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 aboutquicksand. 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…friendsin 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 hislips 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 MomandDad’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 ifshe 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?”
