Page 16 of A Taste of Grace

Leap of Faith

After church, I regrouped at home. I changed into a comfortable gray cotton dress and returned to the kitchen to compile the ingredients for my banana pudding.

I added the final touch of vanilla extract to my sweet, heated pudding and lowered the temperature in the double boiler as I cut perfectly ripe bananas.

Since I would join Stallings family for an early dinner, I warmed up a cup of leftover spicy tomato soup just the way I liked it. I didn’t want to stuff my face like a pig in front of Caleb’s mother.

As I savored my steaming cup of soup, I sat at my kitchen table and reflected on the happenings of the morning. Nothing prepared me for the essence of Pastor Caleb Stallings. He was not only charming but anointed.

When Caleb asked who needed prayer toward the end of the service, I had no intention to get out of my seat.

I’d grown up in Pentecostal churches my entire life, but I’d never felt the intensity and overwhelming love I did when Caleb’s endearing voice reminded me that I wasn’t alone and that I still had a chance for a bright future.

I wanted to trust God fully with that future.

God used Caleb as his conduit. For that, I was grateful.

The second Caleb laid hands on me, I felt a supernatural connection to him.

For a second, I thought my knees might give out, but an invisible force held me up.

In the midst of that spiritual fire, my panties got wet.

Over a prayer. Caleb’s smell enveloped me, and his deep voice sent butterflies directly to my stomach as he spoke my dream to me.

The good pastor could have lifted my dress and pulled my panties down to take me right there on the altar.

I was no longer nervous about seeing Caleb but needed to talk to him about what happened today.

Since I caught Caleb staring at my legs when I was at his house, I chose a knee-length violet A-line dress that accentuated my curves to wear to the Stallings.

I pulled my thick curly hair into a high bun and dabbed on a modest face of makeup.

When I looked in the mirror, I smiled, pleased that Black didn’t crack.

For the first time in quite a while, I saw my mother’s delicate features that reminded me of the angelic presence she had on Earth.

When I arrived at Caleb’s, Hannah and Esther rushed out of the house to my parked car. I exited and retrieved the dessert from the cardboard box I used to keep it from falling onto my front passenger seat.

“Hold on, little ones. I don’t want to drop this banana pudding. Please open the door for me.”

Hannah hung back as Esther rushed to open the screen door.

“Ms. Grace is here!” Esther proudly announced as if I were royalty.

When I entered the door, Caleb rushed toward me and took my container. Once the glass dish was secure, he leaned toward me and kissed me on my cheek.

“Hello, gorgeous. Come in and meet my mother.” He spoke the words into my ear and gave me a panty-melting smile.

When he walked away, I checked him out. Instead of being the sultry guy in a form-fitted tux I met Friday night, he was more laid-back and dressed in a stylish black tracksuit. From behind, I got a glimpse of firm glutes that hinted of a consistent workout routine.

I smiled and followed him into the kitchen, where his mother opened her arms wide.

“Dr. Grace, I’m Denise Stallings. I’ve heard so many good things about you.” She placed her hand over her heart and gave me a puppy dog look.

She was a medium-sized woman with mocha skin that matched Caleb’s. From the photos on the mantle of the fireplace, I saw that Caleb’s height came from his father.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Stallings. Please call me Grace.” I closed the distance between us and extended my hand in greeting.

She accepted my hand and enclosed it in hers, never taking her eyes off my face.

“Then call me Denise. I have a feeling we’ll know each other really well in the future. She’s as breathtaking as you said she was.” Denise exchanged a giddy glance with Caleb, who winked at me.

Although I was embarrassed by her gushing, I received Denise’s compliments without flinching.

“Thank you, Ms. Denise.”

“Of course. Everyone raves about you in this family. It’s great to finally meet the woman who has charmed my granddaughters and my son.” She released my hand and embraced me in a tight hug.

I hugged her back and beamed, delighted that the Stallings enjoyed my presence as much as I enjoyed theirs.

“The feeling is mutual. The Stallings are quickly becoming my favorite family.”

Ms. Denise squeezed my shoulders.

“You’ll fit right in. Banana pudding is our favorite dessert.” She eyed the glass container of pudding and smiled.

The woman before me was much friendlier than the regal lady sitting at the front of the church. I see where Caleb got his charm.

“Girls, help me in the kitchen while Daddy takes Ms. Grace out back to show her the patio.” She opened the pantry door and removed two monogrammed aprons for Hannah and Esther, who came running as soon as she called them.

