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"I suppose it’s because you’re so incredibly attractive"

He laughed again, this ti me attractive hardly qualifies as evidence, Ms Kanter Wishful thinking possibly, but not evidence"

Suzanne flushed, suddenly re the last time she’d had sex and how for one brief moment it was this priest, this man, on top of her and inside her and not Patrick

"I find you attractive as well," Father Stearns continued "But I shan’t accuse you of pedophilia and ephebophilia simply because I do"

Suzanne sed

"You find me attractive?"

"Very much so"

"But you’re a priest"

"Priests are required to be chaste Not blind I had planned on praying the Stations of the Cross tonight I may pray the Lord’s Prayer instead"

"Why?"

"‘Lead us not into teht in her throat She couldn’t deny that she too felt led into teood Now

"Then I should leave you alone and let you pray" She took a step back

"Will I see you again?" he asked, his voice perfectly composed She detected no flirtation, no temptation at all in his tone Only curiosity

"You’ll seebehind that collar of yours"

He raised his eyebrow at her

"I’ht Empty church Do you really wear the collar all the time?"

"Not all the tih plainly spoken, still conjured ies she didn’t want What did he look like under his severe black clericals? What did his body look like dripping ater? What did his skin look like against white sheets?

"Right…of course Only tiht, Father Stearns You’ll be seeing ain"

Suzanne turned to leave

"I look forward to it"

Suzanne’s steps nearly faltered, but she kept walking

"Ms Kanter?"

Pausing, she slowly turned back to face him God, had she ever seen a more beautiful man in her life?

"My collar…would you like to see me without it on?"

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