Sweet Temptation (Sweet #4)(29)

Startled, she shook her head. Whatever Micah’s dark mood, he certainly wouldn’t hurt her. Maybe peel an inch or two of her skin off, but that would be it.

“Beat it,” Micah growled in Connor’s direction.

Connor stiffened and walked casually over to where Micah stood. “You know I’ve about had all I can take of your surly-ass attitude,” he said softly. “Whatever your problem is, don’t take it out on us and sure as hell don’t take it out on Angelina.”

Micah closed his eyes for a moment then looked back at Connor. “I’ll talk to you later, okay, man? Just ... just let me speak to Angelina.”

Connor glanced back again at Angelina and she nodded, encouraging him to go.

“Thank you,” she said quietly.

“I’ll swing by to check on you tomorrow,” Connor promised as he and Gray headed for the door.

As soon as the door closed, Micah closed the distance between them, his eyes so serious. He reached out to frame her shoulders, his fingers shaking a bit against her skin.

“Angel, what’s going on?”

She swallowed and prayed not to lose her composure. She had to handle this just right.

“This apartment sort of fell into my lap. It seemed perfect. I know you don’t want me at your place, and there is no way I could afford this without Connor’s help. I couldn’t pass it up. He and Gray gave me some of Gray’s wife’s old stuff and voilà, here I am in my own place.”

“What kind of help is Connor giving you?” Micah asked darkly. “How the hell did you get hooked up with him or Gray? And why the hell didn’t you come to me about moving? I would have helped you, Angel. If you need money or furniture, whatever it is, you can come to me.”

She shifted uncomfortably. “I didn’t plan this. Connor, Nathan and Gray ate lunch in the café where I work today. I asked them if they knew of any places I could rent. Connor said I could have this place. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up. He and Gray offered to move Faith’s stuff here. No reason I shouldn’t go ahead and move in.”

She lifted her chin and stared him directly in the eyes. “It’s better this way. You won’t be tripping over me, and you can go back to doing what you do best. Avoiding me and your past.”

He sucked in his breath, quick pain flashing across his face.

“I can’t seem to do anything but hurt you, Angel girl.”

She reached out and touched his cheek. “It’s my fault. I barged into your life. I was wrong to expect things to be different. I assumed ... after three years ... I guess I thought you might have put it all behind you now.”

His Adam’s apple worked up and down. “I won’t leave you this time. If you need me, if you ever need anything, promise you’ll come to me immediately.”

She nodded.

He pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly against his chest. For a long moment they stood there, her cheek resting against his shoulder.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” he finally asked. “You’re welcome to stay with me for as long as you need.”

She extricated herself from his grasp and smiled faintly. “I think you and I both know it wouldn’t work for me to stay with you. I can’t resist you, Micah, any more than you seem to not be able to resist me. Only I don’t want to resist you, and you want anything but to give in to the attraction between us. Until that changes, I don’t see that we can possibly live in the same apartment.”

His eyes were haunted, so dark and emotion-filled. “I can’t give you what you want, Angel girl. What you need.”

“How do you know what I want?” she challenged. “You’ve never asked.”

He shook his head and turned away, the wall slowly sliding back into place between them. “Let’s go over to my place and I’ll help you get the rest of your things to bring here, unless you’d rather stay the night over at my place, until you get more settled in.”

“No. I’ll stay here. No sense putting it off.”

“I’m sorry,” he said in a quiet, almost dead voice.

“Don’t be,” she said with forced cheerfulness. “I’ll survive. I’ve done it before.”

He cursed softly and started toward the door, leaving her to follow behind.

CHAPTER 14

Angelina surveyed her handiwork and flopped on the sofa with a tired sigh. Her days in her apartment had been quiet but satisfying. She’d gone shopping at a local thrift shop for some of the essentials like linens for the bed and towels and washcloths. Then she’d hit a few garage sales, and though the pickings were slim due to the lateness of the hour, she’d found a few items and returned to arrange everything.

Now to figure out what to have for dinner in her new home now that she had groceries. As celebratory meals went, it would be lean. She had a choice between canned soup or a sandwich. No reason not to splurge and have both.

With a gleeful smile, she got up and headed into the kitchen. No sooner had she dragged out the sandwich fixings than her doorbell rang. Frowning, she went to the door, rising on tiptoe to see out the peephole. There were only a handful of people it could possibly be, and yet when she got a good look, it was none of them.

Three women stood outside. Three really beautiful women. Maybe they were Avon ladies? They looked harmless enough, though David and Micah had drummed into her head that criminals didn’t have a neon sign on their foreheads advertising the fact. Some of the most heinous were in fact very normal, everyday-looking people.