“Not like this. Now she’s pissed. Not exactly the result I was after.”
“I don’t think she was mad at you, Alex, but, she was angry with you, Darian. Yep. Seriously pissed at you.” Becca pointed her index finger in Darian’s direction. “She’ll probably chew you a new one the next time she sees you. My advice would be to give her a lot of space.”
“She can’t do anything to me. I’m her boss.”
Becca laughed out loud. “That’s hilarious! You really believe that shit? Angel is her own boss. She’ll fire your ass and walk off the show. Just saying, give it some time.” Her eyebrow went up and her mouth thinned out in mocking consternation.
Alex’s mouth lifted at the corners in the start of a smirk. He liked this girl. She was spunky. Not as feisty as her gorgeous friend, but he could understand why they were close. Both of them were beautiful, vivacious, and full of life. Alex found Angel utterly mouth-watering and the connection he felt was immediate. Dressed down or up… it didn’t matter, but now his interest was even stronger, and if it was possible, he found himself more curious than before.
Darian had been dead-on in his description of Angel. Maybe she was too good to be true, but he’d enjoy finding out. Darian’s interference made it more difficult, but still, it didn’t occur to Alex for a second that he wouldn’t be able to overcome Angeline’s defenses. In fact, I think I might even enjoy the game of cat and mouse immensely. He was smiling to himself when Darian laughed at Becca’s warning.
“Nah, Angel’s a pussycat. All hiss and spit on the surface, but underneath, I’ll bet she purrs like a kitten,” Darian retorted and picked up his beer.
“Man, you don’t know what you’re talking about. She’ll put you down. Hard. She didn’t used to be that way, but well, she’s evolved. Don’t you hear that when she’s on air?”
Alex sat listening intently to everything that Becca said and wondered what could have happened to change her. Did she used to be all soft and giving? Mmmm… Alex’s thoughts were very titillating, and he let his imagination run rampant, enjoying the fantasies that filled his mind about how he would indeed make her purr and what he’d do to get her to put those claws away.
“Where did she learn to sing like that? She’s almost professional,” Alex asked, scooting his chair a little closer to the table.
“Yes. Almost. I can’t tell her stories. They’re hers to share if she chooses, but don’t hold your breath.”
“You make her sound harsh but she doesn’t seem that way to me. She just seems,” Alex searched for the right words, “strong and confident, but I do sense a softer side lurking underneath.” One I’ve glimpsed before. Alex was swirling the amber liquid around in his glass as he spoke, more to himself than the other two. “Very engaging. She’s really stunning.”
Becca studied his face, taking note of his contemplative expression, and smiling softly at his obvious fascination, she looked down at her drink and nodded. He did have a good feel for Angel. He was pretty much right on.
“Engaging and stunning, huh?” Her blue eyes snapped back up to lock with Alex’s. “Yeah, that she is. I sometimes think she takes on too much, but she’s Angel. Alex, I heard about you and your girl Whitney. The thing is, I like you, so I’m gonna cut to the chase. Angel’s no twit like that. She doesn’t give two shits about material things or superficial bullshit. Her outward appearance is for her job. She’d just as soon give every dime she has to charity, and your power or money won’t matter. She’s a great person, and she has the biggest heart of anyone I know, but she protects herself. She’s guarded.”
Alex sat back in his chair and contemplated his words carefully. “I just want to get to know her. She seems… I enjoy…”
“Yeah, I saw you enjoying her earlier. She’s better… more than most women, but she’s not invincible or ambivalent, even if she likes to give the impression she is. So don’t fuck with her. If you want to get to know her, then let her get to know you. She might play with you for a while, but make no mistake about it, it will be your chain that gets yanked, not hers.”
A deep guttural laugh burst from Alex’s chest, and Darian looked embarrassed. “I think I might enjoy having my, uh… chain yanked, if you will.” Alex nodded his head in her direction and took another drink from his glass.
“Whatever. If you think you leave ‘em in heaps behind you, so does she. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya.” The pretty blonde pushed away from the table and stood up, both men rising with her. “I gotta go get my kid. Thanks for the birthday drink, Alex. And Darian, glad to finally meet you, but remember what I said. Give Angel her space for a bit if you don’t want to start singing soprano.”
After the girl left and they sat back down, Alex’s hard gaze settled on Darian.
“What the hell is your problem? I just gave you a gift.”
“I can’t figure out your motivation for throwing us together. You want her. I can almost smell it on you.”
“I can’t have her. It seems such a waste of a beautiful woman. And you want her more. She’ll make you chase her, and maybe I’m tired of seeing women fall over for you. She’ll teach you to appreciate the finer things in life.”
“It isn’t like that.”
“Yeah, sure it isn’t. Take a look around, for fuck’s sake! You’re a smart guy, Alex.”
He glanced around nonchalantly and noticed three or four women openly sizing him up. “D, they’re looking at both of us.”
“Man, give it a rest. Admit it. Everything I told you about Angeline is the truth. She’s beautiful and amazing.”
Alex’s fingers of one hand traced around the top of his glass and his eyes followed their movement and his brow creased. “Incredible, yes,” he agreed.
“You need someone like her. She’ll make you fall in love, and when you take her to bed, you can tell me what it’s like.”
“It won’t happen.” Alex’s mouth turned down at the corners as he shook his head.
“You have so little faith in your ability, bro’?”
“Not that, asshole. When it happens, I won’t share the details. Every touch or thought about her, will be mine alone. But, I won’t fall in love.”
“We’ll see.”
“I should kick the shit out of you for doing this to me.”
“No, you should thank me. But a steak dinner and a few beers will do.”
Angel’s mind was still reeling when she walked into the radio station two hours later.
Damn Darian to hell!
She didn’t know what she was thinking or feeling about the gorgeous man she’d met earlier, but she was sure of one thing: his confidence had a presence of its own. Was she pissed, excited, shaken, or stunned?
Good. Fucking. Question.
One thing was for sure, Alexander Avery wasn’t like anyone she’d met before, and it wasn’t because he was so dangerously good looking. It wasn’t because that face had haunted her, had become the fodder of every one of her fantasies, and pushed a bigger wedge between her and Kenneth. He was brilliant, successful, funny and probably a plethora of other things that would scare the shit out of her if she took the time to explore it.
If I’m stupid enough to get sucked in, she told herself. He’s the type to leave them crying in the aisles, begging, while he walks away without a backward glance. Whitney was evidence of his reality, and Angel’s mental constitution and resolve were only intensified by her obvious attraction.