Angie smiled at him, her eyes twinkling. “Oh, don’t worry about it. Punching him felt really good.”
Alex chuckled gently. He took her hands in his and inspected them. “Yeah, I can imagine. Where did you learn how to throw a fist like that?”
“I had a wild childhood,” was all she said.
They were both quiet, the silence between them comfortable. “He thought I was a paid companion,” she said at last.
Alex sighed into the night and dropped her hands. Raking a hand through his hair, he thought about how to answer her. “Hussein is… well he…” How did one go about explaining the mass of complexity that was his cousin? “He’s not a bad person. He’s had a rough life and I know that doesn’t excuse his behavior but there’s no one more loyal than him.”
She cast a sidelong glance at him, her face inscrutable in the dark. “You love him.”
“Yes. Yes, I do.”
“That’s great. But you keep him away from me for the next few days. Deal?”
He smiled even as he felt a pang brought on by her reminder that they only had a few days left together. “Deal.” He drew her close to him. “Let’s seal that shall we?” and took her mouth in a kiss that was both sweet and tender. Alex knew in that instant that he had fallen hard for Angela. She was sweet and spunky, full of life and yet mysterious. He loved her sense of humor and the shadows in her eyes only made him want to hold her in his arms and keep her safe. She had wormed her way past his defenses and was now firmly lodged inside his heart. And she was leaving in a few days’ time. He was so fucked.
***
They were lost in each other. Angie had her arms around Alex as she settled comfortably on his lap where he’d put her a few moments before. She had her fingers buried in his hair when they suddenly heard a cough not too far away from where they were seated on the porch swing. She stiffened and Alex let out a string of swear words.
“What do you want, Hussein?” he practically growled.
Angie hid a smile as she rested her head in the curve between his shoulder and his neck. Alex was turning into a caveman right in front of her and she found it really sexy. How sick was that?
“I came to apologize to Angie.”
She sat up straight at the mention of her name and turned to look at Hussein. He didn’t look very contrite as far as she was concerned. She slid off Alex’s legs and turned to face Hussein. “You as much as called me a whore,” She stated drily. “Some people would find that unforgivable.”
He grimaced and she could see his eyes from the lamps illuminating the garden. He did look sorry, even though there was that glimmer of amusement in his eyes again. “I figure I deserve some forgiveness if only for the pain I had to endure. I’m not sure how many teeth I’ll have left by tomorrow.” He rubbed on his jaw.
Angie couldn’t help the snort that came out. “Not to worry. Even if you do lose your good looks, you still have your money.”
He ignored the implied insult. “You think I’m good looking?”
Angie felt Alex’s arms go round her waist and leaned into him. “I think that tree over there is good looking,” she replied blandly.
“Ouch. That was almost as bad as getting punched out by a girl.”
“Apologize and leave us alone,” Alex said but there was no heat in his voice.
“I’m sorry Angie. I was out of line and I have no excuse.” He sounded contrite.
Angie nodded once. “You’re right Hussein, you were out of line. But it’s fine. I’m glad I punched you though - you deserved it.”
A slow smile spread across his face and she had to admit he really was gorgeous. He looked into her eyes now and nodded slowly. “I’ll repeat my offer,” he began and raised a hand when she frowned. “Wait, hear me out. When… if you finish with him, I’ll be waiting with a big yacht.”
Angie chocked on her laughter even as Alex’s arms tightened around her. Hussein Farhadi was unbelievable. She felt Alex’s breath on her neck as he let out a deep breath. “I’m not letting her go Hussein, so don’t hold your breath.”
Angie stilled against him. What was he talking about? She felt her heart race frantically as she tried to make meaning of what he’d just said. She needed to see his face but he held her tightly so she couldn’t turn. She looked at his cousin instead and saw understanding dawn in his eyes. He didn’t know she was leaving in a few days and she didn’t correct him. What was the point? Alex was everything she needed in a man, but how could she know for sure? She had been so certain with Michael, so sure that he was all she thought he was and she’d been horribly wrong, with devastating consequences. She wasn’t sure she could trust her heart anymore.
