Making the Grade (6 page)

“No, I’ll meet you—”

“Limited parking. See you at seven. Don’t be late.” He put the window up and backed out before she could argue.

The high-handed, sexy, challenging… She touched her lips, concerned to find them still puffy from his kiss. The man was hell on her self-control. If he hadn’t pulled back, she feared what she might have done in the public parking lot. And he wanted them to drive together, alone, in a car?

Giddy at the thought and telling herself not to be, she resolved to get a better handle on her discipline. It made no sense that she couldn’t control herself around a man. It was just sex that one time, after all. But Brian had been wonderful.

As she drove home, her cell phone rang. “Hello?”

“It’s me. Are you home?” Sydney.

“No. I’m on my way.”

“We’re coming over.” Sydney hung up before Faith could ask who the “we” was. Most likely Hailey and Sydney. The pair were thick as thieves since nailing the Warren brothers. Not that they hadn’t been tight before dating Gage and Derrick.

Determined to withstand the tough questions sure to head her way, Faith drove home, parked and walked slowly up to her apartment, ready to face the proverbial firing squad.

She found Hailey and Sydney laughing in front of her door.

“Ah ha! There you are.” Sydney pulled her in for a hug. Dressed in designer jeans, a cashmere sweater and diamond earrings, the gorgeous redhead looked like she was ready for a photo shoot. Hailey looked just as pretty in her flowery dress. Weren’t pregnant women supposed to be uncomfortable and bloaty?

“What?” Faith growled, waiting for Sydney’s lecture.

“Really, Faith? Threadbare jeans and a sweatshirt? That’s not how you hook a man.”

She groaned while Hailey chuckled, then let them into her apartment and motioned them to the kitchen. “Help yourselves. You know you will.”

“Damn straight.” Sydney dropped her large purse on the counter. “But I brought good chocolates, since rumor has it you’re too stupid to hold on to gifts.”

Faith glared at Hailey. “Big mouth.”

“Not my fault I told the truth.” Hailey rubbed her belly. “Besides, Junior needs his momma to be honest. Lying might taint the child.”

“Please. He’s a Warren. My bet is he leaves the womb telling tales.”

Sydney laughed. “Good one. Yeah, I have to agree with Faith. Your kid is doomed to give you trouble. Barbara said all the boys were hellions as toddlers.” Barbara Warren—Gage, Derrick and Dylan’s mother. Faith hadn’t met her yet, but from what she’d heard, the woman was amazing. A mother-in-law both Hailey and Sydney looked forward to having.

Which made her wonder… “Sydney, are you going to put Derrick out of his misery and say yes or what?”

“He has to buy me a big ring. Then
maybe
I’ll say yes.”

Hailey rolled her eyes. Everyone knew Sydney was gaga over Derrick. The man had only to breathe the words
marry me
and she’d roll over and show him her belly.

“You two are the queens of easy.” Faith snorted and accepted some candy from Sydney. “At least I’m playing hard to get. Mostly.”

Hailey choked on the sip of water she’d taken. “You had one night with Brian and slept with him. How is that
hard to get
?”

“That doesn’t count. That was an accident.”

Sydney cocked her head. “What? Did you slip and land over his dick?”

“Sydney.” Hailey started laughing.

“You have no room to talk.” Sydney turned on Hailey. “You slept with Gage on your first date. At least I had the good sense to make Derrick work for me.” Sydney gave a triumphant smile.

“I wish I’d done that.” Faith sighed. “But if
someone
hadn’t lied to me about Brian, my first date might have turned out better.” She glared at Hailey. Sydney joined her.

Hailey held up her hands. “Don’t beat on the pregnant lady. Come on. It ended well, right?”

“So far.” Faith studied her friends, then sighed and sat down next to them at her kitchen island. “I’m so over my head with this guy. It scares me.”

“Spill,” Sydney ordered.

“And consume vast amounts of chocolate,” Hailey urged. “We’re here to help.”

“I
really
like Brian.”

“That’s good.” Sydney nodded.

“No, that’s bad. Because when I’m around him, it’s
really
difficult not to want him. Like, for sex.”

