Lucifer (Brimstone Heat Book 1) (5 page)

Angie’s eyes widened. She knew the boxes were heavy, but Lucifer picked them up as if they weighed nothing. It was nice having a man willing to do the heavy lifting, and it didn’t hurt that he had a good looking ass either.

“Did you enjoy the view?” asked Lucifer when he walked back to Angie after putting the boxes behind the counter.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“I don’t mind you looking at me. In fact, you can look all you want, and if you would like, I can arrange a private viewing. Clothing optional for both of us, of course.” Lucifer put a finger under her chin and tipped her head up. “Let me take you to dinner tonight.”

Angie closed her eyes and sighed.

“Angie?”

She opened her eyes. “If only you weren’t a cop, then I wouldn’t hesitate to say yes.”

Lucifer studied her face. “What do you have against cops?” At that moment, his shoulder radio crackled.

“I think one of your deputies needs you.” Angie stepped back, putting some space between them.

“I will be back,” said Lucifer. He closed the distance between them and kissed her on her forehead. He turned and walked out of the library as he answered the person on the radio.

Angie stared after him. She kept telling herself she made the right decision. But she knew she was lying to herself.

“Miss Gunner, I know you’re my boss, and I probably shouldn’t say anything, but what is going on in that head of yours?” Teri dropped the unopened box of books on top of the counter in front of Angie, causing her to jump at the unexpected, loud noise.

“What are you talking about?” asked Angie. She looked up from the computer screen.

“I’m talking about you and Sheriff Fitch, or rather the lack of you and Sheriff Fitch.” Teri leaned on the counter. Propping her chin on her hands, she raised her eyebrows as she stared at her boss.

“And?” Angie raised her eyebrows and shrugged her shoulders. She stared back at Teri.

“When are you finally going to give the man a break and go out with him?” Teri stood up and shook her head. “I know you like him. Well, I think it’s a little more than just like him.” She tapped her finger against her lips. “Actually, it’s not a little. It’s a lot! And I know he feels the same way about you. So why haven’t you gone out with him?”

“I have my reasons.” Angie looked away as she picked up the book she had just finished putting into the inventory and set it on one of the stacks in front of her on the counter. She was seriously starting to doubt the validity of her reasons for not going out with Lucifer Fitch.

Teri shook her head. “I really think you are making a really big mistake. There’s a connection between you two that most people rarely find, and the sad part is everyone but you sees it.” She picked up a stack of books from the counter. “I’m just saying. You need to go out with him before you lose your chance at happiness. I really like you, and I want you to be happy, and I think the sheriff will make you happy.” She took the stack over to the new bookshelves and started putting the books in their new homes.

Angie shook her head. She grabbed a pair of scissors and stood up. Using the tip, she opened the box. The rich scent of paper and ink enveloped her as she pushed open the flaps. She loved the smell of new books, but it now longer had the same intensity that it used to have. Lucifer’s musky male scent had taken the place of every scent she used to like. To be truthful, he had taken over all of her senses.

Angie sighed.

She thought about what Teri had said. Her assistant was wrong about one thing.

Angie was very aware of the connection between her and Lucifer. And over the past few days, it had only grown stronger. He was all she thought about.

She took the books out of the box and stacked them next to the computer, and then tossed the empty box aside and sat down. Angie stared at the computer screen, and as usual, thoughts of Lucifer Fitch filled her mind. Every time he asked her out, she denied them what they both wanted with her refusals.

She denied herself what she wanted.

Angie shook her head.

No more.

She wasn’t denying herself anymore. She didn’t care what he was, just the fact he was hers. And she was falling in love with him…correction she wasn’t falling in love, she was in love with Lucifer Fitch.

She snorted, wondering when that had happened.

Angie smiled at her reflection in the computer screen. She picked up the book on top of the stack nearest her and scanned the barcode. With a couple of clicks of the mouse, the new book was in the library system and ready to be checked out.

