Angel Falling, page 24
part #1 of Falling Series
I turned to Aspen and kissed her once more. Her surprised gasp turned into a moan and I got caught up in her all over again. The woman had the power to turn a man into a jelly donut with her sharp tongue, her quick wit, that smokin’ hot body, and her grace.
I turned her around lifted her up and set her on the conference room table. I forced her thighs wide open, then yanked her legs around my hips. Why the fuck was she wearin’ pants? I needed to talk to my little buddy about her wardrobe. She needed to be wearin’ more skirts and dresses. Easy access. I pressed my erection hard against her center.
“Oh, God, Hank. We can’t do this. Not here. Not now. You haven’t even told me what’s going on,” she whispered against my neck, then proceeded to suck and bite, making me damned near crazy.
“Can’t wait, Angel. Been too long.” I unbuttoned her pants, lifted her with one hand, and tugged the fabric down her thighs. Her pointed stilts fell to the floor with a loud clunk. She leaned back and let me pull her pants down and off her body. She was wearing red lace panties and I could just see the faint line of her pussy through the damp fabric.
My mouth started to salivate. She quickly pulled them down before I tore them to shreds. Smart cookie. I ripped at my khakis and shoved them and my boxers to the floor. She gripped my dress shirt and undid the buttons as I stared at her heaving chest.
Those blue eyes of her were almost black, laced with need. I sent up a small prayer to the good Lord above that she wasn’t pushing me away. She wanted me. Wanted this, right here, right now. If she hadn’t I’d have spontaneously combusted on the spot.
When both of our shirts were open I pulled her to me and kissed her. She held my face, turning my head where she wanted me to go. She could take the lead. As long as her lips were on mine, she could do whatever she wanted. Christ! She tasted good. I reached a hand around to cup her ass. The other hand went straight for the promised land. She was soaked. I sank two fingers into her body. She straightened and pressed harder onto my hand, then sealed our chests skin to skin.
It wasn’t enough. More. I needed more.
“Hank, I … ” she said as I lined up my cock, pulled her ass cheeks, and forced her down hard on my length, impaling her in one hard thrust. “God!” she screamed.
I stilled, holding us both quietly, letting my body calm. It had been starved for her touch for over a month, and I didn’t want things to be over before they ever really even got started.
“Angel,” I kissed every inch of her face. “It’s good to be home.” Tears fell down her face and I kissed them away and started to move in and out of her body in measured, slow strokes.
“I’ve missed you,” she whispered against my lips, her eyes closed.
“Open your eyes,” I begged on a particularly hard thrust. She gasped and opened her eyes. They were filled with love, pain, and something else … hope. “I love you. You. Aspen Isabel Bright-Reynolds.” I punctuated her name with a fierce thrust. “No one else. There will never be anyone else,” I promised as I picked up the pace and started pounding into her.
“What about … ” she started. I leaned her back to lay on the conference table, completely vulnerable and open to me. I pulled back and shoved my cock so far into her she orgasmed fast and quick.
“Only you. I’ve fallen for an angel and there will never be anyone else. You’re mine from here on out, until the end of time. You hear me?” I roared then slammed into her over and over. Her body coiled tight in orgasm, but I could tell she was already building into the mother of all releases. If she didn’t want to listen to my words she’d listen to my body. I’d fuck her into believing the truth.
“God, yes, Hank. I love you. I love you so much,” she cried. I pulled her up, holding her face-to-face.
“You feel that, Angel?” She nodded on a particularly deep thrust and tipped her head back in a moan. “That’s me, inside you. Inside the woman I want to spend my life with. Inside the woman I’m going to marry.” Her eyes went wide, mouth opened to lick her lips. “That’s right. You’re going to be stuck with me. You don’t have a choice. This is real … this is real love.”
I clenched her body tightly against mine and pumped my cock into her, my release shooting deep within her tight channel. The corresponding orgasm pulled and sucked at my length, a dizzying, unbidden pleasure the likes of which I’d never had before and would only have with her. I knew that I would end up worshiping this woman until the end of my days.
