by Lee Rose
Red Hook, Texas 2
Finding Faith
Adam Blake has been attracted to Faith Davis for months but he just watches her from afar. He had his heart broken and he will do anything to avoid feeling that pain again. With the encouragement of family he finally asks her out. But his deep feelings for the sexy coffee shop owner scare him.
Faith Davis noticed the sexy firefighter, Adam, that always came in her coffee shop, but he was silent and never gave her a sign he noticed her. She allows herself to hope when he finally asks her out on a date.
Then he lets her know there will never be anything serious between them. Walking away with her broken heart, Faith does her best to stay away from Adam, even in the small town they both live in.
Can Adam let go of the past and convince Faith to give him a second chance or will he lose out on true love and fatherhood? Love without faith is never easy.
Genre: Contemporary
Length: 37,368 words
FINDING FAITH
Red Hook, Texas 2
Lee Rose
EROTIC ROMANCE
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Erotic Romance
FINDING FAITH
Copyright © 2015 by Lee Rose
E-book ISBN: 978-1-63259-371-9
First E-book Publication: May 2015
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2015 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Epilogue
About the Author
FINDING FAITH
Red Hook, Texas 2
LEE ROSE
Copyright © 2015
Chapter 1
Adam Blake parked his motorcycle and turned it off. He looked at the small gray brick building located in the middle of Main Street. It had a huge window with purple letters that said Faith’s Place. It was a popular coffee shop and a bakery. Two big clay pots with green plants stood on each side of the doorway. It was a busy place. Many people came and went and he hadn’t got off his bike yet. He came here often, ordered the same thing, and sat at the same table. Each time he told himself today would be the day he said something charming and witty to the owner, Faith Davis. Something besides hello and his order.
He wasn’t even sure why he was so obsessed with talking to her. He had no plans to ever settle down. Yet something about this one woman stayed on his mind. He found himself thinking of the coffee shop owner at odd hours of the day. She was pretty, but so were a lot of other women. Her hair was a mix between red and blonde. It was wavy and landed on her shoulders. She had a sweet smile and bright blue eyes. He knew the freckles sprinkled on her nose and the dark beauty mark on her cheek. He had been watching her for months now yet never interacted with her.
He got off his bike and headed inside. The smell of coffee and sweets baking hit him as soon as he went in. His stomach rumbled. There was a line, as always, so he stood in it.
He promised his sister-in-law Alana he would talk to Faith today.
Alana was a sweetheart. She had been through so much trauma this past summer, but things were finally quiet for her and his oldest brother Noah. They had a quiet wedding with just family and settled down, moving into a new home.
A cool October breeze was in the air and he needed a coffee to energize him. He was just coming off a long shift at the fire station where he worked. He loved his job. It saved him from wallowing in grief years ago when he lost his parents and his fiancée.
He finally reached the front of the line and looked into Faith’s blue eyes. That’s when his mind went blank. Any sane thought he had in his head disappeared like a puff of smoke.
“Um, hi,” he stuttered nervously.
She smiled back and his pulse sped up into overdrive. He looked into her blue eyes that reminded him of the ocean and he cleared his throat. “I’d like, um, a coffee.”
“Black, breakfast blend?” He smiled, pleased she remembered his preference. He nodded and she got busy making his coffee. He couldn’t help watching her move around with such energy. He could hear her humming underneath her breath as she worked. Her jeans were snug and showed off a nice, rounded ass. She was slender and tall. Her T-shirt was purple and was tucked into her jeans, showing off her trim waist.
She came back and handed him his cup of coffee. He didn’t know what to say. The usual pick-up lines sounded too cheesy to use on her. She would probably brush him off and dismiss him.
“Something smells good.” That’s a lame line.
“I just made a batch of raspberry scones. A hint
of sweetness, but not too much,” she explained, looking straight into his eyes, waiting for him to respond.
