The Sweetest Thing

by Barbara Freethy

  "Faith, you better stop."

  "I don't want to." She pressed her lips against his chest, and he groaned.

  "I can't make any promises," he said.

  "I'm not asking for any."

  "You said--"

  "I know what I said," she sighed. "Don't remind me."

  "I don't want you to have regrets."

  "Regrets are probably inevitable, but I'll deal with those tomorrow. Right now I just want you."

  "Are you sure?" He gave her one last chance to run.

  Chapter Seventeen

  "I'm sure.'' She moved her hands to his belt buckle. "Can we get rid of this?"

  "Be my guest." He leaned into her, nuzzling her neck with his lips, drawing a line of fire from the lobe of her ear to the sensitive pulse in her throat. His mouth was so hot, so enticing, she could barely get her fingers to work.

  "You're taking too long," he muttered, slipping his hands under the hem of her sweater, spreading his fingers across her rib cage until he reached the swell of her breasts.

  She took in a deep breath, wanting him to fill his hands with her. He must have read her mind, because he did exactly that, rubbing the rough edges of his thumbs across her nipples, sending ripples of desire and need throughout her body. He sought her mouth, plunging his tongue inside, demanding, taking, seducing her in ways far more wicked than any she could ever imagine.

  "You're killing me," she muttered.

  "Likewise, sweetheart."

  She pulled his belt free of his pants with a triumphant smile.

  He grinned down at her. "Next?"

  "Your shirt."

  "And yours."

  She helped him out of his white dress shirt, and he returned the favor by pulling her sweater over her head. Faith felt a moment of shyness. She didn't exactly make a habit of baring her breasts, but under his approving gaze, she couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. And when his fingers worked the clasp of her ivory-colored lace bra, she made no move to resist him. She wanted to get closer, lips to lips, breast to breast, hips to hips.

  A moment later she was back in his arms, kissing him, touching him, rubbing her breasts against his chest, feeling his hard thighs slip between her legs. He reached for the zipper on the back of her short skirt, and it slipped down with barely a whisper. Her skirt fell to the floor and she stepped out of it, leaving her with only a pair of ivory-colored panties.

  Alex rubbed his hands over her buttocks, impatiently, urgently, bringing her into the curve of his pelvis, leaving no question as to how much he wanted her. "We gotta slow down," he muttered.

  "Not slow. Fast." She tugged at the snap on his pants and undid the zipper, then pushed them down his legs. "I want to live the way you live, Alex. Take me with you. Show me the fast lane."

  He groaned as her hands delved beneath the band of his Jockey shorts. "That's not all I'm going to show you."

  She smiled against his mouth as he kissed her again. "I want to see it all."

  "And you will. Do you have a bed somewhere around here?"

  Before she could answer, his mouth was on her breast, tasting, sucking, nipping, until she could barely think. "Too far away. There's a very nice couch--"

  Alex pushed her down on the cushions before she could finish the sentence, his body covering hers, warming her in a way no blanket could. She ran her toes down the side of his leg, nestling into the warm cotton of his socks. "Alex, you're still wearing your socks. Don't you want to take them off?"

  He kissed her on the lips. "I'm more concerned about other parts of my body right about now." And he pressed his pelvis into hers, creating a friction of desire that made her head spin.

  "Oh." She ran her hands over his buttocks, feeling the strength and power in his body. What would it feel like to have all that power within her? Suddenly she couldn't wait to find out. "Alex, please."

  "Protection," he said abruptly, lifting his head.

  "Do you?" she asked in a panic, because she certainly hadn't prepared properly for this moment.

  "In my pants."

  They both reached for his pants at the same time and landed in a tangle on the floor. Alex managed to pull a couple of foil packets out of his pocket. Faith raised an eyebrow at the number.

  "Confident, weren't you?"

  "Hopeful," he corrected, looking into her eyes with an expression so deep, so loving, so tender, it took her breath away.

