Chapter 45 #2
“Mind if I take ya somewhere?” I look back at the Halloween party, then to her, watching her nod a yes in response.
Contemplation lingers in her eyes, but the consideration alone is huge for her when I know how strong-willed she can be, especially since she wanted to run me over only a few minutes ago.
She clicks her seatbelt on, and I smile. “What, don’t trust my drivin’? It’s not that far.”
“Habit, I guess.”
I consider kissing her, but decide it’s best if I give her space as I turn the car around.
She sighs. “Where are we going?”
“Somewhere special.”
We ride the rest of the way silently, but I’m thankful for it because it gives me time to think. Not that it helps me come up with anything to say.
I drive her car down the familiar two-track, stopping once our destination is within walking distance. This is not how I pictured showing this to her, but now’s as good a time as any.
She aims for her handle. “Wait,” I yell out, startling her.
Swinging the door open, I climb over the top of the car, sliding my body across the roof, and landing outside her door.
She laughs and it sounds like a beautiful melody.
Much better than the sight of those tears from only seconds ago.
I open her door, putting my arm out as a brace to pull herself out of her seat in case the wings, or heels for that matter, make exiting harder.
“Just this way,” I say as I guide her toward my little secret project.
Her eyes flare as we enter the greenhouse, and I watch her take it all in. Pinks and reds, yellows and whites, every color flower spreads throughout the space. The floral scent wraps around the room. A place filled with wonder just like her.
“What is this?” She twirls around, leaning in to smell the closest flower, then moves forward to smell another.
“Angels,” I say, not realizing it probably makes little to no sense.
“This is the second most beautiful thing in my world, the first being you.” Tears well in her eyes, but she holds them back, a gentle smile turning up at the corner of her lips.
This time they don’t hurt, because I know they are happy.
“The entire greenhouse is filled with angel flowers. The only thing it’s been missin’ is the one I like the most.”
“When… Why…?” she huffs out incomplete question after question.
“Sawyer’s grandma used to have this place in full bloom.
I guess it was somethin’ she loved to do, but it didn’t have much life in here because she’s been gone a real long time.
I found it one day and decided to bring it back to life.
And, well, Ma always says a sure-fire way into a woman’s heart is somethin’ as precious as the feelings ya have for them. ”
Her stare locks with mine, baring two alluring windows into her heart, consistently locked tight, but now open to this, open to us.
“Nothin’ came to mind for the longest time on what that was because nothin’ could ever compare.” A small laugh escapes me. “And, well, I can’t give ya yourself.”
She smiles, but tears linger on the rim of her lashes. Maybe they aren’t bad? I hope they aren’t.
“So, anyways… Yeah, they’re all angels.” Leading her towards a fully bloomed flower with pink petals, I point at it.
“This one’s a peony, but people refer to them as Angel Cheeks.
” She examines the blossom and I notice it’s the same shade as her lips.
Gesturing another direction, at a small patch of blue flowers, I say, “And those are Clematis or Blue Angel’s. ”
I let her take them in, enjoying the opportunity to watch her admire something I created with her as my muse. Even among such heavenly company, she’s the most breathtaking of all.
Pulling her down the line of pots, I point at another batch of flowers.
“These yellow ones are Angel Trumpets, and these other pink, hangy ones have some wild name, but people just call them Angel Fishin’ Rods.
” The more I talk, the more her tears threaten to escape.
I lead her toward the back of the greenhouse, reaching forward and touching some light pink petals of the plant that now lays before us.
“Don’t even ask me the real name for these.
” I chuckle, but then seriousness crosses over me.
“These are Fallen Angels, they kind of remind me of whatever haunts beneath that pretty exterior of yours. Magnificent, even through whatever storm made them fall.”
She no longer holds the tears back as many dance down her cheeks. I hope she doesn’t think I just called her a fucking mess. God, I’m not good at this shit. Looking into her gaze, I can tell that it isn’t me, it’s something more.
“I’m sorry about what happened today, but I don’t want this to be over.
I want to protect ya, to hold your hand through battles no one else sees.
I want ya to feel wanted, and I will do whatever it takes to show ya that ya are, if ya let me.
” I pull her in close to my chest and kiss the top of her head, loving how perfectly she fits in my arms. How being with her compliments me in all the best ways.
She brings me down to earth, while still making it feel like I can fly.
I breathe in her sweet scent, hoping that all of this shows what she means to me, if my words themself haven’t proven it.
“If somethin’ is on your mind, I’m always goin’ to be here.
We don’t have to talk about it, but I sure wish ya would over pushin’ me away. ..”
