Talker (11 page)

When a girl overheard the conversation and said, “Aww, man—it figures,” and rolled her eyes, he’d managed to grin at her, like he’d known he was gay his whole life.

G iven all that, it was very easy—far easier than he ever would have imagined, that painful afternoon spent with his ex-girlfriend—

to close the space between him and his dream boy and kiss him softly, then touch foreheads with him, there in the open green in front of the school health building.

“I promised,” he said seriously. “Now come on, Talker. I love you. Let’s go live up to your name.”

They had made love almost every night—but Tate was still self-conscious, and Brian stil had to gentle him into being touched and looked at.

What were you going to do, Talker? Pierce it? Tattoo it? It’s yours. I love it. Let me touch it.

Your body is so beautiful, Brian. Don’t tel me you don’t see the difference.

The difference is you’re my dream boy. If I was my own dream boy, I’d be an idiot. And probably real y boring. Now here… (kiss, lick, suck) doesn’t that feel good?

Ahhhh… do… no… oh G od, don’t stop….

Brian wanted so badly for Talker to believe he deserved love, right down to the most elemental form of it: touch. He looked anxiously at Tate, studying that masked face and the transparent heart beneath it, hoping to see cooperation.

Talker |
Amy Lane

91

Talker nodded, final y, and Brian sighed in relief. C lutching hands tight enough to turn Brian’s fingers blue, they turned toward the counseling office.

“Brian?” Talker asked as they got to the door. “You’l sit on my right, okay?”

Brian’s heart bled, and he closed his eyes and had a little faith that this would help the two of them make the bandages they needed.

“Always, Talker. I promise.” It was apparently the right answer.

Their hands clenched in faith, they walked toward a future together.

About the Author

AMY LANE teaches high school E nglish, mothers four children, and writes the occasional book. When she’s not begging students to sit-the-hell-down or taxi ng kids to soccer/dance/karate—oh my! she can be found catching emergency naps, grocery shopping, or hiding in the bathroom, trying to read without interruption. She wil never be found cooking, cleaning, or doing domestic chores, but she has been known to knit up an emergency hat/blanket/pair of socks for any occasion whatsoever or sometimes for no reason at al . She writes in the shower, while commuting, while her classes are doing bookwork, or while she’s wandering the neighborhood at night pretending to exercise and has learned from necessity to type like the wind. She lives in a spider-infested and crumbling house in a shoddy suburb and counts on her beloved mate, Mack, to keep her tethered to reality—which he does while keeping her cel phone charged as a bonus. She’s been married for twenty plus years and stil believes in Twu Wuv, with a capital Twu and a capital Wuv, and she doesn’t see any reason at al for that to change.

Visit Amy’s web site at http://www.greenshil .com. You can e-mail her at amylane@ greenshil .com.

Also by AMY LANE

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

Also from D RE AMSPINNE R PRE SS

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

Copyright

Talker ©Copyright Amy Lane, 2010

Published by

Dreamspinner Press

4760 Preston Road

Suite 244-149

Frisco, TX 75034

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the authors’ imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Cover Art by Reese Dante http://www.reesedante.com This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines and/or imprisonment. This eBook cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this eBook can be shared or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press at: 4760 Preston Road, Suite 244-149, Frisco, TX 75034 http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

Released in the United States of America September 2010

eBook Edition

eBook ISBN: 978-1-61581-598-2

• Dedication
  
• Part I
  
• Part II
  
• Part III
  
• Part IV
  
• Part V
  
• Part VI
  
• Part VII
  
• Part VIII
  
• Part IX
  
• Epilogue
  
• About the Author
  
• Also by Amy Lane
  
• Also from Dreamspinner Press
  
• Copyright