[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.“Hunter!” Mark"s legs felt funny.It didn"t matter.He stumbledand swayed as he ran, bumping into strangers.“Hunter, wait!”Hunter didn"t react, didn"t slow down, but didn"t walk fastereither, his shoulders slumped, hands in his pockets.Mark lurched to astop behind him and grabbed his shoulder.“Hunter, damn! I"m sorry.”Hunter shrugged Mark"s hand off and kept walking.“Fuck!” Mark jerked him around by the arm but stumbled backfrom the fury and pain Hunter"s glare pierced him with.Still, he heldfast to the limb he"d caught, knowing without a doubt that if he let go,Hunter would vanish, disappear into thin air right in front of his eyes.Like a predator's claw, Hunter's hand clamped down on Mark"swrist.“Lay off!”No way.Mark tightened his grip, tried to pull Hunter closer,reaching out for him with his other hand, too.“Fuck damn, Hunter,listen to me! I"m sorry, I didn"t mean it.I don"t know why I said it, butI didn"t—”“Get your fucking hands off me!” Hunter shouted, shoving Markback.“Only if you"ll listen to me!” Mark shouted back.There was ashort squabble, then Mark had both his hands firmly around Hunter"supper arms.Hunter pushed at him, but Mark held on tight, just shy ofshaking him.“Let go, or you"ll have a public scene!” Hunter hissed.Out of the corner of his eye, Mark saw people giving themstrange looks and a wide berth.This was cop district.Sean"s favoritewatering hole was right around the corner.Hunter pushed him again, and Mark dug his fingers in.“Fuckthat! Damn, Hunter, do I have to beg?”City Falcon187The taut muscles under Mark"s hands relaxed as the fight leftHunter"s body.With the sudden lack of resistance, Mark fell againstHunter, steadying himself with his grip on Hunter"s arms.Hands on hiswaist helped him stay upright, pushed him back, but almost gently.“Would make a nice difference,” Hunter said.Mark loosened his grip but left his hands where they were, just incase.“Hunter, please, would you listen to me?” he said, searchingHunter"s eyes with his own, relieved beyond relief when their gazesmet and held and Hunter nodded.In mutual silent agreement, they walked along the street, close butnot touching.Mark stopped in front of an all-night café.“I"m stillrather drunk,” he said.“Would you come in with me, for coffee?”They sat across from each other, Mark clutching a mug of plainblack, Hunter looking down at his hands, which he"d folded on theempty table in front of him.Mark cleared his throat.“Earlier, when you came out to Tess andSusan so easily, I was like… I don"t know.Stunned.Shell-shocked.”“You were pissed,” Hunter said to his hands.“No!” Mark said quickly, too quickly.Hunter shot him a glancethat made him wince, and he continued hastily, fishing for the rightwords.“Yes, I was, but not at you.Look, you were so matter-of-fact,and they simply accepted it.Like… just like that.It was so easy foryou.And I was like… I wouldn"t want to be like this, even if I could,that"s not what I am, but if I wanted, I just can"t…,” he trailed off,shaking his head.“I suck at that kind of thing,” he said.Hunter looked at him, the corner of his mouth twitching down.“Oh, I think I get it.You, the tough, straight cop, can"t be seen on toofamiliar terms with a fairy.”“You"re not—” Mark started to protest, but Hunter talked rightover him, his voice eerily calm.“You heard them speculate in their heads: What about him?Would he really go out with a homo if he was straight? You had toduck for cover as fast and as deep as possible, and that"s why you took188Feliz Faberup with Susan.I get that, and I don"t blame you for that.I even get whyyou had to kiss her, although I didn"t like it.But when you—”“It wasn"t as if—” Mark started to say, but caught himselfimmediately.He lowered his eyes to escape the pity he saw in Hunter"seyes.“Yes, I kissed her,” he said, his voice barely more than a whisper.“But when I did, I realized it felt so, so wrong.When you came up tome, you were… what I wanted.What I"d wanted all along.It… scaredme, I think.I didn"t mean to hurt you, I never… I think I just…freaked.That's no excuse, I know, but.God, Hunter, I'm so sorry, Ireally am.”Silence followed his words.It lasted until Mark couldn"t stand itanymore and lifted his head.Hunter was studying him.The pity had given way to a sadness sodeep it made Mark"s chest hurt.“You think that'll do? You apologize, Iforgive you, and we continue where we left off? Just like that? I don'tthink so, Mark.You know as well as I do that such a thing can happenagain anytime and most likely will happen, too
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]