by Claire Adams
We ordered our meals before Max looked at me and said, “So, what do you do, Daphne?”
“I’m a waitress,” I told him. He was very well-dressed and just the way he held himself I could tell that he was the successful one. I was a little ashamed to tell him I was just a waitress.
“How do you know Jace?” Ryan asked. He had a mischievous glint in his eye.
“We met at…”
“Church,” Jace said, taking it out of my hands. Ryan smiled again and looked like he knew it was bullshit somehow.
“I ran into Lily the other day,” Max said. My thigh was barely touching Jace’s under the table, but I felt him tense at the mention of her name. I wondered why. Is it because of me?
“Oh, where did you see her?” The waitress brought our sandwiches and the conversation was put on hold while Ryan flirted with her and everyone got settled with their food.
Once she was gone, Max said, “She was at McDougal’s Friday night. I was surprised to see her since I’d heard she moved out of town. She told me she went on a church trip with you last weekend.”
“Yeah, we had a kayaking trip. Lily is part of my congregation.” Jace took a bite of his sandwich. He looked uncomfortable, like he was trying to think of a way to change the subject.
“Yeah, that’s what she said. She also told me something else really interesting.”
Jace now looked like he was about to take off running from the restaurant. I could actually watch him visibly relax from head to toe as Max said, “She said that the house she lived in with her husband sold for 50,000 more than Grandma’s did.”
Ryan looked amused, Jace looked relieved, and Max looked completely in control. These three were something.
“Oh…I wonder why? I never saw her house. Was it bigger or in a better neighborhood?”
“No, it was on the South End, too, and if I’m not mistaken, it was smaller than Grandma’s. I’m going to find out when I speak with the attorney.”
“God! You guys are so boring,” Ryan whined. Jace was right; he was definitely like a 14-year old.
Jace rolled his eyes again and said, “What would you like to talk about, Ryan?” Then he looked at me and back at his brother and said, “Keep it clean.”
“You’re such an old fuddy-dud lately,” Ryan told him with his lip curled. “Being a priest is making you old before your time.”
He looked at me and grinned. “It’s good to know some people can still bring you out of your shell. Daphne, I never thought I’d see the day when someone could talk my brother into having sex.” Jace looked like he was going to choke as Ryan raised his glass to me. “Good job.”
He drank his beer as if he hadn’t just said something out loud that he shouldn’t know and should have never been brought up. I felt my face go hot again and gulped the ice water in front of me. Damn! Did Jace really tell them? He must have. What the hell?
I survived the rest of lunch, listening to the brothers razz each other over everything from baseball team choices to women. After Ryan’s comment, Max had shut him down with a look and he backed off of whatever he thought he knew about me and Jace.
I thought I was going to ask Jace about it, but when we got in the car, I lost my nerve. I was having a nice day being his “friend.” I didn’t want to bring all of that up again.
“I’m going to watch the All-Star game this afternoon. If you don’t have any plans, we can get some snacks and watch it at my place.”
God help me, I knew that was a bad idea, but I told myself that in order to prove I could handle being alone with him, I should do it. “Sure,” I heard myself say, “That sounds like fun.”
He stopped at a little market close to his apartment. As we walked in, I heard a couple of people greet him as Father, so I kept as low of a profile as I could while we were there. We picked out some chips and dip, and he bought sodas and a vegetable tray.
It was only after he paid and we were outside that I feel like I could breathe. He smiled gently at me. “It’s not a sin for us to be friends, Daphne.”
I think I blushed again. “I know. I guess I worry too much about what people think.”
He loaded the groceries and then looked at me. “We all do. But, as long as we’re okay with God and we know we’re not doing anything wrong…that’s what matters.”
He had a good point. He also meant what he said about hanging out just as friends. We sat on his couch and ate and watched baseball. I wasn’t a fan and he was a hard-core Red Sox fan, so he filled me in on the All-Star league and who he was rooting for and why. He got really into the game and it was cute to watch him be so animated about something.
Every once in a while, he would clamp down on my leg with his hand when he was frustrated, or give me a high five when he was happy…but otherwise, he didn’t touch me and we maintained our appropriateness until early evening when I announced it was time for me to go.
Jace drove me back to the church to get my car and before I got out, he said, “Hey, Daphne?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you. Today was the first time in a long time that I’ve felt truly happy and comfortable. I had a great, normal day.”
I smiled. “I had a great, normal day, too. Thank you.” He waited for me to get in my car and drive away before he left. I was still smiling when I got home. It really had been a good day.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Jace
It was Saturday night and I had spent all week being proud of myself for spending an entire day with Daphne and not touching her…or barely touching her, I guess. A time or two when I had my hand on her leg, I have to admit the idea of sliding it up was on my mind, but I proved to myself I can control those urges.
I felt less lonely than I had for a long time…since Grandma died. I liked being friends with Daphne. If I couldn't have her for anything more than that — and I couldn't — I would gladly take friendship.
