Dark Angel (Casteel 2)

Rich, wild, beautiful, sophisticated women! Women

of charm, brains, culture. Bejeweled, fashionable,

witty, self-assured--what chance did a hillbilly Casteel have of capturing such a man as Troy, when they

had failed?

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said, breaking away,

and backing off down the steps. "That is, if Jillian and

Tony don't return. I don't know what's keeping them

away for so long."

I didn't know either, but it was good not to have

to be so furtive about meeting Troy. And the more I

thought about that, after I was in bed, the more

restless I became. I wanted to be with Troy now. I

didn't want to wait any longer. Silently I willed him to

come to me, come to me now.

For endless hours I dwelled fitfully on the rim

of sleep, never finding the peaceful oblivion I

desperately sought. From one side to another I

flipped, trying my back, my stomach. Then, suddenly

I heard my name called. I bolted wide awake to stare

at the electric clock on my nightstand. Two o'clock--

that's all the time that had passed? I got up to pull on a

frail, green peignoir that matched my nightgown, then

went down the upstairs hall to the stairs, and without

design, I found myself in the maze, barefooted. The

grass was damp and cool. What I was doing here I

didn't want to analyze.

The electrical storm had washed the atmosphere

to such clarity moonlight lit up the darkness. The tall

hedges with their millions of leaves snagged tiny bits

of starlight so they sparkled. Then I was there,