Page 82 of The Boy from Half Moon

I grabbed his biceps as he walked past me. His biceps were massive, and the texture of his skin was smooth and silky. The veins in his arms were like a relief map of Africa, with great rivers flowing the length of each arm. I thought of him holding me down, forcing me to give myself over to his power as he manipulated my body to where he wanted so he could make love to me for hours and hours, both of us sweaty and panting like dogs.

But that wasn’t what I did. “You need clothes, Luke. Let me buy you a few items,” I asked, a third time mentioning his lack of adequate clothing.

“What I have is just fine, Tate,” he replied, still resistant as ever. “I wash what I have every day, and I don’t need more. You do too much for me as it is.”

“How’d your job interview go today?” I asked, leading him in a direction that I hoped would assist him in understanding why he needed more clothes.

Luke had gone out every single day since I’d taken him in less than a week ago. Walking miles in the heat as he sought a way to repay me for letting him stay with me.

“They all said no again,” he answered, looking away and swallowing his disappointment. “I tell them I’m a really hard worker, but they always say they’re not hiring. Two even had help wanted signs in their doors.”

“I’m sorry, Luke,” I soothed. His sadness broke my heart into a million pieces, and I hated the world we lived in sometimes. “Hey, look at me for a second.” He lifted his head. “You’ll find work. I promise.” He twisted away from me, doing his best to not get sucked into my kindness, but I kept my grip on his bulging biceps. “Hey,” I whispered. “I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but do you think your style of dress hinders you from getting hired?”

“Probably,” he muttered. “I know what they’re thinking when I walk in.”

“They’re ignorant people, Luke. Those people don’t know how hard of a worker you are. You’ll have to prove it to them,” I stated. “But, in my opinion, if you didn’t dress like you did all those years at the ranch, you might make a better first impression, and here again, it’s because they don’t know what a wonderful person you are.”

“But I can’t pay you back as it is?” he said softly. “A bed to sleep in, food, and now you want to buy me new clothes? Not to mention you helping me with the jail stuff.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t help myself,” I said. “I care about you, and I want the best for you.”

His eyes welled up, his lower lip trembling. I was almost certain there were words Luke wanted to say, feelings he needed to express. How’d I know that? Because I was internalizing my wants and desires as well. Like me, I think he questioned why the brakes had been deployed in our burgeoning relationship. Of course, I didn’t know all that for a fact, but I had a hunch.

“How about we go to Portland for a couple of days?” I asked. “We can leave tomorrow morning.”

“What about your work?”

“As funny as this is going to sound after our talk about you finding a job, I’m going to need one myself, so why don’t we block all that from our minds and have some fun? Whattaya say?”

“You’re not a lawyer anymore?” he asked, worry ruining his perfect face.

“Oh, don’t you worry about that. I will always be a lawyer. Just not where I was.”

The relief on his face warmed my insides. “I’ve never been out of Jefferson County,” he said.

As sad as that sounded, I chuckled. “So, is that a yes?”

“That’s a yes,” he agreed.

“Excellent. What’s for dinner?”

We broke out in laughter at my quip; him grabbing my hand for just a second before releasing it just as quickly. Baby steps, Tate.

For someone who ate at a communal hall for all his meals, Luke had a talent for cooking. I didn’t ask him how he learned because why say anything except thank you?

For the first night since we met, Luke and I let down a wall or two and simply enjoyed each other’s company, blocking out life’s reality on the other side of those walls. We stood side by side and did the dinner dishes together, even though he protested it was his job.

I found another pair of shorts that left nothing to the imagination in the fit department, but I kept my eyes to myself. And even though there was a foot of space between us on the sofa, we laughed our asses off, watching The Simpsons.

I was in love with Luke. I couldn’t deny what I was feeling. Was he in the middle of a shit mess of problems? Yeah, he was, but I planned on fighting for his life. I had a vested interest in Luke being a free man.

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR: Luke

“Wow!” I exclaimed, looking up at the tall trees all around us. Tate’s car had the ability to hide its top in the trunk. With the simple push of a button, the sky, in all its glory, was revealed. And the summer day we were sharing was indeed glorious.

Tate maneuvered the vehicle like a race car driver on the ride over Mt. Hood and toward Portland. In fact, his car looked and sounded like a race car. He carved corners to the point I wasn’t sure if I needed to throw up or ride the adrenaline rush.

When not staring straight ahead as I tried to anticipate the next curve, I’d glance at him and feel an emotion I always felt when in his presence. Tate was classically handsome and my heart hurt whenever I was near him. From the way he was stylishly dressed, to the manner with which he handled himself confidently. Everything about him was enviable, and I wished I had something more to offer him.

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