Page 27 of Small City Heart
Chapter Eight
Charlie took the scenic route back to Patrick’s mom’s house, prolonging their time together, and Patrick let him. He leaned his head against the passenger-side window and stared up at the night sky. The Milky Way stretched across the great expanse. Patrick had missed the stars. The bright lights of the city obscured them.
He was being a drama queen; he knew that. It was so incredibly clear in his head, but he couldn’t seem to keep all his emotions from spewing forth without a filter. He’d kept his mouth shut when it had become obvious that his relationship with Richard hurt and was a horrible idea. He’d kept his mouth shut when his career in Chicago had begun to implode.
Well, he hadn’t been able to keep his mouth shut when it came to Charlie North. Instead, they’d talked in circles. He’d have loved for Charlie to say, “Wow! It’d be awesome if you moved back. You could take photos of patch burns and sunsets and the people of the Flint Hills. And we’d keep kissing, and maybe date, and maybe fall for each other, just a little bit. And your mom would be happy to have you close. And so would I.”
So yeah. What fantasy world was Patrick living in?
They were about to pass an indistinct gravel road. It was where all the cool kids in high school hadparked—another one of those teenage experiences he’d been denied.
“Turn there,” he said softly.
“On Cemetery Road?”
“Yes.” If Patrick was going to leave Small City in two days, he at least wanted to kiss Charlie’s face off one last time.
Charlie didn’t ask any other questions. He navigated his truck over the bumpy road and pulled to a stop at the top of a hill overlooking Old Man Denton’s farm. Old Man Denton was probably dead by now. He’d been ancient the last time Patrick had seen him.
“Do the kids still come out here to screw around?” Patrick asked.
“I have no idea.”
“Did you ever bring girls here when we were in high school?”
Charlie’s cheeks turned dusky rose in the low light from the radio display. “A few times.”
“Boys?”
“No.”
Patrick unbuckled his seat belt and turned toward him. He unbuckled Charlie’s seat belt too.
“Well, you have a boy here now. Show me what you did with those girls.”
Charlie smiled. “I think you might be disappointed. I’m gay. I basically did everything in my power to make my encounters with girls as innocent and PG as possible.”
“I like that. Show me.”
“Well, normally I’d bring up gossip or chat with them about class assignments or—”
“Oh. You talked to them.” Patrick laughed. That was the cutest thing.
“Yes.” Charlie caught one of Patrick’s curls and wound it around his finger. “I’d love to talk to you.”
“In a second.” Patrick was scared of what Charlie might say. “Pretend you’re Mr. High School Golden Child again, but you’re up on Make-out Hill with a boy. What would you have done then?”
“I’d have asked to kiss you. I would have told you you’re too good for me, Patrick Pearl. That my family’s a mess, and I’m too scared to come out of the closet in such a small town. That I have no idea what I’m doing, but please, please kiss me anyway.”
He imagined me.When asked to picture any boy, Charlie imagined him.
“I’d have told youno.” Patrick cupped Charlie’s face and pulled him over the center console.
“I’d have expected nothing less.”
“I’m not telling younonow, Charlie.”
Their lips met and caught. The kiss was dry and chaste at first, but Charlie quickly took control. He cupped the back of Patrick’s head and owned his mouth. This wasn’t the kiss of inexperienced, bumbling teenagers. It was claiming and hot and overwhelming.
