Son of a Preacher Man - By Arianna Hart Page 0,1

the creek? Oh, and bring out some tea for Pastor McBride,” her mom called in through the open window.

“Yes, ma’am.” Nadya took a deep breath and tried to still the shaking in her hands. The rattling of the glasses on the tray was evidence she hadn’t succeeded.

Her legs turned to jelly as she caught a glimpse of J.T. standing politely on the steps, his hands in his jeans’ pockets. Butterflies danced in her stomach and she felt lightheaded. His green gaze followed her as she carefully placed the tray with the pitcher of iced tea on the table by her mama’s chair.

“Now don’t be gone too long,” Pastor McBride said as he settled down opposite Tala. He took a long drink of the iced tea. “That sure hits the spot. On second thought, take your time. I might not move from this spot all day.”

“Take a stick and watch for snakes.”

“Yes, ma’am.” J.T. gestured for Nadya to lead the way.

Just act normal. This is nothing more than two friends taking a walk in the woods. Just an innocent stroll through nature.

Nadya grabbed a long stick propped near the wood pile and pushed her way through the bushes hiding the path she and her mother knew like the backs of their hands. She could feel J.T.’s gaze on her as they moved deeper into the woods. The temperature cooled off some in the shade of the trees, but the humidity was as heavy as a horse blanket.

The sound of running water trickled in the distance. Nadya turned to warn J.T. of a spot where the path had washed away. Before she could get the words out, he had her pressed against a tree, his tongue filling her mouth and his hands clamped on her ass.

Heat exploded through her and she could practically feel her body ignite. Tearing at his neatly tucked T-shirt, she yanked it up so she could run her hands over his bare skin. She felt the bulge between his legs press against her thigh, and nervousness warred with excitement.

“Holy crap, I didn’t think they’d ever stop talking,” J.T. mumbled against her cheek as he spread kisses to her throat.

Shivers ran down her spine and lodged in her belly. And lower.

“I about died when she asked if you wanted some tea. I didn’t know how we’d get out of there if you’d accepted.”

“Are you kidding me? I haven’t seen you all week. If I had to sit across from you and make nice with your mama while my daddy preached, I’d of embarrassed us both. I don’t think either one of them would believe it was the gospel giving me a boner.”

“Jefferson Thomas! You’re surely going to hell for that.” Nadya ran her nails across his ribs and through the smattering of hair on his chest. She felt powerful when he gasped as she found a nipple.

“I thought you didn’t believe in hell.”

“No, I just don’t believe in the hell your daddy preaches. Come on, I want to show you something near the creek.”

“I don’t really care if the fish are running. Me and Billy only say we’re going fishing to have an excuse to drink beer.”

“No kidding. I can probably fish better than you. That’s not what I wanted to show you. Come on, it’s just a little farther.”

She grabbed his hand and dragged him back onto the path. For a while the silence was only broken by the whine of the heat bugs and the rustling of leaves. The world seemed to be holding its breath, waiting for something momentous to happen.

“It’s just through these trees, come on,” Nadya urged.

“What’s so important—” His words trailed off as she pulled him into her clearing. “Whoa, what is this place?”

“Mine.”

The clearing was her special place. Years ago, boulders had tumbled into the creek and formed a shallow pool. An ancient tree had fallen, creating a perfect bench for her to sit on and think deep thoughts or just splash her feet in the crystal-clear water. A patch of moss spread from the tree trunk back into the woods, giving her a shady bed for daydreaming or just relaxing.

She’d never seen another human here, only deer, squirrels, birds and the occasional fox. As far as she knew, she was the only person who knew about this place. Until now.

“How did you find it? This is incredible, like something out of a movie.”

“When I was about five, I was collecting firewood and I saw a deer leap through the bushes.”

“So of