Chapter 22

Richie had the driver take them to his house and then go back and wait for Jon. He led Faith through his house to the garage and into his car. They drove for a while, ending up at the beach. Richie parked and shut the car off. He turned to Faith, "take a walk with me?" "Sure" came her soft reply. They slipped off their shoes and walked hand in hand in the sand for a bit, "did you have a good time tonight Faith?" "I did." They walked on a little farther. "Want to know my favorite part?" They stopped walking and turned to face each other. In the moonlight she could see the passionate brown eyes and face of the man she had come to love in just a few short days. Her tongue snaked out to wet her lips and the next thing Faith knew Richie pulled her close and his mouth was on hers. full of barely held back passion. Faith's lips parted and she returned the kiss with as much passion as he was pouring into her.

They pulled backed from the kiss, both more than a little breathless. Richie looked into her eyes, eyes the color of the sea, the eyes that had been haunting his dreams since he first looked into them. "What was your favorite part?" Faith reached up and took his face in her hands, "this" she ran her thumb across his lower lip, "being here with you, this is my favorite part." She reached up and nipped at his lip before kissing him with everything she was feeling.

Richie hadn't felt like this in so long, he almost forgot what it was to love with his whole heart. The divorce had hurt him almost to the point that he didn't think he could love like that again. But he realized tonight that he had been mistaken. He eased back from the kiss, "Faith." She looked up at him. "Do you know what you do to me?" He caressed her cheek and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Tell me" she quietly answered. She wanted to know if he was feeling the same as she was. He trailed his hand down her arm and laced their fingers together. Richie looked into her eyes as he spoke. "Since I met you I haven't been able to think of anything else. You are on my mind all the time. I keep wondering how I can feel so much having only known you for such a short time."

Faith nodded her head. She understood all too well what he was saying. "I feel it too Richie, and I think sometimes, the heart just knows, somehow it just knows." He smiled at her before bringing her hands to his lips. He kissed both of them before speaking again. "Faith, I don't deserve you." She smiled at him, "probably not, but you've got me." He decided right then to hold on with both hands and not let go. He kissed her again, their need for each other growing. Richie's hands played over her back and down to her hips, pulling her flush against him. "Richie" she breathed as his lips left hers and trailed down her neck. "Hmm?" She pulled his head up to look him in the eye, "come home with me."