by Francis Ray
“Behave and get dressed.” The door closed on Faith, a dreamy expression on her face.
Hand in hand, Brandon and Faith strolled to the hotel. A few feet from the entrance, his hand moved to her elbow. The interested and approving gazes of the valet, the doorman, Esmeralda working the front desk, and a few guests followed them as they made their way past the entrance to the outside courtyard.
Brandon again linked his fingers with Faith’s. She leaned her head on his shoulder. “I think the wide smile on my face might have given us away.”
“Since, hopefully, I helped put that look on your face, I’ll share the blame.” He opened the wooden gate and they continued to her front door.
She unlocked the door and curved her arms around his neck. “How much time before they start thinking you-know-what?”
He kissed her nose. “Not enough for what you’re thinking.”
She nipped his chin and let her lower body sink against his. “Why don’t we find out?”
“Behave.” Pulling her arms down, he urged her inside, then stiffened on seeing the floral arrangement on the coffee table. The thing spread three feet if it was an inch and must have cost a small fortune. “So that’s it.”
“I thought about giving it away, but I didn’t think that seems right somehow.” She shrugged. “The orchid you gave me is in my bedroom. It will be the last thing I see before I go to sleep and the first thing I see when I wake up.”
His chest felt tight. “You’re an amazing woman.”
“That’s because you’re an amazing man.” She rested her hands on his wide chest. “Henrí is preparing a new quiche dish for me in the morning. How about joining me?”
His hands bracketed her face; his thumb traced her lower lip. “I don’t think Henrí likes me.”
Her tongue grazed his thumb. “I do.”
His restraint snapped. His mouth took hers in a long, deep kiss. When he lifted his head, they both were breathing heavily. “How about I meet you at nine? Afterward we can go for a drive, then attend the Summer Arts Festival. Perhaps you’ll find another artist you’d like for the hotel.”
“I’d like that.”
One last kiss and he left. By the time he was two steps out the door he was whistling.
Faith had spent a day that she would never forget and it wasn’t over yet. Breakfast with Brandon had been wonderful, the drive in the mountains spectacular, strolling past the various art displays, ranging from limited-edition animated watercolors, to tribal textiles, to fine ceramics, humbling, but none compared to where she was now: sitting at the Grayson family booth.
Faith wrapped her hands around her diet cola and tried not to fidget. When Brandon dropped her off at her hotel, he’d invited her over for a late dinner. She’d accepted before the words were barely out of his mouth. On arriving a little after nine, she’d expected to be seated at a table.
Instead, the smiling hostess had shown Faith to the family table. The surprise must have shown on her face. They’d sat there the night Brandon fixed dinner for them, but she thought that was because it was closer to the kitchen. The young woman had taken her drink order and said she’d let Brandon know she had arrived.
In seconds, Marlive was there with a diet cola. “Hi, Ms. McBride. Brandon is finishing up an order and will be out shortly. Do you want to order or wait?”
Faith wrapped her hands around the drink. “I’ll wait.”
Marlive nodded. “I’ll bring chips and salsa. If you change your mind, just catch the attention of any of us.”
“Thank you.” Faith flipped through the menu, trying to reconcile her mind to where she was. Brandon dated a lot of women; so had his brothers . . . except Luke. The family table was usually reserved for the family. Rumors and speculation had started flying when Luke and Catherine, then Morgan and Phoenix, were seen sitting there. Both women had married the two elusive bachelors.
“Here you go.” Marlive set the food on the table along with a glass of water. “Still want to wait?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“No problem. If you need anything, holler.” Marlive moved away.
Faith followed the direction the other woman took and saw Brandon coming toward her. Her heart swelled with love. Who wouldn’t love a caring man who was also drop-dead gorgeous, sexy, and built like a warrior?
He slid into the booth beside her, their bodies touching from their shoulders to their thighs. He leaned over and whispered, “Keep looking at me like that and I’ll have to close the place down early.”