“Can we taste the dressing and red berry sauce?” Esther hopped like a bunny as Hannah shifted from foot to foot.

By now, I recognized their gestures of excitement and grinned at how happy and loved they were.

“Of course. Pass me a couple of spoons from that drawer so you can sample this cornbread dressing and cranberry sauce.”

As the girls followed their grandmother’s instructions, Caleb offered his hand to me, leading me outside and to the back of the house. When I exited onto a large wooden deck, he ushered me to the corner of the deck where I stood and viewed a small pond in the distance.

“This is beautiful.”

Caleb turned his head my way.

“You’re beautiful.”

When I met his gaze, he set his hand on my waist and left it there. I moved closer to him and put my hand on his shoulder, allowing myself to relax in his arms.

“How are you, Pastor Stallings?”

I didn’t want to call him Caleb after I became aroused from a darn prayer.

“I’m better now that you’re here. Did you enjoy today’s service?”

In his eyes, I could see how sincere he was about the question and wanting me to answer him.

“I did. You’re an amazing pastor. The people love you so much. It was an honor to see God’s presence move through you.”

“Thank you.” Caleb stepped so close to me that I smelled the heady scent of his cologne.

I stilled my body and closed my eyes to take in the chirping of the birds around us.

This moment centered me. Being with Caleb made me feel as if I was home, or at least in a version of home that represented who I desired to be.

This was the healed and open version of me.

Without overthinking, I raised my arms and wrapped them around his neck.

When he leaned closer, I smiled. He lowered his neck and spoke directly into my ear.

“I want to kiss you again.”

A delicious shiver traveled down my spine as I let my mind soar.

“You know you can.” I sucked in my lips and smiled, feeling shy yet wanting to experience the warmth of his full, naturally pink lips again.

Caleb chuckled then lifted his hand to the back of my neck and pulled me closer to him.

I closed my eyes, anxious to feel his lips on mine.

When they landed, my heart leaped. I relaxed my jaw, allowing him to press his hard body close.

Muscles filled my hands as heat and anticipation overtook me.

I parted my lips, hungry to taste more of this anointed, sexy man whose presence enticed and comforted me.

He didn’t hesitate to slide his wet tongue between my teeth.

I reached behind him and rested my hands on his muscular back to hold him in place as I boldly twirled my tongue with his.

“Damn.” I opened my eyes and caught myself, instantly covering my mouth with my hand.

“It’s okay, Grace. I feel the same way.”

He finally released me then brushed his thumb over my lips before staring into my eyes with intensity that had me wondering how it would feel to take our physical attraction to another level.

I rested my hands on his shoulders.

“I want you,” I spoke the words boldly, not fully understanding what that might look like for us, given Caleb’s belief about celibacy.

“You prayed for me today, and I wanted to jump your bones. Please forgive me for being so bold, but I need you to know how attracted I am to you. It’s only fair given your beliefs. ”

“Would you give your body to me if I asked you to?”

“Yes.”

“What would you want in return?”

“I don’t know…respect…friendship…companionship.”

Caleb placed his hands behind my neck and kissed my forehead.

“I want you too. More than you know.” He spoke the words in a raspy voice. “But I can’t have you.”

I sighed heavily, my shoulders drooping.

“I know.”

“Unless…”

I smoothed the sides of my dress down with my hands and held my breath.

“Unless what?”

“I married you.”

I stepped back and rested the tips of my fingers on my lips, lowering my eyes to the worn wood of the deck as I slowly processed Caleb’s words.

Thirty days.

The time that came to me at church returned. I stepped and paced, periodically meeting Caleb’s eyes as he watched me. The ball was in my court.

“I will marry you after a thirty-day courtship. I get to know you, then decide if this is something we want to do.”

Caleb shook his head.

“I can’t date for thirty days in the open and then break it off with you publicly. I already have a reputation.”

I frowned.

“What kind of reputation?” I scratched my cheek, wondering how much I didn’t know about Caleb.

“Ladies kind of throw themselves at me.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. Caleb was an attractive man, so that didn’t surprise me.

“I picked that up from what the girls told me.”

“It’s more than that.”

“What does that mean?” I asked the question in a low voice, afraid to hear the answer.

“My daddy and I messed around with the same woman, and word got out.”

My eyes widened.

Oh, hell no.