Redeem Me: Oakville Series:Book Four (14 page)

Chelsie

A
fter several little celebrations, Angel and I finally decide we need to get out of bed. We’re supposed to meet the gang for lunch and if we don’t get moving now, we’ll be late. With that in mind, we both scramble to get ready. I decide it’s best for me to shower in my apartment alone. We both know what will happen if we shower together, and being late is not good when Holly is the one who planned the lunch. Reluctantly, and with a full on pout, Angel agrees.

As I stand under the steaming hot spray of my shower, I replay the last few hours in my head. I can’t believe we are really moving in together. And after only being with each other for a few weeks, but like Angel, it feels right to me, too. Not that I’m pushing, but I can see myself with him forever. Is that crazy? Could these feelings be so strong only because he’s the one who took my virginity and does things to me in bed I only thought possible in romance novels? Or is it possible to love someone this much this fast? I have to admit, the whole thing scares me. Being with Angel doesn’t scare me, but being without him does. If anything ever goes wrong between us, it will destroy me.

A knock on my bathroom door startles me. “You better hurry up in there, sweet pea, or I’m coming in. If we’re gonna be late, we might as well make it worth Holly’s wrath,” Angel says as he peeks his head in the shower door. I splash a little water his way.

“Okay. Okay. I’m coming.” I squeal when he reaches in and smacks my ass. My hand automatically begins trying to rub the sting away.

“Not without me you’re not,” Angel jokes.

Holly is going to be pissed. Over thirty minutes late, we finally walk into the bar, but it was worth every second. Angel squeezes my hand and looks at me in a way that makes me wish I was back home in the shower with him. When we get to the table, Holly looks up and glares at us.

“The only acceptable excuse for being late is if you were giving her multiple orgasms,” Holly scolds with a smirk. The entire table erupts into fits of laughter and my face heats from embarrassment. Holly pulls me down to the empty seat beside her, and whispers, “You will give me details later.” There’s never a dull moment with this group.

Throughout lunch, Angel touches me in one way or another, his hands never straying too far. It’s really sweet, as long as he’s been doing it for the right reasons. Riley sitting at the bar hasn’t escaped my notice. In fact, she’s been trying to get Angel’s attention while we’ve been talking, eating, and laughing. Though I don’t doubt Angel wanting to be with me, I can’t help but wonder if his attention has been just to prove to her he’s unavailable, or prove to me he’s not into her.

“So, Angel says the two of you have some good news. Do you plan on sharing it with the rest of us?” Kyle announces, looking straight at me. I glance at Angel, who’s wearing a proud smile, and motion for him to go ahead and tell everyone. He stands with his beer in his hand and pulls me up with him. Placing his arm around my waist, he tugs me to his side.

“Chelsie and I are moving in together,” he announces. The group begins hooting and hollering, and I’m being pulled in all directions for hugs. When Amber wraps me in a hug, I look at Riley, who’s still sitting on her stool at the bar. Her hands are squeezed into fists and she’s wearing a nasty scowl on her face. There’s a dark, vacant look in her eyes that sends a chill up my spine and has the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. She’s jealous, and it’s not like I blame her. I know what a great guy Angel is; I wouldn’t want to let him go either. Shaking off the bad feeling, I turn my attention back to our friends.

After dessert, I excuse myself to the restroom. While I’m at the sink washing my hands, I get an eerie feeling, like I’m being watched. I glance around, but there’s no one there. On my way out, I look under the stalls for feet, but see none. I quickly shuffle out of the bathroom and bump right into someone. I jump, startled, my hand flying to my chest. “Oh, God, Beasley. You scared me. I’m sorry,” I say, trying to get my anxiety, and paranoia, under control.

He grips my arms to steady me, as if I’m going to fall over. “It’s okay, Chelsie.” He smiles at me, but it quickly fades. With my heart in my throat, I ask, “Is everything all right? Did you find out something about Angel?”

He regards me carefully. “I did. I think we should talk about it somewhere else though. In private. I’m going out of town tonight, so you’ll have to wait until I get back next week.” I’m not liking the tone is his voice, or the fact that I have to wait a week. Whatever it is he wants to say, it isn’t going to be good. I agree to meet him next week to discuss what he found. As I head back to the table, I try to push away all the worried and anxious feelings I’m having, but it’s no use. There are so many different scenarios floating around my head, and none of them are pleasant. Waiting a week is going to be torture.

When I sit back down at the table, I’m relieved to see Riley is no longer at the bar. Maybe she finally got the hint and has given up on trying to get my man. Although, I highly doubt that’s the case. We all laugh and joke for a while longer. Angel continues to be as attentive as ever. I love all the affection he shows me, but I feel so guilty for not telling him about Beasley, even though I don’t really know anything yet.

