Chapter 7
“I’m sorry for locking you in the restroom. You’re not a bad person.”
Faith’s voice was hollow as she sat on the couch, staring at the pictures she had rearranged for him.
“It gave me time to reflect on my actions.” He let her see his smile and it pleased him to see the hesitant smile she gave in return. It lacked its usual luster but it was something.
“He’s been following me for seven months.” She murmured.
Landon was silent for a few seconds, “So why initiate contact now?”
Faith started and then turned to study him, absorbing the meaning behind his words.
Landon glanced at her, “Did you do anything out of the ordinary these past few days?”
Faith shook her head, “Not that I can remember. I met you yesterday, but that’s it. I’ve had those meetings with your parents but that sort of thing shouldn’t stand out.”
“You met me.” Landon murmured. “There’s a possibility that might have set this bastard off.”
“Why would it?” Faith looked wary. “I wasn’t exactly nice to you.”
When Landon snorted, she looked embarrassed, “I said I’m sorry.”
He just smirked, “That’ll be a story someday. ‘How did you two meet? She locked me in the restroom at Joe’s.’”
“Oh, get over it.” Faith muttered and had him grinning. But his grin faded. “Maybe it’s not me, then. Maybe it’s something you might consider unimportant.”
Faith stared at the pictures and then her eyes fell on one and she bit her lip, “That one.”
Landon’s brow knitted together, “What about that one?”
“You can’t see it, but I was sitting with my mother. She was passing through Charleston that day. This was one week ago. We had gone to lunch.”
Faith swallowed, “Mom asked me whether I was dating anyone and I told her no, but that I was ready for a serious relationship now.”
Landon didn’t move, “If this person was sitting within hearing range, that could be a powerful motivator.”
Faith didn’t say anything for a few seconds, and then, “What am I supposed to do? I tell the police and then what? What if he’s in my house? What if he comes in when I’m sleeping? What if it’s someone at the firm? I can’t trust anyone?”
Landon grabbed her chin in a firm but gentle hold, and forced her to look at him, “You can trust me for now. And I have some people I know who might be able to help. As for being alone, you won’t be. Till we figure this out, you can stay with me.”
“Stay with you? Landon, I’m not going to force-“
“Does it look like I’m being forced right now?” He asked her quietly, making her study the look in his eye.
“I want you.” He let her see the raw desire he’d been struggling to keep her from seeing this whole night. “In my bed. In my life. You’re the first woman who’s made me want to bend my own rules. So, no.”
He got up from the couch to move towards the kitchen. “I’m not being forced. I want to protect you.”
***
“Faith. Faith? Faith!”
Faith jumped, startled out of her daze, “What?”
Naomi blinked at her, “You okay?”
Faith struggled to get her bearings for a heartbeat, and then smiled, wanly, “Yeah. Long night.”
Her friend didn’t seem inclined to push her, but didn’t push her. She just said, “There’s a Detective Santigo on the phone for you and Jack has been texting me to ask you for the details on the Brown Junior meet up.”
“The who? And why is he texting you?” Faith grabbed her extension, and her partner replied, “Landon Brown. And he did text you. But you were too busy daydreaming.”
The office was bustling with activity at the moment.
The few hours of sleep she had managed to catch last night had been restless. And she was too agitated to focus on anything right now.
She closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge between her eyes, “Detective Santigo?”
“Miss Williams. I would like for you to come down to the station.”
Faith swallowed, “Did you find something?”
That was fast. It had just been a few hours since she had been to the station.”
The detective’s voice was calm, “I would prefer to tell you in person. Could you make some time now?”
Faith glanced at the clock, “Yes. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
She took a deep breath as she closed the phone and turned around to find Naomi watching her, worried, “What’s going on, Faith?”
Faith just gave her a tired look, “I’ll explain later.”
She grabbed her purse and left her office.
As she drove to the police station, she wondered if she should have contacted Landon, and then frowned. What he had said to her last night had taken her aback. He barely knew her, but he wanted a relationship with her?
She knew she was ready to get into a relationship but was this sexy, dominating man the right person to tread the waters with.
She was fiercely independent, and Landon was…Landon oozed dominance. She knew if she let him take one step, he would wrap himself around her till she forgot herself in him. Her attraction to him made her wary and now she could admit to herself that it was because she found herself melting at the way those beautiful blue eyes looked at her, that she snapped at him so much.
As she parked outside the station, she studied the brick wall of the building, both hands resting on the steering wheel, and wondered. She wondered if she was making a mistake in not taking up Landon’s offer to protect her. Was this her ego at play or was she too scared to lose herself in him?
It didn’t matter though, because as soon as she stepped into the station, a scowling Landon came into her view. He was wearing a tank top, his leather jacket, flung over his shoulder in what looked like an impatient gesture.
He was deep in conversation with the quiet natured detective who had been on duty this morning when they had walked into the station. The scowl on his face grew when he spotted her and she wondered what she had done to earn his supposed wrath as she walked towards them.
“Hello, kitten.”
Landon grabbed her by the waist in a gentle but firm move, not giving her time to think of a way to escape. He gently brushed his lips over hers in a greeting. Anyone looking at them would think they were lovers.
