Dark Angel (Casteel 2)

"So did 1."

"Just when I was about to sleep, I bolted wide

awake and I thought I heard you calling me." He made a noise deep in his throat, holding me

tighter against his warm body. "I was on my way to

you when you fell through the door, just like a prayer

answered, and yet, I shouldn't have allowed this to

happen. I'm so afraid you're going to be sorry. I never

want to hurt you."

"You could never hurt me, not ever! I have

never met a man so gentle and kind."

His chuckle was low. "How many men have

you known at the tender age of eighteen?"

"Only the one I told you about," I whispered,

hiding my face when he wanted to gaze into my eyes.

"Will you tell me more about him?"

He listened without asking questions, his

slender hands caressing me all the while, and when

my words died, he kissed my lips, each one of my

fingertips. "Have you heard from this Cal Dennison

since you came to live in Farthy?"

"I never want to hear from him, not ever!" How

vehemently I cried that!

We were silly during our first meal of the day,

acting like two adolescent kids just finding each other.

I had never eaten a fried egg and bacon sandwich

before, or known that strawberry jam enhanced the

flavor of both egg and bacon. "It was pure serendipity how I discovered this gourmet treat," he went on to explain. "I was about seven years old and recovering from another of those childhood diseases that used to plague me, and Jillian was scolding me for being messy at the table, when I dropped my toast with strawberry jam face down into my plate. 'You eat it anyway!' she yelled, and when I did, I found out for

the first time that I liked eggs and bacon . . ." "Jillian used to yell at you?" Astonishment

filled me. I had believed a great deal of her

grouchiness with me was because she was resentful of