Scarlet Angel (10 page)

Neil’s cracked voice called her back to the real
world. “Scar? Hey... Scarlett.”

“
Hmm?” She rubbed her eyes and sat
up. “Hey, sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

He gave a half-hearted chuckle. “That’s okay. I was
just worried. You were saying my and Derrick’s names. I just wanted
to make sure you were okay.”

She hoped the room was dark enough to hide the color
on her face. “Oh! Yeah. I’m fine. I... uh... It’s just...” Scarlett
jumped up and headed for the door. “Hey! You hungry?”

“
Um, sure.”

She turned away to hide her face. “Good. I’ll make
some soup. Some chicken noodle will be good.”

“
Scarlett, I’m not
sick.”

“
I know that...” She forced a
laugh. “But it couldn’t hurt, right?” She disappeared around the
corner. A deep sigh passed her lips and she leaned against the
counter for a moment.
Come on, get it together. It was just a
crazy dream.

As much as she tried, she could not make the
arousing thoughts go away. Food, fighting stances, guns,
training... everything came back to her and Neil on the floor. The
image was burned into her mind.

When lunch was ready, she delivered Neil’s on a tray
and dashed out of the room. He opened his mouth to say something
but she was gone before he could utter a word.

Scarlett set her own meal on the kitchen table. She
pulled the chair out and started to sit when Neil’s voice caught
her in mid-squat.

“
Hey, Scarlett? Can I get the
salt?”

She closed her eyes and cursed to herself. She’d
hoped to avoid him until her mind cleared. “Sure.”

She walked in, handed him the shaker and turned to
leave. His voice called her back.

“
Here, just a sec and you can take
it back.”

She paused in mid-step and waited. Her eyes stayed
locked on the doorway ahead. After a moment, the shaker reached her
outstretched hand.

“
Is something wrong?”

His question caught her off guard. “What? No...
well, I mean, I’m not feeling well. So... I, uh...”

“
Oh.”

She left the room.

The next few days were awkward for Scarlett. Every
time she looked at her trainer, her cheeks would flush and she
would have to turn away. She took the opportunity to train harder.
The punching bag became Neil’s and Derrick’s faces.

Her pretend anger transformed into real rage.
Several times she snapped at an innocent request from Neil. He took
her verbal barbs without comment or retort, which only irritated
her more.

Eventually, she recognized what she was doing.
Scarlett knew she did not have a reason to be angry with Neil; the
thoughts she blamed him for came from her own subconscious. With
that realization, her frustration turned inward. The face she
imagined on the punching bag became her own.

On the fourth day, Neil was able to get out of the
bed and take a few steps on his own. He laid back down for Scarlett
to clean and dress the wound. She was amazed to find the skin
knitted closed over the injury.

“
That stuff the doctor used is
pretty amazing.”

Neil only gave a faint “hmm,” in response. Scarlett
stood and went to leave the room when his hand seized her arm and
yanked her back.

“
Okay, tell me what the hell is
going on with you. You’ve been distant and avoiding me for the last
few days.”

She turned her face away. An image of Neil’s hand
running over her skin flashed through her mind. She forced it away.
“It’s nothing, really. I’m fine. I was just worried about you,
that’s all.”

His hand reached up, took her chin and turned her
back to him. Their eyes locked. His voice was gentle.
“Bullshit.”

Scarlett struggled against the deep, drowning depths
of his brown eyes. “I... really... nothing.”

Neil’s face relaxed. He suddenly looked drawn and
weak. “Alright. Fine.” He let her go.

Their gazes broke and she headed for the door.

“
I’m sorry.”

Her breath caught in her chest and she stopped in
the doorway. She kept her back to him. “What?”

“
I’m sorry. I wasn’t going to kill
you. Hell, I wasn’t even really going to hurt you. ” His words were
soft and barely more than a whisper. “The truth is, the network was
safe. I just wanted you to understand how dangerous browsing the
Net can be... that there are eyes out there everywhere looking and
keeping an eye out for you.”

