Zenith in Love (Zenith Series #5) - Leanne Davis Page 0,46

how that could appear to strangers. But what I really need most now is for you to get over it. Put all of that aside until a different date. For now, perhaps you could quit acting like I’m an accident that you bumped into in the middle of the night. You don’t have to be a saint. You just have to decide if it’s over with me or not.”

“I can’t stay away from you.”

Her face was streaked with heat and color. It often happened when Jim mentioned anything remotely tied to them being together. She wasn’t as worldly as Jim first predicted. “I feel the same. But I don’t treat you like a tragic mistake each time it happens. Or something to be ashamed of. That gets old fast. I don’t like that feeling.”

“You’re right. I need to do better. I do want to keep seeing you as we have been. If we can figure this out without others knowing anything.”

“In secret?”

“Yes.” He met her gaze directly. Honesty was all he had to offer. Even if it couldn’t entirely explain what he did or how he acted.

She nodded. “Okay, I can deal with that. Considering your job, and the delicacy of the situation that sounds super bad and tricky but which is actually not. Still, we can’t stop the scandal of it. Even if we aren’t being scandalous. Right?”

Her legs concealed beneath her, she was staring at him eagerly in need of reassurance. Not something he could have pictured before, not with the Kayla he knew as Kathy’s scornful big sister. Taking Kathy out of the equation showed him an entirely new Kayla. Never insecure, but much more agreeable and ready to work like partners than he expected. Once, he would have predicted her to be a bossy girlfriend. The ruling voice in any couple and that was that. No compromises. No vacillation. Not that they were ready to refer to each other as boyfriend and girlfriend, much less, a couple. But they were no longer merely friends. Kayla cared very much about how he felt toward her.

He leaned forward and took her chin in his hand, kissing her lips for a long time. She fell against him, shutting her eyes and puckering her lips. When he released her, she blinked a few times. Adorable wasn’t the right word to describe her then, although she was adorable now. “Right. We’re good and decent together. We just had an unusual start.”

She beamed at him. Nodding, she scooted closer and wrapped her arms around his neck while dropping her body against his. Unfamiliar with her natural ease and affection, both verbal and physical, Jim hesitated before putting his arm around her waist.

Her head tilted up and he stared into her clear, sparkling eyes. “You need a TV. Right now, is the perfect time to chill. We’ll have to improvise.”

Taking her phone out, she loaded an app and gave him a look. “Behold the plebeian version of reading all those books. Here’s an awesome movie you must see. I’ll be embarrassed if you don’t know this one.”

She held the phone up and they huddled over it. In no time at all, Kayla proved her prediction: he got into the action movie and started to chill. Halfway through it, she fell sound asleep against him and he liked the sensation of her weight on him. It was a new but something he could learn to love.

Days later, Jim was coordinating the volunteers before the start of the day at the local food bank. His gaze immediately zeroed in on Kayla when she entered the building. She glanced around, obviously unsure where to go and looking for Jim. Like a homing beacon, Jim could not keep himself fully engaged in anything but Kayla, even when she surprised him as she did now.

He stepped forward. “Kayla, how nice to see you.” A quick mental reminder not to lean forward and plant his lips on hers flashed through his brain. He imagined a long, easy, delicious kiss. It was new for Jim to want such a thing. And to find it almost painful not to get it. All he wanted now was Kayla. Near him. Beside him. It was a strange sensation to experience.

She beamed at Jim. If anyone were watching, would they see how much her eyes sparkled and shone when she looked at him? “Pastor Jim. How nice to see you’re working today.”

“Yes. Is this your first time here as a food bank volunteer?”

She still

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