Page 85 of The Man with a Treasure

Overwhelmed tears started to fall. “Angel,” she tugged on Sal’s shirt at her chest and growled, “I hurt. Right here.”

I went to her, wanting to yank that pain away, but instead tried to give her hope to hold on to. Cupping her face, I told her, “Your heart may be hurting because you are sad, but there is good news. Sometimes that pain is a reminder you’re still alive.” I let one hand fall so that my fingertips could gently tap her chest in the rhythm of a heartbeat. Tap, tap. Tap, tap.

Tears fell from her chin as she stared up at me. “I don’t want my heart to stop.”

Tap, tap. Tap, tap. “Then talk to it. Tell your heart what you want. Tell it to keep beating, even when it feels like it’s breaking.”

Slowly, those fingers that were ringing out that shirt softened. Their artistic curve returned. The tips dared to speak to her heart… Tap, tap. Tap, tap.

So, so proud of her never-ending gumption, I smiled and whispered, “You are the bravest woman I know.” Tap, tap. Tap, tap.

Those huge blue eyes stayed locked to my gaze. Tap, tap. Tap, tap.

I nodded. “That’s right. Tell that beautiful heart of yours to never give up. No matter how hard it gets.”

Tap, tap. Tap, tap.

I kept nodding. “Yes, just like that.”

I couldn’t stop myself as I kissed her forehead. She was simply too magnificent for me not to love. Her courage was like fuel in my veins—fire in my soul. It was… life.

“Now, go get that book and try again.”

She stared at my mouth, barely nodded in return, then quietly went to retrieve the book. In a whole different way, my own heart started to pound as she continued to stare at my mouth while walking back to Sal, who was waiting by the couch.

He chuckled when she bumped into him. “A little distracted, Dove?”

If Scarlett had found me distracting, then she should have been known as the tormentor because that is what she did when having her first bowl of chocolate ice cream.

Curled up on the couch under dryer-heated blankets, she moaned, “Oh, Sal, this dessert is amazing.”

What was amazing was her tongue. It was licking her spoon masterfully.

If Scarlett’s prayers were answered, and God had considered letting me back into Heaven, She was most certainly reconsidering the Hell option after the way I was thinking of Scarlett’s tongue. And I wasn’t the only one buying the ticket to Hell by way of thoughts.

Sal and I sat on the couch, bowls of melting ice cream in our laps. Our hands couldn’t move. We hadn’t had sex in a couple of months, and despite Sal not having those kinds of feelings for Scarlett, I could see his struggle. We were starving for a whole different dessert, and he was not happy that he was feeling that way towards his “Dove.”

In unison, we both stood and said, “I need a shower.”

I glared at him. “No, I need one first.”

“Angelo, this shower is a must right now.”

“You have no idea how dirty I am right now.”

“Oh, I can assure you I am downright filthy right now.”

Moan and groan… “Go. Go shower. I am fine. I won’t move until I lick the last drop.”

My eyes were locked on her mouth. “Sal, are the doors locked?”

His eyes were glued to her mouth. “Uh, yes.”

"It is Soldier Tug time.”

We both took off running in opposite directions.

Since I felt cleansed by God in the rain, showers had become a way for me to try and rein in my desire for revenge against human traffickers. I had to wait until Scarlett was safe with family.