Fighting Faith B&N 2 Read online

  “Good, I felt bad about it.”

  “No need,” Faith said, smiling up at the waiter who handed her a menu, then took his time filling her glass with water. He seemed to take a special interest in looking down her dress, but Faith pretended not to notice.

  From the other end of the table, Eric pounded his glass on the table. “We’d kinda like some water down here, if you’re not too busy.” The whole group looked at him in surprise, Faith included. Setting her glass back down on the table, the waiter quickly went to work filling the remaining glasses. As he listed off the specials of the evening, obviously flustered, he stammered, making one mistake after another. Faith worried that she’d perhaps gone overboard when choosing her attire.

  When the man finished and left the group to look at their menus, Tim said, “They must not get many beautiful women in this place; the poor guy didn’t even know how to act.”

  Faith smiled, grateful for the compliment that eased the awkwardness at the table, until she heard Eric’s voice speak up. “He probably just recognized her as a regrettable one night stand, and hoped she didn’t recognize him!” He laughed, but he laughed alone. Tim rolled his eyes and shook his head, very familiar by now with the “put down” game the two played. Faith had no comeback this time, however, and continued to study the menu.

  When the waiter came back to take their order, he asked, “Is this all together, or do you need separate checks?”

  “Put it all on one,” Eric told him, “except for the lady at the end. She’ll need her own ticket.” He nodded toward Faith.

  Sarah gasped at his rudeness, but Daniel spoke up first. “Eric! How can you be such an asshole?”

  “What? I happen to know that Faith has plenty of money right now. She can pay for her own dinner.”

  Daniel looked at Eric in disbelief, and turned to the waiter, “One ticket and I’ll take it.”

  “Fine, all on one, but give it to me,” Eric said, shooting a nasty look in Faith’s direction. His behavior didn’t shock her; she was glad to see that nothing had changed, and Eric was being his usual rude and idiotic self, with just a tad more emphasis on the idiot part. She spent the rest of the dinner tied up in conversation with Sarah and Jose, relieved not to have to hear anymore from the dimwit at the end of the table.

  When the meal was through, Sarah and Jose took to the dance floor. Faith danced a couple of dances with Tim and Daniel, but then excused herself to the ladies room. On her way back, their waiter cornered her in the hallway. The nervous man stammered through an awkward apology for his earlier behavior.

  “I just, well…you’re really pretty, and I can’t help but be very attracted to you. I don’t suppose you’d consider going out with me sometime?” he bravely inquired just as Eric was passing by, having to squeeze past them in the narrow hallway to reach the men’s room. She had to think for a moment about just how far she was willing to go to get under his skin, but decided it was best to draw the line at accepting a date with some guy she didn’t even know and wasn’t attracted to, even though he was very nice looking.

  “You’re sweet,” she told the young man, “but I have a boyfriend.”

  The waiter nodded. “It’s a shame he’s not here. Maybe he could give that jerk at your table a lesson on manners.”

  “It wouldn’t help,” she said as Eric re-entered the hallway a little too soon. “Some people are just assholes and can’t be helped.” She made sure to look directly at him as she said it, but he had no reaction as he passed.

  “Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me,” the waiter smiled at her as he took his leave.

  Faith returned to the table to find it all but deserted. Only Eric sat at one end, watching the dance floor as though he didn’t see her. Determining that she was tired of the game, she decided to call it a night. After signaling to Sarah that she was leaving, she gathered her sweater from her chair. The waiter returned to the table to ask if they needed anything else. Coldly, Eric told him they were fine.

  Faith reached in her pocket and pulled out the two, one hundred dollar bills Eric dropped onto her that morning. Turning to Eric, she said, “Thanks for dinner Eric.” When she was sure he was looking, she handed the money to the waiter, “I’ll get the tip.”

  Both Eric’s and the waiter’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. She could have sworn that Eric’s face turned a little grey with the exchange, while the waiter looked like he might faint from happiness.

