Page 12 of Coming Clean

Jeremy hadn’t mentioned aboyfriend, not that there had been any reason for him to. The manwith him looked familiar, but where would Connor know him from? Hewas fairly nondescript: medium build, brown hair, dressed in blackpants and a button-down like he might have come from an office job.Then he crossed his legs and his pants rode up enough to show hissocks. Neon stripes. Was this the friend who’d given Jeremy hisoutrageous socks? If so, were they really just friends?

Connor drained his beer andclinked the pint glass down. Jeremy’s love life, or lack of it, wasnone of his business. As he paid for his beer, he suddenlyremembered where he’d seen Jeremy’s friend. Rita, one of hislongest-standing clients, had recommended Spit Shine Clean toJeremy. Hyena Boy lived next door to Rita. Connor often saw himleaving for work when he showed up to clean Rita’shouse.

He’d never seen Jeremythere, though. And he would’ve remembered him, since apparentlyeffeminate poets were his new thing. Connor realized he didn’tactually know if Jeremy was a poet himself or if he just taughtpeople about poetry, but it didn’t matter. He’d never understoodpoems when he’d tried to read them in school, and if Jeremy triedto teach him anything he wouldn’t hear a word because he’d be toobusy thinking about how much he wanted to push Jeremy up againstthe wall, rip his pants down, and fuck him until he begged formore.

Connor continued to observethe two men, waiting to see if they kissed or held hands or didanything else that would indicate they were lovers, not justfriends. But other than Hyena Boy’s casual arm around Jeremy’sshoulders, he saw no physical contact. A noisy group of four menand two women walked in a few seconds later. The men struck up agame of pool while the women settled on stools to observe, lookingrather bored.

Connor watched as Jeremyprodded his friend’s shoulder. His friend started to laugh and thencovered his mouth, which made both of them lose it. When theyfinally settled down, Hyena Boy stood and walked over to leanagainst the wall next to where the women were perched. One of them,a redhead with enormous breasts, smiled at him and they startedwhat looked like a serious flirtation. Except that didn’t makesense. Wasn’t Jeremy’s friend gay?

Jeremy didn’t look theleast bit confused, though. He smiled at his friend with whatlooked like encouragement.

Get up and go talk tohim.

No.

You want to.

I want a lot of things I’mnot going to get.

Don’t you remember how hewas eating you up with his eyes this morning?

Going over to him is thesame as outing myself.

Who’s going tocare?

Me.

Why?

I don’t fucking know, allright? I’m used to hiding. It’s…

Fucking stupid.

I don’t need everyonemaking a big fucking deal about who I like to fuck.

Who’s everyone?

He’s a client. I don’tfuck clients.

You’re a housecleaner,not a lawyer. What difference does it make if you fuckhim and clean his house?

What would that make me?His rent boy?

That could be a fungame.

No, itwouldn’t.

Seriously? You wouldn’tenjoy that at all?

Fucking hell.Connor wanted to bang his head on thebar.

Just go talk tohim.

Connor seriously consideredit. He watched as Jeremy watched his friend. Jeremy’s expressionchanged from amused to wistful. What was he longing for? Did hewant his friend to join him again, or did he want somethingelse?

His mind made up, Connorstood and headed for the door. Whatever Jeremy needed, he wasn’tthe one to give it to him.

CHAPTER SIX