Zenith in Love (Zenith Series #5) - Leanne Davis Page 0,62

you, Ms. Randall…”

“Are you being inappropriate with me in church? I’m shocked, Pastor Jim, what would everyone say?”

He pulled her against him, still gripping her wrists tightly as she glared up at him. He pressed her closer and kissed her silly, until she was quiet again. Letting out a little squeak of defeat, she stopped fighting him and melted into an amorous pool of eager submission. He released her and she almost stumbled onto the ground. She glared up while thinking of the wonderful fun he had with her right there in the church, at the murder scene.

“Damn it! You’re way too good at that.”

“What?”

“Kissing. It’s lethal and wrong. It ruined all my great zingers for you. In fact, it always does!”

“Wanna stop? Go back to how we used to be?”

She gave him a knowing smile. “Oh, you know we can’t go back. Neither of us can now.”

He took heart when she put her hands on her hips to scold him and his use of the word us. It seemed like it. She also worried him because he had no clue where they were headed.

“Okay, enough of the creepy church in the dark of night. Let’s go.”

Go meant to his place. They grabbed some take-out on the way and ate it on his couch. Kayla playfully mocked his sad apartment for his deficient decorating and lack of housekeeping.

“Don’t all the little old ladies bring you dinners and try to convince you to marry and raise two perfect kids in a quaint, little house with a picket fence and a lawn?”

“Times have changed. Come on, Kayla.”

“Well… do you get invited to dinners often?”

He smiled. “I do, actually. That hasn’t changed much.”

“Do you go?”

“Quite often. Only decent meals I get to eat. I’m not good at food prep. Or grocery shopping, or even remembering to eat.”

“You need a full-time keeper. I hear Eric plans to fire his nurse, maybe you could hire her.”

Jim set aside his drink and simply crawled over the top of her before pressing her into his couch with a leering smile. “I prefer her sister.” He nibbled on her neck and she sighed. Maybe she would forgive him for making her feel so weird? She always got pissy when talk of Kathy and him came up.

They still had so much to figure out.

Except this. Erotically speaking, they were perfect together.

Chapter 10

WALKING INTO THE CHURCH the next Sunday Jim saw Kathy right away. They both stopped dead and exchanged a long look. Kathy gave him a timid, sad smile. He shook his head after staring at her because he felt like avoiding her. He just left her sister in his bed after a long night of things he could never repeat. But then he remembered, Kathy had no idea he was with her sister! Duh.

Jim’s heart filled with warmth. He harbored no ill feelings toward Kathy. He hoped she would not feel any towards him after she found out about Kayla.

“Hi.” Her tone was shy and timorous. Not the bossy, kick-butt Kathy she appeared to be with Eric.

“Kathy. I’m glad you came. I was afraid you wouldn’t be ready yet. It’ll be so much easier up there with you close by. Like always.” He smiled a forced, generic smile. His customary Pastor Jim smile. Nothing personal. But most people assumed it was.

Her shoulders visibly relaxed. “I wasn’t sure you or anyone would want me here, never mind, my bodyguards. A sad reminder of why this happened. And Eric isn’t up to it. Not yet.”

Jim grinned. “I know you feel safer with him nearby so I understand, and I’m not mad at all. We’re good. Our shared concern for the church and its members makes you very welcome and we want you here.”

“How can you know that?” Her hands trembled.

“Because I asked. Charlotte personally asked most of the congregation their opinion on the matter. You were right to worry but most of them said they wanted you to stay here and none believed it was your fault or that it would happen again.”

Her shoulders relaxed. “Kayla urged me to come. She said I needed to come back before I was too afraid to. I couldn’t let an evil act take away from me what I love so much. And working here is what I love the most.”

“Kayla is right.” More often than not. Kayla gave them both the same pep talk. He frowned as he wondered who gave her the pep talk? She seemed okay and together, but what if