Page 119 of The Wildcard

Angel hummed, not bothering to respond as he pocketed his phone and looked back up. Ray was still standing in front of him, eyeing him curiously enough for him to raise his brows in question,

“Hi?” he asked, biting back a smile as she blinked out of her daze, “Enjoying the view?”

Ray rolled her eyes, squaring her shoulders as she faced him with a tipped chin, “Know something I don’t Santos?” she asked instead, and the smile on Angel’s face widened. He didn’t know what in hell was wrong with him, but the thought of getting under Raylene Walker’s skin wasveryenticing.

“Nothing you should know.” He responded smoothly and leaned forward, enjoying the look of amusement that entered her gaze as he continued, “We should probably head out, no?”

Ray hummed and turned her head over her shoulder, eyeing the crowd in distaste, “I really hate this place.” She murmured.

Angel took a step forward, surged by the amount of people who were chattering behind him just as she turned to move out the doors.

“Why?”

“Too many people.”

Angel took another step forward and was about to reply when he felt his body gravitate ahead. He stumbled forward, his eyes wide as his hand immediately landed on Ray’s shoulder in surprise. Ray jerked forward as well, looking over her shoulder with raised brows. But Angel wasn’t looking at her. Was busy glaring at the man who’d shoved him aside. The man who was now looking back at Angel with something like wariness in his eyes.

No fucking decency.

Angel growled under his breath and opened his mouth as he straightened his shoulders when he felt Ray’s body shake under his hands. His head jerked forward, his eyes going wide as he saw the girl ahead throw her head back and look at him with the mostopenexpression he’d ever seen.

Her hands landed over his, covering them as she pulled them forward. Angel walked behind her, knowing he was gaping like an idiot as she wove through the crowd expertly and walked out the doors. Before he could figure out what was happening, Ray was moving away from him and–

Angel’s lips parted.

There was once a time when he’d thoughteither be scared or angry.But now she was looking likethis, and this was bad. So muchworse.

A smile on her face, a twinkle in her honey eyes with her cheeks flushed and looked like neither.

Lookedhappy.

AndGod,this was dangerous.

“Shit.”Angel swore under his breath but couldn’t,wouldn’tget his gaze away from hers. Not when she looked like that. Not when she threw her head back and laughed with the sun shining down on her face. Not when a surprising snort left her lips and she jerked back, not stopping.Neverstopping.

He was in so much shit.

A slow grin curved his lips despite himself and he turned away from her, covering his eyes as he let out a chuckle and heard her wheeze.

Fucking wheeze.

“Did you justgrowl?”

He dropped his hand and looked back at her. Saw her try to breathe as she shook in laughter,

“Thatwas your first response? Growling?”

Angel shook his head, unable to stop himself from taking an unhurried step forward as she bit back another chuckle and looked back at him,

“Angel, you haven’t really left your ancestors behind, have you?”

His name on her tongue brought forth a shiver he hadn’tever felt before. It probed him to take another step in her direction. Ray’s laugh sobered but she continued teasing with a grin on her face. One aimed athim.No one else.

“They’d be proud for sure–”

“Sit on the Ferris wheel with me.”

His statement was low. Was quiet. But was enough to draw her out. Ray’s eyes snapped up to his, the grin on her lips sobering into a disbelieving smile,