★★★TOP 50 WATTPAD ROMANCE NOVEL★★★
He's her English teacher and her priest... what happens when they fall hopelessly in love? A sexy, forbidden, true love romance between an American student and a Catholic priest.
[RECAP: Leonie has just been intimate with Father Gabriel while stranded in a storm, after he confessed his attraction to her.]
"A hot bath for you immediately, and then bed. I'll have some cocoa sent up." Mother Benedict's tone was brisk when Leonie arrived back at the school with Father Gabriel. "Father, I can't thank you enough for bringing Leonie back safely. I'm sure you need to get back into dry clothes yourself. We'll speak tomorrow."
Gabriel took his leave and Leonie went upstairs, escorted by Matron.
They had sheltered for another hour together, until the storm's raging had ceased. Leonie had felt a growing sense of desolation that this was the first and last time they could ever be together. It felt so right with him.
The things he had done to her body were things that no one else had managed to do. Not that she was super experienced, but still.
He had put his arm around her for most of the trek back, stumbling through the darkness. The rain had fallen to a light drizzle and while it was still windy the storm had played itself out.
The lights of St Winifred's should have been a welcome beacon but instead they seemed to Leonie like the security lights on a prison. Her heart sank as they approached, even though she was in need of warmth and dry.
As they neared, Father Gabriel had dropped his arm. Whatever they had done together, he was her priest and teacher again now. Anything else was off limits.
Soaking in a warm bubble bath, all Leonie could think was how much she wanted his hands on her body again. The rest of the school year was going to be torture.
She was sent to bed straight away in the san, with Matron putting a hot water bottle under the blankets for her. Leonie had protested that she wasn't ill but Matron overruled her. "We don't want you getting a chill and developing pneumonia," she said. "You'll stay in here for the night where I can keep an eye on you."
Leonie drank her cocoa, brushed her teeth, and slipped into bed. As she drew the covers up she thought that maybe it was a better idea, being here. She could be alone with her thoughts. If her dorm-mates had interrogated her about the rescue by Father Gabriel, she might have let something slip.
Despite hoping and imagining she would dream of him all night, she fell into a deep sleep. When she woke, she was alarmed to realise it was already past ten o'clock. It was Sunday, so there were no lessons to miss, but she had missed Mass.
Matron entered. She took Leonie's temperature and declared her fit to get up and rejoin her schoolmates. "There's no fever and you've had a good night's sleep. I imagine Mother Benedict will wish to speak with you later."
The prospect of this left Leonie feeling a sense of dread. What if she were expelled? Not only would her grandmother never forgive her, but she wouldn't get to see Father Gabriel ever again.
The headmistress summoned her just before lunch. Leonie stood before her desk, bracing herself for the worst.
"I'm sure you're well aware that you did an extremely foolish thing yesterday," Mother Benedict began.
She didn't know a fraction of it. God forbid she ever found out the rest. "I know. I'm very sorry. I had no idea the weather could turn like that."
Mother Benedict looked stern. "You must be aware that it is against school rules for any girl to wander off without permission, let alone by herself."
Leonie did her best to look contrite. She didn't really care much for the school rules, she was only obeying to save her skin. She was old enough to go for a walk in the rain if she wanted to.
"I'm very sorry," she repeated.
But the Mother Superior wasn't finished with her. "Not only did you risk your own safety, but you put the safety of another person in jeopardy. Father Gabriel took great personal risk in venturing out to find you. You are very lucky that he did so. Had he not found you, we would likely be having this conversation from a hospital bed. If we were able to have it at all."
"I am very grateful." More than you know, Leonie thought.
"This afternoon I would like you to go and apologise to him, and thank him for his efforts in restoring you to us." Leonie's heart leapt at this, but she kept her eyes down, trying to look demure, as Mother Superior continued. "I am aware that you have been through an ordeal, which I imagine was very frightening and uncomfortable. That, and the remorse that I hope you feel, should be sufficient punishment."
She was going to get away with this? Leonie had expected to be suspended at the very least. "Thank you. It will."
Mother Superior dismissed her. "Run along to lunch now. And try to behave with more sense and consideration in future."
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