Mary held her breath. Could any of what had been said be true? Was it possible God would wipe out an entire town or county because a few people were not living by the interpretation of the Bible held by the majority of this congregation?
She sure hoped not. If so, she was doomed to the same death.
As much as she hated the idea of a sub-committee meeting to discuss ways to run people out of town, she knew she needed to stay. Her gut told her to listen to the plan. If she didn’t and something bad happened, she’d never be able to live with herself.
Chapter Ten
“You cooked,” Laurie said as she entered Corbin’s apartment and glanced around his space. She’d spent enough time with him to know he was a typical guy—slightly messy, but not disgusting.
And she was right. His apartment was relatively tidy, but had the obvious distinction of being lived in by a man with no woman’s touch.
Thank God Zach had a condo. This apartment was far too small for three people. The living room was inviting—beige carpet, an overstuffed brown couch, a large-screen TV—but it was tiny. And the kitchen was more of a corner. The table was in a dining area between the living room and the narrow space comprising a stove/oven/microwave combo on one side and a sink/dishwasher on the other. Cabinet and counter space was minimal. It was all done in the same brown tones common in an apartment.
The three of them would quickly suffer from claustrophobia in the cramped space.
“I did. I told you I could BBQ.”
“Ah. Is that what I smell?” She smiled as he took her in his arms and held her against his body, carefully making sure his cock pressed into her belly.
Normally she would find such a maneuver offensive. Most women would. But nothing about this situation fit under the category of “normal”. She was at least as needy as him, wetness already leaking between her legs, her clit pulsing with need as soon as he opened the door and his personal scent filled her nose.
She pressed into him with the same urgency until he groaned. “Woman.”
“Yes?” she asked coyly, batting her eyes.
“Zach will be here any minute, and my chicken will be ruined if we don’t eat it soon.”
“Did I mention any other plan?” This was the first moment all day she had felt a sense of relaxation. The entire day had been shit, starting with her job hunt and ending with her disconcerting discussion with her sister that left her feeling rather hopeless. For the next few hours she wanted to put it all aside and enjoy her men.
Corbin broke their connection and stepped back as though she had cooties. “You’re dangerous. Don’t touch me.” He grinned as he returned to the kitchen area and stirred something in a pot.
“What are we having with our chicken, grill master?”
“Mac and cheese. From a box.” He spun around again and pointed the large spoon at her. A noodle fell onto the floor. “And don’t say a word, or I won’t cook for you again.”
She held up both hands in defeat. “Never.” Pursing her lips, she turned to take in more of his space.
The large comfy couch that took up most of the living room was a deep brown that encouraged its occupants to relax. The wall across from the couch was covered with video equipment, DVDs, and games.
A man’s den.
The door behind her opened, and she spun around to watch Zach stroll in. He had a frown on his face and came straight toward her. “I spoke to Melinda,” he said as he took her in his arms and kissed her lips. “Why am I hearing about my mate’s bad day from my brother’s woman?”
She scrunched up her face, sensing Corbin approaching at her back. “I figured we could discuss things tonight. I’m not a fan of communicating important information telepathically where I can’t see anyone’s expressions.”
Zach frowned. “This shit’s important. If you have problems, I want to know about them.”
“You were on the slopes all day, Zach. Teaching classes and stuff. I hardly think it would be appropriate for me to call your cell or disrupt your work inside your head. We’re all here now.” She wiggled free of him just as Corbin grabbed her hips from behind. “Let’s eat. Then we can talk.”
She wasn’t hungry. In fact, she felt sick. But she would fake it for them and swallow as much as she could.
As soon as they had their plates filled with chicken, salad, and mac-n-cheese, she decided to make light dinner conversation. “So, how far away do your parents live, Corbin? I still haven’t met them. That seems strange. Especially if they’re close by. I’m sure they’re curious about me. Maybe we should visit them after dinner?”