Page 87 of His One True Wish

“Angel,” I said, looking across the table into her green eyes. “You played me.”

“No,” she said. “You wanted to be played, Axl. And you know it. I showed up on that flight.”

“No ring,” I said, crossing my arms.

“You’re right. No ring. And we flirted, and you chatted me up before we boarded, and you made sure the crew treated me right, and I knew the best place for tacos and rice and beans.”

“I did give you some excellent food tips,” I said, remembering.

“You did, but Axl, you didn’t touch me,” she said, her right eyebrow spiking. “Do you remember how it all went down?”

I didn’t speak. I looked at her, remembering the good parts of us. We had sat outside on the deck above one of those stupid pools filled with stingrays. I drank whiskey; Angel drank Lemon Drops. The moment we met on the plane, she told me she required everything around her to be drenched in sugar.

“I wanted to fuck you so that night, Axl,” she said. “We talked, and I told you about starting my company, about growing up in Cocoa Beach, and how I knew I wanted to build a brand for myself.”

“You didn’t mention you were married,” I said.

“No, I didn’t,” she gave me a crooked smile, “but I did the next night. And that’s when you kissed me.”

I shook my head. “No, that’s not how I remember it.”

“That’s how it happened, and you know I’m right,” Angel said. “You liked me. Hell, I’m beautiful, I’m successful, and I’m super fun.”

“Fun like a fun house.”

“Oh, shut up,” she said. “I am fun, and I’m also married, and once you realized that I couldn’t be with you, not for real, that’s when things lit up.”

“Come on, Angel,” I muttered, wanting to challenge her

“You remember in the rain? I told you about Barrie. I told you that I wasn’t happy. I needed to leave him. That’s when you kissed me because you are drawn to women you can’t have.”

“Angel,” I looked up at her, “maybe this is true. Fuck. It is true. I didn’t know about Barrie, and I remember liking you, and then I was pissed at you for keeping it from me.”

“Bullshit. You were not pissed enough to leave.”

“But I did leave,” I said.

“You left when I told you I wanted to leave Barrie,” she whispered.

I let that sink in.

“I left because we weren’t right together, and I was burned out on work and sunshine in Florida.”

“And you left because even your flawed and fucked-up heart wants to do the right thing.” She sighed. “You felt like you could get a fresh start in Smoke River. I get it. And maybe you’ve rubbed off on me.”

“Angel, after we hooked up on that first trip to the Bahamas, I regretted it. I ended it.”

“But I wasn’t done with you.”

“Nope, but we’re done now.”

“I know,” she whispered, running her fingers over the table. “I’m sorry I pushed you the way I did. I am sorry I played with your emotions. I knew you couldn’t resist me once you realized I was forbidden.”

“I don’t need you to analyze me,” I said. “We fucked. It was fun. It was also a mistake.”

“It was all those things, but something is different with you,” she said. She pointed to me and drew a little circle in the air. “If I’m going to stay here, we need to figure out how to be friends.”

“What do you mean you’re staying?”

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