Loving Faith Read online

  Loving

  Faith

  Sara Hooper

  Copyright © 2013

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  Copyright © 2013

  “Beautiful, Madison,” twenty-five year-old Faith Williams snapped her ninety-sixth picture of the day. The lighting was perfect, giving just the right amount of shadow on the young model's face to capture the mood the photographer was looking for. “Turn your head just a fraction to the right.” Another snap and Faith lowered her camera. “Take ten, everyone.”

  As her crew dispersed to do whatever it was they did on their breaks, Faith turned towards the tent she'd had set up a few feet away from where she was shooting. The sun was shifting from morning to afternoon and she wanted to switch lenses to capture a new tone with the next set of shots. Unlike many others in her field who'd decided to follow the trend of digital photography, Faith preferred to keep things classic. Many of her colleagues called it old-fashioned or archaic, preferring to allow the technology to automatically adjust for lighting and focus. Faith, however, treated even the most mundane of shoots with an artist's eye. It was how she saw the world. It always had been.

  Every other person on The Oracle staff was a 'serious journalist,' their degrees ranging from general English to journalism to writing. While they spent their time crafting prose, Faith was the visionary. She'd graduated with a degree in photography art, but credited her keen eye to childhood and adolescent obsession with pictures. She'd always wanted to know what story each picture told.

  Faith wiped the back of her hand across her forehead. June in Chattanooga, Tennessee, was always warm, but today was particularly hot. Her milk chocolate skin glistened with sweat and she was grateful she'd kept her black hair short rather than letting her mother talk her into growing it out for cornrows. They were nice, but just made her hotter, literally, not figuratively.

  “Faith,” her new assistant – Harper, maybe? - handed her a bottle of water. That was another way she was different from the others at the magazine. She was far too young to be called 'Miss Williams' by a college student just a few years younger than she.

  “Thanks,” she took a gulp of the cold liquid and let it chill her body. She turned back towards the venue she'd selected. Picturesque. That had been the word she'd used to describe it, and it was still true, but she couldn't quite help but feel that something was missing. Her shots of Madison would be perfect for the piece on new beauty trends, but she was still stuck for the cover shot. She had nearly a hundred shots she could choose from, but not a single one was striking her as good enough for the cover.

  Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar ringtone. She glanced at her watch as she pulled her phone out of her pocket. Before she answered it, she called out to her assistant. “Tell everyone ten more minutes.” She didn't wait for Harper's response as she slid her finger across the bottom of her phone. “Hello, Mama.”

  “Did I catch you at a bad time, Baby Girl?” Faith's mother, Ester Kline-Williams was smiling. Even though Faith couldn't see her, she knew what expression would be on her mother's face because Ester was always smiling, even when things were at their worst.

  “No, Mama.” As always, Faith couldn't help but smile in response. “I'm on a break. Besides, you know that I always have time to talk to you.”

  “That's sweet, Baby Girl, but I don't want you getting in trouble just to talk to me,” Ester chided.

  The banter was easy, familiar. They went through some form of it each time they talked while Faith was at work. When she was at home, they had a different patter. No matter what news they had to share, it always waited until after their routine. When she was younger, it had been Faith and Ester's way of checking in without having to come out and ask the tough questions. Now, it was just comforting habit.

  “Mama, it's no trouble,” Faith concluded the exchange and then asked. “How are you?”

  “I'm doing fine,” Ester replied.

  Faith expected no less of a response from her mother. Ester could've been standing in the middle of a disaster area and given the same answer.

  “How's work?” Ester asked.

  “Just waiting for inspiration to strike,” Faith squinted her dark chocolate brown eyes up at the sun. “I finished all of the specific photos assigned to articles, but I still need a cover. Caleb's letting me do my own thing for it, so it has to be perfect.”

  “It'll come to you.”

  Ester wasn't placating her, Faith knew. Her mother genuinely believed in her daughter's talent. It was the one thing that had always kept Faith going, even when everyone else said she couldn't do, that she'd never amount to anything. Her mother's belief in her had been her rock.

  “Thanks, Mama,” Faith was genuinely appreciative of the support. “How is your day going?”

  “Work's good,” Ester changed the subject and Faith could almost see the dismissive wave. There was very rarely anything exciting going on at the button factory where Ester worked. It was small enough that there was rarely any of the drama that went along with a huge plant, but big enough that it wasn't too much like a family, complete with bickering. “I was talking to Linda Chase at the nursing home yesterday and she told me that her grandson Benjamin is moving back to town.”

  “Mama,” Faith suppressed a sigh. She knew where this conversation was going. “Did you tell Mrs. Chase that I'd go out with her grandson?”

  “Of course not.”

  Ester sounded indignant, but Faith could also hear a hint of sheepishness in her mother's words. Expected, of course, thanks to her mother's myriad of previous attempts to fix her up with one of her friends' sons or the grandsons of the people at the nursing home where Ester volunteered. Faith knew that her mother meant well, that the reason behind the set-ups wasn't because Ester thought Faith needed a man, but because Ester worried that Faith was lonely and wouldn't take the time to find someone on her own. At least one of those was accurate. Faith was extremely busy.

