Page 35 of Giving In

“Can I help you with that?” he asks, bringing me back down to earth.

“Oh, yes. Please. Thank you.” I smile at him and let him grab one of the bowls. “As you can see my mom is planning on feeding the whole Church. I hope you’re hungry.”

As he grabs the bowl, I notice his hands are covered in tattoos too. All the way to his fingertips. They continue up until his shirt sleeves cover them and I’m guessing up his arms. He bites his lip for a split second and his gaze goes up and down my body.

“I’m starving actually,” he says with a grin on his face.

I almost giggle like a silly girl but manage to turn it into a normal chuckle.

“I’m Nathan by the way.” He extends his hand and I shake it.

“Jamie. Nice to meet you. You don’t usually come here, do you?”

“No, I just moved here.”

“I see. Well, you might want to button up your shirt. Pastor Gilligan is a bit...conservative. Not much you can do about the hands I guess.”

“Oh, right.” He grabs the other bowl from my hands, holding both of them in each hand. “Do you mind giving me a hand?”

I chuckle and shake my head. I start buttoning up his shirt and lock my gaze with his. “Is that how you hit on girls? Get them to button up your shirt and touch your chest,” I tease.

“I don’t know...maybe. Is it working? You don’t have to touch my chest by the way, unless you really want to.”

I let out a loud laugh. It feels so natural that I feel the weight of the weekend’s events lifting off my body.

“I think it’s working,” I conclude as I finish the last button. I pat his chest anddamnit’s hard. I close the truck door and grab one of the bowls back.

He thanks me and we walk together towards the entrance when something suddenly hits me: I’m not cold anymore. The warmth creeping up from my body as Nathan holds the door to the Church open for me makes me feel light and comfortable. Above all, it makes me feel safe.

During the service, I don’t think of Jake and what he did, I don’t think of Friday night, of what I heard Sam say, of finding what happened to Aaron. My scar doesn’t even burn anymore. No, the only thing that occupies my mind is the blond handsome guy sitting a few rows before me and mom.

I can’t focus on any word coming from Pastor Gilligan. All I can focus on is Nathan’s tattoos creeping up from his sleeves, his defined arms and his bun. I want to undo his hair and run my hand through it. I want him to pick me up and hold me against his strong chest. The heat building between my legs makes me shift on my seat. I imagine his mouth on said heat and-

“‘Me! Are you listening?” I jump in my seat at my mom’s voice.

Oh my Gosh, you’re in a Church, Jamie, what is actually wrong with you?!

“What? What?” I say looking around as if I’d said my previous thoughts out loud.

“I’m going to talk with Pastor Gilligan, help set up lunch please.”

I nod, desperately wanting to get up and get busy. I hurry towards the long tables set on the side by the entrance and start unpacking all the food people have brought.

“So, are you here every Sunday?” a warm voice asks me.

I turn to Nathan as he helps me unwrap platters and bowls. “I am yes,” I confirm. “Will I see you here again?”

He passes me a few serving spoons and we both dig them in the food. “I think, now that I can use it as an excuse to see you, yes.”

I feel the heat building up my chest, quickly followed by my cheeks.

We look at each other’s eyes for long seconds before I break it. I could let myself drown in his deep eyes but the intense intimacy we’re sharing is starting to make me blush too much. I move a few steps to the side to put napkins on plates and he follows, his hand now in his black suit pants. He surely dressed smart for Sunday service.

“Will you go to school here? I go to Stoneview Prep,” I try to say as casually as possible.

“Oh,” he laughs. “Fuck. I’m so sorry. You looked...older.” He takes a step back from me and runs a hand behind his neck before putting it back in his pocket.

“What?” I suddenly snap.

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