Page 5 of For I Have Sinned
So I’m stupidly surprised when he nods his head. “Alright.”
The relieved breath that rushes out of me has him chuckling. I look up in time to catch him licking his lips again, a sexy smile on his lips.
“When?” he asks.
“Uh.” I scramble for my phone and check the time. “I’ll stop by in an hour to pick you up?”
His smile grows a little. “Sure. I’ll see you in an hour.”
He gets to his feet and I spring up to mine. Grabbing my bag, I stumble back and wave awkwardly, then basically run home.
I take a shower. Scrub everywhere. Shave and make sure I’m stupidly manscaped before pausing and staring at myself in the mirror. What. The. Actual. Fuck. Am I doing right now? Did I really just ask him on a date? Is that what he thinks? Is that even allowed? I glance down at my junk where I’m trimming my bush and cringe. Did I think I was going to take him home after?
Except, now that I’ve started, I can’t just stop. So I finish, my entire body heated with horror at what I’m doing right now. And yet, my stomach flips with excitement. Date or not, I’m looking forward to this evening.
Ellsworth is waiting for me on a bench in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt; much the same as what I’m wearing. He gets to his feet as I approach. I stop myself from telling him I’d have gone to the door to pick him up by biting the inside of my cheek.
This isn’t a date. He’s a fucking priest. And that church doesn’t allow gay dates!
Ah, hell, I’m not even gay! Way to leave that out of my internal reasoning.
“I don’t have to go with you,” he says quietly.
I look up at him and shake my head. “Sorry. I just realized how… crazy this might have sounded to you. A stranger asking you… to hang out with people you don’t know.”
He nods. “A little, yeah.”
“Maybe I need saving?” I ask, raising a brow.
It’s the first time I hear him laugh and I smile in response. Everything in me feels alive at the sound and I know that from this moment on, I will strive to hear it. And to see that smile light up his face.
I was wrong. He’s not beautiful. He’s fucking gorgeous. I’ve never seen someone so, so… perfect.
“Sure,” he says. “But I’m likely going to fail at saving you.”
“Oh yeah? Not your specialty?”
He snorts a chuckle. I swear, there’s bitterness in the sound. “No. Not my specialty.”
I nod and try not to check him out as we walk. It’s not until I’m raking my eyes back up him that I realize I’m doing it. Forcing my gaze ahead of us, I silently berate myself. Since when do I check out guys? More importantly, he’s a motherfucking priest! Do I need it tattooed on the inside of my eyelids so I remember that?
My friends are already at Strikers when we step inside. I lead Ellsworth to the pool table where they’re gathered. James, Carter, Violet, and Henry are in the middle of a game. Liam has Sofia in his arms while they watch, her back to his chest. I find my gaze stops there for a minute as, not for the first time, I long for that kind of relationship.
But I get the strange feeling that I no longer want to be the Liam in that scenario.
Before I have a chance to freak myself out further at that thought, I take a breath and stop where they all see me. Wesley and Nora are just returning with pizzas and drinks and everyone in our little corner silences as they stare.
Ellsworth silently takes a step closer to my side. At first, I think it’s so he can move behind me and out of everyone’s stare. But when his hand presses reassuringly into my lower back, I realize it’s a sign of comfort.
Giving them a wide smile, I gesture to Ellsworth. “I made a new friend. Have you met Ellsworth?”
No one answers as they stare at him. I can already see the questions racing across their faces. While none of my friends are overly subtle or anything less than blunt, I hold my breath for someone to say something.
I’ve known Sofia the shortest length of time. She’s new to our group, only having been introduced shortly after she and Liam started dating. So I’m not surprised when it’s her who speaks. She smiles, sweet and genuine, at Ellsworth.
“Hi. I’m Sofia. This is Liam.”
It’s her break in the silence that has everyone else introducing themselves. There’s a beat after introductions are made before Wesley gestures to the pizza. “Hungry, man?”
