Chapter 5

Angela looked up at the news.

"I do hope that's okay with you two. We weren't really expecting Zarik to have a partner, otherwise we'd have left a room available for you dear." His mother said.

Angela shook her head. "It's okay. We share that tiny thing he calls a house. I think we'll be fine with one room."

It wasn't exactly a difficulty as long as he kept his hands to himself.

Though she wasn't sure if she'd fight if he did come on to her here.

She watched Dingo start to follow his father out of the room.

"Well, Mira and I will show you to his room and make sure everything is good for you." Suki said.

Angela nodded and started to follow his mother out of the room.

Mira stayed a step behind her mother.

She seemed maybe seventeen, old enough to know how the world works, but still, what happened never should have happened to her.

Dingo would probably kill whoever was behind it, knowing him.

He was protective to an extreme sometimes.

He'd lost his temper pretty bad one time when she had been injured during a mission and the guy who'd thrown her in defense had wound up with six broken ribs, a broken cheekbone, several gashes, and maybe even his right shoulder and arm broken. Or maybe that had been the other guy.

At any rate, Dingo had come unglued over her getting a couple scratches.

And right after the other incident, he'd worked on her suit.

He was pretty sweet when he wanted to be. But she'd seen a side of him she'd never forget.

"So...did Zarik get hurt?" Mira asked.

Angela frowned until his sister turned and tapped her temple. "Oh, um...yeah." His mother led them to a set of stairs and Angela started to follow them up.

"How did he get that one?"

"Well..." Angela started. How did she tell his family that he'd gotten it over her?

"He's always been protective Mira, you know that. He got it keeping Angela safe, didn't he?" His mother looked at her.

Angela nodded.

It was true enough. Just not the whole story.

They went up another flight of stairs and Angela frowned. "His room is on the third floor?"

"Yes." Suki said. "Ours is at the one end, Mira has her room towards the back side of the top floor, and Zarik had the other end. Before Mira was born, Lyle had her room, but we moved him down to the second floor when he misbehaved and we decided to change up rooms."

Angela didn't really get it, but she was grateful at least that Dingo had his own room and didn't have to have shared it with his brother.

"If you need anything, just come on down the hall." Suki said as she opened a door.

Angela was in awe at the sheer size of the room.

Dingo had this to himself? It was huge. There was a massive bed at the far wall between what looked like floor to ceiling windows. To the right of the entry door was another door leading out to the balcony that was actually along the hallway all the way.

"There is a bathroom through that door there, and a closet through the far one." Suki said as she moved towards the bed and checked the sheets. "I'm afraid we don't have another bed..."

"It's alright. We'll make do." Angela said.

It was a problem, but she really didn't want to tell that to his mother.

Because then she'd have to explain the problem and she really didn't want to have that conversation with his mother.

"Alright, let us know if you need anything, alright dear?"

Angela nodded.

She moved towards the center of the room, feeling the plush rugs under her boots.

She watched his sister and mother leave after his mother checked the bathroom out and moved to take her boots off and put them by the door.

Angela walked barefoot on the rugs and it felt so nice.

She could easily get used to this kind of place.

If not for likely having to share a bed with Dingo.

Who was she kidding, that was the best part.

Unless he didn't mean to be serious with her.

She didn't want that.

She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't hear it when Dingo and his father came into the room. She jolted when a hand touched her shoulder.

"You okay?" Dingo asked.

"Yeah, just thinking." She said.

"Don't worry about it. I'll sleep on the floor."

"But...it's your bed." She said as his father put down the two cases that she knew contained all their clothes.

"We'll get the rest tomorrow. I'm sure you've had a long day, so you two go ahead and get some rest." Raymond said.

Angela nodded and watched his father walk out of the room.

Dingo closed the door behind him. "Is it really going to bother you if I sleep on the floor?" He asked.

Angela sighed. "Maybe...a little." She bit her lip before looking at him. "Yes, alright. If either of us should be on the floor, it should be me. This is your room after all."

"And you think after all I've done, I'd let you sleep on the floor?" She was startled when he picked her up and before she could protest, he'd dumped her on the bed. "You get used to that, alright?"

She braced herself up on her elbows. "What part? The picking me up or the bed?"

xXx

Zarik looked down at her. Maybe she wasn't aware of how that position made her shirt ride up a little, showing off that flat belly of hers. He knew she was older than the eighteen that her body was, but he just didn't want her to think he was interested in her because of her young body.

