“Angel… baby… you have to stop. Someone will see.” To my surprise, his head lifted, and I was met with the intensity of his need as his brown eyes met mine.
“Come here.” I did as he asked and tasted myself on his lips with a moan when he kissed me. “Do you taste your sweetness?” he asked when he pulled away. His voice was thick with untamed desire. “How can you ask me to fucking stop?”
“I just think maybe we could take this inside,” I flirted. His eyes were wide with surprise. We’ve been divorced and dating for a year, but even though I agreed to give our love a try, I still set some boundaries. Like not staying overnight at the brownstone with Caylen and me. He’s been patient, letting me set the pace and make the rules, even though I knew the small space I kept between us was hurting him. I just had to be sure that what I wanted was also best for my son. Even without us living together, the bond that had been there between Angel and Caylen when he was just a baby was restored almost instantly. If Angel broke his promise or he left, I wouldn’t be the only one heartbroken this time.
“Are you sure?” There was so much hope in his eyes that I was almost sorry I hadn’t done it sooner.
“I haven’t given you your birthday present yet.” I reached down and pulled his gift from my bag. “I think this will show you how sure I am.”
He slowly took the small box from my hands. It was the same size as the one he’d given Caylen four years ago. As he untied the bow and tore the wrapping, I held my breath. He lifted the top and lying on the bedding was a replica of the brass key he’d given to Caylen and me for his first birthday.
His head lifted. His gaze met mine. The love in his eyes shone brightly. “Is this?”
I took the key from the box and his key ring from the ignition. “Caylen is ready.” He didn’t say anything as I slipped the key onto his key ring. “And so am I.”
I didn’t get the chance to say more when he kissed me hard and deep. “About fucking time,” he mumbled against my lips. “You were killing me, Sprite.”
My laugh was cut short when a knock on the window interrupted our moment. Angel turned, jaw hard and shoulders tense, to face the intruder at his window. I was surprised to see my dad standing there and also a little worried about how much he might have seen.
“What?” Angel greeted gruffly. I punched his arm, but he didn’t even acknowledge my warning as he stared back at my father who was bent over and looking straight at me.
“I asked you to have my daughter home at a reasonable hour.”
For the love of God.
It had been a year since Angel came home, and their pissing contest when it came to me wasn’t even close to ending. Of course, my dad hadn’t actually been serious when he set a curfew. First, because I’m a grown woman. Second, because Angel would have flipped him the bird if I hadn’t been holding his hand and his other hand hadn’t been holding Caylen against his side.
Dad’s been making an effort, despite trying to enforce himself as the dominant male in my life, to get along with Angel.
Angel has made no such effort.
Although he did go to prison so I could have a relationship with my father again. I think he’d drawn the line there four years ago.
“I’ll be right in,” I said before Angel could respond. Sometimes, it made me sad that they would never get along, and other times, I remember the men they once were and was just glad they weren’t trying to kill each other.
“All right, baby girl. I put Caylen to bed an hour ago. I’ll be inside.” That was his way of letting me know to do what I needed to do. He banged his knuckles on the hood of Angel’s precious car to piss him off before walking away. I held in my snicker when Angel’s nostrils flared as he watched him walk away.
“I promised I wouldn’t kill your dad, but that doesn’t mean I won’t kick his ass.”
“You do know if you ever want to marry me again, you’re going to have to ask him for my hand.”
His answering grunt was full of challenge as he eyed me. “Your father knows better than that. He’ll be lucky if I let him come to the wedding.”
It was my turn to make a rude sound. “I think you’re both lucky I decided to forgive either of you.”
His voice softened as he stared back at me. “I’m now the luckiest man in the world, baby.” The butterflies returned, and I was ready to forgive him for being rude to my father when he added, “But my first action as the man of the house will be to make you scream my name.” The evil glint in his eyes told me he wasn’t speaking about the one his mother had given him.