Read Online Marie Sexton - Between Sinners And Saints by Marie Sexton - Free Book Online Page B

Jaime’s job was the only thing allowing him contact with people, and even then, he kept himself at a distance. Suddenly Levi knew exactly what he wanted to do. “You have any more clients after me?”
“No, you’re the last one of the day. Why?”
“You want to go out?”
Jaime shook his head. “Levi,” he scolded, “you’ve been so good lately. Don’t fall off the wagon now.”
“I don’t mean a date. I just mean, you know, two guys hanging out.”
Jaime moved around to his left side and started massaging his arm. He looked skeptical. “Why?”
“Because it’s my birthday.”
“It is not.”
“It is! You can check my license.”
Jaime moved down to his hand, rubbing the area between his fingers and then working his way down each one. It was one of Levi’s favorite parts of the whole massage, and he would have closed his eyes if he hadn’t been waiting for Jaime’s answer. Jaime’s gaze was intent on his work. “It’s Thursday. Don’t you have to work tonight anyway?”
“I took the night off.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s my birthday!”
Jaime looked amused, but shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“Fine,” Levi said with exaggerated disappointment. “I’ll got out for dinner alone. All by myself. Maybe if I tell the waitress it’s my birthday she’ll take pity on me and let me drink for free. Alone. On my birthday. ”
Jaime dropped his hand and rolled his eyes as he moved around to the other side. “You’re going to guilt me into going with you?”
“Will it work?”
Jaime didn’t look at him, but he smiled a bit. “It might.”

CHAPTER 8
    They took Jaime’s car because the horror on his face when he saw Levi’s motorcycle was unmistakable. Levi directed him to a local sports bar. He was surprised at how tense Jaime was. His eyes darted nervously around the restaurant and he fidgeted in his seat like a kid.
    “Are you worried about being seen with me?” Levi asked. Jaime looked at him surprise. “What do you mean?” “Are you in the closet?”
“No, not really.”
“Then why are you so nervous?”
Jaime’s cheeks started to turn red. “I don’t get out much.” It didn’t seem like much of an answer, but the conversation was
interrupted by the arrival of their waitress. “Can I get you something to drink while you look over the menu?”
    “We’re ready to order,” Levi told her. “We’d like two dozen buffalo wings and an order of onion rings. And some chicken nachos.” He looked over at Jaime. “Anything else?”
    “A salad with ranch dressing.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah. Why not?”
Levi managed to avoid rolling his eyes. “What do you want to
    drink?”
“A Sprite.”
Levi turned to the waitress and said, “Two Absoluts on the
rocks, with lime.”
    Jaime didn’t contradict him, but once the waitress was gone, he said quietly, “I don’t drink.”
“You don’t drink, as in you’re a recovering alcoholic, or you’re morally opposed to it?” Levi asked. “Or you don’t drink meaning you don’t do it often?”
“The latter,” Jaime said.
“Good!” Levi said. “Then tonight you can make an exception.”
Jaime didn’t look very confident about it, but he sighed. “I guess one can’t hurt.”
“Exactly!”
It wasn’t until the waitress brought the drink, and Jaime took a giant swig of it that Levi realized Absolut straight probably wasn’t the best drink for him. He seemed to be having a hard time swallowing. Levi half expected him to spit it back out, but he finally got it down. His cheeks were red, his eyes were watering, and he started to cough.
“You better bring him something with training wheels,” Levi said to the waitress, as he took the drink from Jaime. Jaime was too busy coughing to do anything but nod.
The waitress returned a few minutes later with a giant pina colada. Jaime took a sip and his eyes went wide. “This is good,” he said, taking another drink.
“Be careful,” Levi said. “It’s got rum in it. That