by Beverly Rae
“Me? What about you?” Tilly hurriedly buttoned up her blouse. “I’ll bet you weren’t playing Twister in there.”
“Maybe.” Her friend was right, but Cara wasn’t about to concede the argument. At least, not by agreeing. “But him? Oh, never mind. Come on.” Not waiting for an answer, Cara sprinted out the door, leaving her friend tugging on her clothing as she hastened to follow her. She knew Tilly would catch up, but she had to make sure the men left the apartment complex.
Josh and a slow moving Walter—how had they gotten dressed when they’d left their clothes in the apartment?—hurried across the parking lot with the girls eating up lost ground. Without looking, Josh dashed out onto the main road, leaving Walter sliding to a halt behind him.
Screeching tires and blaring horns ripped through the air as Josh’s body catapulted over the hood of a sedan. His body, airborne from the force of the impact, tumbled over the top of the car, down the trunk and onto the blacktop. A pickup swerved, missing his head by centimeters, and slammed into a van traveling in the opposite direction of the other lane. More vehicles skidded to a halt.
“Joshua!”
“Josh!”
Cara’s cry joined Walter’s as fear splintered into her. Walter was already crossing the street as she dropped the bat and sped across the parking lot, intent on reaching Josh as fast she could. Yet, preparing as she was for whatever horrific sight lay ahead of her, the shock of what she saw brought her to a dead stop.
Josh and Walter stood in the middle of the road, brushing gravel and dirt off Josh’s clothes. His gaze caught hers and he sent her a little wave. A wave no more significant than if he’d met her at a coffee shop for lunch.
He’s not hurt. Cara stared at the two men as they reassured the crowd milling around them. No way can he be uninjured. Not after getting hit by a speeding car. If fact, he should be plastered on the pavement like road kill. Astonished, she watched the two men as they reassured everyone around them.
“He’s okay. No problem, folks. Trust me. He’s a tough guy. Go along on your way.” Walter grinned at the motorists, happily shoving Josh toward the side of the road. As he passed the motorists, he twirled his hand in the air and a sparkling green mist enveloped the drivers. Walter kept hustling Josh to the side as everyone went ramrod straight, stopped talking and stood motionless.
What was the mist? Had Walter used some kind of airborne drug on them? Was he a magician, too? She shook her head and moved farther away from the mysterious mist as it drifted toward the asphalt and vanished.
Amazement, confusion and disbelief clouded the drivers’ faces. After a few moments of silence, however, one man broke out of his daze and started shouting at the driver in front of him, blaming him for following too close. Another driver blamed the accident on a dog dashing across the road. As Cara watched, the clamor of angry voices grew louder. Yet no one blamed Josh. In fact, they acted as though he hadn’t been involved.
Josh edged closer to her and raised his hands to ward off another attack. “If I come near you, are you going to try and hit me again?”
At first, Cara couldn’t get her mind to understand his words. “What? Oh, no. No, I won’t. But are you really all right?” She scanned the length of him, noting the torn clothes and lack of blood. “But how? How can you be all right?” She studied his body again, but couldn’t find a drop of blood. Some road dirt and car oil, but no blood.
Walter reached out tentatively and took the bat from her. “I don’t think you’ll need this any longer.”
“I told you. I’m an angel.” Josh’s perplexed look didn’t help her lack of cognitive thinking.
“You didn’t!” Walter dropped the bat, clutched Josh by the arm and started dragging him toward the apartment building. “Are you mad? Do you know what can happen to you?”
Finally. At least one of them is sane. “Good, Walter. You agree what he’s saying is ridiculous, right?” Cara saw Tilly cringe at the harshness of her words, but she didn’t care. Following behind the men, she headed up the stairs to her apartment. Should she let them back into her apartment? She frowned, not liking the idea of having them inside her home, but she couldn’t shake an uneasy feeling. What if Josh had internal injuries? Would those injuries have a delayed reaction?
Making the decision, however, wasn’t an option as Walter hauled Josh into the living room. Bringing up the rear, the women stopped and stayed by the door. Cara held onto her friend, ready to pull her to safety along with her if escape became necessary. Could Walter be Josh’s keeper? Had they taken a field trip from the crazy house?
