Have a Little Faith Read online

  Louis thought about Faith. So she had a gun, that was interesting. She was so shy, quiet and sweet. Apparently she knew a bit about soldiers with PTSD, from what Hunt told him took place in town with Worin. He felt concerned about Worin and the episodes he was having. Maybe they should consider doing that retreat Charlie, Kane’s sister, told them about. It was a four-day retreat in Warriorville on a large ranch run by retired soldiers like them. They ran some counseling sessions by fireside, did some fishing, swimming and relaxing.

  “Well, Harper said she’ll call the women and give them the heads up,” Kane said and then sat back down and reached for his bottle of beer. “So how are things going with you and the team? Don’t see any of you in town much, and you haven’t attended any events either,” Kane asked.

  “We’re easing our way back into things. Hunt and Worin still need some time,” Louis said and drank from his beer bottle.

  “They doing all right?” he asked.

  “Ahh, you know how it is.”

  “I know, it’s a process but it doesn’t have to be handled alone. I know they’ve spoken to Charlie, and she’s offered a lot of alternative ideas instead of one on one counseling for them.”

  “She’s been great. She mentioned that retreat in another week. I’m thinking I may push for all of us to do it. You know if we go in together and participate it could be helpful.”

  “That’s a great idea, Louis. To have the team work through things as one unit could definitely be beneficial.”

  “Yeah, well, I need to convince Worin and Hunt. They aren’t exactly enthusiastic about any type of counseling or socializing.”

  “That’s understandable. It isn’t easy going from warrior to regular guy at the speed of a hundred to fifteen miles per hour, ya know. It will take time but they seem to be doing well. They know Faith, too, right?” he asked and Louis squinted his eyes at him.

  “Yeah, why?”

  The Sheriff looked away and toward Hunt and Worin. “Saw them in town real quick a few days ago. Seen Faith with Worin.”

  Louis swallowed hard.

  “What exactly did you see?” he asked cautiously.

  Kane held his gaze. “Everything.”

  “Hmm, Worin was a bit affected. Didn’t come out of his bedroom for the rest of the day and night.”

  “She was receptive to his situation. Maybe that shocked him?” Kane asked.

  “Don’t think for a minute that he’s interested in her. He is in no position, none of us are, to even consider a relationship with a woman, never mind one as young as Faith.”

  “I didn’t say anything about a relationship,” Kane said with a smirk.

  Louis chuckled and leaned back against the chair. “God damn, Kane, seriously?”

  He laughed.

  “What? Something you’re feeling? Maybe considering?”

  “No. Didn’t you just hear what I said? Worin and Hunt are hurting and still trying to get to normal.”

  “What exactly is normal anyway? There’s this whole concept and belief being pushed down people’s throats about being normal? Normal is not reality. You’ve all been through hell, some of you more than others, but you all felt the same isolated, fearful experiences. Now the danger isn’t so prevalent. There’s no need to grip the gun, maintain the fists, the mental toughness you’ve all conditioned yourselves to maintain. It’s time to ease up. Screw normal, and just start living free. That’s what you all need to learn to do. A day at a time. Hell, a minute or hour at a time if necessary until you’re feeling back on solid ground, and without that fear in your hearts keeping you on the defensive. Plus, those piss-poor attitudes and snappy tones aren’t any way to win a woman’s heart. Especially one as petite and feminine as Faith,” the Sheriff said and winked.

  “Jesus,” Louis said and sat forward, shaking his head and trying to ignore what the Sheriff seemed to be pushing. It had been pretty obvious that Louis and Voight were attracted to Faith. Hell, he couldn’t take his eyes off of her or stop thinking about her. Plus when he heard what she did with Worin, and how she came to his aid, he couldn’t help but to wonder if she could be the woman for him and his team. Not now though. God knew they were still all unstable and not ready. The Sheriff might think so, but not them. It just wasn’t going to happen any time soon.

