Games of the Heart (Crimson Romance)

Games of the Heart (Crimson Romance) by Eva Shaw

Book: Games of the Heart (Crimson Romance) by Eva Shaw Read Free Book Online
Authors: Eva Shaw
Tags: Romance, Contemporary
of peanuts in Peoria. She wasn’t really listening or looking at me. Her eyes were only on Bob, for whom she’d seductively licked her lips. He turned briefly and she caught his eye. I had front row seats to it all, and I swear, before Bob smiled, there was a hint of something other than adoration for Delta Cheney crossing his face. Now, I’ve been all wet about relationships but you know about looks. Pastor Bob may have been gushing good gravy about Delta Cheney, but his eyes didn’t reciprocate. Just FYI, Bob is married, which of course, didn’t stop some men — didn’t bother a few preachers, either.
    Suddenly something I had said got her attention. “What? What did you say?”
    Apparently even though she was inches from me and discounted that I was there, she had heard me say that I’d been raised by the Amish on a turnip farm in Toledo. We both knew she wasn’t listening so I asked, “Which teen in the youth group is yours?”
    With a coquettish, toothy smile, Delta fingered the bracelets cascading up and down her arms, like someone might an abacus. I was hypnotized by the fat sapphires that sparkled on her ears, the ring of diamonds and rubies around her neck, and the opal as big as Rhode Island on her thumb.
    “Jane. Delta. Glad you’re getting on like a house on fire.” Pastor Bob broke the trance just as I was pondering why the woman didn’t have that pushed up, prefab boob look, like some with her style. Plastic enhancement is big business in Vegas, or so I’d been told by a telemarketer who had called the evening before last.
    We certainly hadn’t been talking about fires or houses, but Pastor Bob sounded like an on-the-take politician running for reelection. He pulled our elbows, gathering Delta close to me, and spouted about building for God in a way that would have made God blush. Talking louder, he touched Delta on the shoulder, and the woman glowed. Bob? Again, I could have been wrong — I often am — but a tiny corner of his upper lip slipped south.
    “Our Delta is the CEO of the Philemon Society of America, locally known as PSA. For five years, right? Know you’ve heard of it. Just had a feature in a parenting magazine. Got a call from our local newspaper guy, the Las Vegas Review Journal , about it, too. Why, don’t you know, rumor has it People magazine is going to run an article. A few weeks back, 60 Minutes even sent a scout out here to get some background information. All hush-hush, mind you, Pastor, top secret, I suppose, since the producers wouldn’t say why they wanted to know. Gosh, those television people frown a lot.”
    He rambled, then took a deep breath, and I thought he’d stop. Wrong again. “We’re certain it is because they’ve touched hearts and placed children in God-loving homes. Oh, yes, hallelujah and oh, boy, here we have real live angels working in this sinful city of Las Vegas. The angels sent by God have created one of the best faith-based adoption organizations in the world, right here, I say, right here. Right in this little old dusty city, yes, I say, right here. These are great times, say hallelujah, brothers and sisters, great times for forgotten orphans, I tell you, great times, and for our city, too. I am proud to be a small part of your work and the work of our Lord who is directing you, Delta.”
    Two waved their hands skyward, another shouted, “Amen.” With the fervor he’d created, it’s surprising they didn’t start rolling on the floor and speaking in tongues. I’d seen the good pastor at the pulpit. The guy had been called charismatic; I called it overly dramatic for my traditional tastes, but he was certainly spirited with this group. Looking at the glowing glances of his adoring fans, I had a feeling Pastor Bob was about to jump with both feet right onto the sermon box.
    Delta Cheney yelled, “Oh, yes, Bob, yes, oh, yes,” in a way I didn’t even want to connect with anything outside of his preaching. It creeped me out, big time.

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