The grip of her arms around my waist tightens, like she’s trying to hold on for dear life. I mirror her hold, pulling her as close as I can without crushing her. “I’m sorry.” Her voice shakes in such a light whisper I almost don’t hear what she said.
“For what?” I ask, genuinely. She doesn’t owe me an explanation. Hell, not even an excuse. She doesn’t have to say anything at all. I just want her to be okay.
Pulling away from me, she paces around until she meets an open spot on one of the plant benches and takes a seat.
She doesn’t make eye contact, but I can hear her let out a breath she seems to have been holding as she looks down at her feet.
“Maybe for underestimating what I mean to you, or maybe for being so broken I felt I had to.”
“So you were tryin’ to prevent the both of us from gettin’ hurt, or did ya just assume what we have is surface level?”
Nodding, she doesn’t speak a word, and my heart breaks a little for her, seeing the pain she’s trying so hard to hide.
“Well, look who’s tryin’ to save the day now,” I jest, attempting to make her smile return. “Little did ya know, you’ve been savin’ the day for as long as I can remember, Angel.”
Looking up from her feet, I see a small spark return to her eyes, and something about that makes me want to light the entire fire.
“Really?” I can tell she wants to believe me even if she’s not sure she can.
“Yes, really. Ya know that day I saw ya in the bar? The very first time when that guy said he knew me? Well, I was surrounded by people, and to an outsider lookin’ in, I bet I looked happy.
Truth is, none of those people were actual friends.
They were fans. All blinded by the lime light and dollar signs they saw when they looked at me, at my success.
” I envision her standing there across the bar with her in a sexy outfit and her signature scowl.
I remember that fire in her eyes, and thinking how badly I wanted to get burned.
What was once fascination, now admiration.
“Ya looked at me like ya saw it. I mean, I’m not sure ya did or not, but ya sure as hell didn’t look at me like I was a star, and we both know ya weren’t gonna treat me like one neither. ”
She laughs, and I see that real glow of hers return, even as tears continue to slowly trickle down her face.
“Well, it stuck with me, and so did every moment after. Like gum stuck to my damn boot. I couldn’t rid my mind of ya long before I even actually knew ya, because for once in my life someone just saw me as me.
And…well, it wasn’t all good. Shit, I think ya genuinely didn’t like me for at least half the time, but also ya didn’t ever act like my only worth was based on money or what my image could do for ya.
” Closing the distance between us, I wrap both of my arms around her ass as she spreads her legs to let my hips in, leaning my weight on my forearms that now rest on the bench beneath her.
“I didn’t like you.” Her response isn’t angry, just soft. Playful.
“Well, ya did a little.” I lean back a bit to take in her features.
The glow in her eyes and the way I can see how she feels within them.
She has a mystery about her, but not one she tries to hide well enough that I can’t see how much she wants love, and I feel lucky to be the one who gets to give it.
“Is that so?”
“Yeah, cuz ya never actually tried too hard to get away from me. Ya may have spit venom, but you were never meant to be a snake.” Cocking my head to the side, I stand back up, gliding my hands down the soft skin of her thighs.
My lips quirk up ever so slightly. ”Sure, one bite and a snake can take out a grown man and leave just like that.
..” A puzzled expression darkens her gaze.
“That’s much too small of an interaction, if ya ask me.
Especially now after knowin’ what it’s like to see ya leave. You’re more than that.”
I knew before this moment that there was so much to her, I just never dove too far into what that was. She’s the type of woman who should come with a warning label. The kind of girl they would name entire storms after, and yet I see myself heading into the eye of it.
We sit in silence as I circle my thumbs on her thighs.
I think of what it felt like to see her leave.
My heart feeling crushed all over again.
I try to think of a way to explain what an impact losing her would be.
She makes me feel more alive than anything I’ve ever felt.
Beautiful chaos, all wrapped in a mini skirt, with the finest ass I’ve ever seen.
And that smile of hers would send most, no all, men to their knees.
It ain’t no small feat though. Her love and affection isn’t something given easily like others.
You have to be patient. Work for it. Earn it.
And the longer I think about her, the more I can’t help but want to keep her for myself. Not just now, but always.
“Well, ya should’ve come with a storm warnin’.” My thoughts spill from my mouth.
“What?”
“A bite from a snake can be fixed. Overall, it’s small.
Nothin’ like ya. That little snake slithers off and that’s the end.
Watchin’ ya leave earlier was a catastrophe.
The kind of storm that takes out an entire city.
The kind of damage that can’t be fixed overnight.
” I look deep into her eyes and know I don’t ever want to see her leave again.
“I’m ain’t so sure losin’ ya is somethin’ that could ever be fixed.
And I’d do anythin’ to make sure I never have to find out. ”