Coming off of her afternoon with Corvus, Miracle was aglow. She walked into her father’s office and stopped when her gaze landed on Emanuel.
Her father smiled. “Come in Miracle.”
She kept her eyes on Emanuel as she took off her coat and moved to take an empty seat across from him.
“Hi Miracle,” Emanuel greeted with a warm smile.
“Emanuel,”
Miracle turned to her father. “I came to speak with you.”
The Bishop nodded. “I know, Emanuel wanted to sit in.”
“I really don’t see why he needs to be here,” Miracle protested.
“I’m sitting right here, Miracle. There’s no need to be rude.” Emanuel told her.
She turned to him. “I’m here to talk business with my father regarding the church.”
“I am the church,” Emanuel responded and Bishop Chapman lifted a brow.
Miracle shook her head and turned her attention back to her father. “If this is what you want, can we get started?”
The Bishop kept his gaze on Emanuel. “Yes, Miracle…please begin.”
“I’ve met with Corvus Shaw. He owns the land and he wants to know what you’re going to do with it in respect to serving the community,” Miracle explained.
Her father frowned. “Why does he care?”
“Because he loves this city and he’s purchased all the land with the purpose of revitalizing the community,” Miracle told him.
Emanuel frowned. “Did you tell him the important work we’re doing?”
Miracle turned to him. “And what work would that be Emanuel?”
“I’m preaching to the masses,” Emanuel answered.
“Those masses have to eat,” Miracle told him. “And provide for their children.”
He glared at her. “I’m preparing them for a better life.”
Miracle smiled. “Corvus is concerned about the lives they have right now.”
“You seem very well versed on his views,” Emanuel observed.
Miracle gave her attention to her father. “So you need to consider building something that serves the members and the community…”
“Something that makes their everyday lives better,” she finished.
“How can he dictate what I do with land that I’m buying?” Bishop Chapman demanded.
Miracle shrugged. “He can just hold on to the land and you’re boxed in. If you really want to expand, you’re going to have to compromise.”
“He needs to compromise,” Emanuel inserted. “And work with us.”
“He’s given his terms and he’s only allowing me to come back to him with a proposal because I asked,” Miracle told her father.
The Bishop frowned. “Does he know who I am?”
“Yes, he said he’s checked you out.”
Emanuel looked at the Bishop. “Maybe I should talk to him. I’m not going to let anyone stand in the way of expanding the church.”
Miracle lifted a brow at him. “I don’t think you’ll change his mind.”
“Who is this guy?” Emanuel demanded.
She shook her head. “If you stepped outside of your own world for one moment, you’d know that Corvus Shaw is the biggest landowner and developer, in and around the city. He’s also one of the Negus, the group of men who work to take care of the residents.”
“His friends are the Mayor, the Police Chief, and some other well-known people around Detroit,” she paused. “And his brother owns the Detroit Panthers baseball team.”
Emanuel furrowed his brow. “I’m not impressed.”
Miracle smiled. “I don’t think he’s worried about impressing you.”
The Bishop looked between the two. “What does he have in mind, Miracle?”
“He mentioned some things like a community kitchen that feeds the kids and elderly, or an outdoor classroom,” Miracle explained to her father.
Emanuel frowned. “How is that going to pay for this expansion?”
“Maybe this isn’t a good time to expand?” Miracle threw out. “Exactly what are you two planning?”
The Bishop sat up as Emanuel looked at him.
“Well?” Miracle questioned.
“We need to be able to accommodate more members,” her father began. “In order to reach megachurch status.”
“You want to build a megachurch?” Miracle asked confused. “Why?”
“I have a vision for the church,” Bishop Chapman answered.
She shook her head. “We don’t need that Daddy.”
“It’s exactly what we need!” Emanuel told her. “With our proximity to Downtown, we have to take advantage of all the people moving back into the area.”
“It’s our season,” the Bishop agreed.
Miracle looked between the two men. “Do you see what’s going on in our city? Our community has been torn apart and you’re trying to cater to people who wouldn’t set foot here before it was gentrified?”
“What about the people who live across the street or down the block? What about the kids who need a safe place to play during the summer?” Miracle questioned.
“The city has a Parks and Recreation Department,” Emanuel said smugly. “That’s not what we’re here for.”
“Since when?” Miracle asked. “When did prestige become more important than people?”
Bishop Chapman intervened. “We have programs here, Miracle.”
“For the members,” Miracle pointed out. “What do we do for the community at large?”
“They can join the church,” Emanuel stressed. “Everyone is welcome.”
