“Yeah. It was. You told your mom a man pushed you out of the way. Do you remember that? They thought you bumped your head, but you insisted. They never did believe you.”
“Oh, Damian, I...”
“And how about when you were sixteen? You let your friends talk you out of wearing your seatbelt. You didn’t need one. Until Jamie plowed her car into an oak tree. How long did she spend in intensive care? And you walked away without a scratch. Do you remember why?”
“I...I felt arms...your arms wrap around me. You held me in the car. Oh, Damian! I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” She rushed to him and flung herself into his arms, squeezing him tight. “I’m so sorry.”
God, she smelled delicious. The sensation of her body pressed to his was almost unbearable. He stroked her back, her soft, silky hair. The anger drained from his veins as his heart pounded in his chest. Never in his life had simply being near someone affected him so.
“It’s okay, April. You didn’t know.”
She pulled from his embrace and peered into his eyes with an expression he almost mistook for love. But it wasn’t that. He’d decided long ago he’d never let anyone love him, and he’d never fall in love. He wouldn’t get burned again.
And he wouldn’t burn her. Letting her love him would be like strapping a pack of C4 with a long fuse to his chest and lighting it. He’d be okay for a while, but eventually everything would blow up in his face.
She cast her gaze downward as her cheeks flushed with rosy color. Pressing her pink lips together, she turned to Mira, who’d watched the entire exchange with a smug grin.
“Okay, Mira. Tell me what to do.”
“Be open to learning. Absorb all you can. And be patient with him. Remember...Angels aren’t perfect. We all make mistakes.” She cut him a sideways glance.
“Right, well I guess we need to find her a place to rest.”
“She’s going to stay with you.” Mira’s level gaze told him there was no sense in arguing. She’d made up her mind, and she wouldn’t budge. “You can make her a room off your living quarters, next to your bedroom.”
He sighed in defeat. How in Heaven’s name was he supposed to distance himself from her if she was going to be living with him? Could this situation get any worse?
“And you will tell her anything she needs to know about you, Damian.”
Yeah. It just got worse.
“Mira...” He hoped his tone would be warning enough that she was treading in forbidden territory. He didn’t talk about himself. Not to anyone.
“You must establish trust. How can she trust you if she doesn’t know you?”
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Hopefully she wouldn’t have too many questions. “All right. Let’s get out of here, April. Before she lays down any more mandates.”
April grinned as she walked with him to the door.
Women. They were all out to get him.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The thrill of excitement and a hint of fear clouded April’s mind as she followed Damian out the door and into the heart of the Angelic Realm. The view took her breath away. With the rich hues and saturated colors of the natural surroundings, it was as if she was seeing for the very first time. Her gaze had never held anything so exquisite, and she had to stop to admire the vivid scenery.
“Wow. It’s so beautiful.” Her eyes widened with wonder at the rolling hills covered in a myriad of fragrant flowers. The sky was the deepest blue she’d ever seen. To her right, a sparkling lagoon with cascading waterfalls sat nestled in the center of a majestic rock formation. Several Angels splashed in the crystal water, while others roamed about the picturesque scene. April was in awe.
Damian turned to her with a look of annoyance, but when his gaze met hers, he grinned. “Yes, it is. Sometimes I forget to stop and look. We really are blessed.” He reached for her hand, and a jolt of energy shot through her.
Why did that always happen when he touched her? She considered asking him, but he’d probably have thought she was nuts. Instead, she let him lead her back to his home. Their home for the time being. Living with Damian would be weird, even if they weren’t sharing a bedroom. But part of her was relieved she wouldn’t have to be by herself. She’d depended on Jared for so long, she didn’t know how to be alone.
But she would not be dependent on Damian. She had no delusions of making a life with him. Not like she did with Jared. Hell, with the way Damian was hot one minute and cold the next, she couldn’t tell if he liked her or hated her. She wondered if he even knew.
“There’s so much color here. Why does everyone wear white? And why are all the buildings white? Seems like you’d take advantage of all the beauty, and make your stuff more colorful.”
He shrugged. “You can’t beat natural beauty, so why even try? White is simple and pure. The way our lives are supposed to be.” He let out a cynical laugh.
“But you can wear anything you want. Any designer is yours with just a thought. It’s a dream come true.” She grinned as she closed her eyes and changed her outfit. The buzzing, tickling sensation against her skin made her shiver.
He chuckled. “I guess when you can have anything—create it with your mind—acquiring material things isn’t that important.”
“Hmm... Well, I love nice clothes. It’s not against the rules for me to wear colors is it?”
“No. I don’t know anyone else who does it, but you’ve never been one to follow the crowd.”
“You wear blue jeans.”
His smirk flattened as he looked down at his own clothes and raised one shoulder in a dismissive shrug. “I like to do things my way.”
“I can tell.”
They continued to walk hand-in-hand until they reached a familiar meadow. She recognized the field as the one she saw outside Damian’s window. A moment later, his home came into view—a simple white structure as plain on the outside as it was on the inside. Even in its bareness, though, the home felt like just that—a home.
