When Angels Fall (Fallen Angels) (30 page)

“Mmm, Baby, I said it was okay.”

When her lips returned to his, she softly bit his bottom lip, and then ran her tongue along the top one lightly. “I want to make it up to you, now, if you want.” She was trying to sound sexy like Tabitha, but it came out shaky.

He laughed at that a little. “What are you talking about?”

Chloe tried to be seductive but she knew she was a far cry from it. She looked down and took a deep breath. Slowly, she let her hands run down his chest to the button of his jeans. She stopped, remembering that Tabitha had said to make sure he was hard first; it was easier that way. She leaned in and kissed him again, making sure that they were so engrossed in the kiss she could let her hands go further. When she touched him, he jumped.

“Chloe, what are you doing?” He sounded a little shocked

“Umm, relax. Let me take care of you.” She felt the heat in her cheeks. But this was what they said she had to do to keep him. Hands shaking, she started to unbutton his jeans.

 
He grabbed her hands. “Stop, this isn’t like you. What makes you think I want you to do this now?”

Chloe put her hands to her face, embarrassed that she even listened to her friends. “I just thought that this is something you wanted. I mean, Tiffany and Tabitha said that if I didn’t do anything for you, you would get bored and leave. Tabitha told me what you would like and told me how to do it. I just thought—”

“I should’ve known they had something to do with this. I don’t know if I more pissed at them for telling you that this is what I wanted or you for even thinking they were right.” He pushed past her to look out through the window.

“Nick, I’m sorry. It’s just I sat there and they kept going on about how I’m going to lose you if I didn’t do something to make up for when I freaked out.” She tried to explain to him.

 
He looked really upset by what she thought he wanted. “Chloe, I like you for who you are, and if I’m going to break up with you, it won’t be because we aren’t having sex or you don’t do anything sexual for me. Don’t you understand that I like you because you’re not like that? If I’m going to break up with you, it would be because we weren’t getting along or one of us cheated on the other one. Please, just relax and stop listening to them.”

She couldn’t look at him. All she could do was nod her head like a child, afraid to speak.

He walked over to her and took her into his arms. “Don’t try so hard to do things you think I will want or like. As we go further, I want it to be because we want it together. Okay?” He kissed her forehead.

“Okay. I will try to relax and take things as they come.” She laid her head on his chest and held on to him, loving the smell of his cologne as he held her.

“And what else?” he said, trying to coax her.

She laughed a little. “I will not listen to my friends or let them tell me what to do.”

Kevin beeped, signaling it was time for him to go. He kissed her quickly and they left the mall.

*
   
*
   
*
   
*

When school came around on Monday, Nick cornered Gabbie before Chloe got to homeroom. He wanted to know if she had any clue about what Chloe had been looking at and why they had put her up to the whole ways-to-keep-him thing.

“It had to be the charm bracelet. Her mom had one. It was her grandmother’s or something. I remember her talking about it after her mom died. Her father buried it with her and Chloe was so upset because her mom had always promised it to her. I don’t know what the charms were, though. Chloe never mentioned them. And Tiffany was the one who was on her about it. She kept calling her St. Chloe, and Chloe hates that,” Gabbie explained.

Nick pushed Tiffany and her ideas out of his mind and went back to thinking about what to get Chloe. “So, do you think that would be a good idea for Christmas? I’m stumped on what to get her.” He hoped that this would be it.

“I think she would love it. It would show her you are paying attention to her. Make sure that you get her a charm of a rose and a ladybug,” she suggested, thinking about what others to get her.

“Why those two?” he asked, hoping he could get some more info out of her.

“The rosebud is for the roses; her backyard’s full of them. In the spring, you should see it. Her mom loved roses. And the ladybug, well, as funny as it will sound, the day of her mother’s funeral, a ladybug landed on her hand. Crazy, right? Because her mom died in November, but there it was. I would not have believed her unless I saw it. She would kill me since I’m going to tell you this, but she has a ladybug tattoo on her ankle. She keeps it hidden by a band aid, but it’s there. Look in her paintings, too. You will always find a ladybug as a tribute to her mom,” Gabbie continued. She sat up alert now, as Chloe entered the classroom.

Chloe sat down and noticed both of them smiling at her. “What’s up? Do I have something on me?” It was almost as if they had a secret they weren’t telling her.

“No, Babe, you look great. I was just wondering when I am going to get to see your tattoo,” he said, teasing her.

Chloe smacked Gabbie’s arm. “Gabbie, you promised.” She looked embarrassed that he now knew about that.

 
He tried to hide his smirk.

 
She hid her face. “Stop, it was something stupid I did and I keep it hidden, so leave it at that.”

He pulled her hands down and kissed her on the cheek. “I want to see it someday. Don’t be mad at Gabbie. She told me out of the kindness of her heart,” he joked.

