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.Let it go.""Go.Yeah.Good idea." Gray spun on his heel and headed toward the door.Carl grabbed at himagain.Okay, he was going to have bruises if this kept up."You're supposed to be here.Making nice to people."All the artistic temperament in the world -- and Gray had plenty -- didn't excuse acting like anasshole, and Gray rarely traded on the tortured artist card.Sometimes, though, it came in handy.With a wide sweep of his arm he pointed at the paintings hung and beautifully lit on the pristine,off-white walls."They're for sale.I'm not." And then, cranking up to full-on diva and not caring, he ground out, "I want to be alone, Carl, okay?""No." Carl's face was flushed now and he looked stubborn as hell."Alone to do what?""Christ! Sob, scream, punch a wall -- how the fuck do I know?"A large hand came out and held his."Not that last one.Promise me? Or I'll tag along."Right.Artists didn't get to punch walls.Might make holding a brush difficult.He gave Carl agrudging nod."Won't.I promise.Now can I just go? Because I'm losing it here, and it won't bepretty if I do.""Sure." Carl cocked his head."Want me to go flirt with your boss?""She's not my boss, and why the hell would you want to?"Carl shrugged."I don't.You're the one with a kink for the over-forties brigade, not me.Justthought--"Drawing Closer - 33"He's thirty-two, for fuck's sake.Alise is pushing fifty." Gray shook his head, desperate to leave."Whatever.Do whatever, just -- leave me alone, okay? No coming back to my place tonight,because I really need some space."Hurt darkened Carl's eyes."Hey, just trying to help get her off your back.Or didn't you noticethe way she's glaring at you?"No.He hadn't noticed anything since he saw Charles.Blindly pushing past people, he made for the door that led to the bathrooms, knowing there wasan exit there, too.The chatter and buzz from the showroom cut off abruptly as the door closedbehind him and he sighed, taking a shaky breath and pushing back his hair.He'd meant to get itcut because it was driving him crazy the way it kept falling into his eyes, but it'd been a goodintention lost in the excitement of preparing for his first exhibition.He'd taken three steps toward the exit when the door to the men's bathroom opened and the manwho'd been with Charles stepped out."Oh, it's you, is it?" He had a rumble of a voice, deep and soft, with a muted echo of an English accent flavoring it."Young Lochinvar.""What?" Gray hesitated, automatically trying to place the reference."Sir Walter Scott.What?""Or was it Lancelot? Never mind; you probably had to be there," the man said."I was favorably impressed by your location of a certain book, that's all, but now that we've met you don't look allthat heroic to me, I have to say.""There wasn't anything heroic--" Gray felt the blood rise in his face."Did he tell you what I said?" he demanded, remembering the fingers stroking his back and shuddering at the thought ofthe two of them laughing at him."Look, it was a fucking joke, okay? And I'd have cut down thefucking roses for her anyway.""Roses?" The man looked puzzled."Are we out of legend and into fairy tales now?""Is that supposed to be funny?" Gray snarled."Sorry, but I'm not laughing here.""So touchy.Why?" Enlightenment flashed across his face."Oh, God, no, lad.I didn't mean --well, of course I didn't.Your talk of roses made me recall a rather lovely illustrated copy of theSleeping Beauty story, complete with the requisite thicket of briars for the hero to slash at,sword in hand.Or, from what you say, pruning shears? Far more practical.""Practical.Right." Gray sighed, giving up on getting a grip on the conversation."Look, are we done here? Because in case you didn't notice, I was heading for the door marked 'out'."Drawing Closer - 34"Alone?"The word caught him and held him in place."Yeah.Alone.Don't have much choice about that, do I?"The man's eyes were watchful now."Fell out with your boyfriend? That was fast.""Do you ever make a single fucking bit of sense?" Gray shook his head as realization dawned."No.No way.Carl.You mean Carl.""Tall, blond, wearing you like a scarf?""Friend since fucking ever, straight, and here to hold my hand because I threw up three times today I was so fucking nervous?" Gray sneered into that blank, wary face."That Carl?""That would probably be the one." The man nodded and held out his hand.Gray stared at it andhe sighed and let it drop."Drew Miller.Dealer in antiquarian books, known Charles for, hmm, sixyears or so, and let's just say I have more in common with Carl than you when it comes to whomI bed." He smiled."Nice to meet you, Gray.Now if you'll excuse me, Charles is waiting in the car, about to take me somewhere to celebrate his birthday, if he knows what's good for him.Hewasn't in the best of moods, but who knows? That might change.""It's his birthday?""Does that matter?""Not to me." Gray smiled savagely."But if he didn't like being nine years older than me, I don't suppose he's wild about it jumping to ten.""Now we both know that makes no sense," Drew said gently."So let's not give it anotherthought, shall we?""Tell him--""Do I look like Cupid?" Drew enquired, twisting to peer at his back."No, no wings.I thought not.Tell him yourself.""What car?""My rental.Silver sedan parked outside that revolting health food shop.Did I mention that I'mhere from New York for the night? And not stopping with Charles because his damn cat makesme sneeze?"Drawing Closer - 35"Right."Gray slammed his hand against the door, forcing it open and flinging it back.Drew was walking,but he was running, feeling the sidewalk smack against his shoes and jar his body with everystep.By the time he reached the car his breath was stuttering in his throat, hot and dry, but it didn'tmatter.He yanked the car door open and leaned in, kissing Charles in what felt like onecontinuous movement, all of it, coming to a halt only when their lips met.He kept it at a brief,hard kiss because otherwise he'd have been moaning into it, melted and dizzy, and pulled back."Not my boyfriend, any more than Drew's yours," he said."Happy fucking birthday, youstubborn asshole [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]