He moved to lean over her. "Both." He gave her a mischievous grin.

He watched her blush slightly before he turned to the cabinet near the bed.

As he opened the door, he was surprised to see the bottles still there. Had Lyle not found them? His brother probably would have drunk his alcohol had he known it was there.

Angela turned a little as he pulled out the smaller bottle.

The cork was tight as he pulled it out.

"What's that?"

"A bit of liquor I was saving here for when I finally found a partner worth sticking around and even bringing back to my family." He said.

He moved to sit on the bed as he handed her both shotglasses.

"Am I?"

He laughed. "Yeah Angela, you are most definitely the best partner I've ever had." He poured a little of the liquid out before setting the bottle on the cabinet and taking one of the glasses from her. "Might be a bit strong, but here's to the past year."

"I hope we have plenty more." She said, looking somewhat serious.

"Me too." He tipped the glass back and it hit him like a punch to the gut.

He watched her gasp and put her hand over her chest.

"Damn, that's stronger than I thought." He said.

"Didn't you try it before you decided to keep it?" She asked.

"Not really." He huffed a laugh as he reached for the bottle again. "I knew I'd like it, I just wasn't expecting the flavor to be so strong."

"Did you shake it up first?" She snarked at him.

"Of course not, you don't shake this stuff." He poured himself another shot and was surprised when she held up her glass.

Neither of them drank much, so he decided to shove the cork back in after setting the bottle on the cabinet again.

He braced himself this time and it wasn't so bad.

She leaned over as she held out her glass. "I'm never drinking that again." She groaned.

"It's not that bad."

"It's good, just strong. Maybe water it down next time." She pushed back and he watched her lay back on the bed.

She looked good laid out on his bed.

He liked having a partner he could tease and torment without being chased off.

She closed her eyes and he watched her breathe.

Why did he have to get a partner he was attracted to?

xXx

Angela felt dizzy. Maybe too much in one sitting?

She'd never drank any alcohol before meeting Dingo. As an agent, she'd always been on duty. And she wasn't entirely sure it would have affected her anyway.

Now, she tried things here and there, normally as long as Dingo wasn't going to drink much.

He was by no means a lightweight when it came to drinking, but he rarely let himself overextend.

She opened her eyes to look at the ceiling, liking the way the setting sun looked on the sandy cream surface.

She felt the mattress under her shift and turned just enough to see Dingo lay over.

"Drunk?" She mumbled.

"No. But it was stronger than I anticipated." He said as he put his arm over his face.

She smiled. "I think I'll get a real bath before I go to bed. It's been so long."

"Just be careful." He sighed.

She huffed as she pushed herself up.

A bath probably wasn't the best idea, but she really wanted one.

Getting to her feet, she felt dizzy, but functional.

She moved to the cases Dingo and Raymond had brought up and opened one. Finding the large button-up shirt she'd stolen from Dingo so long ago, she pulled it and a clean pair of panties out before making her way towards the bathroom.

She stumbled on her way there.

"Ang?"

She looked up from where she was leaning on the wall to see Dingo sitting up.

"What?"

"You okay?" He sounded worried.

"Just fine." She said.

She went to the bathroom door, hearing him getting up.

Just as she pulled it open, her balance shifted and she started to fall backwards.

Suddenly, he was there, keeping her upright. He was always there.

Angela looked up at him.

"Sure you can manage? You're not drunk?" He teased.

"I'll be just fine." She said.

She pushed away from him and headed into the bathroom.

He followed. "Towels are here." He opened a closet type cabinet. "I'll get the water going for you."

She huffed as she moved to put her stuff on the counter.

A second later, she heard the tub starting to fill up.

She turned to look at him kneeling by the tub.

He was hot when he acted sweet.

"Really?"

She covered her mouth as she realized she'd said it out loud. "Ignore that. Alcohol talking."

"Alcohol doesn't make you say things. It just removes the filter." He grinned at her.

Angela glared at him. "Go away." She mumbled.

He shifted position to sit on the edge of the tub.

"But I'd rather hear all your dirty thoughts about me." He had that damn sexy smirk on his face.

Angela moved to push on his shoulder and it nearly pushed him off balance.

He was just as much affected as she was.

To keep his balance, he braced a hand on the other side of the tub behind him and when she nearly fell, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him.