Chapter 30
FAITH
Iput the finishing touches on a graphic, pressed Save, then sat back and rolled my shoulders.
The sky outside Curtis’s study window was dark.
We’d spent all day working, and I was so absorbed that I didn’t have time for excitement at the prospect of spending the whole weekend in his incredible apartment and with the man himself.
The protective little voice in my head warned me that I was altogether too happy about things, and that I should’ve said no to staying.
The more time I spent with Curtis, the more I caught feelings.
They were like quicksand—smoothly, surreptitiously sucking you in until it was squashing your lungs, and you couldn’t breathe for the smothering.
Hmm, that didn’t sound like a good thing.
“What’s wrong, Faith?” Curtis peered at me, concern on his face.
I unscrunched my face and sighed. Would I always be a walking billboard for my thoughts?
“Nothing much. Just worrying about quicksand. I heard so much about it as a kid, I really thought it would be more of a problem.” I shrugged, and he laughed, the sound reaching into my chest and vibrating a tattoo of his name on my heart, imprinting on me forever.
This was bad. I was more far gone than I thought.
“Only you would say something like that.” He shook his head, the fondness on his face doing things to my insides. How had we gone from practically enemies to this in less than a week?
“You’re a creative. Don’t you have weird thoughts sometimes, things that other people find ridiculous?”
He frowned. “Not recently.” He didn’t embellish, but something about it made me sad.
I wouldn’t push right now, but if we were still…
friends in a few weeks, maybe I’d have the opportunity to dig deeper.
“Anyway, it’s time to think about dinner.
Arnold has the night off—it’s his daughter’s birthday.
We’ll get takeout. What are you in the mood for.
” He didn’t even wait for me to open my mouth.
“And I’m paying. Company account, remember? ”
I smiled. “Fine, fine. How did you know what I was going to say?”
His gaze torpedoed through me, straight to my stomach, exploding in a kaleidoscope of butterflies.
“I know you, Faith.” The deep rumble of his voice found a target somewhere else, reminding me that I was staying tonight…
in his bed. I shivered in anticipation. I was the luckiest woman in New York City, and even my mother couldn’t convince me otherwise.
He stood, came to my side of the desk, and placed both palms on my shoulders.
Then he showed me more magic, kneading the knots that came with working long hours for days on end.
I leaned back into his capable hands, shut my eyes, and groaned.
“That’s so good. If you ever want to change careers, you should consider becoming a massage therapist.”
“No thanks. You’re the only person I want to touch.
” He leaned down, nuzzled the sensitive skin at my neck, before ghosting his lips across my skin.
Goose pimples peppered my arms. I was about to turn my head to kiss him, but his phone rang.
He growled. “Someone has shit timing. Whoever it is, they’re fired.
” He reached across his desk and grabbed his cell.
After glancing at the screen, he rolled his eyes and put it on speaker. “What the fuck do you want?”
“That’s no way to greet your brother. ‘What the fuck’ yourself.” It was Jack. I bit my lip and held in a laugh. “So, based on that greeting, I suppose you won’t be happy that I’m downstairs, outside. Your doorman must be on a break.”
“Why didn’t you call first? Maybe I’m not home.”
“I am calling.”
“No, dopey, calling me before you head on over. Why aren’t you at Mom’s?” Interesting that he didn’t call it Mom and Dad’s. Maybe he liked to forget his father lived there. I couldn’t blame him, and that was sad.
“Well, Mom said Dad’s been too grumpy lately, so she’s staying in the city and having dinner with a friend. Ally’s with me. Aunt Steph also mentioned you weren’t coming.”
“Hi, grumble butt,” a woman’s voice interrupted, which must be Ally Knight, Curtis’s sister.
I’d never met her, and although she wasn’t in the gossip rags much, I’d seen a couple of pictures of her, and she was just as gorgeous as the male family members, just shorter.
Talk about blessed—they had money and looks.
They’d won the life lottery… well, except for having to have their father.
Curtis put one hand on his hip. “What if I’d been out?”
