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“How are you getting home tomorrow?”
Faith shrugged. “Probably take a cab.”
“I’ll pick you up,” Brandon said without thought. He’d never taken off work for a woman. Ever. But the moment the words left his mouth, they felt right.
“You don’t have to do that, Brandon. You’ve been very nice and I appreciate everything you’ve done, but I don’t want to impose on you.”
“It’s no trouble, Faith. You’re still healing and in a new city. You shouldn’t have to worry about trying to figure out transportation, as well.”
“I don’t want to disrupt your family time.”
“My family gets together about once a month at my parents’ house...on a Sunday. I don’t have any other commitments. To anyone.” Brandon held her gaze, wanting her to understand exactly what he meant. True, he wanted to make sure she got settled safely, but he also wanted to see her again and learn more about her. Aside from her beauty, he was drawn to her smile and positive attitude despite her current circumstances. He probably would have been as grouchy as a bear if their places were switched.
“Oh.”
He smiled. “I’ll be here around one in case they let you out earlier. Do you have a number where I can call you?”
“I have my cell.”
Brandon pulled out his phone and inputted the numbers she recited. “Let me give you mine in case you need something before I get here.” She opened her phone to the contacts, he added his name and number and handed it back. Their hands brushed and he felt the same spark he had the night before, which made him all the more curious. Sure he dated when it suited him but Brandon couldn’t explain this attraction. It was...different.
Faith lifted a brow. “Are you sure you can take off work? I don’t want to cause you problems with your job.”
He opened his mouth to tell her that technically he was the boss, but changed his mind. Not that he’d put Faith in the same category, but since he had been appointed director of the safety division three years ago, women tended to be more attracted to the money they thought he made than him. His last long-term relationship ended when his girlfriend became angry because Brandon refused to give her two brothers jobs in management with a hefty salary, despite the fact that neither man had a college degree or had ever worked in a company such as theirs. After that, he kept his job and title to himself. “It won’t be a problem. I have enough leave time accumulated to give every employee a week off.” That much was true. He rarely took days off, and his father forced him to take at least one week off for vacation yearly.
She laughed. “Must be nice.”
The warm sound of her laugh elicited a strange stirring in his gut. “It is.”
The nurse came in with Faith’s dinner, placed it on the tray and positioned it in front of her. When Faith said she didn’t need anything else, the woman departed with a smile.
Faith lifted the dome and wrinkled her nose. “Ugh. I’ll be glad to get out of here and get some real food.”
Brandon laughed. “When you’re better, maybe we can go out for dinner or something so you can get that real food. That is if it doesn’t interfere with your business.”
She gave him a shy smile. “I’d like that.”
He wanted to stay and talk to her, but knew she needed to rest. “You should eat your dinner before it gets cold.”
“Gee, thanks,” she said with a chuckle, glancing at the tray. “That dinner can’t come soon enough.”
Looking down at the plate filled with shriveled green beans, dry mashed potatoes and some kind of meat smothered in brown gravy, he agreed. “Yeah.”
“You’re welcome to join me.”
“I would, but I had a late lunch.” In reality, he’d barely stopped for lunch and was starving. But not enough to voluntarily eat hospital food.
“Coward.”
“You’ve got that right.”
Faith winced.
“Pain coming back?”
She closed her eyes for a moment. “Yep.”
“I didn’t mean to stay so long,” Brandon said with concern.
“You didn’t. You helped me forget about the pain for a few minutes,” she added softly.
Their eyes held for a lengthy moment. “Do you want me to get the nurse?”
“I have the call button right here.” She pressed it and moments later a nurse entered.
“What can I get for you?” the nurse asked.
“The pain is back with a vengeance,” Faith said.
“On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate it?”
“Nine and a half.”
Brandon stood off to the side while the nurse checked to see when Faith had medication last. She retrieved the pills from a locked cabinet, placed them in a small cup and handed them to Faith, along with some water.
“Thank you.”
The nurse took the cup, tossed it into the trash and departed.
“That’s my cue,” Brandon said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” Unable to resist, he reached for her hand, wanting to touch her again, and placed a soft kiss on the back. Her gaze flew to his. Had she felt the same current flowing as he did?
She eased her hand back. “Good night, Brandon, and thanks for stopping by.”
“Good night.” Brandon told himself he wasn’t in the market for a relationship and he needed to put a tight rein on whatever was happening between them, regardless of their mutual attraction. Besides, Faith didn’t live in LA and long-distance relationships had never been on his list. However, he had agreed to take her to dinner, but that was it. One dinner. Nothing else.
Chapter 3 (#u57ac6e21-236f-56f1-a9ca-3a6bb78d13da)
“Got a minute, Dad?” Brandon said, entering his father’s office Friday.
“Of course.” As usual, his shirtsleeves were still down and his tie tightened. The man seemed to never break a sweat.
