Wings on Fire E-Book

Ann Omasta

• Herausgeber: More Happily Ever Afters
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

Guardian angel Daniel is tasked with keeping Kerry safe, but he’s drawn to her in forbidden ways. Their growing romance puts them at risk—however, it’s hard to stay grounded when they’re swept up on the wings of burning desire…

It is supposed to be simple. Kerry is my charge. My task is to silently watch over her and keep her out of harm’s way.

I’ve never before had a problem just keeping my humans alive. But Kerry is different. Everything about her draws me in. My wings are literally burning with desire for her.

I’m tempted to reveal myself to her, even though I know I shouldn’t.

She makes me vulnerable. My vulnerability puts her at risk, and I can’t allow that.

When passion and danger mix, what will happen to Daniel and Kerry? Will they fall from their tightrope balance of denying instincts and satisfying desires? Find out NOW by diving into Wings on Fire.

Daniel is an angel, but he’s no saint! Meet your sexy guardian angel now.

Leseprobe

Contents

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I. Falling

Prologue: Daniel

Chapter 1: Kerry

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

II. Blazing

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

III. Soaring

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Epilogue: 6 months later

Sneak Peek of Goofy Newfies

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I

Falling

Prologue: Daniel

She looked impossibly beautiful, which made the sting of knowing I could never have her dig even deeper. Her long wavy hair could have passed for gold as it glistened in the sunlight. When the cool breeze lifted one lock and gently teased it across her face, her graceful hand swept up to brush it out of the way.

Kerry wasn’t normally one to be in a hurry. She preferred to be thoughtful, rather than rushed. She took the time to enjoy her life, unlike so many of her peers, who often didn’t even recognize a pleasurable moment when they were right in the midst of it.

It wasn’t difficult for me to keep up with Kerry, but today she was walking fast. She gracefully zigged and zagged in and out of the throngs of people with their heads buried in their electronic devices on the busy city sidewalks. I effortlessly weaved my way through them, even though I preferred our usual relaxed pace, rather than this hustle.

She was distracted by whatever news she had been given on her cell phone. I would throw that blasted device into the street to be crushed by oncoming traffic, if I thought she wouldn’t go right out to buy another one. Tossing it to the street wouldn’t break her addiction to the tiny screen; it would only serve to create another hassle for Kerry to deal with. I didn’t want that.

We stopped to wait for the crosswalk signal to change into the walking person and notify us that it was safe to cross the busy street. Kerry’s tongue flicked out to wet her lips.

I felt the now-familiar heat rush to my loins. Something about this particular woman made me feel things that I was not supposed to feel. I couldn’t lust after her. I wouldn’t allow myself to be distracted by my forbidden feelings for her.

Just because she was incomparably sexy, without having any idea that she was even attractive, did not mean that I had any right to show her how amazing she was. Someone else, who was more appropriate for her, could take care of that. I needed to focus on my task, which was making sure she stayed safe.

It wasn’t my job to notice that she smelled like a delectable combination of lilacs and vanilla. I had no right to take note of how her sky blue eyes darkened when she was intrigued by an exciting new idea. The fact that she often curled up in a tiny ball and cried in the shower was absolutely none of my business.

This gorgeous, caring, brilliant, fragile creature was not my concern––other than her physical well-being. I am tasked with keeping her from harm. That’s my job. Protecting her is my sole purpose, and that is what I shall do… nothing more, nothing less.

When Kerry angled her long neck to the side, I felt (not for the first time) like she was looking directly at me. Those deep-sea azure eyes bored into me. Logically, I knew that she couldn’t possibly see me in my present form, but that didn’t keep it from feeling like she was peering directly into my soul.

When her soft, glossy pink lips parted a bit, I failed at stopping myself from leaning in towards her. I wanted to know what those luscious lips would feel like pressing into mine. I wanted her tongue to flick out and brush against my lips and tongue. Knowing that it wasn’t right couldn’t stop me from aching for her.

She tipped her head back slightly as if she sensed my presence and was awaiting my kiss. My best attempts at holding back did nothing to slow my desire to kiss her, with Kerry seeming like she was gazing up at me, waiting for my mouth to devour hers.

My lips felt magnetized solely for her. Leaning down, my face was a fraction of an inch from hers. I longed to brush the lightest of kisses down on her, but I knew that once I started, I wouldn’t be able to stop at just that. It was better to keep a professional distance, especially since I already felt far too much for her.

