Grinning, I mock bow and walk her through the overly large apartment I’ve rented. When the nightclub was starting up, the guys and I shared an apartment for the first six months until we realized we might kill each other. We spread out to our own places, and since the club started earning right away, with the addition of my trust fund from my errant father, I moved into this gorgeous spread.
“The kitchen is fairly new and large for a Manhattan apartment,” I say as we pass the entryway.
“Wow,” she says, peeking inside. “This is amazing. Do you use it much?”
I shake my head. “Not my thing. I’m not home for meals very often. But while you’re here, consider my kitchen your kitchen.”
“You know I will. This is a great apartment. Big for Manhattan.”
I nod. “I rented this place because there are two extra-large bedrooms, and my family is from Florida. This way, my momcan come visit, and up until a few months ago, my sister would come by, too. Now she lives in New York City, as well.”
“You mentioned your mother. What about your father?” Faith asks, as I walk through the living area with my large-screen television and ultra-comfortable oversized sofa.
“That is a long story for another time.” One I won’t be getting into now. “But my mom insisted on flying up and helping me match colors so I could impress any women I brought home,” I say with a grin. “Typical mom, she wants her kids married and settled.” Savannah Dare might have gone the nontraditional mistress route herself, but for her children? She wants the best.
“And will she get that?” Faith turns to me, looking up at me with those curious, gorgeous green eyes.
“Well, let’s see. My sister went the untraditional route, getting pregnant first, but there’s no question she and her husband, Ethan, are head-over-heels in love. Alex is married to a great woman and they had a baby girl recently.” No point getting into the half-sibling thing now. I hope she’ll end the conversation there.
“And you’re the eternal bachelor?” she asks, dispelling that optimistic thought.
“Something like that.” Winking at her, I grasp her elbow and lead her to the far side of the apartment, where the two bedrooms are located. “Come. You can check out your room.”
I lead her to the bedroom beside mine, one my mother decorated tohertaste, with a—cough—bright floral comforter and matching valence above the window.
“Oooh, it’s so pretty!” she says, grasping her suitcase from my hand and pulling it inside.
“I’ll be sure to let my mother know you like it,” I mutter. I’ve never forgiven her for the flowered room, but I love her anyway.
“Wouldn’t that be admitting you brought a woman to your apartment?” she teases me before sitting down on the bed, her shoulders hunching over as she finally lets herself relax.
“I was going to ask if you’re hungry but you look beat.”
She lifts her head. “I’m both. Would you mind if I shut my eyes for half an hour before we eat?”
“Of course not. I’ll order us something. Do you want anything in particular?”
She shakes her head as she kicks off her shoes. “You choose.” She swings her feet up onto the bed, closes her eyes, and if I’m not mistaken, she’s out before her head hits the pillow.
I head to my bedroom, completely aware of the woman sleeping in the next room. I change into a pair of sweats and a tee shirt, order a large pizza, and settle onto my couch, watching Sports Center on television.
I’m not surprised to see a clip of my brother, Alex, on the screen. Once an NFL football player, he was forced, on doctor’s orders, to retire due to a severe concussion. He can’t take the chance of another head injury without risking permanent damage. Seeing an opportunity, our half-brother Ian, president of the Miami Thunder, ironically the opposing team to the one Alex played for in Tampa, offered him a job teaching players about preparing for the future beyond football. The program has been adopted by the NFL, and Alex does a lot of promotion and training around the country, including television interviews like the one I just saw.
I lift my glass of soda to my brother. “Go, you,” I say to my sibling on TV.
A few minutes later, dinner arrives. I place it on the table and walk back to where Faith sleeps. Cute little snores sound in the room, and I grin.
Although she said to wake her, I don’t have the heart. She must have been so wiped out to fall asleep so fast, the stress of handling her brother alone for so long catching up with her.
I walk in, pick up an afghan blanket and cover her, standing like a creeper and watching her sleep. What is it about this woman that gets to me?
Obviously, she’s beautiful, but I have been with my share of gorgeous women over the years, and I’ve let them go when our time together came to an end. But Faith is more than pretty. Clearly, she is strong. She picked up and left her home, coming to a big city and making her own way without help. She also hasn’t lost her sense of humor during a difficult time, nor is she willing to give up her independence easily. All of which I admire. But there is so much more to Faith than any of that, and now I’ll have the chance to see exactly what makes her tick.
I wanted a date, and instead, I have her under my roof, in the room next to mine. I don’t like the reasons for our forced togetherness, but I sure as hell can’t say I mind it. And that is a first for me.
CHAPTER FOUR
Faith
