Hidden Angel Read online

  Sister, yes, yes, yes! Soon he’d have her. Smiling to himself, Duncan headed for his library. Surely he could find out why his touch hadn’t worked and fix the problem. The sooner, the better.

  * * * *

  Wondering why his power of touch didn’t work on Anya, Duncan dialed his older brother, Malon. Hearing his brother answer, he quickly got to the point. “Have you ever not been able to use your powers of persuasion on a human before?”

  “Nice to hear from you, Duncan. Of course I’m fine. So glad you asked,” Malon answered sarcastically.

  “Yes, it’s good to talk to you, and I’m glad you’re doing fine. Now answer my question, please.” Stomach rolling, Duncan needed to find out what was wrong with his touch on Anya. There had to be an answer. He had searched through all his books on the subject but had turned up empty-handed.

  “Oh-ho, it sounds like you’ve got it bad. You say she’s immune to your touch? Is she an angel?” Malon asked.

  “No, she’s not an angel. I don’t sense it in her, and I can get through to her brother, just not her. Have you ever had that happen to you before? Or have you ever heard of it happening to anyone you know?” Duncan questioned.

  “No. It’s strange that you can connect with the brother but not the sister. I’ve never heard of that happening before. Maybe you should ask Mom.”

  Duncan shuddered, and his voice filled with horror. “No way. She’d be mad if she knew I was using persuasion to coax a woman into my bed.”

  Malon laughed then questioned, “Why don’t you just go for an angel? There are a lot of them that are more than willing to devour you.”

  “No, I need this woman. I feel like I’m going to explode if I don’t have her. She’s all I can think about. I even dreamed of the little sharp-tongued beauty last night. I have to have her.”

  “Well, if your touch doesn’t work and you won’t ask Mom and you want her that bad, you need to woo her into your bed.”

  “Woo her?” Duncan frowned at that.

  “Yes, woo her. Be nice to her, compliment her, take her to dinner then have her for dessert. It’s simple. If you want to spread her thighs, you’re going to have to work for that privilege. Humans are different from angels. They aren’t as open to free sex just for the pleasure of it. If I were you, I’d stick with the angels.”

  “I would if I could, but there is something irresistible about her. I don’t want to be tempted by her, but I am. I like the idea of wooing her. I’ll give it a try. Thanks,” Duncan replied distractedly. His mind was already formulating plans.

  “Let me know how it turns out,” Malon replied then hung up, leaving his brother in deep thought.

  Malon was right. He couldn’t treat her like one of the angels he was used to. If he wanted her, and oh, how he wanted her, he was going to have to try some new things. Grinning to himself, he knew his life was about to get interesting.

  Chapter Five

  “Master Duncan, there’s a Mr. Tim Cleve here to see you. He’s the owner of the company working on the cars. Shall I bid him enter?” Alfred asked.

  Anya’s dad. He definitely wanted to see him. “Show him in, Alfred.”

  Duncan shifted in his seat. Any thought of Anya brought his one-eyed beast to life. Smiling to himself, he remembered the two times he had already taken Anya and Joey out to dinner.

  Taking Malon’s advice, he’d told the siblings he wanted to start taking them out on business dinners once a week. The first meal they’d eaten together, Anya and Joey had been nervous, but with a little coaxing, the two had opened up, and the meal had been a success. The second time they went to dinner, he found out how smart, talented, and quick-witted the pair were. He no longer was just sexually attracted to her. Now he could see she had a heart of gold as well as a rocking body. Brains, compassion, and beauty. A lethal combination in his case. Yes, the more he found out about her and her family, the more he liked and respected them, and the more he wanted her. It may be a foolish endeavor, but he couldn’t stop himself. He needed her.

  The instant Tim Cleve walked into Duncan’s office, he saw the resemblance to Joey, but none at all to Anya. She must look like her mother.

  Tim was a strong, confident man who went straight to the point. “Mr. Hart, from what I understand, the cars my family are working on for you are going to be auctioned off for a charity you are collecting money for.” At Duncan’s nod, he continued, “I’ve got an offer for you...”