Kerry’s eyelashes fluttered a few times. When her breath hitched, I had no doubt that she sensed my presence near her. I closed my own eyes, savoring the closeness to her. I normally didn’t allow my carefully guarded self-control to slip like this, but she looked so vulnerable and needy.

Convincing myself that just one tender kiss wouldn’t hurt anything, I pressed downward, seeking the warmth of her kiss. I would keep it light and reassuring, not the passionate tangling of our tongues that I craved. I didn’t want to frighten her, but I couldn’t resist any longer taking one tiny taste of her.

Rather than the silky warmth I was expecting, my sweet kiss met with chilly air, making my eyes pop open in alarm. The panic swelled in my throat as I realized that Kerry was gone. I never let her out of my sight. Not ever. Not even for a second. Not knowing exactly where she was for that brief moment in time likely shaved a thousand years off my life.

The overwhelming relief at finding her stepping into the street in front of us was too short-lived. I absorbed the situation in an instant. The careening taxicab was coming too fast to get stopped in time. It rounded the corner, ignoring the fact that pedestrians in the crosswalk are supposed to have the right-of-way.

The screeching sound of rubber tires on asphalt pierced the air. I lunged for her, but I was too late. Kerry’s body rested, lifeless, on the pavement before me.

Even in my panicked, frightened state, I couldn’t help but wonder… What kind of shitty guardian angel lets his charge get hit by a car?

Chapter 1: Kerry

The tubes and lines connecting me to beeping machines made me feel more like a computer, than a human being. Only the fact that my entire body hurt let me know that I was indeed among the living.

I tried to swallow, but my parched throat felt like it had been sliced with razor blades. Turning my head to the side, I realized that even my hair seemed to ache. Whatever had happened had taken its toll on me. My mind felt too fuzzy to pull up any details, but I sensed that my life had taken a truly terrible turn.

When I attempted to open my eyes, the bright fluorescent lighting in the sterile hospital room nearly blinded me. I snapped them closed again as my head started pounding like a bass drum.

Deciding that sleep would be my only relief, I started to doze off again. The tingling warmth on my hospital gown covered shoulder caught me off guard. The tender touch felt both healing and incredibly caring.

Not wanting to risk the fluorescence again, but needing to see the source of this glorious touch, I tentatively opened one eye to peer out the tiny slit between my eyelids.

Unable to believe my narrow, one-eyed gaze, I fluttered both eyes open and gazed up at the man beside my bed. To say he was gorgeous would be the understatement of the year. He was good-looking in the traditional tall, dark, and handsome way, but there was also something almost otherworldly sexy about him.

The most striking thing about him was his multi-colored aura. Beams of light shot out around him like a prism in a discotheque. I had previously heard rumors about people with rainbow auras, but since I had never actually seen one in person, I hadn’t imagined that its beauty could be this breathtaking.

“Hi.” I beamed up at him, completely dazzled. My voice sounded dry and croaky.

“Hi.” He grinned right back at me.

I couldn’t take my eyes off him. The pain that radiated throughout my body was forgotten as I gazed at the man at my bedside. I wanted to ask who he was, but my mind felt too muddled to formulate a logical question.

Taking the pressure off me to find words, he answered my unasked question. “I’m Daniel.” He told me in a deep, smooth as 30-year-old Scotch, voice.

“Daniel.” I let the name roll off my tongue, enjoying the sound of it. It didn’t take me long to decide that it was a good, strong name for this hunk of manhood standing beside me. “Do you have a last name, Daniel?” I tried to sound flirty, but probably failed miserably.

“Just Daniel will do,” he grinned down at me as if I were the most adorable thing he had seen all day.

I couldn’t help wondering if I looked as battered and bruised as I felt. If I did, Daniel was sure doing a good job of covering up his disgust. Trying to make sense of why this hunk was with me, I asked, “Are you my doctor?”

My voice was losing its croakiness, but it sounded rather dreamy, as if I were floating in the clouds, high as a kite. I decided that one of the multiple tubes connected to my body must be injecting me with some pretty powerful painkillers.

Daniel chuckled at my question, and I discovered that I really liked the sound of his laugh. I would be happy to listen to that warm, silky laugh until the day I die. Finally answering my question, Daniel said, “No, I’m not a doctor, but I am here to take care of you.”

His response raised more questions than answers. I didn’t feel clear-headed enough to solve a riddle, so I changed tactics. “Can I call you Dan or Danny?” I knew I must be giving him a loopy, enamored look, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself.

