Angel Falling (Falling #1)(37)

Oliver rolled his eyes and came back over to me. “Hank, he’s a tailor. They have to measure your inseam or your, um, bits will be uncomfortable. He got what he needed on the pant, so can he finish with the shoulders, arms and waist? You going to be a good boy and keep your paws to yourself?” I squinted my eyes at him but got back on the circle. “We don’t have a lot of time as it is.” He sounded completely exasperated. The feeling was mutual.

“Sorry. Not used to this type of thing. Just get it done, then,” I told the man with the accent. He hemmed and hawed until he finished sizing me up. Lord knows what the hell he had to do. The suit fit just fine; a little tight in the chest and shoulders, but I could remedy that by leaving it unbuttoned. It was the largest size they had on hand. I could make do, but Oliver was not okay with that option. He said I had to look the part. Whatever that meant. It wasn’t like I was trying out for a Broadway show.

Oliver picked out several shirts, more than I needed for the evening. Instead I scrolled through my phone and texted Aspen.

To: Aspen Reynolds

Your boy is dressing me up nice for the evening. You owe me. Big time.

I watched Oliver grab several ties and match them up with the brightly colored dress shirts. I overheard him telling the sales girl that we wanted the same suit in black and a pinstriped pattern and to charge everything to Aspen Reynolds account. Before I could disagree my phone pinged.

From: Aspen Reynolds

Are you being nice to him? How shall I pay up?

Oh, she wanted to play. Very nice. It took me a few moments but I decided honesty was always the best policy.

To: Aspen Reynolds

You. Naked. I’ll handle the rest.

Without even a chance to put the cell phone into my pocket, it pinged once more.



From: Aspen Reynolds

Deal, Stud.

“Okay, Hank. Put your clothes back on. We’ll have lunch while the tailor alters the gray suit. The other two will be finished later.”

Time to get the hell out of there. I could pay Aspen back later for the clothes. It was a nice enough store, but nothin’ had price tags and there were very few things hanging on the racks. When you walked in you were met by someone who assessed your clothes, discussed your needs and such. Oliver called it a personal consultant.

If this was how the other half lived, I didn’t want any part of it. What I did want, though, was a tall blond angel with the most beautiful eyes I’d ever seen and a body that wouldn’t quit. God, she made my mouth water and my dick spring to attention. I couldn’t get enough of her. I’d had her every day for weeks and, if anything, the need for her got stronger as the days went on. It wasn’t possible to explain. She was just what I wanted, all the time.

My phone rang and I picked it up thinking it would be my girl. “Hello, Angel. I was just thinking ‘bout you.”

“Angel? That’s a new one, Punky,” Ma’s voice rang through the line loud and cheery as usual.

“Ma, it’s good to hear your voice.”

“Really? Is that so? ‘Cause you haven’t heard it in weeks!” Her tone was bitter with a hint of sarcasm.

“Oh, Ma, I’m sorry. Things got kinda crazy at the job. There was an accident and I got hurt.” Shit, she was going to be pissed when she realized this happened weeks ago.

“Oh my God! My baby. What happened? Tell me everything!” I laughed. She was going to tar and feather me.

“Now, Ma, I’m fine. Just got stuck with a pipe is all. Went straight into my shoulder. The doctors fixed me up real good. Now I’m almost three weeks out on recovery.”

“You had surgery? Hank!” she cried. Then she yelled over the receiver, “Henry, Henry my baby’s been hurt. Had to have surgery and everythin’!” I could hear mumbled words through the hand I knew she had held over the speaker while she updated Old Man Henry. My mother wasn’t typically a dramatic woman but the moment one of her children got hurt, she was like a mama bear with her cubs. All worked up and worried over nothin’ at all.


Oh, man. Now I’d done it. Telling my family about the accident slipped my mind. She was going on and on. I answered each of her questions, telling her every detail as I remembered it.

“Well I’ll be coming out there. I have to see my baby!” I could hear her tears and sniffles all the way across the states. When Julia Jensen got her mind set on something, there was no changing it.

“Okay, okay, Ma. I’ll buy you a ticket and make arrangements, but it’s really unnecessary. Aspen and her team of helpers really have been great. I’m healing up nicely.”

“Aspen?” Her tone was curious so I just plowed through and told her as much as I could while I threw on my clothes. I glazed over some parts and left her wondering about others. She’d hound me when she visited anyway. No need to go into it all now.

“Well, I’ll only believe you’re okay if I see it with my own eyes. Wait until your father sees you, Punky. He’s liable to blister your bum for not telling us sooner.”

I knew she was joking. Mom and Dad had never so much as laid a finger on us boys growin’ up, but the fear of my father busting out his belt or using his big hand on our rears had me and Heath running for the hills.

“I’m sorry, Ma. Really, I’m fine. You’ll see. I love you.”

“To the moon and back, Punky. I love you to the moon and back.”