  She kept her voice stern but respectful. “Mama, have you even met this Benjamin?”

  “I'm having lunch with Linda tomorrow and it's possible that Benjamin will be there,” Ester admitted. “I wasn't going to ask you to meet someone that I hadn't talked to first. You know me better than that.”

  “So you don't even know if he and I would have anything in common.” It was a statement, not a question.

  “How do you know if you don't try?” Ester countered, the argument as familiar as their greetings.

  “I have to go now, Mama,” Faith glanced at her watch. “I'll call you when I get home.”

  “Talk to you soon, Baby Girl.”

  Faith was smiling and shaking her head as she hung up. Even when dealing with her mother's matchmaking tendencies, she always felt better after talking with her. If nothing else, it generally cleared her mind.

  “Faith?” Madison Cartwright was standing nearby.

  “Oh, hey, Madison,” Faith greeted her favorite model. She'd used the tall brunette on more than one assignment. Beautiful, easy to work with, and just an overall sweet girl. They'd even occasionally spent time together outside of work. “If you wouldn't mind sticking around for a little while longer, I might need you for my cover shot.”

  “No problem,” Madison tossed her long, dark hair over her shoulder. “I actually came over here to ask you something.”

  “Shoot,” Faith picked up a different lens and held it up to the light. There was a small
chip out of one corner. Should make for some interesting lighting. She screwed it onto the camera.

  “I do want to clarify that I was going to talk to you about this before I heard you and your mom talking,” Madison threw out a disclaimer. “But I have a friend I really want you to meet.”

  Faith stared. Had she heard Madison correctly?

  “And before you say no, I want you to know that I wasn't looking for someone to set you up with. He's an old friend who recently moved here. When we met for the first time in years, I realized how perfect he would be for you.”

  “Madison,” Faith started to protest.

  “Look, his name's Matthew Callaway. He's twenty-eight and a lawyer,” Madison interrupted. “His little brother and I dated in junior high.”

  Okay, that was different. “You stayed friends with your junior high ex-boyfriend's older brother?”

  Madison shrugged. “When David came out of the closet, Matthew and I were the only people in town who supported him at first. It made the three of us really close.”

  “Yeah, that would do it,” Faith muttered.

  “Faith, I know this guy. I think you two would have a lot of chemistry together.” A smile played around her lips. “If it makes you feel any better, he was doubtful when I pitched a date with you.”

  “Oh really?” Faith's lips flattened. “Maybe I should meet this guy after all.”

  It wasn't until she saw the triumphant expression on Madison's face that she realized her friend had known exactly what type of response those words would elicit. Maybe Madison did know her well after all.

  “All right, enough of that,” Faith glowered but Madison just kept grinning. “We're losing our light.” She didn't know when it had happened, but she knew what shot she wanted now. “Move over by the fountain.”

  ***

  Faith set down her bag with a sigh. It had been a long day, but a productive one. After finishing the shoot, she'd spent hours in her darkroom, developing the pictures. No matter how many times her editor told her that she could use digital prints, she insisted that she preferred the 'harder' way. Since she never missed a deadline and always produced quality work, no one complained. She was pleased with how well the pictures had turned out, including the ones she'd been inspired to create for the cover. The cracked lens had leaked light into the shot, creating a unique glare on every picture she'd taken. One in particular had come out beautifully. Madison was in shadow, only her profile visible, and streaks of overexposure cut across the sky. Faith's editor had been thrilled.

  At the end of the shoot, as they'd been packing up for the day, Madison had called out that she'd text Faith the time and place of Friday's date and then she'd vanished, giving Faith no time to back out of it. Which Faith knew was smart thing to do. She regretted agreeing to the date pretty much the moment she said yes. She liked men well enough, she just didn't see the point of wasting her time dating. If she had an itch, she scratched it, whether with a guy she picked up – something she'd never share with her mother – or on her own.

  Speaking of which.

  Faith stripped off her clothes as she walked, letting her hands roam over her skin as her mood shifted from business to pleasure. Her dark brown nipples hardened from the cool caress of air-conditioning and she cupped her breasts, running her fingers over the wrinkled nubs. She closed her thumb and forefinger around her right nipple and tugged, sending a bolt of pleasure straight through her. She supposed she could just use her hand, but she wanted more than her fingers tonight. Her entire body was strung tight and she didn't think a few flicks to the clit would give her the relief she craved. She needed something a bit more... filling. She went into her bedroom and opened the middle drawer in her nightstand. Her toy drawer. Some tame, some maybe not so much, but those were generally used with a partner. What she wanted now was something that would satisfy the ache between her legs.

  “No,” Faith shook her head at her small vibrator and the slender dildo next to it. Her eyes moved to the larger piece of dark flesh-colored rubber. Nine inches long and at least five inches thick, it was a little over the average size of the men she'd been with over the last few years. Some had been smaller, some larger, but the thing that set this particular shaft apart was that she knew exactly how to work it. It would hit that sweet spot inside her that made her legs shake and her eyes roll back. That was what she wanted. “There we are.” She picked up the toy and then, after a moment, grabbed the slender one as well. She was feeling a bit adventurous.

