Chapter 26 Archangel
TWENTY-SIX
ARCHANGEL
He’s still naked when I wake. Ass perfect in the low glow of the morning light.
Fuck, he looks good. I want my tongue in his hole, but I’ve spent enough time around straight jocks to know that’s too far. A blow job, sure, guys love those, but more was too much. If he wasn’t sleeping face down like a dead man, I’d wake him up with a blow job.
He only sleeps in two positions, both make him look dead, and he has to be in the wrong one the day he’s naked. Just my luck.
I get out of bed carefully so I don’t wake him.
“Where are you going?” he instantly asks, reaching a hand toward me without moving the rest of his body.
“How are you even breathing like that?”
“Through my nose like a normal person,” he says without moving his face.
“You look like you’ve drowned in a puddle, sleeping face down like that.”
“Fuck off. Plenty of people sleep like this.” He slides his knee up almost like he’s goalie stretching, but without anything on, I get a full fucking view of his balls and his hole.
I swallow hard.
How is this my life?
I remember we’re bantering and quickly throw back, “Not without dying.”
I go brush my teeth and wash my face, needing to ground myself in some reality. But he hasn’t moved when I come back.
“Is that an open invitation?” I say, grabbing clothes out of my suitcase.
“Hmmm?” he twists a little, looking over his shoulder at me.
“Your chocolate starfish is on full display.” I throw on a shirt against the early morning chill.
“You don’t get to be the only one teasing.”
“How am I teasing?” I ask with a roll of my eyes.
“Dressing like you do every day. You know you have half the room looking at you.”
“Most aren’t looking because they like it.”
“They are wrong or lying to themselves.”
“Whatever. At least I have clothes on. You’re on full display.” And I want him. I hate how much I want him.
“I thought you said you prefer to bottom.” He doesn’t move, doesn’t cover himself up. Just stays wide open and inviting.
“There is so much more fun to be had than just topping.” I stare right at him, daring him to ask.
“Like what?” He lays his head on one of his arms.
“No one’s ever rimmed you, have they?”
“I can’t say they have.”
I slap his ass as I walk by. “You’re missing out.”
He grunts, and I hesitate at the door, wanting him to ask me to show him, but he won’t. I’ve lost my mind to this fantasy of him. I need to live in reality.
“I’m going to grab coffee and see if my mom needs anything.”
“I’ll shower and come down.” He stretches, arching his back like a cat, and I basically flee, because if I watch, I’m going to take things too far.
I find my mom with the staff fussing over a brunch spread.
“Finally. I thought you’d never get up.” She checks her watch. It’s barely eight in the morning, but this is how my mom operates. She thinks everyone should be fully functioning by six.
“It’s vacation, so I let myself sleep in.” I move in behind her to grab a cup, but before I can pick up the coffee carafe, one of the staff is helping. I let it happen because I don’t want to fight with my mom. “Thank you,” I say when she finishes and offers a saucer.
“Speaking of, your Grandfather isn’t answering the phone.”
“He’s probably still sleeping. What time is he coming over?” It’s still early, but Mom has no chill.
“Can you just go pick him up, Wilder?”
“He won’t want me to pick him up. You know how he feels about his independence,” I say, wanting to remind her he made a point of retaking the driving test recently to prove to everyone the state of Georgia says he’s allowed to drive.
“I worry about him behind the wheel with the snow forecasted for later.” She’s not going to let it go.
“I’ll go over there, but don’t be surprised if we show up in two separate cars.” At least I can pick up DP for Wolfe if I venture out. Something has to be open on Christmas Eve.
“Thank you.”
Wolfe appears freshly showered and still damp, hair pushed back out of his face. “Good morning, ma.” He gives Mom a one-arm hug, and she puts an arm around him, rubbing his back.
“My favorite son.” She kisses his cheek. “Did you sleep okay? I got a new mattress with you in mind.”
“I slept wonderfully. Thank you for redoing the room for us.”
“I had to give you a nice place to come home to.”
I meet Wolfe’s eyes behind my mom’s back, mouth hanging open. She really would consider him her favorite son.
Wolfe grins at me. “You always do. Can I get myself a cup of coffee?”
“Let Lucy do that for you. Extra sugar, Lucy.” Mom releases him.
“I’m going to get dressed and head out,” I say, needing to get out of the house before I roll my eyes any harder.
“Where are you going?” Wolfe asks, taking the cup from Lucy.
“He’s just running to pick up his Grandfather. You don’t have to go.”
“I might as well ride with him.” Wolfe comes over and slides his hand into mine in such a natural gesture. It’s like we’ve always been like this.
My chest aches with the familiarity of it.
“Are you sure? You can relax.” Mom is babying him while making me go drive. I shouldn’t be surprised.
“I’m sure.” Wolfe leans over, kissing my neck. “Is that okay, sweetheart?”
Fireflies buzz in my lungs, and I’m not sure I should risk speaking. “Always,” I manage.
We take my dad’s Range Rover in case the snow starts early at my mom’s insistence.
“A car I fit in.” Wolfe stretches out, making himself cozy.
“Don’t get used to it.”
