Zenith in Love (Zenith Series #5) - Leanne Davis Page 0,44
women’s shelter and try to finagle new ways to improve both with fundraising efforts.”
“Part of being a small-town pastor.” He turned and flopped down. “Doing community work is pretty much par for the course. I like volunteering the most of all in my job.”
“I should do more of it.”
“No reason you can’t come with me. Anytime you like.”
She sat beside him, turning towards him tucking her legs under her. “People might see us together.”
“Perfect. You would just be another volunteer with me. No big deal for us to be seen together.”
“Well, I know you’re not into public displays of affection.”
“Never before.”
“I watched you with my sister a lot… remember?”
“Unfortunately, yeah, I remember.”
“It’s what gave me pause about you and her being together. You were so hands-off to her. Never seeking any affection from her.”
“And yet… here you are.”
She rolled her eyes and finally smirked. “Here I am. How is this possible?”
He sank a little lower. “I think you know I can’t answer that either.”
“You mean, us being together.”
“Yeah. Us. Being. Together. It’s very different from your sister and me.”
She winced. “I can’t believe I’m sitting here with my sister’s ex-fiancé. What is the difference then between you and her and you and me?”
Resting on the back of the sofa, his head rolled her way and he had a small smirk on his face. “The difference is I want to touch you. Very strange that I’m sitting here now with my ex-fiancée’s sister.”
“It’s still startling to me too. It sounds so bad. I hate it.”
“Yeah. That’s one word for it. You know I hate it too. I mean…”
“Considering you’re a pastor, I’m sure it seems far more salacious than it really is.”
He nodded. “I hate to say that, but yes, I agree.”
“Is that why you acted so strange about it?”
“Yes, partly. It’s not a good look, you know, for anyone to go after their ex-fiancée’s sister, right?”
She nodded. “Yes. It’s pretty tacky, I suppose, on both ends.” She looked away from him. “But it seems very strong, because neither of us even tries to resist it.”
“I tried.” He leaned forward without looking into her eyes. “I all but dragged you to your room and…”
“Yes. Remember? I was there. I watched your resistance and it was pretty epic.” She didn’t mean to laugh but she did.
Scooting closer for the first time, he put his hand on her arm and leaned against her side. He sucked in a breath. Wow, he loved how that felt. “I couldn’t resist the urges either so here I am. I mean… why else would I be here?”
He didn’t jerk away, but leaned his body closer to hers. “Because something draws us together magnetically. Something very strong.”
“Sex?”
“Yes. But it’s not just that.”
“No. It would be so much easier to ignore if it only were.”
“Do you have any idea what it is? I mean, what do you tell yourself? How do you justify it? Considering Kathy was my intended and now it’s you and me? I have a hard time justifying it.”
“I don’t believe you and Kathy ever progressed beyond friends. So my brain can discount the facts. Yes, you were dating and engaged. But you two didn’t have sex. Which makes it easier to justify right there. You didn’t have this kind of connection with Kathy. All your labels and what you tried to be together weren’t as real as you and me already are.”
“Yeah. But others won’t see it like that.”
“No. Probably not. We will be seen as tacky, classless, misguided and generally wrong. The worst part is: I get it. I totally would have gossiped and judged if I heard this story between people I didn’t know. But when you’re in the situation…”
“It doesn’t feel like that. I mean, it doesn’t feel wrong to be with you. Logically, I know it is, but if I can shut that down, it doesn’t feel wrong at all.”
“Exactly. It feels… well, how do you think it feels?”
His head shook. “Good. Right. Real. I don’t know how or why. It just does.”
Wearily, she glanced away. “I wasn’t sure I should come here.”
Rubbing the back of his neck, he replied, “I’m never sure going to your house, but I can’t stop.”
“That’s exactly the argument inside my head. I advised myself not to come here. But I refused to listen.”
He laughed. “I know how that is. Remember how I ended up in your bedroom the first time? With your family out and Karlee right there? Being with you was impossible to stop.”