Page 13 of Maid in America

“Yeah, I’ll take you. What time am I picking you up?”

He threw his head back, exasperated. “Seven?!Can we go to a later service?”

Service?

Oh, God.

Aphrodite felt a chill run through her as she clasped her bra. She hurriedly put on her underwear inside-out and searched for the rest of her clothes.

“I’m just saying, you don’t always have to go to the early one just because Susan’s there. It’s not high school. I promise you get the same amount of talking snakes and pestilence at the later service, too.”

In less than a minute, Aphrodite was dressed and creeping toward the front door.

Barrett silently waved her away from it.

She pointed to it and mouthed, ‘I’m gonna go.’

“No,” he whispered, holding up a finger for Aphrodite to wait. “Fine, Gam-Gam. I gotta go. I’ll see you… in,” he looked at his watch, “three hours.”

Aphrodite exhaled hard.

Gam-Gam?

That certainly didn’t seem like the kind of pet name for a lover.

“Alright, Grandma. No problem. I love you, too.”

He pressed the ’end call’ button, tired eyes turning back to the woman in his doorway. “Jesus Christ. Sorry about that. She doesn’t sleep much ever since my grandfather died. I think she forgets the rest of usdosleep sometimes.”

“That’s okay. I should go.”

“No,” he said, quiet and firm, approaching her.

Her eyes studied his nude body, feet frozen in place like her shoes were made of concrete.

He pressed her against the door slowly, teasing her with lips held an inch away. “You should stay.”

She tilted her chin up, tongue aching to taste him once more before the nagging question burst from her throat. “What church do you attend?”

He studied her for a moment. “She goes toNew Hope. I go, too, sometimes. You know, when her ride shits out.”

She swallowed so hard Barrett could feel it in his own body.

“Why? What about you?”

“I’m… not big on church,” she lied.

He traced her bottom lip with his finger and leaned in closer. “So why are we wasting precious time talking about it?”

“You have to get up in a few hours, and so do I. We should try to get some sleep.”

Barrett pulled his hands away and offered her space. “Yeah. Fine. You might be right.”

She took a deep breath and opened the door a crack.

“Wait a second, Cinderella.” He unlocked his phone and handed it to her. “Can I at least get your number? I’d like to do this again sometime.”

She grabbed his cell quickly and entered a number and the nameAphroditebefore handing it back.

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