“Here we are.” He opened the door for her and followed her in. “Let me make you a room, and then we can get started.” He waved his hand in front of the wall, and a door appeared, identical to the one farther down.
He made it look so easy. With some practice, maybe she’d be able to make her own home someday with flower beds and a picket fence. She could still have her dream home here in the Angelic Realm. Maybe even her dream life.
“This is just temporary. Once you’re trained you’ll get your own place.” His serious expression made her smile.
“Of course.”
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Several moments passed in silence as he focused on building her room. When he finally opened his eyes, he motioned for her to go inside.
“There you go. But it’s just temporary.”
“You already said that.”
He blew out a hard breath and swallowed. She padded past him into her new room. The walls were white, as she expected, but her breath caught at the splash of color he created. A queen-size bed sat in the center of the room and was covered in a luxurious lavender duvet. Matching sheer curtains draped across the bright window, and a bouquet of pink and purple tulips sat on the bedside table.
“What do you think?” His breath against her ear made her jump.
She spun around to face him and found herself inches from his body. An electric charge danced between them, drawing her even closer.
“It’s perfect.” And it was. The gesture was so sweet, her heart jumped into her throat. He knew lavender was her favorite color. The flowers, the color, everything about the room was so her. He knew her. Sure, he’d been watching her her entire life, but he hadn’t simply observed. How could he possibly hate her if he’d taken the time to know her so well? The simple act of designing her room so perfectly revealed a tenderness in him she’d never seen before.
She gazed into his eyes and felt like she would drown in them. His intoxicating scent drew her in. The warmth of his body
held her. She couldn’t help herself. She inched forward, her mouth so close to his she could feel his rapid breaths against her lips. When he didn’t pull away, she kissed him.
Their lips met, and the rest of the world slipped away. Fire shot through her limbs as his tongue slipped inside her mouth. His hands came up to cup her face, his touch ever so tender. She slipped her hands behind his neck and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. The passion inside her flared to life, and she pressed her body to his.
He inhaled deeply and slid his hands into her hair. His tongue traced the contours of her lips, his warm breath tickling her skin. He tasted like cinnamon, and she leaned into him, drinking in all she could of the exquisite Angel.
The feel of his sculpted muscles against her chest made her knees weak, and she stumbled into the wall when he jerked out of their embrace. Anger fumed from his body as he clenched his fists and paced her bedroom.
“That shouldn’t have happened. It was a mistake.” He spoke through clenched teeth, his eyes trained on the floor. He wouldn’t even look at her.
“I’m sorry. I...I don’t know what came over me. I just...”
“It won’t happen again.” His steely gaze met hers for a split second before he disappeared.
Great. Smooth move, April.
She plopped onto the edge of her bed and put her head in her hands. What the hell was she thinking?
She’d kissed him.
He did one sweet thing for her, and she’d lost control and kissed him. And what a kiss. Embers still burned in her core from the passion that surged through her body. She’d never felt anything like it. The way he touched her...like she was fragile. Precious. She’d never seen that side of him, and it left her wanting more.
Get it under control, girl. He’s not for you.
Hopefully they could forget the kiss ever happened and get on with her training. She needed to get far, far away from him before she lost more than her human life. She would not lose her heart.
* * *
Past the meadow and over the rolling hills, Damian found solace in the stillness. The golden sun warmed his skin as he stretched out on the soft grass. He knew April could find him with a simple thought, but he prayed she wouldn’t. He needed to be alone. As far away from her as possible, so he could sort out the emotional mess he’d made of his heart.
How could he have let that happen? He should’ve known better than to make her room like that. He knew she’d love it. He knew it would melt her heart just a little. And deep down, that’s what he wanted, wasn’t it? Deep down, he wanted her to like him.
Was he insane? April was a giver, and plenty of men were happy to take. She’d never been with a man who showered her with the tenderness and affection she deserved. And that was a shame.
But he shouldn’t be the one giving it to her. She was his Charge. Nothing good ever came from an Angel falling for his Charge. Not in his opinion anyway.
He’d have to be more careful, before he got in over his head. He was already in it deep enough.
But Lord, she tasted good. Like honey and vanilla. The way her body reacted to his touch made his cock swell. The way she pressed against him. How she gasped when he returned the kiss. The passion was driving him to go back and drown himself in her essence.
But he wouldn’t. He couldn’t. He didn’t spend that many years building a fortress around his heart to have it torn down by a pretty face.
Who was he kidding? She was so much more than that, and he knew it. The question was, would he be able to get out of this with his heart intact, or would April tear him to shreds like Juliet did so long ago?
He lay back on the grass and closed his eyes. He needed to clear his mind, focus on something else. But his thoughts kept drifting back to April. Her soft lips and warm skin. Her silky hair running through his fingers. Squeezing his eyes tighter, he tried to force the image from his mind, but it was no use.
“How’s it hangin’ dude?” Eric’s voice brought a welcome distraction.
He opened his eyes and peered up at the tanned skin and messy blond hair hovering over him. “I’ve been better. How ‘bout you?”
“Just taking a break. Mind if I join you?”
“Sure.” Damian sat up and sighed.
“Trouble in paradise?” Eric lowered his large frame to the ground and rested his forearms on his knees.
