Selby parked in front of his bookstore, left his car, and clicked the automatic lock button. He turned and faced Joe's Bakery and decided against coffee and a bagel that morning. He still wasn't sure how to approach Tracey with the new direction their relationship seemed headed. To compound things, he wasn't sure how to handle his jealousy with Faith and Edwin. Everything about his and Faith's sexual exploration thus far had excited him more than anything else he had experienced. Yet, he wasn't sure how to handle her being off on her own with these adventures.Flipping on the lights, he dropped his copy of the latest Mercedes Lackey novel on the counter and kicked down the air-conditioning. The March weather was already humid, getting ready for summer. He had dressed casual as always, blue jeans, button-down, short-sleeve shirt and Dockers, his normal business attire. Faith, on the other hand, had dressed to entice. She had worn tight jeans that morning with a low-cut black sweater an

When the hour was up, Faith locked her desk, grabbed her list, and went in search of Edwin."Enjoy your little road trip," Cherish said, each word dripping with bitterness."Of course." Faith waved her fingers at her sister as she passed her desk. "It gets me out of here for a while."Edwin stood in the hall outside his office, right hand on the doorframe holding him up. He talked to Jed who leaned against the bulletin boards that decorated the outside of Edwin's wall. As she neared the men, she could hear them talking about Morgan Brewer's upcoming visit, wondering why Edwin's boss was stopping in. When they spotted Faith, they both smiled at her."There's my girl. I thought I was going to have to come get you." Edwin raked her with his eyes."Oh, no. I'm eager for any excuse to get out of here for a while.""I can create some excuses for you if it means getting you alone in my truck," Jed said, his lips turned upward in a mischievous grin.Edwin took a step toward Faith and put his a

Faith lounged back in her deck chair, bare feet propped on the middle railing as she watched the seagulls glide in the air just skimming the waves. She held a mug of orange spice tea in one hand while the other rested on the arm of the chair, her thoughts lost on her trysts with Edwin over the past two days. As she sat staring at the cresting waves, she realized she wanted more. The playfulness with Edwin was just that, playful. While it was hot, it wasn't really intense. Paul had been intense. Edwin had given her choices. Paul had taken her, used her, and tossed her back to Selby. It was that part that turned her on the most.She shook her head. How twisted was she? Yet, she still wanted more. She wondered if Edwin could take her like that. He was nervous, she knew. They both risked their jobs if someone discovered them, and who knew what the ramifications would be in her family? Yet, Faith wanted him, wanted him to use her harder.Still, what if he did? How far was she willing to all

Selby parked in front of his bookstore and locked up his car. His mind was still foggy with images of his past that kept him tossing throughout the night. He was eager for a cup of coffee and a smile from a certain fiery redhead. However, as he turned to make his way across the street, he stopped dead, his heart a cold weight in his chest.Against the beige concrete wall outside of Joe's Bakery stood Tracey deep in conversation with a man Selby never saw before. He was tall, probably over six feet, with short black hair and an oblong face. He was clean-shaven and wore circular glasses. He wasn't muscular, but he wasn't scrawny, either. Fit is what went through Selby's mind.And he was more than a friend.The man had his hands on Tracey's upper arms as he spoke. He wasn't arguing, but he was passionate about whatever they were discussing. Tracey stood with her arms crossed over her chest, her face turned away from the man. Everything about her posture told Selby she was trying hard not

The day slowed down to a newborn's crawl, and Edwin sent Nessa home for the remainder of it. Faith took it upon herself to make sure Morgan's office was dusted and cleaned, ready for his arrival. Both, he and Neal Rutherford, had offices at each branch of Rutherford Construction for their own personal use when in that town. Mostly, they kept those offices locked and empty, so Faith aired it out and open the drapes for light. Nessa kept the plants watered usually but was not very good at cleaning.Edwin gave Grady more jobs in the field to keep him away from the office. Faith only chuckled and shook her head. She would never understand why he kept a man no one really liked. However, Edwin was smart enough to keep Grady away when the big bosses were in town."If I had known you'd be the one taking care of my office, I would have visited sooner." Turning, Faith saw the six-foot Morgan Brewer standing in the doorway to his office, water bottle in one hand, briefcase in the other. His short