Communion (On My Knees Duet 3)

I've got marble dust all over me, and my black T-shirt and green cargo-type pants are sweat-stuck to me. Still, when I hear footsteps, my dick twitches like one of Pavlov's dogs. And then I'm looking at...some woman?

I frown, not because I'm trying to be a dick but because she's not Sky, and dammit, I want McD. Want to hear about his day and touch him. Even holding his hand would be enough.

I bite the inside of my cheek as her eyes sweep me. She's looking at me like she wants to fuck me. She's dressed like a news anchor or a business person. Straight, pale blond hair in a bob, plus a crisp, black pants suit.

"Vance Rayne," she says in a high-pitched voice that approaches shrill without going there. It's...discordant. Maybe you'd say brash.

She steps into my atrium.

"Wow. So you really are doing your marble work here,” she says, looking around.

"Uh, who are you?"

I'm worried she'll be offended by my tone, which is more tired than anything, but instead she gives me a cat-like grin and steps closer, her arm outstretched. "Anna Alamyth. I'm a writer. For Netflix."

I screw up my face, lifting an eyebrow to show her my skepticism, and she gives a tinkling laugh that's gotta be practiced. Nothing about it sounds natural at all. "Uh, well hi there." I shake her hand briefly, conscious of the dust and sweat on mine.

"You're as charming as they say." She says it like she's teasing. Like we know each other. Also, as if I'm not actually charming. Which is fine with me, I guess.

"Yeah. I'm sure that's what you've heard the most. Charming." I wanna roll my eyes. She just stands there, looking expectant. "So...what can I do for you?" I ask.

She steps slightly closer. "I want to do a Netflix special."

"What?"

She nods, widening her green eyes. "Not on just you. On your relationship. With Pastor McDowell. Luke," she says, in case I might have forgotten his name.

"Right."

She makes a funny, “get excited” sort of face, and I realize she's young. Maybe just out of college.

"How old are you?" I ask.

Her face falls. "I know. I look about nineteen. But I'm not." She brightens up. “I'm twenty-six."

"Ah. Got it." I wipe my hands on my pants. "Well, thanks for the offer. I'm not really the one that you should talk to, though."

"I figured."

She did?

"Pastor McDowell, right? He’s the one I need to talk to."

I can't help smirking for a second. "Yep. Pastor McDowell." Maybe I should try that in bed. Doesn't really sound right, though, and I’d worry being called “pastor” in that context might be sort of...triggering for Luke? Which fucking sucks.

"Do you think he'd go for it?" Her lips shift, so she looks slightly crestfallen. I can't decide if she's playing me or if she really does have the most expressive face ever.

"Um, hmm." I step back toward my marble. "I don't know."

"Would you go for it?"

"Me?" I say.

She laughs. "You're the only person in here."

"Right. Well...I'm not sure. Honestly. What would it entail?"

"I know this might sound intense, but trust me, it wouldn't really be. I want it to be like, documentary. Starting ideally yesterday, and going through...maybe the first six, nine months, or one year of your time...his time as an out, gay pastor here."

What makes her think he'll remain pastor here for nine more months? I'm not stupid enough to say that out loud.

"The focus," she continues, "would be on the two of you. How it impacts his experience as pastor."

"So like, gay pastor exposé."

"Well, no. I'm not exposing anything. You did that." She wiggles her brows, and my stomach does a quick flip. "Oh no.” She laughs softly. “You're like me. Your face." She gives me a knowing look, which, for some reason, pisses me off.

I move back behind the marble, patting it as I do. "I’m not made out of marble."

"No, you're not."

What the fuck does that mean?

"Could you talk to him about it?” she asks. “I'm staff with Netflix. I work for another show at this time. But I had this idea about the two of you. I couldn't quit thinking about it. About the two of you, and your love story. This could transform churches, you know. I'm from South Carolina, and there's churches everywhere down there. Everyone listens to the pastors. To have one as influential as Luke McDowell come out in a big way for gay rights is...game-changing. It could change a lot of lives. I want to see it. I want everyone to see what goes on behind the scenes. How it impacts you. And him. And everyone around you."

Okay, so this person is a lunatic.

"I mean, yeah. That's what I want.” I shrug. “Sharing my life with the world, even more so than we do already when he gets up there on Sundays. Right." I almost roll my eyes.