Gateway Crescent
“I had no right to do that.” Luke rubbed a hand across his mouth, as if wiping off her kiss, and humiliation stabbed her.
“For God's sake,” Jo said, seeking refuge in exasperation. “It's not like you threw me to the floor and ripped off my clothes. Get over yourself.” She reached down, lifted his backpack off her foot, and tossed it at him. “I'm going home.”
“Wait.” He reached out a hand as she walked past, but drew it back before he touched her. “I didn't mean to hurt your feelings.”
“You didn't,” she shot back. “I'd have to care what you think in order for you to hurt my feelings.”
“I deserve that,” he said quietly. “It's not that I don't like you, if that's what you're thinking.”
“Of course you like me. You like everyone, and everyone likes you.”
“It's because I like you that I shouldn't have kissed you.”
Jo shook her head, confusion ringing through her. “I don't understand.”
Luke dangled the backpack from one hand by its straps. The other hand clenched and unclenched. “Can I tell you something only my family knows about so far?”
He looked so serious and so miserable she felt a frisson of fear. “That doesn't sound good.”
“Well, it's not bad. At least, I don't think so.” He drew in a deep breath, his chest rising and falling, highlighting his well-shaped shoulders. “I've registered for a vocation live-in weekend at Christ the King seminary.”
Her brain went blank. “What?”
“I'm thinking of becoming a priest.”
She blinked. “A priest?” she parroted.
He shrugged. “It's something I've been considering for a while.”
“Oh, honey,” she said before she could think better of it. “You don't kiss like a priest.”
“For God's sake,” Jo said, seeking refuge in exasperation. “It's not like you threw me to the floor and ripped off my clothes. Get over yourself.” She reached down, lifted his backpack off her foot, and tossed it at him. “I'm going home.”
“Wait.” He reached out a hand as she walked past, but drew it back before he touched her. “I didn't mean to hurt your feelings.”
“You didn't,” she shot back. “I'd have to care what you think in order for you to hurt my feelings.”
“I deserve that,” he said quietly. “It's not that I don't like you, if that's what you're thinking.”
“Of course you like me. You like everyone, and everyone likes you.”
“It's because I like you that I shouldn't have kissed you.”
Jo shook her head, confusion ringing through her. “I don't understand.”
Luke dangled the backpack from one hand by its straps. The other hand clenched and unclenched. “Can I tell you something only my family knows about so far?”
He looked so serious and so miserable she felt a frisson of fear. “That doesn't sound good.”
“Well, it's not bad. At least, I don't think so.” He drew in a deep breath, his chest rising and falling, highlighting his well-shaped shoulders. “I've registered for a vocation live-in weekend at Christ the King seminary.”
Her brain went blank. “What?”
“I'm thinking of becoming a priest.”
She blinked. “A priest?” she parroted.
He shrugged. “It's something I've been considering for a while.”
“Oh, honey,” she said before she could think better of it. “You don't kiss like a priest.”