Preach to me Baby

by Hazel Parker

  It looked like they were stuck together, whether they liked it or not.

  Lily winked. Then she headed to the kitchen and didn’t let him see her shaking hands as she got started on her cooking.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Those sweet lips. My, oh my, I could kiss those lips all night long. – Jess C. Scott

  The rain didn’t stop. It poured like cats and dogs, merciless in its power as it made everyone stay indoors and cleared the air of any other sound. Sebastian took a sip of the hot tea Lily had provided earlier, tasting a hint of cinnamon and liking the way it blended and mellowed out the tea’s strong flavor.

  He could hear Lily walking around in the kitchen, and the first thought that popped in his head was how terribly rude it would be not to go and help out.

  Then many other thoughts followed.

  Like how incredibly lucky she was that for the second time this week, he had passed by her road and had managed to help her out again. He usually used the shortcut road leading to his house, but he preferred to venture on the other one from time to time because the view there was more spectacular.

  Then there was her house, which was a tiny little thing situated in a corner of the town that no one really visited. It used to belong to an old, grumpy man named Whitney, who decided to leave and venture to Europe before he died—or at least, that was what he announced before he left. The house had been in a very dusty state before, but Lily had managed to make it look clean and homey with simple touches—the lace curtains on the windows, the tiny pots of succulents, and some books stacked at odds and ends on every available surface, which only added to the charm. It smelled great, too, especially when the scent of vanilla drifted from the kitchen.

  The last thought that entered his mind—and the one he had been admittedly ignoring for a while now—was how inappropriate it was to stay here for too long. But he was hungry and curious about what she was planning to put together, so he stayed. It was raining, too—not exactly appealing to venture outdoors until it lessened, at the very least.

  He could control himself, which was the important thing. The other good thing was that through their whole acquaintance, Lily had never come on to him. In fact, her expression never showed any kind of interest, which told him her spontaneous invitation to her house was out of pure friendliness.

  There was some rattling in the kitchen. Curious, Sebastian made his way over until he reached the huge entryway. Lily’s back was facing him, and she was in front of the sink counter paring something in a bowl. She had attired herself in a simple top that had a cartoon design of Bugs Bunny at the back and feminine sweat shorts. Her feet were bare, which struck him as amusing and odd.

  Her hair was up in a loose knot, and it exposed slender neck and creamy skin. A certain hand movement made the strap of her top slide down, and his eyes strayed to it before she pulled it back up.

  “Need some help?”

  She jumped slightly at his voice but recovered quickly as she turned around and smiled. “I’m just cutting up some garlic for the pasta. Do you eat pesto?”

  “Sure,” he said “Let me help cut up the ingredients.”

  They switched positions and Lily transferred to the stove where she started bringing the water to a boil. Sebastian proceeded to grate the cheese, watching out of the corner of his eye as she took out another pan and started to simmer the garlic cloves in olive oil. He kept watching as she began adding other ingredients in until she finally tossed in the shrimp in the pan and the raw pasta in the boiling water. Finished with his task, he placed the bowl of grated cheese on the counter, watching as she tossed in the pesto mixture. A quick sniff determined the smell was divine.

  It all felt so…domesticated, and he was equal parts comfortable and not.

  “Do you cook often in Los Angeles?”

  She shook her head. “Not necessarily. But I love my pasta and don’t want to settle for mediocre, so it’s the one thing I’m good at.”

  “Well, it smells delicious.”

  “It’s going to taste even better,” she said confidently.

  He helped her remove the pasta from the boiling water, and it was a matter of mixing the pasta in the sauce carefully. Lily topped it off with the parmesan he grated, then turned to him happily. “And we’re set. I have homemade ice cream in the freezer. We’ll get to it later.”

  “Flavor?” he asked curiously.

  “Vanilla fudge.”

  Which explained the smell of vanilla earlier. He made appreciative noises then remembered she had no dining table. “Let me help set up the coffee table in the living room.”

  She shot him a look of appreciation. “Thanks.”

  They gathered all the food at the table and the rhythm in which they moved together just fit, like they were in sync—or maybe just really hungry. He saw Lily hesitate near the kitchen.

  “What’s wrong?”

  She tilted her head. “I’m not sure if I should serve red wine to a pastor.”

  Sebastian grinned. “Sweetheart, we drink wine. We’re not monks. Go ahead.”

  Lily looked at his grin and answered with one of her own. Then she took out the bottle, some glasses, and they got started.

  *****

  The dinner itself was mostly done in silence, with Sebastian complimenting her on her dish when the first bite hit his mouth. She really did have a knack for cooking her ‘favorite’ dish, and they finished everything lingering over the last few bites, talking about the things they knew how to cook.

  “I make some pretty good scrambled eggs myself,” Sebastian said lightly, which made her laugh and her eyes twinkle. She went back to the kitchen to get the ice cream and they ate dessert with some of the tea she still had left over. Once they were done, he helped her out in the kitchen with the dishes. They retired back to the living room with the wine, feeling lazy and full as they listened in contentment to the rain.

  Lily eyed him curiously, taking tiny little sips from her glass.