She held me to her, our breath coming in heaving gulps of air. “Never again, Angel. We’ll never be apart again.”
She nodded. “Hank, we have a lot to discuss. So much has happened.” She worried her plump pink lip and I swooped in and kissed her worry away, lapping at the tissue, claiming it for my own.
“Yes, I agree.”
Silently we both pulled on our clothes. A brief knock rang out on the conference door just before Oliver entered. He took in our rumpled clothing, Aspen pulling on her blazer, me buttoning up my shirt. A wide grin broke across his face. “So, it looks like you two made up. You ready to go home? The limo is waiting.”
Aspen looked nervous, but I clasped my hand with hers. “Yes, Oliver, we’re ready to go home.”
My Angel’s eyebrows knit together. “But where are you staying?” she asked as we walked toward the elevators.
“At my home away from home. Where my Angel lives is where I live.”
“You can’t be serious. We haven’t seen each other in a month.” Her rational brain was about to screw up all my well-laid plans.
“Doesn’t matter. I’m going home with you. I’m movin’ all of my stuff in, too.” Oliver snorted. “What?”
“All your stuff.” He laughed. “Like what? All three boxes of it?”
“Shut up, pipsqueak. I’m talking to my fiancée. ” Two stunned faces and gaping mouths stared at me. “What?”
“Your fiancée?” Aspen whispered.
“Oh, yes, you will be my wife. Sooner rather than later. I hate waitin’ and we’ve lost a month as it is.” I pulled on her hand and yanked a shocked Oliver into the elevator.
We took the drive back to the penthouse and I was happier than I ever thought I’d be a month ago. Aspen was quiet—too quiet—but I had time to get her to warm to the idea of being a Jensen. Before that, though, we needed to eat, and I needed to be home with her where I could explain everything that happened and clear the road to our future.
Oliver left us, exiting on the thirtieth floor. I had no idea the little fella lived in the same building. That sure explained how he was always able to get to her so fast. Or intrude on some private moments with such ease. We got out at the penthouse and the doors were open. I had worked with Ollie to plan a private romantic dinner at home where we could reconnect.
Rose petals trailed along the floor of her home leading to the dining room. “Did you do this?” she asked, awe in her voice.
“I did. But my little buddy and Gusto helped. I wanted our first night back together to be special. A homecoming.” She nodded and smiled.
A familiar clicking noise could be heard barreling through the rooms. Gusto’s thick accent quick on the heels screaming something in Swedish. I braced Aspen’s shoulders and stopped cold as Butch came around the corner and slammed into us.
“Hi Butchey! Did you miss me? I missed you so much boy, so much!” Aspen petted and hugged my dog. Her watery gaze lifted to mine. “I’m so glad he’s here.” Butch was happier than a pig in a mud puddle on a hot day. His long tail smacked against me repeatedly as he spun for Aspen’s pleasure.
“Yeah, poor fella missed you somethin’ awful. You’d left a shirt back at the ranch and he found it. Kept it on his bed the whole time we’d been apart.”
After a few more scratches and hugs for Butch, we made our way to the dining room, where Gusto had outdone himself. The tables were dressed with flowers, lit candles, and golden dinnerware.
“It’s beautiful, Hank. Thank you,” she said and sat when I pulled out her chair.
Gusto brought our matching dishes of filet mignon, veggies, and couscous. I requested that special since we had it one of our first nights together. She noticed my shy smile when she took a bite.
God, I was a lucky man. She hadn’t said she’d marry me, but I didn’t really ask properly yet. The biggest step forward was that she hadn’t run away. We were here together, and earlier that day I’d made love to her. However impromptu and unplanned it was, our bodies just needed to be united in that moment. It had been too long. Now, I needed to connect with her emotionally. She needed to understand that Susie was my past and that she was my future.