  Chapter 2

  “So I was out the other day in Benter and met this guy, Lance. As soon as he heard I was from Cherry Hill, he started asking about how it is living here, if there are a lot of places to rent or buy. He was flirting a bit.”

  “Nice, so are you going to meet up with him again, Candice?” Faith asked.

  “Well, I wasn’t sure, because he seemed to hold back a bit. He was more interested in the town, the types of people living here, so I thought forget about it.”

  “Well, don’t worry. Maybe you’ll see him again.”

  “I don’t know. I think if he was interested he would have asked for my number or maybe to meet here in Cherry Hill, something. It was just so odd. I’m seriously thinking about checking out some other towns. I’ve been here a few years now, and I haven’t met one nice guy or guys, only assholes and they’re usually from out of town.”

  “I hear ya. My brother and cousin live in Warriorville, about an hour or so from here. I’ve been considering living closer to them and helping them with their ranch and stuff.”

  “I’m glad I’m not the only one to—”

  Candice stopped talking and her jaw dropped. Faith turned to look and saw two tall, older looking guys come into Harper’s. They both had tattoos on their arms and looked a bit rough. They had scruff along their cheeks, shoulder length hair, wore biker jackets and leather sheaths on their hips that contained pretty big knives for just walking around with. Not exactly legal, and she wasn’t the only one who noticed.

  Candice squeezed her arm. “The tall guy with the brown hair is Lance. I don’t know who the blond is,” she whispered excitedly, and then gave a wave and pulled Faith along with her. Both men ate Faith up with their eyes and she got a bad feeling in her gut. If the brunet liked Candice, he should be focusing on her.

  “Lance, what are you doing here?” Candice asked and leaned toward him as if to kiss him hello or she expected him to kiss her or hug her. He did but his eyes went to Faith and he winked. Definitely a player. She squinted.

  “This is my friend, Faith.”

  “Faith, huh? Sweet,” he said and reached his hand out for her to shake. She did and he gave her a squeeze, licked his lower lip as Candice looked at the blond who seemed ready to bypass Candice and shake Faith’s hand.

  “Nice to meet you. This is my friend Benny,” he introduced his buddy who shook Faith’s hand. Candice hugged Lance’s arm and he smirked. “We came by to check out the town and to see you,” he said to Candice, who blushed.

  “That’s so nice. My section is over here,” she said and pointed.

  “And your section?” the blond asked Faith.

  “She’s right next to mine. Come on over and I’ll buy you a round,” Candice said and she started to lead them toward her section but Faith went to the bar.

  “Who are those guys?” Ade asked her suspiciously.

  Faith rolled her eyes. “New friends of Candice’s.”

  “Hmm, they were both eating you up with their eyes and staring at your chest,” Ade said and he kept his eyes on the guys.

  She chuckled.

  “Definitely players. Hopefully Candice picks up on it. I’d hate for her to get her heart broken. She really seemed to like the guy with the brown hair.”

  “She better be careful,” Ade said in a protective tone.

  “I hear ya,” she replied and thought about Candice and how she so desperately wanted a boyfriend or men to take care of her. It was a constant thing with her and even Leeann since their other friends started ménage relationships. Faith wanted those things, too, but she was shy and she expected a certain type of man or men to snag her heart. Being a virgin and twenty-four didn’t
help matters. She continued to work, dealt with the two men flirting and even Candice suggesting a double date or something. Faith could tell the guys weren’t the dating kind at all. As she stopped when they asked her a question, the guy, Benny, placed his hand on her hip and then rubbed her back. It gave her the creeps and she stepped to the side, and bumped into someone. As she turned to look way up, she locked gazes with Louis. Her jaw dropped, her face felt flush. She felt like she got caught flirting or something, meanwhile she wasn’t.

  “Faith,” he said and then gave the guys dirty looks before he continued walking toward the men’s room.

  “Excuse me,” she said and walked toward the bar. She was getting annoyed at the way the guy Benny thought he could just touch her, rub her back or flirt. Candice, however, was apparently liking how Lance kept touching her, whispering to her and even made her blush several times. She headed to the bar and to where Louis and Voight were having beers with some friends of theirs.

