by Maya Banks
Page 8
Even when he handed her into the waiting car, he merely nodded before backing off. As she rolled away from the stately mansion, she wondered about her two mystery lovers. Leaning her head back against the seat, she closed her eyes and relived those erotic moments when their mouths and hands worked over her body. Shed had good sex before, but this? This went beyond a quick, sweaty fuck, or even the more sensual lovemaking shed indulged in. And she couldnt figure out why.
Sure, it was a new experience, and damn, but she knew what sweet little Faith saw in the kink. But her first lover . . . he was something special. It hadnt just been sex to him, and it galled her to be so damn girly right now and say mushy shit like that, but the man hadnt fucked her. Shed been around enough to know the difference. Lover number two had fucked her and fucked her hard. Lover number one had made sweet, bone-melting love to her, and damn, but she wanted to know why.
Chapter 8
“So are we ignoring what happened?" Micah asked.
Nathan cast him a disgruntled look as the two headed into Malone and Sons.
"Work aint where I want to talk about it," he muttered.
And yeah, ignoring it worked for him just fine. He was still reeling from the experience, but that didnt mean he wanted to gush on about it like a damn girl.
"Look, I dont want to recap. You just seem kind of weird about it. If its going to mess things up, then Id rather call it quits now. Just remember, it was your idea. "
Nathan was prevented from replying as they entered Faiths office. The smells of fresh coffee and doughnuts made his mouth water. Damn, but the woman took good care of them all.
"Morning, sweet thang," Micah said as he kissed Faith smack on the lips.
Nathan shook his head. It amazed him that Micah hadnt gotten his ass kicked by a jealous man yet. He went through life loving women, and didnt much give a shit who else loved them.
"Morning, you two," Faith said. "Whys Nathan so grumpy?"
Nathan frowned and slouched in a chair with his cup of coffee.
"PMS," Micah offered. -
"Morning," Connor drawled as he walked through the door.
He stopped long enough to ruffle Faiths hair, which started an immediate argument between them. For two people who had absolutely no blood relation, theyd gotten the sibling squabbling down pat. Even though Pop had adopted Faith, Nathan swore she looked enough like Connor to be his real sister.
"Wheres your man this morning?" Connor asked Faith.
She scowled. "Just because Im wearing his ring doesnt mean I have to keep up with him every minute of every day. "
"Quit giving her a hard time," Micah said mildly. "I dont want her to threaten to cut off our coffee again. "
"Dude, you are one pussy-whipped son of a bitch," Connor said with a laugh.
Micah arched one eyebrow. "You say that as if its a bad thing, my friend. "
Connor slung one leg onto Faiths desk and slid over until he was sitting on the edge, coffee in hand. He reached for the doughnut box and rifled through it until he picked up one with sprinkles.
Nathan cracked up. "Speaking of pussy. Youre eating a doughnut with sprinkles, man. "
Connor looked down and frowned then shrugged and stuffed half the doughnut in his mouth. "More sugar," he muffled out.
He pinned Nathan with a stare. Uh-oh, here it came.
"So, you catch up with Julie yet?”
Heat crept up Nathans neck, and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"Yeah, Nathan, you catch up with Julie?" Faith asked, her eyes gleaming with unholy glee.
"Leave the guy alone," Micah said. "Hell work things out with Julie in his own time. "
Connor chuckled and wiped sugar from his chin. "He has to catch her first. "
Gray strode through the doorway of Faiths office, his blue eyes stormy. Ignoring the others, he stalked to Faiths desk, slapped his palms down on the surface and leaned over until his eyes were level with Faiths.
Nathan exchanged surprised looks with Micah and Connor. This had to be worth the price of admission.
"Why the hell did you cancel our wedding?" Gray demanded.
Connor eased from his end of the desk and took a step back. Micahs eyebrows shot up and Nathan studied Grays tense body language, but none of the men made any move to give the couple their privacy.
Faiths cheeks lit up in a blush. "Not here, Gray. "
Gray didnt even look around. His gaze never left hers. "Why?"
"Because its not private!"
He shook his head. "Thats not what I meant, and you damn well know it. "
Nathans brow crinkled. Faith and Gray having problems? Gray was head over ass in love with the girl. It was killing him that they hadnt tied the knot yet, and now she had canceled the wedding?
Or maybe all the women of his acquaintance were just nuts. Serena was balking over Damons wedding proposal, although Nathan didnt entirely fault her for that. Serena seemed to be an intelligent woman, and maybe she had reservations about all the female flesh Damon dealt in.
A scowl crossed his face just thinking about the idea that Damon might have seen Julie naked.
Hell.
"You dont trust me. "
Nathan looked up to see a look of hurt cross Faiths face as she launched her accusation. Uh-oh. If she teared up, he was out of here. He was positively useless when it came to a woman crying. Micah didnt look any more comfortable. Connor was scowling, though, and had taken a belligerent stance, legs apart, arms crossed over his chest.
It seemed the entire world had gone mad. Maybe Jupiter was out of alignment, or Mars or Venus, or whatever the fuck the planets did when people lost their minds.
"Trust? Trust? This has nothing to do with trust and everything to do with you pulling the rug out from under me. Damn it, Faith, whats going on here?"
And if Faith was hurt, Gray looked terrified. It was a fascinating thing to see this big man, an ex-cop, brought to his knees by a sweet, shy woman like Faith. Nathan remembered just how devastated Gray had been when Faith had been kidnapped. Hed never forget the terror in the other mans eyes. Love did some freaky shit to a man, no doubt.
Lust might make a man stupid, but love made him vulnerable.
"I wont have this conversation here," she said fiercely. "If you want to talk, then you can bring your carcass home on time and talk to me then. "
Oh hell. The men exchanged quick looks and Nathan let out a silent groan. Gray was busted in a big way.
