Page 25 of Angels Don’t Date

I punched his shoulder. “Don’t just grab me and fly away with me any time you want. I’m still freaked out from falling to my death!” Not really, but he couldn’t just carry me away exactly like his horse, particularly when I liked it so much. I felt so little and adorable and princessy when he held me in his strong arms. I didn’t need to get anywhere close to romantic when it made him so uncomfortable.

He gave me a sneaky glance. “I don’t grab you and fly away with you any time I want, because that would be all the time. You’re so cute. I just want to pinch your cheeks.”

I scowled, but I kind of wanted to pinch his cheeks too. “Whatever. Be quiet. I’m watching the sunset. Unless flying me back in the dark is a problem.”

Vesper landed, shook his mane and pranced a bit, like he was showing off. Such a shockingly glorious creature.

Richard shook his head and lounged back so he could look at the sky more fully. “Not a problem. I bring a glowing ball of gas with me everywhere Vesper goes.” He nodded at the sky. “It’s an okay sunset, but I’ve seen better.”

I smacked his chest. “You have not. It’s the best sunset because you’re sharing it with your good friend. Seriously, who says that other things are better? When you’re with someone, you notice the beauty of the moment instead of comparing it with something else in the past. Now is always better than then because now can be experienced with someone while then is petrified wood caught in the forest of your memories.” If he didn’t understand these basic things, he’d never be able to find his true purpose with another angel. I could see why he hadn’t yet. His personality needed so much work.

He studied me intently with those warm blue eyes. “I wasn’t saying that for your benefit, but for Vesper’s. If he’s going to steal you away, at the very least he can drop you where the sunset is absolutely prime. Of course being with my pastel princess makes this sunset the loveliest I’ve ever experienced, but that’s mostly because I’m looking at you, and not the sky.”

Maybe he didn’t need as much work as I thought. That was the kind of thing you said when you were flirting, and it gave me all kinds of goosebumps. Of course sweet things from the angel were not to be trusted. I frowned at Vesper then at Richard. “I highly doubt he brought me here to see the sunset.”

He nudged me. “That’s because you don’t know Vesper. He’s lovely in the evening rays, but even more stunning in the moonlight. You’ve been flattering him, I can tell, and that makes him even more egotistical than he already is. Did he pose for you?” He shook his head, tsking.

Vesper made a rude-sounding whinny and turned his back on us with a glorious flip of his mane.

I started giggling as I looked between the horse and the man. “So he’s exactly like you?”

His dimple appeared while his eyes twinkled. “Exactly. Only I can bake, and he can’t.”

That reminded me of the strawberry cupcake that had tasted so heavenly. Also that he’d probably told me he was SunRae to stop me from being romantic about him, but here we were, watching a sunset together. What was more romantic than that? And he’d said something sweet and flirty which I absolutely could not take like that.

I cleared my throat because the sky was beautiful, but not nearly as enchanting as the person sitting next to me, warm, strong, and absolutely delicious. I subtly scooted slightly away from him.

“So…how long have you had Vesper?” I asked, looking at the visibly insulted horse instead of the man beside me.

“He’s had me for what, two decades? It feels like forever.”

The horse looked over his shoulder at Richard and blew a raspberry before returning to his injured pose.

I elbowed Richard. “Now you’ve hurt his feelings.”

“He dropped you out of the sky. I’m still irritated about it. He sent me an image of you on his back, so I came, but if I’d been slower…” He scowled hard at the horse before he turned to me. “He would have caught you. But he played this whole game just to drive me crazy when he knows I’m already crazy. Believe me, if you weren’t here, distracting me with your charm and beauty, I’d be having serious words with the horse.”

Vesper swished his tail dismissively.

“My charm and beauty, hm? You should save the flattery for your angel girlfriend.”

He made this choking sound while his big eyes bulged. “My what?”

I batted my lashes at him. “Your angel girlfriend. What? You don’t have one? I’m so surprised because you’re so handsome, powerful, and good at defeating evil. Hallie was telling me how ideal you were. Speaking of Hallie, isn’t she just lovely? You should ask her on a date. I’m sure she’d be delighted.”

His face was getting more squinched up the longer I talked. When I finished he shook his head and shuddered, shaking off my words. “No.”

“What do you mean no? Hallie’s such a nice angel!”

“I don’t like nice angels. Also, nice isn’t exactly the term people use for my breed. Angels are scary, particularly ones who want to marry me.” He leaned over to whisper, “They mostly want me for my angel blood. They’re like vampires without any of the fun.”

He was so close and smelled so good, I was tempted to sink my fangs in his neck and drink his sweet elixir, particularly if he thought it was fun. I pushed him away instead. “Stop it. Your blood is distracting enough without you talking about it.”

He squinted at me, his hair turning all shades of gold while the sky above him went to purples and red. It really was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. He was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen, and framed by the sunset? It made me wish I could paint so I could capture this moment forever.

He shrugged. “I don’t mind if you drink me. I like getting blood sucked. It’s absolutely relaxing. And it might be good to give your usual donor a break, let him build up his platelets and whatnot.”

I shook my head. “We aren’t talking about blood, we’re enjoying the sunset. If you want to talk about something, you can tell me why you’re so scared of angel females who might want to marry you. Don’t you think you’d be happier if you were fulfilling your second purpose?”