her even more determined and anxious to explore her most secret desires. He br

here was nothing secret about it. And he’d have to be awfully thick not

s, Gray was that man. He talked the talk, but then she’d had a

want. She sensed this was the first big step, and once she embraced this

her desk. Then she logged onto the internet and opened an e-mai

se with his friendly, open attitude. He’d encouraged her to ask questions and in return had given her

ngon look-alikes, she’d e-mailed Damon to ask what she should wear. Because if she was expected to don a black

e environment she was entering tonight would be raw and expl

net, researched all the links that Damon had sent her, and she’d even worked up the nerve to sneak into Micah’s apartm

she wanted to try. All she needed now was a willing partner, and maybe a better understan

and more than a little ridiculous. She slapped her hand

ached for the phone. “Mal

tched over Faith’s ear like a tree branch on a tin roof. “

ajoling she was so used to h

ection, Faith gripped the phone tighte

n a distant sound raised her hackles. She pressed t

get the money, or yo

s that?” Fai

ering voice. “It’s nothing you

me of regrets. Celia would never change. Faith had to accept that. S

er voice got stronger and steadier as she allowed the force of her anger to spill out. “I have

eyes with the back of her hand. “But I hate what you’ve become—what you’ve always been. I don’t want any part of my old life bac

was her or her mother. She hung up the phone with sh

nked the cord from the wall and flung it across the room. She lowered her head again and wept. Noisy, raw so

o her mother? Why did she give Celia

ed her shoulder,

urgent entreaty cut through

emotional outburst. What if Pop or Connor had been the one to walk in? She’d

or him not to see her tears. Her chair moved slightly, and she gla

her chin and tugged, forcin

ay?” he ask

mouth, and she clamped her lips shu

the back of his knuckles over her cheek then tucked h

“Really. I feel like such an idiot

u’re not the type to overreact.

he was insulting his intell

ng I want to discuss. Can you understand that?” She

for a long mome

of her eye. Their gazes met and

” he whispered, his v

” she mur

ss

e y

hovering precariously close to hers. Her sudden intake o

nst her. Their tongues met and tangled. She gasped for ai

He pulled outward then sucked it farther into his mouth. His tongue licked

ment was the man in front of her. His touch, his kiss, his very es

ched toward his neck until one hand cupped the nape of his neck, pulling him cl

a sound of sweet agony. The tension between them that had, over the last f

nted to feel his bare flesh. Impatiently, she yanked until it came free from his j

er hands worked higher, gliding over the mus

over her cheeks. There was strength in his touch. A

assionate kiss but instead remained still. His body tensed u

she wh

ween them, souring the moment. His hands fell away from her, and he pushed

e rubbed up and down in agitation. “God, Fait

nted it to happen. You wanted it to happen.

turned to look at her. His eyes blazed with a multitude of emotions. Desire still flamed brightly, so she

ake of his head. “I took advantage of you in a we

ve been working up to this point for the last several days. You know it, and I know it. It was as inevitable

ll, Faith, I want you so bad, I ache. But it sho

of her office, leaving her to ponde

ord, and she heaved a sigh. Pushing herself upward, she went over to retrieve the cord she’d yanked in

l socket then glanced uneasily back at the phone, hoping to hell it didn’t

lly get the message and stop trying to contact Faith? She doubted it, but then she’d never

nally crawling out of your shell and embracing

he was content with. She was finally spreading her wings and stepping out of the shadows of her past. Finall

was out there, just out of reach, but close. Maybe she’d

she squared her shoulders and made a silent vow to hersel

. Ten o’clock on a Friday night. Everyone likely had plans that didn’t i

und back, because if he was seen, he didn’t want to appear as though he had anything to h

ing. He disabled the security system before he took a step forward, and then, no

ation until he was damn sure no one was around, and he wouldn’t risk discovery. He walk

outine phone calls before he finally came to the one he wanted. As Faith’s mother’s voice a