Page 86 of Angel

“Um, pretty much all of it?” My ears warm at the admission. I don’t know why. It shouldn’t be surprising. I’m a construction worker, so I know how to gut reno an apartment unit. Why wouldn’t I do the work myself? “I mean, Mario and a couple other guys helped sometimes.”

Rhys steps up to me and slips his arms around my waist. I gather him to me.

“Of course you did all of it. And of course you wouldn’t take any of the credit.” Rhys shakes his head. “Angel, you’re incredibly talented.”

I scratch my jaw. “I’m okay. This stuff isn’t that hard.”

Rhys rolls his eyes, but he’s still wearing a teasing smile. “Okay, fine, it isn’t that hard—for a trained and experienced professional.”

I duck my chin as my ears grow hotter. “Do you, um, would you like something to drink? Beer? Water? I don’t have anything fancy like margaritas or anything. But I can go get some if you want!”

“I don’t need anything else.” He takes my hand and leads me back to the living room. He pushes me down onto the couch, then deposits himself into my lap. “I’ve got everything I want right here.”

I sigh into the kiss he gives me. Nothing rushed or urgent. We have all the time in the world to explore each other’s mouths, draw our tongues into a dance, nibble on each other’s lips. My dick plumps in my jeans, even though I came my brains out earlier in the day. But it’s impossible not to react when I’ve got Rhys all flexible and pliant in my arms.

He’s wearing a pair of yellow flared pants that hug his bum and his thighs, soft and fuzzy as he grinds himself down on me. My hands slip under his big sweater, and the skin at the small of his back is hot against my palms.

We make out for long minutes that stretch on and on. Licking and tasting and losing ourselves in one another. I’m dizzy from lack of oxygen, drunk on Rhys’s mouth, floating high and never wanting to come back down.

“Teddy bear,” Rhys murmurs, resting his forehead against mine when we finally pause for a breath.

“Hmm.”

He pulls back just an inch, just enough to run his thumbs over my brows, my cheeks, down the line of my nose. I turn my head and press a kiss into his palm.

Rhys sighs, a distinct note of resignation, hands falling to land gently on my chest.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, not liking the hint of sadness in his eyes.

He smiles and I can tell he’s trying to pretend that everything’s okay, that everything’s fine.

“You can tell me,” I say, pouring every ounce of sincerity I possess into my expression. “I’m a good listener.”

“I know you are.” Rhys’s gaze drops as he fiddles with the buttons of my shirt. “You’re such a good person.”

I don’t know where he’s going with this, but a warning light goes off in the back of my mind. “You’re a good person too.”

He chuckles softly. “Yeah, I’m not bad. But you… you’re a good person.” He lifts his gaze and looks directly into my eyes. “You’re the best person.”

I take his hands in mine and hold them to my chest. My heart is beating hard now, a heavy thump that reverberates through me. He must be able to feel the steady rhythm under our clasped hands.

“You’re the best person,” I repeat back to him. “You’re the best person I know. You’re so kind and patient with me. You’ve never laughed at me or thought I was dumb. You listen to me like the things I say are important.”

Rhys sniffles and his fingers clutch at the fabric of my shirt.

“You’re so brave. Look at the life you’ve built for yourself. It’s so much more than anything anyone from around here has done. You know who you are and what you want, and you don’t let anyone stand in your way. I wish I was brave like you.”

“You are. You are brave.” A single tear escapes Rhys’s lashes and lands on my shirt.

“Not like you. You were so young when you left home. I could never have done that.”

A second tear escapes, leaving another round wet spot on my shirt.

I don’t know where these words are coming from, or how I’m able to string them all together into sentences that actually make sense. They’re thoughts I’ve had for a long time now, but I never imagined I would have the courage to say them out loud. But now that they’re spilling out of my mouth, I can’t stop them.

“You’re basically famous.”

A choked laugh bursts from Rhys.

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