  She quickly debated the merits of doing this on the couch versus the bathtub before settling on the tub. Easier clean up and, if she sat on the edge, she could just slip right into the water when she was done. She left the tub filling with water and lavender-scented salts, and poured herself a glass of red wine. She'd have a salad afterwards. She never did eat much when it started getting hot out.

  By the time the first few sips of wine were making their way through her system, she was more than ready to go. She settled on the edge of the tub, the tile ledge cool against her overheated skin. She propped her legs up on either side of the tub, shivering as the air touched her glistening folds. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, letting a fantasy fill her mind. She slid a hand between her legs, her fingers coming in contact with her clit. She moved in slow circles, losing herself in the sensation.

  Long, strong fingers moved over her body, massaging tense muscles, cupping her breasts. Talented fingers rolled her nipples into hard little points, tugging on the tips until they stood out. His hands moved downward, digits dipping beneath her folds to find her clit, hard and throbbing.

  Little ripples of pleasure raced along her nerves, sending a rush of wet to her pussy. She removed her hand and reached for the toy. As she pushed the thick shaft into her cunt, she whimpered, filling herself inch by pleasurable inch. She loved the feel of being stretched, the intensity of no real preparation. Once it was fully sheathed inside her, she left it there, letting her body adjust for a moment, enjoying the feeling of her muscles twitching as they struggled to adapt to the intrusion.

  He entered her slowly, the struggle written on his face as he fought the urge to bury himself with one stroke. He was so large and it had been so long. Her pussy clung to his cock, the passage almost too tight.

  When she started to move the shaft in and out, she couldn't hold back little moans of pleasure. The tip of the toy rubbed against her g-spot, sending jolts of pleasure through her with each contact. The pressure began to build inside her, driven by the images in her head as well as the movements of her hands.

  His cock pounded into her, hitting her just right until she knew she would explode. The sight of his dark flesh disappearing into her own was enough to make her cry out. His muscles rippled beneath his rich, brown skin and she dug her nails into his muscular ass, spurring him forward.

  Faith reached for the slender plastic cylinder. She quickly withdrew the larger shaft and slipped the smaller inside, wetting it as her fantasy changed.

  He rolled them over so that she was on her stomach, her legs spread as he continued to thrust into her. A moment later, she gasped as she felt the tip of something against her ass.

  Faith shoved the larger dildo back into her pussy and moved the smaller to her other hole. She swore as the tip breached the tight ring of muscle. Slowly, she worked the smooth shaft into her ass.

  He moved with practiced ease, sliding his cock from her pussy even as he pushed the toy forward into her ass. He emptied and filled her with increasing fervor, every stroke sending a new wave of ecstasy washing over her. Finally, he pushed the toy inside her and left it there as he began to pound into her pussy. Each time he bottomed out, his pelvis would hit against the end of the dildo, jostling it and sending new pleasure racing along her nerves. She could feel the pressure building and...

  Faith pushed both toys inside her at the same time and came with a sharp cry. She held them in place as her body shook, her breasts heaved with every shuddering breath. H
er limbs still twitched with aftershocks when she slipped the dildos from her body and slid down into the scented water. She sighed as every muscles relaxed, basking in the afterglow as much as the water. She closed her eyes as she soaked. She really didn't see the need for a man when she did so well by herself.

  ***

  She'd always hated picking out what to wear on a blind date. This wasn't someone she'd met before, someone who she would know how they looked at women, how they would look at her. They were meeting at a popular restaurant which could mean anything from dress jeans to a dress. Matthew was a lawyer so she was leaning towards the latter rather than the former. Then she had to decide if she wanted to dress for polite admiration or attraction. That left things open too. Was he an ass man? Or should she play up her relatively long, athletic legs? Would he be more interested in her firm tits or full lips? After an hour of second guessing, she decided she would dress as if joining a female friend and just be herself. She really didn't have the time for games. Once she'd made that decision, things went much more smoothly. She settled on a sleeveless black and white dress that hugged her slender body and hit her mid-thigh. Strappy black sandals that showed off her teal nail polish, and a thrift store silver and teal wrap that matched her chunky jewelry – necklace, earrings and two bracelets – and finished off the outfit. She'd always loved putting a personal touch on whatever she wore, it always helped her confidence.

  When she followed the hostess back to Matthew's table a half an hour later, she felt more prepared than she would've in a more traditional outfit. Then she saw him and blinked. Bronze hair that looked like it would be a mess if it hadn't been carefully tamed. Dark green eyes that matched his shirt. A tanned, handsome face and, from what she could see, a lean body.

  She just hadn't realized that he'd be white. Judging by the flash of surprise in his eyes, Madison hadn't told him that she was black. It made sense, Faith supposed. Madison's mother was white, her father black. She'd told Faith before that she never considered herself one thing or the other.