Page 51 of Paint Eater
“Shut up,” Logan said, pulling Jay towards him again, not being able to stand the words so softly spoken.
Logan couldn’t get over how much he liked kissing Jay, pressed down on the bed by his body, head filled only with sensation. How Jay smiled against his skin, how quiet everything was until noises started bubbling out of him.
“Imma turn off the lights,” Jay said eventually.
Logan didn’t say anything—didn’t protest that he couldn’t stay, that this was too much. When darkness fell and Jay climbed in beside him, kissing him again, he just let the fear sink somewhere that couldn’t touch him. At least not now.
Logan was sleepily turned around eventually until Jay was a solid warmth all along his back, spooning together like two pieces of the same set.
**********
Logan smiled and nodded as amicably as he could at some old man going on about the inheritance tax as if it were the worst thing that could possibly happen to a person.
If he hated luncheons and dinners, he hated charity events even more. That sounded fucked up, but he didn’t get why rich people had to be wooed with marble pillars and expensive food and fancy trips to the Bahamas they’d be able to afford anyway in order to donate some fucking money. And if they did, he wishedhedidn’t have to attend them.
He excused himself as politely as he knew how and look around subtly to see if he could find Nisha—the only saving grace at these things.
It was only after being snared into two other tedious conversations that he spotted her, thick hair done up in some elaborate style with jewels glinting between the dark like stars. Her dress was colourful, yellows and oranges at the hems, tight at the top with long sleeves loosening at the waist in a traditional Anarkali silhouette.
She was talking to someone, hand on his arm, and Logan stopped cold because…that was Jay. There was no mistaking him, not with his hair a halo around him.
The surprise bubbled and heated into anger. What the fuck was Nisha thinking, bringing Jay here? He was going to be torn toshredsand Logan’s mom—fuck. If his mom found out he’d been hanging out with Jay…
Logan stood frozen, incapable of deciding whether he should go over now and get Jay out of there or try to avoid them all night. Fake an illness, maybe. But his mother would see right through him, and what if they got introduced anyway? There was no way Jay would keep quiet about—
He was so busy panicking that he managed to miss the fact that Nisha and Jay were heading right towards him.
“Hey,” Jay exclaimed, “Surprise!”
Logan didn’t know whether to stare at Jay or glare at Nisha. “What are you doing here?”
Jay blinked, smile dimming. “Nisha invited me. I, um…sorry I didn’t say anything. Nisha said to surprise you?”
Glare at Nisha it was. “Really, Nisha? Are you fucking serious?” he hissed.
Jay flinched, and Logan’s body seized up, wanting desperately to reach out and comfort him despite knowing it’d get Jay in even more trouble.
“Um,” Jay started, voice small. “Imma be on my best behaviour, I swear. I won’t embarrass you. I won’t even talk much.”
Logan’s lungs clenched. “That’s not—I’m not scared that you’llembarrassme, Jay. I don’t give a shit about any of these people.”
“Uh, okay. Then…I mean, you seem pretty angry that I’m here?”
Logan had no idea what to say to that. There were so many answers to that question, and none of them could be voiced.
Nisha waved her hand dismissively. “Logan,relax. This is a charity function, not a covert operation. Let’s just drink and bid on some spa days and have fun. Not everything has to be athing.”
Logan clenched his teeth. She didn’tgetit. She might be from the same world, but her parents weren’t like his mom.
As if summoned by Logan’s fear, a bloodhound smelling fox blood, a hand curled around his shoulder. He didn’t need to look to know it was his mom, dressed impeccably, beautiful, staring directly at Jay.
Despite the suit Jay was wearing, sheknewhe didn’t belong.
“Hello, Nisha. I didn’t know you were seeing someone,” she said, smiling at Jay.
“Hello, Mrs. Williams. Oh, no, he’s just a friend. Jay.” Even Nisha was a little awkward around Logan’s mother, and that was quite the feat.
His mom raised an eyebrow. “Jay? I suppose that’s short for something.”