  “I’ve got a personal question, if you don’t mind.”

  “Shoot.”

  “Has this been always what you wanted? Being a pastor?”

  Sebastian thought of his past—all the things he went through and how he got here. They were things that couldn’t be explained right away, things that could only be felt. But her genuine curiosity, with no hint of malice, had him attempting to.

  “It wasn’t how I started, but it’s what I’m happy with now,” he said. When she looked on, he slowly gave her a glimpse of his past—all the partying and rebellion he did, all the disrespect for his parents which led to an accident that changed his life. When he finished, there was a sad look on her face.

  “Don’t be sad. I’ve come to terms with it.”

  “Oh, this is going to completely sound selfish…but other than admiring you for your courage to move forward, I’m actually feeling sadder for myself,” she admitted. Lily looked down. “I mean, all I did was quit my job and break up with someone and I’m just about ready to give up as it is. Not entirely courageous, if you ask me.”

  Silence.

  Sebastian quietly sidled closer, touching her chin with his fingers and bringing them up until she was looking back up at him.

  “I think it’s mighty courageous, if you ask me,” he murmured. “I mean, you leave everything familiar behind and come to a town where you barely know anyone except your uncle, and look—everyone here basically either likes you or has a crush on you. You’re taking everything in stride, figuring things out so you can start fresh—all on your own. It sounds very brave to me.”

  Lily went speechless, simply staring at him and absorbing his words. A small smile played on her lips after. “Crush, huh?”

  “Or so I’ve heard,” he teased.

  “Anyone I know?”

  “All the school boys, most likely,” he said.

  Belatedly, he realized his fingers were still on her chin, his thumb caressing her skin. So soft. Sebastian watched her go still, saw awareness
flicker in her blue eyes as they darkened considerably. She didn’t make any move towards him, simply stayed there, and there was a certain vulnerability in her that made him want to move closer and at the same time run very far away.

  The impulse to touch more than her chin was strong, and so was the desire to kiss her. It would take a simple shift, one lean of his head to taste what that soft mouth had to offer, and to take—to take and to take, because he was absolutely sure she would let him.

  But that was unfair, because neither of them needed this in their lives.

  With ruthless control, Sebastian gently pried his fingers away and straightened his back. He might as well have physically moved back for the barrier it put between them, invisible, but neither of them willing to break.

  Sebastian cleared his throat. “I think I’d better go.”

  The rain had lessened, but not enough to keep him dry. However, they both didn’t say anything about his decision, merely stood up at the same time. Lily went to the back porch where she had hung his clothes, putting them in a plastic bag and handing them over to him.

  “They’re still damp. You can keep those clothes you have on, by the way. Uncle has a whole pile at the back of my room for his so-called storage.” She grinned. “I think he’s planning to donate it.”

  “Thank you.”

  He opened the door and stepped out while she stayed on the inside of the screen door. Sebastian took a deep breath. “I don’t think I should come here anymore, Lily.”

  She merely looked at him, a flicker of something in her gaze that she tried to hide. He pretended not to see. “Yeah.”

  “I think it’s for the best,” he added.

  “I agree,” she said softly.

  He would have kissed her cheek, but that was screaming at temptation as it was. Sebastian let himself look at her one more time—those big blue eyes, that curvaceous mouth, and all that sensual beauty—before he turned around and went to his car.

  When he got home that night, he stripped off his clothes and took the coldest shower of his life. It took all of his control not to relieve himself then and there, and he had to mentally scold himself countless times until the shower finished. Then he donned some sweatpants and went to bed right away, intent on forgetting about her and his rock hard erection. It was easy.

  It had to be easy.

  In sleep, his dreams were filled with her moans, her heat and everything she offered. He touched her just like he imagined, and she touched him back until they were frantic and desperate for each other. When he woke up, Sebastian lay where he was, staring at the ceiling with only one thought in mind.

  He was doomed.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  There is no fulfillment that is not made sweeter for the prolonging of desire. –Jacqueline Carey

  Janice didn’t like losing, even while she pretended it didn’t matter.

  But Lily was on to her.

  At first, the woman would have this line furrowing her forehead—just the slightest thing that it was barely noticeable before she smoothed it out quickly and adopted a cool expression. Then she would make some joke to distract everyone before concentrating again on winning.

  Unfortunately, Darla was taking the lead and looked like she was on a streak.

  Lily watched in fascination, having long bowed out of the bowling game and was just sitting with the other ladies, filling herself with greasy fries and pizza. It was something Ethel wouldn’t approve of, considering the woman was a health buff—but since this was singles’ night out and she wasn’t here, she couldn’t exactly witness their eating frenzy.

  Janice now had the ball, and she narrowed her eyes as she looked on in concentration towards the lane. A few seconds later, she released the ball and it rolled straight, hitting the pins with a bang and letting them all fall simultaneously.

  “Go, tiger!” Lily cheered, pumping a fist in the air.

  The women clapped, and Janice grinned at everyone before sidling over to grab a slice of pizza. Darla raised a brow, announcing that she could beat that twice over because this was apparently her specialty.

