Junk by Josephine Myles Read Free Book Online Page B

relied on for a no-complications shag at his city-centre flat. It was simpler that way. Simpler than messy emotional entanglements.
    No. He definitely didn’t need to get embroiled in some relationship where someone expected too much of him. Wanted him to open up and share things.
    He was never going to show anyone the guilt eating him up inside.
    Five minutes later, his phone buzzed. He checked the message inbox.
    8 is gd, but just a quickie im gng out.
    No expectations. No mess. Shame the prospect of a quick and dirty encounter with Mas didn’t excite him nearly as much as just the rub of Lewis’s fingers across his had done.
     
     
    Friday brought a long morning of clearing the Lehrmans’ place, which involved Lewis and Carroll getting all hot and sweaty parading a bunch of junk past the elderly siblings while they sat outside in camping chairs, and the Lehrmans deciding they couldn’t possibly live without any of it. Actually, that wasn’t fair. Gladys Lehrman was ready to let things go now. It was her stubborn brother who refused. It was no coincidence that this was the man who also refused to stick around for the counselling sessions.
    Frustrated, Lewis decided to spend his afternoon off at the pool, swimming length after length. He became so absorbed in the hypnotic glide through the water that he lost track of time, only glancing up at the clock at half three.
    Crap. He’d been meaning to get home and change into something more attractive before heading out to Jasper’s place, but it looked like he’d end up late if he did. Lewis hurried through to the changing rooms and did his best to wash the smell of chlorine off his skin before throwing back on the plain old T-shirt and cargo shorts combo. He looked a bit like a GAP model with his chunky leather sandals, but it couldn’t be helped. Anyway, he wasn’t trying to impress Jasper with his natty dress-sense, was he? The man probably didn’t even notice clothes. You only had to take one look at Jasper’s rumpled, mismatched wardrobe to figure that out.
    The bus dropped Lewis off at the bottom of the hill, and it was a long walk up with the late afternoon sun beating on his back and the day’s stored heat radiating off the tarmac. By the time he reached number sixty-four, it was a relief to be able to slip under the cool green shade of those overgrown trees. Jasper could have a beautiful garden if he cleared the place up a bit.
    As to how much of a challenge awaited them inside… Well, that remained to be seen. Lewis rubbed his hands together and knocked on the door.
    No one came. Lewis checked his watch. Yep, he was on time. Just how long could it take Jasper to negotiate the junk in his house? He rapped on the door harder this time. He even tried stepping back to call to the upstairs windows, but one look at them made him realise the futility of Jasper hearing anything that way. Both sets of curtains were pressed back against the glass with the weight of whatever lay behind them. Mildew had stained the linings, and more of the green algae that coated everything in the garden grew up the glass.
    This could end up being one of his toughest challenges yet. Perhaps an insurmountable one, if Jasper was too nervous to show for the appointments.
    Unless he just couldn’t get to the door. What if he was trapped under a pile of fallen paper? It happened. Hoarders died that way every year. Admittedly, it was mostly the elderly who didn’t have the strength to dig themselves out again, but even a young and healthy man like Jasper could be in serious trouble if enough heavy stuff went over.
    Paper was heavy stuff.
    Keeping the panic at bay with decisive action, Lewis forced open the letter box and called for Jasper. He held his ear to the gap but couldn’t hear any response from within. He was just wrestling his phone out of his pocket to try the man’s mobile, when a voice from behind him made him jump.
    “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. There were road works in