River of Love

by Melissa Foster

  “Did you try Social Services? Can they help?”

  She shook her head vehemently. “I’m afraid to. Even though my ex doesn’t seem to want anything to do with Emmie, my sister works for Social Services, and who knows what she’d do with that information. I know she loves Emmie, but I can’t take the chance of her using it against me in some way.” A forced smile curved Lira’s lips. “It’s okay. I just thought you might know someone.”

  “Let me talk to my boss and do some checking. I’m sure we can figure this out.” She embraced her again. “Is there anything else I can do today? Where’s Emmie now?”

  “My mom lives about an hour away. She came into town to visit my sister, so she’s watching her. It’s not ideal, but it was just a few hours and I had no other choice.”

  “And you’re here? Shouldn’t you be visiting with your mom? Can she help you financially?”

  Lira shook her head again. “Where do you think my sister learned to be such a slut? And where do you think I learned to pick horrible men? My mom isn’t exactly the picture of stability. But they both love Emmie to pieces. I know she’s physically safe when she’s with them. Besides, I needed this.” She glanced over her shoulder at the girls laughing and washing the cars, then back at Faith. “The girls in the group have been my lifeline in so many ways. It doesn’t matter what time I sign onto the forums; there’s always someone to talk to who understands what I’m going through.”

  Faith’s heart felt full knowing her little venture was helping. The members had pulled her through many desperate nights after her breakup, too, but hearing it from Lira made it even more real.

  “I’m glad you came, and I’ll reach out to see if I can get you a referral for a therapist. You’re leaving right after the car wash, right? You’re not going out with us tonight?”

  “I can’t. I have to get back to Emmie. The gas money alone to come out here was a stretch. Thanks, Faith. I hate to say this, but I’m glad you were cheated on, because if you hadn’t been, then WAC wouldn’t exist.”

  Lira headed toward the ladies’ room, and Faith wondered how many of the other members could benefit from having a professional to talk to if they could afford it. An idea began percolating in her mind, and she turned back toward the car wash with renewed determination. When Faith got an idea in her head, she was like a dog with a bone, and when it came to helping others, she was even fiercer.

  With a bounce in her step she headed for the truck that had just pulled up—and stopped cold at the sight of Sam standing beside it.

  He smiled, and emotion climbed each of his features until it reached his eyes and turned molten. Faith’s pulse—and mind—raced. What was he doing there? And why was he looking at her like she was one of his girls, one of the chosen? She swallowed hard, trying to keep her eyes from drifting down his body, but damn. He was a sight for sore eyes in his faded dark jeans and tight black tank top that hugged every frigging muscle in his thick chest. She tried not to stare, but his arms…Sam had the kind of arms that she imagined brought complete awareness of where his body ended and a woman’s began, bringing with them a feeling of safety and belonging. The kind of feelings that made a woman feel warm and good all over. The kind of strength to take her hard and aggressive, deep and—

  What the hell am I doing? She’d obviously gone far too long without satisfying that particular need if she was thinking about Sam that way.

  She stalked across the parking lot, a little annoyed that he’d show up and use the event as a pickup spot. “Sam? What are you doing here?” Several of the girls were watching them with interest. She shot a look at his truck, where Hilary was sitting in the driver’s seat.

  “This is a Women Against Cheaters group, right?” His infuriatingly luscious lips tipped up in a devilish grin. “Can you think of a better place to hook up with chicks? Everyone knows a woman scorned has something to prove in bed.”

  “Ohmygod. You’re—”

  He laughed. “I’m kidding, Faith. Loosen up a little.” He paused just long enough for her to silently question if she was too uptight. “Getting my truck washed would be the obvious answer.” He stepped closer—and she stepped back.

  “You’re probably the reason half the girls in this town joined the group.”

  His eyes filled with confusion. “What are you talking about? I’m not a cheater.”

  “Ha! And blood isn’t red, either. I’ve got work to do.” She brushed past him, and he grabbed her arm, firmly turning her to face him.