“Daniel will be fine.” His grin told me that he was enjoying our banter and eased the harshness of his answer.

“So formal and stuffy,” I pouted aloud. When I heard my whiny tone, I realized that I sounded like a brat, so I brought up a new topic. “This will probably sound crazy,” I told him, “but your aura is the most beautiful rainbow.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, I feared that I had made a gigantic mistake with this chiseled beefcake. The vast majority of my life had been spent hiding my talent for seeing people’s aura color energies, due to being ridiculed about it at a young age. Why in the world would I spout off about it now––with Daniel, of all people? Was I trying to sabotage any tiny sliver of a chance that he might actually like me?

My face must have registered my troubling thoughts because Daniel immediately set my mind at ease. “That doesn’t sound crazy at all. Tell me what you see,” he encouraged.

“It’s like seeing the most brilliant, colorful diamond you can imagine.” I continued gazing up at him, no longer embarrassed to be caught gawking. If he called me out on it, I could easily say that I was enamored by his aura, not the man himself. Besides, the drugs pumping into my system gave me an automatic pass for acting loopy, right?

“Maybe what you are seeing in me is a reflection back of what you are, Kerry.” He suggested kindly.

Unable to see my own aura, I had always wondered what my dominant color was. I had always assumed that I would have a little bit of pink, like my judgmental and artistic mother, as well as a good amount of blue to indicate my spiritual intuition. It had never dawned on me that I might reflect a rare rainbow sunburst like a deep, highly evolved spiritual being.

The idea was intriguing, but I was fairly certain that Daniel was the one with the colorful crystal aura. It was so fun looking at his bright, shiny emanations that it took me a while to process what he had said.

“Hey! How do you know my name?” I asked, almost completely certain that I hadn’t mentioned it to him.

“I know all sorts of things about you, Kerry.” His words probably should have concerned me, but something about this man made me feel safe and protected, like I was ensconced in a beautiful, brightly lit cocoon of shelter when he was nearby.

I was a big believer in trusting my gut and women’s intuition, but I also had a good amount of common sense. Even though every nerve ending in my body was shouting that this man was to be trusted, I arranged my face into a mask of suspicion. Narrowing my eyes at him, I asked, “Like what?”

At that point, I couldn’t have known that his answer would absolutely take my breath away.

2

Daniel looked down at me, seeming to weigh his options. It seemed like he wanted to be honest with me, but something was holding him back.

Taking a deep breath, he said, “Before I start, I want you to promise me that you won’t become frightened.”

It was an odd way for him to begin explaining what he knew about me, and how he knew it. My brow furrowed with concern as I wondered what he might be getting ready to reveal to me.

“I’m going to say some things that are going to be shocking to you, but please know that I always have your best interests at heart. I would never do anything to hurt you. My sole purpose is protecting you.”

Even though it was an odd proclamation, something inside me insisted on trusting this man. I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being truthful with me.

Wanting to lighten the mood a bit, I asked, “If your one job is supposed to be protecting me, what am I doing in here?” I raised my hands to indicate the puce green, sterile hospital room walls that were surrounding us.

“I failed you, and for that I will never forgive myself.”

His words sounded so forlorn and sincere, I immediately felt guilty for teasing him. I reached out to take his hand with my own, but quickly yanked my own back when I felt the sizzling jolt of electricity from our skin-to-skin contact. It hadn’t hurt, but it had definitely been a jarring sensation. My palm was still vibrating with exciting pulses as I squeezed my hand into a fist and allowed my nerve endings to attempt to make sense of what had just happened.

My eyes popped open wide, and I shot a questioning gaze up at Daniel.

“That’s part of what I need to explain,” he clarified.

I longed for him to start with that part of the explanation, but he didn’t. Instead, he started with something that turned out to be infinitely better.

The legs of the plastic bucket chair screeched across the floor as he pulled it next to my bed before sitting down in it. Since he looked like he was getting comfortable for a long chat, I maneuvered my body so that I was angled toward him, getting a great view of his long, lean legs. As delectable of a view as that was, I decided that I needed to be propped up more. Daniel jumped up to assist me with rearranging my pillows behind my back until I was in a comfortable, upright position.

Once I was situated and he was back in his chair, Daniel started. “Some of the things that I know about Kerry Watson… ” He inserted a dramatic pause, tapping one finger to his tantalizing lips, while I waited with bated breath to see what he would say.

“Let’s see… ” He finally started. “I know that you like to have your toenails polished a vivid, unexpected color.”