“Promises, promises,” she teased back, earning her a bark of laughter from Brandon. It felt good being able to tease him, to know she could make him laugh.
He put his hand on the table, brushing lightly against hers. “What would you like?”
“You can’t be serious,” she said, her brow arched.
He chuckled, then said softly, “That comes later.”
Her body tingled with anticipation. “In that case, I’ll put myself in your hands.”
“I’m counting on it.” His voice stroked her.
She gulped her drink.
“Will you be all right by yourself? A lot of people don’t like dining alone.” He frowned. “I’ll come back as much as I can, but things happen. I guess I didn’t think past having you here.”
No one had ever said anything as wonderful. “That’s as far as I got to, being here with you.”
His gaze dropped to her lips, then slowly lifted. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. We close at ten on Sunday, so the place should be cleared out by ten thirty.”
“Which means eleven,” she offered. “We have until two, and I’m sure we won’t waste a second of the time.”
“Count on it.” Brandon slid out of the booth and went back to the kitchen.
Brandon’s crew must have sensed his urgency, because they worked like Trojans to have the place cleared out and cleaned up in record time. By 10:33 he let Michelle out and locked and bolted the door. He grabbed Faith’s hand, and they ran up the stairs and into his room. She was in his arms, his mouth devouring her, by the time the door closed.
Her hand went to his belt. He unfastened her skirt. He toed off his loafers. She stepped out of her heels as they moved toward the bedroom. He slipped her blouse over her shoulders. She let his shirt fall to the floor. With her in black lace bra and bikini panties and him naked, he picked her up and stepped into his bedroom.
“Look.”
Faith glanced over her shoulder and gasped. The bed was covered with white rose, gardenia, and orchid petals. Tears crested in her eyes. “Brandon, it’s beautiful.”
“So are you.” He placed her among the fragrant ivory petals, then took a creamy orchid petal in his hand and brushed it across her lips. “Ever since I saw you do that, I’ve wanted to do that and much more to make you scream in ecstasy.”
“Show me.”
“With pleasure.” He stared at her a few minutes longer simply because he couldn’t help himself. She moved him in so many ways. It was both powerful and humbling to have her submit her body to his with such complete trust.
He gave in to the urge and trailed the petal once again across her lips; his own lips followed. He inhaled her warm breath, which trembled over her slightly parted lips, caught her sigh of pleasure on his tongue. Without looking, he knew she’d closed her eyes, her senses savoring each touch.
He unfastened her bra and ran the petal down the slope of her breast to the turgid point of her nipple. He moistened the point with his tongue, then blew. Faith arched, her hands lightly cupping his head. Heeding her need, he lavished kisses on the glistening peak before going to the other one. She twisted beneath him, her legs moving restlessly, her moist center brushing maddeningly against his full erection.
Gulping air to maintain control, he began to move the petal downward, his mouth following, pausing at the indentation of her navel, going lower still to the waistband of her panties. Impatient, he slipped them off. He came back to the inside
of her thighs, the beckoning nest of dark curls.
He replaced the petal with his mouth. Faith’s sharp intake of air cut through the room. Her hips arched off the bed. She clutched at Brandon’s head, then the sheets.
“Brandon.” His name was a wild, restless cry of rapture on her lips.
Her cry excited him, drove him on. He was relentless. He loved her, worshipped her.
Soon he felt her body tighten. Lifting his head, he fastened his mouth to hers, joining them with one powerful thrust. Sensations rocketed through him. Her scream of release, the clench of her muscles around him, pleasured him as nothing else ever had.
Cupping her hips, he surged into her tight sheath again and again, bringing her to a second, a third orgasm before he let himself find his own release. For a long time, the only sound was their labored breathing.
Faith felt boneless yet powerful. She had been thoroughly loved. Each time was better than the one before. Ripples of pleasure still washed over her. Brandon lay sprawled on her, his head tucked between the curve of her shoulder and chin. Weakly, she stroked his damp back, wishing they could always be like this.
