Twenty-Five

Edwin ran his hand over Faith’s bare ass as she stood by his desk, her hands on his shoulders as he sat staring up into her eyes. “Did you have a good evening?” She had started coming in early to work at his request, so they would have a few minutes alone before the chaos began. The first morning, he bent her over his desk and fucked her, her dress hiked up around her waist, both of them fully dressed. It was quick and hard and had left her pussy sore for half the day. The next day, he made her get on her knees beside his desk and give him a blow job, not allowing her to drink anything that morning in order to taste him for a couple of hours. This morning, he merely groped her as he talked to her, a hand on her ass and a finger fucking her pussy.

Between her moans and gasps, she told him of her night and how she masturbated before going to bed. She told him about her fantasy of watching Selby fuck Tracey on the hood of her car.

“That would be fun to watch, you playing with yourself.”

She smiled at him, her eyes half closed. “Anytime you want to see it just say the word.”

“Oh, I will.” He slid another finger into her, pumping them in and out as his thumb rubbed her clit. “Today, however, I just want to tease.” He seemed to know when she was right on the edge of her orgasm and slipped his fingers out of her heated channel. He wiped them on her thighs as he smiled at her sudden frustration. “Tomorrow, you will train Nessa on your responsibilities so she can take your place while you’re gone.”

She smiled down at him. “Do you want her here in the morning just like this? I’m sure I could train her to handle your teasing as well.”

He laughed as he pulled her dress back into place. “No, I still have you for a few days. I’m sure I’ll be fine. Just teach her your paperwork.”

“You’re the boss.”

“Don’t forget it,” he said with a grin.

She touched his cheek as she gazed into his dark eyes. How could she ever forget it? He brought out the risk-taker in her, and she would not give up his hands on her reins. He knew just how to take her and make her melt. She loved the strength in his every movement. Leaning down, she kissed him roughly as if wanting to show how much he ignited her flames. As she pulled away, she gazed into his eyes again. “Never.”

Outside of her quick trysts with Edwin, Faith enjoyed the quietness of the Girls’ Den in the morning. Cherish was not there to get under her skin so fast, and Faith could accomplish quite a bit more without the distractions of the workers coming in and out. Of course, the quiet never lasted because Cherish did eventually come into the office, bitter attitude and all.

“This is the third morning in a row you’ve come in early. You trying for a raise or something?” Cherish asked Faith as she plopped into her desk chair.

Faith didn’t turn to look at her sister. “Nope, just getting a head start on things and enjoying the quietness.”

“And what’s with the dresses suddenly? This is a construction company, not a bank.”

Faith continued to click away at the keyboard. “Nothing wrong with dressing up and looking professional. Makes me feel good. You should try it.”

“What’s wrong with the way I dress?”

Faith took a deep breath, stopped what she was doing, and turned to face her sister. “Nothing is wrong with the way you dress, just like there’s nothing wrong with the way I dress. If you don’t like the comments, then you should stop making them yourself. Now, I have work to do.” She spun back around and resumed keying in her numbers.

Cherish remained silent, but Faith could hear her slamming around her desk taking out her frustration on the furniture. One of these days, she would break something important. If I’m lucky, it will be her fingers.

“Mom came over last night,” Cherish said after a few silent moments.

“That’s nice.”

“She’s not happy about Dad’s new venture. She thinks he’s being reckless.”

“I’m sure she does. Dad knows what he’s doing and deserves to give his dream a shot.”

“Even at the risk of their security, the chance of going broke?”

Faith dipped her head back and stared at the ceiling. Why did God make idiots? She turned around and faced Cherish. “Every dream has its risks. I know our father. I’m sure he has weighed them and taken as many precautions as he could before quitting his job and chasing his. I trust him. Mom should and so should you. Regardless of whether or not you do, it’s his life to do as he pleases. You and Mom have the same problem. You both want to control the lives of other people and make them do what you want them to do regardless of what makes them happy. For once, let Dad be happy.” She stared at her sister, watching as the blood boiled inside of her and filled her face with anger, her eyes narrowing to pissed off slits.

“I’m not trying to control anyone’s life, especially not yours. You can run yours into the ground for all I care. If Selby can handle you being the company whore than by all means have at it.” She turned back to her desk and jerked a drawer open, searching for anything that would take her attention off Faith.

“Company whore? You are such a….never mind. You aren’t worth the effort.” Faith turned back to her desk and stared at the screen. She knew she shouldn’t allow Cherish to get under her skin, but it seemed to be her sister’s superpower. Faith was not the company whore. She was Edwin’s whore. A smile creased her face as she thought back to his fingers in her pussy that morning. Yes, definitely his whore.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“Something wrong with our girl?” Tracey asked as she opened their lunch containers and Selby set his phone on the counter.

