Part 3 (1/2)

aIam like a sister to Derry,a said Angel.

aIn all but blood,a Hawk added blandly, repeating Angelas previous words, not believing her.

aExactly,a agreed Angel. aDerry and I are family.a She turned away and set the pain pill next to the gla.s.s of water on the counter. Uneasily, she turned and glanced up the hallway.

aHeas all right,a Hawk said. aBesides, how much trouble can he get into in the bathroom?a aYouad be surprised.a Angel smiled wryly at the memory of her own clumsiness three years ago, when she had first a.s.serted her independence and hobbled into the bathroom on crutches. In the end, Derry had to come in and untangle her.

She had always been grateful that it was concern rather than laughter that showed on Derryas face when he had found her and her crutches wrapped around the toilet and wash-basin. Fortunately nothing had been hurt but her pride, and Derry had salved even that by his matter-of-fact help.

Hawk saw Angelas small, private smile and wondered how many times she and Derry had played in the shower or the bathtub. Yes, there are lots of amusing ways to get into trouble in the bathroom, Hawk thought.

But thinking about it would make his desire obvious, so Hawk turned his thoughts elsewhere with the same discipline that had once made him a top race car driver and now made him a ruthless businessman.

aWant me to check on Derry?a asked Hawk, his voice casual, his eyes so dark they were almost black.

Angel hesitated.

aWould you mind?a she asked softly. aCrutches can be the very devil to use the first few times out.a Hawk turned and went down the hall, silently agreeing with Angel about crutches. Head been forced to use them twice, after each major racing crash. Once it had been only for a few days. The second time, though, it had been nineteen weeks.

Except for the months following his eighteenth birthday, Hawk couldnat think of a more unpleasant period in his life than the time he had spent on crutches.

Hawk met Derry coming up the hall. The younger man looked surprised, then resigned.

aDid I take that long?a Derry asked.

aNot for me. Angel was a bit nervous, though.a aAngel? Oh, Angie.a Derry looked uncertain, then said quietly, aShe doesnat like being called Angel.a aI know.a aThen whya”a aSheall get used to it,a Hawk said, turning his back on Derry, ajust like I got used to Hawk.a

4.

In silence Hawk and Derry went back to the kitchen where Angel waited. When Derry appeared, relief was clear on Angelas face. She held out the pill and the gla.s.s of water.

aBottoms up,a she said.

Derry grimaced but took the pill.

aHave you eaten?a asked Angel.

aSure. Iam not exactly helpless, you know.a She put her slim fingers against Derryas cheek. As fair as her skin was, it was darker than Derryas right now.

aYouare so pale,a she whispered.

Derry pressed his cheek lightly against Angelas hand.

aIam fine, Angie. Really.a aYouall do better lying down,a Hawk said in a curt voice.

It was more an order than a suggestion.

Sheas really got her talons into his young hide, Hawk thought grimly. I came along just in time.

Hawk followed Derry back to the lounge and waited while the younger man lowered himself down. Other than taking the crutches, Hawk didnat help in any way. When Angel reached to help, Hawk restrained her.

aHe isnat an invalid,a Hawk said coolly.

aButa”a Angel began.

aDonat tell me youare one of those frustrated mother types,a interrupted Hawk, his voice teasing and his eyes hard as cut crystal. aFussing and fidgeting around men, trying to reduce them to the status of babies. Or does Derry like being babied?a Anger thinned Angelas mouth, but before she could tell Hawk what she thought of his sharp tongue and lack of feeling, she heard Derry laughing.

aMr. Hawkins,a said Derry, struggling to straighten a pillow behind his head, ayou donat knowa”a aCall me Hawk. Iam told the name suits me.a As Hawk spoke he moved over and s.h.i.+fted the pillow so that it would be centered beneath Derryas head. The gesture was so swift that it almost pa.s.sed unnoticed.

aIt does, you know,a Derry said, sighing. aSuit you, that is. Except Iave never known a hawk with a sense of humor.a Derry smiled and settled back onto the pillow.

aBut youall never meet anyone less likely to fuss and fidget than Angie,a Derry added. aSheas the most serene person I know.a Hawk lifted one black eyebrow and looked at Angel as though head never seen her before.

aReally?a Hawk asked softly.

aReally,a Derry said. aShe should be the one studying to be a surgeon, not me. Nothing, but nothing, flaps Angie anymore.a Angel tried to look serene under Hawkas skeptical regard. It was hard. She knew that he was remembering her flush of response to him, her temper, and her fear for Derry.

aIam afraid I flapped but good when Hawk told me that youad been hurt,a Angel said. aAnd then I took it out on Hawk.a She smiled slightly. aSo much for serenity and angels.a Hawkas dark gaze lingered over Angelas lips, the grace of her neck rising out of black silk, and the soft tendrils of hair curling around her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

Angel felt her breath shorten in a combination of surprise and sensual response to Hawkas look.

I wish Iad never sensed the vulnerability beneath this manas hard surface, Angel thought unhappily. I wish that Hawk were as unfeeling as he seems to be.

Then I simply could ignore him, letting his hungry glances and touches slide off the serenity Iave worked so hard to have.

Yet Angel kept sensing flashes of warmth and gentleness in Hawk, like the simple straightening of the pillow beneath Derryas head. The contrasts and complexities that made up Hawk both fascinated and unnerved her, keeping her off-balance.

Serene? Angel thought wryly. Hardly. Not so long as Hawk is in sight.

Angel stepped around Hawk and smoothed back the curls from Derryas forehead.

aReady to sleep yet?a she asked. Derry shook his head, sighed, and silently asked to be stroked some more.

aThat feels good,a he said.

Angel smiled and resumed stroking Derryas hair.

Derry returned the smile, then looked up at the tall, dark man whose quick intelligence and blunt manner had drawn Derry from their first meeting several weeks ago.

aYou have a point, Hawk,a Derry said. aSome men just love to be babied.a aShall I hire you a nanny?a Hawk asked.

aOnly if sheas young and pretty,a retorted Derry.

aThey donat call them nannies if theyare young and pretty,a Hawk pointed out. aThey call thema”a aNever mind,a interrupted Derry quickly. aI couldnat do much about it anyway, not until Iam out of these concrete overalls.a He s.h.i.+fted uneasily, trying to get comfortable.

Hawk went to one of the cus.h.i.+oned patio chairs, took a pillow, and came back to the lounge. With a few swift, careful motions, he had the cus.h.i.+on tucked under Derryas cast, relieving the strain on his back.

Derry sighed. aThanks. d.a.m.n thing weighs as much as I do.a Angel glanced up at Hawk, surprised again by the contrast between his unsympathetic words and his caring actions.