Heavenly Angel Read Free Page A

cheek.
    “Cowboy! Yee-haw!” Michael yodeled from his spot on the living room floor with Marissa. Teresa smiled at Angel and laughed softly.
    “Angel, you remember my son, Michael, and this is my neighbor, Marissa.”
    Michael had come with her on a brief visit when Angel was still in the hospital. Angel squatted down to Michael and nodded his head at him and smiled. Michael grinned at him and made a pretend gun out of his chubby fingers and pointed it at him and fired, making sound effects. Angel grabbed his chest in mock agony, and Michael laughed outrageously at him. Angel rose up and greeted Marissa politely.
    “Thank you for the flowers. They’re beautiful.”
    “You’re welcome. The pie was delicious. Your pecan pie is my new favorite.”
    “Thank you. I’ll make it again for you some time. Did you share?”
    He shook his head negatively. “No. I ate it all myself.”
    She smiled when he rubbed his hard, flat belly. He must have burned it off because it sure wasn’t stored anywhere on his muscular body.
    “Ready to go?” he asked.
    She kissed Michael on top of his black curly head and reminded Marissa of his bedtime before they left. He walked her out to his truck, and she hesitated when he opened the passenger door and turned to her. She was wearing a shin-length, flowing dress, and his truck was a little farther off the ground than she could probably manage in it. She hadn’t thought of that when dressing.
    Turning to him in embarrassment, she said, “Perhaps I should change into slacks?”
    Perhaps you shouldn’t waste your time on a loser like me .
    He shook his head. “You look beautiful. I don’t want you to change. Would you allow me?” He held out both hands.
    Oh no! He wanted to lift her? People would see him trying to lift her! He’d hurt himself, and she’d be humiliated ! He didn’t wait for her assent. He placed her arm around his shoulder and slid his arm around her back. He reached behind her and lifted her under her knees. He smiled at her sudden intake of breath and slight whimper.
    “Don’t worry, beautiful. I have you safe.”
    He deposited her in the passenger seat and helped her with the seatbelt. He smiled down at her and grazed a knuckle over her heated cheekbone as she thanked him. He must be very strong because he’d lifted her as if she were as light as a feather. While he walked around the front of the truck, she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. This was just a date. Just a date, maybe. But it was her first date. She was twenty-seven years old on her first date! He pulled open the driver side door and hopped in, smiling at her before he turned to buckle himself in.
    “You okay, sweetheart?”
    “I’m fine.” She was a basket case , thanks to all her helpful self-talk.
    He covered her hand with his rough palm. “You sure? I’m sorry if I embarrassed you. I like what you have on, and I didn’t want you to go back in and change clothes. I didn’t mind lifting you. You’re light as a feather.”
    “I—Well, it, um…you did take me by surprise. I’m sorry. I’m just being silly.” She sighed softly and paused before confessing. “I don’t date. I’m not used to this.”
    * * * *
    Angel lifted the hand curled in her lap and wrapped his around it. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He remembered his conversation with Grace a few weeks before. She’d warned him Teresa did not date, and she’d asked that he not trifle with her. Teresa was not someone he could date casually.
    He knew she was feeling nervous and flighty, more so now after he lifted her up into the truck. She probably thought she was too heavy for him to lift. He liked her petite but voluptuous form and wouldn’t change a thing about her. He still thought that was a good move, but it definitely took her by surprise. She’d need time to settle now. She’d blushed more for him in the past five minutes than Patricia had in the entire time he’d known her.
    “I’d planned on