Brandon hesitated. His brother loved beautiful women and had no qualms about staking a temporary claim on one, especially if Brandon said he wasn’t interested. Women had been falling at Khalil’s feet since grade school and Brandon didn’t want Faith to be one of them.
Malcolm angled his head and gestured with his spoon. “You’re taking a long time to answer. Is she that ugly?”
“She’s not ugly at all.”
Malcolm and Khalil grinned.
He divided his gaze between his brothers. “What?”
Khalil leaned forward. “I think big brother is trying to keep her a secret because he knows she’ll like me better.”
“Or me,” Malcolm said. “He is getting up there in age.”
“Would you two knock it off?” Growing up, whenever Brandon showed interest in a girl, the two of them would tease him mercilessly.
They burst out laughing.
Brandon shook his head and went out to the backyard deck to finish his dessert. Against his better judgment, he called Faith. They hadn’t talked after her visit to her father and he wanted to know how things went. At least that was what he told himself. A more honest assessment centered on him just wanting to hear her voice. He had never felt this compelling need to call a woman. For some reason, he couldn’t dismiss her as easily as with other women.
“Hey, Brandon,” Faith said when she picked up the phone.
“Hi, baby.”
“Sorry I didn’t call you back yesterday. I just needed a moment.”
“That’s okay.” Coming face-to-face with a man she believed to have been dead must have been emotionally draining, he suspected. “How did it go?”
“Surprisingly well. We talked for a long time and made plans for dinner this coming week.”
“I’m sure that’s a load off your mind.”
“It definitely was. He seems to be a genuinely nice man and I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to know him.”
They both fell silent. It had to be hard for both Faith and her father to know they’d lost so much time. “Since the visit went well, do you think you might be staying in LA longer?”
“He asked and I told him I’d consider it.”
Brandon didn’t know why her response made him so happy. He heard laughter and turned to see Siobhan and Justin in the far corner of the yard. He observed their smiles, the look of adoration on Justin’s face as he placed a gentle hand on Siobhan’s stomach and the tender kiss he placed on her lips. They were totally into each other. Was that—?
“Brandon?”
Faith’s voice broke into his thoughts. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“I just asked if you had a busy week ahead.”
He let out a short bark of laughter. “Every week is a busy one, but I don’t mind.” His gaze strayed back to the yard and a strange sensation stirred in his belly. “Ah, Faith, can I call you later? I’m at my parents’ house right now. I just wanted to see if everything went okay yesterday.”
“Of course. Enjoy yourself.”
“I’ll talk to you soon.” He disconnected and scrubbed a hand down his face. He had a problem.
* * *
Faith was enjoying dinner with Thad Wednesday evening. He had chosen Harold & Belle’s, a restaurant he’d said was like having a bit of New Orleans in Los Angeles. The space was open and done in varying shades of brown and tan and she liked the warm and cozy atmosphere. Thad had insisted on picking her up when she said she would meet him there and his response had been similar to Brandon’s when she’d offered to pay for her meal. Both were gentlemen.
“You told me about your business last time. Where do you see yourself five to ten years from now?” Thad asked.
She shared her dream of starting a youth entrepreneurship program. “But that won’t be for a while.” She had told him a lot about herself and understood his need to learn as much as possible, but she was curious about his life, as well. “Are you still working or have you retired?”
Thad set his fork on the plate. “I work as a VP in a home safety company. We manufacture everything from bath rails and specialized mattresses to in-home alert systems.”
Vice president. He had obviously done well for himself after serving in the armed forces. “How did you get into that field?”
“My buddy Nolan and I were in the army together and started the company when we got out after the Gulf War—he voluntarily and me...for medical reasons.”
She saw the pain reflected in his face and regretted asking the question. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
Thad waved her off. “It’s been over twenty-five years. And you have a right to know. I lost my leg in a Scud missile attack on the barracks. I was one of the lucky ones.” His voice became distant. “We lost twenty-eight soldiers and close to a hundred more were injured. It was the worst thing I’ve ever seen. I had a prosthesis, but it was bothering me, so I had to be fitted for a new one. Hopefully, it won’t be too long before it gets here.”
Faith couldn’t even begin to imagine the horrors he must have seen. Now she understood why he hadn’t included any more photos with the letter after his discharge. “I’m very glad that you were one of the lucky ones.”
“So am I. Even more so now.” They continued eating in silence for a few minutes. Then he asked, “What did your mother tell you about us?”
She pushed the food around on her plate. She knew the question would eventually come up, but still she wasn’t prepared and didn’t want to hurt him any more than he’d been already. “She didn’t say much.”
“Faith?”
She blew out a long breath and met his eyes. “She told me you died serving in the military when I was two.”
Thad dropped his head. “I guess after she sent the divorce papers, I was dead to her. I know she was uncomfortable about the flashbacks and dreams the first time I had a nightmare. I’m just sorry you got caught in the middle.”