She turned and stared at the floor. “I know.”

“
Cash?”

“
Cash.”

Neil laughed. “Leave it to him to spoil my training.
I just...” He rose off the bed and stepped closer. “I’ve been very
impressed with you so far.”

“
Neil, I...” Her chest tightened.
Scarlett’s self-loathing gripped her throat and choked off her
words. His confession made her want to tell him how she
felt.

“
You’ve taken to the training and
everything with amazing speed. I find that I admire you more and
more.”

Tears flooded her eyes.

He stepped up behind her and laughed again. “It’s
funny... Of all the men and women I’ve trained, you’re the first
person whose opinion I give a shit about. I can’t stand the thought
of you hating me.”

Scarlett’s heart crumbled. She spun around and lost
herself in his eyes again. “I don’t hate you, Neil. I...”

She wasn’t sure what word came next, so she leaned
forward and kissed him.

Soft, warm lips met her own. If Neil’s eyes were
deep pools she could lose herself in, his kiss was an ocean.

After what seemed like forever, their lips
separated. Her eyes stayed closed as she swooned in the afterglow.
The world around her seemed to swirl.

She sensed movement. Her eyes flew open to see Neil
falling away, eyes still closed. Her arms flew out and grabbed
him.

Scarlett nearly fell over at the suddenness of his
weight but she corrected herself. “Neil? Neil!”

His eyes fluttered open. “Huh? What happened?” He
tried to stand again and nearly fell. Scarlett kept him stable as
they moved to the bed.

“
We kissed and then... I think you
passed out for a second.”

Neil sank down into the soft covers and managed a
weak smile. “Passed out? Huh. Well I guess that was one helluva
kiss.”

Chapter 15
Just a Thing

Emotions and logic are not a good mix. Just like
relationships and guns.

* * *

Scarlett looked over the weapons in front of
her.

The XA-47 Wolverine came first with its one hundred
forty-nine round magazine. Then she pointed at the Hunsin Plasma
Slug Mk 2 with seven explosive rounds, and the Luger-Stein Talon
Sniper and its fifty-caliber twenty-round magazine. Her voice
dripped with pride. These were her favorites.

She listed the rest like a grocery list. When she
was done, Neil clapped from the couch. “Very good. Tomorrow we’ll
take the Talon and the Wolverine apart and put them back together.
Then we’ll hit the range.”

“
Range? We’re going
outside?”

“
Uh, no.”

“
Then where is it?”

He smiled and pointed upwards.

“
In the warehouse?”

“
Yep.”

It occurred to Scarlett that no matter how many
secrets she uncovered, Neil always seemed to have another. She gave
up on being surprised, and just accepted them. “So what now?”

Neil stood and stretched. “Now? Now I gotta get a
nap. I’m exhausted.” Only two days after his first steps, and he
was able to move around the apartment on his own. The trade off,
though, was that his body was still healing and he needed frequent
naps and even more frequent meals.

“
That metabolism thing the doc
mentioned is no joke...”

“
You’re telling me.” He shuffled
toward the bedroom. “I eat like a horse and haven’t gained a
pound.”

Scarlett jumped up and headed to the room ahead of
him. She turned down the covers and fluffed the pillow for him. She
was far from the domestic type, but ever since their first kiss,
she found herself doing little things for him.

“
Scar, you don’t have to tuck me
in.”

He lowered himself onto the bed and she plopped down
next to him. “I know. I just... You’re still hurt so I help. But
you’re getting better and that makes me excited. Hopefully, we’ll
be able to get back to a normal regimen.”

Neil reached over and touched her cheek. His fingers
wrapped around the back of her head and he pulled her close. Their
lips met again, for only the third time since he passed out.

Scarlett felt herself melt against him. She moaned
softly at his strong hands pulling her to him. Finally, they
separated. She looked into his eyes and smiled. “What was that
for?”

“‘
Cause I needed to. Every day I
want to do that more and more. Something about you has
me.”

She smirked. “Well, I haven’t had you yet.”

