Sixty Nine (Payne Brothers Romance Book 4)

by Sosie Frost

  Christmas Day was a perfect time for a baptism for little Max.

  But I think it meant more to the returning pastor.

  The family had left the presents and food, songs and TV behind at the farm, eager for the chance to meet at Butterpond Community Church. A little snowed in and still lacking power, but it was nothing a couple dozen candles and a few flashlights couldn’t remedy, held in hands clad in mittens.

  What was two and a half feet of snow to a family determined to baptize the newest addition to the Paynes…and his healthy set of lungs?

  With the pageant postponed, Varius had donned his robes and positioned the alter around the Christmas tree, stuffed reindeer, and hay for the alpaca. Julian and Micah brought forward their son, and Varius presented the little baby before the entirety of the congregation.

  A full congregation, stacked together, shoulder-to-shoulder, in the largest service the church had seen in nearly two years.

  And, for the first time in those two years, Varius smiled. A real smile. Rejuvenated. The baptism wasn’t just for Max. He’d been reborn as well.

  He was a new man.

  A better man.

  The man of my dreams.

  His words filled the chapel with warmth—which was good. The storm had knocked out the heat.

  “The God of all grace, who has called us to eternal Glory, strengthen you…that you may live in peace.” Varius spoke over Max, his eyes closing in his own silent prayer. “Amen.”

  The congregation clapped as Micah welcomed her son back to her arms. “And you only peed in the baptismal waters once.”

  Julian grinned. “That’s my boy.”

  Lulu led the applause, though she pouted and made grabby hands for the minister preforming the ceremony.

  “Bastard V!” She whined. “Lulu turn.”

  I handed my baby to Varius as he concluded the ceremony and wished the entire congregation a Merry Christmas.

  Was it me…or did no one want to leave?

  The chapel bustled with people and laughter, voices and well-wishes. Despite having no power, no heat, and smelling a bit like barnyard animals, the people of Butterpond waited patiently for the opportunity to approach the altar and shake hands with their newly returned minister.

  Cassi was first—leaving a trail of kisses from Julian and Micah to her new godson and finally to Varius.

  “I knew you loved baptisms!” She squeezed the air from him with a ferocious hug, but her gaze found me. “Thank you.”

  I hadn’t done much except total my car in an icy ditch, earn myself a concussion, and fall in love with the wrong man who made everything seem so right.

  But I’d take the compliment.

  And the man.

  It’d taken only a single prayer, the first words from his mouth at the pulpit, and Varius’s confidence had returned. His purpose. And maybe the sermon was quick. Maybe his words focused more on family and community, finding peace and searching for answers, but he’d get there. He’d warred with his god for years, and faith wasn’t always loving and gentle. It tore through him, forced that belief, and left him lost and alone.

  But he’d found his way home.

  And he found it in the church.

  “Hey!” Julian held his suddenly silent and placated son with a relieved smile. “V, you’re a miracle worker. Max stopped crying.”

  This definitely deserved a hallelujah, but the choir was saving their voices for the performance tomorrow.

  Unfortunately, Cassie’s smile faded. She glanced around the congregation, even peeking through the scenery stacked behind the altar. Her voice wavered.

  “Where’s Tidus?” she asked.

  The family’s silence crushed the poor girl. Rem wrapped his arm around her, but no one wanted to speak the truth on Christmas Day.

  Tidus had a lot of problems, and none of them could be prayed away with a little holy water and a stolen candy cane from our pageant Christmas tree.

  Varius passed Lulu back to me. “It’s my fault. I’ve been so caught up with my own problems I didn’t see how badly Tidus was hurting.”

  Quint held out hope. “No matter how bad Tidus gets, he’s not gonna miss Christmas.”

  But he already had. He’d missed Varius’s first sermon in two years, skipped the baptism, and the family doubted he’d make it to Christmas dinner at the farmhouse.

  I’d known a lot of men like Tidus Payne, and they could destroy themselves on a regular weekday or on a holy day.

  At least when he came back, he’d have a family waiting for him.

  It wasn’t too late to save him too.

  The congregation crowded around the baptism, and I wisely seized the opportunity to take Lulu to the bathroom and wait for Varius in his office.

  It took an hour before he arrived.

  He closed the office door behind him with an exhausted sigh. Strange seeing him in robes, but he took great care in removing them, tucking them onto a hanger in a closet which desperately prayed to be dusted. Wasn’t sure a minister could wear jeans and a t-shirt under the garment, but Varius never struck me as someone strict.

  Just faithful.

  Just completely at home in the church.

  Lulu called to him, brandishing her favorite Christmas present. Thank God it was just another stuffed alpaca. I’d already warned Varius—if he dared to bring that creature off the farm, I’d be meeting him and that monster in the depths of Hell.

  “Beautiful sermon, Pastor V…” I winked. “Same time next week?”

