Heavenly Angel (13 page)

“Hey! I got a cowboy belt!” He pulled the small, tooled leather belt from the box and handed it to Joaquin to thread through the belt loops on his blue jeans. “Thanks, Wah-keen! I love it!” he exclaimed and hugged him again.

He caught her eye and said invitingly, “I have something for you too, Teresa.” He held the gift-wrapped velvet box in his hand and watched as Angel guided her around him on the couch to sit between Angel and Joaquin. He caught the reassuring smile Angel gave her. He appreciated the way Angel released her so easily to him, and he hoped Teresa would quickly become comfortable with him. She tucked her black hair behind her ears and settled onto the couch next to him, her bare feet folded underneath her. She radiated a combination of innocence and sensuality as she settled with her hands folded in her lap. Angel stroked her back.

Joaquin handed her the rectangular package wrapped in heavy silver paper. She smiled shyly up at him and turned back to look at Angel briefly as he watched her unwrap the package. She glanced up at Joaquin in surprise when the velvet box inside was revealed. She hesitated briefly and then opened the lid.

Her eyes popped open wide, and she gasped. “I-I don’t know what to say. This is beautiful, Joaquin, but
so
expensive.” Her lips trembled as her fingers lightly traced over the blue stones. He hoped he hadn’t just screwed up royally. She seemed embarrassed. That wasn’t what he’d been going for with this purchase.

When he’d seen the matched set in the jewelry counter at Harrelson’s in San Angelo, he’d thought he couldn’t go wrong.

Angel looked over his shoulder and gave an appreciative nod of approval. There was a chunky turquoise necklace, set in sterling silver, with a shorter silver chain set within it from which dangled smaller turquoise charms, a heavy bracelet made from the same color turquoise with silver beads and crystals mixed in, and matching turquoise dangle earrings. She looked up into Joaquin’s concerned eyes and whispered, “Thank you, Joaquin. It’s lovely. I’m overwhelmed.” She quickly wiped away the tear that slid from her eye.

“Teresa, I didn’t mean to upset you with the gift. I wanted to bring you something nice. I wanted to make a good impression on you.” He slid his finger along her jawline until his fingertip rested under her delicate chin. Her skin felt like satin.

She looked into his eyes and smiled. “You accomplished that before I ever opened this gift, Joaquin. I love it.” She placed the opened box on the couch and hugged him. He took her in his arms and stifled a groan when he felt not a trace of stiffness or hesitation in her voluptuous body. Her delicate scent filled his nostrils. He unashamedly buried his nose in her fragrant hair and inhaled deeply. She bowed her head and leaned into him, resting against his chest.

He looked up at his brother, and Angel smiled at him then glanced down at the turquoise jewelry and raised an eyebrow. “I think someone stole my thunder,” he muttered good-naturedly.

She giggled. “Nobody is stealing anybody’s thunder. I have never been so spoiled with gifts and attention like this,” she said as Joaquin reluctantly released her. She lifted the box to her lap and turned to Angel and placed her hand on the black onyx necklace. “Would you mind if I tried it on?” Then she turned her back to him and lifted her hair from her shoulders. He removed the necklace and helped her put the turquoise on. “How does it look?”

“Beautiful,” both men said in unison then grinned at her and each other.

Joaquin and his brother watched as she gazed at herself in the mirror and stroked the turquoise stones. She seemed lost in thought for a few moments as she stood there. Sunlight shown in through the glass storm door and illuminated her hair, causing the strands to glisten in the light. The light reflected off the mirror onto her face, giving her an almost ethereal glow. He thought she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Joaquin glanced at his brother and noticed a sappy look on his face that probably matched the one on his own. Teresa looked over to them, and Joaquin saw the happiness that shown from her eyes.

