Page 9 of Sin With Me

Chapter3

Cameron

As I staredat the woman who would ultimately consume my life, I realized that my job was about to get a thousand times more difficult. I could feel it in my bones and other parts of my body that I shouldn’t have been paying attention to at the moment. Yet the tightness in my pants hadn’t eased since last night. But how could it? Even before she spoke a single word, I knew that Kate would be the death ofme.

With her back turned to me, her brown hair flowed in waves, swaying with the slight movement of her body, and I felt like a teenage boy who’d opened a Playboy magazine for the first time. A man like me would sell his soul to the devil to feel the tips of her curls drag along my chest. The thought petrified me so much that I was afraid I’d blow before I even got a chance to introduce myself. I was afraid I’d grab her and kidnap her, persuade her to move away to the country where God’s wisdom couldn’t reach us, where she could be mine and only mine. It would only take a second to make such a decision and ruin my family’s lives.

Father John raised his eyes to meet mine and cleared his throat for my attention. He was turning sixty next year, and from our initial conversation earlier in the week, already boarding the senile high-speed train, making my job here easy, yet difficult at the sametime.

Why senile? Each of his conversations ended with a comment about skeletons. It was beginning to freak me out a little, and I wasn’t one who was freaked out easily.

“Oh, Father Cameron, this is Katherine. The wonderful young lady I told you about heading the youth ministry.”

She turned in slow motion. I held my breath, somewhat hoping that the attraction I’d felt last night wouldn’t be there. That somehow she didn’t feel the same sizzling energy that buzzed between us the way I had. I wanted to believe that my nerves were taking over and the lust that seeped around her was only my imagination. Of course, I knew that would be a lie before she even facedme.

“Hello, Father.”

I ignored her little gasp of surprise as she made the connection because her voice almost sang to my dick, like a mermaid’s song to a lost sailor. Her scent hit me like a hangover after a bottle of tequila, and I wished to quench the thirst with her mouth over mine. Craving for her exploded like an overripe cherry when bitten through on a hot summer’s day. Her lure had pulled me into her world in an instant and kept me there since last night. I wasn’t sure why, but suddenly I had the feeling in my chest that I was meant to meet her. I had a feeling that she was the reason I’d come toPace.

“Hello, Katherine.”

“Oh, it’s you. You’re—”

“I’m a priest, Katherine.” I nodded.

The innocence of her name still accelerated my pulse as I reached out to shake her offered hand, which I assumed she forgot she’d extended. The softness against my rough calluses, secret wounds and scars, was a direct contrast: soothing, like an instant Band-Aid. Was that slight twitch of her body the result of our touch or something else? I might have had a job that required me to act a certain way and to pledge my life to beliefs and faith, but biologically, I was still a man. A man who had needs and desires like any other. One who now fantasized, dreamt, and imagined the impossible. And then he’d confess of all his sins, promising not to make them again, deep down knowing that no matter how hard he tried to stay on the rightful path, that he was lying to himself. It was a vicious cycle because I would always remain only aman.

A man who now serves God, I reminded myself. I had a feeling I’d have to do that more oftennow.

“You two know each other?” Father John’s right brow rose, the way it did when he was truly interested in the question he’d asked.

“Yes, we ran into each other last night in town,” I said, thinking it wise not to go into the specifics.

“Yes, last night,” she repeated, still shocked, and still shaking my hand. I wouldn’t let go until shedid.

“Father Cameron has been transferred to our parish to help with the growing youth ministry. He’ll be joining you on the retreat this summer.”

Growing youth ministry wasn’t exactly the phrase I would have used for twenty teenagers. For a little town like Pace, its inhabitants always seemed to be busy making more kids. Maybe it was because there was nothing better todo.

“Father Cameron,” she repeated. Her gaze dropped to our connected hands and she pulledaway.

Damnit!

“I’ve heard many wonderful things about you, Kate. The parish is lucky to have you, and so is the ministry.”

“Ministry,” she echoed.

“Are you feeling all right, Katherine?” Father John asked, lifting his glasses to his head inquisitively.

“No, I mean, yes. It’s been a rough night, and the headache hasn’t eased.”

I wasn’t surprised, after that much tequila. The first shock of seeing me slowly eased off her face. I couldn’t imagine what was going through her mind, and I couldn’t wait to get the wrath of her when she confronted me about not telling her that I was a priest.

“I’m looking forward to working with you on expanding the youth program,” I added.

“Right. Well, welcome. From what I’ve been told, we can definitely use another honestsoul.”

Was that a jab at my dishonesty last night? If so, her fighting spirit intrigued me now even more than it had before.

---