Chapter Six
Angie lay awake in the dark, lost in thought. After a hectic night of lovemaking, Alex had fallen asleep immediately. That was hours ago and she was still awake. She was feeling things she didn’t think she could feel and had no idea which way to go. She knew that Alex had feelings for her. He’d said as much in that strange declaration he’d made in front of his cousin several days ago. If she was honest with herself, she was more than a little crazy about him and each time she looked into his eyes, it did funny things to her. But she wasn’t interested in a long term relationship. Not like it could work with her living in the States. He had his business and his life here and hers was back home, even if it wasn’t much of a life.
Angie sighed impatiently. Why was she even thinking like this? Alex was a good man, salt of the earth, true blue and whatever other noble epithet applied. He probably wasn’t the kind of man who could spend nights in a woman’s bed and not feel something for her. There was no need to read too much into his words, she decided. Still, she couldn’t help thinking about it and the thought that he’d been in other women’s beds pierced her deep in her chest. He was rich and incredibly handsome, of course he would’ve had other women. He was thirty two for goodness sakes. There was no way a man could make love the way Alex did without having had a lot of practice beforehand. Lots and lots of it. She was not naïve. But the thought really bothered her.
Suppressing a sigh of impatience, Angie crept out of the bed. Shrugging on the silk robe that was hanging on the door of the wardrobe, she made her way to the living room and stepped out onto the balcony. The sultry heat of the Kuala Lumpur night hit her, then embraced her with its warmth. There was something exotic about the palm trees standing so still in the night. There was a slight breeze which brought some relief to the air, but it wasn’t enough to move the palm trees. They reminded her of Alex.
There was something so sturdy and unshakable about him and she knew she’d been unfair dismissing the strength of his feelings back there in the room. There was nothing fickle about the man she’d come to know. True, he wasn’t all brooding machismo like his cousin, but was more open and friendly, using his charm to make others feel comfortable. But there was also a part of him, an intensity that she only saw when they were making love or sometimes in the way he looked at her when he thought she didn’t notice.
She felt torn in several directions. She’d be leaving for good in a couple days and she was coming to the dreadful conclusion that when she left, she’d be leaving behind a large chunk of her heart. The realization had her wrapping her arms around her waist, trying to ward off a chill that had nothing to do with the night.
Alex watched Angie hug herself on the balcony. The lamps outside illuminated her slender form and he felt something tug in his heart. He’d woken up and missed her. The space beside him was empty so he had come to find her. He supposed he needed to get used to sleeping alone now, though God knew how he would manage that. He was so crazy about this woman and he was going to lose her in just two days. He had no idea what to do about it. He had tried to show her in every way possible that they belonged together and though he could see that she had feelings for him, she was still holding back. He fought down despair as he raked a hand through his hair. He knew in his heart that Angie was the woman he’d been waiting for. H
e’d never been in love before, so he wasn’t even sure if that was what he was feeling. All he knew was that he didn’t want to live without her, but he was fast running out of options. He suspected that her holding back had a lot to do with her late husband. She didn’t say anything, never spoke about him and that in itself spoke volumes.
He went to her now and wrapped his arms around her. She sighed and leaned into him. He felt the simplicity of that gesture deep in his heart and knew that whether she wanted to admit it to herself or not, Angie Scot was also as crazy about him as he was about her. Now he just needed to let her see that they were irrevocably bound to each other. Placing a kiss on her head, he knew they needed to talk.
“Can you make us some coffee?” he asked her.
She turned to look at him with an inquiring glance but didn’t say anything. She just nodded and headed for the kitchen, flicking on lights as they went. In the kitchen, she turned on the air conditioning.
