Page 135 of Those Who Are Bound

Okay, her practical knowledge of how a church worked wasn’t even on the ground; it was miles below the surface of the Earth. She deflected. “Should you be calling me kitten, Preacher Man?”

His fingers appeared to tighten around his glass of beer.“Stop calling me that.”

“It’s what you are.”

“You’re using it as a slight. You’re trying to create distance.”

Kicking her chin up, she reminded him, “I thought you wanted to be challenged.”

“Challenged, not insulted.” Taking up his beer, he asked, “Is this what the future of our fights is going to look like?”

Future.Gah, that he thought they had one. “We aren’t fighting.”

“That’s good news, because this morning there was a different vibe.”

She pushed her lips to the side. “You called this thing of yours a side hustle. We both know it’s more than that. It means more than that to you.”

“Why does that bother you?”

She studied him for a minute, trying to puzzle out his question. “I’m not jealous. Do you think I’m jealous?”

“I think you’re unsure of something you don’t understand.”

“Don’t put this on me. Why not mention it when you asked me to go on this church trip? Why not tell me that we’d be singing bible hymns on the river and ask me to brush up on my Hallelujah lyrics?”

“Stop.”

“You never mentioned your masters of divinity—your university didn’t offer that degree. There’s a seminary in Portlandthat does, though.” She tapped the tabletop with her fingernail. “It would have been an easy detail to slip in.”

“You found the church website.”

“Mmm… it’s not on your shop website. Why would that be?”

“Because divinity degrees don’t have anything to do with tennis rackets or fishing lures.”

“I disagree with the last point. Regarding the lures, at any rate.”

He frowned. “Why don’t you come and listen sometime?”

Her brows lowered. “If you try to convert me again, the vibe will surpass fight and go straight to full-on war. I warned you. Your cock is good, but it isn’t that good.”

He blinked, then recovered. Smirking, he parried, “It’s pretty damn good. Iowa heard you screaming last night.”

“Oh, lord.”

“Not the name you yelled, but… yes.”

“Jonah.” She sighed in frustration.

“That’s the one.”

Teasing her. He was teasing her. Trying to get her out of the moodhe’dput her in. Not particularly in the mood to battle with him, she let him have the moment.

He ventured, “You’re going?”

“I’m going.”

Tilting his head as though gauging her sincerity or likelihood to punch him, he asked, “Do you want to ride down early with Lucy and Greg in the van? Or with me on the motorcycle?”

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