Angelique by Dixie Lynn Dwyer Read Free Book Online Page A

instantly comfortable with him. It was crazy, but she could imagine being friends with someone like Remy. They were getting ready to break for lunch when Marcel saw something out the window.
    “What the hell are they doing with that truck?” he asked, and Angelique followed his line of sight out the window. Someone had the large truck that was filled with long pieces of wood, and it appeared that they didn’t know how to drive.
    “I’ll be right back,” he told her then hurried down the ladder as he yelled to the others.
    She continued to finish up and was covering the containers of spackle when she heard a commotion outside.
    “Hold on!” someone yelled, and she realized it was Armand and Remy yelling at her. Something made her look out the window, and she saw Marcel chasing the truck. The truck door was opened, and it appeared that no one was driving the vehicle. It was a matter of seconds as the truck headed straight toward the building. She heard the glass below the scaffolding shatter and saw Marcel hop into the driver’s seat, stopping the truck from coming through the rest of the way or causing more damage. A quick glance down toward the men and they were running toward the scaffolding as if trying to reach her in time, and then they froze as a loud noise encompassed the big room.
    Then she felt the scaffolding shake, and a cracking sound echoed through the room. A glance between the cracks and she knew the culprits were the large pieces of four-by-four wood knocking into the legs of the scaffolding. It happened so quickly as the structure jerked, and she reached for anything to hold on to.
    “Hold on!” Armand hollered, and she grabbed for the windowsill. The scaffolding cracked, and pieces of wood splintered at her. Something hit her side as she screamed.
    She closed her eyes, hoping that she wouldn’t fall, but she held tight and climbed up into the window. The sounds of buckets of spackle colliding with the floor and splattering along with pieces of wood filled her ears. If she fell, she would surely be injured if not killed. She had a good grip but wouldn’t be able to hold long at all. Her heart pounded inside of her chest, and her body shook with fear as she hung on. The sill was thicker than most, but the trim molding was made for aesthetic purposes, not for holding a person hanging for dear life. The scaffolding crashed to the ground below, and she heard yelling, some screams, and Armand telling her to hold on. She clenched her eyes tight and prayed she had the strength to hold on. Then something hit the window next to her.
    “Hold tight, I’m coming up,” Armand yelled, and she did as he told her. She felt the ladder under her legs, but she was shaking so badly now as the circumstances of what happened sank in.
    “I got you, baby. Damn, I got you,” Armand stated as she felt his body press over hers and his hands move her feet to the ladder rungs. She was shaking so hard, and then she felt his warm, large body press against hers. His hand pushed her hair out of the way. She had lost her cap, and her hair was hanging loose. She could feel his hard body and him holding her.
    “I got you, baby. You’re okay now. You can let go of the window,” he whispered, but she couldn’t let go. She knew they weren’t safe yet. Her legs shook, and they still had to get down the ladder.
    “Is she okay?” she heard Marcel yell from below.
    “Okay, just shaken up,” he called behind him then rubbed her shoulder and her back.
    “We have to climb down, sugar. I’ll help you now, and then we can look you over,” he told her, and she nodded her head.
    It was as if their bodies were one. She could feel the metal of his belt buckle against her lower back, and his legs encased her thighs like a wall of protection from further harm. She knew deep inside that if this ladder were to break next that Armand would take the fall. Even his arms remained on the sides of the ladder guiding her every step of the way.