Chapter Twenty #2
She nodded. Couldn’t say the words because there was a big old knot at the base of her throat blocking all the words she wanted to say.
She exhaled sharply when he began to move.
With his warmth at her back and his hands on her hips, he held her in place while he began to rock into Faith.
Slowly, at first. Then harder. Then slow again.
He took her to the edge so many times she began to whimper.
She pushed away that knot in her throat and managed one word.
“Harder.” His fingers dug in, and as their mutual desire and desperation surfaced, their bodies slick with sweat, she wished with all her heart she could savor this sensation forever.
But there was no time. She was close. Just as she was about to come, Gus pulled out.
He picked her up and placed her on the sofa.
She slammed her eyes closed because it was all too much.
“I need to see you.” His voice was gruff, like sandpaper, but his touch was velvet. “Look at me, Faith.”
Slowly, she opened her eyes, and with her heart clanging so loudly he must have heard, she guided him inside her. The veins on his shoulders and neck bulged, and his mouth was tight, his eyes bright with passion.
“Fucking hell,” he muttered, claiming her mouth as he began to move again. Slowly. Then, faster. And faster. The moment was real and passionate and so damn bittersweet it brought tears to her eyes.
“Keep your eyes up here,” he said, inches from her face.
He filled her completely. Her body. Her heart.
Her soul. Faith bit her bottom lip as wave after wave of intense pleasure rolled through her.
But all of it was overshadowed by the inevitable, and when Gus withdrew finally, she was cold and shaking and utterly destroyed.
He pulled her into his arms, then scooped her up and walked back to his bedroom.
The entire time they’d been together, doing this thing between them, she’d never been to his bedroom or slept in his bed. Did it mean anything that he’d brought her here at the end of it all?
She snuggled into his body, her limbs weak. Gus kissed the top of her head and cleared his throat. She couldn’t bear it, so she went on the offense.
“You don’t need to say anything. I knew what this was when we started.”
He was quiet for a few moments and then pulled her tighter. “You surprised me,” he said, his voice husky.
“Good,” she whispered.
“And maybe if I was a different person this could be more.”
“We’re made up of the pieces of our past. I get it.”
They fell silent, and as the long minutes ticked by, the sadness inside grew so large she knew she couldn’t contain it. But she held on long enough for him to fall asleep and then, with nimble fingers, extricated herself from his embrace.
She slid from the bed and glanced down at the man who’d claimed her heart without trying.
Then she bent over, smoothed a lock of hair from his forehead, and pressed a light kiss to his cheek.
She waited a heartbeat and whispered, “I hope one day you remember me as the girl who got away. I hope I meant at least that much to you.”
Faith stepped back and left him sleeping.
She grabbed her clothes and slipped into them, then quietly walked across the hall and let herself into her apartment.
It was dark but moonlight fell through the windows.
Taco was asleep on the sofa but raised his head for a second, then settled back.
She gave him a pat on the head and continued to her bedroom.
She’d never felt like this before. Her body still hummed with the aftershocks of all the sex, as if every single nerve ending was on fire. As if her heart were beating out of her chest. But her head felt as if she were underwater. Like she was drowning.
The past had finally caught up to her. She glanced at the table beside her bed and the cell phone that lay there.
She picked it up and stared at the last message that had come through earlier from her father’s lawyer requesting a meeting. There was another from her mother.
Why are you not answering me? I’ve called numerous times. We need to speak.
She sank to the bed, fingers hovering over the keyboard for a few seconds, and began to type.
I’m coming home.
Faith slowly exhaled. She wiped away tears and then rolled onto the bed and grabbed her pillow. It still smelled like Gus. It was the last thought she had before, exhausted, she fell asleep.
When she woke up, the sun was streaming through the window, and Taco was curled up against her side.
She hugged the dog, wishing she could stay in bed and not think about Gus or her mother and father.
She didn’t want to think about the meeting with the lawyers.
Or, more importantly, the second meeting she’d scheduled. The one no one knew about.
“I can’t hide anymore, Taco.”
She made a quick coffee and sipped it while throwing clothes into her backpack. She was nearly finished when a knock at the door sounded, and she crossed over but hesitated. What if it was Gus? What would she say?
Heart in her throat, she unlocked the door and threw it open, then smiled and tried to hide her disappointment when she spied Hal.
“Hello there,” he said warmly.
“Come in. I’m running late and need to get Taco’s things together.”
While Hal waited, she grabbed the dog’s food, treats, dishes, and leash.
She handed them over. “I don’t know how long I’ll be but I’m so grateful you can take Taco.
Especially considering I’m leaving you on such short notice.
I know that next week you start preparing for Labor Day carnival and there’s so much to do and—”
“It’s okay. Don’t you worry your pretty head about nothing. Your dog will be well looked after, and we’ll be here waiting when your business is done.”
She couldn’t hold the tears back any longer as great big sobs wracked her body. Hal folded her into his arms and patted her back. He knew everything. Her family. Her shame. She’d told him the whole sordid story when she’d called earlier.
“You go and do what needs to be done and then you come back here. Okay?”
“I sound like a blubbering idiot.” She wiped the hot tears that fell unchecked.
“You can sound any way you need to.” His kind eyes were warm and understanding. “Now, here are the keys to Samantha’s car. Make sure you call us when you get to San Francisco safely.”
“I’ll be flying from Albany tonight, though I have a layover and won’t be back in California until tomorrow morning.”
Hal grabbed Taco’s leash. “If you need anything, just call.”
“Thank you.” They’d been so kind.
Once Hal was gone, she finished packing what little she needed and then locked up. She managed to escape Lawson House without seeing Candy or any of the other tenants or . . . Gus. His truck was gone.
She made it out of Fire Lake with no issues, and as she pointed the car toward Albany, a sense of dread bloomed.
It stayed with her the entire way.