Chapter 20
Monty stepped into his apartment and the plain interior startled him. Smiling, he realized that after spending most nights at Angel’s place, his home looked very bare indeed. Walking through to his bedroom, he moved to the closet. His dress pants and suit coats hung neatly in a row. His ties hung perfectly even from a tie rack. Bypassing them, he moved toward the back where his jeans were hung neatly.
Neatly. A fleeting thought passed through his mind and then nothing more. Focusing on what he would need for the next couple of days, he continued with packing. Grabbing a small duffle bag, he packed jeans, thick socks, thermal shirts, as well as a couple of flannel ones. He found his heavy boots and packed them as well. His toiletries were mostly at Angel’s place so he did not need to worry about those items.
Moving to his hall closet, he pulled out his winter coat and a heavy winter parka. Gloves, knit hat, and a scarf finished out what he thought he would need. It only took one trip to place everything in his SUV, but he made another trip back up just to check.
He walked to the bank of windows overlooking the small skyline of Charlestown with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance. He loved this view—at least, he always had. Now it seemed distant. Remote. Just like he had been.
As an FBI agent, it was necessary to maintain a distance between himself and the victims’ families. He loved the analytical aspect of crime investigations. Never get personal. Never get too close. It might interfere with objectivity. But Angel had changed all that. The victims were people, not to only be investigated, but to be mourned.
As his gaze moved back to the distant mountains, he smiled as he remembered Angel hosting a party for a group of little girls and their moms. The girls were enamored with her colored tresses as she flitted around serving them. The oohs and aahs rang out when she appeared with a platter of her famous cupcakes. When he asked her if she personally saw to each party, she replied, “I need to get up close and personal with life.”
Closing and locking his door behind him, he headed to her place to wait out the storm. With an eager grin, he knew he planned on getting up close and personal tonight.
*
Arriving in the early afternoon, Monty entered the bakery noting it was still busy. Seeing Helen behind the counter, he nodded his greeting as she jerked her head, indicating Angel was in the kitchen. Walking through, he saw her busy pouring batter into the tins and one of her assistants taking out what finished baking. Glancing down, it appeared to be muffins instead of her usual afternoon cupcakes.
Angel looked up as he entered, a huge smile on her face. Seeing the grocery bags in his hands, she cast a questioning gaze his way.
“I figured we wouldn’t starve since you own a bakery, but I brought over some other food for us to eat during the snow storm besides your amazing cupcakes.”
Laughing, she admitted, “I haven’t had time to go to the grocery store, so thank you!”
He ran the grocery bags upstairs to her apartment and placed the cold items in her refrigerator as well as the dry goods in the cabinet. Heading back downstairs, he moved to take a large tray of muffin tins from her hands and set it on the counter. With a quick glance, he saw more muffins than she typically made in several days.
“Angel, why the baking frenzy?” he asked, placing his hands on her shoulders. Gently turning her as he leaned down, he kissed the corner of her mouth.
She grinned and whispered, “I think you missed.”
“Nope, just aware your assistant is in the room. And…” he said with a slow grin, “that’s just a preview of what’s to come.”
Laughing, she shoulder bumped him out of the way as she took the baked muffins out of the tins.
“You didn’t answer my question,” he reminded.
She looked around the busy kitchen and said, “Don’t worry, they’ll get eaten. You’ll see.”
Assuming she would have the shop opened for limited hours even in a snowstorm, he shrugged. “You need any help?”
“I can always use the help!” she agreed.
As the first flakes of snow began to fall, she dismissed Helen and her two assistants for the day. Monty made sure they were in their cars and on their way before locking the back door to the alley. He then joined Angel in the main bakery and assisted her wiping down the tables and counters. He noted she had turned on the closed sign. I guess she’s not going to stay open. Looking back toward the kitchen, he wondered, then who the hell are all those muffins for?
Before he could question her further, she turned out the light in the shop and moved toward him. He opened his arms as she walked straight in and cupped his face in her hands. Pulling him down, she stopped her lips a breath away from his. “And this is a preview of what’s to come from me.”
She stood on her tiptoes, latching her mouth onto his. The touch of their lips ignited a firestorm. His cock swelled painfully as he took the kiss deeper, his tongue tangling with hers. Her hand slid between them, palming his length.