After dinner, I lifted her and carried her into the bedroom. She didn’t say a word. I pulled back the covers, laid her down, and then slowly pulled off her suit, piece by piece. She sighed as I caressed each new expanse of bare skin, placing a kiss here and there while disrobing her. She’d lost a good ten pounds her curves slight and less soft around the edges.
A pang of guilt slithered into my subconscious knowing that she’d lost the weight because of me. Didn’t take care of herself properly because I’d hurt her something awful. I planned on fixin’ it all no matter how long it took. I removed all my own clothes aside from my boxers, and then got into bed next to her. She immediately laid her head onto my bare chest and sighed.
“It’s time to talk, Angel. There are some things you need to know about. Just promise me you’ll hear me out.”
She kissed my bare chest. “Okay, I promise. I’m ready.”
Chapter 19
Hank’s body was warm against my cheek. His musky citrus scent filled the space around us. I felt at ease for the first time in a month. We hadn’t discussed what happened at his parents’ back in Texas. The sound of him kissing Susie may never leave the deep recesses of my brain. Even though it needed to be discussed. Hank had said things that were just plain bat-shit crazy. He’s moving in? Called me his fiancée, but didn’t bother to put a ring on my finger.
Nestled against Hank’s solid chest, I ran my fingers through the small tufts of hair along his abdomen heading down into the boxers that held one fine piece of male equipment. My mouth watered thinking about reacquainting myself with Hank’s member once more. As my hand started to creep down Hank’s tight muscles, one large hand captured me at the wrist, stopping further explorations down south.
“Darlin’, you start that and we’ll never get to talkin’. Believe me. I need to be balls deep in you something fierce, but I promised you we’d clear the air for good. I want nothin’ in the way of us movin’ on the right path.” He leaned down and kissed me softly, then settled me against his chest once more, lacing his fingers with my wandering hand.
He took a deep breath and spoke. “I was just about to turn twenty-four. Susie was two years younger. She was a smart one—skipped a couple grades in school, so we ended up in high school at the same time. We dated all through high school. With the age difference, we waited to be physical until she was seventeen. Even then I was worried her old man would kill me.” I laughed lightly, thinking fondly of what he must have looked like back then.
“After high school I went on to college a couple hours away, and she stayed back home to help her family out at their farm. Her mama was sick and needed her to take care of her younger siblings. We’d see each other on the weekend, catch up with friends, fuck. It was hard being at college and her being home. So over some time, my visits home started lessening. Our relationship was in trouble, but I still believed I loved her. Was faithful to her.”
The comment about being faithful struck a chord with me; my body tensed like a rattlesnake ready to strike. Hank smoothed his hands up and down my bare back, comforting me into submission. My body was a traitor, starved for his touch.
“Then what happened?” I asked. Walking down memory lane was painful. I wanted to cover the wound with a Band-Aid and let it heal.
“I came home one weekend and she was cryin’ something awful. Took me hours to get her to stop long enough to tell me what was wrong. I figured her mama must’ve died or something the way she was carrying on. Someone did die, but it wasn’t her mama.” Hank took a deep breath and licked his lips. “She finally admitted that she was pregnant. Well, she had been. She found out she was six weeks pregnant with my child, and then she killed it. She killed my baby. I never even knew I was gonna be a daddy before she took away my rights. She never gave me the chance to talk about it. Make the decision. She made the wrong one. I’d never kill my own flesh and blood.”
“Oh my God, Hank. I’m sorry.” I looked up and tears were in his eyes and leaked down the side of his face. I rolled on top of him, straddling his huge body, and kissed away his tears. His boxers and my panties were the only thing separating me from him. He kept talking.
“She’d had an abortion, and said she did it because she thought I wouldn’t want to be a daddy. That I would leave her a single mother back home while I lived my fancy college-boy lifestyle in another city. It was my fault. If I had been there for her, nicer maybe, not so selfish, she’d never have done it. My child would be just over ten years old now.”
The guilt poured off Hank in waves. The man believed he was to blame for such a monumental decision made by the Country Cunt.