“Come on, let’s go have a beer at the bar and let the ladies talk about us,” Kyle says, rounding up all the guys. As soon as they are gone, four sets of eyes turn to me. Holly, Amber, Taryn, and Becky start talking at the same time and I can’t understand a single one of them.

“Holy shit, ya’ll. One at a time, please,” I plead. I should have seen this coming. There was no way to drop a bomb like Angel and I moving in together without expecting them to want all the dirty little details. Amber starts with her question.

“Whose idea was this little merger of homes?” Amber asks. The table is silent as they all await my answer.

“It was all Angel’s idea,” I say, knowing it will shock them all, and the looks on their faces are priceless. They keep glancing from me to Angel sitting at the bar. I can’t help but laugh. “I know. It shocked me, too. I never expected that coming from him, especially not this soon,” I explain. As they all start breaking into a discussion on whether or not they think this is, indeed, too soon, I glance over at Angel. My handsome man turns and winks at me. I smile back at him, wishing we were home in bed showing each other just how much we love one another. The image has me squeezing my legs together in a sad attempt to calm the need I suddenly feel for him.

My lust is quickly replaced with anger when I see Riley strut over to Angel. She smiles sweetly at him and kisses him on the cheek. Her eyes meet mine and an evil grin takes over her sweet smile. She knows she gets under my skin and grabs every opportunity to do so, and Angel has no damn clue. I wish I had an ex-sex-friend so I could show him what it feels like to see him being friendly with her. I’m jealous and I know it, but she wants him. I can see it in her eyes every time she looks at him. When she sits on the empty stool next to him, I stand up, ready to go over and slap her upside the head. Holly grabs my arm and pulls me back down.

“Let it go for now. I know you want to rip her head off, and I don’t blame you, but if you go over there like a crazy person, she looks like the sweet, innocent victim,” Holly announces. She’s right, I know she is, but I still want to beat the snot out of Riley. I do as Holly says and let it go for now, but that bitch is on thin ice.

Angel

“H
ey there, stranger,” Riley coos, then kisses my cheek. I glance over to Chelsie, hoping this isn’t making her upset. She thinks Riley wants me, but I think that’s ridiculous. I didn’t think there was anyone who avoided relationships more than I did, but I met my match with Riley. There’s no way she wants anything more than to be friends. However, I don’t want to make Chelsie uncomfortable, so it’s probably time to cut all ties with Riley.

“Hey, Riley. How’s it going?” I ask, trying to be polite. She scoots closer and runs her hand along my arm. I pull it away slowly, trying not to make it obvious.

“Not as good as you. I heard your little announcement earlier. Never thought I’d see the day you’d let yourself get tied down.” She laughs, but something about it sounds off. “She doesn’t really seem like your type. A little plain, if you ask me,” she says, her tone condescending.

That comment doesn’t sit well with me. There’s nothing plain about Chelsie. If she’s comparing Chelsie to herself, then her idea of not plain is my idea of fake. Obviously, my choice of women in the past has been a little phony. Maybe that’s what why I love Chelsie so much. She doesn’t need all the makeup, hair dye, and silicone to be beautiful. Everything about her is all natural. She’s perfect just the way she is. I think I drifted to those other types of girls because they weren’t real. It was easier not to get attached.

“First off, I don’t see it as being tied down. I see it as getting to spend every moment possible with the woman I love,” I explain. Hurt and anger flashes through her eyes. Looks like I struck some nerve. “Second, there is absolutely nothing plain about her. She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.” I swear, with that last comment, smoke comes out of her ears. Maybe Chelsie was on to something when she said Riley wanted me.

“I’m sorry. I’m glad you found someone to love, Angel. That shit’s not for me, but you’re a nice guy and you deserve to be happy,” she says, sounding sincere.

“Thanks, Riley. I appreciate that,” I tell her, glad we got that out of the way. In my peripheral, I see Chelsie making her way toward us, not looking very happy. I have to admit, a jealous Chelsie is pretty fucking sexy. Stepping right in front of Riley, she wraps her arms around me and kisses me hard. She’s never been this aggressive before, but if this is how she marks her territory, I’m all for it.

“Are you ready to take me home and put me to bed?” Chelsie purrs. Oh yeah, jealous Chelsie good. Not everyone seems to like it, though. Riley stands and shoots me an unpleasant look, but I don’t pay her too much mind. I’m too busy admiring my girl.

“Always, sweet pea,” I tell her. We say goodbye to everyone and I take her home to bed.