Kiss an Angel(120)

Brady crossed his arms over his chest. “I thought you should know—I saw her curled up in Sinjun’s cage again last night.”

“Damn it! I swear to God I’m going to handcuff her if she doesn’t stay out of that tiger cage!”

“It scares the shit out of me, I’ll tell you that. I hate seeing her like this.”

“Yeah, well you’re not the only one.”

“Why don’t you do something?”

“Just what do you suggest? I had one of my cars brought down from Connecticut so she wouldn’t have to ride in the truck, but she said she liked the truck. I’ve bought her flowers, and she ignores them. I tried to order a new RV, but she had a fit when she found out about it, so I had to cancel. I don’t know what else I can do.” He shoved his hand through his hair. “Why am I telling you this? If you knew anything about women, you wouldn’t be hanging around Sheba.”

“You’re not getting any argument out of me.”

“Daisy’s going to be fine. It’s just a matter of time.”

“Sure. You’re probably right.”

“Damn right I am.”

If he repeated it enough times, maybe he could make it come true. How he missed the way she had been. She never cried anymore. Her easy tears had been as much a part of her as the air she breathed, but now she seemed to have anesthetized herself to emotion. He remembered the way she used to throw herself into his arms from the top of the truck ramp, the sound of her laughter, the brush of her hand in his hair. He ached for her in a way he had never ached for anyone, and last night, it had pushed him over the edge.

He winced at the memory.

He’d dreamed she was smiling at him in that way she used to, her whole face lit up, offering herself to him. He’d awakened to find himself pressed against her. It had been so long, and he wanted her too much to let her go.

He slid his hand along her hip and over the sweet thickening at her waist. She’d awakened immediately, and he’d felt her stiffen as he caressed her, but she didn’t pull away. She didn’t even resist when he spread her thighs and moved on top of her. Instead, she lay passively while he added one more sin to the list of those he’d already committed against her. He’d felt like a rapist, and this morning he hadn’t been able to look himself in the eye when he’d shaved.

“She still talks to Heather,” Brady said. “But not the way she used to. Heather’s as worried as the rest of us.”



Heather finished the tacos Sheba had made for her and wiped her fingers on her paper napkin. “Do you want to hear what Dad said to me last night?”

Sheba looked over from the sink. “Sure.”

Heather grinned, then puffed out her chest. “He said, ‘Damn it, Heather, get your crap off the couch. Just because I love you doesn’t mean I want your makeup plastered all over my ass.”

Sheba laughed. “Your old man sure knows how to sweet talk.”

“That day at the airport . . .” She blinked. “He had tears in his eyes, Sheba.”

“He loves you a lot.”

“I guess I know that now.” Her smile faded. “I feel sort of guilty being so happy and everything when Daisy’s all screwed up. Yesterday I said shit right in front of her, and she didn’t even notice.”

Sheba swiped at the counter with a dishcloth. “Daisy’s all anyone talks about anymore. I’m getting sick of it.”

“That’s because you don’t like her, and I can’t understand why. I mean I know you and Alex used to be together and everything, but you don’t care about him anymore, and she’s so sad, so what’s the big deal?”

“The big deal is that Sheba can’t stand it when anybody gets the best of her.” Brady stood just inside the door, although neither of them had heard him come in.

Sheba got her hackles up right away. “Don’t you ever knock?”

Heather sighed. “Are you two going to start arguing again?”

“I don’t argue,” Brady said. “She’s the one.”

“Ha! He thinks he can tell me what to do, and I won’t let him.”

“That’s what he says about you,” Heather pointed out patiently. And then, even though she was beginning to think she was wasting her breath, she said, “If the two of you would just get married, you’d be so busy bossing each other around that you’d leave everybody else alone.”

“I wouldn’t marry him for anything!”

“I wouldn’t marry her if she was the last woman on earth!”

“Then you shouldn’t be sleeping together.” Heather adopted her best Daisy Markov voice. “And I know you sneak over here to be with her just about every night, Dad, even though sex without a deep commitment to the other person is immoral.”

Sheba turned red. Her dad opened and closed his mouth a couple of times like a goldfish, then began to bluster. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, young lady. Sheba and I are just friends, that’s all. She’s been having trouble with her water tank, and I—”

Heather rolled her eyes. “I’m not a moron.”

“Now listen here—”

“What kind of example do the two of you think you’re setting for me? Just yesterday I was reading about adolescent psychology for my homework assignment, and I already have a couple of big strikes against me.”