I wiggled my pigs under the blanket and tried to remember what shade they were right now. I wasn’t positive if they were Scallywag blue or…

He interrupted my thoughts with, “This week’s color was orange. The name had something to do with getting a man or fruit.” He shook his head, seeming perplexed.

“Oh, A Good Man-darin is Hard to Find.” I chuckled as I remembered, but my smile quickly morphed into a frown as I wondered how he could possibly know this.

“Have you been stalking me?” It was the only logical explanation I could think of, even though that didn’t feel like the right answer.

“No, not really,” was his cryptic response. Apparently unwilling to expand on that, he went on. “I know that you pack a sack lunch every day, rather than going out to eat, so you have extra money to fund the lunch accounts of five needy kids at Stonebrook Elementary School.”

My cheeks flared red with embarrassment. Looking down, I said, “No one is supposed to know about that. It’s just my private way of giving back what I can.”

Daniel leaned in so close that I had no choice but to raise my gaze to his. “That’s what makes it so great. You always stick up for the underdog, no matter what it costs you.” Obviously sensing that I didn’t want to discuss my charitable donations, he moved on. “I know that when you laugh, or even smile, it is so infectious that people who have never met you find themselves laughing or smiling right along with you.”

I grinned at that, looking down at the cheap blanket over my lap. I was certain his words weren’t true, but it was still marvelous to hear someone say them.

Seeming to sense that his praise was embarrassing me, Daniel shifted the tone a bit. “I also know that if there is a tiny crack in the sidewalk or any other obstacle in your path, you will somehow manage to find a way to trip over it.” Shaking his head, he added, “You certainly keep me on my toes.”

“What exactly does that mean?” I was ready to know how this man seemed to know so much about me.

“It’s my job to keep you safe, and sometimes you don’t make that very easy. There’s nothing I care about more than your wellbeing. I want you to be healthy and happy.” He gave me a pointed look before adding. “When you curl up in a ball in the corner of the shower and cry, it kills me that I can’t wrap my arms around you and make it all better for you.”

His words rocked me to my core. I had never had anyone put me first like that. Even though I didn’t see a way that he could possibly be telling the truth, a significant part of me ached to believe him. My voice sounded shaky when I asked, “How do you know about that?”

“Don’t you see? I know everything about you, Kerry.” The look Daniel gave me was so warm and loving, I longed for his words to somehow be true.

“But I’ve never seen you before. You can’t have been nearby my entire life, or I would have noticed you.” I accused. Despite how much I wanted it to, something about this simply wasn’t adding up.

“I can’t have been there, huh?” He seemed determined to prove that his words were true. “If I wasn’t there, how would I know about the diary that you keep in your sock drawer? It takes every bit of self-restraint I can muster not to read it over your shoulder, by the way.”

I knew that I should be creeped out by the things Daniel seemed to know about me. He had apparently mastered the art of stalking. I couldn’t bring myself to be frightened of him, though. Something about him instilled confidence and delightful warmth in me.

Adding proof to his case, Daniel said, “I know that you used to beat yourself up over the few times you received a B+ in class. I know that you paint beautiful pictures, but never share them with anyone. I’ve seen you slide through the water looking as graceful as a mermaid, despite the fact that you have two left feet on land.”

We grinned at each other over that completely accurate description.

Turning serious, Daniel added. “I saw what your Uncle Chad tried to do to you when he cornered you in the bathroom during your Sweet Sixteen birthday party.”

I felt the blood drain from my face. “You saw that?” Shame and embarrassment flooded my system.

Nodding, Daniel said, “I’ve never been so furious. It was the closest I ever came to smiting down a human. It was also the closest I ever came to revealing myself to you. I wanted to let you know that none of what happened was your fault.”

I nodded, looking down. I had never quite been able to shake the feeling that I had done something to cause Chad to corner me like that. It had always felt like I had somehow brought it on myself.

“That man is a pig, and I was so proud of you when you socked him in the side of the head with a shampoo bottle.”

I grinned at that portion of the memory, until it dawned on me that Uncle Chad and I had been the only ones in that tiny bathroom. “How could you possibly know about that? I never told anyone.”

“I know,” he said simply, his words not sounding the slightest bit judgmental. “I was so filled with rage that I snapped and flung the medicine cabinet door open so the corner clocked him in the head,” Daniel revealed.

“That was you?” I asked, stunned. “I always thought I had somehow tuned into some psychic ability to move objects.” I giggled at the thought, before adding, “I guess the whole ‘seeing aura colors’ thing makes me feel strangely different.”

