Angel Falling (Falling #1)(26)

Aspen smiled. “Couscous.”

“Say what?”

“It’s a rolled wheat type pasta,” London offered. “Do you like it?”

“I do. Different.” I managed around a big bite of the stuff.

“So Hank, I want to thank you for saving my sister. Pen’s important to me. Hell, she’s important to the world. I can’t believe you just jumped in front of her like that. So brave.”

“Ah, it was nothin’ really. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.” Aspen’s gaze held mine, burning with intensity. Her beauty was unexplainable. Waiting to be with her was as if a ton of bricks was dropping onto my chest, taking away my ability to breathe.

“Well, I’m glad you were there. So you’ll be staying with Pen then?” She asked.

“That’s the plan. Seems as though her uptight lawyers are worried I’m going to sue, so she’s holding me hostage.”

Aspen looked shocked. “That’s not true! I want you to have the best care.” Her tone held a twinge of hurt.

“So she says,” I tried to joke. London gave a half-laugh but focused her attention back and forth between us. I wasn’t sure what she was doing.

London set down her fork and clasped her hands at her chin. Her eyes, so similar to her sisters’, turned a shade darker and the edges tightened a hair. “But you’re obviously into one another.” She held my gaze, then focused on Aspen. “The tension in here is so thick I could cut it with a knife.”

“London! None of your prophecies tonight,” Aspen warned.

“What? Anyone in a five-mile radius could sense how badly you two need to get it on.”

I choked on my couscous and laughed. Her sister was as straightforward as they came. “I’m liking you more and more, London. You’re good people.”

She smiled sweetly. “Thank you.” Then she stood and straightened her dress. “I can’t be in the room with you two anymore. It’s making me hot and bothered. I’m going to go hang out with Tripp. Maybe see a movie.”


“Good. Do that,” Aspen begged.

“Who’s Tripp?” I asked.

“Her bisexual boyfriend.”

London threw her napkin at her sister. “That is not true and you know it! He’s my best friend.” Her voice was strained and then she fired back a scathing retort. “Are you f*cking Ollie?”

I paid very close attention to this part. She’d brushed it off like nothing today and made me promise to apologize to him, but that little pipsqueak had his hands all over my Angel.

“No, never have.” Aspen’s voice was as confident as when I heard her speaking to the doctor yesterday. “How about you and Tripp? Ever slept with your best friend? Hmmm?” Aspen shot back.

“That’s not fair, Pen, and you know it.” London’s eyes narrowed.

“You started it,” Aspen said, sounding like a five-year-old would after tattle-telling.

“Whatever. I’m outta here. Hank, you’re hot. And it’s obvious you’re head over heels for my sister.”

Was it that obvious?

“Can you please f*ck her into oblivion so she’ll get her head out of her ass and start enjoying life for once!”

Yup. This woman was tops for sure.

“I’m not talking to you for a month, London!” Aspen yelled.

“Don’t care,” she said flippantly. “I have a client for the next six weeks starting tomorrow, anyway. Not that you care.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize you had your next client lined up so quickly.” Aspen sounded sad.

“Yeah, well you would have if you’d cared to answer my calls or maybe lived a little. Instead you chose to throw yourself into work the last few months trying to forget about the * that cheated on you … twice!” She added.

Holy smokes! Her sister was putting all her dirty laundry out there. I felt wrong for being stuck in the middle of it, but I could see Aspen’s eyes well up with tears and that was the end for me.

“Hey, hey now. London, that was uncalled for,” I stated.

Her sister turned around and hugged me out of the blue. My mother was the same way so it didn’t bother me. Made me feel important. “Hank, I can feel how good you are for her. Even if she’s a bitch,” that part was slung over her shoulder in Aspen’s direction. “She deserves a man who will treat her right. Don’t screw her over. I don’t want to pick up the pieces of her broken heart again.”

“Got it.” I said it and meant it. I looked into the same blue-gray eyes and silently vowed not to hurt my blond angel.

She searched my eyes for a few moments. “I believe you.” I don’t know what she saw when she looked at me, but whatever it was I got the green light from her sister. I’d just passed some type of squirrelly test only women had the answer key to.

With a turn of her heel she went over to her sister and hugged her. A few tears built in Aspen’s eyes and threatened to tumble over her cheek. I clutched my fingers into a fist. I didn’t want to see her cry … ever.

“Be safe, Sis. I love you. And … I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said what I said about Tripp.” Aspen told London.

“Me too. It wasn’t cool of me to try and get a rise out of you by bringing up your ex,” she looked over at me. Her cheeks reddened in embarrassment.