Page 116 of Angels & Whiskey
I wokeand rolled into a warm, soft body. At first I thought maybe it was a chick I had brought home during my drunken stupor, but then I remembered that Autumn came home …
And that I’d told her I loved her.
I do love her. I love her as much as I loved Alyssa—if not more. My relationship with Alyssa was hard because we had to sneak around. I wanted to marry her, but as I have gotten to know Autumn, I realized I didn’t know Alyssa like I knew Autumn. The ability tobewith Autumn was allowing me to be myself and not a sneaky person.
I slowly got out of the bed, trying not to wake her. She didn’t wake and I went into the connecting bathroom and brushed the whiskey from my breath. I needed a glass of water, but instead I climbed back into bed with Autumn. Brushing her hair out of her face, I leaned down and kissed her lips. I was worried I’d never be able to taste her again. She moaned the moment my lips touched hers and then her eyes opened and a smiled spread across her face.
“I’m happy you came home.”
“You remember?”
I groaned as I felt a sting in my heart. Rolling onto my back, I stared up at the ceiling. “After you’d left, I drank a lot, but I remember. I always remember. It was just hard to stay awake with all the alcohol—that’s why I drink. I need it to sleep when shit gets real.”
“I don’t understand how you drank so much. I wasn’t even gone an hour.”
“What can I say, angel? Whiskey and I know how to get shit done.”
She rolled over and placed her chin on my bare chest. “Are you feeling okay? Hungover or anything?”
“Nah. I’ve built up a tolerance over the years.”
I didn’t want Autumn to know my dark past, but she was grilling me about the drinking and I knew I couldn’t lie to her … again. I knew that trust was a big issue for her. If I let her know all of my dark demons and she didn’t want to be with me, then I was only meant to meet her so she could get her away from Rich. But I love her …
“Do you remember what you said last night when I came back?”
I leaned up and rolled her over so that she was on her back and I was hovering over her. “When Alyssa died, I never wanted to feel that pain again. I never wanted any woman to get close to me—until you. Part of me felt as if Alyssa sent you to me … Like she wanted me to be happy and you would be that person.”
I kissed her briefly. “So yes, angel, I love you. The moment you drove away last night, it felt as if you drove off with my heart. I wanted to go after you, but Paul told me to give you time. I was out of my mind and I didn’t think you’d come back—”
She placed a finger on my lips. “I love you too.”
“Yeah?” I asked, a huge smile spreading across my face.
She nodded. “From the moment I first saw you, I couldn’t get you out of my head, and when I saw you with Trista … I was jealous—so jealous.”
“I was only her date.”
“I know, but seeing you with another woman—”
“Isn’t as bad as it was for me to see you with Rich.”
She groaned. “Sometimes I think that this is all a dream. That Rich is alive and—”
“It’s not a dream, angel.” I lowered my head and kissed her softly. “No one is ever going to hurt you again.”
She nodded her head, her eyes glassy. “I’m much stronger now. Thanks to you.”
“You were strong the moment you decided to leave him. And thankfully, I ran into you that day—literally.” I chuckled. “And you know what?”
“What?” she asked, lowering her gaze to my lips as if she wanted me to kiss her again.
So I did.
“I’m going to love the shit out of you. We may fight, bicker, slam doors, even want to strangle each other sometimes, but I will never lay a hand on you to hurt you.”
“But you’ll stilltouchme right?” She raised her eyebrows as if to entice me.
“Angel, I’lltouchyou every day and every way I know how until the day I die … starting with right now.”