“I’ll take one of those.” Wishing he could think of something charming to say, he sighed and paid for his order. He chose his usual table, close to the counter, and sat down. From this view he could still watch her work behind the counter. Maybe it was better he got tongue-tied around her. She seemed like a sweet hometown girl. She was friendly and so beautiful. He had become so accustomed to dating women who had no interest in settling down. He liked it that way. He had been in love once with big ideas of buying a house and having kids, but then his fiancée had died in a car accident. The same car accident that took his parents. They had been driving to the city to shop for Christmas. On the way home they had encountered some ice and went off the road. His parents had died instantly, but Josie had lived. She spent two days in a coma and slipped away quietly. In one moment he lost his parents and his future wife. He never wanted to experience that kind of agony again. He had wanted nothing more than to join Josie in the grave. His brothers had supported him and helped him get over his grief.
Even though it had been close to six years already, he still remembered the pain and heartache. It was not something he wanted to experience again. It was simpler to tell himself he had his chance at love and he lost it. Going through all that emotional pain was not something he wanted to do again. Faith Davis did not seem the type for a casual affair. He finished his coffee and scone and got up to leave. With one last longing glance at the woman behind the counter, he left.
* * * *
Faith handed her customer back her change. “Thank you, Mrs. Lewis. See you tomorrow.”
Faith looked up just in time to see the handsome man that came on his bike leave. He was tall, at least six feet, and had a muscular build. His light brown hair was the color of sand and long. It was always tied back and she found it so sexy. Her mind often wondered what it looked like loose and if it felt as silky as it looked. She wanted to ask him for his name, but she didn’t want to seem forward. It would be nice to have a name to go with her erotic fantasies that starred him.
She watched him hop on his bike and put his helmet on. He started the bike and the loud rumbling could be heard in the shop.
“I think he likes you,” Holly, her younger sister, said in her ear. “He comes in an awful lot and orders black coffee. He can make black coffee at home. He sits at the same table and moons over you.”
Faith sighed as she watched him drive off. She wished that statement was true. He had been coming in here for months but he never showed an interest in her. She looked behind her at her younger sister by two years. “I don’t think so, Holly. He is always polite but never flirts or shows any sign of being attracted to me. I’m too busy anyway for romance. I have two interviews later this afternoon for helpers. I am getting busier and busier.”
Faith opened her coffee shop three years ago and so far it was doing well. She loved to bake and try new recipes. She loved being her own boss. Holly was a bartender at the local bar but sometimes she came in to help Faith out when it got busy. Holly also went to nursing school three days a week. The two girls only had each other to depend on, and were determined to never be as poor as when they grew up. Their mother, Rebecca, had been a single mom and prone to drinking. They had moved around every year after being evicted from wherever they were living. Finally they settled down in Red Hook, Texas when they were teens. As soon as Holly graduated from high school, their mom had taken off to Austin. She wanted to live her life in the big city and not some boring town, she told them. Faith liked being settled and so did Holly, so they stayed in Red Hook.
“I think he is hot,” Holly commented with a smile. Her curly blonde hair was long and pulled back in a ponytail. “He’s not for you anyway. I’ve seen him at the bar with some of his fireman buddies. They all like those fast, loose women.”
A small pang of jealousy went through her, but she dismissed it. She was boring and she knew it. Hadn’t plenty of her past boyfriends accused her of just that? She was dedicated to making her business work. She didn’t have time to play games or be out partying all night long.
“Well hadn’t we already decided I have lousy taste in men?” Faith told her sister, putting handsome motorcycle man out of her mind. Now she knew he was a firefighter. Holy hotness, now she was going to add that small fact to her fantasies later tonight. “After that creep David, I promised myself my next boyfriend will be a millionaire and take me on a ’round the world trip. Otherwise no more men.”
Holly laughed. “Good luck with finding a millionaire in Red Hook.”
Faith started making fresh pots of coffee. “I know it’s a long shot, but I’m tired of dating immature men who are too afraid to grow up and join the real world. Like you just said, he is a typical male wanting an easy, fun time with no commitment.”
“I hear you,” Holly agreed. “I am staying focused on making money. Men are just too much trouble and have the attention span of a goldfish.”
