know. She was a bitch, and treated him like crap, right up until the day he died. And he leaves her everything.”
“Not everything. He left trust funds for your children.”
“Yes. He did love them.”
“He loved you, too.”
Angel shook her head. “He never forgave me. I disgraced him. Coming home pregnant. Refusing to tell him who the father was. That drove him crazy.”
“What drove him crazy was that he couldn’t control you.”
Angel nodded. “I suppose.” She took a sip of her coffee. “Thank God I had you, Aunt Natalie.” She reached out, and covered her hand.
“You remind me so much of your mother. You look so much like her. I miss her so.” She looked down at their joined hands. “You and those babies living here have been a blessing for me. Since your uncle died, I was so alone. You’ve filled this house with love.”
Angel smiled, and looked up, blinking. “Don’t you get me to crying.”
Just then they heard the roar of a bike.
Angel jumped up, and ran through the house. She opened the front door, and ran out onto the walk. She could see his headlight in the fading dusk, coming down the street.
Cole slowed down, and made the turn into the driveway of the third house on the right. The only yellow house on the block, she had told him.
Angel met him in the driveway.
He stopped, and cut the bike off. He sat on it, and pulled his helmet and glasses off. “Goddamn, that’s a long trip.” He climbed off the bike, and stretched.
Angel smiled. “Thank you for coming.”
He nodded, and looked past her to the woman walking up to them.
Angel turned, and introduced them. “This is my aunt, Natalie. Natalie, this is Cole.”
He held his hand out to her. “Pleased to meet you, ma’am.” Cole looked her up and down. He guessed she was somewhere in her early to mid-forties. Her figure was slim, and her red hair fell to just past her shoulders. She was a knock out, but what Cole noticed most was that she had the same eye color as Angel.
“We’re so glad to have you here. Angel, why don’t you show him his room, and let him put his things away. You must be hungry. I have food ready. Come on in.” She turned, and walked back in, leaving them alone.
Angel smiled. “If you’re not hungry-”
“No, actually, I could eat something.”
“You’re not wearing your cut,” she noted, looking at his long sleeve tee shirt.
“Arizona’s not our territory. Best not to provoke another MC,” he explained.
“Oh.” She nodded. “Come on.”
He grabbed a pack from the back of his bike, and followed her in. She led him through the living room, and down a hallway to the guest bedroom.
“There’s a bath through there.” She indicated an attached door. “Fresh towels on the rack.”
He laid his pack on the bed. “Okay.”
She nodded toward a tall dresser, on top of which sat a compact stereo system. “I brought that in here for you. You do still listen to music at night, right?”
He smiled. “You remembered.”
“I remember you liked to listen to some old blues station.”
“Gotta have my blues.”
She turned to lead him to the kitchen. “Come on.”
He grabbed her by the hand, stopping her.
She turned back, questioningly.
“How ‘bout a proper hello?” He smiled as he pulled her to him, and kissed her softly on the lips. He raised his head, and murmured, “Kiss me back, Angel.”
Cole lowered his head again, and this time her mouth opened, and he delved inside with his tongue. Her head fell back, and he pulled her in his arms, pressing her body up against his. He walked her backwards until he had her pressed up against the wall. His arms reached out blindly, and felt for the door, and swung it shut. His hands threaded through her hair, tilting her head back. He angled his mouth, and kissed her deeply, thoroughly, again and again.
When he raised his head at last, he said, “I’ve thought about that last kiss for the last couple of weeks. It’s all I’ve been able to think about.”
“Me, too,” she confessed.
That brought a smile to his face.
She felt breathless, and disoriented, like there was no one but the two of them in the entire world. She pushed back against him, trying to regain her breath. Her fingers touched her lips.
He grinned. “You okay?”
She nodded. “Oh, yeah.” She turned toward the door. “Come on.” She led him back down the hall, and through a dining room to the kitchen.