Page 110 of Sinful Crimes for the Artistically Inclined
“Thank you, Giordano,” Percy said. Then with a softer, more meaningful intonation, “I’ll take the bowl back to her tomorrow.”
“Thank you.” The first genuine, unguarded fondness for Percy was written all over Giordano’s features. It may have been that newfound camaraderie that made him add, “What you want will be waiting for you in the room.”
As he strode away up the sand, Percy wished slightly that he could sink down into it and die.
The second Giordano was definitely out of earshot, Joe opened with, “What’s waiting in which room?”
Percy could hardly tell him it was a twenty-five thousand dollar down payment for murder, so he ran interference. “Joe, listen. Giordano’s my ex. He’s also the younger brother of my boss. He still holds a small flame for me, but I don’t return those feelings at all. I honestly don’t know what he’s playing at, hanging around like he is, saying things like that, but I don’t like it any more than you do. Has he been hitting on you?”
How effectively the conversation turned, with Joe’s quiet, rambling, “I think… maybe… I don’t know…”
Percy studied Joe’s pink cheeks and averted gaze. “I mean, if you wanted to sleep with Giordano…”
“I don’t!” Joe gasped, as though he were the one suspected of creating a nefarious liaison in the background. “I would never do that!”
“No, no,” Percy reassured him. “I don’t mean like an affair.”
“What do you mean?”
“Only that if I…” Should he say it? Probably not. But he did anyway, because he was Percy. “If I was there too… And if you wanted to?—”
How could Joe’s eyes grow even larger? “What?”
“Or not,” Percy mumbled.
“All of us? Together?” Joe’s face had become a mask ofhorror, which was terrible, truly, but it was better than what it might have been if he was still on the trail of murder.
“I’m notsuggestingwe do anything,” Percy hurried out, “but I don’t want to hold back your… Your sexual exploration.”
“I don’t want to explore with anyone except you!” Joe pretty much shouted.
“Good.” Percy squeezed his hand, in which he swore he could feel Joe’s throbbing pulse. “Good. I was just making sure. Obviously, I don’t want to seethat. You with him. Or… or anything like that…” But that’s exactly what he did see in his mind’s eye. Joe, all but helpless, trying not to come in Giordano’s hot mouth, while Percy pinned his knees down with his own, and fucked him unrelentingly, his arms twisted behind his back and Percy’s hand on his throat.
“Percy!” Joe could have been talking for some time. Percy wouldn’t have had a clue.
“Huh? What?”
Joe whisper-screamed, “Do you have an erection right now?”
“What? No!” Percy drew his knees in close.
“Are you thinking about him?”
“I’m thinking about you!” Percy protested. “I’m sorry, but I find you incredibly sexy and you’re just going to have to deal with that. Anything, everything you do, makes me hard. But listen, clearly no one’s sleeping with Giordano?—”
Joe pinched the top of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut tight. “How did we even start talking about this?”
“And that’s fine,” Percy continued. “What’s important right now is that there’s a bookstore close by?—”
“A bookstore?” Joe blustered. “What has that got to do with anything?”
But Percy saw the end in sight and sprinted to the finish line. “A very nice bookstore that closes at two, so I need to take you there very soon. Come swim with me first.”
“No,” Joe shook his head. “No, I’m too annoyed to swim.”
“We’re in Sicily and I need a coffee and a nice book soon, so we’re swimming.”
He dragged Joe down to the water, where things settled slowly but happily, and they enjoyed a good hour or so of a proper holiday. They ate the caponata, and it was just as good as Percy knew from experience it would be. The wine Giordano had selected was excellent, of course, even if Leo could only look on longingly while everyone else had a glass.
