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I look him up and down. "No, thank you, and by the way, I am taken."

"Taken?"

I nod. "My uh…man… He just left earlier."

"That’s who you were chasing after?"

"Only because he forgot his phone," I lie.

"He forgot his phone..." he says slowly.

"Y…yeah." I swallow.

"So, you were chasing after him, barefooted?"

I nod.

"So, where’s his phone?"

"None of your business." I scowl. "Will you please step away now so I can shower?"

"Not stopping you."

Anger twists my guts and it feels good. Good to be able to focus on something else, other than that jerk-hole who walked out of my life. How dare he play with me like this? How dare he stalk in here, claim me, imprint himself all over me, then walk out without looking back once? How dare he?

I fist my hands at my sides, then step back and slam the door shut. I lock it again, march over to the shower and turn it on. I shed my clothes, step under the hot water and allow it to flow over me. A few hours ago, he’d stood here as I had sucked him off. Hell. Hell. Hell. No need to figure out if I will be going to hell for having teased the Father into breaking his vows… Clearly, I am already there.

Is this my punishment from the other One in our relationship? The One Above. The Almighty who, no doubt, is displeased with me for having tempted one of His own to sin. Gah, stop that. Why are you questioning things as if the Father’s influence has rubbed off on you? Not long ago, he’d been here rubbing off on me. Ugh. Stop that. He’s gone, remember?

He left you.

Walked out without a backward glance. So why are you still so…so…hung up on him?

I raise my head toward the spray, let the hot water wash away the tears. I stand under the pelting drops until my head clears somewhat. Then switch it off and dry myself. I wrap the towel around myself, secure it and walk into the bedroom. It’s empty. Of course, it would be. Why had I thought otherwise? I walk over to my closet, pull on my underclothes, a pair of leggings and a sweatshirt.

I need to stop holding onto hope that he’ll return to me. There’s no reason to think he will. His actions had all been intended to hurt. Clearly, he wants me to forget about him. Except, he took my virginity, something I’ll never forget. To be fair, I hadn’t mentioned to him that I was a virgin. Thank God for that. I got to spend some time with him.Yeah, and he broke your heart too, how about that, hmm?

It’s only your heart… It will mend…Unlike whatever he is facing. It has to be something catastrophic that propelled Edward to leave behind the priesthood and take off. Something I intend to get to the bottom of.

I grab a hair tie, pile my hair on top of my head, then walk out of the bedroom, across the living room toward the kitchen.

The scent of toast and coffee reaches me. My stomach growls. I step inside the kitchen, pause. His back is to me and his broad shoulders are framed against the first rays of the sun that pour in. They halo him, highlight him, make him seem larger than life. A behemoth. Someone who came into my life, for what? To save me? From Edward? From myself? A shiver runs down my spine. I shake my head, walk over to the coffee pot to pour myself a cup. He turns to me then. "Sit." He jerks his head toward the table. "I’ll pour it for you."

"But—"

"Go on," he says, his voice impatient. "This will go much faster if you cooperate."

I blink. "Excuse me?"

"I mean," he schools his features into an expression of patience, "sit down, please."

I hesitate. Thatplease?It didn’t sound like he meant it. In fact, it sounded as if he’d said it with much reluctance. He raises an eyebrow, turns his gaze to the table then back at me.

Fine, be like that. I slap the mug back on the kitchen counter, stomp over to the table and seat myself. I play with the ends of my hair, pull off the band and place it on the table. Then drum my fingers on the table. He turns, surveys my restless fingers, and I cease the movement instantly. Goosebumps flare on my skin. What is it about his glare that makes me want to rush to obey him?

He pours me a cup of coffee, brings it over, along with a stack of pancakes on a plate. On a second plate he's piled hash browns, baked beans and toast, which he places between us.

I blink down at the two plates, then up at him. "Uh, who is all this for?"