Maya Banks - Sweet Surrender

Nathan chuckled and shoved his hands into his pockets. His shaggy, light brown hair curled outward over his ears and flipped rebelliously at his neck. A goatee framed his mouth and chin. It was in need of a good trim. Green eyes, full of mirth, rested underneath a set of ridiculously long lashes. Lashes that Faith would kill to have. It was so not fair that eyes that gorgeous were wasted on a man.

“When are you going to get a haircut?” she asked.

Micah snickered.

Nathan ran a hand through his hair and looked at her in surprise. “What’s wrong with my hair? You don’t bug Micah about getting a haircut, and his is longer than mine.”

“Because he looks good with long hair. You don’t.”

“Ouch,” he grumbled, shooting Micah a resentful glare.

She shook her head. “I swear you both need a woman to keep you in line. And I wish you’d hurry up and find one so I can stop babysitting your asses.”

“Or you could just volunteer for the job full time,” Micah said, shooting her another sexy look. Damn the man.

“I don’t think John would appreciate you propositioning his woman,” Nathan said dryly.

Faith tensed for a minute and sat back in her chair. “Uh, about John.”

Two sets of curious gazes focused intently on her.

“Is something wrong, Faith?” Micah asked. All the teasing had dropped from his voice, and now he sat forward, his face drawn into complete and utter seriousness.

She’d forgotten how protective they could be. That was usually Connor’s job. As much as Micah and Nathan liked to tease, they still watched over her like a hawk.

“No, nothing’s wrong,” she said, injecting the right amount of lightness into her voice. “It’s just that John and I won’t be seeing each other anymore.”

Nathan raised his brow in silent question.

“Relax. It was my decision,” she said. “It just wasn’t working. And don’t you go interrogating him.”

Another blush worked its way up her neck. The last thing she wanted was John to share the reasons for their breakup with Micah and Nathan.

“And for God’s sake don’t tell Connor,” she muttered.

They both hooted with laughter.

“I’ll make you a deal,” Micah said, an evil gleam in his eye. “I won’t rat you out if you don’t rat me out for smoking.”

She blew out her breath in annoyance. “You’re such a manipulator.”

He grinned. “But you love me.”

She smiled. She couldn’t help it. “Yes, I love you. Now get out of my office. I’ve got work to do. And so do you two clowns.” She checked her watch. “Pop’s going to have a coronary if he finds out you’re both here and not out on the job.”

The phone rang, and her stomach fell. She reached over to pick up the receiver but hesitated, willing the sick nervousness to abate. When she noticed Micah and Nathan looking suspiciously at her, she swallowed and yanked up the phone.

“Malone’s.”

Pop’s gravelly voice barreled through the line. “Faith, tell those two lug nuts to get their asses out of your office and out to the job they’re supposed to be doing.”

She burst out laughing, her relief nearly overwhelming. “Good morning to you too.”

He chuckled in her ear. “Good morning. Things going okay at the office?”

“Sure thing. You going to be around for lunch?”

He sighed regretfully. “No, Connor, Gray and I will get something out. This security system is acting all wonky, so I think we’ll be here awhile.”

“Okay, Pop, I’ll see you when I see you then.”

They rang off, and she replaced the receiver, still chuckling.

“Yeah, yeah,” Micah grumbled as he shoved himself out of his seat. “I could hear Pop all the way over here. I swear he has this place bugged.”

Nathan laughed. “I wouldn’t put it past the old fart.”

They waved at Faith then trudged out of her office. Quiet descended over the building. She leaned way back in her chair and stared at the ceiling.

Three years. For three years she’d lived an idyllic life. At times it was hard to remember the years before Pop and Connor had come for her. Then Pop had adopted her. Yeah, sure, she was an adult. A woman full grown, but she’d burst into tears when he’d told her of his desire to adopt her and legally make her his daughter. It was the first true sense of belonging she’d experienced.

And now her circle had grown to Nathan and Micah. It was an atmosphere she was comfortable in. Finally at home. Now if only her mother would fall off the face of the earth.

She eyed the phone, willing it to stay silent.

