Chapter 33

Faith woke in the morning, again at the very edge of Richie's bed. This is ridiculous. She gave him a shove. He moved, the wrong way, and she ended up on the floor. "Richie!" He started at her voice and opened his eyes, "what are you doing on the floor?" She glared up at him, "look where you are in the bed and then you tell me why I'm on the floor." He looked around and then looked over at her, "sorry darlin' it's been a while since I had to share my bed with anyone." He sat up and held out his hand to her, "let me help you up." Faith took his hand and stood, gripping it tighter when the dizziness overtook her. He watched her sway and grabbed her before she could fall.

Richie let Faith get her bearings. "Are you going to tell me what is going on?" Faith took a deep breath, opened her eyes and looked at him, he really was worried about her. "I told you yesterday I didn't know. Honestly, this, whatever it is, is all new to me." He studied her for a moment, "maybe you oughta go to the doctor." She wasn't going to tell him, but now she really had no choice. "I called yesterday on my way to work and made an appointment." "When?" "Friday. It was the soonest I could get." She curled in next to him. "Richie?" "Hmm, what darlin'? "I - I have to get ready for work." He was sure that wasn't what she was going to say. "Are you going to be okay?" He felt her nod her head against him, "yeah, I'll be fine. I have to be." She got up slowly, taking tentative steps to the bathroom.

Richie let out a sigh and fell back against the pillows as she closed the door. What could be wrong with her? Hopefully it wasn't anything more serious than needing to slow down some. She worked too hard if you asked him. He knew she did it to provide for Hannah, but still, she did more than anyone should reasonably have to. She had just come into his life, surely she wouldn't be taken away from him, not now. He had crashed hard after Heather, he really didn't think he could live through that kind of pain again.

Faith came out of the bathroom dressed, except for her shirt. "Hey, where do you think you're going dressed like that?" Richie whistled at her from where he still lay lounging in the bed. She flipped the braided end of her hair over her shoulder and looked over at him, "why work of course." She watched as he climbed out of the bed in all his naked glory and crossed the room to her. She started to feel lightheaded for a whole different reason all together. "You might want to rethink that decision." She laughed at the look on his face, "what, you don't like it?" He pulled her to him, "now you know I love it, but I have a problem with that sharing thing. Where's your shirt?" She laughed "its in your dryer." She ran her hands lightly down his sides and across his stomach before placing a kiss in the center of his chest. "Care to join me for a cup of coffee before I head out?" He kissed the top of her head before moving back by the bed to pick up his pants. "Sure, I'll even make you some breakfast." She raised an eyebrow at him, "really?" He slid his pants on, "sure. I told you I can scramble an egg didn't I." She laughed at him, "that you did babe, that you did."

While Faith started the coffee and retrieved her shirt, Richie made them both scrambled eggs and toast. "What are you going to do today?" Faith asked between bites of egg. "I am picking up Ava later for some father/daughter time." Faith thought of Hannah, wondering how she was doing with her friend. "Going to do something special?" Richie shook his head, "she just wants to come here and swim. I think she is part fish or something, can't keep her out of the water." Faith watched him as he spoke about Ava, he loved her so much and missed her something terrible. "Do you want me to go back to my house after work today? I don't want to intrude on your time with Ava.

"No darlin' you don't have to do that. I will only have her with me for the afternoon. Heather is taking her somewhere tonight. And speaking of tonight, will you let me take you out tonight?" Faith sighed, could the timing suck any more. "I can't tonight. This is one of the nights I have to clean the studio." She took their plates to the sink while he sipped his coffee. "Faith, you really need to slow down. Can't someone else take care of the studio?"

"I wish there was someone else. I drew the short straw for the holiday week. There isn't anyone else. I'm sorry." Richie finished his coffee and joined her at the sink. "Well, we can go eat first and then I will help you tonight." Faith's eyes widened in surprise "you can't be serious. You are going to help me tonight?" He smiled at her, "just because I live like this" he spread his hands out in front of him "doesn't mean I don't know how to empty the garbage, sweep the floor or dust a shelf. I took care of myself for a long time before I had someone to do it for me." Faith smiled at him and took his hands in hers, "I'm sorry, I just wasn't prepared for the offer. I would love to have you help me tonight. But now, I have to go." She reached up and planted her lips on his, "have a good day."

