The Rutherford Series

5. Chapter Two

FAITH SAT AT her desk, spinning a pen in her fingers as Jed Jorrell went over the Polawski file with her. Rutherford was in charge of building a series of office buildings off Babcock Street for Mr. Vincent Polawski, and while everything Jed recited was routine, not to mention boring, Faith enjoyed listening to him talk. His tone was deep and playful, and you could always hear a smile in it, even when he read boring reports. She never noticed before how intoxicating his voice was. Nor had she noticed his hands with their long, thick fingers she could imagine caressing her n*****s into taut, little pebbles aching for him to pinch them.

Faith gave her mind a mental shake, bringing it out of its bedroom thoughts, and sat up straighter in her desk chair as she focused on what Jed said. However, she blushed at the wetness between her legs. She couldn’t believe how easily her mind went to s*x these days. She had worked with these people for four years, and for the first part of that, the majority of her time at Rutherford really, she had only seen them as coworkers. Now, everyone had the potential of being a f**k buddy, at least in her fantasies.

She blamed Selby. Ever since he took her to that festival in Key West, s*x seemed to be a permanent thought in her mind. The past few months had been a whirlwind of sensations she never thought possible and which now battled inside her mind against what others told her as she grew up was right and wrong. At times, it was all very confusing.

“Did you hear any of that?”

Faith glanced up and saw Jed handing her the manila folder, which held the report he just finished reading, and which she had ignored. She felt her face flush as she took the folder. “Of course, I did.” Yet, she knew Jed had caught her daydreaming. It was a good thing he couldn’t read her mind. Her p***y grew wetter at the embarrassment of being caught.

Jed just laughed. “Sure you did,” he said as he stood. “Well, everything’s in there if you need to look it up.”

“Thanks,” Faith said as she watched him leave her office, still chuckling.

When he left, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. My god, Faith. What has gotten into you? But she knew. What she didn’t know was why the embarrassment of being caught, lost in her private fantasies, caused even more excitement between her legs.

As soon as Jed cleared the doorway, Edwin walked in, his cigarette resting behind his ear. Faith glanced at the clock. 10:15. He was right on time. “How are you girls doing?”

“Doing well,” Faith said as she watched Cherish stop what she was doing and grab a cigarette from her purse. “Break time, I see.”

Edwin smiled at her. “Lung killing time. Be glad you don’t smoke.”

“But why? If I smoked, I’d get extra breaks.” Faith smiled back. “Maybe I should just pretend, so I can stand outside for a while.”

“Perhaps you should just work.” Cherish walked over to where Edwin stood. “Shall we?”

Edwin glanced at her and then back at Faith. “Did you want to take a break and join us? It’s a gorgeous day outside.”

Cherish’s mouth dropped open for just a moment before she caught herself and clamped it shut. Still, it was obvious to Faith her sister did not care for the idea of Faith tagging along. Of course, that alone made her want to join them. Instead, however, she said, “No, thanks. I was just giving you a hard time. Maybe next time, though.” Faith didn’t understand the relief on Cherish’s face. Did her sister hate her that much?

Edwin didn’t seem to notice Cherish’s reaction. “You can give me a hard time anytime you want.” He winked at her. “Feel free to step away from your desk anytime you need. Everyone needs a break. Just be glad you don’t smoke.” Smokers always told non-smokers that, but they never took their own advice.

Faith just nodded as she told them to have a good time. She spun around to her monitor and read back over the file Jed handed her. As she glanced over it, she realized she had been daydreaming through most of what he said. She had to reread the entire file. But man, it was worth it.

“Hey, Faith, do you know where Cherish is?”

Faith was about to groan at not being able to get anything done because her office had a revolving door. However, when she noticed the lady standing behind Ashlynn, she was glad she kept quiet. “Mom? Is something wrong?” She stood to her feet and took a couple of steps closer to the two women.

“Why on earth would anything be wrong? Does anything have to be wrong for me to visit my daughter?” Faith noticed the singular “daughter,” but didn’t comment.

“No. No, of course not.” She glanced at the blond receptionist and smiled. “I’ve got it, Ashlynn. Thank you.” She didn’t watch the girl leave. Instead, she turned Nessa’s desk chair around for her mother and offered it to her with an open palm. “Cherish stepped out for a minute, but she’ll be right back. What brings you by?”

Valerie Driscoll sat rigid in the desk chair, her legs pressed together and her back ramrod straight. Her hands rested on her thick black purse perched on her lap as if she needed the barrier between her and everyone else. Her short dark hair halted at the base of her scalp, as if afraid to grow any longer. Faith had always thought her mother had a harsh look about her with thin lips that always seemed pressed into disapproval and a narrow nose between tiny brown eyes. She was thin, too thin for Faith’s tastes, and made to look even more so by her five-foot-ten body. She was a haughty lady, and Faith had always thought her mother born too late in history.

“I was going to let Cherish take me out to lunch. Do you know how much longer she’ll be?”

“Lunch sounds fun. You should come up sometime and let me treat you one day.” Faith forced her voice to sound pleasant. “There’s a nice little café down on John Rhodes that has the best chicken salad.”