I still have the dreams at night where we have passionate sex and I wake up hot and sweaty and with a raging hard on. My body is becoming accustomed to freezing cold showers in the morning, but I’m controlling it. God can’t fault me for what’s in my subconscious, I don’t think.
I had been trying to decide what I wanted to do all day and finally, I knew that whatever I did, I wanted to do it with Daphne. I called her and she answered on the second ring. “Hi, Jace, how are you?”
“I’m good. I was just sitting here at home thinking about seeing a movie. I wondered if you might like to meet me there.”
I heard her hesitate. I actually heard the wheels turning in her head. She must have decided like I have that she’s in complete control of her actions because at last she said, “That sounds like fun. What are you going to see?”
I felt my face go hot as I said, “Promise you won’t tell anyone?”
She giggled nervously. That was probably bordering too close on where we’d been at since day one. “Okay…”
“I want to see Southpaw.”
“That’s the one about the fighter?”
“Yeah.”
She giggled again. “It’s an odd choice for most priests. But I’ve seen you in action.”
I had to laugh. “Yes, unfortunately, you have. The story sounds great; it’s not really about the fighting.”
“Oh,” she said. I could hear the mischief in her voice as she said, “Is that kind of like saying you read Playboy for the articles?”
“Wow. Harsh.” I was laughing, though.
Quickly skirting around the porn conversation, she said, “What time and where should I meet you?”
“It starts at 7:10 at the Metro.”
“Great, I’ll see you then,” she said.
After she hung up, I just stood there for a few moments looking down at the phone. I couldn’t help but wonder if I was setting myself up. Am I just making these feelings we have for each other worse?
All I really knew was that I not only wanted to see Daphne, I needed to…so, I was going to see her a
nd my sexual urges would just have to go untended.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Daphne
I was waiting when Jace drove up in front of the theater. I’d actually walked over because it was close to my apartment. He was in regular clothes again and my heart did that thing it always does when I first see him. Then I had to go through the whole process of telling myself why I can’t have him…again.
“Hi, there,” he said, taking hold of my hand like we were a couple. I could have pulled mine away, I guess. But, I didn’t want to. His hand was big and warm and strong…and it was attached to him. He led me inside and paid for our tickets. “You want popcorn?”
“Of course,” I said with a grin. He ordered a large and then said, “Please tell me we can drench it in butter. If you say no, I’ll be forced to order my own.”
“I love butter.”
“Great!” He was true to his word, he literally drenched it. Then he took my hand again and led me into the darkened theater. We found a couple of seats in the center and sat down just in time for the previews to start. Jace reached and put the popcorn tub in my lap, taking a handful of it out for himself.
He seemed so relaxed, like we’d known each other for years. I wished that I could get to that point…where I didn’t psycho-analyze every thought, feeling, and word.
I busied myself eating popcorn and pretending to be interested in the previews. Every so often, I could see him look at me out of the corner of my eye. I wanted to look at him — there was almost nothing I’d rather do. But in the dark room and with our close proximity, that look would make me imagine kissing him and once I let my mind go there, I might lose control all over again.
The movie was really intense, and every so often, I would go to put my hand on the arm rest and Jace’s arm would already be there. I squeezed it a few times as I watched the main character, Billy "The Great" Hope get his head bashed in. I cried when his wife left him and took his daughter and again when he fought to get it all back.
Over all, it was a really good movie and the absolute best part was watching Jace’s face out of the corner of my eye during the fight scenes. There was real light in his eyes, and I could tell that in spite of being in a completely passive profession, the fight scenes really appealed to him.
After the movie when I should have gone home, I accepted his invitation for Chinese food at his place. I didn’t want the evening to end and he didn’t seem to want it to, either…but that’s okay because we’re just friends. That’s what I told myself anyways.
“What kind of Chinese food do you like?” he asked me when we got back to his apartment.
“I don’t care,” I said. “I’m not picky.”
“Be picky. What is your favorite, Daphne?”
“I like lemon chicken and steamed rice. And egg-foo-yung. Oh, and won-tons.” He laughed.
“See, your demanding side was right there on the surface.” I felt myself flush and he said, “Have a seat in the living room. I’ll order the food and be right in.”
I went into the living room, but I didn’t sit down. Instead, I walked around the room and looked at the photos of him and his brothers and an older lady I assumed was his grandmother I’d heard him mention. I wondered why he didn’t have any pictures of his parents, but who was I to judge?
“That was in Maine,” he said of the photo I was looking at when he came in the room. “It’s a little place called Lincolnville Beach. My brothers and I rented a cabin up there for two weeks when Max graduated from college. We had a lot of fun.”
“Were you in the priesthood yet?”
“No, I’d just got out of high school that year. I wasn’t sure yet what I wanted to be when I grew up.” He came over next to her and handed me a glass of iced tea.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Do you want to watch some television?”
“Sure,” I said, taking a seat on the couch. He sat next to me.
As he flipped through the channels, he said, “What do you like to watch?”
