Page 24 of When the Angel Falls First

“No,” she insisted. “But he’s always in my father’s ear, telling him how I should be part of the family business.” Josie raked a hand through her hair, mussing the perfect curls slightly. I liked it. It made her seem more real, touchable. Less off-limits.

She has to stay off-limits, Caleb.

No amount of self-chiding made me wish even a fractionless that it was my hands running through her hair. My fingers weaving into the silken strands, pulling her to my lips for a kiss.

I cleared my throat. “You have your own business, though, and it’s incredible.”

“I know. And I always thought…” She shook her head, dropping her eyes back to her lap. “I always thought that would be enough, when I got to this point. But it wasn’t.” The words were so small, yet the pain in them made me ache. Her parents’ acceptance of her business was incredibly important to her.

Surely, they knew that?

I let my thumb trace over the back of hers, gently soothing while she composed herself. “I’m sorry they haven’t been able to give you what you need. But it doesn’t mean they won’t come around.”

Especially if I have anything to do with it.

“You don’t know my parents.”

“I—”

“Look at you two, such a beautiful couple!” A man in an elegant suit arrived at our table, completely destroying our deep conversation. “We are always pleased to host young love.”

Josie snatched her hand from mine, looking horrified. “We’re not a couple. Just friends. Having a veryfriendlydinner.” Her smile was tight and didn’t reach her eyes as she spoke.

“Ah, my apologies.” He shifted uncomfortably. “You are indeed two lovely friends. Has everything been satisfactory so far this evening?”

“Yes, excellent.” She glared at him.

“Magnificent. If you need anything at all, just let us know.” He half-bowed and then left, crossing to check on anothertable. But the mood was broken, and both of Josie’s hands were planted firmly back in her lap.

They stayed that way until the food came a few minutes later.

She was two bites into her chicken piccata when she dropped the bomb on me.

ELEVEN

Josie

“What exactly is your deal?”

The words escaped my lips in a rush, and his startling blue eyes widened as he was stunned into silence. My heart pounded in my chest, a frenzied rhythm that echoed the turmoil of everything I’d felt since he’d reappeared.

Caleb’s face paled, his golden curls shimmering under the elegant chandelier’s light. His fingers traced patterns on the white tablecloth.

“Josie,” he began, his voice unsteady. “It’s… it’s not that simple. My existence isn’t like yours.” His gaze dropped to the tabletop, his long fingers nervously rubbing his forehead as he continued. “There are restrictions, rules that bind me.”

“Restrictions?” I echoed, my mind spinning as I tried to understand what he was saying.

His hands stilled, and he met my gaze once again. “Yes, restrictions. As an angel, I have duties,obligations, that I can’t simply shrug off.” His voice dropped lower, barely above a whisper as he added, “There are limitations to what I can and can’t do. To what I can and can’t feel, and for whom.”

But his explanations, his roundabout way of addressing the issue, did nothing to calm me. He may have been trying to explain, but he only ignited my anger further.

“Limitations?” I shot back, memories of our past cascading through my mind. “What about at Steel Lake Park?”

“Please,” he pleaded, as if the memory caused him physical pain.

“Remember?” I started, my voice breaking slightly as I forced myself to face the memory. “It was so hot that day,” I continued, a ghost of a smile playing on my lips as the image danced in front of my eyes. “You loosened the buttons on your shirt, and I tucked my tee into my bra to brave the heat. It was the first time I caught you staring at my breasts, and you stuttered an excuse before I took your hand and led it to my waist. You caressed my cheek with the back of your fingers.” I closed my eyes as the sensation came alive again, the sweetness of it, though I’d felt the desire in his fingertips even then. He nodded, his expression softening as he, too, seemed to drift into the past.

“And then the stars started to appear, one by one. It was so clear, so beautiful. That’s when we said that one day we would hike Mount Rainier together.” My voice dropped to a whisper, my eyes still fixed on his. “We had that old flannel blanket from my parents’ place spread out on the sand. Your hand floated along the curve of my neck and down?—”

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