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Fun of a Lifetime 26
ANGEL TOOK ONE LAST PASS BY THE MANATEE ENCLOSURE AS they headed toward the park’s exit. She’d loved seeing everyone, but the fact that they were in pens saddened her—and reminded her exactly what Humans were ca-pable of. Oh, yes, this facility was for the animals’ ben-efit, and visitor money enabled the caretakers to care for the manatees, but other Humans weren’t so altruistic. That’s why she was determined to succeed. For every-one’s benefit. The smiles Logan had given her today when she’d sug-gested Michael hold his hand were a personal benefit. “So, Michael, what do you think of the manatees?” she asked as they were departing, not dwelling on per-sonal anything when it came to Logan. Well, trying not to. Michael wrinkled his nose. “Manatees don’t look like mermaids. Mermaids are pretty.” A smile replaced the thoughtful look on Logan’s face. He obviously found Michael’s comment funny, but Angel took the comment for what it was: a compliment. “Perhaps not to you, but they’re b
Fun of a Lifetime 27
LOGAN COULD PUT THIS DAY ON HIS LIST OF GREAT ONES. Michael had obviously had a wonderful time, and Angel… The woman was beautiful, knew a hell of a lot about the creatures the park rescued, and Michael obviously adored her. And, Nadia’s prediction notwithstanding, Logan was coming to adore her as well. He honestly couldn’t say when he’d enjoyed a day—and a woman—more. He followed Angel and his son across the parking lot and clicked the remote opener so Michael could climb in the car, wondering if Angel would sit in the back like yesterday, or the front as she’d done on the ride over. Then she tossed her hair over her shoulder again and he wanted to ask her to sit up front. Right next to him. Every time she’d done that today, every time her eyes crinkled with laughter or she’d sung with the birds, he’d found himself remembering last night. “Angel.” Her name slipped out before he thought better of it. She reached the car and looked up at him with those expressive eyes. “Yes?”
Fun of a Lifetime 28
ANGEL CLOSED THE STORYBOOK AND SET IT ON THE NIGHT- stand beside the bed. “I had a fun time today, Michael.” She handed him his bedraggled, stuffed raccoon. “Me, too.” Michael plunked the animal next to his pillow. “Angel?” “Hmm?” “Are you gonna be here tomorrow?” He made a big pretense of arranging the raccoon’s paws just right, and his eyes didn’t meet hers. “Of course I will, Michael. I had a great time today.” She almost reached out to tousle his hair but stopped her-self. Yes she’d be here, but he was already so attached to her, she shouldn’t encourage more. How would he handle it when she did have to go home? “I’ll send your dad up, okay?” “Okay,” Michael mumbled. “Good night.” She pulled the covers over his shoulder. “G’night.” At the bedroom door, Angel watched him slip his hat back on his head then settle down. One arm wrapped around Rocky, Michael curled the rest of his body around the toy and pulled the covers tight as if shielding them both from the outside world.
Fun of a Lifetime 29
“ANGEL? WHERE ARE YOU?” Logan. Angel’s chuckle was half-groan. Talk about karma, the universe, whatever. She swung her legs off the edge of the lounge and toed around for her shoes. “Right here, Logan.” He rounded the corner before she could get her sec-ond shoe on and stand, which left her gaze at thigh level. His thigh. So not where she needed it to be. She sprang to her feet—and teetered on the new ap-pendages that were now at uneven heights, thanks to the one-shoe thing. Gods, when would she learn? Then Logan reached out to steady her and didn’t let go, and she figured she’d learned fairly well. No no no. The job. She had to remember the job. “Are you okay?” If she could find her voice, she’d answer him. As it was, she could only nod. “Oh. Good.” He let go of her arms. Thank the gods she managed to stay upright. Some learned scientist she was—cool, professional, able to maintain distance when dealing with her subjects— Yeah, she was fooling no one. Least of all her-self
Fun of a Lifetime 30
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE’S ON LAND? STILL?” ROD SWAM from one side of the High Councilman’s office to the other in what was sure to be record-breaking time, scat-tering the shoal of synchronized damselfish he’d hired for his wife’s surprise party who were rehearsing in the corner. Mariana backed out of her brother’s way, bumping up against the sideboard that held busts of all the previ-ous High Councilmen and almost knocking the newest addition off. She hadn’t wanted to be the bearer of bad tidings for just this reason. She’d known Rod wouldn’t react well. Angel was so going to pay for this. Mariana righted their father’s likeness. “Yes, Rod. But she was in the water last night, so it’s no big deal. She’ll be back in before her time runs out.” Rod turned around, creating a strong enough whirl-pool that the blennies snoozing in an alcove were sent twirling onto the coral beds on the ledge below. That had to hurt. “How do you know this, Mariana, when none of my informants knew where s
Fun of a Lifetime 31
ANGEL DIDN’T HAVE A CLUE WHAT SHE WAS DOING. Well, okay, she knew what she was doing physically, but emotionally? She was so in over her head here… Walking with Logan on a moonlit beach, him looking at her like that… she was playing with fire in a way she hadn’t imagined. The thing was, she didn’t care—and how crazy was that? They’d covered the basics on the walk: his childhood, his relationship with Michael’s mother, his job, his life. She’d shared what she could of hers, glossing over some of the details, but the believability factor of her story proved her point that Mers could pass in the Human world. Not that she’d include any of this in her argument to Rod. They’d gathered shells on the walk back. She’d found a round piece of abalone that’d make the perfect neck¬lace for Pearl, and Logan had found a piece of driftwood resembling a dinosaur for Michael. He’d shared the story of how Michael had come into his life and his anger with Christine for keeping his son from him and t
Fun of a Lifetime 32
Logan never walked so quickly in his life; truthfully, he felt as if he’d flown. As if Mercury had put wings on his feet and zipped them both up to the bedroom. He leaned back against his door, clicking it shut, fum¬bling to lock it and not drop Angel. She was so slight he could hold her against him with one hand, but he didn’t want to stop touching her at all. He also didn’t want Michael walking in on them, so he managed to move quickly and without breaking the kiss he’d started halfway up the stairs. She felt so good in his arms, her hair stroking him as if she were running hundreds of fingertips all over his body, and Logan groaned into her mouth at that image. He couldn’t wait to have her under him and moving, naked, against him as she was right now. He walked over to the bed and set her on it on her knees. She flung both arms around him, freeing that other arm at last. He hadn’t wanted to be apart from her for even a moment to give her the use of that arm, but as one of her s
Fun of a Lifetime 33
WHAT HAD GOTTEN INTO HER? ANGEL FELT AS IF SHE WERE watching someone else make love to Logan—and that wasn’t something she’d ever done. There was a lot going on that she’d never done. Who was this woman? She’d never been this uninhibited in her life. Never even thought to say the things she was saying to him. And the red lingerie? Ah, well, that saleswoman had known what she was talking about. Logan straightened again, this time with the con¬dom free of its packaging, ready to put it in place, and Angel was ready to let the Siren inside her free. She stroked him again, loving the sound of his breath whooshing out. Loving him. “You’re killing me here, Angel.” Oh no she wasn’t. She took the condom from him and rolled it into place, taking an extra long time so her fingernails could gently scrape along his length. But Logan was having none of it. The minute she’d sheathed him, he knelt over her and began an assault on her breasts with his mouth, holding the rest of his body abov
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