“Nothing more than usual. Apparently, she got into it with her sister. It’s another one of those I’m-only-going-to-talk-to-her-when-I-have-to days. It happens at least twice a week.”

“I never hear you two talk much about her brother. Do they ever talk?”

Selby popped open the cans of grape soda before taking his Styrofoam container and his seat. “He’s deep into his church activities, so we don’t see him much. He’s all right as far as people go. Sticks mostly to himself and out of the family drama.”

“Smart man.”

“It would be me if Faith didn’t work with Cherish. As it is, I’m neck deep in the family drama.” He bit into his sandwich and talked around the food in his mouth. “Sometimes, I think her family is bat shit crazy. They are mostly egos and self-righteous bullshit. All except Arni, that is. He’s the only one with any sense in his head. Poor man.”

“What do you think they would think of how you two are living your life?”

“It would be worse than it is now, I’m sure. They may even stop talking to us all together.” He widened his eyes and stared at Tracey. “You may have something there.”

She shook her head. “Family is important. Trust the girl whose family disowned her.”

“But it didn’t stop you from making your own choices.”

Tracey stared down at her sandwich, and Selby could see the pain in her eyes. “No. No, it didn’t. In the end, you have to be true to yourself and your heart, regardless of what anyone else thinks of your choices.” She glanced back at him. “We can’t help who we fall in love with. It just happens to us.”

He nodded. “True. Faith’s mother wished Faith never fell in love with me.”

“Can I ask you something? Are you afraid Faith will fall in love with Edwin?”

Selby didn’t answer right away, which scared him. Yet, he didn’t want to just spout off with a denial without really thinking it through. The truth was, he didn’t really know. Sometimes people confused sex with love or that rush of excitement of something new as love. Then they would get a few weeks into it and realize they were just horny. “I’m not afraid she’ll fall in love. I’m afraid she’ll get lost in the excitement of her adventure and forget what’s really important.”

Tracey cocked her head to the side as she looked at him, the sadness having left her eyes. “And what’s important to you?”

Selby smiled. “Family. And Edwin is not family.”

“What about me?”

“You’ve been family for quite some time now.”

Her smile made his heart jump. It wasn’t just a sappy saying, and it had nothing to do with the fact he was having sex with her now. It was the truth. Even Faith would agree. Tracey had been hanging out with them for quite a while and had become a natural part of them. Edwin was work and a diversion. Not family.

Tracey blushed when he said it and looked away, suddenly interested in what was on her sandwich. He wondered how she felt about things, about him, about them since they had finally been together. He must not have disappointed her because she kept coming back.

She glanced back up at him, her smile a gentle softness. “I like that, being part of your family.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Faith stared at her plate, tenderloin over noodles, and wondered why she had even ordered it. She was not in the least bit hungry. Ever since her verbal bout with Cherish, she could not shake the funk she allowed herself to slip into. Or rather that Cherish had shoved onto her. She tried her best to be civil to her sister, but she was damned if she would allow her family to continue to place her on the executioner’s block. How they lived their lives was up to them, and how she lived hers was up to her.

Well, her and Selby.

He tried his best to get her out of her sour mood, such as taking her out to eat. Even Edwin attempted to swing her back into a cheerful demeanor as well, but both had failed. She was just too tired of being blamed for the decisions of others. It seemed to be the theme of her life of late.

“Would you folks like another drink?” The waitress stood, smiling, beside their table.

Selby didn’t ask if Faith wanted one. He just ordered another round to go with the meal that just arrived.

“Well, look who’s out for an evening on the town.”

As Faith glanced up, she saw her father standing there beaming as if seeing them made his whole night. Beside him, purse over her crossed arms, stood Valerie Driscoll, a permanent snarl on her face.

“Care if we join you? I know you already have your food, but I feel like it’s been forever since we’ve seen you two.”

“You had lunch with her yesterday,” Valerie reminded him.

Arni glanced over at his wife, an indulgent smile ignoring her correction. “I meant together. I haven’t seen them together.” He turned back to Selby and Faith. “May we?” He gestured to the empty seats at their table.

Faith wanted her dad to join them but could do without Valerie gracing them with her presence. Still, you can’t have one without the other usually, so Faith said yes as she motioned for them to take the empty chairs. Selby appeared as if she trapped him, and he wanted to run.

“So, what brings you two beachside?” Faith asked.

“We can’t eat on this side of the bridge?” Valerie asked as she draped her napkin over her lap.

“You can…”

“Eat wherever you like,” Selby cut Faith off, probably expecting her to snap at her mother like she had her sister at work. “If you would have told us you were coming out, we would have waited for you. It’s always a treat to go out with you two.”