“You told her?” Walter whacked him on the arm and scowled at his friend. “You know the rules, Josh. No telling any earthbound being you’re an angel.”
The girls exchanged a look as Walter’s words sank in. Maybe she’d misunderstood him. “Ohmigod. Are you saying you believe him?” Oh, crap. Walter isn’t a psychiatrist or mental health care worker. Walter is as nutty as Josh. Can two people share a mental illness? If so, is it contagious? She bit her lip, keeping herself from begging Walter to confess. Please, Walter, say you’re just humoring him.
“Well, sure. I kind of have to.”
“You have to?” Cara held her breath, waiting, hoping for a reasonable explanation, yet fearing the worst. Come on, big guy. Show me Josh’s straightjacket. Tell me you’re one of the nut house’s guys in white coats. “Why do you have to?” Please say it’s part of your job description.
“I guess since he’s already let the secret out, I can tell you the rest. I believe him because I’m his supervising angel.”
Okay, not the job I was thinking of. “His supervising…what?” This is so not happening.
Walter straightened his large body taller as if proud of his vocation. “I’m Josh’s supervising angel. He’s a newzie and I’m been assigned to show him how to be an angel.” He gave Josh a light punch on the arm. “After he’s had a bit of fun first. But he shouldn’t have told you what he was.”
Josh coughed, leaned closer to Walter and corrected him. “I think the word is newbie, not newzie.”
“Cara. I’m scared. Let’s get out of here.”
Although her first reaction was to agree with Tilly, she resolutely decided on an alternate course of action. Snatching her cell phone off the table by the door, Cara held it up for Josh and Walter to see and positioned her finger over the buttons. “All right, you two, this freak show is over. I don’t care if Josh might have internal injuries. Tilly and I are going downstairs to the apartment complex’s office and, if you fruitcakes aren’t out of here in thirty seconds or less, I’m calling the cops. Comprendé?”
Josh placed a hand on Walter’s shoulder. “I don’t think they believe us. Maybe you should give them a small demonstration. I would, but I’m really tired.”
“Sure thing, buddy.”
Walter’s words echoed in her ears as his form grew transparent. In a sudden flash of light, he was gone. Only Tilly’s shout kept Cara from fainting.
“Uh, oh. I didn’t mean…” Josh looked upward and shook his head. “Nope, this isn’t good. I think The-One-Who-Knows-Almost-All called for him.”
Could things get any stranger? Magicians made buildings disappear on television specials, but she had men disappearing from her living room. Cara’s mind whirled, trying to scrounge up any ideas on how a man could vanish into thin air—literally. She’d take any ideas at all. They didn’t have to be good ones. At this point, she’d welcome even extraordinary excuses—except the angel one. “What the hell happened? Where’s Walter?” She winced as Tilly’s fingernails dug into her arm.
Josh’s brown eyes met hers as he tunneled his fingers through his hair. Making a you’re not going to believe this face, he pointed toward the ceiling. “He went up there.”
“He’s in the apartment above us?” Tilly’s eyes were wide with alarm. “But Hawthorne lives there and he doesn’t like strangers.”
Cara had a feeling the answer to her friend’s question w
ouldn’t help the tension creeping up her neck. Yet she didn’t want to give up hope yet.
“No, Tilly. Think higher. A lot higher.” Josh glanced upward again before giving them an expectant look.
“How high? On the roof?”
Since it was obvious Tilly was intent on digging a hole to stick her head in, Cara decided to help her along even if it meant giving up her dream of this being a nightmare. “You mean he’s in Heaven, don’t you?”
As though playing charades, Josh tapped the end of his nose twice. “Right! I think he’s with the head honcho right now and probably getting his butt chewed out big time.”
Both women looked at the ceiling again as Cara’s grip on reality started to slip. “I do not believe this.” She gaped at him, trying to jumpstart her semi-functioning brain into high gear. Josh’s reaction, however, surprised her almost as much as Walter’s disappearance had. He looks hurt. Almost as though he’s disappointed in me for not buying his incredible lie. “You must think we’re the most gullible people you’ve ever met, huh? I mean, Walter’s trick is fantastic, but it is a trick, right? I bet Criss Angel could perform wonders around him.” She wanted him to confess, but somehow knew he wouldn’t. He couldn’t. Unable to stand the pain in his eyes, she searched the room, eager to find either a logical answer or a way to make herself wake up from this kooky nightmare.
