Page 58 of Angels Don’t Date

He nodded and leaned closer to me while he smiled. “Very cool. So we could fly together?”

And now I was blushing. Seriously? I needed my wings to hide my face again, but they liked him admiring them. “I guess. I don’t really know how to fly. I’ve only had the wings for a week.”

His brows rose. “A week? Wow. That must have been a shock. Did it hurt? Sometimes it hurts.” Now he was frowning in concern, like he cared about me, more than my wings or how monstrous I was.

I spoke slowly, feeling exposed, but also kind of brave. “It’s fine. Just not really my pastel princess vibe.”

His smile was sunshine. “But they’re like chocolate, and with the pink tips, it’s like chocolate and cotton candy. You’ll figure out a way to style them beautifully.”

I shifted, stomach twining from the way he was looking at me, so intent and soft and adoring. It’s how Michael looked at Libby when he didn’t realize anyone was watching. Was he actually in love with me romantically? He was sporadic and would probably lose interest like he did with his hobbies, but for now… “I guess, but they tend to ruin my dresses.”

He carefully touched the edge of my left wing between claws. “You’ll need special ordered dresses either low enough to go beneath the wings, or with slits for them to come out of. You’ve been keeping them under your skin? Can I see your rune?”

I nodded and then he turned my arm, like he already knew where it was.

“Very pretty. This is mine.” He showed me his arm with a rough scrawl outline of angel wings. “It was my first etched rune, and it shows. But my wings were annoying. The other angels without wings would make fun of me, say I was cheating because I could fly to the top instead of having to climb.”

“Because you had to be the best at climbing and flying?”

He grinned at me. “I’m slightly competitive.”

“So you probably just told me you were in love with me so that I’d vote you to stay on the show.” My heart beat faster and faster while I waited for his answer.

He frowned as he studied me. “If you don’t want me here, I’ll go.” He gave me a slight smile. “I’ll probably triple the guards, but I personally won’t be here to annoy you, not if it makes you uncomfortable. I know that you like being best friends forever, and I’d like to keep that, if it’s okay. I just thought I should be honest for a change of pace. And also in case you liked me being in love with you. Because we're married and all of that. I’d try to be a good husband. I’d do my best to protect you from my personality issues. I’d try not to take advantage of your good nature, your ability to forgive, and your sweet disposition. I’d love you forever, if you’d let me.”

Forever? He’d really love me forever? I stared at him while my heart beat faster and faster.

The door crashed open and Pearly White glared out at us. He took a double take of my wings and then just shook his head. “You have five minutes to put the wings away and get in position. Five minutes.” He closed the door, leaving me alone with the angel who had just offered me his heart and his best efforts at not being so stupid and annoying.

“We should…” I frowned down at my arm, the wings rune and with a shudder that went to my bones, pulled my wings back under my skin. I shuddered a few times after that and then noticed the way Richard was looking at me. So soft. So absolutely adoring. It kind of freaked me out. In the best way. Worst way. I couldn’t tell. My head was spinning and the world was insane.

“Can you fix my dress?” I asked him. “A repair spell or something?”

His eyes regained focus and he nodded. I turned and he ran his hand over my back, smoothing it and then spun me under his arm so my skirt flared and folded back around my legs. “Thank you for letting me be useful in some way to you. You should have your wings break your dresses every day. Forget about custom designs. Let me be here for you.”

“Forever?” I whispered.

He smiled slow and sweet then nodded. “Forever.”

I looked up at him while my heart pounded until I turned and marched resolutely towards the door. I needed to process, to think, and I needed to vote for myself.

Chapter

Twenty

“And now we’re back!” Pearly White said, smiling at the camera. “You’ve seen the music videos, the chemistry and the camaraderie. Now we get to see what our beautiful princess wants.” He flashed his teeth at me, warning me not to go off script. But this was my life. No one else was going to write it for me.

The entire world had seen that music video, had seen the prince of angels depicted as a fallen, lustful, objectified man. He was such an idiot. He hadn’t even thought about the implications, the fact that no one would trust him and years of careful PR would be completely wasted.

“Which duet will the princess choose as her favorite? The friendship that blooms in the dark?” he asked, gesturing at Banus. “The brilliant soloist?” He gave Fellicci a gesture that was slightly dismissive. “The predator who competes for her heart and her prey,” a nod to the wolf. “Or the angel who fell for her?”

My teeth ached from clenching them in a smile. Exactly. The angel who fell for her. He already seemed fallen. Maybe it was true. Forever. Whether it was or not, I had to fix this.

I took a deep breath and went to the vase filled with red and white roses, and I picked up the whole thing. I staggered until I channeled some vampire strength and straightened up, heading left, where Banus and the Fairy stood. Had they seen the videos? Fellicci looked like he expected to receive the entire bouquet for his fabulous performance. I took out a white rose and handed it to him.

“White for friendship,” I said, holding it with a smile while he stared at me, shock and outrage on his gorgeous face. “I’ll never forget how much you taught me. It was an honor to sing with someone so magnificent.” I left the white rose in his hands while I walked up to Banus. I pulled out another white rose and handed it to him. My smile was slightly more sincere. “It’s been such a pleasure meeting you. I’ll be grateful for the lessons you taught me about business and choosing the hand you can live with. Thank you for your friendship.”

He accepted the rose with a bow and a slight smile on his lips. “The pleasure is mine.”