“Ah, super lust. I know all about it.” Hailey rubbed her belly. “Sometimes with the right guy, the sexual chemistry just is.”

“And sometimes with the wrong guy, it just is,” Sydney countered. “I had my share of duds before Derrick. The sex was scorching, but the guys were losers.”

“Oh, yeah. I remember.” Faith had had problems, but nothing compared to the wackos Sydney had dated. “But doesn’t Derrick trump the others?”

“Hell yeah.” Sydney smiled. “I love him. It makes it so much better.”

“So you’re here to rub it in, or what?” Faith frowned. “You and Miss Baby Bump aren’t helping. Brian is not a known commodity, no matter what you two might think. He’s charming, handsome as all get out, and good in bed. Well, good on the couch,” she amended.

All three turned to stare at her sofa.

“You Scotchgarded that, right?” asked Sydney.

Faith ignored her. “But every time I’ve dated a guy with money, he’s turned out to be a dirtbag.”

“You dated them
because
they had money,” Hailey said. “You went out with Brian despite him being poor. So you thought.”

“True.”

“Now you know he’s a nice guy.” Sydney beamed. “I told you so.”

Hailey shook her head. “She’s been dying to say that.”

“Well, I earned it. I might have tried Brian if Derrick hadn’t been so annoyingly persistent.” Sydney smirked. “Brian’s nice, self-sufficient and sexy. What’s not to like?”

Hailey pursed her lips. “I don’t know that nice is all that attractive. Don’t most of us want a guy who’s not so nice?” She and Sydney looked at Faith.

“I don’t know. I’ve dated dickheads, so ‘nice’ is a pleasant change.”

“As long as he’s not nice in bed,” Sydney added. “Because that’s just boring. I’m getting the impression that’s not the case with Brian.”

Faith blushed. “Um, er, no. He wasn’t that nice.” She paused. “Problem is, we got so hot and bothered so fast. I don’t know what he’s like in bed. Not really. I’m just afraid once we do get there, then that’s all he’ll ever want to do with me. I’m not that woman anymore. I’m good for more than sex.” She kept hearing Dylan encouraging her to embrace her strengths, her worth and her dependability.

“Good for you.” Sydney nodded. “Life is too short to deal with dickheads. I never liked Sphincter.”

Faith rolled her eyes. They’d taken to calling her ex the name. Sadly, it fit. “I still can’t believe I even went out with him. I knew he’d hit on Hailey and you. What the hell was I thinking?”

That she didn’t want to be her mother—a poor, white-trash manipulator from the wrong side of the tracks, with no prospects and no financial stability. Alice Sumner had used her body as currency her entire life. Yet she’d never made it out of the tiny trailer on the outskirts of Appling. Drugs and dependence had made her into the woman she was today. Thank God Faith had wised up and moved out at the first opportunity.

“Whatever you were thinking, you learned from it.” Hailey put her hand on top of Faith’s. “We’ve all been there, with the wrong guy for the wrong reason. But happiness is around the corner if you believe in yourself. Hell. If Sydney can get lucky, anyone can.”

Laughter dissolved the somber tone that had been building.

“Now stop being so maudlin.” Sydney grinned. “That’s my word for the day. I had to use it. Tell us about Brian. I’m dying to know. Is he a shower or a grower? Or both?”

Faith gaped at her. “Sydney!”

“What? I’m in a relationship, not dead. The pregnant chick next to me wants to know too.”

Hailey blushed. “I do.”

“Oh hell. He’s both, okay?”

Sydney popped another chocolate. “Damn, girl. You hit the mother lode. So, have you been to his sister’s place yet or what?”

“We’re going this week.”

Sydney blinked. “Really? Isn’t that kind of soon for someone who wants to slow things down?”

“Freddy invited us.” Faith didn’t understand their concern.

Hailey stared at her in shock. “You’re kidding.”

“What’s the big deal? It’s a housewarming party. I thought you were coming too. Thursday night? Freddy, Dylan and Harper’s place?”

“
Oh.
That.” Sydney sighed in relief. “I thought you were talking about the club.”