“You are different––wonderfully different, not strangely different,” Daniel said kindly.

I looked down at my hands, which were busy fiddling with the covers over my lap. As much as I was enjoying his praise, I had too many questions that needed answered. “So, you were there, in the bathroom with us,” I started tentatively, not quite sure that I even believed what I was saying. “Can you make yourself invisible?”

“Something like that.” His answer was cryptic. When I gave him an exasperated look, he elaborated. “My normal state is invisible to the human eye.” I narrowed my gaze in disbelief, but let him continue uninterrupted. After taking a deep breath, as if being truthful was new territory for him, Daniel finally said, “I’m a guardian angel… YOUR guardian angel.”

3

“Really? That’s the best you can come up with?” I rolled my eyes at Daniel, not believing for a second that he was anyone’s guardian angel, least of all mine.

“Oh, I’ve been doing a shitty job of it lately. I freely admit that, but that doesn’t change the fact that I am indeed your guardian angel.” Daniel said flatly.

“Right,” I said, my face scrunched up in disbelief. “What kind of angel cusses?” I raised my hands to enunciate the question.

“Apparently, this kind,” Daniel answered. “What’s wrong with cussing, anyway?” he asked me, seeming perplexed.

“Well, I guess if you were a real angel, you would know, wouldn’t you?” I used an aggressive tone to cover the fact that I wasn’t totally sure what was wrong with cursing, or if angels were allowed to do so. I couldn’t imagine that it was permissible, but I also couldn’t put my finger on a precise reason why it wouldn’t be allowed.

Daniel stood from his chair and towered over my bedside. I feared that I had gone too far and that he was leaving. Instead, he tilted his head down and said, “I can prove it, but please don’t be frightened.”

I nodded to confirm that I wanted to see whatever he had to show me, even though a sour mixture of excitement, fear, and anticipation swirled dangerously in my stomach, threatening an upheaval.

Taking a few steps back, Daniel lowered his head. His dark brows slashed downward in concentration. After a few moments, his body jerked as his enormous wings sprang out, nearly spanning the width of the room.

I jumped back, leaning my body to the far edge of my hospital bed, trying to get as far away as possible from the frightening creature. My eyes bulged wide-open, feeling like they might actually pop out of their sockets as they took in the shocking sight before them.

My mind attempted to absorb the sight of the massive feathered wings. They were stunning, with the light reflecting off them in dazzling rays, but they were also so different from anything that I had ever imagined. Licks of bright orange flame seared the outside edges of the feathers, giving them an unfathomable ethereal beauty.

I’m not sure how long I sat there astounded with my mouth hanging open, but it felt like time was frozen.

“You need to breathe,” Daniel reminded me.

His words prompted me to release the air that I hadn’t even realized I had been holding in my lungs. Once my autonomic nervous system kicked back into gear, I panted several breaths in and out, feeling like I was on the brink of hyperventilating.

“It’s okay,” Daniel soothed me. “I would never do anything to harm you. In fact, that’s the last thing I would ever want.”

I nodded, trying to absorb his words, but still in shock over the phenomenal wings that had seemed to spring out directly from his back. Realizing that I wasn’t going to be able to string together a cohesive thought while his wings were out and distracting me, I squeaked, “Maybe you could put those away while we talk?”

Daniel’s deep laugh echoed around my tiny hospital room, but he obliged with my request. Almost as quickly as they had appeared, his glorious wings snapped back into his body.

4

Reclaiming the hard plastic chair at my bedside, Daniel asked, “Is that better?”

I nodded that indeed it was better to have him looking like a super-handsome, almost too-perfect man, rather than a winged god. Not wanting to make him feel bad for sharing his impressive secret with me, I said, “Your wings are beautiful, but they’re a little overwhelming for a simple human to see.”

“It’s a lot to take in,” he nodded agreeably, before adding, “But you are anything but simple, Ms. Watson.”

I couldn’t believe that this heavenly creature would even take the time to look at me, let alone say all of these magnificent words to me. I must have slipped into some alternate universe when the cab hit me. Adding on to that thought, I asked Daniel, “How hard did I hit my head when that car ran me over?”

Daniel tipped his head back and bellowed with laughter. I delighted in the sound of it. He was still grinning at me like I was the most amusing thing he had ever encountered when he finally answered my question. “You did hit your head pretty hard, but I assure you that I am completely real.”

