Angel

Page 60

 

  “Yeah, thanks. ” She handed him a cold beer, then carefully nestled the rest of the six-pack back into the stream, resting it against a rock. “You don’t want one?” he asked as they headed into the cabin, stopping to take their boots off.

  She shook her head. “I don’t really drink; it just makes me fall asleep. I might have a few sips of yours, though. ”

  They went back to playing cards, heating up another meal when they got hungry. As it started to get dark, Alex lit the camping lantern he’d bought, putting it in the center of the table. Willow slipped outside to use the “facilities” and returned wearing a pair of navy-blue sweatpants instead of her jeans.

  “A little bit comfier,” she explained. She dropped into her seat again, to his left at the small table. They had turned to gin rummy by then, playing for matchsticks after the M&M’s were all gone. Picking up her cards, Willow settled back into her chair and drew a knee up, her bare foot curled over the edge of her seat as she inspected her hand.

  Alex gazed at her. Her mouth was slightly open; she ran her fingernail against her lower teeth as she thought. She’d knotted her hair at the nape of her neck again, and a strand had slipped loose onto her shoulder, gleaming in the lantern light. Suddenly all of his objections seemed meaningless. Don’t, he thought. You’ll regret it.

  He didn’t care anymore.

  Slowly, unable to stop himself, he reached out and cupped his hand around her foot.

  Willow’s eyes flew to his, startled. They stared at each other. Her foot felt small under his hand; he rubbed it lightly with his thumb, feeling the silky heat of her skin, his pulse hammering through his veins. He felt like he was falling. All he could see was her.

  She looked close to tears. “Alex —”

  Leaning across the corner of the table, he cradled her face in his hands and kissed her.

  Her lips were soft and warm. With a sob, Willow returned the kiss, throwing her arms around his neck. He opened his mouth, tasting her; felt her hair tumble down around his hands. Happiness burst through him, exploding through his chest. Willow. Oh, God, Willow.

  She started to pull away. “Alex, wait — are you sure about this? I’m half angel. I can’t change that. ”

  He almost laughed. “Shut up,” he whispered.

  It was awkward with the table between them. Scooping an arm under Willow’s knees, Alex pulled her gently onto his lap, holding her close as they kissed. Her body was small, perfect. Her long hair tickled around his face; he stroked it back, twining his fingers through it. The feel of her lips on his, the warmth of her as she pressed against him — nothing had ever felt so right.

  At last they came apart, staring at each other in wonder. Alex could feel that he was smiling; he couldn’t stop. “You are so beautiful,” he said in a low voice.

  Willow shook her head, looking dazed. She touched his face; he shivered as she traced his eyebrow with her fingers. “I never thought this would happen,” she said. She swallowed. “I’ve really been wanting it to. ”

  “Oh, God, me too . . . me too. ” Pulling her back to him, he kissed her again, feeling their hearts thudding through the soft cotton of their shirts. There were no words for a while, just holding her, kissing her. When they finally paused for breath, he said against her lips, “I’ve been wanting to do that since practically the first time I saw you. ”

  Willow pulled away slightly, her eyes widening in surprise. “But you hated me then. ”

  “No, I didn’t,” he murmured. He kissed her neck, her cheek. “I never hated you. Even when I thought I should, I was so attracted to you that I could hardly stand it. I’ve been going insane these last few days. ”

  She gaped at him. “You have? I couldn’t tell. At the rest stop, I — I thought I must have just imagined it. ”

  All he wanted to do was keep kissing her, but she seemed so stunned that he started to laugh. “You’re supposed to be psychic; you really couldn’t tell what I was feeling?”

  “No!” She gave a short laugh, looking dumbfounded. “I was too — I could hardly even breathe when you were touching me, hardly think. I thought you were just comforting me, and that you only wanted to be friends. ”

  Alex slowly ran his hand along her arm; just the feel of her skin made his breath catch. “Believe me, being friends was the last thing on my mind. I wanted to kiss you so much that it hurt. ”

  She hesitated. “Why didn’t you? Because I’m half angel?”

  He shook his head. “I haven’t cared about that in days. It was because . . . ” He could hardly even remember now why this hadn’t seemed like a good idea. “Because I’m an idiot, I guess. ”

  Willow sat very still. Around them, there was only the glow of the camp lantern and the velvet silence from outside. “It really doesn’t bother you, then? What I am?”

  Emotion tightened his chest. He took her face in his hands, feeling the smoothness of her cheeks against his palms. “Willow, all I care about is that you’re you, and — and that you’re with me. That’s all that matters. ”

  “Really?” she whispered, her eyes bright with tears.

  Alex laughed suddenly, smoothing her blond hair back. “Hey, I’m the lucky one this time, don’t you know that? You are so — absolutely incredible. Everything about you. ”

  He saw her throat move. “Oh, I don’t know. I think I’m pretty lucky, too, actually. ” Touching his hair, she leaned hesitantly forward, and he folded his arms around her, sinking into sensation again as they kissed — the slight weight of her on his lap, the smell of her. He glided his hands up the warm dip of her spine, felt her shiver and press closer. He could never get enough of this. Never.

  Finally Willow pulled back. “Wow,” she said weakly. “That’s even more amazing than I thought it would be. ”

  Alex’s arms were still looped around her waist; it took a serious effort not to draw her back to him and start kissing her again. He managed to control himself and grinned. “You mean with me or just in general?”

  “In general,” she said. “But I have a feeling it’s especially amazing with you. ” She leaned back in his arms, studying him. Shaking her head with a slight smile, she reached out and stroked the line of his cheekbone. “Do you even realize how gorgeous you are?”

  What he realized was that he was happier than he’d ever been. He gazed at Willow, drinking in her face, feeling amazed that this was happening — that she was here with him and that she actually felt the same way.

  “Come here,” he said softly. And pulling her toward him, he simply held her, cradling her against his chest.

  I sat there with Alex holding me for a long time, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart beating through his shirt. Around us there was absolute silence, broken only by the distant hooting of an owl somewhere out in the night. I was still trying to believe that this was true — that I was really here, with Alex’s arms around me. My heart felt so full that it was almost like a pain in my chest. Finally he shifted his weight on the chair, and I realized he was getting uncomfortable. I sat up on his lap. “Maybe we should go to bed,” I said. Then I realized what I had said, and my cheeks flamed.