  “Those guys are awfully handsy,” Ade said to her and loud enough for Louis and Voight to hear.

  “Tell me about it. I think the one guy is part octopus,” she said with an attitude and then lifted her arms to fix her ponytail that was coming undone.

  “Don’t be so friendly,” Voight snapped at her.

  She turned to look at him. He used his eyes to gaze over her breasts in the tank top she wore. She squinted. “I’m not.”

  “Looks like you’re allowing it,” Louis said with the same attitude and both men looked down at her. They were standing by the bar, not sitting on the stools in front of them. Both stared at her body and Jesus, it reacted. She exhaled in annoyance and looked back toward Ade, who seemed smug. She took the tray of drinks and walked away, feeling embarrassed and guilty for some strange reason. She wasn’t flirting or allowing anything. As she set down the drinks for some cowboys, one of them asked her about ordering some wings and as she turned that guy Benny was standing there. He stared down at her and placed his hand on her hip. “Lance and I are taking Candice out for some drinks tomorrow night. You come along, too. We’ll have a real good time, the four of us,” he said and stroked her cheek.

  She pushed his hand away, immediately picking up on the whole “four of us” thing. What a slimeball. “I’m busy,” she said and when she went to walk away, he snagged her wrist hard and yanked her back. She gasped and dropped the tray. He scared the hell out of her as he pulled her close.

  “I said you’ll meet us. You’re hot and I want to get to know you better, and this body, too.”

  She shoved at his chest. “Not going to happen.”

  He didn’t release her wrist until the sound of a deep, hard voice had the man stepping back. “I think it’s time you leave,” Voight said to him and Louis was there as well as several other local guys.

  Benny looked at Lance, who was smirking. “Seems we aren’t welcome here,” Benny said to Lance.

  “I guess they don’t like outsiders. We’ll go. I’ll call you, Candice. You make sure your sexy little friend comes along tomorrow night,” he said and stroked Candice’s cheek. Candice looked shocked and didn’t really respond.

  As they walked away, Benny eyed over her body and licked his lower lip. “Can’t wait to see you again.”

  “Not going to happen, buddy,” she said and felt the arm slide around her waist and then a hard chest against her back.

  “Don’t say another word,” Louis whispered to her.

  She was completely aroused, turned on by his hold. Then Voight turned around after they all watched the two men walk out. “Are you okay?” Voight asked her as he took her wrist into his hand. The man was so tall, like six feet four, filled with muscles, blond hair, a beard well-trimmed and crew cut hair.

  “Yes, I’m fine.”

  “It doesn’t look fine,” he said as he held her wrist and stared at the red finger marks.

  When Louis kissed her bare shoulder and whispered to her she felt faint. “You should have listened to me about not flirting back.”

  She turned to look up at him, shocked by his words.

  “I wasn’t flirting at all.”

  “Seemed like you were,” Voight said and squinted his eyes at her in an accusatory manner.

  She instantly got fired up. These men got under her skin like no others. “Whatever. I’m fine. Thanks for the help,” she said and walked away from them, picking up the tray along the way.

  As she got to the bar, Ade was smiling. “Louis and Voight? Wow. Impressive,” he said to her and she glared at him.

  “What?”

  “Nothing, sweetheart. Just gotta love how things just fall into place, that’s all,” Ade said, shaking his head as he wiped some clean glasses and then smiled.

  “Are you okay?” Candice asked her, totally moving in front of her and blocking Ade.

  “I’m fine,” she said and waited to walk to her tables to check on them.

  “I can’t believe Louis and Voight. How rude,” Candice said.

  Faith squinted at her. “Louis and Voight? What are you talking about? That guy Benny was a total jerk.”

  “No he wasn’t. He was into you. You’re going to meet them with me tomorrow right?”

  “Absolutely not, and you aren’t going either.”

  Candice widened her eyes. “Seriously? You’re turning down hanging out with them, why?”