  She pulled his head down to hers. "Love me, Alex."

  And he did -- with his mouth and his fingers and his body, filling the empty spaces in her heart, pushing away all the doubts, the fears, the loneliness.

  It wasn't fast. It was deep, wet kisses, and long, slow strokes, passion and tenderness that took her so close to the edge, she couldn't help but fall. And when she did, Alex caught her, just as she'd known he would.

  * * *

  "I'm hungry," Faith announced a while later, as she rested her head on Alex's bare chest. They had moved from the floor to the couch, and Alex had pulled the blanket down to keep them warm, although she needed nothing more than his arms around her.

  "Hungry, huh? I thought I might need a few more minutes. But if you're hungry..."

  She lifted her head and smiled. "I was talking about food."

  "Oh, that."

  "You know -- that dinner you promised me."

  "Right. Wouldn't you rather just have sex again?"

  "You don't have any plans for dinner, do you?"

  "We could make plans."

  "And your grandfather isn't expecting me?"

  "Not until tomorrow," Alex admitted. "I told him you had to work tonight."

  "So you could have your way with me."

  He grinned as he pulled her down to kiss him. "I think it was the other way around, sweetheart. I distinctly remember you making the first move."

  "Me? I'm the shy one, remember."

  "You are never what I expect you to be." Alex's voice turned serious. "You are one of a kind, Faith." He stroked the side of her head with gentle fingers, bringing several strands of hair to his mouth. "Soft, silky, sexy -- and a genuine redhead."

  "You noticed."

  "I noticed everything. Although I could use a second look. And a third, maybe a fourth."

  "I like a man who thinks big," she said, placing a kiss on his lips.

  "Honey, I don't have to think big, I am--"

  She put a hand over his mouth and smiled. "I'll be the judge of that." And she let her other hand trail down his chest to his hips. "Mm-mm, you might be right after all."

  "Faith?"

  "What?"

  "I'm getting hungrier by the second."

  "We don't have any food here."

  "Are you sure about that?" He took her mouth with a sureness and a sweetness that was fast becoming an addiction.

  She moved on top of him, straddling his hips, suddenly impatient for him.

  "Foreplay?" he asked.

  "We'll do it later," she said, as he slipped inside of her. "Much, much later."

  * * *

  Julian wandered into the living room and found Jessie flipping through channels on the television set. She paused for a moment at MTV.

  "I'm thinking about getting a nose ring," she said.

  Julian sat down on the couch and studied the dancers on the television set, each wearing a nose ring. "I suppose it goes with some costumes. Are you planning to be in a music video?"

  She wrinkled her nose. "Yeah, John Mayer wants me to sing with him."

  Julian smiled at her. "Sounds like fun."

  "You don't take me seriously," she grumbled.

  "That's because you aren't being serious. I've been around the block a few times, Jessie, and I know bullshit when I see it."

  Jessie flung him a quick look. "I'm going to tell Alex you said 'shit' in front of me."

  "I've said worse in front of him. Now, what do you really want to be when you grow up?"

  "I don't know."

  "Well, what are you good at?"

>   "I can pick a lock."

  "What else?"

  "I can steal candy without anyone noticing."

  "Well, those talents will get you a nice jail cell, but how about shooting for something a bit more comfortable?"

  Jessie went through another round of channels before replying. "My mother -- you know -- she did it for money sometimes."

  Julian listened to the stumbling explanation with a sad heart. Jessie was too young to know so many hard truths. "Was your mother happy?"

  Jessie thought about his question, and then shook her head. "No. She said it didn't matter, but once I saw her crying in the shower. She didn't think I heard her, but I did."

  Julian put his arm around Jessie's shoulders. She stiffened but didn't move away. "Did you know Melanie's parents?"

  Jessie looked surprised by the question. "No. Melanie said they kicked her out when she got pregnant with me."

  "Then you've never had a grandfather or a great-grandfather?"

  "No."

