by Lily Graison
The others left, telling him to come to the Inn when he was finished exploring. The stores in town were old, the facades resembling much of what he thought they did when built. Colorful awnings hung over the cracked sidewalk and every storefront was lined with benches, most of which were occupied with elderly men who stopped talking to stare at him as he passed by.
He held back a smile as he clomped past them. He was sure his bare tattooed arms and clunky boots would cause more than a few debates, not to mention the eyebrow piercing. He was sure they’d thought the devil had come to Mayberry, USA and wouldn’t be surprised if the townsfolk came after him with pitchforks drawn by dusk.
An elderly woman smiled at him as he approached and he slowed his steps, tilting his head to her as he passed. He stopped when a thought came to him and turned back to face her. “Excuse me, but do you know Faith Weston?”
She gasped softly and her eyes widened. “What do you want with our Faith?”
“So you know her then?”
“Of course,” she said, straightening her shoulders and clutching her purse to her stomach. “Everyone in town knows the Weston’s.”
“Do you know where I can find her?” he asked.
“I do, but I don’t think I’ll be telling ya. I’m not sure the Reverend would like that too much.”
“I see,” he said. He smiled and glanced at the other residents of Barton who were trying hard not to look like they were listening to his conversation. “If you see her, or the Reverend, could you tell her I was looking for her?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” she said. “I’m not sure the Reverend—”
“Yes, I’m sure he won’t,” Mick said, interrupting. “But it’s important that I speak to her.”
“I’ll do what I can, then,” she finally said.
He nodded his head to her and turned, continuing back down the street. He asked two other women if they knew Faith and the conversation ended much like the first had. Everyone knew Faith but no one wanted to tell him anything beyond that. Seeing a young man at the end of the street, he wondered if he weren’t just asking the wrong person. Hurrying past the people on the sidewalk, he made his way toward the end of the street and slowed his steps as he approached.
The man turned and Mick was surprised when he looked at him. His size was misleading. He was nearly as tall as he was but his face held the youthful appearance of someone not much older than twenty. Mick smiled before saying, “Hey man. I’m looking for Faith Weston. Do you know her?”
The guy raised one eyebrow and gave Mick a look that rivaled the scathing glances the old woman had given him.
“Maybe,” the guy said. “Who wants to know?”
“I do.”
“And who are you?”
“Not really any of your business,” Mick said. He knew the answer was the worst possible one he could have given when the young man in front of him smiled and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Well, seeing how I don’t know ya, you’re going to have to answer better than that,” he said. “I don’t go giving the whereabouts of people I care about to complete strangers.”
People he cared about? Mick studied the guy and wondered just how well he knew Faith. He could tell by his sudden defensive manner that he knew her better than the people he’d already asked. Was this guy an old boyfriend? A current one? A tight clenching in his chest squeezed the air from his lungs before he pushed the feeling away and gritted his teeth against the thought of Faith with someone other than him. “Mick Sheppard,” he finally said. “And I’ve traveled a damn long way to talk to her. If you know where I can find her, I’d appreciate you telling me.”
The smug look on the guys face melted away and Mick watched as his face turned red an instant before he uncrossed his arms and took two steps toward him.
“Mick Sheppard?” he said. “You’re Mick Sheppard? Drummer for that band?”
“Yes,” Mick said, raising one eyebrow. “Heard of me then?”
Mick felt damn near violated the way this total stranger looked him over. Not an inch of his body was spared and the look on the guys face twisted in disgust with every passing second. When the guy looked back up, unabashed hatred showed on his face. “Oh, I’ve heard about you all right and it looks like today is my lucky day.”
Mick didn’t have time to brace himself when the guy’s fist came crashing into the side of his head. He stumbled back, tripping on the edge of a bench and slammed into the wall of the building behind him. A startled scream was heard before the beefy fist once again connected with his face. He lifted his own fist, returning a powerful blow and had just drawn back for another go when Faith suddenly appeared in front of him.