“Brandon.”
He lifted his head. He looked at her with passion and possession. “Yes?”
Her heart swelled with love. For this time he was hers and hers alone. “You certainly know how to fulfill a promise.”
“I haven’t finished.” Good at his word, he proceeded to take her on another long, hot ride of ecstasy.
Each day afterward for Faith was sweeter than the one before. She wanted to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. She and Brandon had breakfast every morning and were together every night at her place or his. They’d even managed to take in a movie and go to the theater. She’d cooked dinner for them again with help from Henrí, but she hadn’t breathed easy until Brandon had taken a bite of his roast pork tenderloin. She’d never forget what he said. “Forget Henrí, how about I hire you?”
She’d kissed him and the meal was an hour late while they feasted on each other. She’d never grow tired of being with Brandon, seeing him smile, loving him. She knew she walked around with a goofy smile on her face and she didn’t care.
The only thing that would make things perfect was if Brandon loved her. He cared, but she wanted to be more than another lover. She tried not to be greedy when she’d already been given much more than she had ever thought possible, but she was finding that it was impossible not to want a lifetime instead of weeks.
Checking her lipstick and hair in the bathroom, the next morning Faith dropped her compact in her bag and headed for her office door. She was meeting Brandon for lunch. She’d be busy well into the night with several events at the hotel. Since he didn’t like her coming to his apartment after eleven, she’d given him the key to her place. The knock on her door came just as she was about to leave. Hoping she could get rid of whoever it was quickly, she opened the door.
“Phoenix.”
Phoenix glanced at the handbag in Faith’s hand. “I knew I should have called, but I thought I’d just drop by since I’m having lunch with Morgan.”
“That’s quite all right.” Phoenix stepped back. “Please have a seat.”
Phoenix entered the office but continued to stand. “I won’t hold you. I just wanted to tell you I’m in on the art project.”
Faith squealed. “This is wonderful. Which pieces?”
“Defender and two new pieces,” Phoenix told her.
“This is more than I had hoped for. Critics around the world have wanted to see Defender, the bust of Morgan, since its only public showing was the night of your first opening,” Faith said. “I can’t thank you enough. I have the press release ready in hopes you’d come on board. I’ll send it out as soon as I return from lunch.”
“I won’t keep you,” Phoenix said. “I’m meeting Morgan at Brandon’s restaurant.”
Butterflies took flight in Faith’s stomach. “I’m meeting Brandon there for lunch.”
“Wonderful. Would you like to ride over with me?”
The butterflies settled. Phoenix’s warm smile didn’t falter. She might suspect something, but there was no way for her to be sure that Faith and Brandon were having an affair. Faith wasn’t sure if she wanted Brandon’s family to know. She couldn’t be 100 percent sure they’d approve. She was nothing like the shapely, artistic women Mrs. Grayson had chosen for her two older sons.
“Is there a problem?” Phoenix asked, her brows puckered.
“No. Everything is fine.” Faith indicated Phoenix should precede her out the door. As she walked beside the svelte, beautiful woman Faith’s earlier happiness plummeted. She’d been fooling herself. She might have Brandon for a season, but not a lifetime.
The Red Cactus was jumping and so was the staff. Brandon hadn’t had time to take a breath since the restaurant opened. Two busloads of women shoppers heading for the Santa Fe Premium Outlets had stopped to eat lunch before they hit the stores. They were a friendly, fun group, but trying to feed that many and get them out together was challenging, especially when many of them wanted separate checks . . . after the tab had been rung up.
“They’re starting to get antsy, boss,” Luis said.
Brandon blew out a breath. What a time for Michelle to have a dental appointment. “Tell them it will be just a few moments longer.”
“Will do.” Luis turned away only to turn back. “Faith and Phoenix just came in.”
Brandon’s hand racing over the computer screen stopped. “Please tell Faith to come here.”