For the next couple of hours, Angie repeated the procedure, finishing the stack of books by her computer and emptying two more boxes. When she finished the last book, she put it on the counter, and pushed away from the computer. She stretched her arms out in front of her, and then rotated her head from side to side.

Angie looked up and saw Lucifer staring at her. She smiled at him. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Not long,” he said. “Are you ready for lunch?” Lucifer held up a brown paper bag. “Your choice of turkey on wheat or roast beef on rye.” He flashed a hundred watt smile at Angie.

Before Angie could answer, her stomach growled, causing her cheeks to turn pink. “Sorry about that,” she mumbled.

Lucifer shook his head. “You didn’t eat breakfast again, did you?”

“I had coffee,” said Angie

“Coffee is not breakfast.”

Angie frowned. “It’s one of the basic food groups, and I can’t function without it.”

Lucifer shook his head. “No, it’s not. You have to eat actual food too.”

Angie shrugged. “I can’t live without coffee. Besides, I wasn’t very hungry this morning.”

Lucifer shook his head. “Come on. Let’s eat.” He gestured to one of several tables that were set up around the library.

Angie walked around the counter. She admired the view of his muscular backside as she followed Lucifer to a table by a window.

“Turkey or roast beef?” he asked.

“Turkey please.” Angie sat down, knowing Lucifer wouldn’t sit until she did. She liked his old fashioned manners. He held open doors for her. He tucked her arm into his or put his hand on the small of her back when they walked. The gestures made her feel special. He made her feel special. Yeah, she was stupid for refusing to go out with him.

“Here you go.” He put a sandwich and a bottle of water in front of her, and then did the same for himself. He pulled out napkins, forks, and a small tray of sliced fruit.

Angie unwrapped her sandwich. She picked up one of the halves and took a bite. “Mmm. This is good.”

“It’s a new place a couple of blocks from the firehouse. My brother recommended it.” Lucifer took a huge bite out of his sandwich.

“You’ve never mentioned you had a brother.” Angie picked up one of the forks and speared a pineapple chunk out of the fruit tray.

Lucifer shrugged his shoulders. “I actually have three brothers. Phoenix is the fire chief. He’s the one who recommended Sweet Delights, the new sandwich shop.”

“Do all of your brothers live here?” she asked. Growing up in foster homes, she was always envious of the families with siblings. She liked the closeness they shared, and being the outsider, it was hard on her because she never really fit into any of the foster families. That was probably part of the reason she was shuffled from one family to the next.

Lucifer finished the last of his sandwich. He picked up the other fork and speared a chunk of watermelon from the fruit tray. “Phoenix and Onyx live here. Onyx owns a gym at the edge of town. My other brother, Diablo, is a bounty hunter. We see each other on a regular basis, but we each have jobs and our own lives.”

Angie nodded. “Maybe I can meet them one day.”

“Maybe,” was all Lucifer said as he focused his attention on the fruit.

For several minutes, and uncomfortable silence hung between them while they ate. Angie carefully balled her trash when she finished the sandwich. Lucifer pushed the fruit tray toward her, but she shook her head. “You eat it. I’m full.” She forced a smile. Something was wrong. She wasn’t sure what it was, but she could feel it.

Lucifer shrugged his shoulders and pulled the tray back to him.

“I went through my emails, including the spam, yesterday before I left. I didn’t find anything that was threatening.”

Lucifer looked at her. “We’ve had no leads on the suspect either.” He didn’t tell her it was as if the person had completely disappeared off the face of the earth. So far he had no clues, and neither of his parents had returned his call for help with his suspicions.

“Maybe it was just a one-time thing. He had his fun with destroying the library, so he has moved on to something else.” Angie gave a dismissive wave of her hand.

Lucifer stared at his lifemate. He didn’t share her theory that the vandalism was a one-time incident. And neither did his brothers. Someone was targeting her. But why?

