A Splash of Hope (5 page)

When he remained silent for too long, Faith sighed loudly. “What do you want, Adam?”

“I remembered something,” he blurted out.

Faith stared at him expectantly but didn’t say a word. He felt like an idiot but she didn’t help the conversation along.

“Serenity said something to me once about renting an apartment above Heavenly Scents coffee shop. It was something about the scent not being so heavenly at all hours of the day, every day.”

“Thanks.”

Her less-than-stellar reaction crawled over his skin, leaving him feeling chafed.

“That’s all. Just thanks?”

She shrugged. “What else do you want me to say?”

What else did he expect her to say? Now that he was facing her calm reaction, he wondered over his own. Did he hope she would question him further about his reasons for marrying Serenity? Perhaps even excuse him for it? He should’ve known her pride would keep her from such a thing. Unfortunately, knowing that about her didn’t make him any less pissed off that he seemed to be the only issue she wouldn’t face head on.

“Not a thing,” he answered finally before turning to walk away without as much as a “see you later,” but he stopped in his tracks halfway to his car and marched back to the door. “I’m not a bad person,” he said suddenly, surprising even himself with the proclamation.

“Okay,” she drawled, sounding as confused as he felt.

He opened his mouth, thinking to add more, but snapped it closed as he realized there was nothing more he could say that would make him sound any less like an idiot. With a decisive nod, he walked away, leaving Faith to her sleep. He wasn’t a bad person, was he? He wasn’t so sure any longer.

***

July in Tennessee was at its usual muggy, near one hundred degrees. It took all of thirty seconds for a fine sheen of sweat to cover Faith’s body when she stepped through her front door. The humidity was so bad, it was hard to tell the difference between sweat and the water that simply hung in the air, making a person feel as if they were suffocating. In deference to the heat, she decided on a pair of khaki shorts that stopped a hair above mid-thigh, a mint green, lightweight, spaghetti-strapped shirt, and, to make the outfit complete, a pair of flip-flops. The last thing she wanted to be doing today was returning, yet again, to her hometown. Unfortunately, Serenity hadn’t left her much choice in the matter. Not to mention, she needed to follow up on Adam’s lead. She spent the better part of the night trying to track Serenity down, without any success. Adam’s visit earlier in the day was the first lead she’d gotten on Serenity’s whereabouts. She couldn’t fully rest again until she found her. She didn’t bother turning on the radio, instead choosing to make the drive in silence.

Heavenly Scents coffee shop was a few streets over from “that place” and she couldn’t help but shudder at the thought. Exactly three streets separated Faith from
him
. Three times she’d been forced to face him, three times already in the past two days. Each time, it had taken every ounce of her will to pretend as if he didn’t matter at all to her. She forcibly turned her thoughts away from the reason she never came here. Instead, choosing to focus on the building sitting so inconspicuously in front of her. It was everything a coffee shop should be, from the at-home feeling to the hand-painted cup with steam rolling off the top, which someone had drawn with what appeared to be shoe polish on the front window. No matter how hard she looked, she couldn’t find a door besides the front one. With a growl of frustration, she headed inside. The smell of coffee assailed her senses as soon as the door opened. She automatically drew the scent into her lungs, savoring it.

“How may I help you today?”

The words floated from behind the counter. She looked over the skinny teenager who stood waiting for her answer. He had emo bangs dyed an impossible shade of blond, but his skin tone spoke of someone who spent a great deal of time in the sun. Her guess was he didn’t want to be there anymore than she did.

“Hey. My name is Faith, and my sister, Serenity, is renting the upstairs apartment. I looked around outside, but couldn’t find the door to her apartment.”

He merely looked bored as if he waited for a point to this conversation, but he didn’t care anything about it. A spurt of irritation ran through her at his less than helpful attitude. “So,” she drawled. “Do you know how I can find her apartment?”

“Sure. The hot chick upstairs. I know her.”

When it didn’t appear as if he intended to say more, she barely suppressed the urge to stamp her foot. “Where is the door to her apartment?” she asked through clenched teeth.

Some of her aggravation must’ve finally shown, because he nodded in the direction of a set of steps to his left. “Head up those stairs. It’s the first door on the right.”

