Page 17 of Clean Slade
Mr. Rogers picked up the wireless landline and handed it to Mac.
“What is that? That doesn’t have a screen. It doesn’t even have the internet.”
I left the comedy duo to bicker and educate each other and poured a cup of coffee for King and one for me, even though I was already loaded with enough caffeine to last me a month.
It turned out it was only seven in the morning, which meant I’d only dozed off for fifteen minutes or so. Not that fifteen minutes wouldn’t be enough for this whole place to turn upside down, but at least I hadn’t passed out.
I reached my bedroom door and pushed my elbow down on the handle to get through, and as I did, I almost dropped both cups.
King’s bare bubble butt was staring right at me.
“Shit. Sorry,” I yelled.
Why did I yell?
King turned around, reaching for a towel on the bed, but I didn’t miss the full frontal view before he covered himself.
I would recognize that curved dick anywhere.
“Rex?”
FIVE
KING
He remembers me?
But what shocked me was the fact he remembered the name I gave him. It had been so long ago. That was impressive.
Unless I’d haunted his dreams as often as he had mine.
“What?” I yelled, not missing the appreciative once-over he gave me even after I managed to cover up. “What are you talking about?”
It didn’t matter. None of it mattered. All that mattered was getting Mac to safety.
I should be focused on that instead of the fact a hookup from the past called out my name as if not a day had passed.
“It’s you. Rex,” he insisted.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Will you get out! I’m trying to get dressed, and I prefer no audience.” Which was such a fucking lie.
I’d love to have him as an audience while I stripped for him.
Focus. Mac. Safety. That’s it. That’s all.
Slade grimaced but closed the door anyway, and I managed to pat my body dry, tame the boner threatening to rise, and get dressed.
We had to get going. I hadn’t expected to fall asleep. I’d been planning on getting out of here before anyone saw us. But now we’d have to take the busy morning ferry, and I couldn’t decide if that was good or bad.
It sucked that we didn’t have any clothes or the time to pack the important stuff, but once we were on the mainland, we’d be okay. I had plenty of cash stashed away in Boston in case of an emergency, and it’d be easy to cover any trails from there. I only hoped Mac wouldn’t make things difficult.
I’d given her a cushioned life. I’d hidden the truth from her. The further I kept her from the life I once lived, the better.
“Good morning, Mr. Rogers.” I walked into the living room, and Slade passed me a cup of coffee, studying my face.
“Good morning, Kingston. Off somewhere?”
I glanced from Mac to Slade and nodded.
