Lost Faith (The Firm Book 1) Read online

  A glass appeared in front of her nose. Jolting back in the seat Gabbie followed the arm up to find Cherry grinning at her. “Thought you might like something to steady your nerves before we head in for the landing. Pilots said it would be another twenty minutes.”

  Gabbie grinned up at Cherry and smiled. “Thank you.” She readily took the drink and took a sip. “Am I that transparent? That I needed something to help me calm down?” She didn’t realize that her nerves were that apparent while she was sitting there. She knew that Tobias knew she was an absolute wreck but didn’t think everyone else would know it.

  “Well you have a death grip on the boss, your knee is bobbing a million miles an hour and I can hear your throat clicking from the nervous swallowing you’re doing every thirty-seven to forty-five seconds. Trust me, the only ones who haven’t noticed how nervous you are, are the pilots. And that would only be because they have a door they insist on keeping closed due to some pansy ass law or something.”

  Gabbie chuckled and shook her head. “Well thank you for this. Yes, I am nervous. I’m very nervous. I’m terrified that this isn’t going to work out, that, somehow, I will be caught in customs or something of the sort. I know just how silly that sounds but there it is. The truth. If it weren’t for Tobias holding me together I think that I likely would have jumped out of my own skin by now.” She took another drink and felt the burn of the booze easing its way down her throat and sighed as it hit her stomach, calming her slightly.

  “You’ll be fine. Believe you are indeed Ella Winchester, and they will believe it too. Don’t oversell, don’t chatter, and don’t fidget. You belong there, you’ve done nothing wrong, and even if they pull you aside for a more thorough search of your bags don’t freak out. They do it all the time, it’s completely random and based on what the trained customs guys are seeing in front of them. Do you need to go over the cover story again?” Cherry asked shifting her weight to lean against the seat next to her.

  “Yes, please. If you don’t mind? I want to get it as close to perfect as I possibly can.” She had turned to give Cherry more of her attention and actually released Tobias’s hand. “I’m Ella Winchester and I was vacationing in Columbia. I ran into you guys on a beach and figured that since you guys were American as well and I was alone I decided to hang out with you all. It helped that I had the hots for one of your friends. You and I became close friends but it was really Tobias that I was interested in. It took us only a couple of days before Tobias and I were far more than friends.” At least she hoped that was still it.

  “Good, really good. Now remember to get a little dreamy when you say that last part. And think about something naughty too, it’ll help you blush which will sell it even more. Just remember this is only if they ask. The customs guy or gal will ask your reasons for being there, keep it short. Vacation. What did you do while there? Hit the beach, made some friends with a few fellow Americans and saw the sights. Okay? Short, on point, and don’t go too elaborate or it’ll start sounding forced.” Cherry turned the seat she’d been leaning against and sat to face her. “Let’s do it like I’m the customs agent. Reason for your trip to Columbia, Ms. Winchester?”

  “Vacation.” She replied in a one word answer. When Cherry asked her what she did while there she repeated what Cherry had said, ensuring to accentuate the whole friends part when she said Tobias’s name. That part wasn’t hard at all. She thought about the man and she got wet and dreamy, her face flushed red or at least she assumed so since she felt heat in her cheeks. “So, how did I do?” She asked Cherry with a grin.

  “Damn,” she breathed out. Fanning her face Cherry shook her head hard. “I absolutely believed it, if you say it like that again you’ll have the customs agent wiggle around in his or her seat for sure. You’ve got this nailed down. Just keep repeating to yourself to keep it short, sweet, and concise. Only expand on answers when they ask questions that require you to and you’ll be through in no time at all. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to find some ice to stuff into my thong.”

  Gabbie laughed and shook her head. When Cherry was gone she realized that Tobias was looking at her again and she winked. “Cherry is something else. I like her, a lot. She’s funny and doesn’t give a shit what anyone thinks about what she says or does. I want to be like that one day.” Cherry was certainly a one of a kind woman, she was also a sweetheart.

  “She’s definitely unique,” he agreed. She noticed he’s shut down the laptop and turned his full attention on her. Instantly she felt all melty and leaned closer to him. “You’ll do fine, Ella. You’ve got this, and it’s like any other trip you’ve ever taken. Be yourself and stay relaxed. You did just return from vacation so you need to become that person.”

  “This is very true.” Although typically when she returned home from vacation she was never put through customs, ever. “I look forward to getting to know where you live and work. Where is that by the way? You never did tell me where home was going to be. I should know that part for my story as well, right?”

  “Virginia,” he said. “I have a place out on Mt. Vernon, in the Woodland Park area. Good size lots, and plenty of privacy. We have an office space in Alexandria that we occasionally all cohabitate although we can do most things from home and really only go in for client meetings and training drills as a team.”

  “Isn’t modern technology amazing? You can do video conferences and all that without having to get out of your PJ’s. I love it. Do the others live near you as well?” She wasn’t certain if they all lived in the same general area or if they lived all around Virginia. “So, do I get to come home with you?” She asked him hopefully.