She turned to him. “They have to join the church for us to serve them?”
Emanuel sighed. “Miracle, you’re overreacting. The church is supposed to grow and reach more people. Our purpose is to touch as many as we can.”
“As long as they join and increase the membership rolls,” Miracle supplied. “Fill the seats and make you look good.”
“This isn’t about me,” Emanuel told her. “This is your father’s dream and you should be more supportive.”
Miracle gave him a look. “And you shouldn’t comment on anything regarding me and my father.”
The Bishop stood to his feet. “That’s enough.” He walked around his desk to face them.
“Miracle, contact Mr. Shaw again and put an offer on the table. Tell him we need a number before we can say exactly what all we can do on the land,” he told her and she nodded.
“Emanuel, start looking into what we can add to the plans in the area of community service,” Bishop Chapman told him.
“The plans are set, Bishop.” Emanuel argued.
“And they can be changed.”
Emanuel stood to his feet and glared at Miracle. “Of course Bishop.” Quietly, he left the room and Bishop Chapman turned his attention to his daughter.
“Are you alright?” he asked her.
“Yes, why do you ask?”
He studied her. “When you walked in tonight, you looked happier than I’ve seen you in a while.”
Miracle blushed and looked away. “I’m fine Daddy.”
Bishop Chapman nodded and continued to watch his daughter. “I also noticed how quickly that happiness faded when you saw Emanuel.”
She looked at him. “I try to avoid Emanuel.”
“You’re resigned in not giving him another chance?” he asked.
Miracle thought about Corvus Shaw and her time with him today. “No, that will never be an option.”
“Your happiness is always my concern, Miracle.”
She smiled and stood. “I know and I love you Daddy.”
Bishop Chapman hugged his daughter and kissed her cheek before Miracle pulled back and gave him a soft smile.
“I’ll do what I can to negotiate this deal,” she promised.
“And I will consider what you’ve said tonight.”
Miracle looked at her watch. “I’ve got to go.”
The Bishop frowned. “You’re working this late?”
Grabbing her purse, she turned to him. “No, I need to make dinner.”
“You’re welcome to come and eat with your Mother and I,” he offered.
Miracle put on her coat and buttoned it. “Thank you, but I’m fine.”
Kissing her father’s cheek, she rushed out the door with a smile on her face.
******
Corvus sat in his office looking over paperwork. He took a break and ran a hand down his face, gently scratching his beard. Smiling, he took out his phone and pulled up the picture he’d taken with Miracle.
She was smiling that smile that drove him crazy and made him want to pull her into his arms and kiss her passionately. There would be plenty of time for that later. Right now, his Little Goddess was skittish as hell and he had to move slowly.
Corvus had no reason to rush her into anything, since everything now belonged to him. She may not know it yet, but it was a done deal. He’d give her a few weeks to get used to the idea. That was the thing about the Shaw men. When they found the one they wanted, they wasted no time and Miracle was who Corvus wanted. Not only did she meet all the points, she’d done something to his heart from the first look.
He was still staring at her picture when his phone rang. He saw her name and raised an eyebrow.
“Miracle,” he answered.
“Hi,” she said shyly. “I hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time.”
Corvus smiled. “Never.”
There was a pause for a moment. “Did you meet with your father?” Corvus asked to break the silence.
“Yes,” Miracle answered and he could feel her nervousness.
“Is everything okay?” he questioned.
Miracle took a deep breath. “Maybe I could tell you about it…over dinner?”
Corvus sat up. “Of course, where would you like to go?”
She bit her lip. “Umm…I cooked.”
“Mmmmm…that’s sounds good.”
Miracle smiled. “Are you coming?”
Corvus closed his eyes. “Oh yes, Little Goddess.”
“Okay, I’ll see you when you get here.”
“I’m on my way.”
Thirty minutes later, Corvus was shown into Miracle’s home. She’d opened the door with a smile and he’d just given up trying to protect himself from its beauty. Miracle took his coat and hung it in the closet.
“Thank you for coming,” she said looking up at him.
“Thank you for thinking about me,”
“I’m finding it difficult not to think about you,” Miracle confessed. “Especially when you take me out for ice cream.”
Corvus nodded. “You really like ice cream,” he teased her.
She turned and he followed to a beautifully set table.
Corvus stopped and turned to her. “You did all this?”
“It’s really nothing,” she told him.
He touched her chin and looked down into her eyes. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” she said softly.
“Let me wash my hands real quick.”