Faith’s heartbeat quickened at the innocent gesture. As her hand fell on his leg for support, the hard muscle of his thigh had her lower muscles clenching and unclenching and she bit her own lip to conceal the moan that was just building its way up.
A discreet cough had her turning around and very neatly, she stepped on her ‘lover’s’ foot, making him wince.
Detective Santigo wore an odd expression on his face but he smiled at her, “Would you like some coffee, Miss Williams?”
“Please call me Faith,” She interjected, politely, her body freezing when she felt Landon’s hand snake around her small waist and settle on her hip in a possessive move. She dared to glance up at him and found him looking unsettled and annoyed. If she hadn’t known any better, she would say he was jealous of the detective.
“You can keep calling her Miss Williams, Henry.” He growled at the detective who just grinned. The two seemed to know each other.
“Yes, well.” Detective Santigo turned to look at her, “I checked your entire apartment this morning, along with a few uniforms.”
The arm that was holding her now became something Faith held on to, as she bit out, “Did you find anything?”
The detective looked a little uncomfortable, and then picked up an evidence packet from his desk, “We found this snagged on the rose bush outside your building.
Faith’s cheeks turned pale, as she took the packet from him, “This is the blouse I was wearing in one of the – “ Her eyes turned hopeful, “Did you-“
Henry shook his head, “We searched for all those articles that you said were missing. None of those turned up. He must have been in a hurry when he took this. But,” His face turned grave. “The lock to your guest bedroom has been broken from the outside. And has been for quite a while.”
Faith sought the comfort that Landon’s body heat offered. Her voice trembled before she steadied it, “So, I was right.”
“Unfortunately. Look, I will have a uniform stationed outside your apartment till we resolve this. You don’t-“
“She’ll stay with me.” Landon murmured, rubbing Faith’s cold hands with his.
Faith glanced up at him, but she had nothing to say this time, her eyes stark.
She was silent as she drove Landon with her to the first house that he had to view. She had sent a quick text to Jack, informing him that she was showing Landon the properties and had ignored the texts from her friends.
“You’re angry.”
Faith stared ahead at the road, “I’m annoyed with you. I’m angry with this stalker who’s decided I’m his new favorite toy.”
Landon wrapped a curl of her hair around his finger, “You’re nobody’s toy, but mine.”
He tugged at the curl and she scowled at him.
“I don’t belong to you. And what was up with touching me at the station?”
Landon frowned, “Henry said you were cute.”
“So?”
“You’re mine.”
The car stopped with a sudden screech, and had Landon looking up, mildly surprised, “Are we stopping?”
Faith unbuckled her seatbelt and then rounded on him, her finger poking into his chest, “Listen here, buster. You have not asked me out on a single date. You know next to nothing about me, so when you make a declaration like that, you better have some-“
Fingers threaded in her hair and a hard mouth slammed against hers.
The shock of contact was jolting as raw electricity flowed between them.
Faith had been kissed before.
She had been kissed by Noah.
She had kissed two of her dates.
She liked kissing.
But this was not a kiss.
Landon made love to her mouth.
He toyed with her, played with her delectable lips and tasted her tongue into dancing with his. When she found herself moaning, he upped the ante, and the gentle nature of the kiss turned fierce. As if he was branding her mouth. He sucked on her tongue, making her buck against him, her entire lower body lighting up in need.
His tongue traced her teeth before he bit on her lower lip, enough for it to ache and then sucked it to soothe the sting. He dived right back in, showing her exactly how he intended to use his cock on her and Faith found her hands on his large shoulders, holding on for balance as he told her exactly why he was laying claim to her.
When he pulled away, Faith’s cheeks were flushed, her eyes dark and dazed. Her curly hair was rumpled in a sexy manner which gave away their activity.
When he smirked at her and dropped an innocent kiss on her lips, her blush deepened and she struggled to put her seat belt on.
“Well.” She said, for lack of something better to say. As the car started up again, Landon watched her try to regulate her breathing and seeing her free hand running through her hair, he reached out to hold it, and then pressed it against the tank top that he wore, right above where his heart was racing.
“This is what you do to me.”
Faith looked at his large hand dwarfing her smaller, more pale one, and the heated expression in his eyes had her looking away.
“You’re not good for my heart.” She muttered aloud, but a part of her was starting to give in to this determined man.
Arriving at the first house, Faith got out of the car, and her eyes fell on the tattoos that covered Landon’s right bicep, just as he put on his jacket. The black shades that he wore to protect his eyes from the sun, had her staring at him, and he lowered them with on one finger to look at her, “What?”
“Nothing.” Faith murmured and started walking.
He looked dangerous. In a sexy kind of way. The kind of way that made her want to kiss him again till he drove her wild.
Had she ever been that type of girl? The one who just shrugged it off and went and had a one-night stand? As she studied his profile from the doorway, she found herself really wanting to be.
Just once.
Just once she wanted to be reckless and abandon herself.
As Landon grinned at her, her heart beat faster and she whispered to herself that it might not be that bad an idea.
Despite what the man said, she found it hard to believe he was halfway in love with her. She didn’t believe in love at first sight.
But maybe, maybe she could have a short affair. A no strings attached affair, where she could just enjoy the sex.
As Landon asked her a question, Faith shook off her thoughts and told herself to focus. She had enough going on in her life without screwing up her job as well.