Page 33 of Coming Clean

“N-yes.”

“Oh.” Connor had hoped hewas wrong.

“They’re not reallyimportant.”

Thank goodness. “Do youwant to come in?”

Jeremy nodded.

Connor closed the doorafter Jeremy entered, and they simply stood there staring at eachother for several seconds. “Thanks.” He finally managed to get outthe single word as he sat the bag of cleaning supplies on the floorby the coat closet.

“You left those,” Jeremysaid.

Connor was glad Jeremydidn’t add “when you ran away”.

“I was going to call aboutit.” I was going to send Sabrina to getit.

“That’s okay. I was… out.And I thought I’d drop it by. Sabrina told me where youlived.”

Connor sighed. Of courseJeremy had called Sabrina instead of him. Jeremy was probablyafraid Connor would be too much of a coward to answer hisphone.

“You didn’t have to openthe door. It’s okay if you don’t want me here.”

“I do want you here. That’sthe problem.” Connor brushed a hand over his hair. What was hegoing to do now?

“Is it? A problem, I mean?”Jeremy asked.

“It shouldn’t be.” Connorwanted to explain why he was such a freak but he didn’t know theright words, and then the sight of Jeremy’s legs in those tightjeans and those fuck-me boots mesmerized him.

“Um… should I go?” Jeremyasked.

“No!” Embarrassed at havingyelled his response, Connor squeezed his eyes shut and massaged hisbrow with his thumb and forefinger. “I’m sorry. Pleasestay.”

“I don’t want to make youuncomfortable. I get that you don’t like what happened at myhouse.”

Connor wanted to say thathe’d liked it very much but those words got stuck. “You look…different.”

Jeremy gave a wry laugh.“Yeah, that’s David’s fault.”

“Your friend who lives nextdoor to Rita?” The one who had his armaround you at that damn bar.

Jeremy nodded. “He wantedme to go out with him tonight, and he talked me into thisoutfit.”

Connor studied him somemore, glad to have an excuse for a longer look. “I likeit.”

“Really?” Jeremyasked.

How could Jeremy notunderstand how hot he was? “Yes. It’s way hot.”

Jeremy took a step closer.“I feel ridiculous, but if you say so…”

“Are you going out withDavid?” There, that was a sane and to-the-pointquestion.

“Not with him with him. He’s straightbut likes to drag me to things like eighties night. I’m hiswhatever the opposite of a fag hag would be.”

Connor tried to processthat. “You mean the gay friend he uses to pick upgirls?”

Jeremy laughed. “Actually,I’ve occasionally used him to pick up boys. David is… unique, tosay the least, and he’s probably an acquired taste. I guess I amtoo.”