Page 96 of Angel

“Why do you need my phone?” I ask, placing it on his palm.

“So I can take pictures.”

I roll my eyes. “We’re not in high school, and we’re not going to prom.”

Hayden tilts his head, eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Did you go to prom?”

I huff. “No, I didn’t. But that’s beside the point.”

“This can be your prom do-over. Complete with your own Prince Charming.”

“Hello?” Angel’s voice echoes down the long hallway that leads to the front door.

“In here!” Hayden calls.

I stop breathing as I wait for Angel to appear. And when he does, I’m not at all disappointed. He’s fucking gorgeous in a cream-colored suit that complements the gold in my dress. It fits him perfectly across his broad shoulders and follows the line of his body close enough to show off his bulk. The white shirt underneath is open at the collar, showing off his thick neck, that delicious dip at the base, and his signature gold chain. There’s a royal blue silk handkerchief tucked into his breast pocket, and his hair and beard are freshly trimmed.

He looks sophisticated and poised, like he just stepped off the pages of a fashion magazine. I love him, no matter what he’s wearing, but a part of me can’t help being proud that my rough-and-tumble construction worker cleans up really damn nice.

“You’re beautiful,” Angel says in a hushed tone. His gaze had wandered slowly down my body and now it makes its way slowly back up. When his eyes meet mine, the love shining in those warm browns steals my breath away.

Before I met Angel, I never really gave relationships much thought. I’m young and I figured I would find someone eventually. But Angel exceeds all my wildest dreams and craziest fantasies. And the fact that he’s from the old neighborhood feels like poetic justice somehow. I’ve snatched him from their clutches. He’s mine now and they can’t have him back.

He holds out his arms and I rush into them, not caring whether the hug will wrinkle our clothes. It’s more important that I touch him, hold him, kiss him. Thank god for smudge-proof lipstick.

“You’re so fucking hot,” I murmur against his lips, and they stretch into a wide grin.

His hands slide up from my lower back and a shiver runs through me when his rough palms meet skin. He kisses the corner of my mouth, up my jaw and down my neck. Heat pools low in my stomach.

“If you keep kissing me like that, we might not make it to the wedding.”

“I’m okay with that,” Angel mumbles, tightening his hold on me.

“Ngh.” I give him a half-hearted push. “But… but…” Why was it so important we go to this thing? There was something we wanted to do there… oh yeah. “But, the people.”

I couldn’t have been vaguer, but Angel knows what I mean. He sighs, breath hot against my neck, then straightens. His pupils are blown wide and his lips a rosy pink. “Right.”

I tug on his lapels and fluff up the handkerchief that got a little flattened. Only then do I notice Hayden hovering a few feet away, holding up my phone, camera pointed in our direction.

“Have you been recording this?”

He smirks, not taking his eyes off the phone screen. “Yup.”

Angel’s ears go pink and I spin toward Hayden, tucking Angel behind me.

“Denny!”

“We need to document this for posterity.” He taps the screen, then lowers the phone. “Now for some stills. Sebastian’s going to love these. Go stand by the wall.”

I put on my annoyed face, but deep down, a part of me is thrilled that Hayden’s making such a big deal out of this. I’ve never felt like I missed out on prom, not until Hayden decided to turn this into a production. And now I feel like a teenager again, giddy and a little nervous about the big night.

Angel snakes an arm around my waist and pulls me in close, his hand resting on my opposite hip. He stands straight and tall, smiling joyfully into the camera.

I drape myself over him, cocking my hip out so the dress falls away and reveals my inner thigh. I turn away from Hayden to show off my back, then look over my shoulder at the camera. I lay my arm over Angel’s shoulder, then lean in to press a kiss to his cheek.

The photoshoot lasts a full five minutes before Hayden is satisfied.

He hands my phone back to me, along with my glittering gold clutch, and hands Angel the faux fur mini-cape I’m wearing over my dress.

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