That was it? She expected him to say more. “You aren’t angry?”
“I was for a long time. Angry at her, the army...God. But, after a while and some much-needed counseling, I came to understand that she’d done what she thought best at the time.” He patted her hand. “And I know you’re probably very angry with her, sweetheart, but you’ve got to let go of that anger. Otherwise, it will eat you alive. Believe me, I know. We can only go forward from here.”
Faith had already determined that Thaddeus Whitcomb was a good man, but her admiration and respect for him shot up the charts. “I’m working on it.” When he lifted a brow, she added, “It’s the best I can do for now.”
Thad chuckled. “Okay, I’ll go with that. If you ever want to talk about it, or anything else, I’ll be here. Always.”
“I know.” She gave him a small smile and finished her meal.
Later, after he’d dropped her off, Thad’s words still played over in her mind. She was trying hard to let go of the irritation and resentment toward her mother. Her heart ached for Thad. Had he gone through all of that pain alone?
She heard a low buzzing sound and it took a moment to realize it was her cell phone. She dug it out of her purse and quickly answered before it could go to voice mail.
“Hey, beautiful lady,” Brandon said.
Her pulse skipped with the endearment flowing from his low, sexy voice. “What’s up, Brandon?”
“I’m calling to see if you’re up for that dinner I owe you.”
Faith smiled. The function in her right arm had almost returned to normal. “I most certainly am.”
“Good. Then I’ll pick you up tomorrow around six.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“Me, too. Good night, Faith.”
“Good night.” I’m going to miss him when I go home. She was still holding the phone
when it rang again.
“Hey, girl,” Faith said to Kathi.
“You know I’m calling for an update on your dad and Brandon. And don’t leave out any details.”
She laughed and caught her friend up on everything that had happened during her visit with Thad and their dinner. “He’s a really nice man. I wonder how my life would’ve been if he and Mom hadn’t divorced. And he’s not even mad at her anymore. He said we have to move forward.”
“Wow. He does have a point, though. So what are you going to do about your mom? Have you talked to her?”
“No,” she said with a sigh. “I’ve talked to my dad and he basically said the same thing as Thad—that we need to work it out.”
“Well, I’m glad everything is going well with Thad, and I hope you and your mom can get past this. So, what’s going on with you and that scrumptious male specimen who came to your door?”
Faith chuckled. “You are a mess. He’s pretty nice, too. We’ve talked a few times and we’ve done takeout. When I was in the hospital, Brandon promised to take me out to dinner, so we’re doing that tomorrow.”
Kathi’s heavy sigh came through the line. “Forget about that stuff. I want to know the juicy parts, like if he’s kissed you yet.”
She knew what her friend wanted to know, but didn’t really want to share those details. “Yes, he kissed me.”
“Kissed you how? Are we talking a little peck-on-the-cheek kiss or a melt-your-panties kiss?”
Leave it to Kathi to get right to the heart of the matter. “It was closer to the melt-your-panties side.” Though the kiss was hot, she still sensed him holding back.
“Yeah, with a face and body like that, I wouldn’t expect anything less. This could be the start of something good between you two.”
“I don’t think so.”
“California is only one state away and you guys could easily have a relationship.”
“Kathi, I have enough trouble maintaining relationships as it is. No way am I going to add distance to the equation. Besides, I don’t think he’s looking for anything serious, especially since he knows I’m leaving soon.” Brandon hadn’t said anything about a relationship and she wasn’t going to assume he wanted anything other than their dinner date or to see each other until she left as agreed.
“Speaking of that, when are you coming home?”
“I had already planned to be back this weekend. Thad asked me to stay longer and I’m still deciding when to come back. Can you pick me up on Sunday afternoon?”
“Sure. Text me your flight info. Hey, I know where’s he’s coming from. He just got you back after twenty-eight years. I’d want you to stay longer, too. You can do your job anywhere, so why not hang out another couple of weeks?”
“This hotel isn’t cheap, even though I’m getting a good weekly rate. I still have the rent on my town house, so in a sense, I have two payments. I’ll have to start dipping into my savings soon.”
“You know I’ll help you out, just like you did for me.” When Kathi had started her job four years ago, there was a glitch in the company’s system and she hadn’t been able to get her paycheck for an additional two weeks. Faith had loaned her money to pay her rent.
“I know and I appreciate the offer. We can talk about it when I come home.”
“All right. Ah...by the way, you know staying means more time with Brandon, too. I bet you’ve already thought about that,” Kathi said with a giggle. “And what woman wouldn’t want more time with him?”
Faith laughed. What woman, indeed? “I’m hanging up, crazy woman.” She didn’t want her friend to know that she had not only thought about it, but knew it would factor heavily into her decision.
