"And which concept are we talking about?"
"Why, hunting for prey, of course. That entire way of thinking is so far beyond where I"m at right now."
"What do do you want, Lil?" Grier asked, fixing him with his dark stare. He looked like a Roman G.o.d in the dim light. His thick, day-old shadow added a certain wicked quality to him that Lil found irresistible. The black leather jacket, the onyx ear studs, and the tattoos, barely discernable underneath the jacket as it parted with each move, completed the delectable picture, and Lil knew without a doubt that he was insanely and inexplicably in love. you want, Lil?" Grier asked, fixing him with his dark stare. He looked like a Roman G.o.d in the dim light. His thick, day-old shadow added a certain wicked quality to him that Lil found irresistible. The black leather jacket, the onyx ear studs, and the tattoos, barely discernable underneath the jacket as it parted with each move, completed the delectable picture, and Lil knew without a doubt that he was insanely and inexplicably in love.
"I want you."
"You"ve got me."
"Permanently."
Grier frowned, marring the symmetry of his n.o.ble forehead. "I don"t see how this is possible."
"Will you keep an open mind?"
"It would depend on what you"re asking for."
"Fair enough. Let"s go and see what"s hopping over at Badlands."
Lil threw some money on the bar, stilling Grier when he reached for his wallet. "You get the next one."
"Okay."
BADLANDS turned out to be exactly as Lil described. It was a veritable hunting ground, teeming with hungry men trolling for a good time. They represented every size, shape, race, and age group without discrimination, and Grier got bored after about ten minutes. "Let"s go," he whispered into Lil"s ear. turned out to be exactly as Lil described. It was a veritable hunting ground, teeming with hungry men trolling for a good time. They represented every size, shape, race, and age group without discrimination, and Grier got bored after about ten minutes. "Let"s go," he whispered into Lil"s ear.
"Thank Christ," Lil breathed, grateful for the reprieve.
They sauntered back to the car holding hands comfortably. "Did you ever live in this area?"
"Many years."
"Why"d you move?"
"I needed something bigger and closer to work. I couldn"t find anything I wanted around here. I actually thought about a penthouse apartment at the Millennium Towers. A friend clued me in about the property, and if I weren"t such a baby about heights, I would have pounced on it. My G.o.d, Grier. You have no idea what that view is like."
"Why are you so afraid of heights?"
"Who knows why anyone has phobias? I don"t recall falling out of a window as a child. It just creeps me out."
"I"d love to see that penthouse."
"Would you? I"m sure I can arrange to view something else if that"s already sold."
"Will I need to bring an inhaler for you?"
"Just keep your arms around me at all times, and if we happen to be up there during an earthquake, pretend you don"t know the fool who p.i.s.sed his pants."
"You"re a crack-up."
Lil shook his head. "Intellectually, I know that most of the newer buildings are structurally engineered to withstand earthquakes, provided they don"t top the Richter scale. I know how it"s done. I"ve built several of my own, and I know the percentages for success. However, when we start to sway, my heart stops and my brains leak out of my ears."
"What was the worst earthquake you"ve experienced?"
"I was sixteen in 1989, and my parents took me to Candlestick Park to watch the third game of the World Series between the Oakland A"s and the San Francisco Giants. The stands began to shake and people started screaming. I was absolutely terrified. It didn"t help when my mother burst into tears."
"Did anyone get hurt?"
"Not at Candlestick, but the devastation throughout the Bay Area was horrific. The game was postponed, and we watched the news clips from home. Fortunately, we lived on the peninsula, so we didn"t have to cross any bridges, which was just as well because most of them were shut down. The Bay Bridge actually lost a fifty-foot section. It collapsed onto the lower deck."
"It sounds awful. No wonder you"re afraid."
"It"s been a long time, but I remember it clearly, and the possibility of enduring that kind of mind-numbing terror, by living in a high rise, is not the kind of excitement I need in my life. I have enough problems keeping an office on the eighteenth floor. I"d much rather raise my blood pressure in more pleasant ways."
"I"ll bet. Let"s go home and work on that, shall we?" Grier smiled seductively.
Lil turned the key and gunned the engine. "I"m on it, love."
Chapter 25.