“I’m buying myself the biggest fucking car I can find when I get my first NHL check.”
“And then you’ll still make me drive, won’t you?”
“I can’t help that I’m a passenger princess.” I turn onto the main road, heading into town instead of going toward Granddad’s.
“Where are we going?”
“Do you want a Dr. Pepper?”
“You do love me.”
I roll my eyes but can’t help the smile that forms on my lips. “Of course I do.”
We pull into the gas station and park, because my mom has the staff fill her tanks, so they are never below half.
I wave to Dave behind the counter and follow Wolfe toward the drinks.
“Does your grandad know?” Wolfe asks as he pulls open the cooler.
“What?” I reach over his shoulder and grab an energy drink.
“You shouldn’t be drinking that crap.” He side-eyes me.
“Don’t you even start with your bad habit?”
Wolfe hugs his DP to his chest. “Don’t listen to him. He doesn’t know what you do for me.”
“Oh, I know.”
“It makes my cum taste better,” he says with a totally straight face, and I don’t even know if he’s fucking joking.
“You’re bullshitting.”
“I’m not. Clearly, you enjoyed it.” He flashes me a smirk over his shoulder, walking toward the register.
Bastard.
I shake my head and then slam into the wall of his body. Wolfe backs up in a hurry, nearly knocking me on my ass.
“The fuck?” I ask, flattening myself against the aisle so he can pass, but I don’t need the answer.
As soon as he’s out of the way, I see his mother is walking toward us, greeting him like it hadn’t been five years since they spoke last.
I get between them. “Not happening.”
“He’s my son.” Her hair is a mess, and it looks like she hasn’t changed her clothes in weeks. She tries to get around me.
I put my hands on my hips, blocking her, using my size to take up the whole aisle and preventing her from getting by me. “He’s not. He hasn’t been for a long time.”
“He won’t just ignore blood. I birthed him.” She’s getting louder.
“Don’t follow us.” I glance around, not seeing Wolfe inside, so I ditch my drink and go outside.
I find him with his hands braced on the roof of the car, bent over, head hanging. I come up behind him, putting a hand on his back gently. “Get in the car. Let’s get out of here.”
He lets me open the door, and he gets in.
I go to the diver’s side, making sure she didn’t follow us before getting in. I get out of the parking lot quickly, taking off toward my grandfathers. Wolfe is looking out the window, and my heart is broken for him. I feel like it’s my fault.
I put my hand on his knee.
After a minute, he puts his hand on top of mine, but he’s not okay.
Another minute passes, and he says, “Can you pull over?”
“Where?”
“Right here. Anywhere.” His voice cracks.
I pull onto the shoulder and throw my hazards on. He’s tearing off his seatbelt while also trying to get the door open. He stumbles onto the side of the road. I get out and follow, but keep my distance. He has his hands on his knees, hunched over, breathing hard.
“Fuck her.” He straightens up, pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes, turning his back on me.
I tentatively come up behind him, hugging his back to my chest. “I’m here.”
He leans into me, chest heaving.
I kiss the back of his neck, trying to ground him. “You are safe.”
“I know, but my body doesn’t believe it.”
I squeeze him tighter, fighting my own emotions. “I got you. Always.”
He turns in my arms, pressing his face into my neck. I hug him just as tight.
“I shouldn’t have made you come back here. I’m sorry.”
He shakes his head. “I shouldn’t be like this—I should be able to face her.”
“She doesn’t deserve to even look at you. You don’t have to do anything.” I kiss his temple, wishing I could do more.
He wraps his massive arms around me, locking me in a death grip. “I fucking hate her, and I hate that it affects me so much.”
“She can’t get to you. I won’t let her.”
He nods into my neck. “I hate that I hate this place. I hate that it’s hard to be here. I’m so fucking tired of her winning.”
“She hasn’t won anything. She’s disgusting and miserable. You are amazing in spite of her, and that says so much about you.”
He shudders and is quiet for a long time. “Was he with her?”
“I didn’t see him.”
He sucks in a breath. “We have to get your grandfather.”
“It can wait. He’s probably having morning coffee, ignoring my mother on purpose.” I slip my fingers into his hair.
He laughs, and I can breathe again. Causing him pain rips my chest open. “Let’s go.” He releases me and wipes his eyes.
I go to get his door, but he left it open.
I make sure he’s in alright before getting back in on my side.
I press my head back into the rest, trying to get in the headspace to drive.
I pull back onto the road and glance over at him.
He’s looking out the window, and I can’t read him.
He reaches for my hand, bringing it to his lap.
I squeeze it, fighting a flood of emotions. “You don’t ever have to come back here with me. You don’t need to come to the wedding.”
He turns, gaze boring into my cheek. “Angel.”
I glance at him. “What?”
“I want this. I want to come with you. I shouldn’t have gone into town.”
“But—”
Wolfe cuts me off. “No buts. I’m coming.”
We pull up to Grandfather’s, and there are flashing lights. I shoot Wolfe a look, and he shrugs. I speed down his long driveway to find a massive fire truck parked in front of his house.
I barely park and turn the car off before I’m out of the car, running inside.