“You’re not disturbing anything,” Micah said. “I sent her home after you came over the first time.”
Gray cocked an eyebrow in surprise.
“Picturing Faith at The House was kind of a mood killer,” Micah muttered. “Let me get my wallet, and I’ll hop in with you.”
Gray nodded and walked back out to his truck. Mood killer? He wished seeing Faith bent over, ass in the air had killed his attraction. Instead, it had fired every single one of his kinkiest fantasies.
Micah jogged out a few seconds later and slid into the passenger side. Gray put it in reverse, and they headed out in silence. It didn’t last long, however.
“You going to tell me what went on?”
Gray stared straight ahead, his knuckles white against the steering wheel. “No.”
Micah grunted. “C’mon man. I’ll find out later anyway.”
Gray glared over at him. “I imagine if Faith wanted you to know her business she would have confided in you already.”
Micah returned his glare. “I don’t recall her confiding in you, Mr. Barge-into-the-Place-and-Haul-Her-Out-over-Your-Shoulder.”
Gray sighed. Fucker had a point as much as it pained him to admit it.
“Look, dude, I just need to know if there’s anyone whose ass I need to go kick. Is she okay?”
Some of Gray’s irritation diminished at the concern he heard in Micah’s voice. “She’s fine,” Gray said. “I stepped in before anything really happened.”
Micah shook his head. “I don’t know what’s gotten into that girl. The House isn’t a place I would have ever expected her to even know about much less go visit.”
Gray was beginning to wonder just how much Micah or any of the other guys at Malone’s, including Pop, knew about her. She was a contradiction, that was for sure. The face of an angel, sweet, innocent, soft and so very feminine. But she had a body that would tempt a man to sin. Wasn’t that what all men wanted? A beautiful, demure woman in public and a sexy firebrand in private?
He wasn’t going to speculate about what other men wanted, but he knew that scenario certainly did it for him.
“You’re way too quiet, man,” Micah spoke up. “What the hell happened tonight?”
“I’m not entirely sure,” Gray said honestly.
Silence stretched between them again. Gray caught Micah staring at him from time to time. It was only a matter of time before, like Pop, Micah started the subtle (or not so subtle) prying.
“So what’s between you and Faith?” Micah asked casually, though Gray could hear the keen interest in his voice.
Gray clenched his teeth then blew out a breath around them. “There’s nothing between us.”
“Bullshit.”
Gray looked sideways at him and frowned.
“Look, dude, I’m sure you’ve already gotten the ‘speech’ from Pop. He gives it to everyone where Faith is concerned. Don’t expect to get one from me. Faith is a big girl. Pop, well, I like the old fart, but he treats her like a piece of glass. He’s way too over-protective of her, and I understand, given the shit she’s gone through in her life, but she’s tough. Much tougher than Pop gives her credit for. While I’m not crazy about her f**king around at a place like The House, I’m sure she’s very capable of choosing the guy she gets involved with.”
“Thanks for your support,” Gray said dryly.
Micah shrugged. “I just wondered, that’s all. Faith…well she’s hot. A better girl you won’t find. I’d think you were a f**king pu**y if you weren’t attracted to her at least on some level.”
“Can we stop with all the touchy-feely shit?” Gray muttered. “You sound like a damn woman.”
Micah chuckled. “Hey, I just wanted to know if you’d staked a claim on Faith, because if you aren’t interested in her, I might ask her out.”
“Over my f**king dead body,” Gray growled. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he knew he’d been had.
Micah bent over laughing, looked up at Gray then dissolved into laughter again.
“Fuck you and the horse you rode in on.”
“Don’t you love it when a woman manages to twist you all up in knots?” Micah said around a bubble of laughter.
Gray briefly closed his eyes, as long as he could get away with as they zipped down the highway. This was a f**king mess. And he so wasn’t in the mood for Micah’s obnoxious joking.
Thank God it was Friday. He glanced at his watch. Or Saturday morning. He wouldn’t have to face Faith until Monday. But even then, he wasn’t sure how the hell he was supposed to look her in the eye.
“I’m so f**ked,” he muttered.
Beside him Micah chuckled. Gray shot him another dirty look, but Micah regarded him innocently, a smug look on his face.
“Sure you don’t want to tell me what all went on in there?” Micah asked.
“Nosy bastard.”
“Can’t blame a guy for trying,” Micah said with a shrug. “Guess it’s too bad I didn’t choose to hang out at The House tonight.”
“Yeah, that would have gone over real well,” Gray said sourly. “I’m sure Faith would have been real happy to see you there.”
Micah grinned evilly. “No happier than I imagine she was to see you.”
“Just shut up,” Gray mumbled. “Let it die already. I’m going to have to hope Faith has no more desire to rehash everything than I do.”
CHAPTER 20
What kind of twisted, weird-ass woman did it make her that when she got up the next morning, the fact that she could feel the slight ache in her ass made her all quivery inside?
Faith rolled out of bed and flexed her muscles experimentally as she stood and stretched. A warm tingle buzzed up her midsection at the memory of the night before. Gray commanding her body, making her come.
She remembered every swat to her ass, how it made her feel, the delicious balance between pain and pleasure. But more than that, and something she was starting to realize, was that her reaction wasn’t just to the stimuli, but to Gray. Otherwise, Brent would have been able to get her off just as quickly.
She yawned and trudged to her bathroom where she turned on the shower, full blast and blistering hot. Ten minutes later, she walked out of the bathroom, towel on her head and dressed in a T-shirt and gym shorts.