Reece's Faith (92 page)

"Can't you just park it with me on it for once? I don't want to let go," Faith said as she rubbed her cheek into Reece's jacket.

"I have to get off too, babe, the space is too small." Faith whined. "You can assume that position when we get inside, okay?"

Faith pouted and got off the bike. "Oh, alright." Reece climbed off and threw her helmet at Faith, running her hands through her short hair out of habit. The actress put the helmet under her arm and took off her own. "Do you miss it?" she wondered.

Reece backed the bike into the small spot and was bending to put the lock in place. "Miss what?" she asked curiously.

"Your hair. You always used to run your fingers through it after a ride to get out the tangles and I was just wondering..."

Reece took Faith's hand and they walked the steps to their house. "Sometimes I do, but I don't much think about it. Do you like it like this?"

Faith reached up and scratched her nails lightly across the back of Reece's neck making her hunch her shoulders. "Yes, I really like it," she snickered at Reece's reaction.

"You like this new power you have now, don't you?" Reece growled trying to rub away the tingling sensation that Faith's nails had caused.

"Oh, yeah. Immensely," Faith smiled seductively.

"I bet." Reece opened the door and scooped up Smudge. "How's the little man?" she impulsively kissed his head and winced at Faith's gasp.

"I saw that! You kissed him!" she yelled once the door was closed.

"Yeah... yeah. So what?" Reece said defensively. "I like him." She checked his food and water before putting him down.

"Don't worry, hon, I won't tell anyone," Faith teased her uncomfortable lover.

Reece narrowed her eyes playfully and stalked Faith. "You better not or I will have to silence you, sweet thing." She backed Faith against the wall and leered at her.

"Yipes!" Faith yelped when Reece leaned all her weight against her. She feigned a swoon. "What will you do to silence me, oh, tall, scary, sexy hunk of woman?" she wiggled her body suggestively into Reece.

"If I tell you, I will have to kill you," Reece leaned down for a kiss.

"Then draw me a diagram," Faith replied before her lips were covered completely.

 
*  *  *

The incessant ringing woke Faith out of her sleep. She reached across the bed to elbow Reece, but she wasn't there. Faith looked at the clock and decided that it was way too early for anyone to be ringing the doorbell and they would have to die. Standing with a sigh of annoyance, she made her way to the stairs. Halfway down, the ringing finally stopped and she heard as their guest was greeted to loud, whispered curses from Reece.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Cori? Faith is still sleeping!"

"Well, that's a good thing, Reece. You'll never guess who I ran into this morning."

From where Faith was standing, Cori looked mad. She ducked up a few stairs when the dancer let herself in.

"By all means, make yourself comfortable," Reece said sarcastically, closing the door. "So, who was so important that you had to tell me this early?"

"I ran into Michele and Christina."

Faith saw Reece grimace. "Yeah, so."

"Reece! Why didn't you tell me?!"

"So, I had something to do with them meeting, I thought it was a match made in heaven, anyway," Reece shrugged.

"That's not what I was talking about and you know it!" Cori fumed.

Faith watched in shocked curiosity as her friend pushed Reece down on the couch.

"Hey!"

"You were brought up on rape charges and you never told me!?"

RAPE!
Faith sat down on the stairs as her knees went numb.

"Shhh... Cori, what are you nuts, screaming like that?"

"You haven't told Faith either! What's wrong with you?"

"She didn't have to know. It was attempted rape and it was a crock. The charges were dropped, anyway."

"Reece! Are you stupid? What happened to the shit you said about sharing with Faith, telling her your feelings? What if Christina shows up or Faith hears it from someone else?" Cori arrowed her eyes and folded her arms across her chest.

"You wouldn't!" Reece dared.

"Don't tempt me. Was this because of New Year's? When you turned her down?"

"Yeah, it was a revenge thing; she was humiliated and she filed a ridiculous charge against me. It was bullshit and she had to drop the charges. Nikki told her she was being an asshole," Reece shrugged.

Faith digested the information. Reece's explanation put her at ease but there was still no excuse for why she wasn't told. She felt hurt.

"But that doesn't answer why you haven't told Faith. I can understand not telling me, but her?"

Reece looked very guilty. "I wanted to, but she started having shit at work and then the club took off... after the charges were dropped, I figured what the hell."

"Reece, those are some serious charges to have on one's record. Please, tell Faith," Cori pled.

Faith agreed with Cori. She was pissed that Reece didn't tell her, but she felt oddly comforted that Reece thought to hold something this monstrous inside to spare her.

"It's not on my record, it's taken care of, but I'll tell Faith, okay? " Reece ran her hands up and down over her face in irritation. This wasn't how she planned this morning.

"Okay. Hey, how did you get those two together?"

