Chapter 10

Luke

My mother had raised me in church, and even though I wasn’t the perfect practicing Christian, I still honored her memory by going every Sunday. I was especially excited to see Harper again even though she’d only left my bed hours before after spending the night beneath me and then in my arms. Well, to be fair, she hadn’t spent the entire time beneath me. She liked being on top too as much as I loved having her there. The blood flowed to my cock, and I knew I better cool my jets. Walking into church toting wood wasn’t going to fly.

I rode the bike to her house, and I breathed a sigh of relief when she walked out in jeans. I’d warned her the night before that our small town church was a ‘come as you are’ type of place and since I rode my bike every Sunday, she’d better not wear a dress. She said she’d go and that her father was a pastor most of her life.

“I hope this will work.” She said holding out her arms. She had on tight jeans and a loose pink blouse with matching sandals, and her hair was tied back in a loose ponytail that would be even more windswept by the time we arrived. “I had to borrow something from my sister. It’s been years since I stepped foot inside a church.”

“You look beautiful.” She did too, her skin was naturally flawless, and she still had a glow about her from the night before. Her lips were red and swollen, her face flushed, and her eyes seemed a bit brighter with the morning sun.

“It’s amazing what caffeine does for a girl.” She gave me a peck on the lips, and I helped her on the bike.

“What’s this?” She patted the saddlebag that I’d strapped on my bike as I climbed on.

“That’s for after.” I wasn’t going to tell her my plans, and she glanced back to the bag as if it contained duct tape and a knife. “You’ll like it, I promise.”

“After last night, I trust you.” I’d said the same things to her the night before, and she’d liked it after all.

“You’re going to make me want to skip service if you keep talking about last night.” I was fending off my cock’s urge to swell with thoughts about my mom and sports as it was and I didn’t want to be distracted a second from her.

“Oh no, you promised me repentance. And from what I recall, we both need it.” She took the helmet I offered and I decided the wind in my hair would do me good and keep me focused.

We arrived at church just in time to make an entrance, and everyone offered welcoming smiles. Most hadn’t been at the party, but those who were had already met Harper as my girl and my chest swelled with pride with her beside me. I could get used to having her with me every Sunday. Lord knew my heathen brother would never shadow the doorstep and I could picture him bursting into flames if he ever tried.

She sat through church listening to the words the pastor said and at one point wiping a stray tear. I hadn’t got her to open up about her life yet, and I could see in her eyes that something dark had happened. I wished I could chase it away and I felt guilty for a moment asking her to come. There was nothing like church to make you face your demons, and I should have considered that before my invitation.

But then as we walked down the front steps and headed out toward the bike, she said something that surprised me. “Thanks for that. I think I really needed that message.”

The pastor had talked about forgiving yourself and giving your worries to the Lord, and I wondered what worries weighed heaviest on her heart. “You know one day maybe you can tell me about it.”

She met my eyes and lifted a shoulder. “Maybe.”

My plan was revealed when we pulled into the local deli and ordered lunch. I had them wrap it to go and tucked it down into the saddlebag.

“Are you taking me on a picnic?” Her eyes were as wide as the smile that touched them.

“Yeah, there’s a place I’d like to show you.” I hopped back on the bike, and she climbed on behind me.

“You mean you’re not taking me back to the creek?” She rested her chin against my shoulder.

“No, you’ll see.” I cranked up the bike and drove us out to the hillside past an abandoned church and its old cemetery where the grass was as green as a grasshopper and wildflowers swayed in the breeze.

“It’s beautiful,” she said as I killed my bike. I climbed off and offered her a hand.

“It’s one of my favorite places this time of year because it’s always breezy and the view is amazing.” Not to mention the grass would be soft beneath us.

I gathered the thin blanket I’d rolled up and tucked into one of the saddlebags as she pulled out the bag of food from the other side. Then I walked to where the fumes from my bike wouldn’t offend her and spread out a soft place for us to lounge.

I took the food as she settled beside me and we ate our lunch in quiet as she took in the view around us. She broke the silence looking at the old cemetery. “I bet there are some old markers out there.”

“I used to do rubbings when I was younger. The old stones are more intricate than they are today.” Something in her eyes lit, and she laughed.

“You don’t seem the type to collect cemetery rubbings.” She moved the remnants of paper from our meal into the bag and set it aside. I closed the distance between us and laid her back as she yelped in surprise. Her laughter filled my ears, and it occurred to me it was one of my favorite sounds.

“What type do I seem like?”

She was quiet a moment and then she lifted a shoulder. “You seem so alive, the kind of person that appreciates life and wants to make it better for everyone around you.”

If she only knew how much I wanted to make her life better, to shoo away the storm cloud that hovered over her in quiet moments. “I’d like to do the same for you.”

“You can’t fix everything with kindness and a helping hand. Some wounds are too deep, too dark.” She got that lost faraway look again, the kind that made me want to rescue her, even though she didn’t want saving.

I decided I wasn’t getting anywhere with subtlety and it was time to be more direct. “What happened to you back in New York? Are you ever going to tell me?”

“What does it matter, and besides, why do you automatically assume I’m the one who got hurt? Maybe I’m the one that did the hurting.” She rubbed her arm and kept her eyes distant as she gazed across the field not seeming to focus on anything in particular.

“It’s hard to believe you could hurt anyone, Harper, at least not anyone who didn’t deserve it.” Her chest heaved with a deep breath, and she dug her palm into the blanket to shift her position.

“That shows how little you know about me and if you don’t mind, I’d rather not talk about it.”

“You can’t keep running from whatever it is. You said it yourself, you’re going back home soon, and I’m pretty sure whatever you’re running from is still waiting. Let me help you.” I ran my hand up her arm and leaned in to kiss her mouth. She responded with an eagerness that took me by surprise.

“It’s true; I can’t run. It will all be there for me to deal with when the time comes, so why don’t you do the only thing you can and help me forget. Just for a little while.” She tugged my collar and pulled me down with her as she lay back against the soft covered grass.

A shadow fell across us as the sun ducked behind a cloud and I knew that whatever had her running must have hung over her in the same way. How could I blame her for wanting to forget? To be lost in the moment and forget what waited. The only thing was I didn’t want to be a distraction, some temporary thing to pass the time. I’d rather pull her from the darkness and keep her where it was safe; by my side.

There was only one way that would happen, and as she kissed me, our bodies moving together as we lost ourselves in passion, I wondered if she’d go for it or have something else to run from.

Me.