Maya Banks (8 page)

It seemed the entire world had gone mad. Maybe Jupiter was out of alignment, or Mars or Venus, or whatever the fuck the planets did when people lost their minds.

"Trust? Trust? This has nothing to do with trust and everything to do with you pulling the rug out from under me. Damn it, Faith, what's going on here?"

And if Faith was hurt, Gray looked terrified. It was a fascinating thing to see this big man, an ex-cop, brought to his knees by a sweet, shy woman like Faith. Nathan remembered just how devastated Gray had been when Faith had been kidnapped. He'd never forget the terror in the other mans eyes. Love did some freaky shit to a man, no doubt.

Lust might make a man stupid, but love made him vulnerable.

"I won't have this conversation here," she said fiercely. "If you want to talk, then you can bring your carcass home on time and talk to me then."

Oh hell. The men exchanged quick looks and Nathan let out a silent groan. Gray was busted in a big way.

Gray's eyes softened. "Is this what this is about? My being late?"

"Gray, read my lips. I will not have this conversation in front of my brother and your friends."

"Hey, baby doll, don't be that way," Micah reproached. "You were here way before Gray. Just because he's a guy doesn't mean he automatically gets our loyalty."

Faith frowned unhappily. "I'm sorry, Micah. I didn't mean it that way. Look, why don't I just leave? Pop will be in any second, and he wanted to talk to you all. I'm just the coffee and doughnut provider and you all know it. I'm not having a personal discussion in front of God and everyone, I don't care how much I love you all."

"Goddamn it, Faith," Gray swore when she rounded the corner of her desk and headed for the door.

She nearly collided with Pop, who put his hands out to steady her.

"Whoa there, girl. Where you going in such a hurry?"

Pop's grizzled face softened in love for his only daughter. He was an ornery coot, but he loved Faith to pieces. Hell, they all did. Nathan wondered what in the world had gotten her so worked up. Gray didn't look like he had any more of a clue than the rest of them.

"I'm going to head home, if that's all right with you," Faith said softly. "I'm not feeling so great this morning."

Pop looked up, his eyes hard as he searched out the others for an explanation. Then he looked back at Faith and patted her on the shoulder. "Of course I don't mind. Go home and get some rest. I'll send over some lunch for you later."

She smiled wanly. "Thanks, Pop." She reached up to kiss him on the cheek, then disappeared out the door.

"Well hell," Gray muttered.

Pop strode in, a scowl bunching the wrinkles around his eyes.

"One of you want to tell me why my girl just left here so upset?"

"Ask him," Connor said, thumbing in Gray's direction. "Apparently Faith called off the wedding."

Even Pop looked shocked at that announcement. His glance at Gray was almost sympathetic.

"She got bridal jitters?" he asked Gray.

"Hell if I know. I didn't even know she'd called the thing off until I called to confirm our reservations only to discover she'd canceled them."

"That would explain you coming in here hell on wheels," Micah said dryly.

"Well yeah, knocked my feet out from under me." Gray stared around at the others and then at Connor. "Does anyone know something they're not telling me?"

They all shook their heads as fast as the question spilled out. As if any of them wanted to get involved in Faith's and Gray's personal lives.

Connor looked thoughtfully at Gray, some of his animosity fading. "She talked about you being late. Could it be she misunderstood? I mean, this surprise you're planning . . . Faiths a levelheaded girl, but once a woman gets an idea planted in her head, a man is well and truly screwed at that point."

"Are you saying she might think I'm cheating on her?" Gray asked in a strangled voice. "All because I'm late?"

"Ai yi yi, you two are giving me a headache," Micah complained. "There are plenty of other reasons a woman might get upset over a man being late home from work all the time."

"Oh yeah? Name one," Nathan said.

Micah shrugged. "Well, if he's coming home tired, she might feel neglected or like he's lost interest, or maybe she feels he's keeping secrets from her. Women are freakishly tuned in to when a man is holding out on them, I swear."

"How the hell do you know so much about the female mind?" Connor demanded.

"I've had relationships. It s all common sense. You just have to put yourself in the mind-set of a woman."

Four sets of eyeballs skittered over Micah like he'd lost his damn mind.