GRIER had fallen into a deep slumber after a long session of lovemaking that had left him utterly sated and content. Lil had pulled out all the stops when they got home from the Castro, adjusting the lighting and the music to suit their romantic mood. He"d made sweet love to Grier, worshiping every inch of his body with a skill born of years of practice. He had been transported to a state of blissful awareness as Lil caressed, kissed, and tasted everything he had to offer, pouring all his efforts into bringing Grier to erotic heights he"d never experienced before. The final o.r.g.a.s.m had left them both trembling with the aftershock of an emotional connection that went far deeper than expected after such a short acquaintance. He had wanted to say the words that were on the tip of his tongue, but he"d held back for fear of appearing too naive, yet he was infused with feelings he could barely contain. Lil had held him tenderly before he"d fallen asleep, giving in to the languor that had permeated his entire body. had fallen into a deep slumber after a long session of lovemaking that had left him utterly sated and content. Lil had pulled out all the stops when they got home from the Castro, adjusting the lighting and the music to suit their romantic mood. He"d made sweet love to Grier, worshiping every inch of his body with a skill born of years of practice. He had been transported to a state of blissful awareness as Lil caressed, kissed, and tasted everything he had to offer, pouring all his efforts into bringing Grier to erotic heights he"d never experienced before. The final o.r.g.a.s.m had left them both trembling with the aftershock of an emotional connection that went far deeper than expected after such a short acquaintance. He had wanted to say the words that were on the tip of his tongue, but he"d held back for fear of appearing too naive, yet he was infused with feelings he could barely contain. Lil had held him tenderly before he"d fallen asleep, giving in to the languor that had permeated his entire body.
His familiar ringtone woke him up from an erotic dream. He couldn"t remember much about it other than the state of euphoria, undoubtedly due to last night"s incredible s.e.x. He glanced at the time and groaned when he saw that it wasn"t quite seven yet, but then he looked at the caller ID and realized it was Luca. The Garcia phone number was displayed, and he quickly calculated that it was nine in the morning in Elk Grove Village.
"Hey, buddy," he said softly, not wanting to disturb Lil.
"t.i.to G?" G?"
"What is it, Luca?"
"When are you coming home?"
"I just got here. Is everything okay?"
"No," Luca sobbed. "Not okay."
"What"s the matter?"
"Mommy got mad at Bianca."
"Why?"
"Her nailth nailth."
"Is she scratching Mommy"s good furniture?"
"Yeth."
"She must not like the scratching post," Grier explained. "Or maybe she"s too little. We"ll have to figure out a way to keep her off your Mommy"s furniture," Grier said, scooting over to the edge of the bed. He stood and headed toward the bathroom to take a leak before turning to the kitchen in search of caffeine. "I have an idea, Luca."
"What?"
"Ask Lola Lola for an empty spray bottle and fill it with water. Next time Bianca starts to scratch on the furniture, hit her with a quick squirt." for an empty spray bottle and fill it with water. Next time Bianca starts to scratch on the furniture, hit her with a quick squirt."
"Will that work?" The question was filled with hope.
"I think so. Cats aren"t particularly fond of water. It might stop her for a while. When I get back, we"ll have to figure out something more permanent."
"Like what?"
"We"ll have to consult with her vet."
""Kay. t.i.to t.i.to G?" G?"
"What?"
"I mith mith you." you."
"I miss you, too, buddy. Only five more sleeps to go, and I"ll be home."
"With t.i.to t.i.to Lil?" Lil?"
"No, just me."
"Oh. Have you theen theen the cat?" the cat?"
"Not yet," Grier admitted. Where was the cat?
"Ith he hiding?" he hiding?"
"He"s been staying at a friend"s house since t.i.to t.i.to Lil was in Chicago." Lil was in Chicago."
"But you"ll pick him up today, right?"
"Right, buddy. What are you doing today?"
"We"re going downtown to buy a thoot thoot for me and a wedding for me and a wedding dreth dreth for Mommy." for Mommy."
Grier stopped pouring the water into the Capresso coffee maker, shocked by Luca"s statement. "What did you just say?"
"We"re going downtown."
"About a wedding?"
"Mommy and t.i.to t.i.to A are going to get married soon. A are going to get married soon. He"th He"th going to be my new daddy." going to be my new daddy."
"The h.e.l.l he is!" Grier blurted out before he could stop himself.
"Are you mad?" Luca whispered into the phone.
"No, Luca. I"m sorry."
"I don"t want him to be my daddy," Luca continued to whisper. "I like you better."
Grier squeezed his eyes shut and bit his lip to prevent another round of expletives from escaping. "I"ll call your mommy later on today and find out what"s going on, okay?"
"Don"t tell her I called."
"Why not?"
"Becauth I don"t want to get in trouble." I don"t want to get in trouble."
What the f.u.c.k! Luca"s heavy lisp was a sign that he was as disturbed by this new development as Grier was.
"Where is she now?"
"I don"t know."
"Didn"t she sleep there last night?"
"No."
"Who"s home with you?"
"Lolo."
"Have you had breakfast?"
"Not yet."
"Are you hungry?"
"Yeth."
Grier looked up at the ceiling and raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Tell your grandfather to make you something to eat."
"Okay. I have to hang up now."
"Luca?"