Reece's Faith (91 page)

The actress mumbled in her sleep as Reece carefully dressed her. The smile on her face made the club owner stop and stare for a few moments in order to admire the cute lips as they curled upwards.
Plenty of time for that later, she thought. A lifetime to watch her sleep.
Reece turned her head and took a deep, shaky breath.
Am I ready for that? Is Faith ready for me?
The club owner shook her head to rid the fear and buttoned her shirt. She hesitated with her jacket as the thought came to her again.
Forever. Jeez...
Another deep breath and the club owner steadied herself. She knelt down on one knee and barely touched Faith's cheek with her fingertips.

The actress made a contented sound and pressed her face closer to the pleasant sensations, reaching out blindly to find the source.

Reece placed her hand in Faith's wandering one and smiled weakly as the smaller fingers instinctively threaded themselves with hers.
God, Faith, I can't promise forever,
she thought, feeling suddenly distraught.

As if she sensed Reece's fear, Faith's eyes opened and locked immediately on blue ones. Upon seeing the confusion, she sat up and squeezed the hand she was holding tightly. Reece looked away and Faith got scared. "What is it, Reece?"

Faith's voice was still scratchy from sleep, but Reece heard the fright. She shook her head and stood up, pulling Faith upright as she did. "We should get home."

"What am I doing on the floor?" When she got a shrug in response, Faith tried to read her lover's face in the dark room, but was at a loss. "Please, baby, what's going on?"

"Nothing. Just thinking, is all," Reece smiled tightly. "Come on, I can't sleep on that couch another night."

Faith sighed in disappointment, not buying that pathetic excuse for a smile. "Alright, I'll let it slide for now, but you are going to have to start talking to me, Reece," she said sadly.

The club owner made the mistake of looking into Faith's pained eyes. They stared at each other for a few seconds before Reece felt her stomach flip and had to look away. "I'm sorry, Faith." Reece reached down and scooped up the puppy. "It's not that I don't want to tell you. I'm just..."

The actress bit her lip. Reece sounded genuinely sorry. If only Faith could figure out what she was apologizing for, she could help her through this. She moved to face the tall woman and wrapped her arms around her securely. "It's okay, hon, when you're ready, you'll talk to me."

Reece blew out a breath of relief. "I love you," she whispered as she kissed the top of Faith's head. "I'm trying."

"I know and that's all that counts. Let's go, I can't wait to feel the bed under me."

Reece handed Faith the pup and scooped her up into her arms. "And I can't wait to feel you," she wiggled her eyebrows.

"Yeah?" Faith couldn't hide her excitement. "More?"

Reece put her down when they reached the street. "Much more," she leered.

 
*  *  *

A week later, Faith was waiting on Reece at the set. They never talked about what was bothering the club owner that night, but after a few chats with Cori, they came to a conclusion that made sense. Faith was breaking down all of the tall woman's barriers and this had to be scaring the shit out of her. Reece's life had changed so drastically in such a short time, the dancer was surprised that her old friend was reacting as lightly as she was. She warned the actress to beware; that Reece was liable to freak at any moment. Faith was quick to say she could handle it, but Cori wasn't so sure. Now, as she sat in her trailer, Faith was having second thoughts herself.

Reece's mood had been darkening for a few days and Faith was starting to worry. Everything set off her tense lover lately and this morning, Reece had been brooding over some insignificant thing. When Faith mentioned that fact, Reece had gotten hostile.Faith hated leaving her in such a state, especially after they had words, but she could not stay home, she had to go to work. Besides, she wasn't so sure she'd be able to deal with the angry woman without having an all out screaming match. Having never fought with Reece like this, Faith was relieved to hear that she was coming to pick her up.

Reece frowned as she drove towards the set. It was a bad morning, which led to a worse day, culminating with an excruciating evening. Reece had two choices for how she ended the day: going out and getting plastered or seeking comfort where she was sure it was waiting for her. She chose the latter after some serious contemplation. The club owner dressed and undressed so many times while she wavered between choices that her bedroom looked like the closet had exploded all over it. Reece sat impatiently at the red light, revving her Harley, just to hear the noise. Her decision scared her, she never went running to anyone except Frankie before and those times he was already dead. She felt a frightening weakness at the prospect of needing Faith so badly, but the need was strong and she couldn't deny it. She wished she didn't feel so anxious, so uneasy. There really wasn't anything to panic over, she convinced herself earlier, but, nonetheless, her heart was racing.

Faith heard the distant rumble getting closer and she, too, panicked slightly. She was unsure of which Reece was going to open her trailer door and the thought of the woman she left this morning being in such a state on that motorcycle made her break out in a nervous sweat. The sound of the bike got impossibly loud and then stopped. Faith stood and opened the door to watch her tall lover throw her leg over the seat, stand up and then reach back down into her saddlebag and pull out a package. She watched curiously as Reece tucked it under her arm and strode quickly towards her trailer, stopping in front of the three steps that led to the door.

The club owner was trying her best to act cool and controlled while all she wanted was Faith to wrap herself around her and hold on tight. She was Reece Corbett, for chrissakes, The Animal. She didn't need a hug!

