Read Online The General and the Elephant Clock of Al-Jazari by Sarah Black - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sarah Black
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couldn’t eat eggs after all that drama. I mean, did Kim have to climb into his lap with both of us standing right there?”
“It was very sweet, John. I was getting these mother-of-the-bride feelings in my stomach, watching them, with Billy quietly weeping in the corner….”
“You are so full of shit.”
Gabriel laughed. “Keep your fingers crossed we can leave the country. They might be fighting again if we give them a couple of days.”
“I’ve got more than my fingers crossed. I’m begging for a nasty little regional conflict, the threat of war, a nuclear armament that’s gone missing, some damn thing to keep me from going psychotic with boredom.”
Gabriel looked at him. “Is it that bad?”
John studied the traffic out the window, not sure how to explain himself. The last month with Gabriel, living together as lovers, it was the best time in his life. But his working life had never been so dull, and he felt like he was watching his IQ floating away with every day that passed, like dandelion fluff in the breeze. He reached out, took Gabriel’s hand and tucked it up against his thigh. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
“Who gets to be Sydney Carton, you or me?”
“I love you. And yeah, it’s been that bad.”
“So do something about it, John. It’s not like you to just suffer.”
“I always liked writing but that was my relaxation, you know? The way I wound down at the end of a busy day. It doesn’t seem enough for a full-time job. But I wanted to be around, for the kids, for me and you.”
“You’re a good guy, always taking care of things. But I don’t need a little wifey. Enough already. Let’s go kick some ass and jump into the middle of a war. And then maybe we’ll start feeling like you and me again.”
“I’ve been trying to keep the waters smooth in our little pond,” John admitted. “But I don’t think we need problem solving at the moment. What we need is some time away from the kids. Some alone time. We need a date.”
“A date?” Gabriel was grinning. “We haven’t been on a date since 1986!”
“There you go. I’m thinking a nice merlot, a nice little jazz club, a girl with a sweet voice, some prime aged beef. And conversation. Let’s talk.” John brought Gabriel’s palm up to his mouth. “Let’s talk about you and me. Not about the past. I want to talk about the future. I want to tell you all the things I love about you. All the ways you turn me on. I want you to tell me all the secrets you’ve been hiding in your heart.”
Gabriel turned into the Whataburger parking lot, put the truck in park and turned off the engine. Then he reached over, grabbed a handful of new lemon-yellow shirt and kissed him, a deep sweaty soul kiss that had John’s head spinning. “You can’t imagine how long I’ve dreamed of pulling you into my arms, moving to music, touching like lovers, like the rest of the world can do. I love you.” The stars were spinning in Gabriel’s dark eyes. “You want a blow job or a breakfast burrito?”
A couple of teenaged boys, flying their colors, walked past Gabriel’s truck, eyeing the rims. Gabriel had the bucket seat reclined, and John had Gabriel’s trousers unsnapped and unzipped, his hand full of heat and damp curly hair, the delicious scent of burnt sugar that came off Gabriel’s skin making his knees tremble. Gabriel waved a hand toward the boys, seemed unable to speak. John shook his head. “They’re just teenagers, Gabriel. Lock the doors. Who gives a fuck what they see?”
“I have to work in this town! Don’t you know every-fucking-body has a camera on their cell phone?” Gabriel was laughing now, put his hand on the back of John’s neck, then caught his breath when John made contact, skin to hungry mouth. “Oh, God, you’re killing me. One more minute. Okay, two minutes. Jesus, what has gotten into you? You’re acting out every adolescent fantasy I ever had. Put you on the cover of Out
“It was very sweet, John. I was getting these mother-of-the-bride feelings in my stomach, watching them, with Billy quietly weeping in the corner….”
“You are so full of shit.”
Gabriel laughed. “Keep your fingers crossed we can leave the country. They might be fighting again if we give them a couple of days.”
“I’ve got more than my fingers crossed. I’m begging for a nasty little regional conflict, the threat of war, a nuclear armament that’s gone missing, some damn thing to keep me from going psychotic with boredom.”
Gabriel looked at him. “Is it that bad?”
John studied the traffic out the window, not sure how to explain himself. The last month with Gabriel, living together as lovers, it was the best time in his life. But his working life had never been so dull, and he felt like he was watching his IQ floating away with every day that passed, like dandelion fluff in the breeze. He reached out, took Gabriel’s hand and tucked it up against his thigh. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
“Who gets to be Sydney Carton, you or me?”
“I love you. And yeah, it’s been that bad.”
“So do something about it, John. It’s not like you to just suffer.”
“I always liked writing but that was my relaxation, you know? The way I wound down at the end of a busy day. It doesn’t seem enough for a full-time job. But I wanted to be around, for the kids, for me and you.”
“You’re a good guy, always taking care of things. But I don’t need a little wifey. Enough already. Let’s go kick some ass and jump into the middle of a war. And then maybe we’ll start feeling like you and me again.”
“I’ve been trying to keep the waters smooth in our little pond,” John admitted. “But I don’t think we need problem solving at the moment. What we need is some time away from the kids. Some alone time. We need a date.”
“A date?” Gabriel was grinning. “We haven’t been on a date since 1986!”
“There you go. I’m thinking a nice merlot, a nice little jazz club, a girl with a sweet voice, some prime aged beef. And conversation. Let’s talk.” John brought Gabriel’s palm up to his mouth. “Let’s talk about you and me. Not about the past. I want to talk about the future. I want to tell you all the things I love about you. All the ways you turn me on. I want you to tell me all the secrets you’ve been hiding in your heart.”
Gabriel turned into the Whataburger parking lot, put the truck in park and turned off the engine. Then he reached over, grabbed a handful of new lemon-yellow shirt and kissed him, a deep sweaty soul kiss that had John’s head spinning. “You can’t imagine how long I’ve dreamed of pulling you into my arms, moving to music, touching like lovers, like the rest of the world can do. I love you.” The stars were spinning in Gabriel’s dark eyes. “You want a blow job or a breakfast burrito?”
A couple of teenaged boys, flying their colors, walked past Gabriel’s truck, eyeing the rims. Gabriel had the bucket seat reclined, and John had Gabriel’s trousers unsnapped and unzipped, his hand full of heat and damp curly hair, the delicious scent of burnt sugar that came off Gabriel’s skin making his knees tremble. Gabriel waved a hand toward the boys, seemed unable to speak. John shook his head. “They’re just teenagers, Gabriel. Lock the doors. Who gives a fuck what they see?”
“I have to work in this town! Don’t you know every-fucking-body has a camera on their cell phone?” Gabriel was laughing now, put his hand on the back of John’s neck, then caught his breath when John made contact, skin to hungry mouth. “Oh, God, you’re killing me. One more minute. Okay, two minutes. Jesus, what has gotten into you? You’re acting out every adolescent fantasy I ever had. Put you on the cover of Out
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