  * * * *

  Tim watched Joey’s and Anya’s reaction to his news closely then added firmly, “Close your mouths or flies are going to think you’re inviting them in. It’s a done deal. We’re not taking a cash payment for this job. The publicity you two can get from this auction is way more valuable.” Looking at them, he knew he was doing the right thing. They needed him to make good business decisions. Their future depended on it. He loved them too much to fail them.

  “Can we seriously spend this much time on a job and not get paid?” Joey asked.

  With a sigh, Tim answered, “You two are very good at what you do, and you love doing it. It’s my job as your father and the owner of this business to make sure you two get to keep on working. The auction will draw attention to your talent and bring national attention to our company. It’s also a good thing to give back to the community. Doing this job for free is a way to give to the charity involved. All we’re losing is time. Mr. Hart is paying for all the supplies and the food you two are eating. I’m working on a couple of jobs that will keep things running at home.”

  By the time Tim left, he had them both convinced it was the right thing to do. The shop felt empty without them, but he knew it was time for the company to branch out. They were grown now. It was time to let them fly.

  * * * *

  Six sweet weeks had passed, and Duncan’s need to be around the sexy and spicy little Anya was growing in leaps and bounds. If he didn’t get some control over himself, he was going down. He had never fallen this hard for any female, deep down he knew he was in deep shit.

  Gazing thoughtfully out his front window, Duncan was hoping he’d done enough wooing of Anya to get her into his bed. She was already sliding into his heart, and there wasn’t a thing he could do about it. He was glad he had taken his brother’s advice about wooing and getting to know Anya. She was worth the wait.

  Both of the siblings were intelligent, and with the car project being so large, they always had plenty to talk about. They had all eaten dinner together once a week since the first time, and he had loved every minute of it. His respect for their family was as great as his desire for Anya.

  Knowing Anya needed more, he started going to the garage every day, complimenting them both on their work, which was easy because it was true. They were both very talented. During one of his talks with Joey, he’d found out Anya had a weakness for sweets. A few nights later, he invited them over to watch a movie, and to Anya’s surprise, he had a large tray set out with a variety of desserts on it. He smiled to himself as he remembered the excited expression on her face.

  Last night, he’d brought over chocolate-covered strawberries, and lucky for him Joey couldn’t stay long because he was going out with his girlfriend. He relished watching her eat. With unconcealed lust in his eyes, he had watched her bite into the fruit then lick her lips. One piece of chocolate remained stuck to her bottom lip, and unable to stop himself, he reached out and wiped it off with his thumb then, never taking his heated gaze from hers, he slowly licked the chocolate off his thumb. Fire flared up quickly in her eyes. He’d been seeing it a lot in her expressive eyes lately. Every chance he got he’d touched her, stoking the flame a little higher in her at every turn.

  Seeing a car pull into the driveway, he smiled. Candice, a neighbor, had heard about his upcoming auction and mentioned that she would like to see the restoration process, and he was more than willing to let her see it. This was perfect. He was about to find out how Anya would react to seeing him with another woman. Candice had a thing for
most men, and she didn’t care who knew it. His grin broadened as he walked out to meet her.

  * * * *

  Hearing footsteps behind her, Anya turned to see Duncan and a pretty brunette coming toward her. Jealousy sprang to life with the dedication and strength of a hunting lioness. “I see you’re going out with your daughter today. It’s good to make those father-daughter memories. They last a lifetime.” Her heart was crushed by the sight of him with another woman, and she just couldn’t control her tongue. He’d been paying a lot of attention to her lately, and now, she had to admit that she’d loved every minute of it. This bitch had to go.

  “She’s hardly my daughter. We are not that far apart in age.” Duncan kept his voice calm and cool.

  Bastard. Anya faked looking real hard at him. “I guess not. You could be her way older brother.”

  Duncan grinned and put his arm around Candice. She melted into him. “Anya, this is Candice. Her father will be at the auction. She’s curious about the restoration process, so I brought her over to see how it’s done.”