“I don’t watch a lot of TV. I like the history channel and the Discovery Channel, though,” I told him. He found the Discovery channel and left it there. It was Shark Week. We watched for a while until the food came, and then Jace spread a blanket on the floor and we sat and ate off the coffee table while we watched.
“How is the chicken?” he asked
“It’s delicious, thank you.”
He smiled at me. “You’re so polite.”
I blushed again and he said, “Don’t be embarrassed, that’s a really good thing. Most people these days forget to say please and thank you. You never forget. I like that. Sometimes, though, you apologize too much.”
With a grin I said, “I’m sorry.”
He laughed.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
“Do your brothers know…about us? I mean that crack Ryan made at lunch last week.”
“Yes, they know,” he said. He didn’t explain how or why. I was torn between being afraid they would tell someone and being flattered that he told someone.
“You’re not worried that they’ll tell someone?”
“No, not at all. My brothers can be all kinds of annoying and sometimes belligerent, but the one thing we always have is each other’s backs. We’ve always only had each other. Ryan and Max would no sooner betray me than I would them.” That made me feel a little better, knowing he was so confident about it.
Then he said, “I’m sorry about Ryan, though. He has no tact and I know that made you uncomfortable. I’ll ask him not to say things like that again next time he sees you.”
“It’s okay. I’m honestly kind of glad you thought enough of it to tell someone about me.”
He smiled and said, “I thought more of it than I should.” We both dropped that touchy subject and finished eating. The food was delicious, and once we’d just about wiped it out, I helped him clean up. It was getting kind of late at that point, and I said, “Maybe I should take off.” I didn’t have my car.
I suppose I could have walked home, or taken the bus, but he said, “Stay just a little longer…please. I’ll take you home in a bit.”
I didn’t hesitate. “Okay.”
We sat down on the couch and began watching an old movie on television. It was in black and white and we had missed the first part so I didn’t know what it was or what was going on. I think James Cagney was in it.
“Have you ever seen this? I asked him.
He looked at the TV; he’d been looking at me. “No, not this one,” he said. “I like old movies, though.”
“Me, too,” I said. “The world seemed like a lot simpler place back then.”
He laughed. “Or harder, depending on how you look at it. We definitely have a lot more luxuries these days.”
“This is true.”
I continued watching and I was about to ask him another question when I looked over and saw his head was extended back and he was sound asleep. He looked beautiful and uncomfortable.
I got up and nudged him over so he would lie down and stretch out. Once he did that, I laid myself down next to him. I don’t know what I was thinking other than he felt damned good and I had no desire to leave him.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Jace
I woke up with hair in my face. I can honestly say that was a new experience for me. Before I panicked, I breathed in the fresh coconut-lime smell of it and smiled. It smelled like Daphne.
I opened my eyes and saw that it was, in fact, Daphne. We were still on my couch and she was cuddled against my chest. Her top leg was draped over mine and I had that pesky morning wood.
I suddenly felt like I couldn’t breathe. I told her just friends…that’s all this was supposed to be. Now I was waking up, on a Sunday morning no less, all tangled up in her and physically excited.
Jesus, Mother Mary, help me. The temptation to touch her was almost completely overwhelming. I’d dreamt of this moment nearl
y every night since the first time we made love. I wake up next to her and I wake her with a slow, sensuous kiss. She smiles and opens her eyes and then I kiss her again, this time harder and more passionately as my hands begin to roam her sexy body.
I have to stop this. My cock was aching. I have to get in the shower…the cold shower. There’s no way I can do this again, especially not right before I have to go say mass on Sunday morning. No way.
I gently extracted myself from her, trying not to wake her. Her pretty eyes flickered open and looked at me, but they didn’t really focus. She rolled over to face the couch as I got up. I looked down at her fully dressed and sound asleep and I thought I never saw anyone or anything that looked that good.
“I have to get ready to go to the church,” I said, not knowing if she would hear me or process it or not. She didn’t say anything, but I still didn’t move. God, she’s beautiful. My hands itched to touch her. I looked down at myself still dressed in my jeans. There was a tent in the front of them. I didn’t want her to see me like that.
I forced myself to turn away and go down the hall to the shower. I was becoming an expert at the early morning cold shower, but even as I stood underneath the cold and uncomfortable spray, the desire for that sexy woman on my couch was not going away.
I picked up where I left off with the fantasy, only in my mind when I woke up, we were both naked and my hands were roaming across smooth, bare skin. God, she feels so good.
I closed my eyes as the cold water ran down my back and I could feel her. My hands tingled, my breaths quickened, and my cock was not going down. Damn! I cannot go do mass with a hard-on. I’m pretty sure God wouldn’t easily forgive that.
I tried all of the tricks in the book. I pictured my grandmother and my brothers and still, there was Daphne in the background. Finally, I closed my eyes hard and pictured the Bishop, looking at me with a tent in my cassock and shaking his head. That worked. I deflated almost instantly.
I finished my shower, and after shaving and dressing, I went back out to the living room. She was still asleep. Her soft blonde hair covered most of her face, but her curves were way too apparent. I had to get out of there before I got another rise.