The Pastor's Heart (9 page)

“Very nice,” Kingston countered her after releasing her from their kiss.  “Especially since I didn’t have to bend down that far with you wearing those stilettoes.  You’re almost my height now.”   Kingston joked.

“Hey.”
Sinclair swatted his arm.  “I knew I left something in the car that I needed.”  Sinclair looked down and saw she was still wearing her three inch heels she had on for over four hours now.  If she didn’t get those shoes off soon her feet would began to hurt.

“Flats.”  They both said at the same time.

“All women who wear high heels always have their flats with them at all times.  Trust me, I know my sister and mom does the same thing.  I can get you a pair of my slippers if you like?” Kingston offered Sinclair who was still in his arms.

“That would be great, I would really appreciate it.”  Sinclair said as
she stepped out of Kingston’s arms and took her seat back at the table.

Kingston excused hims
elf to retrieve the slippers while Sinclair started to unbuckle the straps of her shoes.  She was having trouble getting off the last shoe when Kingston came back with the slippers for her.

“Here, let me,”
Kingston said unbuckling Sinclair’s shoe and slipping the shoe off her foot. “Better?”

“Much better, thank you
.” Sinclair couldn’t believe she had left her flats in her car and now she was wearing Kingston’s oversized slippers.

“Now would you please leave the dishes so I can get our dessert
? The sun is finally out so we can enjoy it outside.” Kingston had to get Sinclair away from him or the stove would not be the only thing on fire in the kitchen.

“No problem,” Sinclair simply responded
, needing some air anyway.

Sinclair stepped out into the backyard to be welcomed by a well maintained yard. 
A barbeque grill sat across from bistro table and chair set.  Around the backyard’s perimeter were tall shaded plants and trees.  In the center of the backyard was a dark wicker patio set with blue seat cushions.  To the far right of yard was an extra wide and extra-long hammock hanging between two shaded trees.

After the kiss she and Kingston shared she needed some air.  She took a seat at the small bistro table on the deck and stared out at the beautifully landscaped backyard.  She could see herself hosting many barbeques there with Kingston.

Sinclair jumped to her feet.  She had to get that notion out of her head.  What was she thinking? She couldn’t possibly be falling in love with Kingston, for Pastor Carter of all people.  Maybe she needed some water or something to get her back t
o her senses.  She couldn’t be the pastor’s wife; she didn’t even know what that meant.  Wife! Sinclair screamed in her mind.  She had just met the man and already he had said marry her in the same phrase.  This just had to be wrong.  She should have had her morning coffee because things would have made better sense.

Kingston stood in his kitchen replaying the kiss over and over in his head.  He could have sworn it was the fourth of July because he definitely felt sparks between them.  He looked at the calendar and it was only June tenth.  He knew if he didn’
t separate himself from her for a few minutes he would lose his religion.  He opened the freezer and stood there a moment, blankly staring at the contents.  This was to cool him off because holding and kissing Sinclair had his loins about to burst. He had never been with a woman who made him feel the way Sinclair did. After their kiss he knew exactly what he was feeling for Sinclair, he was falling for her.

Kingston got himself together and went to Sinclair in the backyard.  “If you thought dinner was great wait till
you taste this.”  Kingston announced as he came out with two small plates in his hands.

“
I hope you like Banana Pudding.”  Kingston said to a smiling Sinclair.

“
Do I ever? It’s one of my favorite desserts, you look like a keeper.  I think I am going to keep you around for a while because you’re spoiling me Kingston.”  Sinclair added as she dug into her banana pudding.

“Everyone deserves to be spoiled every now and then.  I remembered on our first date you really
didn’t have anything to eat but you had white chocolate ice cream.  I figured you for a dessert type of person being that you can’t cook.” Kingston remembered that day well, it was the first time he had met a woman that didn’t know how to cook.

“
Well you figured right because I am addicted to white chocolate.  Banana pudding is a second on my list of favorite desserts,” she admitted.  “My addictions have helped me put on these pounds and that’s why I’m a size sixteen now.”  She added as she patted her thighs.

Kingston put his spoon in his b
owl.  “I love the way you are.  There is nothing wrong with being a thick woman; I just need you to be healthy.  And did you ever hear me once complain about the way you look? The only complaint that I have is of you juggling a thousand things.  It seems you do everything for everyone but never anything for yourself.  Can you tell me why?”

“I don’t do everything myself.”  Sin
clair lied through her teeth; she hoped God didn’t strike her down for lying to a man of God.

“I beg to differ Miss Madison.  Correct me if I’m wrong as I go through this.”  Kingston said as he undid his tie. 

“What?” A confused Sinclair asked.

“You run a non-profit business that helps people get the basic necessities that they need.  You get dona
tions from all over which requires you to drive to other cities to retrieve the items.  You speak at engagements to try to get support for your business.  You drop everything for your clients to get them what they need at a moment’s notice if necessary.”

“But..” Sinclair tried to interject when Kingston put his finger to her lips.

“Let me finish.  You neglect enjoying yourself because you don’t have time.  And you repair your own car in the process and did I forget you take care of the backyard for your landlord.  Did I miss anything?” Kingston had remembered every single thing that Sinclair had done and it had really bothered him to know she took on so much.

“Okay, so I lied but I’m used to it, i
t’s nothing,” Sinclair brushed it off and continued eating her dessert.

“Well that’s a lot of nothing that you do.  You need to slow down.”  Kingston was really concerned because Sinclair had her hands full.

“Thanks for your concern, but I’ll be all right.  Besides I have help, I have Sasha my assistant and Oliver,” she said matter of fact.