Miracle nodded. “You know where the bathroom is.”
She watched him go then put her hands to her warm cheeks. It had taken every ounce of her strength to call and invite him to dinner. She hadn’t known if he’d have other plans or if he’d seen enough of her today, but here he was…
Miracle looked at her perfectly set table and tapped a finger to her lips. Corvus had seemed genuinely thankful for her efforts. Emanuel would refuse to eat unless she had set a full table at the meal. While she loved an elegant table, she didn’t think it was necessary at every single meal.
Corvus returned and helped her move the warm food to the table. He held out her chair and seated her before moving back around the table.
Looking over the spread, Corvus turned his attention to her. “So this is nice…”
“You like it?” she asked.
He nodded and looked at the many plates and utensils. “A lot of dishes to wash.”
“I’ll wash them,” Miracle assured him.
“Since we’re both eating, we both can wash.”
Miracle placed her napkin on her lap. “You wash dishes?”
“Yeah, I don’t like eating off of dirty ones, so…”
She laughed. “Well you don’t have a wife yet.”
Corvus caught her gaze as she filled her plate. “And when I do, I’ll still wash them or at least put them in the dishwasher.”
Miracle slowly finished and looked at him. “You surprise me.”
Corvus smiled. “Do you like surprises?”
She looked down at her plate. “I think so,” she whispered unnerved. Miracle picked up her fork and dug into her food.
“Aren’t we supposed to give thanks for the food?” Corvus asked and she looked at him.
Shaking her head, she put her fork down. “Sorry, my mind is somewhere else.”
Corvus held out both his hands to her, like she done before. “This time I’d like for you to say grace.”
“Why?” she asked.
He leaned forward. “Because I don’t want to be your Head, I want to be your heart.”
Miracle slowly took his hands and closed her eyes. “Dear Lord, thank you for this food and for the wonderful company to share it with. Amen.”
“Ase’.” Corvus added before they removed their hands and went to their meals.
“Thank you for reminding me to pray,”
Corvus stared across the table at her. “I just wanted to hold your hands.”
She smiled and blushed before putting a hand to her face. “I don’t know how to respond to you sometimes.”
He winked at her. “I only want truth from you, Little Goddess.”
She took a deep breath. “I’m nervous around you.”
“I can tell,” he replied. “You don’t have to be.”
Miracle ran a hand over her short cut. “Okay.”
They both began to eat and after a few bites, Corvus looked up at her. “I should tell you now that’s it’s really good, so you don’t try to put me out later.”
Miracle laughed. “You play too much.”
“I know; you’ll get used to it.”
“Maybe,”
He laughed and finished the rest of his food. Corvus helped Miracle carry dishes to the kitchen then stood awaiting her instructions.
“I can really handle this by myself,” she protested.
“You should tell me what to do and not leave me to my own devices,” he warned.
Miracle turned to the sink. “Okay…uh, you can…um…load the plates, while I wash the pots and pans.
Corvus moved closer and her breath caught. “I’ll wash the pots and pans.”
She turned to look up at him and was unable to speak. Corvus’ presence seem to fill her entire kitchen and she couldn’t take her eyes off of him, standing so close.
“Okay,” she breathed.
His hands went to her hips and her eyes widened as he moved her gently to the side. “I need the sink.”
Corvus turned and began at his task while Miracle got herself together. She began to slowly load the dishes.
“Will you sing for me?” Corvus asked.
Miracle turned her gaze to his. “What do you want me to sing?”
He shrugged. “It doesn’t matter; I just want to hear you.”
“Well, let me do it right.” She told him and he watched as she disappeared for a minute. He looked up and heard the music fill the house.
Miracle returned and grabbed a wooden spoon. When she began to sing Whitney Houston’s Step by Step, he stopped to watch her. She began to dance in place and thoroughly entertained him. Little Goddess had some moves for a church girl.
And pipes…this girl could sing her ass off. He leaned back against the sink and watched her thinking of all the things he was going to do to her. When she finished and the music stopped, she stood watching his reaction.
Corvus began to clap slowly. “Bravo, Little Goddess.”
She took a bow then smiled at him.
“I didn’t know you got down like that,” Corvus commented.
“Growing up, Faith would always sneak and listen to secular music,” Miracle confessed. “I liked some of it, too.”
“You can dance too,”
Miracle blushed and whispered. “Not really, and I only do it at home.”
“I like it,” he said slowly.
She looked away. “Emanuel hated it, so I didn’t around him.”
Corvus lifted a brow. “Is that the ex-fiancé?”