  “Faith, I don’t cheat on women. Jesus, that’s what you think of me?”

  She looked down at his hand, wishing the electric shock traveling through her wasn’t such a turn-on. “Come on, Sam. You don’t have to deny it. It’s not like I’m judging you.” She twisted out of his grip, instantly missing his touch and hating how it felt to say those things to him. She didn’t like thinking about Sam any way, because she shouldn’t think about him. But he was always there, lingering in the back of her mind. The sweet man who flirted with her at her office, the sexy dancer she’d seen out on the town, and the man who’d implored her to dance with him last night.

  The type of guy who would hurt me if I let him in.

  His serious stare nearly leveled her. “I do not cheat. I would never purposely hurt a woman, Faith. That’s not who I am. How could I, anyway? I haven’t had a girlfriend since high school.”

  His anger took her by surprise, but it was the hurt and confusion in his eyes that made her stomach twist into a knot. Did he really think there was a difference between not having a girlfriend and sleeping around? Didn’t he know that the women he slept with probably hoped for more? Or was this all a crazy facade he put on? A game he played?

  Ugh! Of course it was, and she didn’t have time for this.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that, but I have to get back to work so we don’t fall behind.” She forced herself to walk away, hoping her racing heart would calm the hell down.

  In the next breath he was beside her, taking off his shirt and stuffing it in his back pocket, making her head spin.

  “What…?” She swallowed the drool pooling in her mouth. “What are you doing?”

  “Helping.” He dipped his hand into a bucket and scooped out a sponge. With the other he slid his aviators from his head to the bridge of his nose, reflecting Faith’s face back at her. She looked mesmerized by him.

  Lovely. She needed those glasses, darn it.

  “You’re not part of the group,” she said in an effort to dissuade him from whatever pickup scheme he had in mind.

  “No, but you are, and I want to be near you.” He shrugged and began washing his truck.

  Her heart skipped a beat. Stupid, stupid heart. This was smooth-talking Sam. She was nothing but a conquest to him, something he couldn’t have, and he wasn’t used to that. Logically, she knew why he was acting like he was so attracted to her, but inside she couldn’t help feeling warm and good to be wanted by the object of her late-night fantasies.

  “Hey, we have a hunky helper! I’m Brittany.” Brittany waved, but it was wasted on the back of his head.

  “Nice to meet you, Brittany,” he said without ever looking away from Faith. “Just thought I’d help out Faith.”

  “Lucky Faith,” Brittany said, passing a knowing glance in Faith’s direction.

  There was no way Faith could work beside him when he was half naked, with all those glistening muscles on display. Her fingers ached to touch his ripped abs, because they were that beautiful. He had those muscles that formed a perfect V aiming straight down his pants toward the danger zone. Pleasure zone? Those were the muscles that didn’t need a name beyond muscles that make girls go stupid.

  Everything about Sam made her go stupid, from his smile that said, I’m a really good guy, to his eyes that said, I want to feel you beneath me, all the way to the dimple just below the left side of his lip that she wished she hadn’t noticed.

  She needed to escape just to get enough oxy
gen to her brain to function like a normal person again.

  “I’m going to help the other team.” Faith walked over to the other line of cars, feeling Sam’s reflective gaze on her every step of the way.

  She tried not to pay him any attention, but it was hard not to notice the laughter coming from the girls and Sam as they washed one car after another.

  “What is he doing here?” Vivian narrowed her eyes.

  “He said he wanted to help.” She didn’t know why she was covering up the rest of what he’d said, that he wanted to help her, but she felt strangely protective of those words.

  “Right. He’s a nice guy, but don’t let him suck you into his orbit, Faith.”

  “Please. I’m not stupid.”

  “Uh-huh. Looking and smelling. And my vibrator never gets a workout,” Vivian said with a sarcastic tone. She took Faith by the shoulders and stared at her with the kind of demand only a best friend could get away with. “Trust me on this. It starts with looking and smelling, but soon you’re touching and kissing. And then he’s buried balls deep and you’re screaming out his name.”