She didn’t look away and didn’t cast her eyes down but held their gazes. Joaquin envisioned him and Angel introducing her to pleasure like she’d never known before. Given her history, the only reason she was so open to them both now was because of the groundwork Angel laid over the last several months. He’d shown her he was a man of integrity. Joaquin knew he needed to spend some time alone with her so she could see what he would bring to their relationship. It would give her a chance to develop trust in him, as well. With less than a day elapsed since they met, he was encouraged that she was open to him at all.

They opened the rest of the gifts under the tree and talked and laughed. Joaquin and Angel watched Michael’s antics in amusement, smiling as he wound down like a clockwork toy toward lunch time. Angel made him a grilled-cheese sandwich while Teresa reheated some of the leftover brisket Angel smoked earlier in the week and made sandwiches for the grownups. Michael yawned intermittently throughout the meal and agreed to take a nice, long nap on Angel’s bed when Angel promised him he could ride a horse that afternoon, but only if he got his rest.

* * * *

Teresa tried to keep from laughing out loud when Michael did the Jell-O-neck head bob in his seat and lifted him from his perch on the phone book and carried him back to the bedroom.

She lay down with him for a little while as he drifted off. She breathed in Angel’s scent from his pillow, desire flooding her senses at the recollection of being in his bed yesterday evening. She stretched languorously and fantasized about him lying beside her, kissing her lips as Joaquin lay closely behind her, his body pressed to hers as he nuzzled her throat.

Michael’s light, whistling snore roused her from her fantasy. She carefully rose from the bed and piled the pillows around him in case he rolled around in his sleep. When she came out of the bedroom, Angel met her in the hallway. She recognized longing and desire in his topaz-colored eyes but saw something else in his smile and wasn’t quite sure what it was. Pride, maybe? Was he proud of her?

He tilted her chin up and gently brushed his lips against hers, pressing her against the wall with his hard body. The desire she saw was confirmed when she felt the rock-hard shaft pressed against her abdomen. Her body responded as the muscles in her sheath clenched with need. His arms encircled her upper body, and he groaned as their kiss deepened and she opened for him. She tilted up to him, stroking his tongue with hers, giving him all she had and holding nothing in reserve. Her hands were clinging to his shoulders as she arched her back and pressed her belly against his erection.

Their breath came in quiet gasps as he finally released her lips with a growl. If they had been completely alone, that might have been the moment when they made love for the first time.

He rested his forehead lightly against hers. “Thank you.”

“For what?” she whispered, breathing in his spicy, masculine scent as he pressed his lips to her forehead.

“For being willing. For being so receptive to Joaquin. I’ve never seen that look in his eyes or the hope that’s there. Thank you for loving me and trusting me.”

His words filled her heart with pleasure. “No matter what, I’ll always love you, Angel. And I’m glad Joaquin feels that way.” She nuzzled his lips with her own. “That makes me hopeful it will work out.” She couldn’t process the desires she had and didn’t even try. She wanted to stay like this with Angel, but she wanted Joaquin, too.

“I told Joaquin I would be out of the house for a little while. I released him to touch you if you want him to. He’ll allow you to make the first move. He will not touch you or kiss you unless you reach out to him first. He’s concerned about scaring you.”

Knowing that only served to increase her tender feelings toward them both. “I’m not scared of him, or you. I’m a little scared of what I’m feeling.”

“I’m sure as time passes that feeling will ease. Kissing him will probably help. It won’t bother me if you want to kiss him,” he murmured, kissing her again.

He led her down the hall to the living room and turned to Joaquin. “I’ll check on Deseo while I’m in the second barn.”

“Thanks, Angel,” Joaquin said simply but also saying so much.

Teresa went to the stereo and tuned in a country and western station, turning it down so it played softly in the background. Blake Shelton’s “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking” began to play as she filled the sink with soapy water. She washed the dishes by hand, even though Angel had a dishwasher. Joaquin came in the kitchen, picked up a clean dishcloth, and began drying them as she rinsed them and placed them on a towel. They worked in companionable silence for a minute or two before Joaquin finally spoke.

