open the door to the Mexican restaurant just as I grabbed the handle to open it. Spices and the aroma of charred meat and chilies wafted past me along with the heat from the crowded building. “After you, Mrs. Smith.” He stepped back and held it open for me.
My hackles were up, but my tongue remained idle because of all the things Rachel said about his Good Samaritan work in Epperly for people who really needed it.
Dang it! I was a sucker for that sort of kindness, hence the reason I was still working at a store I didn’t love for in-laws that I did love. It was the reason they were still in their house, and the reason I took care of their chores and did their grocery shopping.
But … I wasn’t a sucker for him, so I forced a tight smile and brief eye contact as I stepped inside the restaurant. A soft “thank you” squeaked past my throat, showing my own unavoidable kindness.
Before he could say anything, I hustled to the takeout counter and breathed a sigh of relief. My body did weird things around him—things I didn’t consciously welcome. It was all the sex talk at the church meeting earlier. Sex talk and church in the same sentence—never saw that coming.
After paying for my half-order of veggie fajitas and guacamole, I snagged my to-go bag and headed outside to my vehicle just as a new round of snow fell from the night sky. Epperly wasn’t immune to early lake-effect snow. After scorching heat and drought all summer, most everyone welcomed the moisture and cooler temperatures.
“Heard we’re supposed to get another foot or so.”
That voice. How did God expect me to keep my dreams clean and thoughts pure with Satan, disguised as Captain America, and constantly breathing down my neck?
I ignored him as I opened the door to my SUV.
“Want me to plow your driveway in the morning?”
“No. No. No. No,” I whispered only to myself as my impure mind let other plowing images come to life. Keeping my head in the vehicle, I set the bag on the passenger’s seat and took several deep breaths.
Sexual immorality. Sexual immorality. Sexual immorality.
As I stood straight again, he shut his truck door and sauntered toward me, looking entirely too hot and young in his cargo pants, tan boots, pullover jacket, and beanie. Without the beard, I felt certain he would have looked fifteen.
“I have a snowblower, but thanks.” I tugged at my scarf, cringing at the itchiness against my sweaty skin.
“It’s no big deal. Three swipes.” He wet his lips.
Why? Why wet your lips and say three swipes?
“I’ll be in and out in no time.”
Please, God … make it stop!
With a nervous laugh, I averted my gaze. “I can do it myself.” Biting my lips together, I closed my eyes for a few seconds. I had to hope he wasn’t interpreting my words with the maturity of a teenager like I’d been doing.
Kael innocently referenced snow removal while I imagined sex the whole time.
He took two steps closer, resting his hand on the top of my open door. “I’m sure you can, but why go to all that work when I’m right here … offering to do it for you?”
On a nervous laugh, I yanked my scarf completely off. Steam rose from my body like a hot tub at a ski resort. “I’m sure you can.” My gaze avoided his like repelling magnets.
“What’s that look about?”
I shook my head.
“Are you…” he pressed his finger under my chin and lifted my head “…blushing?”
“No.” My gulp did nothing to make my response believable.
His gaze danced along my face as he left his finger under my chin. A smile captured his mouth the way my lips wanted to capture it.
No. No. No. No!
“Come over to my house.”
“W-why?” My numb tongue stumbled over the shock of his invitation.
“Because it’s eight o’clock and we have nothing better to do.” The bend of his lips intensified into pure sin.
My nervous laugh made an encore performance. “Sorry. I’m not following. You’re inviting me over to your house to eat my dinner?”
“Sure. That too.”
“No.” I shook my head, breaking our physical connection. “Sorry, you don’t get to say ‘that too’ without further explanation. Call me dense, but you’re going to have to spell it out.”
“S.E.X.”
“With me?” The words flew out on their own.
Kael chuckled. “No. I’ve invited someone else over for sex. I just thought you’d like to watch.”