“I told you we should’ve called him earlier.” Ally was obviously talking to Jack.
“Well, I was busy getting next week’s show ready. And when does he ever go out unless it’s for work? At least we’re here now. Anyway, you could’ve called him if you were that worried. Why is it my fault?”
“It’s always your fault. Haven’t you heard?
” Ally sounded as if she ended that jibe with a poked-out tongue.
I couldn’t help grinning. That was the kind of relationship I wished I could’ve had with my faux-stepsister.
But she was too much of a selfish, entitled bitchbag.
It wasn’t as if she came from royalty. The only thing her father was the king of was hairy beer bellies and inappropriate jokes.
Brandy really should remember that more often.
I could hear the eyeroll in Jack’s voice. “Mom should’ve stopped having kids after me. I swear. Also, C, we have Chinese food. Your favorite from your favorite place.”
Curtis shook his head and smiled. “Okay, bonehead brigade, stop arguing. I’ll let you up, if only to stop the stupidity.
And you get points for bringing good food.
” He hung up, pressed some buttons on his phone, and looked at me.
“Are you okay with them visiting? Sorry I didn’t ask before I okayed them. ”
I shook my head. “Of course I’m fine with it. And anyway, how is it up to me? They’re your family, and this is your home. It’s your say who comes in and when. I would never assume I had any say in things like that.”
He frowned before giving me a smile. What was that about? “Thanks.” He briefly pressed his lips against mine and gave his phone a command. “Hey, Siri, elevator access penthouse.”
I raised my brows. “Is that all you have to say to get the elevator to pick them up and bring them?”
“Yep. I also let them in the main door with an app on my phone. There are also intercom buttons in every room.” He nodded at a small panel on the wall near the light switch. “I could’ve spoken into that and pressed the button, but this was easier.” He held up his phone.
I laughed. “Easier than walking four steps. I guess that’s true. Are all rich people as lazy as you?”
“I don’t know. I’m too lazy to ask.” He smirked.
“It’s going to be an effort, but let’s go meet them.
I doubt everyone wants to hang out in my study.
Can you give my lazy ass a piggy back?” His dimples socked me in the stomach.
How was he that gorgeous? Looking at him almost hurt, and it made me want to jump into his arms and kiss his face off.
Hmm, maybe a little bit aggressive, but that was his fault for being more delicious than a display case full of donuts.
I turned my back to him, held my arms out, and rubbed my butt on his crotch. “Get on, cowboy.”
He responded by throwing an arm around my back and under my knees. Before I could protest, he’d scooped me up and was moving. I wasn’t sure whether I should be embarrassed about meeting his family this way, or if they’d think it was cute. Hopefully the latter.
Come to think of it, I wasn’t sure if they knew we were hooking up.
Unfortunately, there was no other way to look at it.
We weren’t exactly dating. We were spending time while the work arrangement was on.
I wasn’t thinking further than that. The less I expected afterward, the more heart tissue that would survive when it all ended.
By the time we reached the foyer, the elevator dinged.
Curtis placed me on the ground, and I ran my hands down my shirt, smoothing it, trying to appear as respectable as possible.
Would his sister like me? Was she hostile toward the people her brothers dated until they proved they were classy enough?
The ornate doors finally opened, saving me from my anxiety.
Think of the food. The food won’t judge you.
Ally stepped out first, her blue-gray eyes widening when they found me.
She hastily assumed a normal expression, then grinned, her teeth straight and perfect.
The dimple fairy had also hit Ally with her wand—Curtis wasn’t the only blessed one.
Ally came straight to me and held her hand out. “I’m Ally. Pleased to meet you.”
I blinked. Whatever reception I was expecting, it wasn’t this.
She had no idea who I was and could only assume I was dating or hooking up with her brother since I was at his place on a Friday outside work hours, yet she wasn’t judging first and being polite later.
I smiled and shook her hand. “Lovely to meet you, Ally. I’m Faith. ”
After greeting me, she turned to her brother and gave him a huge hug while Jack came to me and gave me a hug. “Welcome to the family, Faith!”