“Stop!” she yelled, reaching out to grab his hand before turning her back to him and pointing a finger at the man who’d punched him. “Jacob, stop it! Daddy will have your head if he knows what you’re doing!”
“Get out of the way, Faith,” Jacob said, wiping his lip while looking over her head at Mick.
Mick straightened and looked between Faith and the guy who’d sucker-punched him. Seeing them side-by-side, he noticed a resemblance. It wasn’t much but they favored each other enough for him to wonder if this was one of her five brothers. It would explain the punch to the side of his head. What other reason did the dude have to assault him?
He was still too stunned to do much more than listen to them as the people on the sidewalk gathered around, their hushed whispers mingling with the ringing inside his head. He watched the scene in front of him and ran his tongue over his lip, tasting blood.
“Go home, Faith.”
“Don’t tell me what to do, Jacob. Go back to the diner. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Jacob laughed and shook his head. “I’m not leaving you alone with … that.”
Faith’s shoulders sagged as she sighed. “Jacob, I’m not having this conversation right now. Go tell Lucy I’ll be there as soon as I can.” She turned; leveling her gaze on him. Mick bit his tongue to keep from smiling at her.
He was completely sober now and she looked exactly as he remembered her. A tiny wisp of a girl with large emerald eyes and curves that made parts of his anatomy stand up and take notice. Her dark, shoulder length hair was blowing in the slight breeze and the splattering of freckles on her nose reminded him of the night he’d tried to count every one he found on her body. He wanted her instantly. He grinned when she looked up at him. “Miss me, Tinker Bell?”
She scowled and grabbed his arm, turning to drag him down the street. He followed with a wide grin on his face. When they reached the far end of the sidewalk, Faith stopped and turned to him. “What the hell are you doing here?” she hissed.
“I came to see my wife,” he said, leaning down to be eye level with her. “Seems she’s forgotten about me in the three months since I married her.”
Her face turned red and she glanced away. Mick used her distraction to grab her under the arms, lifting her off the ground and walking around the side of the building. He braced her against the wall and took advantage of her shocked gasp by kissing her.
The wiggle of protest she gave him only lasted a few seconds before her fingers climbed into his hair, her legs wrapping around his hips. She moaned against his mouth, her tongue pushing past his teeth as her hold on him tightened. She was mewling like a kitten by the time he broke the kiss. “God, I’ve missed you,” he said, peppering kisses across her cheek to her neck. “I get hard just thinking about you.”
“Mick…”
“Tell me there’s somewhere to go or I’m going to fuck you right here in front of every hick in town.”
Faith inhaled sharply when Mick’s hand snuck under the edge of her shirt. She opened her eyes, looking to her right to see if anyone was looking. There was, of course. She dropped her legs from around his waist, struggled against him and grabbed his hand, trying to dislodge it while trying to get him to drop her. “Mick, let go!” she hissed in his ear. “People are watching.”
His hand stilled and he lifted his head, glancing at her face before turning his head.
“Mrs. Pritchard!” Faith said, breathlessly. “This isn’t what it looks like.”
Mrs. Pritchard pursed her lips and crossed her arms over her chest. “And what exactly is it then, missy?”
Faith laughed nervously and squirmed in Mick’s arms, hoping he’d get the hint. He didn’t. “Put me down,” she whispered. His hold on her stayed and she was left to dangle between the wall and his body.
“Faith Weston if your father saw you right now—”
“I know,” Faith said, blushing. “But it isn’t what you think—”
“Oh, I think it’s exactly what I think…”
Mick leaned toward her, his lips caressing her ear as he whispered, “Tell her to go away or she’s going to get an eye full.”
“Where is Jacob?” Mrs. Pritchard asked. “I saw him not ten minutes ago.”
“He’s down at the diner,” Faith said. “He knows where I am.”
