Page 6 of Must Love Fallen Angels
He didn’t trust himself.
How could he?He’d trusted someone’s pretty words before, and it had cost him every damn thing.
No.He was better off steering clear of Tessa.
Because he wasn’t sure he’d survive being treated as a novelty and not a man again.
Despite two stranded motorist calls, a cat in a tree, and redirecting two skateboarding youths out of an abandoned pool and toward the skatepark outside of town, Venice couldn’t stop thinking about Tessa.
Dark hair, dark eyes, perfectly kissable lips.
Holy shit, he was like a broken record.
As he drove through town, he resisted the urge to head over to the cottage to see her.What would that do except prove he was an idiot of the highest order?
He had no business getting involved with a human, no matter how much he wanted to be near her.He was clearly going insane.He’d learned his lesson years ago: humans saw fallen angels as a curiosity, as a plaything.
Clearly, he’d never gotten over that betrayal, because it was all he could think about whenever Tessa crossed his mind.Was she different?
He wasn’t sure he could take the chance.
No matter what his heart was telling him.
He stopped for an early dinner at the diner, then walked down the sidewalk to where he’d parked on the street, his shift over and the rest of the day stretching ahead of him like a lonely abyss.
Were abysses lonely?
“Oh!Well, hi there.”
He froze, his keys dangling from his fingers, his damn breath caught in his throat as his lungs burned.
Tessa.
She walked up to him, and the scent of her—which he hadn’t caught at the beach because of the heavy scents surrounding her—was like wildflowers and vanilla.Soft and utterly feminine.
Immediately, his whole body relaxed, warmth spreading from his head to his feet, and the damned peaceful feeling he’d been chasing all day slammed into him like a wave.
“Hi, Tessa.How are you?”
She smiled sheepishly and wiggled a cup in her hand.It had a clear top that revealed blue slush.“I had a hankering for blue food dye and tons of sugar.And it’s a beautiful day for a walk.”
“I like the red ones,” he said.“I haven’t had one in ages, though.”
“Oh, you should.It’s such a treat.Reminds me of my childhood.”She took a sip and smiled.“It’s like I’m seven again and getting change from my mom to get one at the corner store.It seems like a hundred years ago, though.”
He couldn’t relate as he’d never had a childhood.But he liked that she had sweet memories of hers.
Her smile faded into something more thoughtful, and he felt the urge to say something.
“I didn’t really have a childhood,” he said before he could stop himself.
Her gaze softened instantly—not pitying, just curious.
“I’m sorry,” she said gently.
He shrugged, trying for casual but failing.“It was a long time ago.”
She hesitated, chewing on her bottom lip, and then she smiled warmly.“If you want to join me, I am going to walk to the park and enjoy the sunshine.Unless you’re still on shift?”
