Free Saving Face (Mount Faith Series: Book 1) by Brenda Barrett Page B

the back of Natasha's neck stood up in tension, she even rubbed them slowly.
    "Do you know the name of the place where your father grew up?"
    "No," Micah shook his head, "my father and grandparents never really spoke about that. There weren't many back in the days stories at my house, so there can't be any ammunition for you there." He said looking at Taj slyly. "He was just a teenager when he left Jamaica. He couldn't have been up to anything much. Besides, my grandparents were strict Christians. I think they were the ones who forced my Dad to marry my Mom so early. Come to think of it, that is probably the reason why my Dad is such a hard nut to crack."
    He shook his head. "My grandparents were tough on him and Uncle Oswald..."
    His voice trailed away when a girl in a short jeans shorts and an eggshell blue blouse with a plunging neckline stood at the lounge door. The noise had died down a bit as she stood in the doorway, confident of the attention.
    "There she is," Micah said to them quietly, "Miss St. Elizabeth. The reigning queen Deidra. Who defies the dress code of the lounge and takes pride in emphasizing her generous breasts and pert behind for the entire world to see. My forced fiancé." He smirked as Deidra headed over to them.
    "Hi," She said confidently to the table at large then she looked at Micah. "I am in a crisis."
    "What's the crisis?" Micah asked patiently.
    "I can't find my car keys," she said bracing out her chest, "can you come and help me?"
    Micah rolled his eyes. "If you insist."
    "Bye," she barely glanced at Natasha and Taj confident that Micah would follow in her wake.
    "Hey, Taj, don't be a stranger," Micah said while he got up, "and you too Natasha. I must visit your psychiatry center when it's complete to schedule some appointments," he said to Taj. "I need to work out some of my Daddy issues before it is too late."
    Taj grinned. "I might be president, who knows?
    Micah grinned. "Then you'll have no time for me, but I'll still come over to your office and have a chat." He waved as he jogged to catch up to Deidra.
    "She is something else," Natasha said whistling when Deidra and her heavy perfume exited the building.
    Taj nodded. "That's what you call a dream shape. She looks like a fantasy woman."
    Natasha furrowed her brow. "Didn't you see her attitude and her arrogance?"
    "Nah," Taj said, "I just saw her pert..."
    "Oooh," Natasha said steaming, "don't tell me you are one of those men?"
    Taj rubbed his chin, a twinkle in his eye. "This reaction is indicative of some deep seated feminist issues. Please detective, do expound. Who are these men that you so angrily refer to?"
    "You are teasing me aren't you?" Natasha asked looking at the smiling lines of his full red lips.
    "Yup," Taj said grinning, "and you fell for it."
    Natasha shook her head and sipped some more of her fruit juice. "Something is bothering me. There is some common thread with Bancroft's past. I just can't put my finger on it. I probably need to sleep on it." Her phone rang and she snatched it out of her pocket automatically.
    "Where are you?" Harry hissed down the line, "I have hit jackpot and I am hungry. Where are you?"
    "At the lounge. I am heading home now."
    She hung up the phone and stood up. "Taj, I've got to go."
    "I will walk you to your dorm," Taj said getting up too. "Even though this place is crawling with campus security and you probably know more self-defense moves than me I am still escorting you home."
           Natasha grinned. "Who said that chivalry is dead?"

Chapter Nine
     
    Natasha opened the door to her room; a big cheesy grin was on her face. She and Taj had joked and laughed all the way to the dorm. He was surprisingly easy to be with and very easy to talk to. From the short walk from the front of the dorm to her room she had concocted in her head a little fantasy that they were both students at the university and had just started dating.
    She had been so consumed by her little fantasy that it was