  “Well let’s see, because they are players out for some action. He totally was like the four of us will have a good time. Jerk, like he’s going to get some action.”

  “Oh God, Faith, don’t be such a prude,” Candice said, raising her voice and drawing attention to them.

  “I’m not interested.”

  “They’re older men, and experienced, It would be good for you. You’ll never get to go out with any real men if you hold on to it forever.”

  “Excuse me? Why are you being so rude? Those guys want one thing. Candice, do yourself a favor and forget about them. They’re no good,” Faith said.

  Candice looked like she had tears in her eyes. “You need to go out with me and them.”

  “No, Candice.”

  She went to walk away and Candice grabbed her arm. “You have to. I promised that you would. They like you and it will be fun.”

  “I’m not interested and it won’t be fun,” she said more loudly. She couldn’t understand why Candice was being this way.

  Candice eyed her over. “You can’t stay a virgin forever,” she snapped at her.

  Faith’s face heated up so fast. One look at Ade, who looked shocked and then pissed off as Candice stormed off and then Faith turned toward the bar. Louis and Voight stared at her, eyed her over and she felt the tears hit her eyes. She growled low and walked toward her tables, feeling completely embarrassed. Wonderful, Candice was pissed off and her nastiness now let Louis and Voight know and Ade too that she was a virgin. God damn. I need to leave this town, and fast.

  * * * *

  “Holy shit,” Voight whispered to Louis. Louis was in a dead stare at Faith. It was as if he saw her differently now, knowing she was a virgin. Was that true? Holy Christ, why was he completely turned on and attracted to her even more so? He shouldn’t be. He was thirty-eight years old, a man who fucked around too many times to remember. Christ, he lived life by the seat of his pants just like Voight, Worin, and Hunt. He couldn’t believe the things he was feeling. Hell, he was protective of her before, and the second that guy stood up and grabbed her, he and Voight were out of their seats and ready to kick ass. But now, now knowing just how innocent and sweet she was, he felt possessive.

  “Calm down. You look about ready to freak out,” Voight said to him.

  He locked gazes with Voight. “Like you aren’t? Like you don’t feel as possessive and even more protective now?”

  “We’re both recovering from the little situation with those dicks. It’s normal.”

  “Fuck that, Voight, it isn’t normal. She’s young, a damn virgin,” he whispered to him.

 
“Thank God just you, me and Ade heard that. She is completely embarrassed. She won’t even look this way,” Voight said and glanced back toward her.

  “Would you? She’s incredible. I can’t help but to think about what happened in town with Worin. Her helping him through the episode, Worin’s obvious attraction to her. We feel it, too. I bet Hunt does, as well,” Louis said.

  “We don’t deserve a woman as young, beautiful and inexperienced, both with sex and with soldiers.”

  “She must have some experience with soldiers with PTSD for her to have handled Worin. Plus, I might be a dick for saying this, but fuck, I’m turned on as all hell that she’s never had sex before. Is it fucked up to want that gift? To have something like that shared between all of us? I mean think about this a minute, Voight. She could belong to us. Be our woman the way our friends have their women to love and care for.”

  “I don’t know. I just fucking don’t know what to think.”

  “You like her though.”

  “What’s not to like. Her eyes are incredible, sweet, responsive, and all telling. Her body, a ten plus. She’s petite though, definitely feminine and maybe not too tough. We’re big men, capable men.”

  “Her body was made for us. Just look at it,” he said and when Voight turned to look Louis saw Faith look up, lock gazes with them and tears filled her eyes as her face went flush. She hurried up and walked the other way.

  “Something tells me that she isn’t too pleased we know her secret,” Voight said and took a slug from his bottle of Heineken.

  “She’ll get over it. We came here because of her, didn’t we?”

  “Not really,” Voight said.

  “Bullshit, not really. We talked about her, about the attraction and about Worin’s response to her and Hunt’s avoidance of her name. Something is here. Let’s see what happens. We got time. No need to rush anything.”

  “Well, she said no to going out with those men so that’s a good thing.”