Page 64 of Falcon

“From what the doctors are saying, this isn’t a right now scenario. If it starts to affect me, it’ll be later in life.”

“Are you fucking kidding me right now? You’re a smart man. Do you know what multiple concussions can do to a person? You’re a football fan, so I know you’ve heard of CTE. Do you want to have memory loss? Do you want to live with your constant migraines so bad that you can’t even function? Some reports show that repeated concussions can cause altered personalities and intense anger, sometimes even making people act in ways they never would before. Is that what you want for your life? Is a fight worth it?”

She doesn’t give me a chance to answer. She storms off into the house and leaves me alone on the front porch.

Faith

It’s impossible to deny how close my house is to Case and Nora’s house. It’s also impossible to deny I didn’t hear that Falcon and Nora were having a very heated conversation on the front porch.

I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t try to eavesdrop. I couldn’t make out all of it, but I know she’s scared for him.

I step out onto my front porch about thirty minutes after the voices have stopped, dressed in leggings and a tank top to go grocery shopping, and I see Falcon is still sitting on the porch alone.

He looks up when he hears my front door close, and a small smile plays on his lips. I pull my crossbody bag on and walk over toward him.

“You okay over here?” I ask, standing at the bottom of the steps.

“Yeah. Yeah, I am.”

I don’t push. I don’t ask about the argument. It’s not my business, really, so I opt for distraction because that sullen look on his face tells me that’s what he needs right now.

“If you don’t have plans today, I was going to run some errands and could use some muscle to help me out. Know anyone who could assist?”

“Is there compensation?” His voice slides over my skin and makes me tingle at the thought of exactly what I’d like the compensation to be.

“After the job is complete, we can have a discussion as to what I feel you’ve earned in regards to payment for your time.” I tilt my head with a smile. “So…you in?”

“Not in yet, baby, but I have a feeling I’ll be very in something by the end of the day.”

I shake my head and laugh, playing it off, but honestly, hearing him say things like that to me makes my body physically weep with pleasure and need.

“I don’t know,” I say, with a flip of my hair. “I could be sick of you.”

He tosses his head back and laughs, but it isn’t as full of life as it has been before. He’s carrying something heavy on his shoulders and it hurts me to see.

“We’ll see about that.” He rises from his seat and steps down the stairs toward me. He stops one step up so he towers over me more than normal. “So do I have the job?”

He cups my face in his hands and glides his thumb over my bottom lip, pulling an involuntary shiver from my body.

“You’re hired.”

***

The drive from my house to the grocery store passed with his hand on my thigh, the windows down, and the two of us simply talking about our favorite movies.

I’m flabbergasted he’s never seen Pretty Woman and he is impressed I understand the magnificence of Reservoir Dogs. We both hate westerns and have an affection for musicals. He says it’s because his mother loved them, so it was instilled in him at an early age, and he continued appreciating them because they make him feel close to her.

The more he speaks, the more I learn about him; the more I want to learn everything. I want to know his favorite color and food. He fascinates me. He’s so kind and tender. You’d never think that if you looked at him on the base level. He’s beautiful, stunning even, sexy, and between the way he makes me feel with his words and the way he makes me feel with his cock, I just want to—

“Earth to Faith.”

His voice pulls me out of my thoughts that I absolutely shouldn’t be having in the middle of the produce section.

“Hmm? What? Sorry. Yes. Avocados are needed. Lots of them.” I take a breath then turn my attention back to the task at hand.

“What has you so distracted?” he asks, as he examines the produce like he’s done this a time or two.

“Just going over my list in my head,” I lie.

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