“I don’t believe you, Cara.”
She jerked around to confront him. “Wait a sec. You don’t believe me? What can’t you believe about me?”
His soft smile sent a thrill through her body while, at the same time, nearly breaking her heart. “I meant I can’t believe you don’t believe me.”
Tilly gripped her arm harder, taking Cara’s focus from Josh. She saw the bewilderment on her friend’s face and could almost hear her thoughts echoing in Tilly’s mind. Can he be for real? Do we seriously believe this? If not, how else do we explain what just happened? Yet before she could answer, Tilly beat her in voicing her questions. “You’re for real? You’re a real angel? Like with wings and a halo? And Walter’s an angel, too?”
She’d started to ask those exact questions. But why? Instead of going along with this absurdity, she should’ve started denying the possibility. Yet she couldn’t and sensed her heart had known the reason long before her mind had. She believed him. Ohmigod, I believe him. Is his being an angel the reason I feel drawn to him? Yet, somehow, she knew there was something else going on between them. Had she known him in a past life?
Josh’s throaty laugh sent a rush of excitement through her, wakening every nerve ending in her body. How in the hell could she get turned on now? But she had no doubt she was. All she needed to do was listen to her throbbing clit. The one throbbing take me in a never-ending pulse.
“No. No halo or wings. I have a plain old body while I’m on Earth. Of course, I do have helpful powers like invincibility.”
“There’s nothing plain or old about your body.” Had she said those words out loud? The heat crawled along her neck and into her cheeks. Figures it would take an angel to get her embarrassed about anything she said. “Uh, I mean, I don’t think the human body is ever plain and yours is most definitely not old.” Okay, a bit better although not by much. “You’re saying your angelic invincibility power is how you survived getting hit by the car? Wow.” Saying it like a fact helped her accept what she already knew. I have an angel standing in my living room.
A gorgeous sexy smile repaid her for her compliment. “Remember the bungee jump? I knew I couldn’t die and I knew you wanted me to jump with you, so I did. Now do you believe me? I mean, about my being an angel?”
Another check with Tilly gave Cara the support she needed to admit the truth. “Well, duh. We’d have to be in serious denial not to.” She felt what little color she had left drain from her face. “Oh, shit. I made out with an angel. Am I going straight to Hell or what?”
Tilly wobbled on her feet as she staggered over to the couch. “Oh, holy mother of God, I sucked face with an angel and let him grab my boobs. Oh, hell, I saw a naked angel’s ding-dong.” She buried her face in her hands. “I am so fucked. Oh, shit, I said fuck in front of an angel.” She raised her head in horror before dropping it into her palms again. “I said shit, too. Oh, no. I said it again.”
Josh moved closer to take Cara by the arms. “Hey, don’t blame yourself. You’ve done nothing wrong.” He spared a glance at Tilly. “Either of you. Walter and I should have controlled ourselves.” His hot gaze slid to her breasts. “But I couldn’t. I am a man, after all, even if I am an angel.” He skimmed his hands along her shoulders and down her chest, lightly touching her erect nipples along the way.
“Still, I can’t imagine how doing something pleasurable could be a bad thing. It’s not like it hurts anyone. Besides, Walter never said anything about not having sex. Although I guess I’ll find out whether it’s okay or not soon enough.” He darted his gaze skyward. “You know, when I head upstairs again. But until I have to leave, I want to experience everything I can. Everything allowed, of course. And I want to experience it with you.”
“Including sex?”
“Shit, Cara.” Tilly’s mortified tone left nothing to the imagination. “He’s an angel, dammit.” Her eyes welled up as she realized what she’d said. “I cussed in front of him again. Oh, damn, I’m screwed.” With a cry, she flung her body against the couch and wailed. “I can’t stop messing up.” But her pity party didn’t last long. Jerking up, she gasped and wiped away the waterworks. “Is Walter all right? Is he—are they—whoever you’re talking about going to punish him? Oh no, don’t let them take his wings because I messed up.”
