Sharing Hearts

Chapter One

Chapter One

“HE’S NOT TAKING you to a bar?” Faith Greer didn’t miss the shocked tone in her husband’s voice. She couldn’t say she blamed him either. She was just as shocked as Selby seemed. “I thought for sure Morgan would want to finish your little playtime from your time with him in Tampa. What gives?”

Faith sighed dramatically. “I think I’m losing my s*x appeal. Three weeks ago, this man barged into my hotel room, ripped my shorts off, and covered my p***y with whipped cream and a strawberry and ate it out of me. Now, he's not even flirting with me.” She laughed. “I’m not sure how to take it to be honest. He seems totally distracted.” Morgan Brewer had called her a couple of weeks ago, asking if she would fly out to Biloxi and help train his new crew for Rutherford Construction, flying her out on a Tuesday and promising to send her back home that Friday. So far, he had been the perfect gentleman, and Faith had not been ready for that. She had actually looked forward to the distraction, considering the tension back home. While it appeared her sister, Cherish, wasn’t going to get divorced, their mother still blamed Faith for the chaos of her sister’s life. Faith kind of hoped Morgan would have given her something else to dwell on for a while, like his hard c**k pounding into her.

Selby chuckled in her ear. “What’s her name?”

Faith felt her brows pinch together. “What’s whose name?”

Selby chuckled even harder. “The only thing that would keep him from trying to add your notch to his bedpost would be another woman. So, who is she?”

Faith had to give her husband kudos. He was always the observant one, pointing things out to her that were right in front of her face, but which she never saw. “Now that you mention it, he seemed adamant about me meeting Jacqui Karston.” Faith sat on the edge of her hotel bed, one finger twirling her wheaten hair. “To be honest, she’s the only one he keeps talking about, and he has that gooey, puppy dog look on his face every time her name comes up. He’s supposed to pick me up in about thirty minutes to take me to her father’s house so he can do some repairs. I’m telling you, Selby, I’ve never seen him this way. It’s kind of creepy and sweet at the same time.”

“Well, I guess when you find that special someone you tend to slow down on all the other games,” Selby said. “Maybe that’s what he found there.”

She felt the smile crease her face knowing he referred to how they ceased their swinging for the time being because of Tracey Williams, the fiery redhead who owned the bakery across from Selby’s bookstore downtown. For the past year, Selby and Faith had explored outside s****l relationships to find some adventure and new experiences. During that time, Tracey had befriended them and then became a vital part of their lives. While Faith explored a s****l relationship of dominance and submission with her former boss, Edwin Coldwell, Selby had created his own fun with Tracey. However, the smaller woman had always made it abundantly clear that she wanted to be with Faith, as well. Over the past three weeks, they had followed the path in front of them, and Tracey spent more and more time at their house. If Faith had to guess, she would say the redhead was there now with Selby, keeping him company, not that Faith would blame either of them. While they had slowed down on their outside adventures, it didn’t mean they would turn down a golden opportunity when it presented itself. Faith had thought her trip to Biloxi to help Morgan Brewer train his new crew would have been just that, as well, a golden opportunity. However, two days had practically passed, and he still hadn’t even so much as tried to grab her ass once. It boggled her mind.

“You’re probably right,” she said. “And, if that’s the case, I’m genuinely happy for him. He deserves it. Of course, that doesn’t mean I won’t miss the chance of seeing whether he was all talk or could actually make me curl my toes when he f****d me.”

Selby busted out laughing to the point Faith had to pull the phone away from her ear for a moment. She stared at the phone, smiling and shaking her head. “You crack me up,” she heard Selby say as she placed the phone back to her ear. “God, I love you, my little tart.”

“I know,” she said, grinning. “And you love me just the way I am. Just so happens I love me this way, too. Now, I need to finish getting ready before Morgan gets here. As eager as he seems to help this Jacqui Karston out, it won’t do me any bonus points making him wait on me to get ready. I love you. Enjoy your night and give our girl a hug and kiss for me.”

“I will, no worries. Have a good time.”

Faith hung up the phone, tossing it on the bed as she stood to get a clean shirt. She had just pulled it down over her head when the knock came at her door. Glancing at her watch, she grinned at the fact that Morgan was almost twenty minutes early. Yeah, this boy has it bad for whoever this Jacqui Karston is.

After slipping her feet into her sandals, she snatched her purse off the end of her bed and headed for the door. When she opened it, Morgan had his back to the door, his hands clasped behind him as he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet. “Are we feeling just a little impatient?” she asked, pulling the door closed behind her.

He gave her a sheepish shrug. “What can I say? I promised Bert I’d be over soon, and I don’t like making people wait.”