He glanced around the space that would be his, hopefully soon, and took the chair on the other side of the large mahogany desk. “You mind if I take off for the rest of the day?”
His father checked his watch and lifted a brow. “You coming down with something?”
“No,” he answered with a chuckle.
“It’s noon, Brandon. I can’t remember one time that you’ve left this early. Actually, I don’t think you ever have. Most times I have to threaten to have security remove you.”
“That’s cold, Dad. Anyway, I promised to help a friend.”
His dad smiled. “Go ahead. You need to take some time off anyhow. And you know you don’t really have to ask, son.”
“Thanks. What’s going on with that problem?”
His smile faded and he turned slightly to stare out of the large window that took up almost an entire wall. “There’s no change. We need to give it another two or three weeks before deciding anything.”
“You always said that I’m pretty good at negotiating, so like I said before, I’d be happy to help speed things up.”
Facing, Brandon, he said, “Not all things can be done that way, Brandon. Just be patient and enjoy your afternoon off.”
Sighing inwardly, Brandon nodded. “See you on Monday.” Patience had never been his strong suit and, at thirty-three, he didn’t think he’d ever develop the virtue. He stopped at home first to change into shorts and T-shirt, still bothered by his father’s words. His father had assured him that nothing would change pertaining to Brandon assuming the role of CEO. But Brandon couldn’t rid himself of the nagging feeling that whatever was going on would impact him. And in a big way. However, by the time he made it to the hospital, his thoughts had shifted to Faith. He had enjoyed talking with her last night and was uncharacteristically excited to see her. Shaking it off, he tried to tell himself he was just being friendly. Yet, there wasn’t anything friendly about the sensations that spread through him when she greeted him with her amazing smile. Brandon did his best to ignore them.
“Hi, Brandon.”
“Hello, yourself. I see you’re all ready.” She had on the same pants she wore the day of the accident and one of the short hospital gowns. He assumed her top had been ruined in the accident.
Faith frowned. “More than ready to get out of these clothes, take a real shower and do something with this hair.”
He smiled inwardly at Faith’s attempt to smooth down the straight, shoulder-length strands as best she could.
“I’ve already signed the discharge papers, but I need to stop at a pharmacy to fill the prescription.”
“I’m sure we can find one on the way to the hotel. Is there anywhere else you need to stop?”
She sighed. “Yes. I didn’t get a chance to go grocery shopping, so if we can find a store, too, I’d appreciate it.”
“Sure.”
A nurse came in with a wheelchair and asked Brandon to meet them at the entrance.
He took her bag and the flowers, retrieved his car and pulled into the circle driveway in front of the door. He had the door open and waiting when Faith appeared. Seeing the difficulty she had getting in, Brandon was glad he’d decided to drive his car rather than his truck. She would not have been able to climb into the cab with her injured shoulder.
Brandon reached in and carefully fastened her seat belt. “Is that too tight?” She lifted her head and their faces were mere inches apart. The air between them shifted.
“No. It’s...it’s fine.”
His gaze dropped to her gorgeous mouth. Would her lips be as soft as they looked? Her eyes widened and he heard her sharp intake of breath. What am I doing? He straightened, closed the door and went around to the driver’s side.
“Um, so where are we going first?” Faith asked as he exited the lot.
“I thought we’d drop off your prescription. It may take a while to fill. We can go to the store to pick up whatever you need while we wait.” Since her hotel was near the airport, he figured he’d find a pharmacy and grocery store somewhere along Century Boulevard.
“Can we stop at the hotel before going shopping? I really need a shower.” She gave him the name and street of the hotel.
“No problem.” As he drove, Brandon stole glances at Faith. He could tell she was still in pain so he didn’t offer any conversation. She sat with her head against the seat, eyes closed, and he noticed that she grimaced every now and again. When they reached the drugstore, the pharmacist told them the prescription would be ready in an hour, which gave them plenty of time to finish the other errands. He drove to the hotel and parked as close as he could to her unit.
Faith groaned when they arrived. “I forgot about the stairs.” Her room was on the second floor and the elevator in this particular section of the complex was out of order.
“Just take your time and I’ll carry everything up.” Once inside, Brandon debated whether to wait in the car or the room. He didn’t want either of them to be uncomfortable. But his protective side won out. “If it’s okay with you, I’ll wait here in the living room in case you need help.”
She stared at him for a long moment, and then said softly, “Thank you.”
A few minutes later, he heard water running and tried his best not to think about Faith naked with the water streaming down her body. He’d gotten the first glimpse of her shapely bottom in those clingy knit pants when she walked up the stairs in front of him, reminding him just how long it had been since his last sexual encounter. He scrubbed a hand down his face. First he was thinking about kissing her and now imagining how it would feel to run his hands over her body. “Get it together,” he muttered.
