A Small Miracle Happened Read Free Page B

saw Dan watching him, and was fairly sure the glances weren’t motivated by disgust at the rainbow flag. And Chris certainly didn't feel any disgust at the sight of the slender man with a mop of black, curly hair. In fact, after catching sight of Dan raking leaves one afternoon, Chris had decided he was the only really decorative object Prince Albert Circle had to offer. The mysterious box made an excellent excuse for an introduction.
    He was surprised to find out the package actually did belong to Dan. His ploy turned out better than he anticipated. Dan smiled warmly and welcomed him in without hesitation. So little hesitation that Chris was tempted to warn him about stranger danger. But he didn’t want to plant a seed of doubt about himself, so he followed Dan into the living room, enjoying his delight at the box of childhood treasures.
    Up close, his neighbor was even better looking than he appeared from a distance, with a flirty, friendly personality that made him instantly likable. Chris quickly came to the conclusion that Dan was more than a bit out of his league.
    But Dan answered Chris’s questions about Hanukkah without mocking his ignorance, and even included him in that charming ceremony with the menorah. When Chris recited Edna St. Vincent Millay’s poem, Dan didn’t look confused or derisive. He seemed to understand and appreciate it, smiling so delectably that Chris moved on impulse, kissing that lush mouth. Dan’s reaction surprised him with its intensity.
    He flashed on the memory of Dan’s face in the shadows. When Chris wrapped his hand around their cocks, Dan bit deep into his lower lip and half closed his eyes as he made a sweet moaning sound. It was a good thing that vision came to Chris while he was stopped at a traffic light, because he needed a couple deep breaths to pull himself back into the present. The beep of a horn from the car behind him helped jar him back into motion.
    Now he cursed himself for running off when the phone had rung. But he’d been rattled and suddenly unsure of himself. He’d wanted time to sort out his feelings.
    He was still working on that sorting-out thing. And worrying that Dan had interpreted his abrupt leaving as a sign that all he’d wanted was a quick tumble in the twilight.
    If he’d stayed, maybe he could have talked Dan into going to Terry and Warren’s with him. They’d told him he could bring a date. On the other hand, if Dan hadn’t had another invitation, Chris would likely be explaining right now that his friends weren’t as psycho as they seemed, and that Terry was a nice guy when his dad wasn’t in the room.
    As he pulled in to his driveway and activated the garage door opener, he thought about giving Dan a call later and asking him how his Thanksgiving was. Except he hadn’t gotten Dan’s phone number the previous evening. Cursing himself again, he parked his truck and got out. A flicker of movement behind him made him turn. He smiled.
    A few moments later, he was standing on the sidewalk across the street as Dan pulled into a garage identical to his own. Then Dan was standing in front of the ugly condo, casual but stylish in an unbuttoned leather coat over a soft green sweater, jeans, and boots. The sweater fit snugly, emphasizing his height and slenderness. His clear, pale skin contrasted with his dark hair and eyes, and sharp cheekbones stood out in a face full of interesting planes and angles. Chris had no trouble envisioning him as one of the romantic poets he’d secretly mooned over as a teenager while other guys ogled female porn stars and cheerleaders. Then he realized he was staring stupidly into Dan’s warm eyes. He blushed. “Uh, hi.”
    Dan looked embarrassed at the scrutiny, and bit his lip. “Pie?” He held up something wrapped in aluminum foil and gestured at Chris’s hands.
    Chris glanced down at the plate Terry’s mom gave him. “Inevitably.”
    “Yeah, I suppose so, on Thanksgiving. They always send you away with