EXCERPT

    He looked boyish when he slept, younger than thirty-six. His hair was wild from her fingers, and Faith was sure hers was no better. The curtains were open, Atlanta’s nightscape casting a soft glow over the darkened room. She’d been laying there, watching the glitter of skyscrapers over his bare shoulder, for well over an hour. It would be dawn soon, and she couldn’t wait much longer.

     Finn had been the perfect lover; gentle, fiercely passionate. She’d given him everything she had, and he’d given it all back. Her girlhood fantasies had been far exceeded by the reality; his body, lean and fit, his fingertips, hard with guitar calluses, tracing every inch of her skin.

     She wanted to touch him, one more time, but didn’t dare. Why did she have to meet him now, like this? If she’d met him a few months ago, before Nathan got sick, she could’ve just been herself; he seemed to like her.

     And in the morning, no hard feelings and no regrets, he’d said.

     There would be no hard feelings on her part. Ever. But what should have been a magical interlude was forever tainted, because no matter what she did, as soon as he discovered the ring gone, he’d remember her only as the girl who stole something from him. Something valuable, and important. It was probably a priceless antique or something—no one made a deal with the Devil over costume jewelry.

     Lying there in the dark, listening to Finn breathe, Faith never had any doubt that what she did for Nathan was the right thing to do, but for a moment—just for a moment—it was nice to imagine a different scenario. One where she and Finn and Nathan could all three be together, without the shadow of darkness hovering over their heads. He said he liked kids, maybe he could be happy with a normal life…

     Dream on, girl, she told herself.

     Yes, Finn Payne was every woman’s dream.

     And now it was time for the dream to be over.

     Slowly, so she didn’t wake him, Faith slipped from the bed and gathered her clothes, finding most of them in the living room. She dressed quietly, then put her shoes by the door and crept barefoot back into the bedroom, where Finn still slept.

     His breathing was slow and deep. She eased into the bathroom, touching the fingers of her left hand to the soap dispenser. Then she came back into the bedroom and waited, gathering her nerve. She already knew what she’d do if he woke up; squeeze his hand, claim a goodbye kiss, and urge him back to sleep, hopefully slipping the ring off in the process.

     And if she got caught… well, she didn’t know what she’d do if she got caught.

     Reminding herself that failure was not an option, Faith took one last look at the glitter of Atlanta’s skyline, then one last look at the gorgeous man in the bed. When they were both imprinted on her mind’s eye, she went to him, and gently smoothed the warm, soapy tip of a finger across his knuckle.

     He didn’t stir, so she did it again. Then she used her other hand to slowly take hold of the ring. It was chunky, very solid, and slid from Finn’s finger far more easily than she’d imagined it would.

     She had it, clenched within her palm so hard it hurt.

     Backing soundlessly from the bed, Faith turned and fled, not realizing she’d been holding her breath until she reached the front door. Taking only a moment to slip on her shoes, she carefully unlocked the deadbolt, cringing at the slight snick. Hearing nothing from the bedroom, she gave a silent sigh of relief, and opened the door.

     That, of course, is when all hell broke loose.

Copyright © 2011 Terri Garey, All Rights Reserved