I forced myself to stop thinking about him-something I had to do multiple times a day, like popping my wrist with a rubber band.
I relaxed my legs, letting them slide and catch down the surface of the pleather with a rubbery squeak. No luxurious top-grain leather here, no sir. My stomach rumbled. It was already lunchtime.
Carol buzzed my phone. "Your noon appointment is here."
I maneuvered from the couch and arranged my blouse and skirt before realizing I never set noon appointments. "Wait, Carol, I have an appointment right now?"
"Yes, ma'am. I set it yesterday when you were in that deposition."
Ugh. "Try not to set anything at lunch again. I'm starving."
"Sorry, Ms. Angel. I'll run out and grab us some lunch while you're in the meeting. It'll be waiting for you when you get back to your desk."
Now, that was a good save. "Thanks, Carol."
I checked myself in the mirror next to my door. I was almost used to the blond locks, though I missed the red a bit. Even so, I couldn't be too obvious. I didn't feel threatened now that I had a new identity and DiSalvo was room temperature, but I still needed to be careful.
I paused at Carol's desk. "What sort of case?"
"Some elder law issues, sounds like." She handed me a thin paper file of intake information before grabbing her bag and hurrying out the back way. "I'll get Sandwich Sam's. Back in fifteen minutes."
"Perfect."
The conference room was at the front of the office. My heels click-clacked on the tile floor of the hallway, announcing my arrival.
I swung the door open and dropped the file. The edge hit the floor, sending the sheets scattering at my feet.
"Ms. Angel." Lincoln stood.
My legs were suddenly tired. I leaned on the nearest chairback just to stay standing.
Lincoln ate up the distance between us in two strides and took me in his arms.
"It's you" was all I could say.
"You think I wouldn't find you?"
The deep rumble of his voice was like a shot of morphine. I was euphoric. Lincoln Granade was my drug of choice.
"I . . . I . . . didn't know. I hoped. But we can't-"
He lifted me off my feet so we were at eye level. He was smiling, green eyes sparkling even under the fluorescents. A fresh dose of his scent washed over me, far stronger than what was left on his dress shirt that I slept with every night. I wrapped my arms around his neck, a reflex, as natural as tucking my hair behind my ears.
"You know what happens when you tell me no, angel. And you're already in for some rough treatment for running away, among other bad behavior." There was mischief in his voice.
He grew fuzzy in front of me, tears overcoming my vision. He took my mouth. Gently, despite his words. After a long, sensuous kiss, he pulled away. The morphine pump was working overtime. I'd dreamed of kissing him again, tasting him. I was far too jaded to ever believe dreams came true, especially for people like me.
"Don't cry, angel. I never want to see you cry."
"It's not you. I mean, it is. I just, I just wanted you so bad. And now you're here-"
He claimed my lips again, more insistently this time. Deepening our kiss, he let his tongue explore. I answered, opening my mouth and pulling him in even closer. He turned me around and sat me down on the conference table. I opened my legs, and he snugged himself between them. I wanted to give him anything, everything. Whatever it took to make him stay.
He pulled away despite my groan. He smiled and took a lock of my hair in his hand.
"I prefer the red." He kissed my forehead.
"I have to hide. Blond allows me to do that."
"You don't have to hide anymore." He let the strands drop and tried to take my mouth again.
"B-but how did you find me?"
"Wouldn't you know it? I had some delicious Italian the other day. Prepared fresh by a real virtuoso of the art of cooking, and also the art of baseball."
He stared at my mouth as my jaw went slack. Shock radiated through me. "Sal gave me up?"
"Sure did. I tracked you there. Do you have any idea how hard it is to retrieve records of phone calls going to or from a federal courthouse?"
"I can imagine." My curiosity was fading and being replaced with the need for his mouth. I was no longer interested in the how or the why. I only wanted him to kiss me again with his fire, his heat. Hi, my name is Evangeline Pallida, and I'm a Lincoln addict.
"That's what took me so long. Sal said he knew I'd come looking for you eventually. He wanted to know if I was the one who called you angel. Told me to say 'hi, bella' once I'd found you."