Bad Habit (10 page)

“
Okay. You can keep your vigil, but
don’t bother the nuns. They shouldn’t even know you’re
here.”

“
I’ll be invisible,” Marcel assured
him.

Angel took out his wallet, peeling fifty dollars out
and handing it to Marcel with his card. “If you notice anyone else
interested in the nuns, call me. I’ll pay you for the
information.”

“
Yeah, thanks man.” Marcel pocketed
the bills. “I’ll do that.”

Angel slipped into the shadows and
returned to the car. He blasted the air conditioner on high and
checked to see if he was being followed. When he determined he was
alone, he drove back to his family home, smiling broadly in
anticipation of being with Teri again.

#

Teri slipped her feet into tangerine colored sandals
with stiletto heels. She buckled the straps around her ankles and
stood.

“
Turn around.” Rosario made a
twirling motion with her finger.

Teri complied, the skirt of her borrowed dress
swirling behind her. She looked in the mirror tacked to the back of
the bedroom door. The white strapless dress had a large print of
tiger lilies, the oranges and lime colors more suited to the
sisters who surveyed her critically.

They shook their collective heads
and returned to the closet.

“
This!” Elena said. She pulled
something black from the interior. It was a sheath with tiny straps
and a slit up the side. “This is the one. Take off that fruit
salad.”

Teri laughed while Rosario unzipped
the orange dress. As she pulled on the sheath she agreed with
Elena’s selection.

“
Yes, this is the one.”

“
It will make my big brother melt
with desire.”

Teri stopped, not certain she could
handle Angel melted.

Elena zipped the black dress and
nodded her head.

“
Yes! Rosario said. “You look very
sexy. Let me get the shoes.”

Teri gazed at herself, thinking she did indeed look
sexy. After masquerading as a nun she felt like a schoolgirl
playing dress up.

Rosario produced the shoes, sandals again but not as
high. The effect was quite nice contrasting Teri’s pale skin with
the black sheath and sandals. Teri grinned in approval.

“
Now the hair,” Elena said. She
stood with her hands on her hips, scowling at Teri’s short
coif.

“
I don’t think my hair can be
beautified.” Teri ran her fingers through the cropped
cap.

“
Never say never.” Rosario held up
a small curling iron and plugged it in. “How about some
blush?”

Elena was already digging into her
cosmetics case. “Try these,” she instructed. “They’re too pink for
me.” She handed Teri a brand new compact with blush and eye
shadow.

“
It was a gift but I’ve never worn
them. Not my colors. I like warm shades.”

But they were perfect for Teri. She
touched the curve of her cheeks with the blush and smiled. A hint
of eye shadow and a lot of mascara caused Teri to openly
grin.

Rosario attacked Teri’s shining
hair with the curling iron leaving a soft cap of curls atop her
head.

“
Wow!” Elena said. “You look like a
model!”

“
I’m back!” Teri said to her image
in the mirror.

Satisfied, Elena and Rosario
dressed themselves and applied make up. Elena brushed her long
straight hair and pulled it back from her face with ornate silver
and tortoise shell combs.

“
They belonged to my Tía Luz. She
gave them to me when she cut her hair. She wears it as short as
yours, Teri.”

“
They’re beautiful.” Teri sat on the
bed and watched the girls primp.

Rosario curled her hair and pinned
a silk hibiscus on one side. “How do I look?

“
Gorgeous!” Teri said.

The three young women trooped down
the steps, making a lot of noise with their heels. Angel stood at
the foot of the stairs, leaning against the Newell post. He held
out his hand to Elena and guided her down the last few steps.
“Beautiful,” he said. He repeated his gesture to Rosario. “Lovely.”
He held out his hand to Teri.

Her stomach was aflutter with a
herd of butterflies when she placed her hand in Angel’s and took
the last few steps toward him. She paused on the last step,
standing at his eye level in her borrowed heels.

“
What do you think?” she said. “Am
I presentable?”

“
You take my breath away,” he said,
under his breath.

She met his gaze and felt a shiver creep down her
spine.

“
Come on. Come on down.” Isabel
waved her hand. “Show us the dress.”

Angel stood close as she took the
last step down. She felt his presence as close as an
embrace.

“
Wow!” Mikey let out a low
whistle.

Teri spun around, grinning.

“
You look lovely,” Isabel said.
“But you need something.” She drew a lacy black shawl around Teri’s
shoulders. “And here.” She dropped a pair of sparkling dangle
earrings in Teri’s palm. “They belonged to my mother. She gave them
to me.”

Her pulses kicked as she opened her
hand. The faceted sapphires glittered under the chandelier in the
entryway. Teri gulped back the lump that had formed in her throat
and forced a smile. “Thank you. I promise to take good care of them
and return them to you in good shape.”

Isabel started to speak but
something in her son’s gaze changed her mind. She ducked her head
and moved away.

“
Who’s riding with us?” Angel
asked.

The entire family trooped outside
and piled into Angel’s rental and the family’s SUV.

Angel transported Teri with his two
oldest sisters giggling from the back seat. His parents, little
sister and brother rode in the SUV. A neighbor had been called to
stay with great-grandmother.

Angel let his sisters off at a
corner by the river and parked the car in a public lot a block
away.

“
I’m sorry you have to walk with
me. I didn’t want to be separated from you.”

Teri wondered if it was his
official duty that made him reluctant to drop her on the street
with his sisters, or something else. “It’s okay,” Teri said softly.
“I didn’t want you to be separated from me.”