Working up a smile, she thanked him before following his directions. At the top of the staircase, she spotted Serenity’s door. It stood open half an inch. She knew what she would find even before she pushed it fully open. The room lay bare without a single clue as to where Serenity was off to now. Without much hope and few other choices, she searched every inch of the apartment, hoping to find something, but came up empty handed. Returning to the front counter in search of answers, she was surprised to see an older lady with curly white hair working in place of the tanned teenager. The woman seemed as confused over her sudden appearance as Faith was over hers.

“I was looking for my sister, Serenity,” Faith explained.

The woman smiled brightly. “Oh dear, she moved out a month ago when she got married.”

Faith thought the woman was clearly crazy as a loon if she thought Serenity’s wedding had been a month ago. She must live under a rock if she hadn’t heard the gossip about Serenity’s defection yet. Faith pressed on. “I’m sorry. The blond kid working when I came through here earlier made it seem as if she still lived here.”

The woman gave Faith an odd look. “I’m sorry, hon, but you must be confused. I’m the only one working today.”

Faith brushed a tired hand over her eyes. She considered arguing for a moment, but the sensation passed as quickly as it came. With a quick nod of thanks, Faith headed back to her car, thinking in minute detail of all the ways she would kill Serenity when she found her. Her gruesome thoughts came to an abrupt halt when—after a solid ten seconds of turning the key in the ignition—nothing happened. This couldn’t be happening. It simply could not. She turned her head in the direction of Hidden Gems and nearly snorted aloud at the irony of it all. Her thoughts went back two years.

Adam Monroe had been Faith’s boss at the club since day one. In spite of what most people thought of him, he was a good man. He only hired women who needed the money to survive. He refused to tolerate anyone who danced to support an addiction, and most importantly, he made sure they were all kept safe while they worked. He could have his pick of women, if he gave them one ounce of encouragement, but he was actually kind of scary. It was a trait she hadn’t noticed about him before accepting a job in his club. His every movement screamed, “Stay away.” None of those things stopped anyone, including her, from sighing and drooling over him. A tall frame, sleek muscles and movements akin to a predator’s made it impossible to look away when he was near. His hair was the perfect shade of brown and it begged for her touch, but his eyes were hard, making Faith wonder what kind of life he lived. He looked as if he’d witnessed too many things and was bored by it all. It was a rare occasion when Adam would focus his attention on any one person, but when he did…Faith shivered at the thought. As if her thoughts projected across the room, Adam lifted his head, locking eyes with her. She looked away quickly, not wanting him to think she’d been staring.

Wanting what she couldn’t have, had become as familiar as breathing to Faith. She smiled at everyone, laughed with the girls at work, and put a good face on things for her sister. Inside, she was slowly dying. No one noticed. However, at those times when Adam would catch her eye, she would feel, for a moment, as if he knew. Every time she would think she was no longer capable of emotion, his heated glances would remind her she wasn’t dead yet.

Lord, she didn’t want to do this any longer. She was so tired. Her best friend, Emma May, enjoyed telling her God was only testing her. If that was the case, then she would gladly concede in exchange for a good night’s sleep. After all, if she hadn’t passed God’s test by now, she never would. A tingle began at the base of her neck. She knew before looking his way that Adam was watching her again. He was the only person who could make her feel. She turned, meeting his gaze once more. He held her stare as he moved in her direction. Faith felt as if her feet were glued to the floor, leaving her unable to escape.

“I need to see you in my office when you get done here tonight.”

Faith nodded, unable to form a single word. She knew she hadn’t done anything wrong, but the thought of Adam summoning her to his office almost made her throat swell closed. The night dragged on until her time of reckoning came. By the time she crossed the threshold of his office, Faith thought she might be sick.

Without looking up to see who’d entered, Adam motioned for her to sit down across from him. She sat and stewed for several moments before he spoke.

“Something is off with you tonight. I can feel it.” Finally, he looked up, meeting her gaze. It was as if time stopped and only the two of them were left in the world. With only a glance, he gained her trust and she heard herself admitting the truth.

“My car broke.”

“Is it a minor fix?”

Faith shook her head. Helpless tears burned at the backs of her eyes. She refused to let them fall. “Judging by the amount of smoke billowing out from underneath the hood, I seriously doubt it.”