Faith agreed. She was twenty-eight and hadn’t found love yet. Her chances seemed slim. Especially in a small town like Red Hook, Texas. Maybe she should’ve moved to Austin or Dallas and opened her shop up there. Surely decent guys would be easier to find in a large city?
Chapter 2
Adam looked at the coffee shop with hesitation. He was just in here three days ago and had left without talking to the cute little owner. He stopped in three times a week but never said much besides hello. Alana had given him a disappointed look and promptly dragged him to get some baked goods.
“Come on, Adam,” Alana Garcia Blake said in a firm voice. She parked her small compact car in an empty spot. She turned off the car and gave him a determined look. “We are going in there and you are going to mention the fall festival this weekend. It is the perfect opportunity to get to know Faith better. She seems very friendly.”
Adam looked over at his sister-in-law. She was married to his oldest brother Noah, who was the sheriff of Red Hook. Her long dark hair was in a braid and hung down her back. She still had her waitressing uniform. Her family owned Garcia’s Hacienda, a Mexican restaurant in town.
“I’ll be lucky if I can say hi.” He snorted, getting out of her small car. He had to stretch his legs out after being stuffed like a sardine. No wonder Noah complained about his wife’s car so much.
The fall weather was making the breeze a little cooler than usual but he liked it. He was already nervous and sweaty. He didn’t need a hundred degree temperature bearing down on him. “I’m not so sure about this Alana. If I say the wrong thing I’ll blow it. I like having my fantasy. It’s so much easier.”
“You have been crushing on this woman for almost a year now. At least talk to her and get to know her. I know you Blake men are all about hanging on to that bachelor status like it is a lifeline. Look at all that Noah and I went through. It wasn’t an easy road but it is so worth it. You can’t be alone forever, Adam,” she said gently, patting his arm.
Adam winced but didn’t argue with her. She was right. Noah had rejected Alana and hurt her because he was afraid to open up his heart. Just like him. Alana had gotten stabbed during a robbery and almost died. It had opened Noah’s eyes and he had pursued her with all he had until he won her back. His brother was a new man.
Adam had loved Josie. They had been high school sweethearts and he wasn’t sure he was ready to feel more than simple desire. Logically he knew Josie wouldn’t want him to remain alone, but it was scary to think about being vulnerable again. In his mind, love equaled pain.
“I’m not ready to throw myself into a relationship, but I would like to get to know her better.” Secretly he was hoping they were too different and he could finally lay this obsession down and move on. He followed her inside the coffee shop. It was late afternoon and it was quiet for once. Soft music played in the background.
Alana walked up to the counter and greeted Faith. Adam stood next to her, letting Alana break the
ice. He was glad it was empty. One person sat in the back corner typing into a laptop.
“Good evening, Alana.” Faith greeted her by name. “I’m used to seeing you and your sister in the morning.”
Alana laughed. “I know. I need my latte fix to start the day. I wanted to try some of your raspberry scones. Adam told me they were delicious.”
Faith turned those blue eyes toward him and smiled. “Adam? I see you here often, but I didn’t know your name.”
Adam returned the smile. He felt his cheeks heat up. What a dolt he was. He never once thought to introduce himself. “Yeah, sorry. I’m Adam Blake.”
She put her hand out for him to shake. “Faith Davis.”
He didn’t want to tell her he already knew her name. That would probably sound weird.
“Glad to meet you.” He shook her hand and felt little electrical charges climb up his arm. Her eyes widened and he assumed she felt it too.
Faith let go of his hand and smiled shyly. She looked at Alana. “I just happen to have a few left.”
She gave them one to taste. Alana tore it in half and gave some to Adam. She took a bite and chewed.
“Oh my god that is so delicious, Faith. I’ll take the rest. My husband would love these,” Alana told her with a friendly smile. “He has such a sweet tooth, but I am not much of a baker.”
“Do you want coffee too?” Faith asked as she put the scones in a box.
Alana shook her head. “I’ll take a green tea with honey. If I drink coffee now I’ll never get any sleep.”