Miracle nodded staring at the floor. “He didn’t want to kiss me, but he was happily kissing the Church Assistant.”
She looked up at him confused. “Why did he do that?”
Corvus pushed away from the sink and walked over to her. He touched her hair and studied her face.
“Because you were never meant for him.”
******
Faith and Miracle walked into the boutique a few days later to shop for a dress.
“You still haven’t kissed that man?” Faith asked.
Miracle rolled her eyes. “No.”
“What are you waiting on?” Faith asked. “What is he waiting on?”
“He says that he’s going to let me get used to him.”
Faith sighed. “Well, will you hurry up?”
Miracle moved to one of the racks. “Why are you so concerned?”
“I want you to experience a man,” Faith told her and looked at the dress Miracle pulled out. “No, not that.”
Miracle looked at the dress. “Why not?”
“Because you’re going to Corvus Shaw’s birthday party as his date. That means that you will be the center of attention and every eye will be on you,”
“You have to look like the woman he chose.” Faith told her.
Miracle sighed. “It’s not that serious, Faith. You act like I’m going out with a King or something.”
“You are!”
She pulled out another dress and Faith pushed it back. “Don’t you want to look sexy for him?” Faith questioned. “You’re a beautiful woman, Miracle.”
“I’m not putting my body on display,” Miracle told her walking to another rack.
Faith followed. “I’m not talking Instagram…more like red carpet.” A red dress caught her eye and she pulled it out. “Look at this.”
Miracle frowned. “No!”
“What’s wrong with it?” Faith asked.
“It’s too small and it’s the wrong color,” Miracle explained.
Faith frowned this time. “What’s wrong with the color?”
Miracle walked away again and Faith followed again. Miracle turned to her, “People are really going to be looking at me?”
Faith nodded. “Most of all, Corvus Shaw.” She put her arm around her sister. “Let him see this beautiful, sexy woman.”
Miracle took a breath. “I’m not going to look like a harlot.”
Faith shook her head. “It’s not biblical times, no one is called a harlot. There are other terms now.”
Miracle put up a hand. “I don’t need to know them. I’m just not trying to look like one.”
“And you’re not,” Faith assured her.
Studying her sister, Miracle knew that she needed her help. Faith was stunningly gorgeous and was told so wherever she went. She’d married her husband at twenty-two and now at twenty-four, she was a woman who was confident in herself and her marriage.
“Okay, I’m trusting you.” Miracle told her reluctantly.
Faith smiled. “Yes!”
Miracle watched as Faith began grabbing dresses of all colors, before leading her to the dressing room. She handed Miracle the first dress.
“Let’s get started.”
Taking the garment, Miracle stepped inside and undressed down to her underwear. Looking at herself in the mirror, she scanned her body. Turning her head to one side, she looked at her smooth light brown skin.
Miracle reached for the dress and pulled it over her head. Slowly, she tried to shimmy it down her body.
“It’s too small,” she yelled out to Faith. “I need a bigger size.”
“No, you don’t. Let me see it.” Faith yelled back.
Miracle sighed and stepped to the door, peeking out. “Really, it’s too small.”
Faith walked over and opened the door. “Miracle, what the hell do you have on?”
“Faith!”
“It’s in the bible.” Faith said then looked at her in the dress. “What kind of underwear is that?”
Miracle looked down at herself. “It’s Hanes for Women.”
Faith looked up to the ceiling and raised a hand. “Lord, help me with this child.”
“What?” Miracle asked confused.
Looking back at her, Faith said, “Take the dress off because we need to get you some new bras and panties first.”
“Why?”
“Because you don’t wear a sexy dress with Hanes for Women!” Faith told her.
“No one is going to see my underwear,” Miracle complained.
Faith smiled. “That’s probably about to change, Sis.”
Miracle’s eyes widened and Faith closed the door. “Take that off so we can go look at some lingerie.”
Inside the dressing room, Miracle removed the dress and looked at her underwear in the mirror. She’d never even given a second thought about her comfortable cotton panties, and of course, she’d never thought about a man seeing her in them, especially a man that wasn’t her husband.
Her cheeks became warm as she looked at her body and imagined Corvus looking at her with those beautifully sexy, dark eyes. Her entire body became heated in a way that it never had before.
“Oh, God!” she exclaimed.
“What’s wrong?” Faith called. “Do you need help?”
Miracle covered her mouth. “No, I’m fine. I’m coming.”
She dressed quickly and smiled into the mirror. “Corvus Shaw…”