"I have my secrets. Let's just say they have a common enemy."

"You're such an asshole. You won't tell me?"

"E-mail, Cori. I sent Chris an accidental e-mail from Michele complaining about me to some phony person. I assumed they'd hit it off."

"You are so lucky, Reece. What if they didn't? You'd have two crazy women on your back."

"Only two? Where's Faith figure in there?" Reece joked.

Faith frowned on the stairs and decided it was time to show her face. "Where does Faith figure into where? Good morning, Cori, you're here early," she leaned over and kissed her lounging lover.

"Mmmm, morning, beautiful," Reece murmured into Faith.

"Hey, I was just leaving, Faith. I'll let you two get on with your morning rituals," Cori smirked at the embracing kissing women.

Reece broke the kiss when she heard the door close.

"What was she doing here so early, Reece? Was it important?"

"Uh, yeah," Reece lifted Faith onto her lap and rubbed her shoulders nervously.

Faith wished this wasn't going to be so hard, but she wanted to hear it.

"Remember New Year's? What I told you about Chris in my office?" Reece started.

"Yes, when she tried to take advantage of your... situation?" Faith offered to help her struggling lover.

"Well, she went off the deep end and filed charges against me, saying I tried to... rape her."

"And..." The actress tucked a bit of hair behind Reece's ear.

Reece eyed Faith suspiciously. Why wasn't she freaking out? "And, well, I was arrested and taken to jail for a few hours."

"Oh, baby, why didn't you tell me? I know how hard it must have been for you to be there!"

Reece leaned back and studied Faith's face. "I just told you I was arrested for attempted rape and you are okay with that?"

"Reece, you'd never rape anybody. I feel awful because I couldn't be there when you needed me the most."

"Good god, Faith!" Reece's eyes were wide with astonishment.

"What? What happened to the charges?" Faith let her fingertips wander down Reece's shoulders and arms.

"They were dropped. They were bullshit," Reece closed her eyes at the pleasurable sensations Faith's fingers were causing.

"I can't believe you were in jail and you didn't call me. I'm hurt, Reece."

Reece looked like she was going to cry. "I never want to hurt you, Faith. I'm so sorry."

"Then why didn't you tell me?" the actress began a teasing motion across Reece's ribs and up and down her sides.

Reece readied herself. She took a deep breath, grateful for the feel of Faith's fingers calming her soul. "It was a horrible day. I had a hellish nightmare, I got into a fight with some would-be muggers and then I was arrested. I didn't want you to see me like that. I didn't want to scare you... or disappoint you. That dream, Faith... it was because of Christina."

"Honey, that was why you got yourself so drunk that day, isn't it?"

"Yeah. It was stupid. I should have called you," Reece clenched her jaw and turned her head.

Faith persisted. She drew both hands behind Reece's head and forced her to face her. The pained blue eyes looked into hers and Faith felt the emotion in her own stomach. "Oh, Reece, I love you. You wouldn't have disappointed me. You wouldn't have scared me, either. You wouldn't hurt me."

"That day... I don't know, Faith. That dream... it was disturbing," Reece admitted quietly.

"What happened in that dream?" Faith asked while smoothing the worry lines in Reece's brow.

"I said it was because of what happened with Christina."

Reece's pulse sped up in fear and her mouth went dry. Faith saw her swallow and wondered what could have made the strong woman so scared. She remembered the panic in her lover's voice, the dream Reece desperate to save the dream Faith. But from what?

Reece's gaze flickered to Faith for an instant and the actress felt her fear.

Because of what happened with Christina...
It dawned on Faith what could make Reece so frightened. "Reece, did you... force yourself on me in your dream?

Reece swallowed hard again, "Worse. It was The Animal, and she... liked it."

Faith pulled her trembling lover into a hug and kissed the top of her head. "So, that's why you didn't let me touch you... that's why you made me touch myself."
God, I was teasing her, testing her relentlessly... but she didn't leave. She trusted me... us.

Reece nodded and kissed Faith's arm.

"Shhh, it's okay, Reece. I'm so proud of you. Had I known what kind of day... what kind of dream you had, I wouldn't have done what I did that day."

Reece chuckled, "I passed out on you. I never did that before."

"Well let's hope you never have to get that drunk again. Next time you want your way with me or The Animal wants her way with me, I want you completely sober. I don't want to miss a thing."

Reece grinned wildly, "You want the Animal to have her way with you?" She extricated herself from the embrace to look into Faith's eyes.

"I love The Animal, Reece, especially when she has her way with me," Faith wiggled her eyebrows and licked her lips.

"Oh, you're going to open up that can of worms, aren't you?" Reece teased, willing The Animal to come out right that second.

Faith pulled Reece's face between her breasts and wriggled. "I can hardly wait."