"Now who the hell tries to do that?" Pop demanded. "No man in his right mind ever
wants
to try and figure out what goes on in a woman's head. I tell you, its an exercise in frustration. Good way to give yourself a stroke about thirty years too early. Hell, son, I've been through two wives and three live-ins. God help me, but I prefer life as a bachelor."

Connor chuckled and shook his head. Even Micah grinned.

"He's probably right," Gray said wearily. "I've been spending all my time out at the new house. I wanted everything to be perfect so that when we came back from our honeymoon, I could surprise her with the house. Honestly, by the time I get home, all I'm thinking about is food and bed."

"Ouch," Nathan said. As dim-witted as he was when it came to women, and his current predicament sure didn't show him to be a fount of knowledge on the female species, even he could figure this one out.

"Yeah, ouch," Connor said in sympathy. "Sounds like my sister has got her feelings hurt. She's always been sensitive that way. You know that, Gray."

"Now don't go bad-mouthing your sister," Pop said gruffly. "She hasn't had the best time of it in life. She's bound to be a little insecure, especially in a new relationship. Gray just has to work harder at making sure she knows where she stands."

Gray winced and rubbed his hands over his face. "God. I can't believe I'm standing here being lectured by an old fart and three guys whose idea of a steady relationship is knowing the name of the woman they're sleeping with."

Pop punched him in the gut. "Who you calling an old fart? I'll take your scrawny ass any day of the week."

"And Nathan knows her name, he's just not sleeping with her," Connor drawled.

"Yeah, yeah, you just couldn't resist a potshot. Sure, kick a man when he's down," Nathan muttered.

He avoided Micah's gaze. There was no way in hell he was spilling the beans about what had gone on the night before. If it meant getting teased by the others because he couldn't pin the little witch down, then so be it. Better that than getting his balls handed to him if it got back to Julie what he'd done.

"Have you tried
talking
to her, son?" Pop asked Nathan in exasperation.

"Don't we have projects to discuss?" Nathan demanded. "I'm fairly certain my private life isn't one of them."

He was roundly ignored by the others.

"He can't get close enough to her to talk," Connor snickered.

"It seems to me that you have offended her female sensibilities by being a typical, thickheaded male," Pop said sagely.

"No kidding."

"So, go talk to her. Ask her out. Seems to me that's what you should have done months ago instead of going to her for massages. A man's got to speak up for what he wants, or risk losing it."

Everyone groaned. Pop was on a roll, and when he got on a roll, well, there was no shutting him up.

Gray sighed. "He's got a point. It's only when men try to do romantic bullshit that they get into trouble. I should have just taken Faith to buy the damn house and let her do all the decorating instead of busting my ass for the last several weeks to get it ready. Now I've got a woman who apparently thinks I don't want her."

"Well, you know where she is," Micah said with a grin. "I'm sure we can handle your projects for the day. I never do like to see an unhappy woman. I'd just as soon see Faith back to her old self by tomorrow."

Nathan felt yet another damn blush work its way up his cheeks when every single one of them turned and stared expectantly at him.

"What?"

"Seems to me you've got a woman who needs to hear precisely where she stands too," Pop said. "Go on. Take the day. Get out of my hair. But I'd prefer it if you boys got your heads on straight tomorrow so we can get some work done around here."

"I'm just glad I'm still single," Connor said. "Too much drama for my tastes."

"You'll get yours," Pop said as he dug around on Faith's desk for the paperwork she'd left. "The smug ones always fall that much harder."

Chapter 9

“I’ve sorta called off my wedding."

"Say wha?" Julie sputtered, her hands stilling on Faith's back.

Of all the things she thought Faith might say, that wasn't one of them. Something was definitely up with her. When she'd called to schedule a massage at the last minute this morning, Julie had canceled two hair appointments and another massage, knowing the real reason Faith was coming in was to talk.

But canceling her wedding? The mind boggled.

Faith remained quiet for a long time, and then Julie realized she was crying. Oh hell.

"Don't cry, honey," Julie said as she handed her a tissue. "I hate it when someone cries. It's horribly catching, you know? I'll be blubbering like an idiot right along with you and I won't even know why."

Faith picked up her head and laughed softly but her face looked positively mournful.

