Page 5 of Coming Clean

This was so not going tohappen. “Yeah… I really don’t—”

“Don’t tell me you’re shyaround women.” Sabrina’s sarcastic tone made himbristle.

If only that was theproblem. Connor had hidden his preferences for years. He’d had towhen he first joined the Marines. Then, when it theoreticallybecame okay to be gay, Connor knew better than to say anything.Now, he had all the freedom he could ask for, but he still couldn’town up to what he wanted. Which sure as hell wasn’t a girl, nomatter how pretty she was.

He started to tellSabrina. I’m gay.He could say those two words, couldn’t he? Howhard could it be? Sabrina didn’t care, Asheville was a gay-friendlycity, and he wasn’t in the military anymore. But he’d hidden hisdesires for so long that faking straight had become natural. “I’mnot shy. That’s insulting. I’m tired and I want to go home andcrash.”

“So you’re gonna go homealone and lie on the couch watching crap TV instead of going outwith friends?”

Connor liked therelationship he’d developed with Sabrina. He’d hardly known herwhen he accepted her invitation to stay at her place until he couldget one of his own. Now they were almost as close as he was withher brother, or more so considering the distance Mario had putbetween them since their last mission. Maybe Connor should just goout with Sabrina and her friends. It had been weeks since he’d doneanything but work, and a hell of a lot longer than that since he’dfucked anyone. But he couldn’t pretend to take a woman home and heobviously wasn’t ready to admit why he didn’t want to.

“There’s a Braves game ontonight, that’s not crap.”

Sabrina huffed. “You couldwatch it at a bar, you know? See a few other humanbeings?”

“Last time I checked, youwere a human being. I’m talking to you now.”

She gave an exasperatedsigh. He used to enjoy going out, but not anymore. Being out in acrowd made him jumpy now so he’d become a loner since he’d comeback to the states. After over a year of civilian life, he stilldidn’t feel like he fit in. Was he ever going to be able to hangout with people who weren’t Marines? He hoped so, but he wishedSabrina wouldn’t push so hard.

“I appreciate the offer,okay? Maybe another time.”

Sabrina glared at him.“That’s what you said last time. And the time beforethat.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m just…”Lost. But he wasn’t about to say that. As good a friend as Sabrinahad become in the last few months, that was way more than he wantedto share.

“You’re just a stubbornbastard, right?”

“You got it. And a hardassboss, so don’t stay out too late. We’ve got a client to attend totomorrow.”

“Ah shit, I forgot we tookon another move-out cleaning.”

“’Tis the season.” Sincestarting his business, Connor had learned that more people moved inJune than any other month and they were raking in a lot of extramoney because of it. He pulled into the parking lot of hisapartment building. Sabrina had met him there that morning so theycould take one car to the day’s jobs. Eventually, he hoped to rentan office, but for now, he worked out of his two-bedroom apartment,storing the cleaning equipment in the extra bedroom. “I’ll see youtomorrow at seven forty-five.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Whyso early on a Saturday?”

“Because that’s when theclient needs us.”

“Fuck.”

“Be safe if you do,” Connorteased.

Sabrina flipped him off,and opened the passenger door. “You sure you don’t want tocome?”

“Very.”

“All right, just… If therewas something wrong, you’d tell me, wouldn’t you?”

“Why?” Connor wasn’tcomfortable talking that much with anyone. His fellow Marines’d hadhis back but they didn’t talk about feelings.

“I care about you and Iwant to make sure you’re okay.”

Heat prickled along hisneck. Had she guessed? Or did she think something else was wrong?Whatever she thought, he didn’t want to discuss it. “I’m fine.” Hewaved toward her car. “Get out of here, Party Girl.”

“Yes, Mr. Hardass.” Shetook a few steps and then looked back over her shoulder. “I seethrough that act, you know.”

This time Connor did theeye rolling. “You believe whatever you want, but don’t be late forwork.”

“Or what? You’ll fire myass and miss out on having the best employee you’ll everfind?”