“Me too.” Hailey laughed. “Wow. Imagine our vanilla friend going for the other flavors of the rainbow.”

Sydney grinned. “I know, right? I can’t see Faith there. Although Derrick’s mentioned the place a few times. I’m thinking we might try it.”

“Sydney, you hussy.” Hailey shook her head.

Her friends seemed to be speaking another language. “Wait. What are you two talking about?”

“The club,” Sydney explained, “is Augusta’s best-kept secret. A private sex club that’s pretty exclusive. Freddy runs it.”

“You’re shitting me.” Faith couldn’t believe it. Pixie-like Freddy? Brian’s little sister running a sex club? Then again, she was involved in a threesome with Dylan and Harper…

“Nope. Rumor has it Brian’s part owner.” Hailey’s eyes sparkled. “Yep. You nabbed yourself a kinky guy. He might be Goode, but I’m guessing deep down he’s
baaad
.”

Sydney laughed, and even Faith joined in. But her mind whirled, wondering just what Brian had buried beneath the surface, and what he might be like when he showed her the truth about his wants and needs.

Chapter Five

Brian didn’t understand the looks Faith kept giving him at the party. A small gathering of family and friends sat in Freddy’s new home on the outskirts of town, a grand modern structure at odds with Augusta’s Southern charm. It had been built a little over two years ago, but the home’s architect had sold the place when he’d moved back to Charleston. Since Derrick and Gage, who owned a construction company, and Sydney, a realtor, had given the place a huge thumbs-up, Freddy and her guys had purchased the place for a steal.

Now his sister and her lovers lived in a home big enough to house them all in comfort. Knowing she had men who loved and would take care of her—and yes, the thought was chauvinistic, but she was his sister—eased the worry he’d had for her for years. He liked and respected Dylan Warren and Harper Reynolds, even if he didn’t quite get the threesome concept. But hell, his sister had always been an odd duck, even as a kid.

Yeah? And what about you and your buried kink?

He ignored the thought and smiled at his companions for the evening. The Warren brothers and their significant others, and he and Faith were in attendance. A low-key evening filled with great food, alternative music and phenomenal company gave him a head start on his weekend. Knowing he’d likely spend the night with his friends, he’d moved some clients around. He had two to meet with in the late afternoon tomorrow.

Ignoring the knowing grins and nods from Freddy going from him to Faith, he skirted his sister and joined Faith when she left for the kitchen.

“Okay, I give up. What’s with all the weird looks?” he asked once he had her to himself.

She jumped at his first word, then turned from the sink clutching her chest. “Don’t
do
that.”

“Talk?”

“Sneak up on me,” she snapped.

So fiery, his Faith. “Well?”

She glanced around and, seeing them alone, pulled him closer.

“This is nice,” he began with a broad grin. But she stopped him with a hand to his chest.

“Your sister runs a sex club?” she whispered.

He groaned. “This isn’t going to be a problem for you, is it?” Despite her open attitude and down-to-earth nature, for all he knew, Faith might be a prude when it came to alternative lifestyles.

“No. But I’m fascinated. Why didn’t you say anything about it before?”

The sparkle in her eyes attracted him.
Hot damn.
She was curious, not dismayed.

“What should I have said? ‘Thanks for taking a chance on me, Faith. And oh, by the way, my sister runs a sex club. Want to go at it while other people watch? Have an orgy? Play with whips and chains?’”

She flushed.

“Do you?” he asked, stunned.

“No.” But she answered too hastily. “The sex talk is way too fast for us anyway. We’re taking this slowly, remember?”

Bummer.
“Yeah.”

She paused. “Have you ever been there?”

“Only to oversee finances or consult. I’m a silent partner. The running and success of the place is all Freddy.” He chuckled. “My sister, the mistress of kink.”

She shook her head. “She looks so innocent.”

“I know. Suckers them in every time.” He lingered over Faith’s features, taken by the slight sprinkle of freckles over the bridge of her nose that he hadn’t noticed before. So faint, but this close, he could see them. “You don’t mind, do you?”