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I rose from the pew, my legs shaking as I closed the distance between us. “You can lie to yourself all you want, Caleb, but please, don’t lie to me. Not here. Not after everything we’ve been through.”

“Leave me, Miss Fallon. The sanctuary is closed to students. Don’t make me send you to my office.”

“You always leave the church open.”

“Not to you.”

“You’re a real asshole, Father Gallagher.”

“I know. Now go. Tell your fiancé the happy news.”

That stopped me. I stared hard at him, searching his endlessly blue eyes. “Is that what this is about? Jealousy?”

A muscle fluttered in his jaw, but he didn’t answer me. He didn’t need to. I knew I had him figured out.

“You don’t need to be jealous, Daddy. You know how much you mean to me.”

Taking a chance, I lifted onto my toes and pressed my lips to his. He stood still as a statue for a full heartbeat before his breath washed over me and he clutched me to him, returning my kiss with a vigor I could only describe as desperate.