“Walter doesn’t have any wings, either. And, trust me, he’ll be fine.” Josh would’ve gone to comfort Tilly, if Cara hadn’t held on to him.
“No stay.” Suddenly she grew shy and couldn’t look him in the eyes. Yet it didn’t stop her from asking, “Do you still want to have sex?”
“Cara, are you wanting to go to Hell? He’s an angel. Think about who you’re asking, for God’s sake.” Impossibly, her face grew whiter. “I used His Name in vain, didn’t I?” She let out a wail and waved at the floor. “Yoo-hoo, Satan, here I come.” She cried again, ratcheting up the volume.
Yeah, but he’s a damn hot angel. “I heard you the first time, Til.” Cara puffed out her frustration. “Aw, hell, girl. If I’m already going to the Big Sweatshop Down Under, I may as well have some fun getting there.”
His chuckle sent shivers—the good kind of shivers—down her spine. “Don’t worry, Tilly. I’m sure having sex doesn’t make you a bad person.” Josh’s lustful attention lingered on Cara’s breasts. “And words are only words. They’re not good or bad. I can tell you and Cara are good people.”
She puffed out her chest, giving him more to drool over. “A good and horny person.”
“Oh, please shut up, Cara.” Tilly moaned as she wrapped her arms around her body. “He’s a new angel and probably doesn’t know the consequences of doing you-know-what. You shouldn’t even think about sex, much less have it with an angel.”
How can I not think about sex with angels when they look like him? Josh winked at Cara, flipping her heart over. How did this guy get to her so easily? Especially with him being an angel, the ultimate good guy. She’d never liked good boys—until now. “Yeah, well. We’ll see.” Maybe she should think twice about the idea of sex with an angel. Just in case Tilly was right.
This conversation is getting too intense. Definitely time to change the topic. “Okay, Josh. Since you decided to drop in—pun intended—I figure the least I can do is to help you live it up while you can.” I’ll think about the sex-with-an-angel thing a little later. “How long are you planning on staying on Earth, anyway?”
The sparkle in his brown depths lost a bit of its glow when he answered. “Not long. A few days at best, especially with Walter getting called up without warning, I might have to leave a lot sooner than I’d hoped.”
The twi
sting in her gut couldn’t have anything to do with him leaving, could it? Cara shook off the unfamiliar pang. “I guess we’d better get our butts moving and I know exactly where we need to go. Come on.” She latched onto Josh’s arm and headed out of the apartment, confident Tilly would follow.
“Hey, don’t leave me alone.” As she’d expected, she heard Tilly’s shout and knew she wouldn’t be far behind. “Cara, I don’t like this. You’ve got your Wild Woman expression on again.” Tilly rushed ahead of them as Josh and Cara strode to the car.
“Tell me, girlfriend, what have I always wanted to do? Something I could never talk you into doing? Actually, it’s the only thing you’ve ever been able to talk me out of doing. Until now.”
Cara grinned, feeling the flutter of excited butterflies in her stomach. “You know what I mean. Something people do way up high? Like way, way up high? Although not as high as Josh is used to going.”
She reluctantly broke her hold on him as he circled to the other side of the car and she slipped into the driver’s seat. Tilly fell into the rear seat and immediately started complaining. “No way. You can’t. It’s too dangerous. Besides, you need training. Don’t they make people take classes?” She paused, obviously sorting through her brain to come up with more excuses. “Oh, and I bet you have to have an appointment. You can’t simply pop over to do this, can you? Plus, I bet you have to have a physical or get a release from a doctor. I don’t know, but I’m sure you do.” Tilly took another pause before rushing on. “There’s a million other reasons I can’t think of right now, but you’ve gotta listen. Crap, Cara. For once in your life listen to me.”
Cara couldn’t help but enjoy the surge of adrenaline trembling in her hands. Finally, she had a reason Tilly couldn’t argue with. “Will you calm down? For once you can rest assured nothing bad’s going to happen.” She glanced in the rearview mirror, noted Tilly’s frightened expression, and steered the car out of her parking space. “Don’t you get it? I don’t need any training and you don’t need to worry. I’m perfectly safe because I have an angel with me. Today is the perfect time to do this.”
