Part 13 (1/2)

Aggie sighed. ”I'm sorry, Charlie.”

He shook his head. ”Don't be. I wouldn't want to live without you, anyway.”

Her heart hurt hearing those words. Charlie looked quickly away, eyes downcast. He began to stand, but Aggie grabbed his hand. His skin was warm and leathery. He went very still when she touched him. She tried to see his future-their future-but her mind remained dark and quiet.

”Don't leave me,” she said to him. Charlie sat down, though he still did not look at her. He turned her hand over in his large palm, tracing it gently with the tip of his finger. Aggie s.h.i.+vered.

”I am touching you,” Charlie whispered. ”I am touching your hand. Do you know what a miracle that is?”

”I think I do,” Aggie said, smiling. ”Would you like to touch more?”

Charlie froze. ”Don't Aggie. Not unless you mean it.”

”And why wouldn't I?”

He finally looked at her, red eyes blazing, but before he could say a word Aggie sat up fast and kissed him, pus.h.i.+ng her mouth hard against his, burying herself into his body. Charlie shuddered, groaning, and she thought, Maybe gargoyles don't kiss. But then his tongue touched her tongue and he was so d.a.m.n good at it that all those thoughts fell down dead and it was all she could do not to shout with joy as that kiss surged through her body, right down to her soul.

She broke off with a gasp, a burst of laughter, and Charlie's arm snaked hard and strong around her body as she clung to him.

”Are you real?” he murmured, burying his face in her neck. ”Aggie, please.”

”Please,” she echoed, uncaring that his eyes were red or that his face was silver and his body was inhuman. She did not care, she did not care... because all she could think of was that voice, that spirit named Charlie that was here with her now, warm and strong and alive. ”Please, Charlie. I love you.”

”Aggie,” he breathed, and it was enough to see the emotion in his eyes, to remember his sacrifices. It was more than enough to know that he felt the same.

Charlie lay them down on the bed and curled around her body. His wings draped and Aggie ran her fingers along the fine delicate skin, which was soft as silk, with a sheen to match. He shuddered.

”You hide these?” she asked him. ”I want to see you fly.”

”Later,” he said, ”And yes, I hide them. I make them smaller and fold them around my body. I look like a very large man in human clothes.”

Aggie tried to imagine, but could not. Time, she told herself. You have time for all of that.

”Emma's safe,” Aggie said to him. She pushed up so close their noses rubbed. ”If she doesn't have any other family, my boss, Roland, is going to try and intervene with foster care.”

”That would be good,” Charlie said. His large hands moved in slow circles around her back. His strength felt new and different; inhuman, but with enough similarities that Aggie thought she would be able to find her way around his body. The idea-and his touch-made her breathless.

”I was thinking of taking her,” Aggie managed, trying to remain coherent. ”If she wants me.”

”That's a hard job,” he said. ”Raising a child.”

”I could use some help,” she admitted, and then bit her bottom lip. Her heart, which had just been so full of joy, shriveled a little as she waited for him to say something.

Charlie wrapped his hands in her hair, kneading her scalp, hugging her tight against his body. She kicked off her sheet and draped a leg over his hip, drawing him near. Charlie did not have much in the way of pants on. She felt him, hard and hot and long, against her body.

”I would be honored,” he breathed. ”I can't imagine anything else I'd rather do with my life.”

”Good,” Aggie said, and kissed him.

He broke off after a minute and said, ”Maybe we're moving too fast.”

”Like h.e.l.l,” she said. ”I want this.”

”I'm not human. I don't even look human. You might change your mind.”

”I might change my mind?” Aggie sat up. The sheet fell away; she did not miss the hungry way he stared at her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and it made her so hot she felt woozy. ”Charlie, I died for you today. And now you think I'm going to run-change my mind-because of the way you look? Who the h.e.l.l do you think I am?”

”Well,” he stopped. ”Never mind.”

”d.a.m.n straight.”

”I mean, I could make myself look more human.”

”No.” She grabbed his face, pressing her palms against the rough bones pus.h.i.+ng up through his skin. She savored the differences, the beauty of them. ”I want you just the way you are. You don't scare me, Charlie. You won't ever scare me. And,” Aggie added, trailing her hands low across his stomach, ”I won't change my mind.”

His breath caught. She watched his face-and he watched hers-as she reached down and touched him. There were some differences. Charlie had... ridges. Nothing that she thought would hurt her. On the contrary, her curiosity was piqued. She was also quite mesmerized by his size.