  He sunk into his chair with an exhausted sigh. “That was…harder than I thought it would be.”

  “What was?”

  “Coming back. Facing them. Taking responsibility.”

  I didn’t believe that. “V, you looked amazing up there. Totally confident. I couldn’t have done any better with some thigh-highs or a spotlight. Then again, probably not the right audience.”

  He shook his head. “Just doesn’t feel right yet.”

  I let Lulu play with her stuffed animal and approached V, deciding to earn my place on Santa’s naughty list for next year. I sat in his lap, wrapping my arms over his neck.

  It wasn’t a seduction, just a comfort. Our foreheads met, and the tension faded from him.

  “It’ll take time,” I said. “No one said it’d be easy.”

  “You sure you want to help me through this?”

  “You sure I’m the woman you want helping you through it?”

  His words warmed us both. “You’re the only woman who can handle me. I wouldn’t have stepped foot in his church again if it weren’t for you.”

  “I’ll be with you every step of the way, V. Day and…” I bit my lip with a hum. “Well, probably not night. You do have a reputation to uphold.”

  Varius smirked. “No man is perfect.”

  “Better to ask forgiveness?”

  “Hopefully I have a direct line now.” He brushed my cheek with his hand. “Wanna test it?”

  “Eh. It’s just a soul.”

  His eyes brightened, the green finally redeemed. “I reserved the hotel.”

  “What?”

  “Our hotel room,” he said. “For Christmas. I thought we could take Lulu to Ironfield. Spend the day together. Then put her to bed…” His mischievous smile would damn both of us. “And we start again where we left off, far away from any town gossips or busybodies.”

  Sounded great, but that’s what made it wrong.

  For both of us.

  I shook my head. “Pastor Payne, you could lead a girl to sin just as easily as you could save her soul.”

  “Is that a yes?”

  I smacked his chest. “What sort of girl do you take me for? Absolutely not.”

  “What?”

  “Do you think I’d be caught in a hotel room with a strange man after dark?”

  He shrugged. “Just thought we could get away from the rumors.”

  We’d never outrun them.

  And only time would forgive that aspect
of our past.

  “We’ve been hiding this for too long, V,” I said. “No more running. No more sneaking around. No more denying ourselves. If you love me, make an honest woman out of me. Someone should.”

  “You saying I should marry you?”

  “It’s not right for the minister to be without a wife. The town will talk.”

  He actually laughed. “You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into. You wouldn’t just marry me, you’d be marrying all of Butterpond.”

  “But I only have to sleep with you, right?”

  “Glory.”

  “It’s a lifetime with you, V.” I traced the edge of his jaw with my finger. “And then another life after that. It sounds perfect.”

  “Sounds just dangerous enough to be tempting.” Varius pulled me closer, earning a kiss. “Best Christmas present ever.”

  “Just wait until you unwrap me.”

  Lulu padded over to the chair. She pouted. Demanded cuddles. Began to screech.

  I reached down, setting her into the chair with both of us. Her chubby little grin was its own Christmas miracle.

  “What do you think, Pastor?” I asked. “Can you handle both of us?”

  “You mean, I can be blessed with the church and a family on the same day?”

  “Too much for you?”

  “Just enough.” His voice lowered, soft and amazed. “I owe my life to both of you. Now I can spend the rest of it with you. It’s a miracle.”

  “I’m still no angel, V…” I accepted his kiss with an eternal promise. “But no wings could’ve ever stopped me from falling in love with you.”

  The End

  Coming Soon - Roughneck

  What happens when a bad boy…

  Becomes a bad man?

  Tidus Payne is as smooth as whiskey,

  as dangerous as a lit match,

  and sexier than a midnight mistake.

  Wanting him is wrong.

  Helping him is worse.

  Some men burn through their second chances.

  This one set my world on fire.

  You can receive a text message when Roughneck is released!

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  Also by Sosie Frost

  Payne Brothers Romance

  Babyjacked

  Boyfrenemy

  Wargasm

  Sixty-Nine

  Roughneck (Coming Soon!)

  Romeo (Coming Soon!)

  Free Romances!

  Fall in love with a new series today!

  Beauty And The Blitz

  (Book 1 of Touchdowns and Tiaras)

  Unforgettable

  (A Stand Alone Amnesia Romance)

  Babyjacked

  (Book 1 of The Payne Brothers Romances)

  Touchdowns and Tiaras Series

  Beauty And The Blitz

  Love At First Down

  Once Upon A Half-Time

  Happily Ever All-Star

  Standalone Romances

  Sweetest Sin - A Forbidden Priest Romance

  Hard - A Step-Brother Romance

  Unforgettable - An Amnesia Romance

  While They Watch - A Sexy BDSM Romance

  Bad Boy’s Redemption (Previously Bad Boy’s Revenge)

  Bad Boy’s Bridesmaid

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