Fallen Angel

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"Noah? Is everything okay? We're ready for cake."
Noah shoved the bills into his billfold, ramming the
worn leather into his back pocket where it belonged.
Mary carried the cake, and Noah loaded Jeremy's
presents into a laundry basket for the trip outdoors. The
two women started singing, the others chiming in,
"Happy Birthday, dear Jeremy& "
A wide smile creased Jeremy's cheeks and he made a
big show of blowing out the candles.
Fallen Angel 93
"It's his birthday and his graduation?" Lark asked,
adding, "Happy birthday, kid."
"Oh, his birthday isn't until tomorrow, but since we're
all together tonight& " Mary explained, click, click,
clicking away with her camera. She stuck close to Lark,
who seemed to relax in her presence. Well and good, but
one wrong move and hiding behind Mary wouldn't help
him a bit. Although he'd returned the money, he
wouldn't have had to if he hadn't stolen the bills to begin
with.
After cake and ice cream came presents, Jeremy
ripping into one package after the other.
"An iPod? Wow! Thanks, Mary, thanks, Donna!" He
paused a moment to admire his gift before ripping into
the next one, a combination TV and DVD player.
"Dang, Noah, thanks!" Under the guise of kissing
Noah's cheek, he asked, "You get me any porn DVDs to
go with this? I'll only be home on weekends and, well,
you know how I am." Did no one else notice his
suggestive grin?
"Um& & " Noah stammered, heat rising in his
cheeks. "It's for your dorm room."
They shared a meaningful gaze, Jeremy's joyous
expression falling as the reminder of his imminent going
away sank in. Doc rekindled a somewhat wavering smile
with, "Go on, open mine!" shoving two large packages
across the table. Yeah, Noah didn't want to contemplate
Jeremy leaving either.
Everyone at the table but Doc gasped. "A laptop and
printer?" Jeremy's eyes grew wide. "Doc, this must have
cost a fortune! You shouldn't have." The horror on his
face backed up his words.
Doc's mustache curved up. "Yeah, I should. You'll
need a laptop for college. Consider my gift an
investment in your future."
"No, really, Doc. This is too much. I can't& "
Uncertainty flashed behind Doc's glasses, and he
quietly muttered, "Boy, I don't have anyone else to buy
for. It'd do an old man's heart good if you'd accept my
gift."
Fallen Angel 94
A tense moment passed, broken by Kevin. "A
computer's gonna be a tough act to follow, but open
mine." A lumpy package changed hands, paper quickly
stripped away to reveal the Skyrim video game Jeremy'd
been dropping hints about for weeks, to go in the
console he'd gotten from Noah for Christmas.
While Jeremy thanked Kevin, Lark appeared
crestfallen. "I didn't get him anything."
Unseen by Jeremy, Mary handed Lark a package with
rounded sides and a bow on top. "Here," she said, giving
him a wink.
Once Jeremy tore his attention from admiring Kevin's
gift, Lark handed him the package. A moment later,
"Thanks, man! I'm gonna need these!" A round cylinder
of shiny blank disks joined the rest of Jeremy's haul.
"Thanks, everybody. This is the bestest birthday evah!"
The party began winding down, Mary offering to
drive Lark and Doc. Noah decided not to mention the
money's miraculous reappearance. "That's strike one,"
he uttered silently to Lark's retreating back.
***
"I'll be right back." Jeremy hefted a trash bag in one
hand, balancing a rectangular recycling bin against his
belly. He placed the recyclable remnants of his party on
the curb, throwing the trash bag into the wheeled
receptacle.
Dusting off his hands on his denim shorts, he
reentered the house. Imagining Noah turning back the
covers of their bed made a perfect day even better.
Seventy-four more nights he'd spend in their cotton-
covered haven before starting his freshman year at State.
Seventy-four nights snuggled close to someone who
loved him, before living the life of a monk between
home visits. He'd hold on to every instant with both
hands.
He'd no sooner stepped inside the front door when a
naked Noah tackled him against the wall, holding him in
place with a firm grip to each shoulder. "Okay, college
Fallen Angel 95
boy," he growled, lips close enough to caress Jeremy's
jaw. "Now you need to learn what happens when you
play with fire." Noah's mouth slammed down on
Jeremy's in an electrified kiss that left them both a little
breathless. "I'll teach you to tease me," he growled
against Jeremy's panting mouth.
In a reminder of the night they met, Noah hefted
Jeremy over one shoulder. For a moment Jeremy
worried Noah might drop him. Last October he'd been a
skinny runt. Now he weighed a good twenty pounds
more.
While Jeremy's hero may have wobbled a bit on the
bad leg, Noah quickly straightened and trotted down the
hall.
The scent of lavender clued Jeremy in to what he'd
find before they ever reached the bedroom. He grinned [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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