She slung her purse over her shoulder as the two of them headed for the elevator. “You told him you’d be over? You didn’t mention me?”

Morgan shot her a curious look, brows pinched together. “What difference does it make?”

“Well, he might not want extra company in his house, especially a stranger,” Faith told him. “And you might want to give Jacqui a heads up. She won’t appreciate you bringing another woman into her father’s house without a warning.” She stopped in front of the elevator and hit the DOWN button. “I’d hate for her to get the wrong idea.”

He waved off her statement as the elevator doors whooshed open. “Jacqui isn’t that uptight. She’ll be fine with it. Trust me.”

Faith made a loud snort of derision as she shook her head. “Famous last words. Don’t say I didn’t warn you when this blows up in your face.”

By the look on Jacqui’s face when she walked into her father’s house and noticed Faith standing there, Morgan should have taken Faith’s advice. Jacqui stood there, her mouth open as she glared at first Faith and then Morgan. A clueless Morgan as it turned out. “Hey there,” he said, a sappy smile on his face as he stood up from where he had been working on repairing part of the baseboard.

“What the hell is going on here?” Yeah, she was definitely less than enthused. Jacqui turned and headed for the other room.

Morgan stared at her, wiping his hands on a towel, and Faith felt bad for the man. “What do you mean?” he asked as he followed the tall blonde. “I’m fixing your dad’s bathroom. What do you think is going on?”

Faith followed them into the kitchen, knowing Morgan was in deep s**t and didn’t even know it. Poor guy. Faith had tried to warn him. “I think I know what she thinks is going on,” she said, hoping she could help diffuse the situation. “And you’re wrong.”

Morgan bounced his gaze back and forth between the two women, his brows pinched in confusion. And then his eyes went wide as realization finally struck him. “Oh… No!” He smiled as he rushed toward the woman he was ga-ga over, and it brought a smile to Faith’s face as she watched him, glad that he finally had someone in his life he cared whether or not he hurt. “Jacqui, I assure you that isn’t what’s happening here. This is Faith Greer,” he said as he pointed to Faith, who just stood there watching as Morgan tried to stop digging the hole he found himself neck-deep in. “We flew her in from the Brevard office to train my new staff. She’s just keeping me company instead of being cooped up in her hotel room all by herself.” Tossing the towel on the counter, he reached for Jacqui and placed his hands on her upper arms. “There’s nothing exciting going on here except her handing me tools when I need them.”

The look on Jacqui’s face told Faith she wasn’t really buying it. Or, if she was, she wasn’t happy about the way she felt about the scene she just caused. “I have to go.” She set some bags on the table. “There’s pizza on the way, and here’s some wine. I have beer and tea in the car; I’ll leave them with you in case you don’t want the wine.” She didn’t say anything else. She just turned and started back out the way she came, and Faith’s heart ached for the other woman.

“Jacqui, wait.” Morgan cried out after her, but she kept walking. He glanced at Faith with questions pinching his brows before turning to follow the other woman. “Jacqui!”

She showed no signs of stopping.

Faith watched as Morgan scurried after the other woman, amazed at how different he acted toward this one than anyone else Faith had witnessed him with before. It was obvious the man cared for Jacqui, and that it wasn’t just for business or to notch his belt. He had changed in a short amount of time, but then again, as Selby said, people do that when they find the right adventure staring them right in the face. If someone had asked Faith if she thought Morgan Brewer would ever be anything other than a horn dog trying to get in as many ladies’ pants as he could, Faith would have said they were delirious, and yet, here she was watching it happen right before her eyes. He had come a long way since Neal Rutherford transferred him from the Brevard offices to Biloxi. Jacqui Karston must be one amazing woman.

A few minutes later, Morgan reappeared with a sheepish looking Jacqui in tow. Faith could tell the woman seemed more embarrassed about her earlier outburst than angry now and didn’t want the tension to continue. “Hi there,” she said, reaching out and taking Jacqui’s hand in hers, a smile decorating her lips. If she could help get Morgan out of the doghouse, she would. He deserved some permanent happiness in his life. “My name’s Faith. Morgan’s told me so much about you, and, for the record, I told him he needed to warn you, but when do men ever listen.”

Jacqui smiled back, squeezing Faith’s hand in greeting. “They don’t. And I’m sorry my mind went…”

Faith laughed, waving off the other woman’s apology. “It’s Morgan. My mind would’ve gone there, as well. I love the blouse you have on by the way. It’s gorgeous.”

“It is at that,” Morgan said, and Faith noticed him looking Jacqui up and down for the first time since she arrived, an approving smile toying with his lips. “Not your typical business attire. I’m glad you decided to relax some. I like it. Now I wish I would’ve left Faith at her hotel.”