Mrs. Pritchard shook her head. “He might know where you are, dear, but I’m almost positive he doesn’t know you’re over here with…” She paused and gave Mick a disgruntled look before shaking her head again. “I think I’m going to go find Adam.”
“No!” Faith yelled. “Please don’t do that.” It was useless. Mrs. Pritchard rounded the corner and was gone before Faith could say another word. “Great,” she said. “You probably should put me down, Mick, before Adam gets here.”
“Who the hell is Adam?”
“My brother.”
“And who’s the kid who punched me in the face?”
“Uh, also my brother.”
Mick grinned, his hand once again crawling under her shirt. “Jessi said you have five.”
“I do and I can already tell you none of them are going to be happy to see you right now so please, put me down before Adam gets here.”
“Can’t do,” he said. “I’ve been celibate for three damn months now and I need you to do your wifely duty and see to my needs.”
Faith stared at the top of his head as he peeked down the front of her blouse. His fingers skimmed the underside of her left breast and she sucked in a breath when his fingers wormed under the material of her bra and brushed her nipple. She could feel his cock against her thigh, hard and needy. Had he really been celibate since Vegas? “Are you lying?” she asked.
He kissed her throat, his tongue working against her skin as those talented fingers tweaked her nipple and sent sparks shooting straight to her core. “Lying about what?”
“About being celibate.”
His fingers stilled and he lifted his head, looking up at her before smiling. “No,” he said, softly. “I may not have known I married you until the day you left but I do know what marriage is, and I’m almost positive there’s a vow in there about forsaking all others and keeping only to your wife.”
She nodded her head. “There is,” she said.
“And what about you?”
“What about me?”
He tilted his head slightly and locked eyes with her. “Have you kept your vows to me?”
His hold on her tightened and Faith saw his throat work as he swallowed. She smiled and lifted her hand, laying it on his cheek. “I have.”
He smiled and leaned in to kiss her only to stop when someone rounded the corner.
“What the hell is going on?”
Mick nearly growled as they were interrupted again and turned his head to see who this new person was. His eyes widened when a uniformed police officer stood on the sidewalk staring at him. “That old bat called the cops?” he whispered to Faith.
Faith groaned and struggled in his grasp again. “Put me down, Mick.”
As much as he loathed doing so, the look on the cops face left no room for argument. He sighed and eased Faith to her feet. He turned and faced the officer as Faith straightened her blouse.
“Faith, you have five seconds to explain.”
“What did Mrs. Pritchard say?”
“She said you were getting raped by some tattooed hoodlum but I can tell by that tender moment I just witnessed that isn’t the case.”
Mick raised an eyebrow and glanced between the officer and Faith. Less than fifteen minutes in this town and he’d been assaulted and had the cops called on him. He could already tell his trip to Nowhere, Georgia was going to be one for the record books.
“This is Mick,” Faith said, taking a step back and closer to him. She smiled hesitantly before looking up at him. “Mick, this is Adam. My oldest brother.”
Mick’s eyes widened as he looked back over at the officer. “Your brother is a cop?”
“Uh, Sheriff, actually.”
Mick laughed. He couldn’t help it. His new father-in-law was a Minister and his brother-in-law the Sheriff. What other surprises was he in store for?
Adam crossed his arms over his chest and stared at him. His eyes narrowed while his gaze bore into him. Mick cut his laughter off with a chuckle and shook his head. “Faith, I’m beginning to think you were sent to me as payment for all the bad shit I’ve ever done in my life.”
She snorted a laugh and said, “You’re probably not too far from the truth.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? What other surprises do you have for me?”
“This is the man you married?” Adam asked, interrupting their conversation.
Faith sighed and nodded her head. “Yes.”
Adam stared at Mick, his gaze lingering over the tattoos and the facial piercing. “Has dad seen him yet?”
“No,” Faith whined.