  And she did just that.

  Janice scowled at the win and Darla gloated by jumping up and down and not shutting up about it. The other women rolled their eyes and teased the two that it was just a game, then discussed where they could possibly go next. Some women suggested they could go to the diner and continue eating, while others suggested they should go to Hanna’s house and do some movie marathon.

  Janice rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on. That’s so lame. We do that all the time. How about we go to the bar and play pool?”

  Hanna’s eyes widened, looking scandalized. “In the daytime?”

  “We’ll just have a few drinks while no guys are around. We will have the place all to ourselves and we can eat and drink what we want and have a ton of fun,” Janice explained. “Now doesn’t that sound tempting?”

  Lily watched as the other women considered the idea. Hanna’s scandalized look changed to excitement, and she knew it would only take one sentence to tip the ice over. She sipped at her soda, talking as casually as she could.

  “We could talk about dirty little secrets,” she suggested.

  And that did it. The women unanimously agreed that was the best thing ever, and they started for their cars chatting a mile a minute. The bar was technically closed at this time of day, but it didn’t take much convincing for the owner, Ned, to open it and give them a few hours.

  Lily wasn’t much of a drinker, so she took it easy and played pool with Janice first. Hanna joined in, but she was so terrible at it that she ended up making the balls fly then fall all over the floor so that the owner began frowning at them. Hanna gave him the peace sign, then decided to join in on the drinking with Darla and the others. Soon, Darla brought a tray for the players, glasses of “lady” drinks that Lily didn’t recognize. Janice scoffed and got herself a couple shots of tequila, which roused them as she drank five shots straight.

  “I think we’re going to need a whole lot of food if we’re going to settle in,” Janice announced.

  “Put it on my bill!” Darla exclaimed, all her earlier prohibition gone.

  The owner was probably too amused to kick them out, and he went to the kitchen to do the cooking himself. Ned came out with two trays full of food, and some of the girls gave the old man kisses on the cheek for being such a sweetheart. He grumbled a lot but Lily could tell he was mighty pleased with the attention before he returned to the back of the long bar.

  There was a jukebox at the side and Lily had an idea. She took out some quarters and started pushing some buttons, and seconds later, Patsy Cline crooned and filled the area with the song Crazy.

  They played some more pool, then settled down in one of the booths and took their food and drinks with them. They chatted about their lives, and Lily stayed quiet as she listened to the women settle in comfortably and open up a bit more about who they were.

  Hanna was the daughter of the bakery owner and apparently had a knack for baking herself. While not necessarily fat, she said that she worked out like crazy to keep her body the way it was—and yes, to please her boyfriend, whom she was crazy about—while she enjoyed the pastries she and her mother loved to bake. Hanna was currently working at the bakery and experimenting on cakes so she could add those to the store when her dad finally let her take over.

  Darla was the rich kid, with parents who donated to the church and charities every month. Her parents were both politicians and not really in town much so she grew up with a housekeeper that she treated like family. Darla had two brothers who were both in university, and she was currently designing and creating clothes that she sold online. Her parents, apparently, wanted her to get into law school but she had declined, saying that it simply wasn’t her thing.

  The shy one of the group, Beth, was the town librarian and had only arrived in town three years ago. She initially never talked to anyone, preferring to stay with her books, but Hanna had man
aged to pull her away enough for one night together with the girls—and the rest was history. Lily had taken a particular liking to her, especially because they had so much in common when it came to their favorite must-reads. Beth had promised Lily she’d let her know right away when there was a vacancy there, which Lily absolutely appreciated.

  Janice, as everyone knew, was Pastor Seb’s cousin, and working at the sheriff’s office. They teased her about a certain officer named Sullivan who was decidedly smitten with her, but she simply rolled her eyes and said she wasn’t interested.

  “I’m enjoying my work and would rather focus on that for now,” Janice commented over her fish and chips.

  Darla scoffed. “So you’d rather just work and work and have no benefits? Come on. I’ve seen Sullivan. He’s not bad looking at all.”

  “Not interested.”

  Lily did remember Sullivan, who was at the bake sale and had gotten introduced to her. He was a gorgeous red head who was tall and very well-muscled and apparently a big softie when it came to Janice.

  “Why aren’t you interested?” Lily asked, suddenly curious. She’d seen the way they’d interacted at the bake sale. Janice had been even more sarcastic when Sullivan came, dodging him every which way but trying not to make it obvious.

  Janice frowned at her food. “He’s too…nice. I mean, I’m okay with nice, but he treats me like I’m some kind of princess. And you know I’m not exactly the royalty type. Give me a wild man any day.”

  Darla whistled. “Now we’re talking.” She raised her glass in the air, and they all toasted. Then she turned to Lily. “What about you? Any guys you want to rough and tumble in bed so far?”

  An image came to mind of Sebastian and her in bed, writhing against each other as he pounded her into bed and made her scream out his name. Desire shot up in her system instantly, and she squirmed. Hanna noticed and her eyes lit up.

  “A-ha! I know that look. I get that when my boyfriend gets naughty with me,” she said. “Who is it?”