  “See you tomorrow,” she said as she left the table, only slightly regretting the expensive message. She really needed the cash, but the look on Eric’s face was worth it. Money well spent, she decided as she walked out the door.

  ~

  "What the hell is your problem?" Sarah asked, taking the seat next to Eric's." I've never seen you treat anyone that way, least of all, a woman. You're the 'nice guy,' or, at least, that's what I've always thought about you."

  He was ashamed of his behavior, once again, and he could feel the blood rushing to his face as Sarah questioned him. Yeah, dumbass, what is your problem? He took a long swig of his beer and continued to hold it in his hand as he set it back on the table, tilting it in a circular motion so that the base of the bottle traced its future spot, the same way his tongue had teased Faith's clit earlier that day. Eric felt his dick go hard and begin to throb. He slammed the bottle into place.

  "I don't know why. She just rubs me the wrong way, and don't act like I'm the only one to blame here; she's a nasty bitch to me too. You've seen it yourself, plenty of times."

  Sarah narrowed her eyes and shook her head. "It's just weird. You're like a different person when she's around; your personality changes."

  Eric was well aware of the bizarre transformation Faith brought about, and he was at a loss to explain it. And today, that transformation became even more bizarre. It wasn't just a change in his personality she caused; he now had a physical reaction to her that was beyond his control, and he hated her for it.

  Jose moved from the opposite end of the table to sit next to Sarah, giving her a kiss as he sat. "What are you guys talking about?"

  "Where discussing what an asshole Eric is to Faith," Sarah said.

  "Yeah, what's up with that?"

  "Nothing's up with that, there's nothing to talk about," Eric said as he stood. It was time to find someone to take his mind off the subject that had bothered him all day. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to find someone to dance with and see if maybe I can get lucky tonight." He shot the two a wink as he wandered away from the table, in search of anyone that could occupy his mind, but more importantly, someone that could satisfy his suddenly insatiable lust. At the bar, he found a likely candidate and sidled up beside her.

  "Are you here with anyone?" he bluntly asked the voluptuous blond.

  The woman slowly looked him up and down. "No, no I'm not," she said, obviously liking what she saw.

  "Good, neither am I. Can I buy you a drink?"

  "That would be nice." She turned to him and extended her hand, and as she did, Eric caught a glimpse of her ample bosom that threatened escape from her low-cut, loose dress. "I'm Vivian."

  "Nice to meet you Vivian, I'm Eric." When the sight of her braless nipples tenting the material around them did nothing to arouse him, Eric knew his quest would be more difficult than he thought. He left Vivian at the bar after a few drinks and many attempts to create a connection, and went home alone.

  Chapter Four

  The sun lit up the pavilion as it made its descent to the horizon, despite the rain that fell in torrents all around them. Eric wore a path around the protective structure, irritated that nature stopped what, up until now, had been an especially productive day. Faith told them a few scenes of the band playing outside in beautiful surroundings would break up the monotony of the studio recordings, and give some depth to the production. He knew she was right and he was increasingly impressed with her imaginative management of the film, but if they were in the studio, they would still be w
orking instead of sitting around, waiting out the rain. Any break in a well flowing session pissed him off. It was hard to find the rhythm once things came to a halt, and he blamed her for the time lost.

  Faith wouldn't look at him when his path led him past her. She focused on her book alone, and that made him angry too, as though she should be apologizing for the weather instead of taking advantage of the break.

  "Eric, will you please sit down," Daniel said. "You're not doing anything but making us all antsy."

  "I don't even know why we're still here. It's not like we'll be able to do anything, even when the rain stops. It's gonna be too wet."

  Without looking up from her book, Faith said, "It will dry fast. It's warm enough and there's enough sun left. Some sunset shots will be great, especially with the air so crisp and clear."

  Eric stormed toward her. Leaning against her chair, he growled, "Our equipment will get wet, you stupid bitch!" He pushed himself off the chair and continued his pacing. When he glanced her way, he saw her cheeks flushing, but her gaze was still fixed on her book.

