Page 119 of Kiss an Angel

“It seems like such a waste of time to expend all that energy trying to convince the world you’re better than everyone else. I can’t understand it.”

“Of course you can’t. You like nothing better than to point out all your character flaws to everyone who’ll listen.”

She must have found his exasperation amusing because she smiled. “They’ll discover those flaws for themselves if they’re around me long enough. I just save them the effort.”

“What they discover is that you’re one of the most decent people they’re ever likely to know.”

An expression that almost looked like guilt flashed over her face, although he couldn’t imagine what she had to feel guilty about. It was quickly replaced with worry. “Are you sure Heather will be all right?”

“I didn’t say that Brady’s going to punish her for sure.”

“Since I was the person wronged, I should decide on the punishment.”

“Brady won’t see it that way, and neither will Sheba.”

“Sheba! That’s so hypocritical! She loved believing I was a thief. How can she punish Heather for giving her her dearest wish?”

“As long as Sheba believed it was true, she was satisfied. But he has a strong sense of justice. People in a circus have to live close together, and there’s nothing anyone hates more than a thief. When Heather stole and lied, she violated everything Sheba believes in.”

“I still think she’s a hypocrite, and nothing’s going to change my mind. If you don’t do something about Brady, I will.”

“No, you won’t.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but before she could say a word, he leaned down and kissed her. She resisted for all of two seconds trying to prove she wasn’t a pushover, then she grew pliant.

God, he loved kissing her, feeling the sweep of her tongue, the gentle crush of her breasts. What had he ever done to deserve this woman? She was his own private angel.

An undercurrent of frustration swept through him because she hadn’t demand the pound of flesh she deserved. Vengeance wasn’t part of her nature, and because of that, she was vulnerable.

He drew back just far enough to speak, and he had to force the words past an unaccustomed tightness in his throat “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you.”

“It’s not important,” she whispered back.

He knew she meant it, and his heart felt as if it would burst.

20

Sheba stood in the shadows of the marquee fighting back her misery as she watched Alex and Daisy laughing together by the floss stand. He picked a blade of straw from her hair and then touched her face, the caress as intimate as if he’d stroked her breast.

Bitterness spread through her like a parasitic vine, choking everything else. It had been four days since they’d learned the truth about the stolen money, and she couldn’t bear watching his happiness. Somehow it had been earned at her expense, and he had no right to it.

“Give it a rest, Sheba.”

She spun around to see Brady coming up behind her. Ever since the night they’d spent together, he’d been strutting the circus grounds like a rooster. She half-expected him to tuck his hands under his armpits and crow. In typical Brady Pepper fashion, he’d also decided that having been her lover once entitled him to run her life.

“Leave me alone.”

“That’s the last thing you want from me.”

She hated the look of pity he gave her. “You don’t know anything.”

“Let him go, Sheba. Alex is part of your past. Just let him go.”

“It figures you’d say something like that. You’re a champ at letting things go, aren’t you?”

“If you’re talking about Heather—”

“You know I am.”

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