  “You are definitely coming home with me,” he told her firmly. “The other’s live in different communities but we’re all roughly the same distance from the office. Winston lives the furthest from me and the closest to Washington while still remaining in Virginia.” Then he leaned in, brushed his lips to her ear, and whispered that he didn’t own any pajamas.

  She just looked at him after that and licked her lips. “Oh.” Was all she could say. “Well then I suppose that is one thing that I don’t have to worry about purchasing either.” She never slept in pajamas. If she had to sleep in anything she would sleep in panties and her bra but that was it. “I think that I’m going to like being from Virginia.” She told him with a smile and leaned in again. She pressed her cheek to his and asked him if he wanted to join the mile-high club with her. Cheesy, she knew, but why not?

  “We’re ten minutes from landing,” he said with a smirk. “We’ll join the club the next time we take a flight somewhere and when we don’t have an avid audience. Besides, I want our first time to be in my California king sized bed. Along with the second, third and fourth time. After that we can talk about other rooms to get down to business in.”

  She shivered and licked her lips. Nodding she took his hand again. “Okay, I think that I can totally get behind that plan. I like that idea a great deal. Of knowing that you will be here with me and we will be able to have time alone. So, California king huh? Please tell me it’s soft and comfortable?”

  “Firm mattress, extra thick pillow top and several pillows. I like a few to snuggle into after years of sleeping on rocks and sand, don’t judge.” Giving a sniff Tobias threw her a wink and paused when the pilots announced landing would be in six minutes and for everyone to buckle up if they weren’t already. Cherry breezed by to snatch her almost empty glass from her hand disappearing up front with it quickly. “I think you’ll quite enjoy it. I see us both collapsing on it and sleeping the night through without much movement the first evening.”

  “I look forward to that as well. It will be very nice to be able to actually sleep more than a few minutes at a time. I don’t want to have to wake at all for about eight hours, minimum. Think you can make that happen for us? Ensure that we are able to sleep a whole night through so that we don’t have to stress about times and when people will be back and all that fun stuff?”

 
“I can definitely make that happen. I can even get us a good meal that neither one of us has had to cook, hot and ready to serve the moment we arrive. Once we clear the airport remind me to call it in.” Straightening his seatback Tobias let her hand go only long enough to put his laptop into the case, and into his carry-on that he stowed back under his seat. He took her hand in his once he leaned back in his seat providing her with the comfort she needed.

  “Sounds brilliant to me. Wait, how will you be able to get a fully cooked meal ready at your home? Do you have someone living with you that I should know about?” She didn’t think she was intruding on anyone else’s love life but maybe he had a relative that lived with him or something?

  “Not even. I have a couple friends who own or are partners in restaurants around town who are always willing to make me a meal. Something in their genetic coding that insists they feed those who don’t have the time to cook. Probably why they got into the business. I call one up and about thirty minutes later I have piping hot meals on my doorstep, or whenever I tell them I’ll be home.”

  “Those are some amazing friends to have.” Gabbie was impressed, very. “Well, I love all foods and have no allergies so whatever you might want will be good with me. Do you have any ideas as to what you might want to eat by the way?” She didn’t know what the friends specialized in, after all.

  “I’m thinking the steak house. Big ass juicy T-bone with mushrooms, a twice baked potato with all the fixings and for dessert something horribly sinful and full of calories that I’ll need to burn off in my morning workout. Unless you’d rather I get salad.”

  “Oh god that sounds so good. No, food. Lots of food. Besides, do I look as if I am a salad gal?” She loved food and it showed. “Can you get me extra bacon and cheese on my twice baked potatoes?” She asked hopefully. “And your morning workout, would that have something to do with me, I hope?” She wanted to be able to help him burn off the calories just as he would help her burn them off.

  “I can get you whatever you’d like, sweetheart. We’ll talk about my morning workout over dinner,” he said. Leaning in he gave her a kiss at the same moment she heard the flaps moving and a change in their forward momentum. When her ears popped she knew they were into their descent.

  “Good timing.” She spoke against his lips. She moved in closer and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Then I really can’t wait for dinner because I look forward to knowing just what your workout will entail and if I can please be a part of it. I will have a number of calories to burn off as well you know.”

  “We’ll work something out that is mutually beneficial to us both.” He nipped her earlobe and gave it a light tug. Sitting back in his seat he squeezed her fingers as their airspeed slowed and then they made contact with the tarmac. Instantly the pilots threw the engines into reverse to slow their forward momentum shaking everyone and everything around until they were at a pace they could navigate along the various runways toward the terminal.

  “I’m glad that we will.” She held onto his hand tightly and took a deep breath. “Now then, I need to get my act together and ready for the possibility of having to go through customs.” She teased him. “I’m hoping that they will pick someone else other than me.”

  “It’ll be fine. Calm, happy vacationer returning home after a well-deserved trip. You’re in love, the future is bright and shiny, and there is to be many rounds of wild sex in the coming hours. Piece of cake,” he said with a smile.

  “I am in love. Funny how quickly that happened don’t you think?” She knew that what she felt for him was real and everlasting, even if it had happened so quickly. “I’m keeping you, Tobias Casey, forever and ever. I want you to know that.”