Her mom’s lips never moved into a smile. A smile would have been nice, at least a faint sign of promise that lunch could happen. “Oh, I thought you were too busy to have lunch away, or that you would have it with your husband or one of your many new friends.”

“New friends? And my husband’s name is Selby.”

“I know.”

“Mom? What are you doing here?” Cherish stood in the doorway, Edwin a step behind her.

Valerie Driscoll stood up, her purse strap still clutched in both hands. “Obviously being told I’m too stupid to know her husband’s name.”

Faith looked at her mother’s back, which was all she saw of her now, and just rolled her eyes. Edwin wasn’t sure what to do as his eyes flicked back and forth between all the women in the small office. Faith wanted to tell him to run.

“Edwin, this is my mom, Valerie. Mother, this is Edwin, our boss.” Cherish didn’t move from the doorway. “Now, what are you here for, Mom?”

“Lunch. I thought you and I could grab some lunch and discuss Jordie’s upcoming birthday. I have some great party ideas, and I was nearby.” Valerie ignored Edwin, as if the introduction hadn’t happened.

Cherish just shook her head. “It’s only ten-thirty, Mom. I can’t take lunch, yet.”

“No, no. Why don’t you go ahead and take it, Cherish?” Edwin said as he pushed into the office. He glanced at Faith and concern filled his eyes. “After all, she came up here to see you. Matter of fact, make it a family thing, and all three of you go. Ashlynn can handle the phones for an hour.”

Faith’s eyes widened at the suggestion, and she wanted to kick him. Cherish saw the expression and smiled, but Valerie’s back stiffened. “No, I’m good,” Faith blurted out. “I need to get this file Jed gave me finished.”

Valerie’s back softened as she turned to face her middle child. “Are you sure? You just said you wanted to do lunch sometime.”

Faith smiled. If only her mother meant those words, but Faith knew the truth. It was only a show now for a man Valerie had already dismissed as unimportant. “I’m good. You two go and enjoy.”

With a nod, Cherish grabbed her purse and locked her desk. Mother and daughter walked out the door without so much as an “I’ll bring you a doggie bag back.” Faith watched them leave, both saying goodbye to Edwin on their way out as she sat there wondering what she ever did to her mother.

“I, um, screwed up?” Edwin sat on the corner of Nessa’s desk. His hard body was soft with concern at having caused trouble or hurt feelings. His dark green eyes were tender, and Faith just wanted to crawl into them and hide.

She put on a strong smile as she leaned back in her chair. “No, it’s all right. Mom and Cherish have always been close, which has never made sense to me. Then again, Cherish allows Mom to dictate some of her life, if not most, and I don’t. My mother has always been a control freak.”

Edwin nodded. “Family politics are never fun, and from what you’ve shared before, your family has a lot of inner politics.”

Faith turned and stared out the window. It had been the politics that made her rush into Selby’s arms. He had been her escape. He still was.

SELBY ENTERED THE house through the garage, and Disturbed blaring through the house speakers assaulted his ears. Well, something has set her off. He weaved through the house to his office where the music originated and turned down the volume on electric guitars and drums. He inhaled the silence.

Dropping his briefcase by his desk, he went in search of Faith. It didn’t take long. She was in the kitchen butchering carrots and hurling them into a pot of boiling water. “I want to hug you, but I think I want you to put the knife down first.” He stopped at the edge of the counter and bent his head, attempting to peer into her eyes. “Bad day at work?”

Faith kept chopping at the carrots, and Selby assumed he would need a new cutting board before long. “Work was fine. At least, it was until my mother showed up.”

He should have known. No one could work Faith up more than Valerie Driscoll. Selby always believed that to be the older woman’s superpower. He chose not to say anything, though. Instead, he just walked around the counter, turned Faith to face him, and wrapped his arms around her, careful of the knife. He never knew what to do when Faith’s mother decided to be a b***h, so most times, he did the only thing he could and just held Faith, letting her know he was there for her. The only other option was illegal; if they ever found the body, that is.

He felt her squeeze him tight before wiggling out of his arms. “I have to finish dinner,” she said as she turned back around.

Selby kissed the back of her head. “I’m going to wash up.” Faith just nodded as he gave her ass a pat and headed for the master bedroom. Once he was in their room, he took a deep breath. He could kill Valerie Driscoll, at times. She was the only rough spot in their lives. The sad part was, he saw no reason for it. Faith did nothing to antagonize her mother. Valerie was just a bitter, old woman.

He ran cold water over his face, washing away the workday and the bile that erupted in him against his mother-in-law. No mother should treat their child that way. Of course, Cherish and Dennis, Faith’s older brother, were never assaulted with their mother’s vile disposition. For some reason, it was only Faith who bore the brunt of her hatred. Selby stared into the mirror as if it were a crystal ball. I wonder why that is?

Faith served dinner on the back deck, while the waves of the Atlantic beat a steady cadence in the background. They took almost all their meals there because Selby enjoyed it. What was the point of living on the beach if you never took advantage of it?

