Page 44 of Falcon

Chapter 10

Faith

He’s all I’ve thought about since I stepped into my house last night after we said goodnight.

As I undressed for bed. As I removed my makeup. As I tried to read my latest romance novel obsession.

He was even in my dreams.

His hands, and how strong they looked, were on my mind as I showered this morning, and I was thinking of his shockingly beautiful blue eyes on my drive into the office.

And now, as I am closing everything down for the day, he’s still deep in my brain.

I’m smitten, and even though I should hate it, I am loving every second of it. I shouldn’t want to be with him constantly, but I do. I haven’t felt this excited about a man in years. Maybe ever. And I won’t apologize for wanting to chase it. I just have to keep myself in check. This is temporary. He leaves like…next week.

I go through the motions at my desk, but he is at the forefront of my head and my body is taking notice. I’ve spent the day with goosebumps on my skin and a tightness in my sex. The way his lips felt against me. The movement of his tongue. His power, his scent, his throaty voice. God, I just want to…

“Heading out for the night?” Case’s voice pulls me from my fantasy, and I jump from my skin.

“Hmm? What? Yes. I am. Yes,” I say, clearly frazzled, tucking my hair behind my ears. “You working a night shift tonight?” I ask, trying to completely move on.

“Uh, no…I’ve been on duty all day, Faith.” He shakes his head. “Where are you today?”

“What do you mean?” I shut down my computer and flip off my lamp.

“You just seem distracted, is all.” He leans down to give Arya a scratch on the head, which she absolutely appreciates.

“No, I’m not. I’m okay. I guess I just didn’t sleep well.”

“Everything was okay getting home with Marco?” he asks, and I immediately know he heard about the fight.

“You heard.”

“Everyone heard. Nora pounced on him as soon as he walked through the door last night. His manager saw the video on Twitter and emailed it to her. It hasn’t gone insanely viral, but that doesn’t mean it won’t.”

I place my head in my hands and sigh.

“What happened, Faith?” he asks, and I look up into his eyes.

I recount it all to him, beat by beat. The asshole bumping me then calling me names. Everything.

“So, really, it could have been a whole lot worse,” I tell him. “How upset is Nora?”

“She’s furious. Said he has too much to lose to risk it over something so silly.”

I cringe at that statement. He was fighting over me.

“Shit. Faith, that’s not what I meant and not what she thinks either. I guess he’s had some health issues, and shouldn’t be doing half the stuff he is. She was scared.”

“Health issues? What’s wrong with him?” I stand and gather my things, but my attention is solely on Case.

“I don’t have the full story because I’m not so sure Nora does, but his body has taken some damage over the years, and his manager wants him to retire. He refuses.”

My mind does this thing when I hear new information, where it takes it, puts it into a blender, and out pops the worst-case scenario.

“He didn’t mention it at all,” I say, trying to hide the concern on my face.

“Why would he? I’m sure it’s not something he wants to talk about,” Case replies.

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