  “Makes this easier. Kidnapping is so last season and we’ve already done that which means I would have had to come up with some other plan to keep you within my clutches. I have plans for you, Ms. Winchester. Many plans.”

  “Oh I love the way that you say that.” She licked her lips and then bit her lower lip. “And yes, you took me once so there is no reason to kidnap me again. Right?” Besides, she actually hadn’t been hard to kidnap, not really. Well, not once she realized just what her father was. It was easy to keep her that way.

  “Precisely. The next time I tie you up it won’t be in a barren room and to a chair. That really isn’t conducive to wild and kinky sex. At least not with you sitting down anyway. But we’ll leave that for later once we get you beyond the beginner steps and into the more adventurous things we can get up to.”

  “Oh, heaven’s sakes, I so look forward to that one.” She fanned herself and smirked. “Next time I look forward to it. Just remember to use silk ties on me.” She knew that he would. He would do anything to keep her safe and using silk on her would be one of them.

  “You’ll only be wearing silk scarves and a smile, sweetheart.” The plane wobbled to a stop and instantly everyone was up on their feet. Tobias moved slower giving a stretch and then collecting his bag. He grabbed hers down from the overhead and handed it over. “You have your passport and customs form ready, right?” he asked as they moved to the front to wait on the pilot to pop the door open.

  “I do at that.” She held them up and reached for his hand. “Don’t go too far from me?” She whispered. “I’m scared and I need you close to me. I feel better, safer with you around.” Which he already knew. He was her rock.

  “You will be fine. I’ll walk with you through to the customs area, but then we need to separate into different lines. It’ll speed the process up some. I won’t be far even there, promise.” He gave her fingers a squeeze before slipping his arm around her waist to hug her close to his side. She knew they’d have a bit of a walk ahead of them and he appeared to be in no huge rush but was moving at a decent and steady speed.

  “Sounds like a plan to me.” She moved along at his side, she noticed that the men and Cherry moved so that they were semi-flanking them. She kept her hand firmly in Tobias’s until it was time to separate. She then moved away from him and they all went through customs. Thankfully she hadn’t been stopped by a customs officer. She had been more than a little surprised but she would take it.

  Once they were in the main area of the airport she looked up at Tobias once more and grinned. “Alright, well I guess that it’s time for you to take me home?”

  “Definitely,” he said. “Let’s head out. I have a feeling there’s going to be a mortgage worth of fees from the long-term parking. Not looking forward to that part. First though we should get you bundled up. The weather’s cooler here than what you’re used to.”

  “Do they sell sweaters or coats here in the airport?” She asked him as she stroked her fingers over his hand. “And won’t you be reimbursed with the parking fees? And please tell me that you guys didn’t all bring your own vehicles. That would be some serious parking fees.”

  “No, some of us actually car pooled here,” he said with a grin. Stopping he dropped his bag and crouched to dig through. He came up with a sweater for her that he shook out, and passed over. “Absolutely no need to buy something when we have you covered. You slip that on and then we can make a run for the truck.”

  She slipped the sweater on and lifted it to her nose to inhale it. “It smells like you. Much better than buying something new.” Which was true. She really did like the fact that he pretty much had her covered no matter what he needed. “And you are certain that you aren’t married or have never been married? Because you are just too perfect.”

  “Not married, and definitely haven’t been. At least not that I can recall or that the state of Virginia has on record. I’m a military man and they taught us to anticipate any situational requirements. Besides it was damn cold when we left the country so I was actually wearing it when I dragged my ass here at four in the morning for our flight out.” Bag hooked over his shoulder again he slid his free arm around her waist while they walked toward the exit.

  “Well I don’t want to take your sweater from you if it means t
hat you are going to be cold. I can’t.” Gabbie moved to pull the sweater off and offer it back to him. “Tobias, I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. I would rather be cold than have you give up comfort for me.” She wasn’t touching the part about him being a military man, that much she had gotten just by how large and how powerful that he was.

  “Keep it on, sweetheart. You’ll need it more than I will, trust me.” He adjusted it back onto her shoulders and squeezed her in close. Pressing a kiss to her temple he swept her through the sliding doors and out into the chilly, mildly overcast day. “All I need to do is think about having you all to myself for several days, naked naturally, and I’m plenty warm enough to withstand a small chill.”

  That had her looking up sharply at him. “God, I love the way that sounds.” She was now happy for the sweater she realized as she shivered. “Thank you, Tobias. Again, for taking such great care of me. I look forward to having you getting me naked and doing all sorts of things to me. I can’t wait.”

  “You’ll need to wait a little longer sadly.” Grinning he kept her close as they got onto the airport shuttle to take them to the long-term parking lot. He sat near the back and pulled her in close to his side. “When we get to my truck remind me to call and arrange our meal. Either wise you will have to make due with whatever may be growing in my fridge.”

  “Okay, seriously don’t want to have whatever might be in your fridge with as long as it sounds you were gone. How long were you guys waiting by the way? Before I came home?” She asked softly. “And food is good, very good. Will we need to make a run to a grocery store tomorrow sometime?”