  She felt her cheeks flame at the thought of being in that position with Sam.

  “And then…” Vivian lowered her voice. “He starts showing up smelling like other women’s perfume, getting less and less interested in sex with you. The man who once stole your heart has gotten bored. Meanwhile, you…me…whoever we’re not talking about here, have fallen in love or lust or whatever. And it all ends badly.”

  **

  FAITH SPENT THE next few hours replaying Vivian’s words in her head, trying to remember all the reasons her friend was right and trying to ignore the way Sam was not only helping with the car wash, but having what looked like serious conversations with the girls, too. He’d been talking with Lira for the past hour while they washed cars. What could he possibly have in common with any of them?

  What am I missing out on?

  Embarrassingly, when she’d uploaded more pictures to Facebook, she’d searched for Sam’s account. He didn’t have a personal profile, only a Rough Riders fan page, which had little info about him. She didn’t know why, but she’d pictured him as being all over social media.

  Hilary sidled up to her. “Sam’s been here all day.”

  He was going to a lot of trouble for a guy just looking to hook up, especially for a guy who owned the only rafting company around. She’d heard about the Rough Riders barbecue coming up in a few weeks. Everyone in town was talking about it. Shouldn’t he be busy running his company today, or planning his own event?

  “Hot guys usually lead me to trouble, but he’s super cute,” Hilary said, eyes on Sam.

  “I guess. If you like that kind of guy.” You know, full of muscles, bedroom eyes, and probably wielding a magical, orgasm-producing ten-inch cock.

  “Um…?” Hilary laughed. “The kind of guy who makes you laugh and jumps in to help? Or the kind of guy with a body that could make a blind girl weep?”

  She stole a glance at Sam, crouched beside a car scrubbing the bumper, the muscles in his back bunching and flexing with every move. His tanned flesh glistened beneath the afternoon sun. He turned in her direction, and she could actually feel his gaze even before he lifted his glasses. He smiled and lifted his chin, as if to say, Hey, baby—that was her harmless fantasy speaking, of course. Heat coursed through her body, but it was the butterflies swarming in her belly that gave her pause.

  “Both, I guess,” she said quietly, but Hilary had already moved on. Faith was alone, staring at Sam, who was staring right back. She felt herself smiling despite her misgivings, and as she did, his smile widened.

  “Sammy!” one of the girls yelled.

  He unfolded his tall, rugged body gracefully, like a snake uncoiling, unhurried and unflinching as Lira aimed the hose at his back and soaked him from head to toe. His eyes remained on Faith as a hearty laugh burst from his lungs and hit Faith square in the center of her chest. She could get lost in that laugh.

  Sam turned away, breaking their connection, and chased the shrieking girls. He snagged the hose from Lira. Faith wanted to be Lira, or maybe she just wanted his big hands wrapped around her.

  He had enough women chasing him. She turned away, feeling a little…what? Disappointed? Jealous?

  Cold water drenched her back and she shrieked. Sam’s laughter followed her as she jumped on her tiptoes in a futile attempt to avoid the water streaming from the hose as Sam soaked her from head to toe.

  She was no match for Sam. He was too fast, too focused.

  For a smidgen of a weak second, she wondered if she ever could be.

  Chapter Four

  SAM STUCK AROUND after the car wash ended, helping clean up and hoping to have a few minutes alone with Faith. He’d watched her throughout the afternoon. She was an incredible mix of determination and focus as she dealt with customers, took photos and posted them on Facebook and Twitter, and God only knew where else, and washed cars with the rest of them.

  After the others left, he waited for Faith to finish her conversation with Vivian, a snarky blond who appeared to be closest to Faith. She’d been giving him less-than-friendly glances all afternoon, and now she and Faith seemed to be getting into something. Faith’s face was pinched tight, and her whole body looked rigid. Sam ducked into his truck, not wanting to make Faith uncomfortable. He grabbed his checkbook from the glove compartment, and when he stepped from the truck again Vivian was hugging Faith, while Faith remained unmoved. When Vivian finally left, Sam made his way across the lot.

