Chapter 9 Away
Chapter nine
Away
Ienjoyed dancing with Kat, but being on our feet all day was bound to catch up with us. My arches throbbed in protest. I needed to sit before I toppled over. Angel was still talking to that curly-haired woman, though. He flashed me an apologetic smile.
What was so important he couldn’t get away? Or did he prefer to keep his distance now that he knew I was a virgin? I was sure he had more experienced prospects, including that lady.
I frowned in their direction. “We should probably go soon.”
Kat twirled her cross. “Are you sure? Don’t you want to talk to your man again?”
“Maybe I should say goodbye?”
If he was genuinely interested, he’d make sure we exchanged numbers or send me a follow-up email.
“Okay. Oh, one second.” She checked her phone, Victor’s brooding face on the caller ID. “Can I get this?” she asked. At my nod, she swiped and turned, cradling her phone against her cheek. “Hey handsome. How’re you doing?”
She blushed at the purr of his hello.
How did they manage to stay perky despite all their responsibilities of managing? They burned with passion, but never burned out like me.
Angel sidled up to me, ice clinking in his glass. “Hey, pidge. I saw you had fun out there. It almost made me want to cut in. Could I have the next dance?”
“We’re actually heading out in a minute. How’s your friend?” I gestured to the curly-haired lady, who was busy texting.
“Ah, she’ll be fine. Never tell anyone you’re in med school unless you want to be pestered about stomach ailments,” he said.
The suggestion shot through my heart. Who’d ask a dropout for advice? I mustered a smile. “Well, I’m not in that field anymore, so I doubt I’d have that problem.”
He furrowed his brow. “Aren’t you going back?”
“Yeah, maybe. I’m just not sure I’m cut out for it,” I admitted. I hadn’t even told my parents that yet.
“Why? You care. You work hard. You always did well in class,” he said.
I sighed, defeat clinging to me like wet sheets. There was so much more to med school than hard work and the desire to do better. The nursing program had been hard. Med school was brutal.
Angel rubbed the tension out of my back, gently shifting in time to the music. “What’s wrong, pidge?”
I resisted the urge to melt into his touch, but couldn’t stop myself from swaying with him. “I don’t know if I can get into it again. We learn so much, so fast.”
“It’s an adjustment.” He hugged me, his cologne sweet and light. “But there’s no harm trying something new for a bit.”
“Something new…”
Something fun. Like him.
I dragged my gaze across his foxlike face, my heart racing at the subtle suggestion of his darkened eyes and soft lips.
What kind of fun could we have?
An experience, an affair, or an adventure that’d change how I viewed bodies forever?
“Hi.” Kat’s cheerful voice snapped me out of a hazy reverie. “Are you ready to go, or did you want to finish the song?”
I startled, not realizing how close I’d gotten to Angel in our little dance. “I-I’m good,” I said, my face hot.
It wasn’t like he was overly interested in me. Flirting was just his hobby. And he was great at it. Expert status. He’d almost tempted me into a random kiss in some seedy bar with my sister in attendance.
“See you later, pidge.” He stroked my spine, a pleasant, shiver-inducing farewell.
What else could he do with his hands? Would he teach me how to put someone at ease with just a touch?
A ribbon of possibility fluttered through my mind. Maybe he was even sweeter than me. I just needed to provide the opportunity for us to get to know each other without everybody watching.
“Actually, I might stay and catch a ride with Angel, instead,” I said.
“What?” Kat and Angel asked at the same time.
At her glare, he straightened his posture.
“I mean, yeah, we can do that,” he said, his cheeks flushed.
“Thanks.” I turned to my sister. “This way, you can meet Victor earlier.”
She frowned at Angel. “How many drinks have you had?”
“Two and a half.” He toasted her with his Negroni, the orange slice firmly gripping the glass edge.
“He’s been drinking them over the last few hours, so that’s perfect.” I patted his slightly damp back.
He took another sip and nodded.
Was he hot? Or nervous?
“I can still go with my sister, if you’re not sure of your plans,” I said, glancing at the curly-haired lady from earlier.
“No, no. I’ll take you.” He flexed his fingers around the sweating glass. “I just need to settle my bill. One minute.” He slipped away to the bar.
Kat frowned. “Are you sure about this?”
“No. But I think it’s worth the risk," I said.
“Okay. Love you. Be safe.” She kissed my cheek and hugged me tightly. “Text me when you get home, okay?”
“You sound like Victor.”
“Oh, no, he’s much more protective.” She waved goodbye as Angel returned. “Have fun, you two.”
“We will,” I said through gritted teeth.
Get out of here, please.
