Page 46 of Angels & Whiskey

“I can teach you how to use it.”

“You know how to use a gun?”

I smiled. “I was in the army.”

She paused for a beat, her eyes going wide.

“What?” I asked.

“So was my husband.” She closed her eyes and I wanted to wrap her in my arms. Maybe she thought I was a spy.

“The army’s a big branch. I doubt I know him.”

“Right.” She laughed. “Anyway, I think I do want your help. I know that seems weird—”

“No, it doesn’t. Come stay with me and Jackson until we figure something …” I stopped talking when I realized how crazy that sounded. “Sorry, bad idea.”

“I can’t just jump into leaving him. Things need to happen. If I just leave, he’ll find me.” She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away.

“Because he’s powerful?”

“Right.”

“Who is he?” God I’d love to know who this motherfucker was so I could show him a piece of his own medicine. Seeing Autumn hurting was breaking me. Sure I was attracted to her, but with my past, I wasn’t sure if I could have a relationship. I knew, however, that I wanted to at least be friends with her. Maybe even friends with benefits.

“It’s better that you don’t know and even better that I’m not seen with you.”

“So you want to have a secret rendezvous?” I grinned.

Her face turned bright red.

“That’s a yes,” I flirted, my dick getting hard as I stared at her blushing face.

“I’m married.”

“That’s not a no, Autumn.”

“Do you know what he’d do if he found out?”

“I’ll protect you.”

“You can’t protect me at night.”

I felt my heart clench in my chest. The thought of her going home to her husband every night, and the thought of him hurting her, felt as if I were being repeatedly stabbed. “You have no idea how much the thought of that hurts me.”

“If I’m on my best behavior, he’s fine.”

I thought for a few moments before I spoke. “All right, here’s the plan. Paul and I will come up with a way to help you. It guts me that you have to go back to this asshole, but I get it. We’re going to figure this out. Every day we’re going to have a secret rendezvous here at the gym because I can’t get you out of my head,andI’m going to kiss you after I stop talking because I’ve wanted to do that since the first time I saw you.”

I took the two steps toward her and cupped her face in my hands. Before she could stop me, I brought my lips to hers. My tongue ran across the seam of her lips and she parted, granting me access. I heard myself groan as my tongue took its first swipe of her mouth. Her lips were a little salty from her sweat given she’d just run three miles, but she tasted fucking good.

I expected her to pull back, maybe even slap me, but to my surprise, she didn’t. She stepped closer, wrapped her arms around my neck, and deepened the kiss. My hands slid down her sides and along her curves; my fingertips brushed along the smooth skin on her torso as her shirt rose up a little.

I hated that we were in a room with fluorescent lights and I couldn’t do anything but kiss her. I wanted every one of my dreams to come true. Before I could pick her up so her legs could wrap around my waist and I could push her against the wall, she stepped back, breaking our kiss.

“I can’t do this. What am I thinking?”

“Angel, it’s okay. I’m sorry, I did that.”

She stared at me, not saying anything. She didn’t move. Nothing.

“It won’t happen again,” I confirmed.

She ran her fingertips over her lips as if she could still feel my mouth on hers.

“Angel, say something.”

But she turned and walked away.