Page 26 of Property of The Grump

Seven Years Ago

The ride back to the church is torture. The truth is in the air. I should be repenting and conjuring up apologies to this innocent woman who’s going through enough as it is. Instead, I’m thinking about the dream she had, replaying every filthy detail.

She wants me to bend her over. She wants me to fuck her hard. She wants me to take her thick waist and plow into her from behind as she screams out for relief.

Heaven help me, I need it.

If I’d stayed on the beach a second longer, every impulse would’ve won. I’d have spread her legs, sunk inside of her, and claimed her like a wild fucking animal. I’d have breathed in her scent, and I’d have become an addict. I know this without deep reflection. There’s something about this woman that turns me into a beast.

I turn onto the main road toward the little church in the valley, the sight of the white steeple filling me with guilt. Who the hell am I? What am I doing? Why am I having these feelings, these urges? Why am I pretending like I want forgiveness, when really, I want to sin?

I’m still riding the turn when I see Leanne on the front steps of the church with a clipboard in hand. I have no ideawhat she’s doing here today. All I can think is that she’s trying to hijack the volunteer committee meeting Wren is set to start this morning. I consider driving straight past the church and toward town, but Leanne is already waving, and given that I have Wren on the back of my bike, I probably have some damage control to do.

“Wow,” Leanne groans as she readjusts the lime green pencil skirt she’s wearing. “Second day in church and you’re letting the new volunteer coordinator wear your clothes while you give her a ride? I’ve been asking for a ride for ages. You told me you don’t give rides.”

“Good morning, Leanne.” I nod and climb from the bike once Wren has found her way off. “What can I help you with?”

She rolls her eyes and glares toward Wren like she’s personally offended her. “I came by to tell you that I talked to the market down on Main. They said they’d sell my pie right in the store. They’re going to put a big sign next to it that all proceeds go to Grace Valley Church.” She narrows her gaze tighter and flips her blonde hair back. “They said it was a special accommodation that they don’t do for everyone, but because they know how good my pie is, they trust it will sell really well.”

“That’s great, Leanne. Thank you for your help.” I say the words too flatly, I know it the second they come out of my mouth, but this woman is constantly looking for reassurance that she’s done something right, and this morning I don’t have the energy for it.

This is probably another sin because all I want to do is ignore my flock and pay attention to this one little lamb.

Lord, why can’t I get ahold of myself?

“It’s a huge deal,” Leanne continues. “I have my pie in a store!People all over town are going to be eating it, and every dollar they spend is going to come back to the church. We could have a new roof on this place by next summer.”

I want to tell her that roof will most likely cave in this winter and that’s the reason I picked Wren as the volunteer coordinator. We need big changes, and my mother was right. We need them sooner rather than later.

“We can talk about all your volunteer work,” Wren says to Leanne, as she tugs the helmet off her head. “That’s sort of my department now. Father Anderson has a million other things he needs to focus on.”

“No,” Leanne barks a hand rising to her hip, “I willnotbe talking to you about anything, and everyone in this church is going to know about you two on that bike. Something is going on here and I’m going to get to the bottom of it.”

I exhale heavily and roll my eyes toward Wren whose face has gone pale as she watches Leanne pull out of the driveway in her small blue convertible.

“I knew this would happen. Small towns are like a cesspool for scandal. Your entire career is going to be ruined because of me.”

“Because I helped you?No.” I land my hand on her shoulder, though I pull it back immediately. “This is my job. I help people.”

“But you don’t cuddle everyone who cries, you don’t take everyone to the lake, and you don’t let everyone sleep in your bed.” She pauses for a moment. “And when was the last time you had sex dreams about a member of the congregation?”

“All that ends now,” I nod, my chest tight. “If you are to trust me with your feelings again, I’m going to make the upmost effort to push away every torrid thought I’m having. You deserve to feel safe, and I am sorry, though I understand if you need to seek council and opportunity elsewhere. I can set you up with a church in another town.”

“That’s the thing,” she shrugs, a tinge of panic in her voice, “I don’t know how to make the thoughts stop either. I don’t knowhow to get the images of you in that towel last night out of my brain. I don’t know how to not want your big hands all over me. I don’t know how to make my pussy stop throbbing every time I look at you.”

“It’s okay,” I say, guiding her inside of the church. “We’re going to pray on it and we’re going to resist. God will help us.”

The door creaks heavily as it closes behind me, shutting out the harsh light of day. Wren turns toward me, her eyes laced with concern. “What if I don’t want to ask for God’s help? What if I like the way it feels to think about you?”

My cock pulses at my zipper as I guide her down the aisle toward the front altar of the church. “On your knees.”

“What?”

“On your knees before God. Look up at the cross and repent your sins. Tell the Lord what you need help with.”

Her chest rises and falls quickly as she strips off the heavy hoodie she’s been wearing. Beneath it is the T-shirt she came in wearing last night. A moment later, she drops down to her knees and stares up at me, full lashes flickering, her mouth open slightly as though she’s waiting on me to guide her through prayer.

That was the plan, though now all I’m imagining is my cock sliding between her lips.