Faith watched the conflict play in her lover's eyes and, when Reece finally looked up at her, she looked like a deer in the headlights. The actress motioned for her to come in and thought back to Cori's words,
Reece Corbett never felt anything but anger and triumph until you came along. She was trained to never give in, you told me that. You tore down her walls and made her feel so much more. She gave you her heart and her trust. She gave you those to control and now she doesn't know what to do. Tread carefully, Faith.

When Faith looked up again, Reece was leaning her foot on the closed door, fingering the package nervously. The actress could see the tension rolling through her tall frame. Reece was on the edge.

"Watchya got in the bag?" Faith asked as she sat on the bed.

"I brought you those pastries you like. From where you used to live."

Faith studied Reece's expression. She was tight lipped and her brow was furrowed. "From Veniero's? What would you be doing down there?"

Reece shrugged. "I just figured you haven't been back there since you moved in with me and you might have missed it."

Faith smiled and shook her head. She got up, stood in front of her tall lover and took the bag, throwing it on the table. "I don't miss it, Reece, I don't miss anything about my life before you."

The club owner backed up against the door until she was flat against it. "Faith, I don't know if I can do this!" she blurted out loudly, like she had been holding it in forever.

"Wha..?"
Where did *that* come from?
"What are you talking about?" Faith grabbed Reece's arm, pulled her to the bed and pushed her down to sit.

"Just everything! I love you, but I can't promise... don't you get it?" Blue eyes darted everywhere but at Faith. Feeling exasperated, she stood and paced.

Cori was right. It seemed Reece was falling apart and Faith felt responsible. She stood in Reece's path, stopping her from going any further. She wrapped her fingers around the taut biceps and squeezed. "Reece, look at me. You have to tell me what you're thinking or I'll never be able to make sense out of times like this. Just a hint?" Faith cocked her head and tried to lighten the mood with a grin. Reece was terribly upset and Faith needed to know where to start damage control.

"Isn't it enough that I love you?"

"Yeah..." Faith waited for more.

"So why do you need promises? Forever is a long time, Faith!" the club owner seemed to be arguing with no one.

It was almost a whine and that's where it all made sense. Faith blew out the breath she was holding with great relief.
This, I can fix.
She led Reece back to the bed and pushed her back down again. "Sit," she ordered when Reece tried to stand.

"I can't sit still," Reece explained.

"Then fidget, but pay attention to me." Faith pulled up a chair and sat in front of her lover who was now drumming her fingers on her thighs. "I never asked you to promise me anything, Reece.
You
asked
me
to promise you that I'll never go away. Do you remember? Christmas day?"

Reece nodded. She remembered, all right. She remembered more than she wanted to. "Yeah, I was really gone, wasn't I?"

Faith smiled in memory. "Oh, but you were sooo good," she leaned in and kissed Reece's nose, then pulled back and stroked the strong jaw line. "Baby, I know you can't make me any promises... and that's okay. I believe in you and that's all I need to get me through. I trust you with my heart. Honestly, I trust you with my life."

Reece closed her eyes and let Faith's touch soothe her. The knowing fingers found their way into her hair and she leaned heavily into the feeling.

"Forever
is
a long time," Faith whispered before she slipped her free hand around Reece's back and pulled her closer. "Please don't be scared of us, I know it's overwhelming sometimes..." Reece nodded into her neck and she kissed her head to reassure her. "It makes me think, too, but I'm not afraid. I'm more amazed that you would want to keep me around, more than anything else."

"Are you retarded?" Reece pulled back from the comfort of Faith's neck. "Me keep
you
around? I'm bowled the fuck over every time I wake up and find you in my bed! Are you serious?"

"Well, yes. God, Reece, how hard it must be to have to share everything in your life with me after you've been isolated emotionally for so long," Faith continued to stroke Reece's hair, running her fingers through the thickness, calming herself as much as Reece.

"It felt right, I never stopped to think about it. I want you there." Faith smiled doubtfully. "Hey, one insecure, emotional cripple is enough in this relationship, don't you think?" Reece pulled Faith close again and hugged her, burying her face in the safety of her neck.

Faith was startled with that act. Reece was never the needy type and it certainly felt like she was craving to be held. "What else is wrong, Reece?"

"I had a rotten fucking day and just really wanted you to hug me. Is that alright?" she asked timidly.

"It's more than alright. After this, I'll hug you all the way home, too."

"Thank you, Faith. I love you." Faith tightened her hold and rocked a little. "Never thank me for loving you."

 
*  *  *

Reece's fear abated as they rode home with Faith's arms wrapped around her. She knew it was for her own safety, but Faith reassured her by rubbing her belly and touching her thighs at every red light. At first, Reece felt stupid about the way she had acted, it was a knee jerk reaction to her fear, but Faith's hands soothed away the feeling and now she felt comforted and much more relaxed.

Reece cut the engine and guided the Harley around the corner of Bank Street. Faith thought it was sweet the way she turned off the bike before they reached their block as a courtesy to their neighbors. As a result of this act, more times than not, Reece was forced to push the Harley into a parking spot and she never complained once. The actress tightened her grip around Reece's ribs and leaned her cheek against her back.

The bike came to a stop besides a small space and the club owner grinned at the tight grasp. "You can let go of me now."