Chapter 8
In anticipation of her date with Brandon, Faith got up the next morning and went back to the same mall she and Kathi had gone to before to find an outfit. She hadn’t anticipated needing evening wear. Brandon would most likely be coming from work and wearing another pair of expensively tailored slacks and dress shirt, so she needed something a little dressier than the clothing she’d brought on the trip. It took the better part of the morning to find and settle on a pale blue sleeveless sheath and a pair of three-inch heeled black sandals with a matching purse. She only wished there had been time to have her hair washed and styled.
When she opened the door to Brandon that evening, the appreciative gleam in his eyes let her know that he approved of her choice, as well.
Brandon’s gaze made a slow tour down her body, then back up again. “You look absolutely beautiful.”
“Thank you.” She moved back so he could enter. He bent and placed a soft kiss on her lips and his nearness sent a flurry of sensations down her spine. “I just need to get my purse.”
He nodded, still staring at her. His gaze followed her every move and when she came back, he gestured her toward the door.
Brandon escorted her out to his car and helped her in. After getting in and pulling out of the lot and onto the road, he said, “I thought we’d go to Chart House in Marina Del Rey. They serve seafood, steaks, chicken...”
“Sounds good and I’m starving.” Faith hadn’t eaten a big lunch in anticipation of dinner. She made herself comfortable for the ride and watched the passing scenery. With the traffic the drive took nearly forty minutes.
The hostess seated them in the outside area of the upscale waterfront restaurant and, at Brandon’s request, Faith shared more about her visit with her father while they dined on peach-bourbon-glazed scallops and shrimp, and prime rib.
“He must have been surprised and happy to see you.”
“He was.” She thought about their emotional reunion.
Brandon reached for her hand and pointed toward the water.
They sat in silence, watching as the sun set in a blaze of orange and reds across the sky. “It’s amazing.” And so was he. How many men would be content to sit and enjoy the simple pleasure of a sunset?
“I agree.” Their eyes met. “Stunning.”
The intensity of his stare told her he meant more than the sunset. She gently withdrew her hand and resumed eating.
When they finished, he settled the bill and asked, “Would you like to take a walk?”
“I’d love to.” Because they were close to the water, the temperatures had dipped and a slight breeze had kicked up.
He entwined their fingers and they strolled off. He stopped a ways down the path and faced her. For a moment, he said nothing, seemingly struggling with what he wanted to say.
“What is it?”
“I can show you better than I can tell you,” Brandon whispered and lowered his head.
Faith clung to his muscular shoulders as he plundered her mouth. He eased her closer and she felt every inch of his hard frame pressed against her. She moaned softly.
At length, he lifted his head. Still gifting her with fleeting kisses along her jaw and the shell of her ear, he murmured, “We should probably head out before we really give these folks a show.” But he didn’t stop.
“Brandon.” His name came out on a breathless whisper.
“Yeah, baby. I know.”
Hearing him call her “baby” made her heart skip a beat. She briefly fantasized about how it would be if she were his. This had been one of the most romantic evenings she had ever experienced. When it came time for her to return home, she would have this night with Brandon as one of her treasured memories.
He kissed her once more, took her hand and retraced their steps to the car.
Faith’s body hummed with desire. She clasped her hand in her lap, squeezed her thighs together and drew in several calming breaths. Goodness, he had only kissed her. What would happen if he did more? She shivered.
“Cold?”
“No. I’m fine.”
“Is ther
e any type of music you’d like to listen to? I should have asked on the drive here.”
“What you’re playing is nice.” A midtempo soul groove flowed through the speakers. There was still a fair amount of traffic on the streets. “I don’t know how you deal with traffic all the time. It’s after eight o’clock.”
Brandon laughed. “It’s gotten really bad in the last decade or so, but I’ve lived here my whole life, so...” He shrugged.
Faith shook her head. “Our traffic is bad, but nothing like this.”
He slanted her an amused glance. “Actually, this isn’t bad. We’re moving steadily, made most of the lights so far and I haven’t gone below thirty miles per hour.”
She burst out laughing. “Wow. Okay. I guess I’d better be quiet before I jinx us.”
They got caught at the very next light and Brandon turned her way. “See, you messed up my groove.”
She tried to look contrite, but couldn’t stop laughing. She was still chuckling when they arrived back at the hotel.
Brandon placed his arm around her shoulder as they walked across the lot. “I can’t believe you’re still laughing.”
“I can’t help it, and you should’ve seen your face.” After her statement, they’d missed most of the remaining lights and he barely cracked a smile. “Are you always so serious?” She unlocked the door.
“Sometimes, but I smile when it’s called for,” he said, following her in and closing the door.
Faith elbowed him playfully. “You can smile a little more. Go ahead.”
He smiled.
“Aw, come on. You can do better than that. It won’t hurt.” She placed a hand on his arm. “I promise.”
Brandon threw his head back and laughed.
The rich, warm sound filled the room. His eyes sparkled and her belly flipped. He had a beautiful laugh.
“Come here.” He gathered her in his embrace. “You’re something else, you know that?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” she teased.
His smile faded and he traced a finger down her cheek. “I want to kiss you again, Faith.”
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