With a sound of disgust, she whirled around in her chair and stood. She would not allow her mother to ruin her day, week, month…okay year.

She stalked out of her office and made her rounds to the other offices to collect outgoing mail. When she had a sizable pile, she lumped it onto her desk to wait for the mail carrier. Then she busied herself going over the new job contracts, flagging the ones that needed Pop’s signature.

At noon, she pulled out the lunch she’d brought from home and ate it while fielding phone calls from potential clients. Micah called to say he and Nathan wouldn’t be back into the office and would be working late. Then Pop called to tell her to go home early and that he’d lock up when he came through later in the afternoon.

She smiled as she hung up. Pop always seemed to know when she wasn’t her best. He never asked intrusive questions, but he worried over her just the same. That kind of unconditional love was comforting.

The phone rang again, and she picked it up, expecting to hear Pop again. He usually got sidetracked when he called and would forget what he’d called for in the first place. Which precipitated an immediate call back ninety percent of the time.

“Malone’s,” she said cheerfully, prepared to tease Pop.

“Faith, baby, we need to talk.”

Faith closed her eyes, and her lunch burned a hole in her stomach.

“Faith, are you there? I need to talk to you.”

“I’m here,” Faith said faintly.

“I need some money,” her mother said, forgoing her usual cajoling. “I’m in a bind, baby.”

“I can’t help you this time,” Faith gritted out. “I’d appreciate it if you would quit calling.”

A shocked silence fell between them. “Faith, you don’t mean that. I’m your mother. You can’t just cut me out of your life. I need your help. You can’t turn away from me. After all I’ve done for you.”

Rage curdled Faith’s system. Her vision blurred as the anger built. “All you’ve done for me? You’ve got a hell of a lot of nerve, Celia. What have you ever done for me? I’m happy now. I have a nice life. Without you. I can’t help you. I won’t help you. Not this time. Not ever again. Please don’t call me again.”

She slammed the phone down, her breath coming in ragged spurts. Her hands trembled, and she felt dangerously close to vomiting. She closed her mouth and sucked in deep breaths through her nose, willing the nausea to pass.

When her stomach settled, she surged up from her chair, making a grab for her keys and purse. She needed some air. Needed to get away before she succumbed to the urge to start throwing things.

Gray stepped into Cattleman’s Bar and Grill and headed for the bar area, intent on throwing back a cold beer. Connor had introduced him to the local pub, a place he and the other guys gathered at after work several days a week.

When he walked around the divider that separated the bar from the eating area, he was surprised to see Faith sitting on the far side, her legs dangling off the high barstool. One elbow rested on the bar top, and her other hand stirred a drink with the straw.

He walked forward, but she never looked up. She seemed lost in her own world, not a happy one either. He slid onto the stool next to hers and motioned for the bartender.

She glanced up at him in surprise as he ordered his beer.

“You and I seemed to have developed a habit of bumping into each other,” she murmured.

He smiled. “I’m not following you, if that’s what you’re implying. I’ve been here every day after work. First time I’ve seen you here.”

She flushed, and he watched in fascination as pink spread into her cheeks. “I didn’t mean to imply anything of the sort. I know Connor and the others come here a lot. But I thought you were all working late today.”

He shrugged. “We finished up. Pop headed to the office to lock up, and Connor headed home.” He cocked his head and looked probingly at her. “What brings you here?”

Distress flickered in her eyes, and she quickly looked away. “Just didn’t feel like going home yet,” she said vaguely.

Gray cursed himself. He’d lay odds her mother had called again, and he hadn’t yet been able to get into the office to do the tap.

“Have you eaten anything?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Don’t really feel like eating.”

“Care if I eat then?”

She looked back at him, and a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. He watched in fascination as her tongue swept over her top lip, catching a droplet of her drink.

“Suit yourself. Far be it for me to get between a man and his meal.”

“Spoken like a woman who is well acquainted with a man’s needs,” he said, letting her make what she wanted of that statement.

To his delight she blushed again and ducked her head. She really was too cute with her rampant blushing. He’d begun to harbor the most vivid fantasies of seeing just how far down her body she flushed. Would she be timid in bed? Would her lover have to coax each piece of clothing from her body?