Page 140 of Those Who Are Bound

His lip curled in disgust. “I’m a prick, not a douche. I don’t hit women. I don’t hit anyone who doesn’t deserve it.”

“Okay, Killion—” A sound akin to thunder startled her, and she looked around wildly. Earthquakes were rare in the Midwest, but they did happen.

Killion chuckled. “Church is over. They’re going to beat it out of here or rush down for coffee and doughnuts.”

No sooner were the words out of his mouth than people streamed down, chatting excitedly. Lucy was among them, looking energetic and pretty in her white dress with yellow piping, talking animatedly with a couple of women.

With a casual glance, Lucy spotted her, and her eyes popped open even wider, her jaw dropping in an exaggerated sign of glee. She said something to the women before rushing over. “Hi! You came! You didn’t tell me you were coming today.”

“Surprise.”

“Hey, sunflower,” Killion greeted Lucy.

Lucy smacked the back of his head. “Stop calling me that.” By way of explanation, she said to Elliott, “I don’t like sunflowers. As soon as he learned that, he won’t stop calling me that. He’s ornery, our Killion.”

Elliott shifted her gaze to him. There was a small smile on his face. He enjoyed annoying her.But it was clear that Lucy wasn’t seriously bothered by it.

Looking around the room, Lucy asked her, “Have you had a chance to talk to anyone about the position out at the event center?”

Killion angled his head back to give her a disbelieving look. “Am I invisible to you?”

Lucy looked down at him blankly.

In those few seconds, their easy camaraderie was clear, and Elliott made her decision. She’d already pretty much decided, but seeing the ease between them, made her feel better about it. “Is it possible to rehabilitate him?”

Lucy snorted. “No. He’s a lost cause.” But she said it affectionately.

“Hey!”

“I hope not, because I’m hiring him,” Elliott informed her, standing up.

“What?” Lucy squeaked with excited surprise.

“You are?” Killion asked, and his response was genuine astonishment.

“And she’s your boss,” Elliott added, talking to Killion while pointing at Lucy.

“Oh, shit.” He blinked.

Lucy made a little jump of delight. “Seriously? You’re going to hire him? That’s so awesome. That’s great!” She patted his shoulder. “Killion!”

He looked embarrassed and pleased by her effusiveness. He was about to comment back when his attention shifted. It was all the warning Elliott had, Killion focusing on someone behind her, just a second before she felt arms wrap around her.

Rendered breathless as flutters rippled through her at his touch, she watched Killion note the most obvious reaction she had to Jonah’s hold before he glanced away. Damn shirt.

Warm lips placed a kiss on her ear before he said, “My favorite person in my favorite shirt.”

Killion shot another look over at the favored shirt, this time with a smirk; Elliott could almost see him thinking he knew why it was Jonah’s favorite shirt, and it had nothing to do with school pride.

“You’re being very demonstrative,” she pointed out over her shoulder.

Jonah gave her a puzzled look. “Am I supposed to greet my girlfriend with a handshake?”

Tearing her gaze from his wickedly gorgeous features, Elliott took note of the others watching them, curious. Just moments ago, he was standing on a stage talking to them, presumably telling them how to live their lives righteously, and now he was in the basement being intimate with a stranger. It was more than curiosity she saw; some of the looks were territorial… as though wondering: who was this woman, and why was she in the arms of their pastor?

“People will make assumptions,” she said.

He smiled as though he found her adorable. He looked at her like that when she ventured out of her comfort zone. “Correct ones.” He placed another firm kiss on her temple and side-stepped slightly, holding his hand out to Killion. “Hello, Killion.”

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