy with this.” “Same here,” she breathed. “How…how do you and Lorelei ever find time to talk about anything? How do you not just have sex al the time?” “I thought we were going to talk about us?” “Hey, I slept with her, too. And might again from the sounds of things. No reason to be shy about it. But it’s not like I can’t see how serious you two are,” Taylor said, now close enough to him to whisper her words into his ear. “So how do you handle the tension?” She was driving him nuts. “We…uh…pretty much just give in whenever we feel the need and…tuh, talk…when we’ve c-calmed down.” Taylor shuddered. “That sounds awesome.” Then she shook herself, firmly closed his robe and stepped back. “Wait. No. Talking. Supposed to do talking stuff.” She strode over to a table and grabbed the other robe.

“I like talking with you,” Alex shrugged innocently. He sat down on the foot of the bed. Taylor sat beside him, took a long, happy breath, and then leaned against him. “I’m really glad you went shopping for lingerie,” she said. “I never even bought any,” he chuckled. “I’d be happy to help you on a return trip, sir,” Taylor said in her best salesgirl voice, then laughed. “Okay, so…I really like you. This. Us. But I can’t do this as a steady thing. Are you okay if we’re not a couple?” “Yes. Are you?” “I’m here, aren’t I?” She smirked at him suspiciously. “Anyway. You. How many other girls so far?” Alex blinked. He wasn’t expecting her to jump right to that. “Lorelei and your boss and you and Jocelyn…not that Jocelyn or your boss are gonna happen again. And Onyx.” Taylor snorted. “You slept with someone with a name like Onyx?” she grinned. “Is there anyone else?” “Rachel. I haven’t slept with her, but we’ve kissed. There’s something there. I think that one might be really serious, too.” “Your guardian angel?” He nodded again, and she just laughed in amazement. “You talk to your guardian angel. That’s gotta be crazy. This whole deal is crazy. You’re crazy for not being made crazy by it!” “It’s sinking in now, isn’t it?” “Yeah, kinda. How do you deal with it?” Alex frowned, pondering for a moment. “I just keep thinking that I couldn’t stand going back. I was in that chapel, and they were getting hurt, and I figured I’d never live with myself if I just left. And with everything that’s happened since, I