Page 43 of Sins and Virtue

Humming entered my ears as I saw his lips move but didn’t hear anything.

The only thought was his hands, his fingers, his… lips.

It wasn’t until he extended his hand towards me, waiting for me to take it, that I snapped out of the enchantment. “Blair,kotyonok, your hand.”

“Sorry,” I said meekly, staring off at the wall.

What the hell is wrong with you, Blair? Don’t even go down that road, sister.

He turned my hands over as he poured hydrogen peroxide. I hissed.

“Don’t be a baby.”

“I’m not.” I literally birthed one. “You should have warned me.”

He shook his head, grabbing a towel before unscrewing the cap of the ointment and placing it carefully along the cuts and nicks. Relief replaced the blistering pain. Every moment swift, tactful yet each touch lingered more than the last.

“Distracted lately?”

Not sure what he was alluding to as I curled my brow together. “No.”

He raised one of his hands towards his face and scratched the corner of his lips with his thumb. “Mmhm, perhaps I thought wrong.”

“Maybe, or perhaps, you’re deflecting.”

“Deflecting— that’s a big word,kotyonok.”

I tapped his cheek condescendingly, my hand lingering at his masculine warmness.

“I know, but I hope you can catch up. It’s okay. No matter how old you are, you can always learn new things.”

He brought his hand over mine, relishing as he moved it to his lips. Tracing my fingers along the outer edges of his mouth. The soft wet curve of them. “Then how about you teach me?”

My whole body was besieged by a frenzy of prohibited temptation… sin.

This man. His voice. His words. His touch. He masked trouble, and trouble was my forte.

There wasn’t even a drug that compared to his intensity, and I don’t think I will be able to replace this high.

Loudly the church bells rang on the hour as I realized the time, and I had to leave.

“Damn, I have to get to the fair.” I abruptly said, breaking the piling friction. “It’s for the children, and I can’t really say no so I’ll see you later.” Attempting to draw my hand away, but he kept his steel grip, my breath catching until he decided to let go.

Backing away felt like resisting the magnetic pull as I added, “Bye.”

“Bye.” He held my gaze from the moment I opened and closed the door.

Walking away, I replayed the miniscule tint of sadness in his eyes, only thinking of one thing: how part of me wanted to stay with Konstantin.

And don’t get me wrong, the dude was insufferable, but I understood and hated that lonesome feeling.

The feeling of wanting to belong. To have someone.

I could only imagine what years behind bars would feel like.

“It’s great to see the community come together,” said Sister Marie, who walked leisurely beside me in a summer nun dress with the white sleeves underneath instead of the regular black ones. She pressed her palms together and sighed with content.

The blowing wind grazed over the green pasture, the flowers flowing to the east, the sunlight reflecting a beautiful shine to the human eye.