Faith giggled as Jacqui blushed. “Thank you,” Jacqui said.

“Why don’t you two set things up out here, and I’ll go clean up my mess,” Morgan suggested.

As he disappeared down the hallway, Faith could tell Jacqui wasn’t comfortable being left alone with her. With a deep breath, Jacqui turned, and Faith could tell the smile on the woman’s face was forced. “If you’ll get some plates, I’ll scrounge up some wineglasses,” the blonde said. “Unless you want beer. Or tea. I brought both.”

“Wine is fine with me,” Faith said, hoping her smile would put the woman at ease a little. Faith started opening cabinet doors in her search for the plates. “Morgan says he’s getting the place ready for your father to move back in. How long has he lived with you?”

“Just over a year. He moved in right after the accident. Sophia, my housekeeper, already lived with me, and it seemed easier for her to take care of him at my place.”

Faith nodded as she set three plates on the Formica counter. “Wow. That’s a long time. It’s going to be a big change for you. You ready for it?”

Jacqui stared at the wineglass in her hand for a moment. “Not in the least. But I know he is.” She glanced around her father’s house. “He belongs here.”

“I imagine he’ll be happy to be around his own things again.” Then Faith’s lips curved up in a mischievous grin. “So, tell me about you and Morgan.” She placed her hands up in front of her, fingers intertwined as she checked the hallway to make sure Morgan wasn’t returning. She knew there was more than just what Morgan told her. Jacqui liked him, as well, that much Faith could tell by the woman’s reaction when she spotted her. “He talks a lot about you.”

Jacqui’s gaze followed Faith’s to the hallway, but Faith knew it wasn’t to see if she was about to be busted talking about Morgan. No, that smile on the woman’s face said Faith had been right in the other woman’s feelings toward her former boss. “He does?” She turned back to Faith, her face pinched in regret. “Look, I really am sorry for earlier.”

Faith waved off the apology. “I can see where the thought came from, but I assure you, it’s strictly work. I was actually surprised myself when he didn’t even hint at anything happening in my hotel room. Morgan behaving is a shock, so that’s why I asked. Something has him being the good boy, and you’re the only person he’s talked about. So, what’s the scoop?”

Jacqui shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know that there is a scoop.” She let out a deep breath. “To be honest, I’m not sure what’s going on. When I first met Morgan, it was like two bulls in a china shop. We butted heads and bristled each other’s feathers. Some of it, I think, he did on purpose just to see my reaction. I’m not sure if that’s not what he’s still doing.”

Faith shook her head. “Nah. Morgan plays his games but messing with people’s heads is not one of them. If all he wanted was a booty call, you’d know it. This…” Faith waved her hand at the hallway and the man behind it. “This is Morgan having a heart. I like this look on him. He deserves someone to care about and who cares about him.”

Just then, the doorbell rang, and Jacqui turned to answer it, assuming it was the pizza she ordered for them.

Faith watched as the woman walked away, staring after her as she held the wine bottle in her hand, ready to pour. A month ago, all hell broke loose at the Brevard offices of Rutherford Construction when she found out that Edwin Coldwell had been f*****g her sister, Cherish, before he started playing s*x games with her. Cherish drop-kicked the man’s balls into next week, and Faith merely ended things with him. Neal Rutherford, however, sent Edwin to Savannah to escape the scandal and Morgan to Biloxi, although technically, Morgan didn’t do anything wrong except turn a blind eye to Edwin’s womanizing. Faith shook her head as she turned to pour the wine. Edwin had called just before she left for Biloxi, apologizing for hurting her, telling her he loved her, and wanted nothing but the best for her. She admitted she loved him a little, as well, which is why she needed to end things. Her s****l adventures were never meant to lead to anything emotional, and the moment she found herself getting lost, she pulled the plug on it. Of course, she had done it almost too late, Selby warning her she traveled a dangerous road, but she had allowed her bitterness with her sister to cause her to hold off on ending things until the damage was already done. While she managed to walk away unscathed, the others had been burned by the fire of their passion. Edwin and Cherish deserved it. Morgan did not.

Still, Faith had another adventure, this one with Selby, that seemed to be going well for the time being. One more day and then she would be heading back home. But, if she was honest with herself, she had to admit, she wished she was there already. There were a lot of things to figure out still, like how far did she want to really go with Tracey Williams? While she kept saying the fiery redhead was a part of her family, saying it and making it real were two totally different things. What would it be like to live as a threesome as opposed to keeping Tracey out at arms’ length? While Faith’s honey dripped thinking about it, her mind twirled with the dangers and possibilities. Was it something she could really do, or did she need to end it before everyone got hurt even more? She wished she knew the answer to that. She wished she knew a lot of answers, to be honest.