Adam stood silently for long minutes before he grinned and started laughing. He looked between the two of them and was bent over double, hands on his knees when Faith looked away. Mick saw her eyes tear up and his chest ached at the sight of it. When Adam continued to laugh, he bent and leaned close to Faith’s ear. “Can I punch him out?”
She grinned but shook her head. “No. He’ll lock you up.”
“For how long?”
“Long enough for your dick to fall off waiting to be released.”
Mick straightened and waited, along with Faith, for Adam to stop laughing. By the time he had, the sidewalk behind him was packed with people.
Adam swiped a hand over his eyes and shook his head. “Faith, please don’t tell dad until I’m there to witness it. I’ll tear up all your parking tickets if you do.”
“You’ll go to hell for lying, Sheriff Weston.”
He grinned. “I’m not lying. I swear. They’ll disappear if you let me sit in on it.”
“No,” she said. “If you’re there then the others will want to be too.”
“So?” Adam said, grinning. “Mick here is our brother-in-law now. It’s only fair he meets the whole family.”
“Forget it,” Faith said. “I’m not letting you anywhere near daddy until I can talk to him first.”
Jacob stepped around the corner and stopped beside Adam. He grinned before saying, “I already called dad. He’s waiting for you both at the house.”
“Need a lift, sis?” Adam said. “I can take you in the squad car. With the lights on I can have us there in less than ten minutes.”
Faith lifted her hands, covering her face and groaned. Mick’s irritation level was near breaking point at the whole scene and as the laughter and taunts from Faith’s brothers continued, and he saw the obvious distress Faith was under, he snapped. He let go of her shoulder and stepped in front of her, bending at the knees and hoisting her up over his shoulder fireman style. He turned to startled gasps and leveled his gaze on her brothers. “Nice meeting you,” he said, “but Faith and I have things to talk about before anymore family reunions so, catch you later.”
He walked around the people on the sidewalk and started down the street toward the Bed and Breakfast they were staying at. He listened to the crowd behind him, all of them shouting for him to put her down but he ignored them and kept walking. Faith gasped and trie
d to straighten up before saying, “Mick! Put me down.”
“Can’t do, Tink. I’ve had enough talk for one day. The only thing I want to hear out of you is you screaming my name.”
“Mick, please!”
“That was real close but I want you naked when you say it, now, stop squirming before I drop you,” he said, nearly doing it anyway when someone grabbed his arm.
“Put her down,” Jacob yelled, his face red.
“Go to hell,” Mick said.
Someone gasped in shock and Mick turned to see nearly everyone who had been watching the little scene by the sidewalk was now behind him. The old woman, Mrs. Pritchard, had a hand to her chest, her face nearly white. Mick shook his head and sighed.
“Put her down,” Jacob said again.
“No.”
Jacob’s face turned crimson, his hands clenching into fists. Mick raised a pierced eyebrow and watched him. “What? You’re going to hit me again? I’ll surely drop her then.”
“Mick, put me down.”
“Make them go away, Faith,” he said, tightening his hold on her legs.
Faith’s brothers had to be the dumbest men he’d ever met. They both grabbed at his arms, trying to wrestle Faith from him and Mick was shocked at their persistence. When Mrs. Pritchard stepped into his line of sight, he almost rolled his eyes until she yelled, “Stop! If you make him drop her how do you think the baby is going to like that!”
Everything froze, even the blood rushing through Mick’s veins. His lungs seized and he suddenly couldn’t breathe. Baby? Did she just say baby?
“Put me down, Mick,” Faith said, softly. “Please.”
Mick stared at Mrs. Pritchard and didn’t fight Adam when he lifted Faith from his arms. When she was on her feet, he looked down at her. Her complexion had turned pasty white and the look on her face answered every question rattling through his head. He swallowed the lump in his throat and took a shaky breath. “You’re pregnant?”
She gave him a sad smile and nodded her head before saying, “yes.” It was the last thing he heard. The world went black as he passed out.