As if the universe wanted to prove his point, the door handle to my room turned and a harried-looking nurse with a pinched face rushed in. My eyes darted to Daniel. I tried to tell him with my eyes to turn invisible, so he wouldn’t blow his cover.

Daniel responded to my unasked question. “She can’t see or hear me.”

The efficient, somewhat dowdy nurse didn’t even glance in the direction of Daniel’s chair, which proved that he must be correct about her inability to see him. No woman in her right mind would be able to ignore the sight of that sexy man… er, angel.

“Hi.” I said to the woman, trying to act normal. She held her warm fingers on my wrist, taking a manual pulse, but ignored my attempt to be friendly.

Daniel caught my eye and pointed to his own ears. When I looked back at the nurse, I realized that she had earbud cords trailing down her chest. She was likely listening to music and hadn’t heard my greeting.

After checking the monitors and recording a few numbers in my electronic chart on her iPad, the nurse’s ugly white rubber shoes squeaked out of my room. I felt a little snubbed by the encounter, so I said to Daniel, “Isn’t she Miss Personality? I have my very own Nurse Ratched.”

He raised his shoulders, seeming unconcerned by my nurse’s lack of bedside manner. “She’s probably overworked and underpaid. Besides, I’m sure she’s used to having most of her patients sleep through her visits,” he justified the woman’s behavior.

“I guess,” I answered, deciding to take the high road and accept Daniel’s explanation for her aloof manner.

One thing that the nurse’s visit had accomplished was making things feel normal again between Daniel and me. The fear that Daniel would be outed as an angel by her arrival had made me realize how much I already cared about him and his well-being. The instantaneous flare of envy I felt at her entrance to the room told me that I also wasn’t quite ready to share him with anyone else.

The ambience of the tiny room had changed from one that was permeated with my fear to one of easy camaraderie. Wondering if it would now be okay to tease my guardian angel a little, I asked, “So, where were you when I got hit by that cab––gallivanting off somewhere and shirking your responsibilities?” I grinned at him to let him know that I didn’t really hold any ill will towards him.

Proving that he had the ability to take my breath away twice in a matter of minutes, Daniel responded. “I was right beside you, but you looked so inconceivably beautiful that I couldn’t take my eyes off you long enough to notice the danger hurtling in your direction.”

My hand went straight to my collarbone. The only inconceivable thing about this entire conversation was that this hunky angel could possibly be attracted to plain, little old me. Daniel’s eyes were sparkling with anticipation as he waited for my response. Completely out of my element, but needing to say something, I finally answered, “Well, I guess that’s about the best reason imaginable for being a crappy guardian angel.”

5

The moment the words left my tongue, I regretted them. I would give anything to erase the downcast look that surfaced on Daniel’s face. “I didn’t mean that,” I tried to take back my harsh evaluation of his job skills. “You’ve done a wonderful job of taking care of me so far.”

Daniel nodded in acknowledgment of my words, but he didn’t look up at me. Desperate to lighten the mood, I asked, “Am I allowed to say ‘crappy’ in front of you?”

My guess that this question would raise his spirits was correct. He grinned up at me before answering, “I don’t give a damn if you say the word crappy.”

“I’ve never met a cursing angel before,” I teased him.

“Oh, you’ve met lots of non-cursing angels, have you?” He gave it right back to me.

“Well, no,” I admitted, before adding huskily, “You’re my first.”

His mouth fell open at this, and I suddenly realized that I might somehow truly be appealing to this god-like creature. The idea was thrilling, frightening, and utterly intoxicating.

“I’m more worried about being your last,” he flirted with me, and we both knew we were no longer simply talking about cussing angels.

My eyelashes fluttered as I struggled to comprehend the barely hidden meaning of his words.

“See, that right there is one of the things that is so magnetic about you. You truly have no idea how attractive and lovable you are.”

I could feel my cheeks flushing pink at his praise, but I didn’t want him to stop. Not ever. Even though I knew it was outside the realm of realistic possibility that this spiritual being was enamored by me, I longed with all of my heart to believe it was true.

Shaking my head, I felt like I needed to brush aside his kind words. “There’s nothing special about me,” I mumbled, looking down. As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized that it sounded like I was fishing for compliments. I didn’t want to do that, but I honestly couldn’t see how Daniel could possibly think I was special. He was obviously the extraordinary one.

“I realize that you just now learned about my existence,” Daniel told me, “But I have been watching you, caring about you, and growing to love everything about you for your entire life.”

I sucked in a breath, trying to absorb his glorious words.