[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
great day.
Straight& he might have to amend that label. Straight with an asterisk. Or
whatever. Like trying to fit in ever did anybody any good. Shane eyed Gabriel where he
sat at the dining room table, flipping through a photo album of Natalie s. That man
didn t fit in anyplace, but it didn t bother him a bit. Raised in a crazy city by a crazier
woman. Probably had God-knew-what done to him, pretty as he was, and came out
kinky on the other side, near-crazy himself. There was a lifetime s worth of details
Shane still needed to learn about this man. He d start collecting them on the drive
south.
The door rattled and Natalie appeared with a bag of groceries, cheeks as pink as her
hat and scarf.
Hey, kids.
Hey, Miss Natalie. Shane stood to take the bag from her. How was work?
She pulled her gloves off. Bit hectic. How was vacation? She looked at each of
them in turn.
Lazy, Shane said. Our biggest accomplishment was venturing out for breakfast.
Sounds lovely.
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Getaway
He nodded.
Well, if you re looking for more excitement this evening, you ll have to find it
without me, I m afraid. I m wiped. I need a nap, and then I ll start dinner if you two
think you re sticking around.
Shane looked to Gabriel and shrugged.
I ll cook, Gabriel said.
Shane started. He d never seen his lover so much as boil a kettle of water.
Oh yeah? Natalie looked intrigued. Cajun or Cuban?
I ll see what you got to work with.
Well, I won t stop you. Help yourself to whatever. I just need to collapse for a
couple hours then I ll be fresh as a daisy. Well, closer to it, anyhow.
Shane waited until Natalie used the bathroom and disappeared into her room
before he went knocking.
Come in.
He entered and closed the door behind him. Hey.
What s up? She looked tired, maybe a touch nervous.
I wanted to ask how you re doing. Like because of how we were until last night
and everything. I didn t know if you felt ditched or anything&
She smiled. I can t pretend I won t miss borrowing your body, Shane, but I
couldn t be happier that you guys are back together. Honestly. Is it going as well as it
seems like it is?
He nodded. It s different too.
She took a seat on her bed. How so?
Usually it s like I m giving in to the sex, but now& I dunno. I m giving in to myself
or something. I just decided to not give a shit anymore, about what people think. About
what I think.
Good for you.
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Cara McKenna
I kissed him, Shane added. In public.
Her eyes widened. Really? That soon?
Yeah. I did it like as proof, because I don t want to lose him& but it was pretty
weird. It like, freed me or whatever.
That s great.
He nodded and took a seat beside her. So me and him are back together. We re a
couple, like I guess we always were even though I refused to admit it.
Yeah.
But it s still him and me. And we re still pigs.
She laughed. Where are you going with this, Shane?
I don t suppose I could talk you into maybe joining us again? In bed?
She frowned thoughtfully. I don t know& I mean, my body would certainly like
that, but if things feel cautious between you, I wouldn t want to complicate it.
You and me have got close these last few days, right?
Sure.
Shane leaned in and spoke privately, as though they weren t the only ones in the
room. There s somethin I want to happen tonight, and I need your help with it. I trust
you, and I want you there with me. Woman s touch and all that bull.
What? she asked.
The one filthy, scary thing left that I ain t ever done for that man.
She stared at his shoulder for a moment then her eyebrows rose. Oh.
What d you say? You wanna help me finally demolish the old Shane?
* * * * *
Shane watched Gabriel in Natalie s kitchen, those fingers so adept with an
instrument looking just as talented with a knife and a shelf full of spices. It intrigued the
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Getaway
hell out of Shane. He d happily learn to grocery shop if it meant he might get the odd
home-cooked meal from his lover.
He turned words over and over in his head, trying to figure out how to frame his
plans for the evening. When Gabriel seemed done with his marinating, Shane sidled up
to him at the counter.
So tonight, he said.
Mmm?
I know today and last night& this has been all about you and me. And me being
straight with you. And myself.
Gabriel washed and dried his hands then met Shane s eyes, curious.
But I want to invite Natalie along tonight. You know, sex-wise.
Right. So impossible to decipher, that squint.
But it ain t about us not being enough, or me trying to hide behind a distraction or
cling to my& whatever the hell my sexuality is anymore.
Gabriel s shoulders seemed to relax.
But me and her& we re close now. She gets stuff about me that nobody else does.
Not even you. And I want her there tonight, like as support.
And she agreed already?
Shane nodded.
Gabriel made a face, a playful frown that said he was intrigued.
So that okay with you?
Sure, Gabriel said.
Okay. Long as you don t think I m just trying to take the edge off how intense it s
been between you and me.
Gabriel grinned. Don think I ever heard you soun so considerate before, Shane.
He shrugged.
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Cara McKenna
Hope it ain permanent, Gabriel added. I love you mean. He gave Shane s
cheek a gentle slap then went to work prepping a rice dish.
Shane smirked to himself and he headed back to the couch. Good. He liked being
mean, just as much as he liked all this newfound self-acceptance and warm-fuzzy
bullshit.
He surfed channels as Gabriel puttered and Natalie napped, growing steadily more [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl akte20.pev.pl
great day.