“Why don’t you tell me about your work? I think that would be a good place to start.” His face was an open book. He wanted her to become comfortable with him. Teresa told him about Stigall’s and how Juliana helped her when she moved to Divine. She also told him that Grace introduced her to Angel and even how she had reacted to him at first. She talked about visiting Angel in the hospital after the shooting and that Patricia was in state custody, in a mental facility being treated. She confessed to him that sometimes she worried that Patricia would be released and show up on Angel’s doorstep with the intent of taking revenge. He asked questions here and there but mostly just let her talk.

She was surprised that once the words started flowing, she told him much more than she would have normally shared with somebody she’d just met. She stopped short of telling him about Michael’s father but answered all Joaquin’s questions. He asked her about where she lived and how she managed on her own. She was honest with him and told him it was hard. It made her feel stronger for taking care of Michael on her own, but that it was lonely, too. Joaquin commiserated with her, and she asked him to tell her about his life, his family, their ranch, and his life on the circuit. Was he still happy living from town to town?

He showed her the scar on his hand, received when he was thrown from a bull and trampled. “I love it, but it’s a hard life, and injuries can be real serious. I don’t want to be crippled before I’m fifty. The money can be good, but I’m not seriously pursuing a national standing, and living like a gypsy can get old. I may compete locally for the next few years, but that’s probably it. I’d like to settle down, start working with Angel again, and begin building a solid foundation.”

“I see. So you’ll be helping Angel with the horse-breeding operation?”

“Yes. Angel told me they’ve been busy lately.”

“Yes, he has. I know he’s been looking forward to having your help with it.”

After finishing, she dried her hands on his towel and hung it up. Joaquin looked down at the floor and stuck his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. She turned to him, and he looked up at her with encouragement in his green eyes and said, “I know you’re still nervous, but I promise to behave. Let’s just talk, okay?” He gestured to the living room with a tilt of his head.

She smiled hesitantly and followed him out of the kitchen. It had been easy to talk to him while washing the dishes because it occupied her hands, and she had to keep her eyes on what she was doing. Now they were face to face, and she felt a little breathless.

He sat on the leather couch, and she perched mutely next to him, her fingers twining in her lap. His body was intimidating, wrapped in lean muscle. He exuded a caged, masculine strength that made her long to reach out to him, but her mind told her to hold back from touching him. She knew once she made the first move, she would be lost to him, whether he wound up being good for her, or bad. He looked like more man than she could handle.

“You must love my brother an awful lot.” He watched her face carefully.

“Why do you say that?” She looked up at him from her hands.

“You must if you’re willing to consider for even a moment that there might be room in your heart for me, as well. It must seem foreign to you.”

“I’m wondering if I’ll be able to make you happy and if…I’ll be able to keep up with you.” She knew that was an excuse. Grace looked like she had no problem “keeping up,” and Teresa knew they pampered her and helped with chores around the house. She didn’t look haggard or ill used.

“Are you referring to the work of running a household or to the physical aspect of such a marriage?”

She realized he was using euphemisms to increase her comfort level. She recognized a difference between the two men just then. Angel tended to use plainer language. She was raised in a household where her parents talked around certain subjects. It wasn’t necessarily better, but it was what she was comfortable with.

“Both.”

“It would be a high priority for us that you were not pushing yourself too hard, in either way. It’s not
supposed
to be more work, and it would be
us
trying to make sure you’re satisfied. We wouldn’t want you to approach it as trying to keep up. If your needs are being met, then we’ll be satisfied, whether we loved you every night, every other night, or once a week. I want you to be happy. I certainly don’t want you to feel like a workhorse.”

“Joaquin, you’ve known me less than a day. What is it about me that makes you think you might want to settle down here with us?”

“Well, I heard about you from my mom. Mom has always been very intuitive. She likes you very much, by the way, and Mom…does not like everybody. Then, talking with Angel about you, hearing how…reverent he sounded, like you were precious to him.” Teresa’s cheeks heated at his words.