Putting sensual thoughts of Faith out of his mind, Brandon fished out his cell and checked his work emails. He opened one from the marketing department providing him with an update on how the bath rails were doing. After the lawsuit last year where a couple claimed one of the rails had broken and resulted in injury to the man’s elderly wife, the numbers had gone down. Morgan had taken the lead on the case and proved their company hadn’t been at fault, and now things were finally starting to turn around.
“I’m ready, Brandon.”
Brandon’s head popped up at the sound of Faith’s voice and he came to his feet swiftly. She had on another pair of knit pants and a loose top that buttoned down the front. She’d brushed her hair back and secured it with a headband. Her face wasn’t as swollen and the cuts appeared to be healing. “Feel better?”
“Much,” Faith answered with a smile. “Although, it took some serious maneuvering to shower and get dressed.”
They made another careful trip down the stairs to the car and he drove her to the store. As they shopped, her steps grew slower and slower. “How about you just get enough to last for the first few days or so?” he suggested. “That way you can go back to the hotel and lay down. You look like you’re fading fast.”
She gave him a wan smile. “Who would’ve thought I’d be ready to quit shopping after ten minutes?” She glanced over at the basket Brandon carried. “That should hold me until I’m able to get back.” At the register, Faith let out a frustrated sigh. “Brandon, can you please hold my purse open so I can get my wallet?”
He did as she asked and helped her slide the card. “I take it you’re right handed.”
“Yes. The only thing I can do with my left hand is type. This is a mess.”
Brandon chuckled softly as he bagged the groceries. The drive back to the drugstore and the hotel took less than twenty minutes. He set her bags on the counter in the kitchen. “Do you want me to put this stuff away for you?”
Faith angled her head. “If you could just take care of the things that need to be refrigerated, I’d appreciate it. I’ll put the rest away later.”
“Okay. You should probably take one of those pain pills.” He opened the container and a bottle of water for her and started putting the food away.
“Thanks.” She swallowed the tablet and stood off to the side.
Brandon checked the bags to make sure he hadn’t missed anything. “I think that’s it. I opened a few bottles of the water and left the caps loosened for you, same with your medicine.” With the difficulties she’d had getting her wallet out, he wondered how she would manage to cook using her left hand, but didn’t ask. It wasn’t his business. It’s not like I’m going to cook for her.
“Brandon, I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to repay you for your kindness.” Faith came up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “I’m grateful for all your help.”
The warmth and softness of her lips against his skin sent a slow burn through his body. The desire to turn his head into the kiss rose sharply and almost blazed past his carefully constructed defenses. She admittedly intrigued him, but this attraction had blindsided him and seemed to be stronger than what he had experienced with any woman in his past. He took a couple of steps to put some distance between them. “I’m glad I could help. Be sure to let me know how you’re doing. And when you’re ready, we can have that dinner.”
“I will.” She walked him to the door and an awkward silence ensued. She gave his hand a squeeze. “I’ll see you later.”
“Take care of yourself, Faith.” He reluctantly released her hand and, just like before, had a hard time getting his feet to move. Finally he forced himself to leave. She lifted her hand in a wave and gave him a smile that had his heart beating a little faster. A slow grin spread across his lips.
His smile was still in place by the time he made it home. He hadn’t gone out on a date in months due to his work schedule, and because he needed a break from the drama of relationships. But thinking about going out with Faith filled him with a strange kind of anticipation. She said she only planned to be here for a short while, plenty of time for some fun. He could work with that. Then there was that kiss. The remembrance of her lips against his cheek stayed on his mind for the remainder of the day. He knew right then he might be in trouble.
* * *
Faith awakened from a two-hour nap feeling a little better, glad that the medication had done its job. She went into the kitchen to make something to eat, but any movement of her right arm or hand caused a searing pain. She initially tried some yogurt, but eating with her left hand proved more of a challenge than she’d thought. After several frustrating minutes, she settled for a slice of cheese and saltine crackers. She went to the refrigerator for something to drink and found that not only had Brandon opened the bottles of water, but also the carton of orange juice. She sent up a silent thank-you. What she wouldn’t give to have a man like him in her life—fine, sexy and a gentleman all rolled up in one. Today had been her first chance to see him in something other than a dress shirt and slacks. Just like everything else about him, his lean, muscular body was impressive. Memories of his biceps flexing as he opened the bottles of water flashed in her mind. It’s just my luck that the one time I meet a nice man he lives in a totally different state. Faith shook her head. She took her juice to the small dining table, came back for the crackers and cheese and took a seat.
While munching on her snack, her gaze strayed to the box of letters across the room. Automatically, her thoughts shifted to the man who was supposed to be her father. And again she questioned how different her life might have been with him in it. Outside of the letter she’d read the day she received the box, Faith hadn’t gotten up the nerve to read more for fear of what she would find.
Now, however, curiosity propelled her across the room and she took out the letters. She decided to start with the newest, thinking it would give her a clear picture of Thaddeus Whitcomb now. It took some maneuvering, but she managed to get the envelope open and the paper out.