  "Would you like one?"

  "You mean you?" She gazed up at him with a skeptical expression in her eyes.

  "Yes, me."

  "Alex said you were a lousy grandfather."

  Julian sighed. "Ah, but love can teach even asses to dance."

  "What?"

  "It's a French proverb. It means that people can change with love."

  "Melanie said you can't change a man no matter how hard you try."

  "Good advice, no doubt. But maybe we can bring out the best in each other. Why don't we try? I'll be your great-grandfather and try to be wise and kind and not too astonished by your language, and you can be my great-granddaughter and try to be patient and kind and not too astonished by my stories."

  A smile spread across her face. "You tell awesome stories."

  "Well, thank you. I think we're off to a good start in this family business. Now we just need to bring Alex into the circle."

  "He's trying to get rid of me."

  Julian patted her on the leg. "We Carrigans are pretty hard to get rid of."

  "I'm not a Carrigan."

  "I believe we just agreed that you're my great-granddaughter, which makes you a Carrigan, for better or worse. Hopefully, not worse. If only we could get rid of the curse." He stood up and walked over to the window. "As long as the wind stays calm, we should be all right."

  * * *

  A gust of wind blew into his face as Alex stepped out of Faith's apartment building. It was dark, almost midnight. The day had been calm, but a night wind had come out of nowhere. He couldn't help the shiver of uneasiness that ran down his spine.

  And the winds will curse your life until you return to where it began...

  Alex shook his head and strode briskly to his car, eager to escape from the wind and his guilty conscience. Faith had pretended to be asleep when he left. And he'd pretended to believe her. They'd both known the truth.

  He'd wanted to stay the night, to hold her in his arms, to make love to her with the awakening dawn, but sunrise had always scared him. Things looked different in the morning. The promises women didn't care about in the night seemed suddenly more important in the light of day.

  He slipped into his car and drove quickly across town. He just wanted to get home and crawl into his own bed -- where it was safe.

  Safe! His conscience railed against the word. What the hell was he doing -- sneaking away like a coward? He should have said good-bye at the very least.

  Faith probably didn't understand why he'd had to leave. She'd think it was her again, that he was leaving her because she wasn't good enough, wasn't special enough. She was confident on the outside, but insecure down deep where it mattered. And he knew that. He'd no doubt hurt her. And that was the last thing he'd wanted to do.

  He shouldn't have gone to her house at all, shouldn't have kissed her, shouldn't have made love to her, shouldn't have created a relationship bound to end in disaster. Faith wanted all of a man, and he couldn't give her that much. He didn't have that much to give.

  Alex parked his car in the lot beneath his building and took the elevator up to his floor, hoping that both Jessie and Julian were fast asleep.

  One out of two wasn't bad. Julian sat on the couch in the living room, holding the piece of pottery in his hands. He stared at the markings as if he could somehow decipher them.

  Alex tossed his keys on the table and sat down in the chair across from Julian.

  Julian looked up after a moment, his eyes troubled. "We must break the curse, Alex. If we don't, you and Faith -- it can never be."

  Alex felt a chill sweep over his body. He shook his head. "Faith and I will never be -- curse or no curse."

  "You love her already."

  "I don't -- love her." Alex tripped over the words, knowing that he felt something for Faith. But it couldn't be love. Infatuation maybe. Lust definitely. But love -- no, he wasn't ready for that. Still, he couldn't quite forget the way she'd felt in his arms, her breath in his ear, her voice calling his name. She'd been a generous, giving lover. He should have expected that. She was one of the givers in life, and he was one of the takers.

  "She loves you, too," Julian said.

  Alex wanted to deny it, but he'd felt Faith's love. She hadn't said the words, but the way she'd kissed him, the way she'd touched him... He knew she didn't make love lightly, that she'd given herself to him for a reason. He just didn't want to know the reason, because then he might have to do something about it.

