Read Online Hadrian's Lover by Patricia-Marie Budd - Free Book Online

theories of Hadrian’s day, as well as a few invented by our writers, are thoroughly investigated by Centurion Romano.
    Vale!

Sweet Sixteen!
    Todd’s birthday is celebrated at the Hunters’. Mike Fulton is working overtime and contacted Dean earlier through his work wave messaging system to let him know he wouldn’t be attending. With frustration brewing, Dean is determined to throw all his energy into preparing the perfect dinner for Todd. The boy will turn sixteen only once; why can’t Mike see that? Sixteen. Next thing you know he’ll be seventeen—seventeen —Dean closes his eyes. A swirl of anxiety rushes through him— No! Shaking his head, Dean refuses to allow memories of his youth to ruin the night’s jollities. Todd’s birthday cake, Dean decides, will be extraordinary. He plans to bake the young man a thick, very heavy, chocolate fudge cake. Cocoa beans are rare, not being grown in Hadrian, so he had to purchase them through the black market; Geoffrey will be upset when he finds out, and Dean anticipates a scolding, but he doesn’t care. This is Todd’s day and Dean knows how much the boy loves the taste of chocolate, so a chocolate cake is essential for Todd’s birthday! Will , he remembers fondly, also loved chocolate. And , Dean smiles, he grew his own cocoa beans in Antinous Uni’s agricultural hothouses. Remembering Will causes Dean to compare Mike’s behavior with what he feels it should have been, like that of Will. Will , he firmly believes, would have been here! Dean silently berates Mike Fulton. Will never would have missed Todd’s birthday!
    The doorbell rings. Someone’s here already? Dean rushes to the front door, ripping off his baker’s apron before answering it. Crystal Albright stands before him. Hadrian’s lover, who invited her? The Hunters rarely have women over, and Dean is always warned in advance so he can make himself scarce. “Hello, Crystal.” Dean’s voice remains smooth, even though a sharp shock is racing through his body. Crystal is beautiful. Today, she is wearing a low-cut blouse, exposing deep cleavage and tight-fitting jeans. Crystal takes a deep breath, exposing even more cleavage. Another shock wave hits Deanand he jerks slightly. His hands instinctively reach for his temples, which are throbbing.
    Concerned, Crystal asks, “Are you all right, Mr. Hunter?” Crystal thinks it is so romantic that Dean chose to change his name to his husband’s, so, unlike the other kids, she never calls him Papa Dean, but always refers to him as Mr. Hunter.
    “Yes, Crystal,” Dean mutters as his head jerks. “Just a slight headache. Go into the living room. Put Todd’s present with the rest and I’ll get you a drink.”
    Sensing Dean’s distress, and unwittingly making his agony worse, Crystal offers, “Let me help you, Mr. Hunter. That’s why I came early.” After depositing Todd’s gift in the living room, she joins Dean in the kitchen. He keeps his back to her, but her cinnamon scent wafts through the air. Dean starts to rub his forehead. She watches from behind as his back muscles tighten. “What can I do?” Crystal asks. Give her something. Give her something . Dean tries desperately to think. He can feel her walk closer. She touches his waist. Instantly, a shock rips through him. He stumbles. Nausea begins to build. “Mr. Hunter, are you sure you’re all right?” Dean tries to speak, but the need to vomit is so extreme that he lunges for the sink and begins to throw up. “Oh, dear.” Crystal is concerned. “Mr. Hunter, you should go lie down. I’ll take care of everything here.”
    Dean agrees by nodding his head. He instantly leaves the kitchen for the safety of his room. Who is going to bake Todd’s cake now? He groans, calling back, “Just don’t do the cake. Leave the cake. I’ll tend to it later.”
    “Don’t you worry about anything, Mr. Hunter. Mama Elena taught me how to bake. I can handle this. Now, where is your recipe?” As her