  "You know Eric, I know a thing or two about electronic equipment," she said without looking up. "The concrete will dry first, and that's where we'll set up. I won't let anything happen to your stuff. If we have to, we'll set up in here. In fact, it would make for some really good footage."

  He was aware of her knowledge of electronics, and felt silly for his outburst, but he also felt better, now that Faith knew he was holding her responsible.

  "Are all the windows in the van rolled up?" he asked no one in particular.

  "Yes Eric," Sarah said, "I made sure they were all up." She stood and walked to the railing of the gazebo. "Hey look, a double rainbow!" she pointed at the colorful arc as the rain began to let up.

  Eric watched Faith put her book down and join Sarah to look at the sky in awe. In just an old pair of jeans and an even older ZZ Top t-shirt, she still looked as sexy as hell. Although rainbows didn't impress him much, Eric took advantage of the distraction and made his way to the railing, careful to stand as far away from her as he could. When the rain first came, they were all drenched within a minute as they ran from storing the instruments and equipment in the van, to the gazebo. Faith's wet shirt left little to the imagination, and he was sure that was the reason she secluded herself from the group and immersed herself in her book. Thankfully, her shirt had since dried, but the damage was done; his impatient tirade was more about covering his physical reaction than any break in schedule.

  "Holy shit, can you see? It's a triple rainbow!" Jose said, pointing at the massive bow.

  "I should get my camera," Faith said, backing away from the railing.

  "I'll get-" Eric caught himself before he ran to fetch her camera for her. She stopped and looked at him in surprise. "I'll get the van pulled up closer so we'll be ready to unload." He fumbled in his pocket for the keys and sprinted down the steps. What the fuck is wrong with me? Next thing, I'll be offering to rub her feet!

  He darted through the raindrops and dove into the cover of the van. Once inside, he draped himself across the steering wheel and tried to ignore the throbbing in his pants. I need to get laid, tonight. It's the only way I'm going to get her out of my head. He pressed his hand against the stretched fabric of his jeans, willing his erection to go away. It didn't, so he unzipped and fisted himself, looking for relief. He pulled a tissue from the box on the dash to catch the evidence of his fantasy replay of his encounter with Faith on her deck the week before.

  The memory turned him on more than anything, except Faith herself, but it also twisted his gut— the violence of it made him feel like a rapist, yet he had only been responding to her physical reaction to him. I never would have done it if I didn't think she was into it, and she would have called the cops if she honestly felt like I raped her. Eric decided then and there that rough sex play was off limits in the future, even if a partner wanted it that way. The uneasy feelings left behind were too intense, too scary.

  After a while he realized that his hand wasn’t going to bring the release he needed. Frustrated, he started the van and pulled it closer to the gazebo. The rain had stopped.

  "What took so long?" Jose asked when Eric rejoined the group.

  "I think I dozed off for a few minutes." Everyone had retaken their seats around the open area. Faith was back to her reading. "Is the rainbow watch done?"

  "Yeah," she answered. "We'll give it some time to dry up a little bit, and then we'll start to set up in here."

  "You just love calling all the shots, don't you?" he sneered.

  "Isn't that what you're paying me to do?" she looked up from her book.

  "Sometimes, I have to wonder what the hell we are paying you to do. So far, it seems like we're paying you to fuck up our schedule." It was a difficult thing to say, especially since they were paying her less than half her going rate.

  "Fuck you, Eric," she said, her eyes never leaving her lap.

  "Anytime, bitch, anytime." He walked away in disbelief, wondering that he'd let himself do it again, as his friends stared at him, open-mouthed, once more.

  ~

  Faith hesitated again as she turned the key in the ignition, unsure of what she was about to do. The idea played through her head all evening long as she paced her living room. Possible outcomes, repercussions, the craziness of the idea had her heart pounding out of control all night. Though it wasn't an outright invitation, she took it as one. "Anytime, bitch, anytime…" The words crashed around in her head since they left his mouth.