“Mmm, babe,” he muttered against her lips, “let’s take this upstairs.”
The kiss continuing, she mumbled back, “We don’t have time. I’ve got the timer going off in five minutes. Another batch is in the oven.” Feeling the length of his erection pressing into her stomach, she giggled, “Can’t you wait?”
“With you, it appears that it has a mind of its own,” he growled as she pushed him back against the door to the stairs.
She heard his moan deepen as she worked his zipper down. “Well, let’s see if we can do something about that,” she purred, kissing a trail from his lips downwards until she circled his swollen cock with her lips.
He sucked in a ragged breath as she slid his length into her warm mouth. Too large for her to take all of him in, she fisted the base with her hand. Working her hand and mouth in rhythm she continued, noticing with pleasure as his balls tightened.
Monty held her shoulders in his hands, looking down at her pink, glossy lips sliding over his cock. He could not remember the last time he had a woman suck him off. Jesus, I’ve been dating some seriously uptight women! Fighting the urge to move her up and down even faster, he panted, “I’m close. Come here.” He tried to lift her, but she just smiled as she grabbed his ass with both hands and held on as her tongue continued to swirl around his sensitive head in between of sucking his length deep.
Shaking her head while not breaking rhythm, she continued to suck until the hot semen hit the back of her mouth. Sucking until the last drop came into her mouth, she slid off looking satisfied.
He was not sure his legs could hold him up as he lay back against the door. The tingling sensation from his lower back through his balls had him panting to catch his breath. He was barely aware of Angel tucking him carefully back into his pants and re-zipping them.
He lowered his head to gaze into her face. She ran her tongue over her still-pink lips before rising on tip-toes to kiss him once again.
Just then the oven timer went off and she twirled away from him, laughing. “Perfect timing,” she sang as she washed her hands before taking another tray of muffins out of the oven and placing them on cooling racks.
*
Monty took his duffle bag up to Angel’s apartment while she finished the baking. When he had asked why she was still baking, she grinned and told him to come back down when he was done. Walking over to one of her windows, he pulled back the red sheers and looked out at the rapidly falling snow. Dusk was coming early this evening and as he looked down the street, the snow had already covered the ground. Movement at the edge of the corner of the building caught his attention, but he was unable to see what it was.
Rapidly moving to another window overlooking the front of the building, he saw a large group of people shuffling through the snow toward the front of Angel’s bakery. Leaning his forehead against the cold window pane to gain a better view, it appeared as though they had congregated at her doorstep.
He sprinted to the stairs, jogging down and into the kitchen before he heard voices coming from the front. Flying to the front, he skidded to a stop, seeing the front door open and Angel standing in the doorway. People walked by and she was handing muffins to them as they thanked her profusely. What the hell is she doing?
Just then she turned, hearing him coming up behind her. Her blonde hair glistened with the snow pouring behind her as her smile shot straight to his heart. “Hey, sweetie. You’re just in time.”
Stepping up to her protectively, he looked at the faces of the men and women moving by. Leaning down, he whispered, “Angel, what are you doing?”
“When I know the weather is going to be bad and some of these people might not be staying at the homeless shelter, I open up for an hour or so to give out muffins.” Turning back, she smiled as heartfelt “thanks” came her way once more.
Torn between pride at her thoughtfulness and anger at the risk she was taking, he stood stiffly behind her for a moment, his breath coming in spurts. “Babe, I don’t think this is a good idea. You’re encouraging…I mean, you’re—”
She whipped her head around, her colorful streaks flying out behind her, the smile replaced with a glare. “What? What are you saying,” she hissed under her breath. “I’m encouraging these people to be homeless? Jesus, you sound like my brother.” Huffing, she added, “He’s always worrying.”
Right then, Monty felt a kinship with her Special Forces brother even though he had never met him. Taking a deep breath, he stepped to her side, saying, “I didn’t say that.”
“No, but you were thinking it,” she accused.
He did not deny it, but stayed by her side, if for no other reason than to keep an eye on the group of people. He watched diligently but saw nothing untoward. The group did not rush the door or create a scene. They formed a single file and came by accepting the offered muffins, most expressing gratitude. He watched as Angel’s face shone with a heartfelt smile for every person. She reminded them that the homeless shelter was only a few blocks away and there was a cold-weather refuge in one of the churches down the road.