  He’d caught Faith watching him at least a dozen times today, but now she was back to dropping her eyes as he approached, and he wondered if that was because of him or something Vivian had said.

  “Thanks for letting me help out today.”

  “Are you kidding?” Her beautiful dark eyes finally found his. “You didn’t have to stay all day. Thank you.”

  “It was fun.” He pulled his checkbook from his pocket. “I’d like to donate to the group.”

  “Sam.” She shook her head.

  “What? I spent the day getting to know everyone. Did you know that Brittany found her boyfriend in bed with another girl just an hour after she left for work one morning?”

  “Yes, but I’m surprised you do.”

  “Me too.” That made her smile, and boy, did he love the way it lit up her eyes. “These girls have been through a lot. They said you’re using the proceeds from the car wash to pay for the site hosting and a possible site upgrade.”

  “Well, that’s the hope.” Her voice went serious again. “It’s hard when a guy cheats on a woman. It makes her feel small and unimportant. Like anything they may have had before that point didn’t mean anything.”

  “That sounds like firsthand knowledge.” Had some bastard cheated on her? Made her feel small and unimportant? His chest constricted with the ugly thought. Sam knew what that felt like. Though he’d been just sixteen, it had cut him to his core.

  “I’m also thinking of trying to find therapists, career consultants, and other types of resources to donate advice, or maybe an initial consult, or something along those lines. Maybe they can offer a discount, or WAC can pitch in some amount. But I’m getting way ahead of myself.”

  The fact that she didn’t respond to his comment about firsthand experience, and the set of her jaw, told him that she wasn’t about to share that information with him.

  “That’s a big endeavor, and an important one.” He opened his checkbook and began writing a check.

  “Sam, please don’t.”

  Her admonishing tone surprised him. He slid his sunglasses to the top of his head, trying to read her expression. Determination? Frustration? He wasn’t sure, but it definitely wasn’t the I Want You look he’d hoped for when he’d arrived.

  “This is important, and real to me, Sam. I want to help these women and you just want to do them. I don’t want something I’ve worked hard to build becoming part of your game for picking up women.�
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  Her words stung. “You really do think poorly of me, don’t you?” He shook his head, trying to figure out where to go from here. “Faith, I’m not the person you think I am.”

  “So, you haven’t dated nearly every woman in town? Sometimes sleeping with two at once? Because those rumors seem pretty consistent to me.”

  For the first time in as long as Sam could remember, his reaction to hearing his reputation thrown in his face wasn’t to laugh it off. He cringed inwardly. Not because he was ashamed of a damn thing he’d done, but because for some reason he cared about what Faith thought of him.

  “Faith.” He didn’t know what to say, so instead he took her by the elbow and led her over to his truck.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I want you to see something.” He grabbed his phone from the glove compartment and handed it to Faith.

  Confusion riddled her brow.

  “Take a look. It’s not password protected.”

  “Sam—” She held the phone toward him and he pushed it gently back toward her, curling his fingers over hers.

  “Please, just…”

  “No. Sam, I’m not going to look through—”

  He took it from her hands and navigated into his call history.

  “I don’t want to know who you call. God.” She took a step away, and he grabbed her gently around the waist and pulled her back, bringing her firmly against his chest.

  She went rigid in his arms and just as quickly seemed to melt against him. And maybe stop breathing. He wasn’t certain, but it felt like she was holding her breath.

  “Give me two minutes; that’s all I want.” He wanted a lot more than two minutes. “Then you can run away.”

  “Okay,” she said breathlessly.

  Oh yeah, she was into him. She was so warm and tempting, he lost his train of thought for a minute.

  “Sam!”

  “Sorry.” He scrolled through the log. “Whose names do you see?”