Grays eyes softened. "Is this what this is about? My being late?"
"Gray, read my lips. I will not have this conversation in front of my brother and your friends. "
"Hey, baby doll, dont be that way," Micah reproached. "You were here way before Gray. Just because hes a guy doesnt mean he automatically gets our loyalty. "
Faith frowned unhappily. "Im sorry, Micah. I didnt mean it that way. Look, why dont I just leave? Pop will be in any second, and he wanted to talk to you all. Im just the coffee and doughnut provider and you all know it. Im not having a personal discussion in front of God and everyone, I dont care how much I love you all. "
"Goddamn it, Faith," Gray swore when she rounded the corner of her desk and headed for the door.
She nearly collided with Pop, who put his hands out to steady her.
"Whoa there, girl. Where you going in such a hurry?"
Pops grizzled face softened in love for his only daughter. He was an ornery coot, but he loved Faith to pieces. Hell, they all did. Nathan wondered what in the world had gotten her so worked up. Gray didnt look like he had any more of a clue than the rest of them.
"Im going to head home, if thats all right with you," Faith said softly. "Im not feeling so great this morning. "
Pop looked up, his eyes hard as he searched out the others for an explanation. Then he looked back at Faith and patted her on the shoulder. "Of course I dont mind. Go home and get some rest. Ill send over some lunch for you later
. "
She smiled wanly. "Thanks, Pop. " She reached up to kiss him on the cheek, then disappeared out the door.
"Well hell," Gray muttered.
Pop strode in, a scowl bunching the wrinkles around his eyes.
"One of you want to tell me why my girl just left here so upset?"
"Ask him," Connor said, thumbing in Grays direction. "Apparently Faith called off the wedding. "
Even Pop looked shocked at that announcement. His glance at Gray was almost sympathetic.
"She got bridal jitters?" he asked Gray.
"Hell if I know. I didnt even know shed called the thing off until I called to confirm our reservations only to discover shed canceled them. "
"That would explain you coming in here hell on wheels," Micah said dryly.
"Well yeah, knocked my feet out from under me. " Gray stared around at the others and then at Connor. "Does anyone know something theyre not telling me?"
They all shook their heads as fast as the question spilled out. As if any of them wanted to get involved in Faiths and Grays personal lives.
Connor looked thoughtfully at Gray, some of his animosity fading. "She talked about you being late. Could it be she misunderstood? I mean, this surprise youre planning . . . Faiths a levelheaded girl, but once a woman gets an idea planted in her head, a man is well and truly screwed at that point. "
"Are you saying she might think Im cheating on her?" Gray asked in a strangled voice. "All because Im late?"
"Ai yi yi, you two are giving me a headache," Micah complained. "There are plenty of other reasons a woman might get upset over a man being late home from work all the time. "
"Oh yeah? Name one," Nathan said.
Micah shrugged. "Well, if hes coming home tired, she might feel neglected or like hes lost interest, or maybe she feels hes keeping secrets from her. Women are freakishly tuned in to when a man is holding out on them, I swear. "
"How the hell do you know so much about the female mind?" Connor demanded.
"Ive had relationships. It s all common sense. You just have to put yourself in the mind-set of a woman. "
Four sets of eyeballs skittered over Micah like hed lost his damn mind.
"Now who the hell tries to do that?" Pop demanded. "No man in his right mind ever wants to try and figure out what goes on in a womans head. I tell you, its an exercise in frustration. Good way to give yourself a stroke about thirty years too early. Hell, son, Ive been through two wives and three live-ins. God help me, but I prefer life as a bachelor. "
Connor chuckled and shook his head. Even Micah grinned.
"Hes probably right," Gray said wearily. "Ive been spending all my time out at the new house. I wanted everything to be perfect so that when we came back from our honeymoon, I could surprise her with the house. Honestly, by the time I get home, all Im thinking about is food and bed. "
"Ouch," Nathan said. As dim-witted as he was when it came to women, and his current predicament sure didnt show him to be a fount of knowledge on the female species, even he could figure this one out.
"Yeah, ouch," Connor said in sympathy. "Sounds like my sister has got her feelings hurt. Shes always been sensitive that way. You know that, Gray. "
"Now dont go bad-mouthing your sister," Pop said gruffly. "She hasnt had the best time of it in life. Shes bound to be a little insecure, especially in a new relationship. Gray just has to work harder at making sure she knows where she stands. "
Gray winced and rubbed his hands over his face. "God. I cant believe Im standing here being lectured by an old fart and three guys whose idea of a steady relationship is knowing the name of the woman theyre sleeping with. "
Pop punched him in the gut. "Who you calling an old fart? Ill take your scrawny ass any day of the week. "
"And Nathan knows her name, hes just not sleeping with her," Connor drawled.
"Yeah, yeah, you just couldnt resist a potshot. Sure, kick a man when hes down," Nathan muttered.
He avoided Micahs gaze. There was no way in hell he was spilling the beans about what had gone on the night before. If it meant getting teased by the others because he couldnt pin the little witch down, then so be it. Better that than getting his balls handed to him if it got back to Julie what hed done.
"Have you tried talking to her, son?" Pop asked Nathan in exasperation.
"Dont we have projects to discuss?" Nathan demanded. "Im fairly certain my private life isnt one of them. "
He was roundly ignored by the others.
"He cant get close enough to her to talk," Connor snickered.
"It seems to me that you have offended her female sensibilities by being a typical, thickheaded male," Pop said sagely.
"No kidding. "
"So, go talk to her. Ask her out. Seems to me thats what you should have done months ago instead of going to her for massages. A mans got to speak up for what he wants, or risk losing it. "
Everyone groaned. Pop was on a roll, and when he got on a roll, well, there was no shutting him up.