Monty kept his eyes peeled in case someone had a weapon or nefarious intent, but his concerns were unfounded. After about half an hour, the last of the visitors had moved on and Angel pushed her almost empty cart back inside the bakery, shutting and locking the door.
He remembered his parents’ efforts at community service. Twice a year, his mother collected his and Felicity’s clothing that no longer fit and took them to a facility that could use them. Drive up. Drop off. Done. He thought of the charity event Claire had invited him to last summer for a charitable board she served on. The dinner cost hundreds of dollars per plate, there was an auction for various items, and he won two theater tickets. The money was for…I don’t even remember what it was supposed to benefit. Later that month, he took Claire to the theater and she remarked that it was so nice that they could enjoy the finer things while helping the unfortunate. He remembered, at the time, it seemed an incongruous statement to make but had spent no time pondering it further.
And here was Angel. Businesswoman. Entrepreneur. And philanthropist, by giving of herself to people she could actually see. Actually touching their lives in a personal way. Accepting them, where they are—not demanding they change for her.
Sighing, Monty stood back watching her in earnest, wondering what her attitude toward him was going to be. She avoided eye contact as she stepped around him, pushing the cart with only a few muffins left on the trays. He followed her into the kitchen as she took the surplus muffins, wrapped them in cellophane, and then placed them in the refrigerator. Shit, she’s not talking to me.
“Babe,” he called out softly.
“Hmm?” she asked, still not looking at him, busying herself with unnecessary tasks. She remembered her brother’s visit last summer when he was in-between assignments. The temperature was reaching over one hundred degrees for a week and she passed out muffins and water bottles. He came by and lectured her mercilessly. He claimed her heart overruled her head. Wasn’t that what Monty had said when she tried to find Marcia’s kidnapper by herself?
“Angel, look at me,” he ordered, his voice softer.
She turned to face him, keeping her eyes on his chest. He walked over and lifted her chin with his fingers.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
Her eyes grew wide at his apology. “You’re sorry for…?” she asked, watching his face carefully.
He ran his hand over his face, before trusting himself to speak. “I’m sorry for not understanding what you were doing. You have to understand where I’m coming from, Cupcake. I was an investigator with the FBI for years. I’ve seen things I wouldn’t want you to even know about and, believe me, you can’t imagine. So I’m suspicious by nature. I’m fearful for those I love. I’m not trusting of the motives of many.”
“You do sound like my brother,” she admitted, still holding his gaze.
“Sounds like someone I’d like to meet,” he said.
Unable to withhold her smile at the thought of the two of them meeting, she nodded and said, “I’m sure you will sometime when he comes home again.” Then, remembering what he had been saying, she continued, “I can’t live my life with that much fear.”
“I know we’re different in that respect,” he admitted. “But for every down-trodden, hard-luck story that came by your bakery tonight, there can also someone with issues so that you cannot be certain of how they will react in situations.” He heaved another sigh. “You gotta see it from my point of view, babe. A woman. Alone. Handing out food in front of a shop that could have had some money here. That was dangerous.”
“You think I should just stop?” she queried, pushing her hair back as her voice vibrated with renewed frustration.
“No,” he said, surprised at his gut-reaction answer. “But I do think that we can come up with a safer solution. Maybe have them meet you at the church that you said has the cold-weather refuge. It might even encourage them to stay there and utilize the facility.”
She considered his answer thoughtfully, chewing on the inside of her cheek. “I can do that. As long as you’re not trying to stop me from doing something that I care about, I can compromise.”
He smiled as he gazed at her face peering up at him so seriously. Sliding his hand to cup her cheek, he smoothed his thumb over her skin before lifting his other hand to follow the same action. “Compromise? I like the sound of that.”
“You ready to go upstairs?” she asked, her voice low and sultry once more.
“Oh yeah,” he responded, leaning down to touch his lips to hers. Soft. Gentle. With a promise of more to come. “Let me double check the locks and I’ll be up.”
Grinning, she lifted up on her toes, kissing his jaw. With a wink and a toss of her colorful streaks, she sashayed up the stairs leaving him staring at her gorgeous ass. Damn. Checking the front and back door locks as fast as he could, he sprinted up the stairs after her.