  “I’m sure Joey would be more than happy to fill her in. As you can see, I’m rather busy,” she said in a huff. He was loony if he thought she was going to show this man-stealer around without a fight.

  “But I’m sure she’d rather you show her the process,” Duncan insisted.

  “I would love to have Anya show me how all this works.” Candice purred then eyed Anya’s paint-stained clothes. “She looks like she knows what she’s doing.”

  Anya gritted her teeth. If he wasn’t the boss, she’d refuse. “Let’s get this over with.” Leading the way, Anya guided her to the Shelby they’d just finished last week. “This is a rare 1966 GT350H Shelby Mustang.”

  “It’s a pretty car, but I kind of like the lines of that one.” Candice pointed at the Dodge Viper.

  Sighing, Anya asked, “How much driving experience do you have with sports cars?”

  “I drive a Lexus right now,” Candice replied proudly.

  Anya fought the desire to roll her eyes. “That’s not a fast sports car.” Touching the dumb girl’s arm, she continued persuasively, “The Viper is too dangerous for you. You like the Shelby better.” Releasing her arm, she moved on with her tour while Duncan was off answering a question of Joey’s. Anya wasn’t sure why, but her touch seemed to be influential on most people. As much as she disliked the woman, she didn’t want her to get hurt.

  At the end of the tour, Candice commented, “I like the Shelby best. Its mustang emblem reminds me of how powerful and muscular Duncan is.”

  The green monster was back. Anya searched her memory for the worst thing she could recall the guys at the garage talking about. When it came to her, she leaned in close and whispered, “Keep your panties on when Duncan is around. He has an S—T—D.”

  Candice’s eyes widened. “No!”

  Anya shook her head sadly. “The cute ones almost always do. It’s such a shame.”

  “What kind of STD does he have?”

  “The only one I know of: a Soft Tiny Dick. I hear he’s got it bad.” Anya shook her head and looked as sad as she could. “Well, that’s it. I hope you learned a lot.” Anya’s eyes cut over to Duncan, and she raised a brow.

  Candice nodded her understanding. “Oh, I learned plenty. Thanks for filling me in.”

  Anya grinned to herself and had to bite her lip not to laugh out loud. Being bad in this case felt very good. She should feel bad, but she didn’t. A strange part of her wanted to chase off every woman that even thought of looking at Duncan. He was hers. Whoa, where did that come from? The grin left her face, and she shook her head. Freaks like her didn’t have men like him. They didn’t live happily ever after.

  * * * *

  Duncan had to bite his lip to stop himself from laughing. He’d heard every word Anya had said. The little hard-ass was jealous. This was wonderful. He was thrilled beyond belief. If she was to the point of scaring off the competition, that meant he had her just where he wanted her. Tonight, she’d be his!

  As Duncan guided Candice to her car, he mentally stressed to her that he didn’t have a Soft Tiny Dick and that she should stick with the Shelby.

  * * * *

  Anya watched Duncan guide Candice out of the garage. A frown marred her features. Catching a movement out of the corner of her eye, Anya turned to watch Joey stroll toward her. Much to her distress, Joey had accepted a dinner invitation for both of them from Duncan while she was busy with Candice.

  “You know, I really hate you sometimes, Joey. You should have asked me before you accepted the invitation. I’m not feeling very nice today,” Anya snarled.

  Unruffled by her words, Joey replied, “That’s good. Let your feelings flow. It’s good for the body and mind to explore all the feelings within it. If you only felt love or happiness all of the time, you would be incomplete because your angry and sad sides would never be released and explored. Many poets and song writers explore these sides all the time.”

  Anya’s shoulders sagged, and she sighed. “Why do you have to put a silver-lining around everything? Can’t you try to be more normal?” She knew he was right, but at that moment, she didn’t care.

  His voice was soft and gentle. “Normal isn’t always best. Come on, we need a break. We’ve been steadily working for two months. Let yourself go for a little while. You know we always have a nice time when we eat with Duncan.”

  The sound of a horn honking drew their attention outside. Joey said he thought he recognized the sound. By the time they got to the front of the house, Duncan was talking to Michelle, Joey’s latest fling.