*
   
*
   
*
   
*

Gabbie seemed like she was going to protest but Sister MM called the class to order. Chloe debated on telling him about the job, but he had to find out, and if they were in class, he couldn’t make too much of a scene. She took out a piece of paper and wrote:
Please don’t freak. I got the job at the art studio.
Folding it, she hit his leg and passed it to him. She watched him open and read it.

 
He showed no outward reaction. When the sister turned her back, he wrote something down and passed it back.
That’s great! When do you start and are you going to be able to get out of work for Christmas break?

She braced herself and replied:

Today, after school. I work Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday morning. So you have me the rest of Saturday and all day Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. The studio is closed after Christmas until after New Year’s. You’re not mad, are you?

She passed it back. This was killing her. She knew that after what had happened at the mall, he was going to be mad. She just hoped he would understand and not make too big of a deal out of it. She tried to concentrate on the notes she was supposed to be taking, but he was taking a long time to write her back. She glanced at him and he was folding the note back up.

Then, he looked at her and winked.

When she went to reach for the note, he held her hand there for a minute. His hand was warm and she loved how when he let hers go, he slowly slid his away. She took a deep breath and opened the note, waiting for the rant she expected to see.

How can I be mad at you? I know what you are thinking, and I won’t freak out. I know you have to do this. Save time for me next Friday night, please. I want to take you to that winter festival. What time are you getting done?

She smiled and folded the note. She had not been to one since she was little. Last year she was going to go, but backed out at the last minute because she was alone and didn’t want to come home to an empty house. Now she had someone to go with, and although the house would be empty, she kinda liked it. It would mean he could stay for a little while and they could talk or…Chloe felt herself blush. It felt so strange that just the thought of him sometimes made her blush. She often thought of that morning after Thanksgiving, when they’d been in her room

She glanced at him as he took notes, his chin resting on his hand as he wrote. She started to daydream about him until the bell rang. In the hall, Chloe grabbed his hand and pulled him into the stairwell. He looked at her confused, and before he could ask what was up, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.

 
He dropped his book bag and put his arms around her, pressing her closer to him. Her lips parted and she kissed him deeper, running her fingers through his soft curls. Just as he seemed to begin to enjoy it, she pulled away and touched his lips with her finger. He grabbed it and looked at her with a bemused smile. “What was that about?” he asked.

She bit her lip, thinking about what she wanted to say. “Yes, to next Friday night. I get done at eight, maybe sooner.” She shyly smiled, and then headed to class.

*
   
*
   
*
   
*

When the following Friday night finally rolled around, Chloe had gotten done at seven and told him to pick her up at her house. The weather men on TV had been calling for snow all day and by the feel of the air and the clouds, it looked like it could start at any time. Before he could knock, Chloe opened the door.

“Little excited to go?” He laughed when she jumped into his arms.

“Just a little. If it isn’t too late when we get done, do you want to come back here?” she suggested.

“Yeah, sounds like a plan. You look really pretty tonight,” he complimented her. There was something about her that caught his eye. She had on a white wool coat with a purple scarf, hat, and gloves that all matched. Her jeans were tight enough to show off the curves of her legs and butt, and he really liked the soft, white leather boots she was wearing.

When they got to the festival, the first few flakes started to fall. It made it all the more magical, and people laughed and talked about the holidays. The festival was set up to welcome the holidays and bring the town together. Chloe said, it brought back memories of her childhood.

She all but pulled Nick to the line for the Christmas lights in the park and waited for the hayride to pick them up. “So, when we’re done, there’s hot chocolate and cookies in the coffee shop, and then there is a movie in the library. Santa is at the gazebo and…” She was rambling and he had to stop her for a minute.

“The Santa Claus is in our gazebo? What are we waiting in line here for? We have to go see him.” He playfully pulled her like they were leaving the line but then held her close to him. The snowflakes were lying in her hair, making it glisten when the lights caught the icy droplets. He could see her lips trembling as she tried to stay warm. He leaned in and kissed her, trying to steady her lips. “Are you sure you want to go on this ride? You’re shivering.”

“Yes, it’s so much fun. Here are all these different light displays and there’s music. There are blankets on the ride too, so we can warm up a little,” she said as the wagon pulled up.

Finding a seat, Nick put his arm around her and she pulled the blanket up around them. There were two other couples with them and a family with three little kids. One of the kids kept looking at Chloe. She was a little girl of about seven. She was bundled up in a red parka with pink fuzz on the sleeves.

“Where are your wings?” She tilted her head to the side and looked at Chloe.

“Shh, no one knows it’s the fairy princess. She loves the snow so much that she turned into a real person just to be able to play in it.” Nick winked at the little girl.

“Then, why did you kiss her?” the little girl asked.

“Lauren, that’s not nice. I’m sorry. She thinks you’re the fairy from the hospital,” her mother explained.

“I am, but like he said, I love the snow, so I’m in my human form, so I can play, too.” Chloe winked at the girl’s mother. “And I kissed him because he’s really a handsome knight and he is my guard when I’m in this form.”