The Consequence of Secrets - Part Two: A Priest Romance by Eve Cates Page A

pants and I have to replace my panties and straighten myself up.
    He gestures to the chair next to him. “Sit. Eat up,” he says. “You need to keep up your strength.”
    “Of course,” I say, keeping my voice sweet as I lower myself in the chair, feeling dirty and in need of another shower.
    As we eat, he does his usual and prattles on arrogantly about his day. Then he checks his watch and announces he’s leaving, and inside, I rejoice a little.
    “Although I still want you to think about me,” he says, leaning over the back of my chair. “That was just a taste of what I want to do to you tonight,” he murmurs in my ear, his hand sliding over my blouse to roughly cup my breast. My eyes shift to the silver knife sitting beside my breakfast plate, and I wonder if that would do the trick if I managed to get it in the right place. I would be free of him, but would I go to prison? Or would they believe me when I told them what he does to me? He’s always said no one would believe me because he tells everyone that I like it rough. But I don’t. But Braden believes me, and I didn’t even have to tell him, he just worked it out.
    “I’ll see you when I get home.” He stands and presses a kiss on the top of my head, smoothing his hand down the side of my hair. “Five o'clock, all right?"
    I nod my head, blinking away my murderous thoughts as I fix that smile to my face. “See you then,” I tell him, participating in his goodbye kiss then watching him leave the room, staying in my seat until I hear the garage door lift and his car reverse out of the driveway.
    Letting out the breath I didn't even realize I was holding, I stand to go and get ready again. I need to clean that all away. I don’t want to feel as though Gabe has touched me when I’m planning on going to see Braden.
    As I shower, I think about the kiss we shared up against my front door. I haven't been able to get it out of my mind – that feeling that took over every nerve ending in my body and made me feel like it was possible to fly. Gabe has never made me feel like that – even when we were first dating.
    And while it was amazing and I’ll treasure that feeling for the rest of my life, I need to make him understand that it can’t happen again. I feel terrible that a man who has promised himself to God is questioning himself because of me. While I might not believe in God any more, I still respect the beliefs of others, and I don't want whatever is going on between us to ruin his life as well. He might not be able to save me, but the least I can do is save him. I need to let him go.
    Once I’ve showered, I quickly dry my hair and reapply my makeup before putting on fresh underwear, studying myself in the mirror as I slide on my blouse, pausing to look at the teeth marks on my breast. He didn’t break the skin, but there are still indentations there that will turn into bruises by the end of the day. More than anything, I wish that my life were different. I wish I’d met Braden before all this, before he joined the priesthood and before I met Gabe. Everything would be different then, my life would have been worth living…
    When I’m done, I head for the front door, double-checking the buttons on my silk blouse to make sure they’re done up tight. For a moment, I stand before the mirror by the door and check over my appearance. I see myself, reflected and surrounded by a brass frame, not a hair out of place, not a crease in my shirt. My make-up is perfect, my posture is set, so I take a deep breath, pick up my purse, and head out the door. Today's the day I attend confession. Today is the day my life returns to normal – no more distractions.
     

     

Braden
    "Say one Our Father and three Hail Mary's for your penance and please try to understand that while the grass may look greener on the other side, it rarely is. I think you'll find your neighbor has just as many problems as you do.”
    “Thank you Father," the woman says from the other