"Want me to continue with the massage or do you just want a shoulder to cry on?"

Faith sat up and wrapped a robe around her. "I'm being an idiot. I know I am. I should be talking to him, but I'm just so afraid of what he might say."

Julie leaned against the opposite table and stared over at Faith, who looked for the world like she'd lost her best friend. Hell, maybe she had. "You've lost me here. First, why don't you tell me why you called off the wedding and then we can get to why you aren't talking to him."

Faith sniffed, a delicate, feminine sound that annoyed Julie. When Julie cried, she let out big honking noises that sounded like a sick goose. Faith got to be all pretty and dainty. But then Faith was miserable, and Julie had just had the best night of sex in her life, so she supposed looking dainty and feminine wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

"I think he might be cheating, or that's what I'm afraid of." Her shoulders slumped and she looked like a deflated balloon. "That came out wrong. I don't think he's cheating, but I think he's no longer interested in me."

"Okay, but you said you think he might be cheating," Julie said gently.

"It's a fear, but honestly, I don't see him as the type. He's just too blunt. I don't think he'd stay with me if he was seeing another woman."

"But you think he'd stay if he wasn't interested in you?"

Faith flushed. "Yeah, it sounds pretty stupid, I know."

"Why on earth would you think any of it? Faith, have you ever seen the way he looks at you? I'm not defending him, okay? I just wonder why you've arrived at these conclusions. Is it your own insecurities, or has he given you a solid reason for believing them?"

"Why do you have to be so damn levelheaded?" Faith grumbled.

Julie reached out and impulsively hugged her. "I'm sorry. You're right, you know. My job is to say what a bastard he is and to offer you my unconditional support. We're supposed to go get loaded on ice cream followed by copious amounts of alcohol."

Faith offered a tremulous smile. "No, your job is to keep me real and make sure I don't screw up the best thing in my life with my ridiculous anxieties."

Julie squeezed her hand. "Now for the obnoxious questions. What makes you think he's lost interest in you, and why aren't you talking to him about this? How did he take you calling off the wedding?"

"I'm a total coward. I'm afraid I used up my allotment of courage when I decided to own my sexuality and go after what I wanted," she said with a sigh. "I didn't exactly tell him I was calling things off. He found out this morning and stomped into my office. In front of all the others."

Julie cringed in sympathy. "Ouch."

Faith's brow wrinkled in confusion. "He seemed so . . . hurt."

"Why don't you lie back down and let me give you your massage. You can tell me all about it and you'll feel the magic of my fingers."

She held up her hands and waggled her fingers enticingly. Faith looked down at the table.

"I'd rather not. My boobs aren't taking it well. Maybe I'm just PMSing or something."

Julie frowned. "What do you mean, are they sore or what?"

"I'm just off," Faith said tiredly. "I'm not myself, and I shouldn't be making major life decisions when I'm missing a few brain cells, you know?"

Julie slid onto the table beside Faith and let her legs dangle as she glanced sideways at her friend. She took Faith's hand in hers and squeezed. "This is more than getting your period, Faith. I've seen you PMSing, and please. It's like Miss Sunshine stubs a toe or something. You're disgustingly cheerful even then. So tell me what's going on."

"I'm just tired and yucky feeling. My boobs hurt, and I can't stand my office in the mornings. The smell of coffee makes me want to puke."

"Oh shit."

Faith turned sharply. "What?"

"Uhm, Faith, honey, you know I love you but even you can't be this dense."

"Stop insulting me and tell me what the hell you're talking about."

"When was your last period?"

Faith's brows scrunched up in concentration. "Well, crap, I don't know."

"I think you ought to be at the drugstore buying an EPT instead of canceling your marriage plans."

"But I'm on birth control. I mean, I've been on it for a long time."

The panic in her voice made Julie wrap an arm around her and squeeze. "Is it the end of the world if you are?"

Tears welled in Faiths eyes. "It is if Gray's already tired of me."

"Is the only reason you think this because he's been late getting home from work?"

Faith shook her head. "It's been every night. And Julie, the other guys live in the same apartment complex. They're all getting home on time, and I talk to Pop several times a week. He's not working late. And when Gray gets home ... he's just so tired. He hasn't been interested . .."