“Hank, no, no.” I kissed every crease, every tear, every line on his beautiful face. “Shhhh … it’s not your fault. You didn’t know. You can’t blame yourself when she didn’t come to you. She should have come to you. It wasn’t a decision she should have made alone.”
He sniffed and composed himself, wiping his tears on his forearm. I leaned up and caressed his face. “So you broke it off with her?” He needed to finish this for good.
His voice cracked when he replied. “Yeah, I just couldn’t forgive her. I still don’t. You see, Angel, my feelings for her are rife with pain, guilt, and regret. That night at my folks’ ranch, she begged me to take her back. Start over.” I tried to slide off his body. “No you don’t. We face this shit together,” he said with more conviction than I felt at the moment. He held me fast before I could escape.
“I was there, Hank. I heard what she said. I came looking for you and was on the other side of the wagon.” Tears filled my eyes. “You asked her if she wanted you back, she said yes, and then you kissed her! I heard you kissing her, Hank!” My body fell forward onto his, my face hiding in the crook of his neck while I sobbed. “How could you?”
His arms tightened around me. “Now, you’re going to listen to me and listen good. I didn’t offer to get back together with her. You heard me wrong. I was shocked by the fact that she wanted to get back together. Then before I could stop her, she kissed me. She kissed me! And you obviously didn’t hear everything. Did you hear the part about where I told her I loved you, wanted to be with you?”
What is he talking about? That’s not what I heard. I shook my head. “I couldn’t bear to hear any more after I heard you two kissing. I ran.”
His arms banded around me and he kissed my temples with feather light presses of soft lips. “You should have stayed for the fireworks, Angel. I told her off but good. Explained that you and I were in love, and that she and I were over forever.”
I pulled back to search his face. Ready to beg, to plead for the truth. It was all there in his honey green eyes. The truth that I almost lost. He loved me. Only me. His hands cupped both sides of my face, his thumbs slid across my cheeks to wipe away the last of my tears. This was it. I would shed no more tears about Hank’s past.
“Come here, Angel.” He pulled me atop his wide chest and hugged me tightly. It was the warmest place and had the power to soothe my ravaged mind and heart. “It’s only ever gonna be us from here on out. I promise.”
“But what about your business, about your ranch? You love your home and you know I can’t leave AIR Bright, Hank. Nor would I want to.”
“I do love my ranch, and I do love my home, but I love you more. I’ve worked it out with three investors. You know Jackson, he was in your meeting today. Then one of Dean’s rich friends, and the architect Alex Benson has a company; his firm invested in my company, too. And you know that small office you have on the twelfth floor of AIR Bright?”
I grinned. “Oliver pulled some strings to ensure I got the place without having to go through the rigmarole or get on the waiting list. He also gave it to me for ninety days rent free to make sure I’d confirmed that you were in this with me for the long haul.” He smiled a full-teeth smile and I melted. When Hank smiled the whole world smiled back.
“Oh, I’m in it for the long haul, Stud.” I wiggled my center against his hips.
His hands crept down to my backside and squeezed. I could feel his length hardening through the thin cotton of his boxers.
“Is that so? Does that mean if some young, strapping, incredibly good-lookin’ cowboy from Texas were to, say, proposition you for the ultimate long haul, you reckon’ you might be willing to agree?” His face was smiling but I could see the nerves.
“Are you asking what I think you’re asking, Stud?” I sat up, his hardening length a steel rod between my thighs.
He held my bum with one hand and leaned over the edge of the bed and pulled at his jeans. He fingered a navy blue box. My breath caught, eyes focused on that tiny square of velvet he casually turned around and around in his large hand. A barrage of worry slammed through my thoughts like a wrecking ball.
Did I want to get married?
Was I ready to get married?
What would my parents think?
What would his parents think after I bailed a month ago?
Thought after thought broke into glimmering pieces throughout the vast void surrounding us and my heart started to pound, I clutched at it.
“Breathe, Angel. Jesus Christ! It’s not what you think!”
My eyes sought his and burned a hole through those sparkling green eyes. “What do you mean it’s not what I think?”