He chuckled. “Yeah. You could say that. What about you? How are things going with your winner of a Charge?”
“Ah. It’s goin’, dude. But you know Jared. He wouldn’t listen to me if his life depended on it.”
“Some of them are like that.” Damian gazed out over the rich, green landscape. As much as he’d hoped his friend would distract him from his thoughts, he couldn’t focus on the conversation.
“But, dude. Sometimes I wish I was a Guardian, so I could cross over and knock him out. Or at least convince him to move to Malibu.”
He smiled. “You’re still hung up on California? Texas isn’t so bad.”
“Have you seen the surf in the Gulf, dude? It’s flat and brown. I miss the waves on the west coast.” Eric looked out over the field, lost in thought.
The two men sat in comfortable silence, and Damian almost forgot Eric was there. Thoughts of April swirled through his mind, tearing at his heart. He couldn’t deny his feelings for her anymore, but he couldn’t risk the heartbreak letting her in would surely cause. If he wasn’t enough for Juliet, how could he expect to be enough for April? The sound of Eric’s voice pulled him from his inner torment.
“So listen, dude. Do you think you can put in a good word for me with Mira and Paul? I really want to go back to Cali.”
He nodded his head. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Awesome. I’ll catch ya later.” Eric Jumped to Heaven knew where, leaving Damian alone with his thoughts.
What on Earth was he going to do about April?
* * *
It’d been nearly an hour, and Damian still hadn’t returned. Well, if he was going leave her all alone, she might as well end her pity party, get off her butt, and go explore.
She closed her bedroom door and tiptoed through the living room. It was a silly action, but she felt like she was intruding in Damian’s space. When she passed by his bedroom door, the temptation to take a peek inside almost won over her good sense. She still didn’t know anything about him, and her curiosity drove her crazy.
Why did he act that way? She’d have understood if he didn’t kiss her back, but he was just as into it as she was. So why the angry reaction? She shook her head as she walked out the door. He felt something. There was no way he could kiss her like that without feeling anything. But what was she going to do about it?
She strolled through the meadow toward what she wanted to call the town. They didn’t eat, and they could create anything they needed out of thin air, so there weren’t any stores or restaurants. But she saw a gathering of Angels near the lagoon, so she headed that way.
Anxiety twinged in her stomach. She didn’t know these Angels. She had no idea what to say to them, or how much they knew about her situation. She came close to turning tail and running back to Damian’s place, but she spotted Ella through the crowd.
Relief washed over her, and the tension in her shoulders eased. In the two weeks she spent in The In-Between, she and Ella had become good friends. A familiar face in a crowd of strangers was just what she needed. Someone she could confide in.
“Hi, Ella. Whatcha doing?” April fidgeted with her hair, twirling it around her finger like she always did when she was nervous.
“April! It’s so good to see you.” Ella pulled her into a warm hug then wrapped her arm around her shoulder and led her away from the crowd. Thank goodness.
She took April up a path to a rocky platform above the waterfall. The view was amazing. The landscape was so pure, untouched save for the small white houses scattered throughout the lush fields of green. Fluffy clouds floated in the bright blue sky, and the cool bree
ze caressed her skin. She took a deep breath as the rhythmic sound of the water cascading into the lagoon soothed her frazzled nerves.
“So... How’s your training going? How are things with Damian?”
“Eh...not so good.”
“Really? I thought you’d catch on pretty quickly. Don’t worry. It’ll come to you when you’re ready.”
April smoothed the seam of her royal blue skirt. She felt out of place as she watched the other Angels in their simple, white garments.
“It’s not that. He actually hasn’t taught me anything yet. It’s just that...well...I kissed him.”
“What?” Excitement bubbled in Ella’s voice. “You kissed Damian?”
“Shh... Will you keep it down? I don’t want the whole world to know.”
“Sorry.” Ella giggled. “April, what happened? Did he kiss you back?”
“Umm...yeah, he did. It was...nice.” Blood rushed to her cheeks. Should she have told Ella this? What would Damian think if he knew? “You won’t tell anyone, will you?”
“No, of course not. But, April...you kissed Damian! He’s like someone you admire from afar. The ultimate goal that’s always out of reach. I’ve never seen him show the slightest bit of interest in any woman. You’re so lucky!”
April cleared her throat and looked at the ground. “I don’t think so, considering that after we kissed he stormed away saying it was a huge mistake and it would never happen again. I haven’t seen him since.”
“Oh.” Ella’s shoulders slumped as her excitement deflated. “Well, that’s a strange way to react. You’re sure he kissed you back?”
“Positive.” Shivers ran down her spine at the memory.
“Huh.” She shrugged and rested her hand on her hip. “Well, I’m sure you two will work it out, once you’re speaking again. He can’t hide from you forever.”
“Yeah, but I’m not sure if we should talk about it. He’s so...I don’t know. He’s a hard nut to crack. I don’t think I’m going to say anything. Pretend like it didn’t happen, you know?”
Ella nodded. “I see. Ignore the problem, and it will go away.”
The Rest of Forever: A Guardian Angel Paranormal Romance Page 12
