friendship. Seduced by my husband’s beautiful face and body, I was caving. Charmed by him despite myself, despite his best efforts. Charmed by that sudden, unbidden smile.
What would it be like to see that smile without all the baggage? To see him really smile at me?
Why not do what Rachel asked? I fought to ignore the little voice that niggled in my head. He was deliciously gorgeous, but it wasn’t merely his physicalbeauty that had such an odd effect on me. All the men here were beautiful, angelically so. And none of the others caused me even the slightest twinge.
There was something about the Archangel Michael that pulled me on a deep, irrational level. His slow, sexy smile had almost brought me to my knees. And if I gave in, I’d never leave. Never taste the richness of life that had always been out of reach. I wanted to be loved, I wanted children, I wanted to see and experience everything. If I stayed here, Michael would be my world, that rare, devastating smile would be my reward, and I wasn’t going to let that happen.
I looked out the french doors to the sea shimmering in the misty sunlight. There were people on the beach, some running, some going through martial arts exercises with impressively good form. I wouldn’t mind sparring with some of them , I thought. If I were going to stay . No escape that way. The house backed up against a steep cliff, and while I could attempt the climb, I could hardly do so in broad daylight. I had to stay put, at least for the moment.
Rachel wanted me to sleep with him. They all wanted me to sleep with him, everyone except Michael himself, which, if you thought about it, was insulting. There was nothing wrong with me. My body was lithe and strong, my face pretty enough even though it fell far short of movie-star perfection. Why didn’t he want me?
But he does , the little voice whispered in my head.He did, and I knew it, in the unconscious, elemental female way that had existed throughout history, all the way back to the first man and first woman. Beneath the cool gaze he used to try to intimidate me there lurked a blaze, so strong it made me uneasy. I refused to let anything frighten me. But if anything did, it would be the heat in the icy fallen archangel.
I pushed open the doors, letting the soft sea air into my room, and went out to join the army on the beach.
I N THE END , slipping away was easier than I had expected. In the workout room I sparred a bit with a couple of the men—the angels—including a particularly kind one named Asbel. He had the same perfect beauty, but on him it somehow looked more human, more approachable. By the time we finished, we were both exhausted and laughing.
“We’re glad you’re here, Victoria Bellona,” he said as we were catching our breath.
I’d grown tired of telling people to call me Tory. I glanced around. Michael was across the huge room, ignoring me, and I wished I were as good at dismissing him from my mind as he appeared to be at disregarding me. I pulled my attention back to Asbel. “It’s certainly better than the last place I lived,” I said. “Though not where I was expecting to go.” I let my eyes go back to Michael. “And not what I expected to marry.”
Asbel touched my arm with surprising sympathy. He smelled like cinnamon, always a comforting scent. Michael smelled of the night sky.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Asbel said quietly. “If there’s any way I can help, all you have to do is ask.”
“Can you help me get away from here?” I said flippantly, then turned, distracted, as Martha approached. If I had a bone to pick with anyone in this place, it was with Martha.
“Michael suggested we might spar,” she said in her soft voice.
“Really?” I glanced over at him. I seemed to be spending all my spare time looking at him, which was really pathetic. “Why?”
“He said you’d relish a chance to kick my ass, considering I was the reason they brought you here.”
That managed to get
What would it be like to see that smile without all the baggage? To see him really smile at me?
Why not do what Rachel asked? I fought to ignore the little voice that niggled in my head. He was deliciously gorgeous, but it wasn’t merely his physicalbeauty that had such an odd effect on me. All the men here were beautiful, angelically so. And none of the others caused me even the slightest twinge.
There was something about the Archangel Michael that pulled me on a deep, irrational level. His slow, sexy smile had almost brought me to my knees. And if I gave in, I’d never leave. Never taste the richness of life that had always been out of reach. I wanted to be loved, I wanted children, I wanted to see and experience everything. If I stayed here, Michael would be my world, that rare, devastating smile would be my reward, and I wasn’t going to let that happen.
I looked out the french doors to the sea shimmering in the misty sunlight. There were people on the beach, some running, some going through martial arts exercises with impressively good form. I wouldn’t mind sparring with some of them , I thought. If I were going to stay . No escape that way. The house backed up against a steep cliff, and while I could attempt the climb, I could hardly do so in broad daylight. I had to stay put, at least for the moment.
Rachel wanted me to sleep with him. They all wanted me to sleep with him, everyone except Michael himself, which, if you thought about it, was insulting. There was nothing wrong with me. My body was lithe and strong, my face pretty enough even though it fell far short of movie-star perfection. Why didn’t he want me?
But he does , the little voice whispered in my head.He did, and I knew it, in the unconscious, elemental female way that had existed throughout history, all the way back to the first man and first woman. Beneath the cool gaze he used to try to intimidate me there lurked a blaze, so strong it made me uneasy. I refused to let anything frighten me. But if anything did, it would be the heat in the icy fallen archangel.
I pushed open the doors, letting the soft sea air into my room, and went out to join the army on the beach.
I N THE END , slipping away was easier than I had expected. In the workout room I sparred a bit with a couple of the men—the angels—including a particularly kind one named Asbel. He had the same perfect beauty, but on him it somehow looked more human, more approachable. By the time we finished, we were both exhausted and laughing.
“We’re glad you’re here, Victoria Bellona,” he said as we were catching our breath.
I’d grown tired of telling people to call me Tory. I glanced around. Michael was across the huge room, ignoring me, and I wished I were as good at dismissing him from my mind as he appeared to be at disregarding me. I pulled my attention back to Asbel. “It’s certainly better than the last place I lived,” I said. “Though not where I was expecting to go.” I let my eyes go back to Michael. “And not what I expected to marry.”
Asbel touched my arm with surprising sympathy. He smelled like cinnamon, always a comforting scent. Michael smelled of the night sky.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Asbel said quietly. “If there’s any way I can help, all you have to do is ask.”
“Can you help me get away from here?” I said flippantly, then turned, distracted, as Martha approached. If I had a bone to pick with anyone in this place, it was with Martha.
“Michael suggested we might spar,” she said in her soft voice.
“Really?” I glanced over at him. I seemed to be spending all my spare time looking at him, which was really pathetic. “Why?”
“He said you’d relish a chance to kick my ass, considering I was the reason they brought you here.”
That managed to get
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