Finding Faith (4 page)

No matter how shapeless the uniform was it still couldn’t hide the fact that she had a tight little body that I would never get tired of pounding into again and again.

A voice in the distance caught my attention.

“Man, John. You okay? You aren’t looking so good. Your face is all flushed and you’re sweating.”

Mike’s voice broke the spell the woman unknowingly had cast on me. It was then that I noticed my face was burning and my hands were clenched into balls of fire at my sides. How I wasn’t setting off the smoke detectors, I had no clue.

“No, I really need to go,” I struggled to say through my tight throat, wiping at the beads of sweat that had formed on my forehead.

“What? Wait, I want you to meet my friends. The girls I was telling you about. Then maybe you’ll decide you feel good enough to stay.”

Even as Mike spoke I couldn’t break my gaze. I was too busy willing her to turn around for just one peek to give Mike my full attention.

George, one of the more boisterous guys I worked with, had her distracted. They were laughing and enjoying themselves. George kept brushing up against her as he spoke. She would step back occasionally to admire him from head to toe, giving me a chance to see the grace in her subtle movements. I couldn’t see her expression, but I wished I could be the one she ogled like that.

A tan, busty Amazonian blond reminding me of a Barbie doll stepped up to the naughty nurse, completely ignoring George.

George’s face contorted, pissed that she had interrupted. When he realized he wasn’t the main attraction, he went and met up with Luke and Colin, but not before giving my naughty nurse a kiss on her cheek while shooting a look that could kill to the clueless Amazon Barbie.

The Amazon Barbie and my naughty nurse were saying something to each other, and from the blonde’s facial expression she wasn’t too happy about whatever the answer was from the woman I was lusting hard over.

Amazon Barbie glanced in my direction and started pulling on my naughty nurse’s sleeve like she was a groupie. I would join that group any day I groaned to myself, not sure how much longer the zipper on my pants would hold.

Amazon Barbie was attractive in her own right, but she didn’t hold a candle to the back of the woman I’d been having filthy thoughts about since I’d laid eyes on her.

If viewing her from behind did that to me, what would happen if I saw her facing me naked? I would combust that much I was sure of.

I promised myself that after one quick glance at her I would leave. There was one thing I wouldn’t do and that was mess with another guy’s girl. Especially guys I worked with. Since I was still on probation, I didn’t want to cause any waves.

When I saw her reaching for her purse with a brief pause displaying her delicate hand that I wanted all over every inch of me, I was ready to crack. The pressure in my pants was excruciating.

The second I got home I’d take care of the cause of the discomfort with her image dancing in his head. No, not dancing, stripping.

A flash of panic hit me. If she did turn in my direction now I didn’t think I could control my body. What would happen? I’d probably come the hardest I’d come in years right in front of everyone. How would I explain that at work?

I shook my head, trying to clear out the thoughts the naughty nurse was filling it with, along with my pants. It was probably better that she didn’t turn toward me.

Mike was so dead when he showed up! I told him to keep George and the other guys away from me and he failed.

I was held captive by my friend George as he told me about an extrication that he had done on his last shift. A woman hit a telephone pole because she thought she’d seen her husband getting a blow job in the car next to her. When George got her to the hospital and her husband showed up wearing the same outfit as the guy in the car, she went berserk, jumping out of the bed and attacking him.

The entire time George spoke he was roaring like it was the funniest thing he’d ever seen. His head bouncing back and forth in my face, nearly making me eat his dark brown crew cut, he was so close. His thick chest heaved in and out as he let out deep belly laughs, causing his muscular biceps that were crossed over his chest to bump into me.

Concerned about my personal space, I tried to take small dips back to give myself more room, following the rhythm of his head as I did. Somehow he still managed to touch me and I was getting annoyed.

Grace wandered over to my side to check in, not even giving George a second glance.

George froze, eyeing Grace with a glare as he gave me a kiss on my cheek before walking away.

Over the song “Wheels in the Sky” by Journey and the clanking of balls coming from the pool table I shouted, “I think I’m going, Grace,” hoping that I would be able to sneak out without too much of a hassle.

Every second that passed made me regret my decision more and more. By the sour look on Grace’s face, it told me that I wasn’t the only one who felt that way.

Everyone around us was having a great time talking, laughing, drinking, and flirting. They were all trying to include me, but I didn’t want to be a part of it. I thought that maybe once I’d gotten to the bar I’d feel differently, but I didn’t.

George’s story and proximity to me didn’t help matters either. The story only solidified what I had learned. All guys were pigs, even the ones that were your friends.

Some of the other guys had come up to me earlier in the night to make small talk, trying to be cute, but it wasn’t working. With the mess that I was in the middle of I swore off flirting, dating, all of it. Not even a friend with benefits was allowed.

