Read Online A Splash of Hope by Charity Parkerson - Free Book Online

swear.”
    When she still didn’t say a word, he crossed his arms over his chest. “I promise. I’m done.”
    When she was sure he wasn’t going to start talking again, she finished her story. “The woman confirmed what you’ve said. There’s no blond guy working there. When I went back out to my car, it wouldn’t start. So, give it to me straight. How much is going to cost to get it fixed?”
    “Not a dime,” he answered smoothly. “I fixed it before I came over.”
    Faith’s hands clenched in her lap, and Adam’s eyes locked onto the motion. His mouth quirked up in one corner in a semblance of a smile before adding, “And then I disabled it again.”
    “Oh,” she said lamely, and he did smile then.
    Faith crossed her arms over her chest, almost as if she could protect her heart that way. Being this close to Adam was physically painful to her. An ache began in her gut and spread through her chest. The need to reach across the space between them and touch him was so overwhelming her muscles tensed in anticipation. She couldn’t seem to outgrow or outrun being a damn fool. Neither time nor distance managed to free her from him, and she closed her eyes in an attempt to block out the effect his nearness had on her. It seemed no matter how she tried to harden her heart against him, he always managed to sneak his way back in. When she opened her eyes, it was to find him watching her closely.
    “Faith,” he began, but she shot from the couch.
    “Let me change clothes and I’ll catch a ride back with you, if that’s okay with you,” she told him with a pained smile as she made a dash for the bedroom. Closing the door with a snap, she shut out his powerful presence.
    *
    Adam watched Faith’s retreat, barely resisting the urge to chase after her. Her bedroom door closed with a definite snap and he let his head drop back and gazed at the ceiling. He was fucking this up, but he didn’t know how to change things. She was the only person in the world who made him question his every action. She needed her damn car, but she was so stubborn, he didn’t doubt for a moment if he’d simply called a mechanic, she would’ve shut him down immediately. If she believed he hadn’t shelled out any cash over it, she was more likely to respond. Damn, she always made him feel as if he was maneuvering a minefield.
    When Faith reappeared fifteen minutes later, looking sexy as hell, he had a tentative plan in place. He really wanted to throw her over his shoulder and carry her back inside her bedroom. He knew, given enough time alone, he could pleasure her until she was convinced to keep him. It would be a temporary fix. In no time at all, she would remember why she’d run in the first place, and she’d be gone again. No, he needed to do this the right way. She didn’t make it easy with her hair piled up on top of head the way it was. One of the things he found most attractive about her was she didn’t try to be alluring. She simply was.
    “Are you ready?” he asked, mentally patting himself on the back when the words only sounded slightly husky.
    “As I’ll ever be,” she answered, making him smile. Her tone sounded so much like a petulant child that her moping walk to the car only matched it.
    *
    Faith stood aside as Adam opened her car door. “You look beautiful, by the way,” he said, slamming the door and cutting off any response she may have dredged up. Faith had been so lost in thought while getting dressed, she had to look down at herself to see what she was wearing. It wasn’t anything special. She’d chosen a pair of navy blue shorts with a white t-shirt. She snorted when she realized she’d unintentionally dressed to match him. Of course, his shorts were the baggy cargo type that looked so sexy on men, especially men who bulged with muscles and had tight butts, begging to be squeezed, not that she noticed any such nonsense.
    Adam slid behind the wheel and snapped his seatbelt in place. “Do you mind if