  "She shouldn't love me. We both know why. And it's not because of a curse. It's because of a weakness in our family to love, to commit, to stay anywhere forever. Carrigans live for the moment, not for the future. And Faith -- she needs a man who will be there in the morning, every morning."

  "You should have stayed with her tonight."

  "I couldn't." Alex stood up. "I'm going to bed, Grandfather. I'll talk to you later."

  "You can't run away, Alex. It's too late for that." Julian glanced toward the window. "The wind is picking up."

  "The wind comes and goes, Grandfather."

  Julian leaned back against the couch. "I fear we're running out of time." He put a hand to his heart and closed his eyes.

  "What's wrong? Do you feel ill?" Alex walked over to the couch, disturbed by the pallor of his grandfather's skin. Was it another act? Or was his grandfather really fading away in front of him? Alex touched Julian on the shoulder, compelled to make sure he was still there, still alive.

  Julian opened his eyes. "We must find Suzannah soon, for both our sakes."

  "Do you want me to get you something -- call the doctor?"

  "What I have can't be cured by a doctor."

  "There is medicine available for your heart."

  "Not for a broken heart."

  Alex sighed. "You can't die from a broken heart."

  "I wouldn't be so sure of that. What are you going to do about Faith?"

  Alex stared into his grandfather's eyes and wished he knew the answer to that question, but he came up short. "Nothing."

  "She could give you so much."

  "But what could I give her?"

  Julian didn't answer. His silence said it all.

  "Good night, Grandfather."

  "Sleep well, Alex."

  * * *

  Faith shivered as the early morning breeze blew through her hair. She fumbled with the keys to her car, finally managing to unlock the door and slip inside. While she warmed up the engine, she turned on the heater to take off the morning chill.

  The heat reminded her of the night before, of Alex, of the love they'd made and the love they'd shared, and the love he'd taken away when he'd slipped out of bed just before midnight and gone home without a word.

  She'd pretended to be asleep. He'd pretended to believe her.

  Faith sighed and pulled away from the curb. The night was gone. It was morning. Time for a reality check. Alex was a great guy, a wonderful lover -- a one-night stand. Not that she couldn't probably have him for a second
night or maybe even a third. But she couldn't have him for a lifetime. Who was she kidding? She couldn't even have him for one whole night.

  He hadn't lied to her. He hadn't made any promises. She had absolutely nothing to be angry about, but she couldn't help the spurt of annoyance at his hasty departure. She'd heard women complain about men falling asleep right after sex. She'd rather have had that than a man who got out of bed at the speed of light.

  She'd told him to go fast. He'd simply taken her at her word, she told herself.

  Besides, she had other fish to fry this morning. Ben. She absolutely could not go through another day of lying to Nancy, especially not after having spent at least part of the night with Alex. She couldn't do it. She'd have guilt written all over her face.

  A few minutes later, Faith pulled up in front of Ben's apartment building. It was early, barely six, but she wanted to catch Ben before she went to the bakery.

  Faith turned off the car and made her way into Ben's building. The buzzer was broken, so she headed straight up the stairs and rang the doorbell. No one answered, so she rang it again. She didn't much care if she was waking Ben up. He'd created this problem with his hasty proposal. It was about time he helped her fix it.

  After a moment, she heard footsteps, then a clatter and a muffled curse. When the door opened, she saw Ben hopping on one foot, dressed only in a pair of boxer shorts.

  "What happened?" she asked.

  "I stubbed my toe. What are you doing here?"

  Ben didn't look happy to see her. In fact, he looked downright angry.

  "Can I come in?"

  "I -- uh, I'd rather you just say what you have to say and go. I have to get dressed for work and, well, I'm in a rush. Can we talk later?"

  "No, we can't talk later." She pushed past him in irritation. "I'm not going through another day with your mother planning our wedding."

  Ben put a hand on her arm as she headed for the couch. "This isn't a good time, Faith."

  "Why not? You don't have to be at work until eight-thirty."