Faith had everything set up, and the Goo Goo Dolls now played through the speakers, a sign she was calming down. She had even lit the tiki torches that edged their wooden paradise. The March breeze had a bit of a chill to it, but in Florida, it was never truly cold, at least, not to Selby. While he loved traveling, nothing compared to Florida for a tropical paradise.

“How about a walk after dinner?” He slid into his chair as he picked up his glass of Merlot.

Faith had changed into a tan sundress, foregoing the bra and, with any luck, the panties, too. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail, revealing her small ears and slender neck. She must have laid out within the past few days, because her dusting of freckles was more pronounced as it led down her shoulders and chest. Selby couldn’t help but smile at how beautiful she was, and he wanted—hungered—to lean over and kiss her small nose. “We can do that if you want,” she said as she scooped cooked carrots onto her plate.

Throughout dinner, Selby tried to engage Faith in conversation, but she wasn’t having it, answering in short, clipped phrases. Perhaps she hadn’t calmed down as much as he thought. She stared down into her plate, seeming lost, even though she barely nibbled at her food. It was pretty much just him and the Goo Goo Dolls.

After dinner, he helped clear the table and, even though she said she’d get the dishes, he stood there, dried them, and put them away. Faith would talk. She just needed time to get through the storm of emotions that churned inside of her. As much as Faith said she didn’t care, Selby knew she did. Deeply. Yet, nothing they ever did had changed her mother’s bitchy behavior, and truly, there was no reason for it. Faith always did everything her mother wanted. It wasn’t until the past few months that Faith had decided to shed her conservative skin and explore her s****l side. Of course, her mom didn’t know about their exploits. Still, Faith’s newfound lifestyle had altered the way she carried herself. Perhaps it was that change in confidence Valerie Driscoll despised. Faith was no longer under her mother’s thumb, and the woman hated it. Selby would not permit Faith’s mother to control her ever again if he had anything to do with it.

And he had a lot to do with it.

“What are you thinking?” Faith held a plate out to him.

He smiled as he took it, running the rooster covered hand towel over it. “I was thinking of stripping you once we got on the beach and taking advantage of you.”

“Were you now?” Faith leaned back against the counter, drying her hands, dishes done. “And what makes you think I’d let you?”

Selby put the plate in the cupboard as he dropped the towel on the counter. He slid in front of her, gripping the counter with a hand on each side of her, so she couldn’t escape. “Because, Mrs. Greer,” he leaned in and dusted her neck with kisses, “I know you,” he kissed her throat, feeling her lift her head, giving him access, “for the little tramp you are.” His tongue brushed her flesh like an artist painting as he licked down her throat to the top of her dress, kissing his way to her chest.

Her groan filled his ears as her hands draped over his. “Am I now? Is that what I am?”

Selby pulled his hand out from under hers and slid the strap of her sundress off her shoulder, following the string with soft kisses as he slid it down her arm. “Yes,” he moved to the other side, “you are.” He slid the thin strap off her other shoulder and down her arm. “And you love,” he kissed her warm flesh, “every minute of it.” He leaned back, grinning at her as he pulled the dress down over her chest, freeing her small globes to the cool air. “Don’t you?” He lowered his head and ran his tongue over her hardening n****e, feeling the small pearl contract from his touch.

Faith’s hands came up to his head, her fingers threading into his hair. He could feel the tightness of her body as passion replaced the cold emotions of the day. “I’m beginning to.” Her voice was husky, filled with the lust she felt.

He slid his hand up her thigh, pulling the dress up with it. Her flesh was warm to the touch as he slid his hand between her legs. She eased them apart as his fingers grazed higher. Her p***y dripped with need as he plunged two fingers into her, making her gasp with pleasurable surprise. As his fingers strummed her s*x, Selby used the other hand to free his swollen c**k from the confines of his pants.

Faith never moved, her head tilted back, hair falling behind her. With his c**k free, Selby slid his fingers from her wetness and lifted her into the air, his hands around her thighs. Faith braced herself with her hands on the counter, wrapping her legs around his waist as he eased his c**k into her sweet cavern. He held her in place as he f****d her, his c**k driving into her with a slow, steady rhythm, her whimpers feeding his hunger.

Selby leaned down and kissed her chest, her shoulders, as his hips pounded into her thighs. Faith was helpless to move, her hands on the counter and his under her thighs keeping her airborne. Her moans echoed off the kitchen cabinets as he felt her body tense and her legs begin to stiffen with the o****m he knew was close to exploding. He gripped her thighs tighter, thrusting into her faster, spearing her with his hardness.

Her inner walls pulsed around his c**k, sucking him as well as her mouth could. He could feel his balls tighten, ready to explode. Faith cried out as her body started to shake and buck against him. His own o****m hit as he felt his c**k erupt deep inside of her as her passion dripped between them. Her t**s bounced, and he wanted so badly to lean in and take her taut n*****s in his mouth, but he remained frozen in place, holding her up until her body relaxed.

The ripples of pleasure subsided as she lowered her head to gaze into his eyes, a smile widening her cheeks. “So much for the beach.”

Selby lowered her feet to the floor as he felt their juices drip between them. He pressed up against her, kissing her neck. “I couldn’t wait.”

Faith wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tight. “I’m glad you didn’t.”