Page 67 of Faith's Redemption

“Good,” I said. “Now two things you can smell.”

“What?” she breathed, exasperated.

“Smell.”

She huffed and sniffed between gulps. “Gasoline.” Her tear-filled eyes landed on me. “You.”

I smiled. “Take a deep, slow breath.” She did. “Now one thing you can touch.”

I thought it was going to be me again, but as her breathing steadied, her gaze dropped and her hands landed on the gravel under us. She ran her fingers over the tiny pebbles, picking up a handful.

“I’m okay now, thank you,” she said, inhaling deeply and releasing slowly. “Where’d you learn that?”

I pressed my palm against the sharp gray rocks, letting the sting sink in. “A guy inside—my roommate—he had panic attacks a lot, and the therapist there taught him that. I guess I picked it up after watching him do it so much. It’s about distracting your mind,” I added. “Alters the fight or flight response from what I understand.”

“Did it help him?”

“Yeah,” I murmured. Until he was killed in the laundry room.

She ran her fingers over the tiny pebbles, picking up a handful. “You know, I almost lost it on the way in here tonight,” she said softly. “Over this...” She lifted her gaze to mine. “The sound of the gravel triggered something in me. A piece of a memory from my attack. I’m not sure what though.”

I cupped her cheek, so grateful she was finally sharing it with me. “You’re so fucking brave, Faith.”

“No, I’m not.”

“You have no idea how brave you are. I wish I was half the person you are.”

She put her hand over mine, holding it in place for a moment before turning to kiss my palm. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me,” I said. “Just come home with me.”

“Adam—”

“No sex,” I interrupted her. “Unless you twist my arm.” I smirked, making her give me a little smile. “I just want to hold you. Make sure you’re good.”

I could tell she was wavering, but she eventually drew back and stood. “Thank you for this. I’m good now.” Her gaze flitted toward the bar, then back. “Tonight was fun. Mostly. But I really think I should still go back to Grace and Mateo’s. I could use the space to think, plus I have plans with Grace in the morning.” She squeezed my hand. “Oh crap, I forgot to tell you—Matthew is coming on Sunday.” She blew out a breath. “He called me today. I have to go get the bungalow ready for him.”

“What’s he coming here for?”

“To meet with the lawyer,” she said, rolling her head on her shoulders, her eyes closing. “Meet all of us in person. All the things.” She blinked her eyes open. “Do you mind taking care of Lance until tomorrow?”

“I mind you not coming home with me.”

It was one thing to flirt and tease; it was another thing altogether to let her go when I knew she needed me. She was brave, but she could also be such a chickenshit when things got too real between us, which I suspected was what she was doing right now. I should know, I was the king of that.

“I’m fine.”

“Bullshit!”

She reared back, getting some of the color back in her cheeks as the fire roared back to her eyes. “Excuse me?” Her brows drew together and the corner of her mouth quirked, as if questioning if I was serious or kidding.

I wasn’t kidding. “You heard me.”

She blinked a few times and scoffed, pushing me back to fish for her keys in her purse. “Uh, yeah, I did, and I think you need to dial it back before—”

“Before what?”

She looked at me like I was crazy. “Before you say something else stupid. What is wrong with you?”

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