Brandon placed his arm around her shoulder as they walked across the lot. “I can’t believe you’re still laughing.”
“I can’t help it, and you should’ve seen your face.” After her statement, they’d missed most of the remaining lights and he barely cracked a smile. “Are you always so serious?” She unlocked the door.
“Sometimes, but I smile when it’s called for,” he said, following her in and closing the door.
Faith elbowed him playfully. “You can smile a little more. Go ahead.”
He smiled.
“Aw, come on. You can do better than that. It won’t hurt.” She placed a hand on his arm. “I promise.”
Brandon threw his head back and laughed.
The rich, warm sound filled the room. His eyes sparkled and her belly flipped. He had a beautiful laugh.
“Come here.” He gathered her in his embrace. “You’re something else, you know that?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” she teased.
His smile faded and he traced a finger down her cheek. “I want to kiss you again, Faith.”
Faith nodded her consent and was, once again, swept away. His hands roamed down her back and settled on her hips briefly before moving around to cup her buttocks. She moaned, slid her arms around his neck and drew him closer. He gripped her tighter and pulled her flush against his erection, turning her legs to jelly. She felt the slide of the zipper on her dress, then the warmth of his strong hands on her bare back. He pushed the dress off her shoulders and charted a path of butterfly kisses along the column of her neck and over her shoulder. She knew she should stop him, but the sensations whipping through her had her in such a haze that she could do nothing but stand there and feel.
He gently turned her around and trailed his tongue down the center of her spine while his hands caressed her breasts. Faith’s breaths came in short gasps and her knees buckled. “Brandon,” she pleaded.
“I can’t stop touching you and kissing you.” Brandon spun her around and captured her mouth again in a scorching kiss. “If you’re not ready for what I want to give you, tell me now.” He nipped her bottom lip. “Say something, baby.”
Her body wanted him so bad, but her head just wasn’t ready. She’d barely known him three weeks. Her inner self warred for a few hot seconds. “We need to slow down,” she finally managed. “I don’t think I’m ready yet.”
Brandon lifted his head and nodded. He redid her clothes and wrapped his arms around her. “Whenever you’re ready, just let me know. If you just want to talk, tell me. You want me to massage your back, to touch you like this.” His hand skimmed her thigh. “Or kiss you,” he continued passionately, “call me. You won’t have to beg and I won’t make you wait. All you need to do is ask.” He reclaimed her mouth in a long, drugging kiss. Then he was gone.
Faith collapsed into the nearest chair. “Lord, what a man!”
* * *
Brandon left Faith and drove straight to the gym. His body was so aroused and wound up he would never sleep tonight if he didn’t work off the sexual tension. A cold shower wasn’t going to cut it. After forgetting his gear a few weeks back, he’d started keeping a bag in his trunk and it would save a trip home first.
At this late hour, he prayed Khalil had already gone home. If he saw Brandon, he would immediately know what was up. And after all the teasing Sunday, that was the last thing Brandon needed. He had enough problems. The emotionally charged words he spoke to Faith had come from a place deep inside him he didn’t even know existed. He had never uttered anything like that to another woman, and in fact made a practice to steer clear of any sentiments that could be misconstrued as him wanting anything beyond the moment. Maybe it had to do with the intimate atmosphere at the restaurant. Yeah, that’s it. Shaking it off, he chalked it up to a strong physical desire. As soon as they slept together, he’d be back to normal.
He changed clothes and headed for the treadmill, scanning the room and upstairs offices for his brother. All the office lights were off. Relaxing, he started the machine.
Five minutes into his run, Brandon’s mind went back to Faith—the smooth texture of her dark brown skin, the alluring swell of her breasts above the black lace bra and the intoxicating taste of her lips. If she hadn’t stopped him when she did, he would not have left until he knew every inch of her sexy body. Intimately. So lost in thought, he didn’t realize he’d slowed down. Brandon stumbled and almost fell off the machine. He gripped the bar and cursed. Regaining his balance, he focused on finishing the thirty-minute cycle.