Archangels Creed Series (Summon Kassern) #1

Going Home With The Preacher

Karly made it into the house under her own power and before long, Devyn had her tucked into Troy's spare bed after he insisted they take the extra room on the main floor for what remained of the night. His argument that the bed in the basement apartment needed making up didn't make a great deal of difference to Devyn, but Troy seemed a bit appalled by the idea of sleeping on a bed with no sheets, so she agreed.

Devyn headed in search of a drink before turning in. The meal she'd missed was negligible, nothing unusual, but the aroma of food in the air made it impossible to ignore. A glass of water would make it a little easier to sleep. Entering the neat little kitchen, she jolted to a stop, surprise leaving her speechless.

Troy leaned against the counter, while a meal the likes of which Devyn hadn't seen for a long time graced the table between them. "Figured you'd be hungry. I hope you like leftover turkey." He slid a hand over his head, eyeing the table. "I like to cook. But I normally don't cook so much. This is mostly from Thanksgiving." He chuckled. "Yeah, I believe in being nice to myself. Cooked all this for one person. Don't get much company, so…it'll be nice to share it."

Devyn cleared her throat, trying to swallow the lump that suddenly seemed determined to choke her. Thanksgiving. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had such a thing. And nobody other than Karly wondered if she might be hungry, let alone prepared a meal for her. Noting the table was set for three, Devyn flicked her thumb behind her. "Karly's asleep."

"Ah, good. I mean, I'm glad she's able to." He nodded a few times. "We can…fix her a plate and save it for her."

Devyn nodded. "Thank you." She bit her tongue on that's sweet and walked on into the room. "You shouldn't have gone to so much trouble, though."

Before she could, Troy pulled a chair back for her and waited for her to sit. Fuck. People only did that on TV. Feeling clumsy, she sat and let him help her adjust the chair. Hopefully she wouldn't embarrass herself too badly.

Troy sat across from her, and she waited for him to start, preferring to follow his lead. When he sat silent and unmoving with his head lowered, she wondered what she'd done wrong. "Dear Lord, we thank you for the nourishment you have provided us. We ask that you keep us safe, and especially look over Karly as she struggles against the demons that plague her. Please ease the pain that goes with the battle, and see her safely through. In Jesus name we pray. Amen."

Unsure what to do or say, Devyn murmured, "Amen."

Troy started passing her an endless array of food. Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, dressing, fresh rolls. Afraid of insulting his hospitality, Devyn took a small amount of everything, all the while wondering how on earth she would be able to eat more than one bite of each dish.

Troy, on the other hand, piled his plate full with the confidence of someone who knows where the next meal will come from.

The first bit of succulent turkey drew an involuntary moan of appreciation from Devyn. She forgot to be self-conscious, eating everything on her plate with enthusiasm. When she finished and pushed her plate back, she looked up for the first time to find Troy watching her, his own plate nearly untouched.

A hint of something she'd glimpsed before showed in his eyes. For a celibate man, he had plenty of lust in him. Whether he knew it or not was something else. Looking away, as if aware she'd discovered his secret, Troy rose and started to clear the table.

Finally, something she could do. Devyn gathered dishes and took them to the sink while Troy put the leftovers away.

Troy crowded her away from the sink. "I'll finish up here. You can go ahead and turn in. The next few days won't be easy."