After the coffee had brewed and she’d poured them each a cup, they sat at the breakfast bar, where it all began. Alex was having a hard time believing it was just a little over a week ago that they’d shared that bowl of Baskin Robbins ice cream. His life had changed so completely and he couldn’t even imagine what it was like before that day. It was almost as though Angie had always been a part of his life. He sat staring at the black coffee she set before him, for once at a loss for words.
“Alex?” She nudged him gently with her knee.
He turned to look at her and was caught up with how absolutely adorable she looked with her sleep tussled hair. She had a small smile on her lips, a secret smile she’d used only for him. He couldn’t bear to think that she would walk away in a few days’ time and would smile that same secret smile for another man somewhere down the line. The thought made him clench his hands instinctively and he spilled some of the coffee. Before he could react, she was there with a kitchen towel, wiping up the spill. She hadn’t needed to stand up because the kitchen towel had been sitting right there on the breakfast bar.
“What is it?” she asked quietly.
“Tell me about him,” Alex said abruptly. He didn’t know how else to introduce the subject.
She stilled for a fraction of a second, then slowly raised the cup of coffee to her mouth. She took a sip then set it down in front of her. “Who?”
She was stalling. Alex knew she was perfectly aware of whom he was asking about, but he decided to answer her anyway. He needed answers. “Tell me about your husband, Angie.”
Angie had been expecting the question from the first day and when it came, she wasn’t particularly surprised. Her lack of surprise didn’t keep her from tensing though. This wasn’t a subject she wanted to talk about. Not at three in the morning, if the clock in the kitchen was telling the correct time. She knew she owed Alex an explanation. Maybe if she told him something about the man she’d married he would understand why she couldn’t afford to let things between them get beyond the physical. Oh, he hadn’t said anything about taking things further than what they had, but she was not a fool. She knew he was crazy about her. Ah well, if she had to talk about the poor excuse for a man she had been foolish enough to fall in love with and get married to, she supposed it might as well be at three a.m.
So she sighed. “What do you want to know?”
“Anything Angie, everything. I want to know it all. What was his name, what was he like? What did he do to you to make you so distrustful of men?” At her look of surprise, he shrugged and said with a wry smile. “Credit me with some intuition.”
Angie gulped down some of the coffee which had rapidly cooled in the air conditioned kitchen. It wasn’t Dutch courage by any means, but it would have to serve. “His name was Michael. He was the only child of his parents, who were really very wealthy and they spoiled him rotten. He was used to getting his way. But he was so charming, so full of life and laughter that most people would let him trample all over them and thank him for it. At least I know I did.” She became quiet for a few moments, lost in thoughts of Michael and his boyish charm. With a sigh she continued, “When we met, I had been running my business for a few months, I’m an interior decorator,” she informed him. “I needed a cash injection so I could expand. He heard about me from a friend of a friend or a cousin of a friend, I’m not sure which now.” She frowned, then shook her head. “Whatever. Anyway, he wanted to be an angel investor and I would make him a partner with fifty percent of the business. My mom was dying of cancer then and I was just so grateful that he was willing to invest in my business. He brought the money and referred quite a lot of new clients my way. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was.” She let out a bitter laugh.
She could still remember how excited and grateful she’d been. Lord, she’d been so naïve. “We started dating, my mom died and he helped me through the process. He asked me to marry him and after a year of living together I finally agreed. We got married and three months later we were on our way to his mother’s when he said he wanted an annulment. The accountant he had hired was not just an accountant. Oh no, the multi-talented woman was actually his mistress. They’d been having an affair for almost the same duration as our relationship. As a matter of fact, I knew she was pregnant and he told me then that the baby was his. I just sat there in shock while it seemed as though my life was crumbling around me. Somehow he lost control. We skidded and ended up beneath a truck. He died instantly. I wasn’t so lucky.”
“Angie,” Alex murmured.
“What I don’t understand is how I could’ve been so completely blind. I worked with them. Why didn’t I notice that there was something going on between those two? I didn’t even have the luxury of saying it was behind my back. It was right in my face! And I was too blind to see it.”