“That may be true
, but you still do so much.  You are a workaholic and you need to slow down before you pass out somewhere.”  Kingston explained.

“I am not a workaholic.”  Sinclair replied
, shaking her head.

Foldi
ng his arms Kingston responded.  “Oh no.  When was the last time you went on vacation?”

“Well….”  Sinclair trailed on.

“And staring at the picture of the Eiffel tower in both your living room and office does not count.”  Kingston said crossing his legs now.

With nothing to say
Sinclair just shrugged her shoulders.

  “
You and my mother are two of a kind.”  Kingston said with a chuckle.  “After she became First Lady everyone would always ask her to do things for them.  She never told anyone no, being the kind woman that she is.”

“Really?” Sinclair asked twirling her curly hair with her finger.

  “My dad didn’t even know my mother had taken on so much until she started falling asleep during services.  He re-delegated all the duties that she was doing and left her in charge of planning the yearly Women’s Day event and that’s all.  That was the only time my father ever stood up against my mother and that was literally to save her from herself.”  Sinclair had reminded him of his mother in so many ways that it was scary.

Sinclair just nod
ded because she did sound just like his mother. 

“Come
dance with me.” Kingston said extending his had to Sinclair.

Sinclair
gave him a weird look.              

“I know there is no music.  I would sing for you but I can’t hold a note even if someone gave it to me in my hand.” 
Kingston said while laughing while still holding his hand out to Sinclair.  “Dance with me please.”

“Okay.”
Sinclair gave in.  Kingston was very persistent and she kind of liked it.

“I know you have been doing things on your own for so many years but you have me now.  And I am going to help you in any way that I can.  I just need you
to stop playing Super Woman.”   Kingston said while slow dancing with Sinclair in his backyard. 

Taking a deep breath
, Sinclair looked up at Kingston.  “I don’t know who else to be but Super Woman, that’s who I am.”

“That is not who you are, that is just who you have become to be throughout the years but I plan to change that really soon.”  Kingston was not letting up because Sinclair had held the world on her shoulders for so long and now it was his turn to carry her burden.  “I also need you to know that I am falling in love with you and I am going to do everything and anything to make you happy.”

Kingston was holding Sinclair so
tight that he felt her try to escape his hold.

“I can’t.”  Sinclair blurted out while trying to free herself from Kingston who refused to let her go.
  “Everyone who I have ever loved left me.”

Sinclair had been through enough heart ache and pai
n to last her an eternity and there was no way she was going to get hurt again.  She intended to keep guarding her heart as she had for some many years, but the more she was with Kingston the harder it became.

“It
’s okay Sinclair, I understand.  But just to let you know I am not the man who broke your heart.  Nor am I the man who is going to run away from a beautiful woman who is afraid of love.  However, I am the man who is going to show you what real unconditional love is.  Now you can push me all you want but I am not going anywhere.”  Kingston said staring Sinclair right in her eyes.

“Is that so?” Sinclair asked
, sounding skeptical.

“Yes, that’s so.” Kingston countered her while still staring down at her
.

“We’ll see about that,” Sinclair replied with hesitation in her voice.

“We surely will.  Now I would love for you to be my date for the annual Giving Back Gala.  It’s a black tie affair where men have to wear tuxedos and women gowns.  The gala raises money for several different charities that give back to the community.  My parents will be there and I would really like you to meet them.” Kingston was praying Sinclair would agree because he really wanted his parents to meet her. 

“I would love to be your date at the Gala.”  Sinclair batted her eyes at Kingston feeling a little more at eased now.

“Thank you,” Kingston answered as he loosened his grip on Sinclair.

 
“By the way, you have some nice moves.  I didn’t know pastors can dance.”  Sinclair was definitely enjoying her time slow dancing with Kingston.  It was nice and he smelled good too.

“I got it from watching my parents cut a rug as they say.”  Kingston replied as they continued to dance to their own music in their heads.  “If you
like that then you’ll love this.” Kingston took Sinclair and twirled her around and dipped her leaving her simply stunned.

The old back storage room where she once slept
had now become an oversized walk in storage closet.   It was complete with movable shelves and pull out rolling storage drawers.  There everything was kept from clothes to shoes, to personal hygiene items as well as brochures for her clients.  The larger back room where all the books were stored had now become a small kitchenette.  It was complete with a microwave and full sized refrigerator tucked in the corner near the back door.

“Thank God I don’t have errands to run today.”  Sinclair said a she shook off her umbrella w
hen she walked into her agency.  “It’s pouring cats and dogs out there.”

“Morning Sinclair,” chimed her assistant Sasha and staffer Oliver.

“Morning, everyone,
I hope everyone’s weekend was great.”  Sinclair said while taking off her hat and placing it and her umbrella on the stand.

“It was nice,” Oliver replied while grab
bing a mint from the candy jar.

“Sasha
, can you give me the rundown of our calendar?” Sinclair asked as they made their way to the table.

With her notepad in hand Sasha began.  “Today you have a ten o’clock with Mr. Dunbar who wants to speak to you regarding the repairs to the basement.”

“That’s great because I would like to fix it up and use the space for more storage,” Sinclair said to Robyn.

“At eleven o’clock we have several clients coming in that need our help,” Sasha explained as she checked the items off her list.

“I believe one of the women is also pregnant.”  Oliver added to the conversation.

“That’s
not a problem at all.  Please put in a few extra large shirts and pants with an elastic waist in her bag when you pack it.  That way the baby can have room to grow.