Straight& he might have to amend that label. Straight with an asterisk. Or
whatever. Like trying to fit in ever did anybody any good. Shane eyed Gabriel where he
sat at the dining room table, flipping through a photo album of Natalie s. That man
didn t fit in anyplace, but it didn t bother him a bit. Raised in a crazy city by a crazier
woman. Probably had God-knew-what done to him, pretty as he was, and came out
kinky on the other side, near-crazy himself. There was a lifetime s worth of details
Shane still needed to learn about this man. He d start collecting them on the drive
south.
The door rattled and Natalie appeared with a bag of groceries, cheeks as pink as her
hat and scarf.
Hey, kids.
Hey, Miss Natalie. Shane stood to take the bag from her. How was work?
She pulled her gloves off. Bit hectic. How was vacation? She looked at each of
them in turn.
Lazy, Shane said. Our biggest accomplishment was venturing out for breakfast.
Sounds lovely.
126
Getaway
He nodded.
Well, if you re looking for more excitement this evening, you ll have to find it
without me, I m afraid. I m wiped. I need a nap, and then I ll start dinner if you two
think you re sticking around.
Shane looked to Gabriel and shrugged.
I ll cook, Gabriel said.
Shane started. He d never seen his lover so much as boil a kettle of water.
Oh yeah? Natalie looked intrigued. Cajun or Cuban?
I ll see what you got to work with.
Well, I won t stop you. Help yourself to whatever. I just need to collapse for a
couple hours then I ll be fresh as a daisy. Well, closer to it, anyhow.
Shane waited until Natalie used the bathroom and disappeared into her room
before he went knocking.
Come in.
He entered and closed the door behind him. Hey.
What s up? She looked tired, maybe a touch nervous.
I wanted to ask how you re doing. Like because of how we were until last night
and everything. I didn t know if you felt ditched or anything&
She smiled. I can t pretend I won t miss borrowing your body, Shane, but I
couldn t be happier that you guys are back together. Honestly. Is it going as well as it
seems like it is?
He nodded. It s different too.
She took a seat on her bed. How so?
Usually it s like I m giving in to the sex, but now& I dunno. I m giving in to myself
or something. I just decided to not give a shit anymore, about what people think. About
what I think.
Good for you.
127
Cara McKenna
I kissed him, Shane added. In public.
Her eyes widened. Really? That soon?
Yeah. I did it like as proof, because I don t want to lose him& but it was pretty
weird. It like, freed me or whatever.
That s great.
He nodded and took a seat beside her. So me and him are back together. We re a
couple, like I guess we always were even though I refused to admit it.
Yeah.
But it s still him and me. And we re still pigs.
She laughed. Where are you going with this, Shane?
I don t suppose I could talk you into maybe joining us again? In bed?
She frowned thoughtfully. I don t know& I mean, my body would certainly like
that, but if things feel cautious between you, I wouldn t want to complicate it.
You and me have got close these last few days, right?
Sure.
Shane leaned in and spoke privately, as though they weren t the only ones in the
room. There s somethin I want to happen tonight, and I need your help with it. I trust
you, and I want you there with me. Woman s touch and all that bull.
What? she asked.
The one filthy, scary thing left that I ain t ever done for that man.
She stared at his shoulder for a moment then her eyebrows rose. Oh.
What d you say? You wanna help me finally demolish the old Shane?
* * * * *
Shane watched Gabriel in Natalie s kitchen, those fingers so adept with an
instrument looking just as talented with a knife and a shelf full of spices. It intrigued the
128
Getaway
hell out of Shane. He d happily learn to grocery shop if it meant he might get the odd
home-cooked meal from his lover.
He turned words over and over in his head, trying to figure out how to frame his
plans for the evening. When Gabriel seemed done with his marinating, Shane sidled up
to him at the counter.
So tonight, he said.
Mmm?
I know today and last night& this has been all about you and me. And me being
straight with you. And myself.
Gabriel washed and dried his hands then met Shane s eyes, curious.
But I want to invite Natalie along tonight. You know, sex-wise.
Right. So impossible to decipher, that squint.
But it ain t about us not being enough, or me trying to hide behind a distraction or
cling to my& whatever the hell my sexuality is anymore.
Gabriel s shoulders seemed to relax.
But me and her& we re close now. She gets stuff about me that nobody else does.
Not even you. And I want her there tonight, like as support.
And she agreed already?
Shane nodded.
Gabriel made a face, a playful frown that said he was intrigued.
So that okay with you?
Sure, Gabriel said.
Okay. Long as you don t think I m just trying to take the edge off how intense it s
been between you and me.
Gabriel grinned. Don think I ever heard you soun so considerate before, Shane.
He shrugged.
129
Cara McKenna
Hope it ain permanent, Gabriel added. I love you mean. He gave Shane s
cheek a gentle slap then went to work prepping a rice dish.
Shane smirked to himself and he headed back to the couch. Good. He liked being
mean, just as much as he liked all this newfound self-acceptance and warm-fuzzy
bullshit.
He surfed channels as Gabriel puttered and Natalie napped, growing steadily more [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]