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Richie and Ava enjoyed their afternoon swimming and just hanging out together. Ava watched her dad closely, he seemed different somehow. "Dad?" He was laying on the lounge chair that Faith had occupied the night before. He opened his eyes to find her blue ones peering at him intently. "What's the matter baby?" "Are you okay?" He smiled at her, "I'm fine, why?" She joined him on the chair, he moved to make room for her. "Well, since we met Hannah and her mom you have been acting different." Richie hadn't seen this coming, "different how?" She reached up and took his sunglasses off, "do you love her?"

He became a little flustered, "who?" "Dad! Hannah's mom, do you love her?" This gave Richie a moment's pause, he had never lied to Ava before and he had no intention of starting now. "Would that be a problem?" Ava thought for a moment, "what about mom?" she asked quietly. Richie knew he needed to tread carefully through these waters. "Your mom will always have place in my heart, because without her I wouldn't have you." Ava seemed satisfied with that answer. "But what about Hannah's mom?" "What about her?" "Are you going to marry her?" Richie rubbed his hand over his chin, "we haven't even talked about that." Ava wrapped her arms around him, "well if you do, that means I get a sister!" He hugged her and laughed, "I guess it would at that." She hopped off the chair and went back in the pool. He shook his head as he watched her, for not even 10 she was just too damn smart.

Richie thought a lot about what he and Ava talked about when her took her back to Heather and on the return trip. Marriage hadn't even crossed his mind. Did he even want to get married again? He hadn't given that any thought; it hadn't been that long since the ink on the divorce papers had dried.

These thoughts were running through his head as he walked into the house. It was quiet and he wondered where he would find Faith today. He checked out by the pool, but didn't find her there. She wasn't in the living room or the kitchen either. He headed up the stairs and as he got closer to his room the could hear the shower running. With a smile he stripped off his clothes and went to join Faith in the shower.

As he stepped in behind her she turned, "well hi there." He tugged her close "hi yourself" he told her before his mouth was on hers. Faith could feel the need building, but she knew they really didn't have time right now. "Richie" she put a hand on his chest and pulled back from him. He looked down, "I know darlin', but I missed you today." She smiled softly at him and wrapped her arms around him, "I missed you too." With teasing hands and mouths they finished their shower and managed to get dressed.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Faith asked when they were on their way to dinner. "Do what, eat?" Richie answered with a smirk, "of course I want to eat." Faith laughed at him, "I know you want to eat, I meant helping me clean." He reached over and took her hand, "as long as I am with you, I don't care what we are doing. If I have to empty garbage cans to be with you, so be it." She looked over at him, "I love you."

They had dinner at a quiet little place near Richie's house. He took her there because he knew they wouldn't be bothered and he knew the food was good.

When they got to the studio it was dark, apparently everyone had left for the night. Faith had a key and they went in through a side door, one that even Richie hadn't been in before. They worked in tandem, moving from one room to the next, finding the place in fairly good shape. Richie watched as Faith bent, reached and stretched. He jeans grew more uncomfortable with each move that she made. They moved to the next room, the one that he and Jon used, and she bent over in front of him to grab something off the floor. Before she could straighten Richie was pressing up against her. She looked over her shoulder, "what are you doing?" He ground his hips against her so that she could feel how much he wanted her.

He let her straighten but didn't let her turn around. He moved her braid over her shoulder and ran his tongue across the back of her neck. She tasted a little salty, a little sweet. He moved them over to the sound board and placed Faith's hands on the edge. As he slid his hands under her shirt she turned to look at him. "Richie?" "Shh, don't talk." He kissed her hungrily and his hands kneaded her breasts before slipping to release the button and zipper on her jeans. He slid her jeans and underwear down her legs, slipping one hand between to stroke her intimately. Finding her wet for him he chuckled in her ear, "you want me don't you?" She nodded her head as he continued to torment her. "I didn't quite catch that." She looked over her shoulder at him, "now please!"

He teased her a bit more before releasing his own button and zipper. He didn't give her any warning, he drove into her in one thrust. "Richie!" she gasped. Before she could catch her breath he did it again. "Don't stop" she told him. He continued moving, stopping only when the first shudders of her orgasm overtook her. He moved in her again before the tremors stopped, driving her over the edge again and he emptied himself inside her.

Richie braced himself, one hand on each side Faith while they attempted to catch their breaths. He slowly back out of her and straightened his clothes. Faith hadn't moved. "Faith?" She picked her head up and turned to look at him, "it just gets better and better." Richie helped her put herself back together and gathered her in his arms. "I love you Faith."