“
Oh, I see. Actually. I just did
it to get you to stop talking.”

“
Oh... is that it?” Her mouth
opened wide in mock indignation. She swatted at his arm and
laughed.

“
Ow...”

“
Well, in that case mister... How
about more no talking.”

She leaned forward and kissed him again, pressing
herself against him harder. His arms wrapped around her. Scarlett
slid over and sat on his lap. Her hands moved to his cheeks. She
held his face up to hers.

Their kiss began as something simple and tender, but
the longer they stayed connected, the more heated their connection
became. Scarlett felt him pressing against her. Their tongues
intertwined and their hands groped.

Scarlett blindly fumbled with the buttons on his
pajama shirt while Neil peeled her shirt over her head. His lips
trailed down the side of her face to her neck. “Goddamn buttons.”
Finally, she undid the final button and ran her hands along the
curves of his well-defined chest.

She reached for the drawstring on his shorts. The
knot loosened with a tug.

“
Scar... It’s, um... It’s been a
while.”

Scarlett looked him in the eye and playfully slapped
his cheek. “Excuse me. I said no talking.” She pulled the waistband
and the knot came completely undone.

Neil fell back onto the bed. Scarlett leaned over
him and they continued to undress each other. A few moments later,
their bodies pressed against each other with no more barriers
between them.

* * *

Their first round of lovemaking was gentle and slow.
Scarlett took control and moved carefully to avoid aggravating his
wound. She thought the pace was slow and frustrating but more than
worth it in the end.

After, she collapsed on the bed beside him and they
lay silent. She curled up next to him and watched his exhaustion
take over. Neil’s breathing slowed. Her fingers traced the lean
curves of his chest as his muscles relaxed.

Scarlett stared at Neil’s chiseled jaw and thin
lips. Something cold ran down her cheek. She reached up and wiped
away the single tear. For so long she’d fought against her feelings
for him.
Now... What now?

Living with Neil for the past few weeks had given
her a pretty good insight into who he was.
Sure, he has secrets,
and some of them are dangerous... But isn’t that exactly what I’m
training for? Still... He’s a good guy.

She realized where her current line of thinking was
heading and wasn’t sure she wanted to go there. Rationally, she
knew that a few kisses and one slow romp in the sack under
extremely emotional conditions was not anything more than a bit of
sexual release.
It’s just the close quarters... Right?

* * *

Scarlett bobbed back and forth to the music. She
punched the canvas bag in front of her and let it swing.

Jab

Her head bobbed to the side and she attacked
again.

Jab Jab Powerpunch

Sweat poured down her face as she moved in time with
the rhythm. Her muscles vibrated with pent-up energy. She relished
the torture she was putting herself through; the exertion was
good.

She also relished the mental quiet. Despite the
music, her inner voices were silent. Today, no faces appeared on
the punching bag. Today, it was just a punching bag.

She ducked again and felt a tap on her shoulder. The
sudden contact startled her. She yelped and swung around, fist
flying at face level. Only Neil’s reflexes kept her knuckles from
hitting his jaw.

“
Whoa!”

Scarlett jumped back and yanked the earbuds from her
ears. “Oh shit! You okay? I’m sorry.”

“
Yeah, I’m fine.” He
smiled.

“
You startled me.”

“
I guess.”

She reached out, stopped the bag from swinging, and
downed a swig of water. “So how long were you watching me?”

“
Long enough. You’re doing good
though. Your form has improved, your follow through is better. Keep
it up.”

She reached down and turned off the small media
player. “Thanks!”

“
So, hey... About before.” Neil
walked over and sat in one of the kitchen table chairs.

From his sullen and serious tone, she knew where
this was going. “Hey, no... Look, I get it.”

“
You do?”

“
Yeah, sure. Emotions are high,
we’re in tight quarters. It’s just a thing. I get it.”

Neil looked down at the floor for a moment, his brow
furrowed. “Oh. Yeah, sure.”

“
That’s not what you were going to
say, was it?”