Arni shot him a look that told Faith he knew Selby was lying but trying to be nice. Her father gave a soft chuckle as he waved to the waitress. “Thanks, Selby. This, however, was a last-minute idea. Valerie had liver planned, and I just wasn’t in the mood. Besides, a small writers’ group meets over here, and I was thinking of sitting in and seeing what it was all about.”

Valerie rolled her eyes. Faith was about to make a biting remark, but Selby placed his hand on her arm and gave a slight squeeze. When Faith turned to glare at him, he just smiled, brought her hand up to his lips and gave it a soft kiss. “That sounds like a great idea,” he said as he turned his attention back to Arni. “Have you decided what you’ll write about, yet?”

Arni’s face lit up, excited Selby asked about his dream. “I want to write a Civil War story about two brothers fighting on opposite sides of the war and the girl they both fall in love with. I want it to take place in Mississippi, and I plan on visiting there for some research as well as vacation time.”

Selby nodded. “Sounds like a pretty good basis for a story. Have you written anything so far?”

The two men talked back and forth about Arni’s book, Selby asking a question, and Arni then going on for lengthy periods about what he foresaw in his story. Faith and her mother just sat and stared at their glasses. Her parents ordered their food, and the waitress did her best to put a rush on it. Still, Selby and Faith finished their meals by the time the other food arrived. Faith was ready to leave, but to her surprise, as well as annoyance, Selby ordered another round of drinks and continued talking to her father. Both women glared at him.

Faith should have known, however. Selby could talk books for hours, and her father always loved talking about a project of his when he was in the beginning phase. They could be there all night.

“Well, I’m excited for you, Arni,” Selby said. “Not many people have the courage to follow their dreams. It’s great to see you going after it.”

Valerie made a grunt as she cut through some of her sirloin. “He could have written his book while teaching.”

Arni took a deep breath. “I told you. I couldn’t focus properly. Besides the after-school activities, there are papers to grade and reports to read. Then, you are always dragging us to those church functions you’re so fond of. There just wasn’t enough time in a day to get any real words in. This is my shot, and I’m taking it.”

Valerie spun around and glared at him. “I drag you to church? You don’t want to be there? Well, don’t make me force you to do anything, especially take care of your family. You can write your way into perdition for all I care. It’s your life as you keep saying.”

“It is his life,” Faith snapped. “He took care of his family his entire life and did a damn good job of it. He deserves to take this chance.”

“Another dreamer,” Valerie said as she rolled her eyes.

“What’s wrong with having dreams and going after them?”

“Nothing as long as your family doesn’t suffer while you fritter your life away.”

“Who is suffering by him taking this time to make it as a writer? His kids are grown and have families of their own. And Dad has always taken care of you, so I highly doubt you would ever suffer.”

Arni reached across the table and tapped Faith’s hand. “It’s okay, honey. You don’t need to defend me. Your mother will get used to it once she sees it will work out.”

Faith turned to him. “Then, I would love for you to convince your other daughter of that as well, because she blames me for you quitting your job.”

“Blames you? Whatever for?”

Selby sipped his drink and glanced at his watch. “Time to go, I think.”

“Because she thinks that me living my life the way I want has forced you to quit your job and follow your dream.”

“Well, it hasn’t forced me to do anything, but it has given me the courage to take the chance. Life is too short, as you say, to not live life the way you want and do what makes you happy. I’ve seen how happy you two are and decided it was time to do the same. I see it more as you inspiring me than anything else.”

Faith blushed, and Valerie rolled her eyes. Selby called for the check, and Arni changed the topic. “I hear you’re going away for a week because of work. Is this a promotion, or are you thinking of moving?”

Faith laughed slightly. “Neither. Morgan wants my help getting an office back on track. They’ve had some personnel changes, and things have become disorganized. He’s impressed with the way I do things at Rutherford and has asked for my help in showing the new employees how to do things.”

“Isn’t that really Cherish’s job?” Valerie asked, an eyebrow raised.

“It’s not Cherish who has Rutherford running so smoothly,” Selby interjected. “Faith has organized things at her office. Cherish likes to call out sick.”

“She can’t help that,” Valerie said. “Jordie gets sick easily.”

“Well then, it’s a good thing they didn’t ask her to go away for a week, huh?” Selby sipped the rest of his drink as he signed the credit slip the waitress left beside him. He stood and reached a hand out to Arni. “Thank you for joining us. I wish you the best with your writing. I really am excited about what you’re doing.”

Faith walked around and hugged her father goodbye and kissed his cheek. “So am I. I love you. Sorry for anything I said that may have upset you.”

“Not at all, sweetie. Thanks for allowing us to join you. And trust me, it will be all right.”

Valerie Driscoll remained seated and kept eating.