She skipped through the door to meet her beau. Was sex that exciting? Or was it love? I supposed it could be both.
I hadn’t really had either, yet. Angel could educate me in some aspects.
He touched the back of his arrow piercing. “So, what do you want to do? Talk? Dance?”
I could do that with my sister. There was something specific I wanted to try with him. “How about we get out of here?” I asked.
He raised his brows. “Oh. Sure thing, pidge.”
Sal gave us an anxious smile on the way out, possibly because he spotted Angel’s arm around me. But it’d be fine. We enjoyed each other’s company.
Angel led me to the passenger’s side of a silver car and skidded in the slush to pull open the door for me.
“Are you trying to be some kind of gentleman?” I asked, eyeing him as I maneuvered into the seat.
“My name is ‘Angel.’ At some point, I should live up to it.” He winked, his shadow covering me as he leaned over to buckle me in. “Just don’t tell anyone I did all this, okay? It’d ruin my reputation.”
“What reputation?” I joked.
His fingertips grazed my thighs just as the seatbelt clicked. I gasped and raised my hips.
“Easy, pidge.” He smirked, patting my thigh. “We don’t want to ruin your reputation.”
I dug my fingers into the leather seat, my heart racing at the idea of all those people at the bar—or our school—gossiping. “Can I ask you something?”
“Anything.” He knelt by the passenger’s side, waiting, like I was a patient who’d buzzed him over. Was his bedside manner this sweet?
My mind flashed with a bizarre fantasy: me, in nothing but a hospital gown, and him spreading my legs to play doctor with me.
I forced myself out of my daydream. “I think having ‘fun’ requires some element of vulnerability.”
He hummed and laid a warm hand on my knee.
I clasped it in a plea. “So, I was wondering if we could agree upon some kind of confidentiality. I mean, we can generally acknowledge we’re involved.
But I don’t want to be the subject of any ratings or anecdotes or anything embarrassing.
If and when I go back to school, we’d be in a lot of the same circles, professionally. ”
I didn’t need any coworkers gossiping about how thoroughly he’d examined me.
His voice softened. “I’m just driving you home, Tori.”
Was that all he’d tell anybody?
He kissed my hand as if to pay homage to a nonexistent ring. A promise he’d serve me.
Warmth flared through my extremities.
I giggled and withdrew my hand from his grasp. “You’re too much.”
“And yet, I’ve never thrown underwear at someone,” he said, standing.
“That was an accident,” I insisted.
He closed the door on me and smirked, strutting around the car to get into the driver’s seat. That gave me plenty of time to come up with a better comeback the next time he mentioned that thong slingshot action. Like he probably deserved it.
Angel stretched his fingers over the steering wheel. “So, where do you want to go?”
Not home. Not another bar, either. Nowhere distracting.
I blurted out the first semi-secluded date spot I imagined as a preteen. “How about the beach?”
“In February?” he asked incredulously.
I slunk down in my seat. “I thought it’d be romantic.” That was probably na?ve.
He patted my knee. “You know what, you’re right. It’ll be quiet this time of year. Quiet and pretty.”
“I hope so.” I hugged my seatbelt, not sure where else we could go for any kind of privacy.
Jen would throw a fit if I brought someone home, and I didn’t want to introduce him to my parents on our first ‘date.’ Neighbors might be suspicious if we parked up the street or walked around at night.
“Where do you live?” I asked.
“Not too far from here, actually,” he said, gesturing to the approaching shoreline. He hadn’t even needed to consult directions.
“Did you go to the beach often?” I asked.
He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the edges. “When I was little. My mom loves it there: sand between her toes, the sun on her skin, and the water right there to cool off in. But heaven help you if you get her hair wet.”
I giggled at the mental image of young Angel getting chased through the waves. Maybe that was where he’d developed such quick reflexes.
“That sounds nice,” I said.
“It was.” He shrugged, switching his hand position from ten-and-two to one on midnight on the steering wheel. “She goes to a warmer coast in the winter months.”
That could be half the year if she lived out here.
“Do you miss her?” I asked gently.
He gave me a wry look. “Yes. I think she’d be devastated if I didn’t.”
“Oh.” Was he a mama's boy? Or was she overly doting? Not that I was gonna knock someone for having a good relationship with their family.
“It’s fine, Tori. We’re not codependent. We talk maybe once a week, and when she gets back, we exchange souvenirs. I usually give her something pretty like perfume or flowers.” He gently clasped my hand in reassurance. “She’s not involved in my relationships.”
Probably because none of them had been serious yet.
Besides, if we did get married, she’d be gone half the year.
Oh my gosh. Why was I even thinking about that?