He blinks at my immediate response. “That sure?”
Swallowing my last piece of fry, I wipe the non-existent oil from my fingers with a tissue. “Harvey was my best friend when I was two and will be when I’m 222. From the first day Papa told us about mates, we knew we weren’t that for each other. It was perfect this way. Having mates other than each other meant more people in our lonely 2-person circle.”
“So, you wanted a mate, right? You were waiting for me, too?”
I nod. “You can ask Harvey when we find him. I was the little girl waving around her papa’s scythe twice my size to scare boys away because they weren’t my mate.”
“Keep talking, and I will marry you right here.”
I snort loudly, and before he can say he was joking, heavy rain suddenly claps against the car’s roof. I’m captivated by the ferocity of it around me. It’s the first time I’ve seen rain in a decade.
Every time I watched it on screen in the last month, I longed to experience the feel of it on my skin. Thinking about rain and movies, a thought strikes me.
“Hey!” My sudden enthusiasm jolts him from the unexpected attack on his ears. “Sorry, Angel. Do you know how to dance—the slow dance thing they do on TV? You know when they are holding each other, slowly swaying, and sometimes they spin too, like—”
“I’m aware, sweetheart. I had to take classes when I was younger,” he admits rather bashfully.
I don’t see what is there to be embarrassed about. “That sounds amazing!”
“It wastorture,baby. I was constantly teased about it, but no matter what, my mother didn’t let me quit.”
Why wouldn’t his mother let him quit? Who pushes their child to do something they’re not comfortable with? I want toask more about his blood family, but Angel has smartly managed to stray us from that topic for weeks.
“What if I asked you to dance with me? You can say no if you don’t to. I don’t want it to bring back bad memories.” I want to dance with him in the rain. I love it when it happens in the movies, but I don’t want to pressure him either.
“What better time to show off my skills.” I squeeze his fingers entangled in mine and wait to make sure he’s doing this becausehewants to and not because I asked.
I leap out of my seat when I don’t find a hint of discomfort or uncertainty. I’m so excited to feel the rain and have my first dance with him. I quickly get out, and to my delight, I’m immediately drenched.
Angry black clouds with purple lightning shadow the sky above me. Our only light source is the near-empty store behind us and the headlight of Angels’ car. Spinning in a circle, I spread my hands beside me to feel the pouring water on my palms.
My trance breaks when two muscular arms wrap around my waist to pull against a wet chest. Glancing back at the breathtaking man behind me, I watch how his content smile makes him look younger and wilder.
The warm yellow light from the car lands on half of his face, giving him an angelic glow, with raindrops falling down his chin.My Angel.
“Lean on me, sweetheart.”
Turning around, he guides my arms around his neck and sways us until we move to his rhythm. Taking a step back, he holds our twisted fingers above my head and spins me around, making me erupt in a fit of giggles.
He keeps spinning me until I’m dizzy and laughing like a child before crushing me to his chest. His fingers trace my arms and neck before spreading around my cheeks. Angel tilts myface until our noses brush against each other, and his lips are a thread away from mine.
My breath hitches at our proximity, and my hold on his neck tightens when he murmurs, “May I kiss you, sweetheart?”
If I wasn’t melting before, I sure am now. His chest is pressed against mine as his thumb removes the water droplets from my lower lip. The gentle touch is too much and not enough at the same time. I want more.
“Please do.”
Everyone talks about the fireworks that come with being with the right person and how two people who are made for each other feel electric in each other’s presence, but when his soft plum lips meet mine, all I feel iscalm.
This is what—who,I’ve been craving my whole life.
Standing in an empty parking lot, drenched in the rain with lightning booming over us, all I feel is my Angel’s hands on my body and his soft lips moving against mine. I feel at peace.
To think how long I’ve been craving this peace, and Angel had it waiting for me all along. All my prayers in which I begged Fates for mercy are finally answered because they sent me to Anxo.
My Angel.My peace.
Cupping my face, he pulls me closer to deepen our kiss, and I have to rise on my toes to meet him. Curling my fingers in his wet hair, I push his lips harder against mine and gasp when he unexpectedly bites my lower lip. A rush of desire runs down my spine.
