“Shit,” he murmured, pressing the receive button and putting it to his ear. “Yeah?”
Angel watched his face, wondering who was calling. Now that she thought about it, she was surprised he hadn’t received any calls the whole time they’d been away.
Cole leaned back against the headboard, listening to the caller. “Yeah. Okay.”
Angel turned on her side, propping up on her elbow, running her hand over his stomach and chest. She watched him reach for a pack of cigarettes and shake one out.
“All right.” He took the lighter off the bedside table and lit the cigarette. “I don’t know. Tonight sometime. Why?” He tossed the lighter back on the table. “Yeah. Okay. I’ll be there.”
He flipped the phone closed and tossed it on the table. Taking a deep hit off the cigarette, he looked down at her and absently trailed the fingers of his other hand along her spine. “I gotta get back.”
“Business?”
He blew out a stream of smoke and nodded. “Yeah.”
“Okay.” Angel started to get up.
Cole grabbed her by the hand and pulled her back. “Come here, babe.” He pulled her down on his chest. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” she asked, looking into his eyes.
He shrugged, lifting a strand of hair off her face and tucking it behind her ear. “That this has to end. That we have to leave.”
“Me, too.” She smiled.
He took her hand, brought it to his lips and kissed it, looking into her eyes all the while. “You know this time we’ve had together has been special to me.”
She interlaced her fingers with his. “I feel like… like I’ve known you forever.” She smiled. “Maybe we knew each other in a past life.”
“Past life?” He took a hit off the cigarette, squinting at her through the smoke.
She shrugged. “You know, like reincarnation. Maybe we’re two old souls that knew each other a long time ago and just found each other again.
He smiled and put out his cigarette. “Women. Where do you girls get this shit?”
“What shit?”
“This romantic shit.”
She smiled. “What? You don’t believe reincarnation is possible?”
He grinned. “Baby, if we did know each other in a past life, I’m pretty sure I was a Roman soldier and you were a slave girl.”
She squealed as he flipped her on her back and kissed her.
It was several more hours before they left.