Page 80 of Wicked Devotions

He’s lit by the golden light of the setting sun, turning his usually dark green eyes a beautiful olive green. It’s unfair how hot he is like this. Part of me wants to set my hand on his leg, but I’m not sure if he’d be okay with that.

As if he can read my mind, he drops his handfrom the yoke and sets it on my thigh. He leaves it there until he needs to land the plane. I’m more and more impressed by how competent he is as a pilot.

“You’re a really good pilot,” I say as I get in the passenger seat of his car.

“Thank you.” He turns on the ignition. “Mind telling Dad that next time you see him?”

“Does he not know?”

He shakes his head. “Ever since my mom died, he’s been afraid to fly. Even more scared to let me learn. I basically had to guilt trip him into letting my grandpa teach me the same way he taught my mom how to fly.”

“She died in a plane crash, right?”

“Yeah. She was a test pilot for her family’s aviation manufacturing company. She tested all the planes; it was just a freak accident.”

“I’m sorry.” I put my hand over his on the gear stick. “Were your parents happy?”

“They were in love in a way that used to make me want to barf. Always kissing and touching.”

“I love that.” I smile, thinking about his parents being young and in love.

“Were your parents ever like that?”

“No. There wasn’t a lot of happiness in ourhouse unless Dad was entertaining. Then we all had to plaster on fake smiles to put on a show.”

“Do you think your mom is happier now?”

“Yes. I can hear a lightness in her voice I never have before. Sometimes I even wonder if there isn’t something going on between her and your dad.”

“Well, they are married.”

“Do you think they’d be upset about us if they found out? Since we’re stepsiblings?”

“I don’t really care how they feel about it.”

I roll my eyes at that answer. “I don’t believe you.”

“No. I respect my dad, but I’m not going to live my life according to his wishes.”

“What about other people’s opinions? Aren’t you worried about people thinking it’s gross or something?”

“No.” He pulls into the garage. “Are you?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

I falter, thinking the answer would come so easily. It doesn’t. Do I feel this way just because of how I was raised? To fear anything different than one man and one woman? The more time and space between the me of the past, the preacher’s daughter, and the independent college girl, the more certain Iam that I could never follow the vengeful God I was raised to believe in. Is it just fear of other people’s judgment then?

He holds the door open for me. “I’ll let you think about it some more, but this will be a conversation we return to. For now, I’m going to take a shower and then we can watch a movie.”

“Okay,” I look around, noticing how empty the house feels. “Can I hang out in your room while you shower?”

“Yes.” He gives me a slow grin. “Or you could join me in the shower.”

Heat spreads through my body at the suggestion, but as intriguing as it sounds, I don’t think I’m ready for that. It feels too vulnerable. I shake my head, relieved when he doesn’t press me on the issue.

Chapter

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