“Ice cream isn’t what I’m hungry for.”
“No?” Her tongue darted out as she smiled and took another lick. “What are you craving?”
He leaned close, his mouth by her ear, and smiled when he felt her shiver.
“Something spicy and sweet.”
“You’ll have to be more specific, sir.”
“You,” he replied. “Is that specific enough?”
Chapter Fourteen
The day had been perfect. Every. Single. Moment.
Faith practically floated on air as she got off the bike. It was nearly eleven o’clock in the evening, and night sounds filled the air. She watched Gus roll his bike into the small garage beside the house. When he locked up and found her waiting, a slow, sensual smile spread across his handsome face.
There were no words. Only a feeling, an electric current that connected them as they walked up the path together, fingers inches apart. Hyper-aware of the man at her side, Faith tried to still her fast-beating heart. Gus opened the door, and once she was inside, he followed her upstairs. She had exactly one second of panic before the touch of his warm hand on her back grounded her.
“Where do you . . .” she began, and mouth dry, took a moment as her brain fast-forwarded to all the things she wanted to do with this man. “Where should we . . .”Shit. She was making a mess of things.
Gus leaned down and swept the lightest kiss ever across her mouth before murmuring in her ear.
“Your place has a bigger bed.”
His dark eyes made her pulse take off like a rocket, and she shakily exhaled then turned to her apartment door.
“I’ll be over in a couple of minutes.”
She nodded but didn’t speak. Jesus, she could barely gather her thoughts let alone form words. The anticipation of being with Gusfullyhad been building all day. If she were honest, it had been building since the first time they’d kissed at the dance. And after the things he’d done to her the night before, well, it was a miracle she hadn’t jumped him in Central Park.
Quickly, she let herself inside and scurried across the room to turn on a lamp. Then she ran to the bathroom to brush herteeth and freshen up a bit. As she rinsed the toothpaste from the sink and looked in the mirror, Faith studied the face that looked back at her.
It was Faith Winters. But it wasn’t. Had she ever looked this . . . God, she didn’t have a word for it.
But shewasdifferent. Changed. And a part of her wondered if it was because of Gus or this town. This place with the kind of folks who created bonds that lasted. She thought of Hal and Samantha, Tully and Ford, and even Cassidy. In some ways, they’d kept her sane from the darkness that had descended on her the moment her parents had been arrested. And even though she’d only known them a short time, they’d done more to ease her burden than they knew.
“I don’t want to leave,” she whispered. Shecouldmake a home here. Live a life that mattered.
But Gus wasn’t here to stay. He’d been very clear that his time in Fire Lake was short-term.
She put her toothbrush away and grabbed some gloss. As she dabbed it along her lips, she told herself that things were going to be fine. This thing between her and Gus wasn’t serious. This was two grown single adults having sex and hanging out with zero expectations. Men and women did this sort of thing all the time. She had needs, and he was going to meet them.
It’s not as if she was in love with Gus.
Faith heard the door to her apartment close and fluffed the waves that spilled over her shoulders. She took exactly two steps out of her bathroom and spied him leaning against the doorframe of her bedroom.
God.Damn. He looked good.
He held a bottle of wine aloft with a questioning look, then set it on her dresser when she slowly shook her head. She wouldn’t be able to keep anything down on account of the swarm of butterflies in her stomach. How was it that she, a grown-ass woman of twenty-seven, was so incredibly nervous around this man? He’d already seen every inch of her. Kissed places. Touched places. Licked places.
And yet there was something in those dark eyes that set off all kinds of things inside Faith. Hot things. Fragile things. Needful things.
Moonlight spilled through the open windows and there was a slight breeze that spread goosebumps across her bare arms. She shivered and took a step toward Gus, suddenly unsure.
Which was dumb. Each of them knew why they were here.
He slowly moved toward her and slid his hands up along the sides of her face, his touch gentle and coaxing. When he leaned in to kiss her, Faith held her breath and tears poked the corners of her eyes because it was so damn perfect. This moment and this man.