  Joey was all smiles. “Hey, honey, what are you doing here?”

  “I bumped into Mr. Hart today at my job, and he gave me two concert tickets for us to see Seether. Didn’t he tell you? I also texted you. Didn’t you get it?” she replied cheerfully.

  “I was busy and didn’t check my phone for messages.” Joey’s eyes cut toward Duncan. “You really bought us tickets? Why? I mean, thanks, but why?”

  Looking like goodness incarnated in the flesh, Duncan said, “I’m sorry. I forgot to tell you I’d given the tickets to Michelle today. I’ve been busy all afternoon. I bought them as a thank-you-for-all-your-hard-work gift. I knew you liked the band, so when the opportunity suddenly came up to buy them, I did. I could only get two, though.”

  Looking unsure of the situation, Joey responded, “What about Anya? I can’t leave her behind. It doesn’t seem right.”

  Touching Joey’s shoulder, Duncan added, “Anya will be fine. She’ll eat a nice dinner with me, and then we’ll go watch a movie or something. I’ll make sure she has a good time—a time she won’t forget.”

  Joey smiled at Michelle. “Let’s go, babe. Anya will be fine.”

  Anya’s face soured. “This sucks. You can’t leave me alone with him. You’re not even dressed to go.”

  “I’ve got some clothes at Michelle’s. You’ll be fine, Anya. Deep down you know you want me to go. See you when I get back, Sis.” He kissed her on the cheek then headed for Michelle’s car. Opening the passenger door, he let Michelle slide in, then went around to the driver’s side, got in, and drove off.

  Throwing her hands up in disgust, Anya turned on Duncan. “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

  With a satisfied grin and a wink, he said in a low, sexy voice, “What’s wrong with me wanting a little alone time with you? You’re special, and I want to get to know you better. A lot better. Let’s go in. Dinner is ready. I promise you’ll love it.”

  Chapter Six

  Anya tried to shake off the feelings of arousal his touch on her lower back had produced. She told herself he wasn’t coming on to her. He was just being a gentleman. A gentleman she’d like to drag to the floor and kiss all over. Maybe touch, too. She shook her head, trying to clear it of its wild thoughts. He was a customer, nothing more.

  As they sat at the formal dining table with her sitting to his right, a smiling, plump woman served them
porterhouse steaks, asparagus, and extra-creamy homemade macaroni and cheese. The meal was excellent, the best she’d ever had.

  A few bites in she asked, “How is your family doing?”

  “Good. My mom and dad are away on business, and my brother, Malon, is at some retreat having a blast. One of these days Mom is going to make him grow up. That will be a sight to see. How is your dad doing?” he questioned.

  “Good. Working on a Charger. He says the owner is an old friend of his. They have been hanging out, talking shop, and going out in the evenings. He sounds happy.” Inside, she hoped he really was all right. “The food is awesome. I’m glad you didn’t cook it.”

  Humor shone in his eyes. “How do you know I didn’t cook it? I could be a chef.”

  “Just an educated guess. A secret chef wouldn’t have a full-time cook and housekeeper like you do. Plus, you don’t look the type.”

  “Oh, and what does the type look like?” He grinned at her.

  “Duh, a chef wears a white coat and a tall hat. I’ve never seen you in either.” A desire to see him naked raced through her. Slapping herself mentally, she tried to steer clear of thoughts of him naked.

  “I guess I’m busted.” His eyes darted to her lips. “I’m glad you like the food.”

  Taking her last bite, she licked her fork and thought she heard him groan but wasn’t sure. “It was excellent. Joey missed out.”

  “I think he’s doing fine.”

  Anya was surprised when the happy woman came back with apple pie and vanilla ice cream. She cleared away their dirty dishes and placed the too-tempting dessert in front of them.

  Oh, man, it tasted just as good as it looked. She was in dessert heaven. “This is divine.”

  The corner of his mouth kicked up. “I’m glad you like it. Oh, by the way, I need to talk to you about the Shelby.”