He tucked her hand in the crook of
his arm and escorted her to the corner where he had let the girls
out. They walked down a flight of stone steps to the River Walk.
Bright lights were strung overhead spanning the river. A restaurant
barge filled with tables and diners motored by leaving the smell of
burned diesel fuel in the air. The limestone walk meandered on both
sides of the river with frequent arched bridges spanning the water
and allowing the boats to pass underneath.

Small shops specializing in
souvenirs for tourists were still open. Tantalizing aromas wafted
from restaurants with tables clustered close to the
sidewalk.

Angel slipped his arm around Teri,
settling his hand comfortably at her waist.

It felt good to have this man
holding her. They walked under an overpass. The lighting was dimmer
here and the stone was rough. The heel of her borrowed sandal
wedged in the mortar. She stumbled against Angel and he caught her.
She leaned against his chest and his arms remained tight around
her.

“
Thanks,” she whispered. “I haven’t
worn heels in a while. I guess I’m rusty.”

He caressed her cheek with his
fingertips. Teri raised her chin as Angel’s lips brushed gently
against hers. Teri stood on tiptoe and slipped her arms around his
neck. She kissed him again, his lips igniting hers with
passion.

The kiss was more intense than she
anticipated. A soft moan reached her ears as he held her tight,
letting his tongue explore her mouth.

Hearing footsteps, they pulled
apart. Angel’s brother and sister stood a short distance away,
staring at them.

“
Just friends?” Elena
said.

“
Yeah, right!” Mikey
said.

Elena shook her head, grinning.
“Come on. Mama was worried.”

Angel laughed, releasing Teri.
“We’ve been stalked.” He held her hand and led her to the nightclub
a short distance from the underpass.

Teri heard lively music pulsing
through the doors. They pushed inside and the sound enveloped them.
Angel’s father stood waving to them. The immediate Garcia family
and a few others sat clustered around a large table close to the
dance floor.

“
You see,” Angel said with a sweep
of his hand. “The Garcia’s can party at the drop of a
hat.”

Teri was introduced to Elena’s
fiancé, Charlie, and to Isabel’s sister Luz, her husband and their
son.

“
Oh,” Luz said. “You’re wearing
Mama’s earrings.”

Teri fingered the dangling
sapphires, glancing from Luz to Isabel and letting her gaze rest on
Angel.

“
Not to worry.” He kissed her
temple. “They belonged to my grandmother and she gave them to my
mother.”

Teri felt a herd of butterflies doing gymnastics in
her stomach.

“
Don’t look so frightened, Mia.
They look great on you. Would you like a Margarita or a Pina
Colada?” Angel asked against her ear, sending a tingle down her
spine.

“
Is that all they serve here?” she
asked.

“
No, but they’re cold and very
refreshing.”

“
Good idea,” she said. “I’ll have a
Pina Colada.”

Angel spoke to the waitress.

Elena and Charlie stepped onto the
floor and danced with the confidence of long-time
partners.

“
Would you care to dance?” Angel
whispered.

“
I don’t know the steps.”

“
It doesn’t matter,” he said. “I’ll
have a good excuse to hold you in my arms.”

Teri smiled, thinking she would
have her arms around Angel. “I’d love to.”

When they danced he demonstrated
the simple steps and proved to be an excellent dancer. They danced
through the next song and when the tempo slowed he pulled her
close. The singer’s voice throbbed with emotion. They danced in a
smaller space, breathing each other’s air. They felt each movement
the other made, their bodies moving in time to the sensuous music.
Others swirled around them but they didn’t notice. When the song
came to an end the band announced a break.

Teri found herself reluctant to
remove her arms from around Detective Angel Garcia’s neck;
unwilling to move away from him; unwilling to allow him to take his
arms from the circle in which he held her. It was the first time
she’d felt safe in months.

She gazed up at him, smiling as he continued to move
to music no one else could hear. Recorded music kicked in and they
remained swaying together.

“
Our drinks are melting,” she
said.

Angel relaxed his hold on her but
didn’t step away. “We can’t let that happen.”

She slowly released him. They
returned to the table and he seated her next to his
mother.

Teri sipped the icy drink. The
fruity quaff chilled a trail down her throat. “This is delicious.”
Teri looked around the table and found everyone smiling at her. She
blushed, thinking that she was revealing too much.

“
So, Teresa,” Isabel said. “What do
you do?”

“
I guess I’m unemployed now.” Teri
laughed and shook her head. “I’ll have to find a job when I get
back.”

“
Back? Where are you
from?”

“
I was living in New York.” Teri
sipped her drink.

“
You and Angel met in New York
city?”

“
Mother, enough!” Angel shot his
mother a look that silenced her. “I followed her here,” he said in
a softer tone.

Isabel pursed her lips,
thoughtfully and then shrugged. “For whatever reason you’re here,”
I’m glad.”

Teri smiled at her. “I’m glad I’m
here right now with all of you.” She sipped the icy drink to cover
the sudden wave of shyness that washed over her.
Teri Slaughter is not shy.
The stab of pain to her temples brought a grimace.

“
Slow down, Mia,” Angel
whispered.

Easy for you to say.
She had been zooming on a rocket ride since she
met the handsome detective. She gazed into his eyes and felt the
rest of the crowd slip away. It was as if they were alone for a
split second; as if she caught a glimpse of his soul; as if the
fires burning in the depths of his eyes were blazing just for
her.

#

CHAPTER TEN

A screech from the microphone broke
her reverie. A man stepped down from the stage and approached them.
He shook hands and hugged people as he made his way around the
table.

“
Rickito!” Isabel hugged him and
Arturo embraced the man warmly. He was introduced to Teri as
Isabel’s brother, Ricardo, affectionately called Ricky. He was a
small man, shorter than Teri and his hands were about the same size
as hers.