We hurry to the entrance. “The doors aren’t closed yet, c’mon.” I grab hold of her hand propelling us. “You’d know that if you got your eyes checked.”
“Would you stop,” she groans. “We don’t need to get into a serious argument before we go into the Lord’s house.”
My breath comes out in an unladylike snort. “We’ve already started.”
We hurry up the steps together, sneaking in right as the doors close.
“Should we try to get up there with dad or just take a seat at the back?” She whispers when we walk into the sanctuary.
“No, let’s just slide in the last row.” I point to where there’s a half bench open. “That way, we won’t interrupt trying to get up there.”
We quickly scoot in. Crossing my legs, I take a look at all the people seated in front of us. I’m searching the congregation for one person. The one I find myself wanting to see everyday. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been an option for the last almost seventy-two hours.
Seems as if periods of not being able to be physically in contact will be something we’ll need to plan for and overcome in this relationship. Searching, searching, searching…wait a second. That’s when I see the back of his head. Sitting in the middle of a pew about halfway toward the back. I’m assuming he’s with his family, judging by the way they’re all about the same height and have similar hair color. Turn around, I beg internally.
All I want to see are those dark eyes trained on me with barely restrained passion. What I wouldn’t give to have those full lips eating at mine, tasting the coffee I managed to sneak in this morning. Danny reaches behind him, running a hand along his neck, almost as if my gaze is burning his flesh. Slightly, he turns, his gaze moving along the occupants of the pews around him. Eventually, he turns more fully and I do my best to catch his eye without jumping up and down or waving my arms like I’m advertising the fact Hailey and I were late.
Just a little more, I encourage silently.
There it is. His eyes, amber and smoky, meet mine. A crooked grin tilts the corner of his lips.
Lifting my hand, I wave my fingers seductively. Hi, I mouth at him.
Hey, he mouths back.
More than anything, I wish I could get him to come back here or go up there and sit with his family.
“Pay attention.” Hailey smacks my leg. “Preacher Thomas is talkin’ about sins of the flesh while you and the Rookie are eye-fuckin’ each other in church.”
“Hailey!”
“You started it,” she argues.
“No, actually he did.”
“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality…”
All of those I’m willing to do with Danny. I’m more than willing and ready. Above all, I wish we were in a different place than where we are right now.
Instead of being in church, I’d rather be alone with him. In the Jeep, up at Cupid’s Point again or somewhere dark. Allowing myself to be wrapped in a sensual blanket of desire.
Definitely something I never experienced before I met him.
Crossing my legs a little tighter, my gaze stays on him throughout the service and I can’t help but hope we’ll see each other sooner rather than later.
* * *
“When did y’all get here?”Dad asks as he walks over to us.
Church is letting out and, since we were in the very back, we were part of the first group.
“With seconds to spare.” Hailey and I share a look between ourselves.
“Doesn’t matter, as long as the two of you made it.”
Dad is a popular man. Everyone wants to shake his hand before they leave, talk about the upcoming weather, and see what might have happened in the community the previous week. We’re used to it, but there’s a reason that, as we’ve gotten older, we’ve started driving ourselves to church.
“Chief…”