Adam assessed her carefully, in a way that was purely his own. His keen look made her feel as if he could see to the bottom of her soul. “Let me give you the money to get it fixed,” he said, even though he had to know her well enough to realize she wouldn’t accept. “No strings attached,” he added, as if it would change anything.

She knew he spoke the truth. She could take his offer. He would never say another word about it, but she would always know. Faith smiled for his benefit, shaking her head slightly in answer. At this point, she feared anything she said might sound ungrateful.

A wicked grin touched his lips. “So, earn the money then,” he said, settling farther back into his chair. “I’m up for a private dance. Plus, I’m a big tipper.”

A smile stretched across her lips at the ridiculousness of the notion. He watched her dance all night free of charge. Adam’s expression didn’t change making her realize he was serious. Her mouth went dry. “When?” The question came out on a croak.

He gave a careless shrug. “We’re the only ones here. Why not do it now?”

Faith chewed on her bottom lip as she tried to come up with a game plan. “Do you want to move out to the dance floor?”

Adam pushed his chair away from his desk. Waving a hand at the empty spot in front of him, his mischievous grin grew, turning almost dark. “This is a private show.”

In a last-ditch effort to make it seem less personal, she asked, “What about the music?”

“Would you like for me to hum for you?” he asked sardonically, causing her to straighten her shoulders. She was a professional. She could do this without music. Adam slid down in his seat, crossed his arms, and lowered his lashes. He was the perfect picture of a man willing to wait. Tossing her bag onto a nearby chair, she moved to stand between his knees, and wondered where she should start. She felt foolish until their eyes met. The expression on his face made her feel powerful, stealing away all her fears. It was an unguarded moment. She knew then the sexual tension she experienced when he was near wasn’t one-sided. He wanted her as much as she wanted him.

Lifting her hands, she cupped her breasts, squeezing them lightly, before moving on to the top button of her shirt. His nostrils flared. A muscle ticked in his jaw. She wondered if his dick was hard, but she refused to drop her gaze to find out. A cool breeze touched the top of her breasts as each button released. She reached the last one and his hand shot out covering hers, putting a stop to her motions.

“That’s enough.”

Their gazes held as he stood. He moved slowly, as if he feared she might spook if he was too quick. He lowered his head, pausing an inch from her, giving her a chance to back down. When she didn’t, his lips touched hers tentatively. She deepened the kiss before he had the chance to change his mind. He made a sound of approval. A chant began inside her head, drowning out all other thought. She should not be doing this. This was Adam. She couldn’t do this, but it was Adam. The same Adam she’d wanted from the moment she laid eyes on him back in high school, even though she knew she shouldn’t. He was a bad boy. He was a man you wouldn’t bring home to your mother if they knew his real profession.

She had no mother, Faith reminded herself as she dug her fingers into the waistband of his jeans, desperately trying to undo the button. When she finally managed to free his erection, Faith nearly groaned with relief as she wrapped her fingers around it and stroked upward. He growled at the motion. The sound went straight to her core, leaving behind a trail of butterflies, making her head spin. She barely registered the sound of the clutter on his desk crashing to the floor as he swiped it with his arm, leaving a clear path for her body. He pushed, toppling her over until she lay flat on her back. Between his biting kisses, her clothes melted away, almost like magic since her mind was so fogged with lust it couldn’t follow his motions. Finally, his mouth met hers once again as his hand cupped her sex. One finger slipped inside as his thumb circled her clit. She automatically tightened her muscles, squeezing his finger. A second digit joined the first. He increased the pressure of his thumb. She flew apart. Without giving her a chance to come down from her high, he slammed home, burying himself deeply inside her. There wasn’t a pause to allow her time to adjust. His mouth covered hers as he sucked her tongue into his mouth. She tried equally as hard to devour him. He moved inside her at a pace she couldn’t match, but he controlled their stride by keeping a tight grip on her hips, tilting them at the right angle to send her careening over the edge once more. He smothered her cries with his kisses. When his turn finally came, he groaned into her mouth. A knife twisted in her heart at the sound, as reality came crashing down on her. She wouldn’t be able to keep him.