Hello My Angel - Sue Brown Page 0,71
the problem.” He pointed at the man in the wreckage of the embroidery, who was just beginning to groan.
“An ambulance is almost here,” the young perky police officer said.
She made Josh feel very old. He didn’t like that feeling. He braced himself, saying, “He tried to attack me.”
The older police officer gave him a skeptical look. “And knocked himself out in the process?”
Josh shrugged. “What can I say? I’m quick on my feet.”
“And where were you?” The police officer looked at Gil.
“Upstairs.”
The police officer narrowed his eyes. “You’re both American.”
“We are.”
Josh pulled out a card and the police officer glanced at it.
“Josh Cooper. Angel Enterprises.”
He didn’t seem impressed but the younger officer’s eyes went wide. “Guv.”
He turned to her, obviously surprised. She pulled him to one side, and they had an intense and somewhat heated discussion just out of earshot.
“Now that’s interesting,” Josh murmured.
“She’s heard of us or you.”
Josh nodded. “We’ve been in the media.”
Despite Cal and Josh’s attempts to keep their involvement in the return of a top spook out of the public eye some news had leaked out. Fortunately the death of a government minister in strange circumstances had eclipsed any interest the media had in them.
The two cops returned and Josh gave them a bland smile. The male officer said, “You can go now. We’ve got your number and the incident is on CCTV.”
Josh smiled broadly. “Thank you, officers.”
“Okay,” Gil muttered as they pushed out into the weak winter sunshine of the early afternoon. “What just happened there?”
“The usual.” Josh grinned at him.
“Having a reputation helps,” Gil said, and he sucked in a deep breath of smelly Thames air. “I could do with a beer.”
“Me too,” Josh agreed.
Anything to put off going back to an empty house again.
Josh was almost dozing on the couch when the Charlie’s Angels theme tune woke him. He fumbled for his cell, and mumbled, “Charlie?”
“Were you expecting anyone else?”
“No.” Josh yawned and sat up, trying to open his eyes. Mr. Truffles, who’d been stretched out on his chest, squawked his protest, and stalked off indignantly. “Sorry, I was nearly asleep. How are you?”
“Missing you, my angel.”
Josh whispered, “Me too, Charlie. Me too.”
“So what did you get up to today?”
“Nothing much. Talked to Lillian. The house is nearly ready for us. Destroyed some priceless tapestries. Maybe found us a new bodyguard.”
They still hadn’t replaced Landry’s role.
Cal’s warm chuckle sounded in his ear. “Usual day, then.”
“Usual day,” Josh agreed. “When are you coming home to me?”
“I’m at your home,” Cal pointed out.
He was. This was true. Josh had only ever considered his life in London to be temporary.
“You’re my home,” Josh whispered, “and you’re not here with me.”
He heard Cal’s hitch of breath and then his shaky laugh. “Dammit, my angel, you always know how to make me feel like a million dollars and the penny on the ground.”
Josh blinked rapidly, prickling tears burning at the back of his eyes. “If you don’t come home, I’m gonna fly out and drag you back here. You went for one week. One. What’s taking so damn long?”
He knew, of course. Cal was still part of CDR and he’d never fully let go, no matter how much Dominic might wish he’d back off. They had plans to expand and now they’d absorbed some of the agency’s work into Angel Enterprises, CDR had become a much bigger operation. Cal’s visit had been to ensure they had the infrastructure to deal with the expanding business.
“I’m going to be home tomorrow,” Cal said.
It took a moment for Josh to realize what Cal had said. “You are?”
His voice came out breathy and needy. He didn’t give a fuck.
“You’re coming home?”
Cal laughed again, but Josh could hear the need when he said, “This time tomorrow we’re going to be in bed and I’m gonna be balls deep in your ass.”
“Your time or my time?” Josh demanded.
“Your time.”
Josh would have preferred it to be the other way around, but tomorrow was tomorrow. He could live with that. He sighed. “Next time I go with you.”
“Next time he comes here,” Cal insisted. “I feel like I’ve been away forever. I want a decent cup of tea.”
Josh huffed indignantly but Cal just laughed. “You know it’s you I want.”
“I do,” Josh admitted.
“Marry me.”
Josh’s world stopped.
“What?”
“Marry me. Be my husband. Be mine forever.”
Cal said it lightly but Josh could hear the tension in his voice.
“You’re proposing to me over the phone.”
“Well, yes.”
“Oh hell no,” Josh exploded.
“No? You don’t want to marry me?” Cal sounded crushed. “You