Emily and the Priest Read Free Page B

over each design. “Does it hurt? My sister got a tattoo on her ankle and she said it hurt like a bitch.”
    Emily’s eyes widened and she covered her laugh with her hand. She saw Father Mark’s lips twitch at the little girl’s phrasing, but he didn’t miss a beat.
    “It doesn’t hurt, Sam, I promise.” Father Mark patted the stool. “Emily will be very gentle.”
    “Does it wash off?” The little girl’s eyes widened as she looked between the two of them. “My sister’s tattoo doesn’t wash off, even in the shower!”
    Emily smiled. “It’s not permanent.”
    “Not like a permanent marker? That doesn’t wash off very good. I colored with permanent marker on my sister’s iPhone and she was real mad at me.” Samantha cocked her head at them, clearly aware that they were bo th trying not to laugh out loud and seemed confused by their mirth. “Are you going to get one, Father Mark? Is that why you’re at the face painting booth?”
    “Me?” Father Mark blinked, meeting Emily’ s smiling eyes. What other possible explanation was there? “Ummm…”
    Samantha slipped her little hand into his. “ If you get one, I won’t be so scared to get one…”
    He opened his mouth, probably to protest, but he clearly relented the moment his eyes met Samantha’s. “Sure I am. Which one are you getting, Sam?”
    She turned back to the chart, contemplating. “The hearts. ”
    “I can do hearts!” Alexis called over as the little boy with the deformed Batman symbol on his cheek hopped off her stool. “Come on over, Samantha. I’ll do you and Emily can do Father Mark.”
    Her phrasing made Emily blush and she glanced up at Father Mark to see hi s cheeks were red too, but Alexis didn’t notice. She was too busy washing her brush.
    “So…” Emily picked up her own brush, watching him slide up onto her stool , making him almost too tall for her to comfortably reach his cheek. “Do you want hearts, Father Mark?”
    “How about… the cross?” He cleared his throat, looking at her design board. “That seems more appropriate.”
    “Sure you don’t want the B atman symbol?” She smirked, picking up her gold paint. Father Mark’s cheek was warm to the touch and tinged slightly pink as she began to slowly stroke her brush against it. She thought she felt him shiver when she leaned in, her mouth close to his ear , her voice low. “I think you may secretly be Batman.”
    “I wish.” He laughed, soft and low, teasing her. “You could be Wonder Woman and we could fight crime together.”
    “I’d like that.” Emily continued to paint his cheek, as slowly as she could, making it last. She loved being so close to him, feeling the press of his leg against her hip . The tip of her brush kept trembling, forcing her to go even more slowly. 
    “What would your superpower be?” he asked.
    “I already have it.”
    “Oh?” His eyebrows went up. “What?”
    “Invisibility.”
    “You’re not invisible, Emily.” He turned to face her, meeting her eyes. “I see you.”
    “There. Done.” Emily tried to hide her blush as she lifted the hand mirror so he could see what she’d painted.
    He smiled. “You’re quite artistic.”
    “Thanks.”
    “Father Mark! Look at my hearts!” Samantha jumped down from her stool, skipp ing over to them and turning her cheek proudly so he could see. She was still fisting the bag with her goldfish in it.
    “Beautiful, Sam!” He smiled, turning his cheek too. “Do you like mine?”
    “Well, I like it okay.” Samantha cocked her head, frowning. “ But maybe next time you should get Batman.”
    Emily met his eyes and they both broke out laughing.
    “Brandon! You won!” Samantha exclaimed, her attention distracted by her tattooed brother carrying a huge stuffed moose in their direction. She ran at him, squealing, throwing herself into his arms and he caught her without missing a bea t, swinging her up onto his hip, the goldfish in her hand sloshing in its bag.
    “Look