Touch Me by Chris Scully Read Free Book Online Page A

inside George’s pajamas. “Let me tell you about Allan and Cindy,” he said.
     
 

JEREMY… again
     

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?” Erik’s question bounced off the waiting area’s soothing green walls. There were three chairs, and only one of them was occupied. By the last person he expected to see again.
    The young man shot to his feet, an uncertain grin pasted on his lips. “I’m here for a massage.”
    Erik tamped down on the rush of pleasure he felt at the sight of Jeremy. It wasn’t just physical, he realized with a jolt. Somehow that made it even more worrying. In the seven months since he’d had the kid on his table, he’d gotten to know Jeremy. More importantly, he had grown to like him. He knew that Jeremy’s parents had divorced when he was young, that he lived with his mom and younger brother in a town almost three hours away, that he practically devoured fantasy novels and that he was itching to start college. He was a good kid. But this was unacceptable. “You can’t just… show up here.” He lowered his voice to just above a whisper.
    “I didn’t.” He smiled fully, showing those big choppers. “I have an appointment.”
    Erik glanced down at the schedule on his clipboard. Jeremy Pedzinski-11:30 . He was aware of Olivia, his office assistant and receptionist, carefully watching them from behind her desk. He sighed. “All right then. Come on back.”
    He started back down the corridor without waiting to see if Jeremy followed.
    “You own this place?” the kid asked.
    “Yes. But I also rent space to two other RMTs.” Erik ushered Jeremy into the first room—a different one than he used for his after-hours sessions.
    Jeremy’s brow wrinkled as he looked around. He seemed a bit disappointed to see it was just a regular room.
    “What are you really doing here?” Erik asked as soon as he closed the door behind them.
    “I wanted to see you again. You sounded sad in your last email.”
    “How can you sound sad in an email?”
    “I don’t know. You just did.” Jeremy’s gaze probed his. Erik looked away, busied himself with straightening the table.
    They had been corresponding since March; harmless stuff. Mostly Jeremy sent him jokes and links to funny videos. Occasionally they delved into more serious topics—among them breaking up with his girlfriend, starting college and his burgeoning interest in a fellow student. A boy this time. They’d even had a date.
    Erik gave him lectures about practicing safe sex and tried to pretend he wasn’t jealous.
    He hated admitting how much he looked forward to finding an email from Jeremy in his inbox. It was almost daily now, and if by chance a day passed when he didn’t hear from the kid, he found himself unaccountably disappointed. He shouldn’t encourage it. That’s what he told himself every time he responded. This would be the last time. But then he’d get another one and hit reply before he thought twice. Lately though, Jeremy’s emails had been laced with flirty innuendo that made Erik even more conflicted.
    He never said much when he replied, so he had no idea how Jeremy figured out he was sad. But as George declined, Erik found an escape in the young man’s words. Maybe that’s what Jeremy had sensed.
    “Did you drive down to the city?” he asked.
    Jeremy scratched at his scalp. His hair had gotten long and shaggy and he was in need of a good haircut. His smile was guilty. “No. I, uh, I live here now. I’m going to college.”
    Jeremy lived in the same city? And he hadn’t said a word. “Funny how that never came up in any of your emails.”
    He shrugged, but he avoided eye contact. “It was as good a place as any.” Jeremy studied the RMT diploma on the wall. “Erik Morgan,” he read. “I never knew your last name. I like that. It has a nice ring to it.”
    “Look,” Erik interrupted, glancing at his watch. “If you’re here for a massage, get naked and get up on the table, face down. You can leave your