[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.Cats, dogs, hamsters are all fine.Birds break meout into hives. I m allergic to latex.The condom we used that night? Yeah, I had blisters for days afterthat.Nathan howled with amusement. If there s another time, Trick hedged,  I suggest latex free, like the bartender gave me. I ll stock up, Nathan said almost shyly.Trick tugged their joined hands, hauling Nathan close enough to kiss.He d missed thefeel of Nathan s mouth under his.He took his time rediscovering it.There was more he neededto know.Everything hinged on Nathan s answer to his real question, if he could work up thenerve to ask it.He pulled back to look at Nathan. We have all night.Tell me more about yourself, Trick said. What kind of things? Like the bunny story.Tell me things like that. I ve broken both arms and an ankle.My right arm was from balancing on the top of theswing set.My brother, Greg, said I was a baby for crying, so I stopped crying.The left was fromcarrying a tall wooden ladder.We were going to climb on the roof, but I tripped and my arm gotcaught in one of the rungs.My nose broke when I thought jumping off the top of a water slidewas a good idea, completely forgetting that the water slide was wet, and therefore slippery.Trick nodded thoughtfully. That tells me a few things. Like what? That you re not so coordinated with heights.And that I should ve been a lot more scaredin the chopper.Nathan laughed. I ve broken just about everything, Trick said. There are few stunts I didn t try as a kid.The most creative thing was when I had the worst case of chicken pox in the neighborhood.Isnuck into Mrs.Lindgarden s kitchen and used all her baking powder and baking soda to make askin poultice.Mom didn t cook, and I couldn t remember if it was the powder or the soda thatmade it better.Anyway, I turned myself into something of a flaking zombie.Mrs.Lindgardenwalked in, screamed, and started smacking me with a frying pan.Broke two fingers and bruisedseveral ribs. And that tells me to keep you out of my mom s kitchen, and that Mrs.Lindgarden wasactually a little off-balance. Drunk, actually.It was pretty funny. Wow, Trick, you ve got a twisted sense of humor, Nathan noted, but he was stilllaughing so Trick didn t think it could be considered a reprimand.* * * *Trick propped his head in his hand, his elbow on the armrest.Lazily he wrapped hisfinger in one of Nathan s dark curls from where he looked up at him on Trick s lap.Morninglight seeped through the plantation slats, and they d found the easy silence after hours ofconversation.Trick just had one more thing to ask.His forever guy had no idea what was coming.He had no inkling that a decision neededto be made.After a full night of talking, Trick hoped for all the things they could keep talkingabout, but he knew what he was.Trick looked like a thug.He walked and talked and laughed likehe was a guy accustomed to long nights in a bar.He had perpetual stubble and hair salted a goodten years too early for his age, and he looked old.Or older.He was the guy that men looked at for a challenge either in a brawl or in the sack.Hewasn t the kind of guy someone looked at and said,  I want to wake up next to that every day. Nathan& Nathan smiled as he waited for the rest.Trick didn t think he d ever been this nervous about anything.Not a drug bust, not a gangwar.Yet those trusting brown eyes, the sweet paused smile and the quiet sigh left Trick terrified.Nathan reached up and stroked Trick s jaw. Yes? I told you I m going to be called to testify in the Jerome Linder case when it goes totrial. Yeah, you said, Nathan answered. It could be months to a couple of years before the case is adequately built against him.He could see the minute Nathan understood.The softness left and a calculating lookentered the brown depths. You re going away, Nathan guessed correctly. Out of reach.I m being given a new identity for a while, and set up somewhere to startover.I won t be able to call you or see you, Trick continued.Nathan sat up and scooted close. When?Trick glanced at his watch. Today.About four hours from now. And you re just telling me this now? Nathan s near shout surprised him.Trick couldn t look at his face and see disgust, and he was sure that s what would bethere in about a second. I wanted to ask to see if you d come with me. Yes [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]