  For over a week, she resisted the temptation to jump him if they were alone, to pull him to the ground by his ears if needed. The fire that burned inside her blazed too hot to extinguish. She wanted to feel his touch again. To hell with what she thought of him- that didn't matter. All she could think about was his lips on her body, his rock hard cock breaking through to explore her depths.

  She put the car in gear and sped off into the dark night, determined to make it happen. Before they left the shoot, Eric mentioned he was going out, so she knew he wouldn't be home. As she turned into the driveway, the house was dark, confirming his intentions. Not even a porch light lit the woods surrounding his home. Faith waited a moment and put the car in reverse. She backed out into the street, drove a block ahead, and parked the car. Ominous lightning flashed across the sky as she got out and headed back the way she came on foot.

  The front door was unlocked and she let herself in, closing the door quietly behind her in case he was home and sleeping. She opened her cell phone to find her way through the great room that served as a living room and a bedroom. The bed was made and empty. Faith removed her clothes and slipped under the sheets. Then, she waited as her heart threatened to break free of her chest.

  It was over an hour before headlights lit up the room and she heard a car door close. And then another. Shit, he's got someone with him! This was not a contingency she planned for. She listened close and heard a woman's laughter. The urge to grab her clothes and flee the scene came too late; she heard the doorknob turning. I guess it's all or nothing. Here goes—

  She came up to her knees and perched with the sheet tightly clasped over her breasts, straddling it between her legs. Eric held the door open while the woman entered, and as he closed it behind them, he flipped on the lights. The woman at his side gasped in surprise.

  Faith was no longer frightened; the woman looked like someone Eric picked up along the roadside. She wore platinum hair extensions over her own, obviously dyed-blond hair, and leopard print pants with a gold belt and matching shoes. The make-up on her face threatened to crack when her jaw dropped. Eric stood beside her in wide-eyed shock.

  "Who the hell is that?" the woman demanded.

  Faith didn't wait for Eric to reply. Instead, she plastered her own look of rage on her face and exclaimed, "His wife!"

  Eric shook his head in disbelief, as though trying to make sure what he was seeing was real.

  "Here I thought I'd come hom
e early, and surprise you for our anniversary, and you come home, dragging this slut behind?"

  "I…I wasn't expecting you…honey." Eric tried to hide the grin spreading across his face, eager, it seemed, to play along. "I mean, I'm sorry Babe. I remembered our anniversary and thought you might come back early, so I brought along Sally here for you. I know you love threesomes," he tried.

  "Oh, fuck that! I'm outta here— you bastard!" Sally turned and wrestled with the doorknob, her long nails scraping the door as she frantically tried to escape. Without a word, Eric opened the door for her and her heels clacked down the wooden steps of his porch.

  Faith’s fear returned as she waited for Eric's reaction.

  "So, what are you doing here, Faith?" he asked as he closed and locked the door.

  "What do you think? You said 'anytime.' Remember?" She took a deep breath and dropped the sheet as lightning cracked overhead and the room grew bright around them. Silently, she thanked the heavens for the well-timed effect.

  Eric approached the bed and licked his lips. "I did, but it was more a figure of speech. What makes you think I'd want to fuck you again?" He cocked his head to the side.

  Faith mustered her best, seductive smile. "Maybe because you couldn't get Miss Fancy Pants out of here quick enough." She looked down, "Or maybe it's because your dick is about to burst through your jeans."

  He reached out to touch her, but she yanked the sheet back up to cover herself. "I can leave if you'd like."

  His head shook in reply as he pulled the sheet out of her hands. One hand slid around to squeeze her ass, the other hand cupped her breast as he leaned down and sucked her nipple into his mouth. Like the lightning outside, bolts of pleasure coursed through her body, and her breath caught in her chest. He climbed onto the bed to meet her, turning to attend to her other breast. She pulled his shirt over his head as he slid his hand between her thighs, inching along her sensitive flesh, but stopping just short of her aching sex. A cry of disappointment escaped her lips when his upward journey ended.