Page 49 of Priest

I tell him I don’t have any preferences, and he buys some ingredients to make a chicken stir-fry. He also buys popcorn and some bread and milk.

When we get back, I help him unload the groceries and he offers to bring my bags upstairs. I desperately want him to ask me about what happened in the store.

I want him to know what I got and that I hope he likes it. Of course, I can’t ask him that. He’s never going to see any of those things I bought, but the way his eyes assessed me hungrily when I called him into the dressing room makes me smile. It isn’t my fault I hate creepy insects, but boy am I glad that I shrieked his name now.

I know he liked what he saw. I know that despite the fact I need to put on weight, he looked at me like I was something to be treasured. It made my heart flutter in my chest rapidly and the pulsing between my legs unbearable.

All I could think about was pleasing myself again when we got back from the mall. I can’t help it when my mind wonders even more, imagining how good it would feel with him inside me.

If Priest were my first, would he take things slow? Or would he go fast like a bull at a gate?

I’ve only kissed Leo a few times, before him I’ve made out with guys but nothing too serious. Leo tried to get more out of me and wanted me to suck him off, but I refused. I told him that I’m supposed to be pure for marriage. It wasn’t that I was repulsed by the idea of doing any of those things; I was repulsed by doing it with him. I didn’t love him. I didn’t care about him. And I definitely didn’t have the same feeling as I do when I’m with Priest. When I’m with him, I feel like I can do anything.

I want to do things with him that make me blush. I want his big strong hands on me, guiding me, coaxing me. I imagine him on top of me, his big, hard body caging me in. What would it feel like? To have his dick inside me? To feel his hardness and enjoy every moment of our pleasure together. The more I think about it, the more I want it.

And I know I should be more concerned about how the heck I’m going to get out of this town for good, instead of fantasizing about this man I can’t have. But he’s everything. Not only did he come find me in my hour of need, but he’s been nice to me way before that. He doesn’t want anything from me. He does it because he wants to, not because he has to.

Even if I am still reeling about him being a part of a motorcycle club and what that means, it makes my situation harder. It makes me want to take off… but taking off could mean I’d get into trouble again. I wasn’t even looking for trouble, and yet it found me. What happened with Rueben could happen to anyone, anytime, but the fact he noticed me and followed me and tried to attack me at my most vulnerable. It’s made me reevaluate things. It’s made me pause and take a breath. This man hurt me. I have the scars to prove it, but I won’t let it stop me from doing what I have to do. I have to remain strong. My willpower is the only thing that has gotten me this far, and I won’t let Rueben take that from me. Nobody can break my spirit.

When we’re eating at the island, Priest gets a phone call. He groans. “I’m sorry, I have to take this, it’s my sister and if I don’t answer, she’ll only come around and bug me.”

I smile, sensing the playfulness of his words. “No problem.”

“Hello?”

He puts her on speaker.

“Oh my God. You will never believe what happened in my apartment building?” she says, and before I can guess, she plows on. “The emergency fire alarm went off, then we all had to evacuate, and Milo was freaking out. I was terrified because he wouldn’t come out from under the bed…”

“Did you manage to get out safely?” Priest asks.

“Yes, but now they’re saying we can’t go back inside until they’ve figured out what went wrong. Can I come over?”

His eyes go wide. “I’d normally say yes, but I have a friend here at the moment. Can’t you go to one of your friends for the night?”

“Who’s there? Not one of those cute boys from the clubhouse?”

“Uh, first, there are no cute boys in the clubhouse you should be noticin’, and second, what is this, the Spanish Inquisition?”

“It’s a girl, isn’t it?”

I bite my lip as he quickly takes the phone off speaker. “Can you go to a friend's place or not?”

I don’t know what she says, but hearing Priest’s cryptic replies makes me smile.

“… I’m not changin’ the subject, I’m tryin’ to make sure you have a place to crash tonight... Well text me when you hear back from her… Best case scenario is my couch, if you get desperate…” He turns to glance at me. “Not answerin’ that… I gotta go… Very funny… I don’t know who taught you words like that, but it sure as shit wasn’t me… Goodbye, Hope.” He hangs up, a smile on his lips.

“I take it your sister was curious about me?” I pop another spoonful of stir fry heaven into my mouth as he shakes his head.

“She’s a meddler. I love her dearly, but she’s always pokin’ her nose in my personal life on the premise she cares and doesn’t wanna see me a lonely old man.” He chuckles. “Really she’s just nosy and wants to set me up with someone because she thinks thirty-one is ancient.”

“You’re thirty-one?”

He turns those pretty eyes on me. “Yup. Why, did you think I was older?” His lips twitch again.

“No.” I smile. “I really didn’t know. You seem like you’ve lived a long life, an old soul, if that makes sense.”

“It makes perfect sense. In fact, it’s my sister's favorite sayin’, though, I’m sure she just thinks I’m old.” He laughs.

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