“Fine, I guess I’ll leave, too,” Grace said, half-hearted. “Mike’s such a jerk to invite us and then not even show.” Instead of anger like I would expect, her voice was filled with hurt.

“Whatever. He probably got tied up. Give the guy a break. Let me grab my purse and coat and then we can leave.” I reached around the table for my purse when a surge of electricity shot through me like a lightning bolt, landing directly between my legs.

Quickly, I clenched them as if that would make the sensation go away, but it only made things worse. My panties officially became drenched and I didn’t even know why.

“Mike’s here! Mike’s here!” Grace chanted as she jumped up and down like a boy crazy teen while yanking on my arm.

Dear God, I pray I didn’t soak myself because of Mike. I turned around and our eyes met. After a few blinks to make sure I was seeing clearly, I bolted, leaving Grace behind.

“How do you know Faith?” Mike asked, bringing me out of my trance for the second time tonight. If it wasn’t for the question I would have thought I had imagined her.

Mike and Amazon Barbie both stood looking at me, waiting for an answer. All I could do was stand there stunned, not able to put any of my thoughts into coherent words.

When I said good-bye to her the last night we were together, I didn’t expect that would be the last. Faith had disappeared, never to be heard from again, never giving me any explanations.

Everyday I would wait for her to call to tell me to come out to her. The call never came. Then I moved, wiping away all hopes of that ever happening, knowing she wouldn’t have any idea how to contact me. I only knew one thing for sure, I couldn’t stay there torturing myself with the possibility she would come back.

In the earlier years, when the wounds were fresh, I imagined that, in the off chance I did run into her, I would have some other beautiful woman at my side, making her wish she’d never left me. I wouldn’t even give her a second glance.

I hurt so badly when it happened I didn’t think I could ever forgive her. The reaction my body had to her after all of this time put me at a complete loss.

But now that I had found her, I wasn’t about to let her disappear again. There was no way she would get away from me twice.

Mike waved a hand in front of my face.

“Hello, Earth to John. I told you she was hot.”

A grunt coming out of Mike from Amazon Barbie smacking him got my attention.

“Uh...huh?” I shook my head in disbelief, collecting my thoughts to try to figure out what to say next. The fog was slowly lifting, making it easier for me to concentrate. I didn’t want to sound like a creep in front of people who were practically strangers.

“Does she need company on her way home to make sure she’s safe?” I asked, trying to keep the panic out of my voice. I couldn’t help myself it was automatic to worry about her. All these years apart hadn’t gotten rid of that protective shield I tried to keep over her.

“Man, you don’t waste time do you, Killer,” Mike joked, giving me a wink and a shove on the shoulder. As I got encouragement from Mike, he got daggers shot his way from Amazon Barbie.

“Sorry about that, I don’t know what got into her. She’s got a lot on her mind lately. I’m Faith’s neighbor and best friend, Grace.” Amazon Barbie flung her hand out in front of my face for me to shake.

I hesitated a minute, watching her, trying to figure out if she knew who I was, but her face didn’t show any signs of recognition. My heart sank.

“Nice to meet you, too,” I said. “I think I need to go, I’m not feeling so hot. Maybe I can catch up to your friend and make sure she gets home alright.”

“Good idea. They live at 2555 North Clark Street. She probably walked home,” Mike volunteered.

I turned around to leave before Mike finished getting the address out. Grace smacked Mike in the gut again as she bugged her eyes at him to shut up.

“Stop hitting me.” Mike grabbed Grace’s wrist before she could smack him some more. “Don’t worry, I trust him. He’s a good guy, I can tell these things.”

Not completely believing Mike, Grace said warily, “Maybe I need to go home to make sure she is safe. What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t make sure?” The excitement Grace had a few moments earlier had deflated.

“Come on, Grace not you, too. Please, stay. I really want to hang out with you.” Mike tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as he spoke, while twining their fingers together with the one he had been holding her wrist with moments earlier, making her common sense vanish.

Grace cupped her free hand to her mouth to make sure she was heard and shouted, “Fine, but I’m going to text Faith to make sure she’s okay.”

With my back still turned, I shot her a thumbs-up without missing a step.

A brutal wind was whipping around outside the bar as if it were a pinball bouncing off all the buildings at the intersection, sucking up leaves as it blew.

I pulled up the collar of my black leather jacket to get some relief from the sudden onslaught as I looked around. The wind was stronger than it had been when I had first arrived, making it hard to keep my eyes open.

With a quick scan of the dimly lit street, I didn’t see any sign of Faith. Only a cab that was down the block, getting ready to turn.

Not wanting to waste anymore time, I decided to head out on foot rather than back track to get my car. I might have a better chance of catching up with her, and it would also keep me from thinking about what I was doing before I stopped myself.