Read Online Lust Or No Harm Done by Geoff Ryman - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Geoff Ryman
Tags: prose_contemporary
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something familiar about his face; maybe he was an actor.
'This is Henry,' Philip announced, his eyes flicking back and forth between him and Tarzan. The dolls' heads kept clacking against each other.
Henry looked up. He had large brown eyes that engaged Michael directly with a pre-emptive warmth and kindness. The eyes seemed to say I know this can't be easy for you, but hi anyway. They shook hands, and Henry chuckled. God, he was handsome. His smile was sweet and broad and his skin was perfect, very pale but with flushed pink cheeks and a complexion as unblemished as shaving foam.
'Nice to meet you, Henry,' Michael said. 'Congratulations.'
'Why?' Henry asked. His voice was surprisingly resonant, rumbling.
'For not being bullied into thinking you've got to keep up with the rich and outrageous.'
'I don't have any money,' Henry said, and smiled and shrugged. Educated, Michael decided, old family, possibly dropped out. At a guess, I'd say you were the son of someone landed with a big farm in Norfolk, that you live in the country and possibly have a pair of tame jackdaws that sit on your shoulder.
Michael liked him. 'I don't think you're the type that would dress up anyway.'
Henry gave a very gentle bow of acknowledgement. 'Probably not, no.'
Michael fancied him. It was the same old mystery. Even Michael didn't think Philip was good-looking, but his boyfriends were always gorgeous. I'm forever fancying your boyfriends, Phil. Michael felt a thin strain of regret for his old marriage.
'Are you going to introduce me?' Phil asked, nodding towards Johnny.
'Him Tarzan,' said Michael. 'Me Boy.'
'Is Tarzan a paedophile then?'
'He's my lover, if that's what you're asking.' Michael kept his gaze steady and open. He found how little it mattered to him.
'Does he speak?' asked Phil, who suddenly looked frail.
'Not much. He's Romanian.'
Tarzan spoke. 'Tarzan loves Mikey.'
'I hope you and Mikey are very happy. Maybe you'll have a chimp together. Incidentally, Mikey, Henry is my lover too.'
'You couldn't find a nicer one,' said Michael. 'Really. Lucky old you.' Michael couldn't help reaching out and clasping Henry's arm. 'He's
very
nice.'
Philip stared back at him with the strangest expression in his eyes, ringed round with red: tense, resolved, heartstricken, angry. 'Henry is an animal rights activist, Michael.' He swept off.
Henry walked away backwards, holding out his arms as if to say sorry. Michael apologized to him. 'Sorry if we embarrassed you.' Henry shrugged his shoulders, which could have meant anything from nothing embarrasses me to sorry, I can't hear you.
'Tarzan not understand,' said Tarzan, standing alone.
'Angels wouldn't,' said Michael.
Well, he had come here in order to assist Phil in the wrecking of their marriage. If that was accomplished, was there any other reason for him to stay?
He worked his way slowly through the crowd to where the booze was being served. A woman in a beige dress, with beige hair and beige fingernails said, as he passed, 'I found the colour scheme of that film so irritating. All those reds.' Her eyes trailed off to Michael's left.
'But Monica, it was in black and white!'
'Oh, you know what I mean.'
It was strange. People looked distracted, even slightly out of balance, looking past him or around him. Michael began to be aware of something out of kilter, beyond his own unease.
The barman wore a turban and tossed the glass up in the air and caught it, like Tom Cruise, except that his eyes were fixed on something just to Michael's left. Michael followed the barman's gaze and finally understood.
People were staring past Michael at the same object. They were staring at Tarzan. The beige woman was intent, a cuddly woman carrying a tray kept turning in their direction, even the mango woman kept glancing through him. Michael himself was vapourware, but he was with the most overwhelming man in the room.
Right behind Johnny stood an old man. He was intent and pale and looked shaken as
'This is Henry,' Philip announced, his eyes flicking back and forth between him and Tarzan. The dolls' heads kept clacking against each other.
Henry looked up. He had large brown eyes that engaged Michael directly with a pre-emptive warmth and kindness. The eyes seemed to say I know this can't be easy for you, but hi anyway. They shook hands, and Henry chuckled. God, he was handsome. His smile was sweet and broad and his skin was perfect, very pale but with flushed pink cheeks and a complexion as unblemished as shaving foam.
'Nice to meet you, Henry,' Michael said. 'Congratulations.'
'Why?' Henry asked. His voice was surprisingly resonant, rumbling.
'For not being bullied into thinking you've got to keep up with the rich and outrageous.'
'I don't have any money,' Henry said, and smiled and shrugged. Educated, Michael decided, old family, possibly dropped out. At a guess, I'd say you were the son of someone landed with a big farm in Norfolk, that you live in the country and possibly have a pair of tame jackdaws that sit on your shoulder.
Michael liked him. 'I don't think you're the type that would dress up anyway.'
Henry gave a very gentle bow of acknowledgement. 'Probably not, no.'
Michael fancied him. It was the same old mystery. Even Michael didn't think Philip was good-looking, but his boyfriends were always gorgeous. I'm forever fancying your boyfriends, Phil. Michael felt a thin strain of regret for his old marriage.
'Are you going to introduce me?' Phil asked, nodding towards Johnny.
'Him Tarzan,' said Michael. 'Me Boy.'
'Is Tarzan a paedophile then?'
'He's my lover, if that's what you're asking.' Michael kept his gaze steady and open. He found how little it mattered to him.
'Does he speak?' asked Phil, who suddenly looked frail.
'Not much. He's Romanian.'
Tarzan spoke. 'Tarzan loves Mikey.'
'I hope you and Mikey are very happy. Maybe you'll have a chimp together. Incidentally, Mikey, Henry is my lover too.'
'You couldn't find a nicer one,' said Michael. 'Really. Lucky old you.' Michael couldn't help reaching out and clasping Henry's arm. 'He's
very
nice.'
Philip stared back at him with the strangest expression in his eyes, ringed round with red: tense, resolved, heartstricken, angry. 'Henry is an animal rights activist, Michael.' He swept off.
Henry walked away backwards, holding out his arms as if to say sorry. Michael apologized to him. 'Sorry if we embarrassed you.' Henry shrugged his shoulders, which could have meant anything from nothing embarrasses me to sorry, I can't hear you.
'Tarzan not understand,' said Tarzan, standing alone.
'Angels wouldn't,' said Michael.
Well, he had come here in order to assist Phil in the wrecking of their marriage. If that was accomplished, was there any other reason for him to stay?
He worked his way slowly through the crowd to where the booze was being served. A woman in a beige dress, with beige hair and beige fingernails said, as he passed, 'I found the colour scheme of that film so irritating. All those reds.' Her eyes trailed off to Michael's left.
'But Monica, it was in black and white!'
'Oh, you know what I mean.'
It was strange. People looked distracted, even slightly out of balance, looking past him or around him. Michael began to be aware of something out of kilter, beyond his own unease.
The barman wore a turban and tossed the glass up in the air and caught it, like Tom Cruise, except that his eyes were fixed on something just to Michael's left. Michael followed the barman's gaze and finally understood.
People were staring past Michael at the same object. They were staring at Tarzan. The beige woman was intent, a cuddly woman carrying a tray kept turning in their direction, even the mango woman kept glancing through him. Michael himself was vapourware, but he was with the most overwhelming man in the room.
Right behind Johnny stood an old man. He was intent and pale and looked shaken as
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