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“I had business. An old promise to keep.” To his credit, he doesn’t look at me, still my whole body, including my face, is red hot.

“That’s nice.” Emberly looks over her shoulder to me. “It’s nice to hear some men do keep their promises.”

It certainly is… I think, but I only smile and nod, turning on my heel and picking up the clean pans from the drying rack.

“Were you out of town?” She continues. “I didn’t see you in church Sunday either.”

“Robbie had a new place he needed me to check out. I’m sure I missed a good one.”

“Just more shouting about depravity.” Emberly shakes her head. “I wish Mamma would get off that kick.”

“Your mother?” Chad is confused, but he’s probably the only person in town who doesn’t know Emberly’s mother provides my uncle with the texts for all his sermons.

My best friend stumbled upon the emails right after her daughter started preschool. It only reinforced my decision never to step foot in that tiny house of worship again. Money money money. It even makes the religious world go round.

What would Jesus do?

Start flipping tables if I remember correctly.

Yes, I went to Sunday school.

I tune in just in time to catch Emberly’s next question. “That’s right! You were in Africa and Asia. You should get with Tabby. You know she’s working on a travel site right now. She just said something about Madagascar.”

Supposed to be working on it. I stretch and return the final pan to it’s cabinet. “I might leave a little early to finish up,” I say, but she’s not listening.

Chad however never takes his eyes off me. I might have lingered a bit longer, stretching to put the pan away before looking over my shoulder and giving him a wink.

A hint of a grin curls his lips, and he answers her absent-mindedly. “They think it’s where Eden used to be.”

My best friend is not a slow learner. “Is that so?” She turns to give me a piercing glare. “I just heard that somewhere today…”

“Umm… Yeah.” If I wasn’t busted before, I sure as hell am now. Clearing my throat, I dust off my hands. “So I need to leave early. To finish up the site.”

“To finish up the site. Right…” Emberly gives me a knowing look. “No problem! You came in early after all.”

“See you tomorrow.” I’m out the door quicker than anybody can say gotcha.

Seventeen

Chad

The scent of Tabitha Green has been on me all day, making me crazy. I see her cuffed on that bed, breasts heaving, legs rubbing together slowly. I taste her, sweet and rich on my tongue.

Standing in my kitchen, I lean on the scrubbed metal counter holding my scotch and remembering her sitting here, kissing me. I tilt my glass back and forth, watching the amber liquid move side to side. Kissing her is like a fever in my brain. It’s hot and fast and hungry.

She’s so fucking sexy and so damn smart. When I first saw her, I admit, I fell for her looks. Of course, I did. She was standing in a transparent bra and panties at the side of an ancient pool looking embarrassed and angry and defiant… and so damn tempting. I was curious, yeah, but I had come here to get myself back together, to stop ignoring the past and trying to outrun it. I had to put her on hold.

But she never left my mind.

How could she?

I would see her every day, and every day she was the same—embarrassed and angry and defiant. She thinks she knows who I am, but she doesn’t. She thinks she can put me in a neat box, but she can’t—just like she can’t be fit into a box, categorized like a fish or a bird.

We’re complex and more alike than she realizes.

She skipped out of Emberly’s bakery like a rabbit, but I don’t think she’s scared. It’s been a fast three days, but she doesn’t seem like the type to spook easily. She turned her back on me for a year… until she didn’t. Now I can’t get enough of her, and I’m pretty sure she feels the same way.

Am I wrong?