Alex stood then and lifted her into his arms, her pain almost more than he could bear. He walked with her to the sofa and settled her on his lap. “Angie, listen to me. You married a man who deceived you. How on earth is that your fault?”
“But I should have known Alex.” She looked up at him earnestly, her eyes shadowed by remembered pain. “How could I not have known? I trusted him, I loved him. How could I love such a person?”
He brushed her hair from her face tenderly. “Baby you gave your love freely and he abused it. That makes him an idiot. You can’t seriously think love goes through a selection process, picking out only those who are worthy of our love.”
She shook her head sadly. “I hear you Alex,” she said softly, “but I felt so stupid. They made a fool of me and I helped them do it.”
Alex rubbed her back gently, comforting her, but also trying to comfort himself. “So who’s taking care of your business while you’re here?”
“What business?” she laughed derisively. “By the time I came out of the hospital, I discovered that he’d left his fifty percent to her and she decided to help herself to what was left of mine. There was nothing left of the business by the time she was through.” Surprisingly, that had been the most devastating of all to her. Not even the fact that Michael had been cheating on her, though that hurt like hell. And not the fact that his mistress had gotten pregnant where she’d tried without success. All those had hit her hard but her business had been the finishing blow. It had been a total knockout.
“Wow. I hate to speak badly of the dead and all that, but the man was a bastard.”
Angie laughed weakly. “You can say that again.”
“So you’re going to close yourself up to everyone because of that character?”
Angie couldn’t believe her ears. Where was that coming from? “Excuse me?”
“Angie, you have so much to give and you’re alive. So you married a crappy man, but your world didn’t end. We’ve been together practically every day since we met, but you haven’t really been with me. You’re holding back.”
She jumped off his legs, suddenly agitated. Didn’t he hear a word she’d said? “Alex you don’t understand. I was with Michael for a year before we got marrie
d. If I got it so wrong then, how will I ever know I won’t make the same mistake again?”
Alex stood up, suddenly angry with her. “You’re selling yourself short, babe.”
“I have no guarantee I won’t meet another asshole.”
He stiffened. “I’m not an asshole!”
Angie jumped at the vehemence in his voice. “We’re not talking about you.”
“Aren’t we?”
She sighed and looked away from the challenge in his eyes. “I’m sorry Alex. I got it so wrong with Michael, and I’m not willing to take the chance that I could get it that wrong again.”
Alex stared at her, saying nothing, a muscle in his jaw ticking. When she thought she couldn’t take the tension anymore, he spoke. “So you’re not going to give us a chance?”
“What chance, I leave in two days!”
“And if I asked you to stay?”
Angie felt the shock of his words. It wasn’t like she hadn’t thought vaguely about staying, but it just hadn’t seemed like it was an option. She felt her heart flutter but she ignored it. Michael’s betrayal had devastated her, but Alex was different. No, if Alex did the same to her, she knew with bone deep certainty that she wouldn’t survive it. So she drew herself up and looked him in the eye. “I’m sorry.”
Alex stood there staring at her. Somewhere in the recesses of his mind, he could hear his heart splintering, or he would if he wasn’t feeling so damned numb at that moment. “I never had a chance did I?”
“Alex…”
“Damn.” He swore softly then laughed at the irony. He stared at his bare feet and shook his head absently. “Kismet. I had to go and fall in love with a woman who won’t love me back.” He looked up and caught the stricken look on her face. She had tears pooling around her eyes and he felt his chest tighten. He wanted to yell at her that she couldn’t do this to them. He thought of weeping and begging her to reconsider. But in the end he walked to her and planted a fierce kiss on her startled lips. Whether she chose to acknowledge it or not, they belonged together. She was a part of him just as he was part of her and running away wasn’t going to change anything. As he kissed her with all he had in his soul, he let her know just how he felt. She’d closed her eyes and surrendered to the kiss, holding onto him like she would never let him go. But he knew better. She’d already let him go.
Holiday With Mr. Right Page 4