Brandon had finished the ticket and picked up another by the time Faith arrived. “Hi. You want to save my sanity?”
“What can I do?”
No questions. No “maybe.” Faith was the most generous, caring woman Brandon had ever met. He quickly explained the problem. “The separate food items are circled. Just punch it into the computer and give to the waiter. Use the computer next to mine.”
Faith picked up a receipt and moved to the computer next to Brandon’s. He watched her for a few seconds.
“Instead of watching me you should be working.”
Luis smothered a laugh.
“Yes, ma’am.” Brandon went back to work. Together they had the new receipts printed out in minutes. Faith didn’t even surprise him when she went to the various tables to give the women their receipts and collect payment. She did surprise him when she enlisted Sierra, who had arrived several minutes earlier, to tell the women the best places in the outlet mall to shop.
Sierra went one better by recommending Casa de Serenidad as the place to stay to relax and enjoy the city. Somehow they pulled Phoenix into the act as a renowned artist. After one woman asked for her autograph, others wanted it as well. The bus left thirty-five minutes later than planned, the women vowing if they didn’t close the outlet stores they’d come back through to eat.
“You three make a good team,” Brandon said.
“Feed us and prove it,” Sierra said.
Brandon threw one arm around Phoenix and the other around Faith. “Do you think she will ever grow out of being bossy?”
“It’s called assertiveness,” Faith said, surprising herself.
Sierra applauded. “That will show him.”
They all went to the family table. Pierce and Morgan showed up moments later and sat in the booth with Phoenix. Brandon slid in next to Sierra and Faith, then picked up her hand. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” Faith tucked her head, pulled her hand free and placed both hands in her lap.
Brandon frowned until he noticed his brothers and sister staring at him. Caught. “So what will everyone have?”
Brandon took the orders and went to put them in instead of giving them to Marlive, since the restaurant had calmed down. He needed a minute to himself. Reaching for Faith had been instinctive. If she hadn’t pulled her hand back, he would have kissed her palm. They were two consenting adults enjoying each other. He didn’t want Sierra and Pierce making m
ore of it than it was. He certainly didn’t want Faith to feel embarrassed or uneasy around them.
“Boss, cancel Faith’s order. She needed to get back to the hotel,” Marlive said on passing.
Brandon rushed back outside, but she was already gone. “What happened?”
“She said she had forgotten an appointment and left,” Morgan said, watching Brandon closely. “Faith never impressed me as the forgetful type.”
Brandon’s gaze cut to Sierra, then Pierce. Both innocently held up their hands.
“I like Faith,” Phoenix offered. “I’m going to enjoy working with her on the art project. She seems fun and intelligent.”
“That and more. I’ll be back in a minute.” He went to his office and called her cell and got her voice mail. “Remember to eat, and I’ll see you tonight. Miss you.” He hung up, realizing how much he did. The precious time they were together couldn’t come fast enough. First, he had to have it out with Pierce and Sierra.
“How could you have done this?” Pierce asked as soon as Morgan and Phoenix left the table.
Sierra picked up the attack. “You beat Luke and Morgan’s record for falling.”
“Whoa.” Brandon slid into the booth facing his baby sister and brother. “Faith is a great woman and I enjoy being with her, but it’s not for a lifetime.”
Sierra looked at Pierce, then leaned across the table and rapped Brandon’s head.
He batted her hand away. “Stop that.”
“I was just seeing if you had air instead of gray matter.” She folded her arms. “Men.”
“Brandon, how could you? I wonder if Mama knows she can start celebrating her latest victory.” Morose, Pierce drained his glass of raspberry tea.
“You two have been in the sun too long, and let’s leave Mama out of this.” Brandon braced his arms on the table. “I tell you, we’re just enjoying each other.”
Sierra tsked. “That’s why you were all over her, playing with her hand, looking proud and cocky.”
“I was not.”
“Afraid so,” Pierce said. “Luke and Morgan looked the same way when they fell.”