Even though they had been kicked out of Hell at their mother’s request, they still retained their abilities, and their control over the demons that harvested the souls of all who were not destined for the Heavens. And that meant that Lucifer and his brothers still had the ability to find people they were looking for with just a thought. But for some reason the person responsible for the vandalism in the library was hidden from them.

The radio on his shoulder chirped, breaking Lucifer out of his thoughts. He clicked the button. “What do you need?” he asked and let go of the button.

The radio crackled. “Sheriff, you’re needed at the station.”

“10-4.” Lucifer picked up the trash from their lunch and put it into the brown paper bag. “I have to go,” he said as she stood up.

Angie watched him walk away. He was halfway through the library when she realized he hadn’t asked her out as he normally did. She jumped up, and went after him. “Didn’t you forget to ask me something?”

Lucifer stopped and turned around. He looked at her and shook his head. “No, I haven’t forgotten anything.” He tossed the paper bag into the trash.

Angie stopped about three feet from him and looked up. “You didn’t ask me out.”

His chest rose and fell a couple of times. He closed the distance between them and cupped her face in his hands. “You are my lifemate, but I can only take your rejections so many times. I realize you have issues with me being a sheriff. I can’t stop being who I am. I think it’s for the best that we step away from each other until you decided what you want. It doesn’t mean I don’t want you. I care very deeply about you.” He gently touched her lips with his lips.

The kiss was gentle, but it spoke of the passion he had for her. Before Angie could respond, he broke away from her. Their eyes locked for a few seconds, and then he turned and walked out of the library.

Angie stood there staring long after Lucifer Fitch was gone. Her heart was gone. He had ripped it out of her chest and left only a hollow shell behind. It was her fault. She turned him down one time too many and now he was gone.

She had blown her chance for happiness.

She had carelessly shoved her lifemate aside. And for what? Her fear of him dying and leaving her alone. At least she was right about the leaving her part, but she couldn’t blame him. His leaving was completely the result of her stupidity.

Tears ran down her cheeks, but she didn’t feel them. The emptiness was the only thing she felt, and it hurt.

“Miss Gunner, are you okay?” asked Teri. Her forehead was wrinkled with worry lines.

Slowly, Angie nodded her head. “I’ll be in my office for a little while.” She turned and walked away as fast as she could. The emptiness in her chest threatened to consume her. She needed to be alone.

She entered her office, quietly shut the door, and leaned against it. More tears rolled down her cheeks. Angie covered her mouth with her hands. Her body shook from the sobs she tried not to let out. Slowly, she slid down the door until her rear landed on the tiled floor. She wrapped her arms around her waist. She laid down on her side with her face on the cold floor and cried until the hiccups started.

After what felt like forever, the hiccups went away. Angie slowly pushed herself into a sitting position. She sniffed and rubbed her nose with the back of her hand.

Her nose was runny.

Her eyes and mouth felt as if they were full of sand.

Her head hurt.

And her heart was broken. She shook her head. Her heart wasn’t just broken, it was completely gone.

She was a total wreck and she had no one to blame but herself. She needed to pull herself together and figure out a way to fix the mess she had created.

Angie pulled herself up off the floor. She opened her office door and walked to the staff bathroom. Inside, she walked over to the sink and turned on the water. She stared at her reflection in the mirror. She would have snorted if her nose wasn’t so runny and red. Angie grabbed several paper towels out of the dispenser and wet them with the now warm water. She squeezed out the excess water and started cleaning up her face.

Angie wiped off what little makeup she had on as she wiped away the tear stains. Throwing the used paper towels into the trash, she grabbed a handful of clean ones. She dried her face and blew her nose. She then ran her fingers through her short blonde hair.

“That will have to do.” She tossed the used paper towels into the trash and walked out of the bathroom.

Somehow…Some way…She was going to get her lifemate back. She was going to make him see that she really wanted to be with him.

But did he still want her like he had said?