Read Online Crazy From the Heat by Mercy Celeste - Free Book Online Page B

need
a reason besides that?”
    Grey
leaned against the rail watching a pigeon waddle around on the next roof over.
At least that’s all Paul saw when he followed the man’s gaze.
    “Okay.
It’s okay. I just…Okay, we need to take this slow.” He winced, making Paul
laugh. “I don’t believe I just said that. Not after everything.”
    “But
it’s true. Especially after everything. And until I’m reassigned. Most
especially until I’m reassigned.” Except Paul didn’t want slow or easy. He
wanted to climb Grey like a stripper pole and hang on tight. “Come on, I’ll
help you clean up the broken dishes before you end up with glass in your feet
or something.”
    “Works
for me. Because I’m so over bleeding all over the place.” Grey followed him
into the apartment. He seemed fine. Tired but fine. And Paul knew from
experience that looks are always deceiving. But for now that’s all he could do
for the man. Help him clean up the mess. Using him like a stripper pole would
just have to wait.

Chapter
Seven
     
    By
the time Monday rolled around again, Grey was out of his mind stir crazy. He
peered into the mirror while he shaved. The bruises were mostly faded now. The
cut on his cheek from the mugging was all but healed over. But he could see the
damage. His hands were still stiff, but he no longer bled every time he tried
to paint or write. His knees were going to take more time. He could walk, but
he limped as the stitches pulled in the one knee. A few more days and he’d get
those out. Everything looked fine. The school seemed fine. The police incident
report that Paul filed the last time he’d seen him and the doctor’s excuse covered
him there.
    The
thought of Paul made him stop. His stomach felt strange every time he thought
of the man. His too-young face with the old eyes that stared out at him. His
kiss when he’d left him last week. The text messages at strange times. Some
from his class, ragging on the sub. Grey felt his whole world flip around and
upside down every time he opened one of the messages. Just the name Gaines was
enough to sending him into fluttery pangs of want and need and
oh, God, just shut the hell up.
    He
smiled at the mirror. He was scared to see Paul today. Afraid that everyone
would be able to see the shameless—this thing that they couldn’t have right
now. What if people saw? The students? Teachers? The principal? What would
happen if they knew he was spending time with someone who was supposed to be
under age? What if Paul was lying to him and really was—
    Trust.
Grey’d let Cole rob him of that ability. He didn’t trust Paul. Because of Cole.
He didn’t trust himself to make decisions anymore, and that was Cole’s fault,
too. Cole had stolen all that from him in one weekend. And Grey had let him.
    He
wiped the last of the shaving cream from his face and finished getting dressed
for school. August was officially over now, but it was still hot enough to fry
eggs on the sidewalk outside. Despite the heat, he pulled on a long sleeve
oxford and found his favorite tie, Marvin the Martian from Looney Tunes. He needed
the fun, and Marvin gave him that. Today, however, he left the jacket behind
and headed for the school.
    Early
morning in Mobile was probably the nicest time of day. The heat was momentarily
at bay, flowers scented the air. He could smell fresh cut grass and hear a
ship’s horn from the docks. It was all strangely reminiscent of Baltimore, yet
completely foreign to him at times. Traffic this time of day was usually light.
He wound his way through the back streets to the high school and parked in the
faculty lot. The football team was on the field for the morning practice. He’d
watched the second game on local television last week. Two and oh. This week’s
game would be the second home game, and Grey decided that he’d go. It had been
years since he let himself get caught up in anything resembling school spirit.
    The
early arriving kids greeted him with