Categories > Books > Anita Blake > Friends
Chapter 6
Caleb was sulking. Baby-sitter duty started earlier than he'd counted on. He never did get back to sleep. Nathaniel had errands to run, he had to go to the club to rehearse, and guess who the chauffeur was? They had to pick Gregory up on the way; his car wouldn't start. This wasn't helping out; this was slave labor. Now he had to sit at the club all afternoon. It wasn't fair. And Greg was talking to him. Why? He didn't understand Greg, didn't understand friends.
Greg was trying to have a conversation with Caleb and wondering why he bothered. Caleb was staring at the empty stage. So far everything Greg asked had received a one-word answer, a grunt, or a shrug from Mr. Personality. He stared at Caleb's dark curls. He liked the way they fell down around his eyes. Caleb was very dark, brown hair, brown eyes, brown skin; Greg wondered if it was natural or just a tan. Was it an all over tan?
He was picturing Caleb lying naked in the sun when he realized that Caleb was looking at him wearing a wicked grin. Blood rushed to Gregory's face. He felt like Caleb knew what he was thinking; it was embarrassing. Why couldn't he like someone who was nice and liked him back?
Gregory was blushing. Caleb found that very interesting; just what had Greg been thinking about? Maybe all that friend stuff was more than wanting to be friends. This could be interesting.
"What were you thinking about just now?" Caleb smiled evilly at Gregory's discomfort. It would be fun anyway. Who had Greg been thinking about?
"Nothing." Greg knew that wasn't going to work. He could see that look in Caleb's eyes; he wouldn't let it go. Maybe he should just say it, tell him. No, how stupid would that be?
"I was wondering if you still enjoyed living with Anita and Micah." There, that took the smirk off Caleb's face. Gregory was relieved; he'd found something that distracted Caleb.
"Yeah, I love it." Caleb growled back. He was not going to have this conversation.
Gregory took a deep breathe and rushed on before he lost his nerve. "I thought, if you were ready to move out, that I could use a roommate, to help with expenses." He watched Caleb's sullen expression change slightly. "But if you're happy at Anita's?"
Gregory knew Caleb hated living with Anita, he bitched and moaned enough. Asking Caleb to share his apartment was a bad idea, he knew it, but it just came out. He didn't know if Caleb could afford even half the rent. Maybe there was a solution for that, too.
"Jean-Claude is looking for people to work at the Circus. He needs waiters at Danse Macabre." He knew Caleb hated his job and it didn't pay much. Jean-Claude expected a lot but he paid well, and preferred lycanthropes to humans. Caleb hadn't answered but he had a different expression on his face. He wasn't trying to figure out why Gregory had been embarrassed and he hadn't said no.
Caleb thought about how much he wanted out of Anita's house. If he got a better job he could afford to pay half of Greg's rent. Gregory's apartment was nicer than anything he could afford on his own. He looked at Gregory, thought about the way he moved, the way he looked on stage; that blush. Maybe there'd be other fringe benefits, too. Caleb smiled; maybe the day wasn't going to be a complete waste after all.
Caleb was sulking. Baby-sitter duty started earlier than he'd counted on. He never did get back to sleep. Nathaniel had errands to run, he had to go to the club to rehearse, and guess who the chauffeur was? They had to pick Gregory up on the way; his car wouldn't start. This wasn't helping out; this was slave labor. Now he had to sit at the club all afternoon. It wasn't fair. And Greg was talking to him. Why? He didn't understand Greg, didn't understand friends.
Greg was trying to have a conversation with Caleb and wondering why he bothered. Caleb was staring at the empty stage. So far everything Greg asked had received a one-word answer, a grunt, or a shrug from Mr. Personality. He stared at Caleb's dark curls. He liked the way they fell down around his eyes. Caleb was very dark, brown hair, brown eyes, brown skin; Greg wondered if it was natural or just a tan. Was it an all over tan?
He was picturing Caleb lying naked in the sun when he realized that Caleb was looking at him wearing a wicked grin. Blood rushed to Gregory's face. He felt like Caleb knew what he was thinking; it was embarrassing. Why couldn't he like someone who was nice and liked him back?
Gregory was blushing. Caleb found that very interesting; just what had Greg been thinking about? Maybe all that friend stuff was more than wanting to be friends. This could be interesting.
"What were you thinking about just now?" Caleb smiled evilly at Gregory's discomfort. It would be fun anyway. Who had Greg been thinking about?
"Nothing." Greg knew that wasn't going to work. He could see that look in Caleb's eyes; he wouldn't let it go. Maybe he should just say it, tell him. No, how stupid would that be?
"I was wondering if you still enjoyed living with Anita and Micah." There, that took the smirk off Caleb's face. Gregory was relieved; he'd found something that distracted Caleb.
"Yeah, I love it." Caleb growled back. He was not going to have this conversation.
Gregory took a deep breathe and rushed on before he lost his nerve. "I thought, if you were ready to move out, that I could use a roommate, to help with expenses." He watched Caleb's sullen expression change slightly. "But if you're happy at Anita's?"
Gregory knew Caleb hated living with Anita, he bitched and moaned enough. Asking Caleb to share his apartment was a bad idea, he knew it, but it just came out. He didn't know if Caleb could afford even half the rent. Maybe there was a solution for that, too.
"Jean-Claude is looking for people to work at the Circus. He needs waiters at Danse Macabre." He knew Caleb hated his job and it didn't pay much. Jean-Claude expected a lot but he paid well, and preferred lycanthropes to humans. Caleb hadn't answered but he had a different expression on his face. He wasn't trying to figure out why Gregory had been embarrassed and he hadn't said no.
Caleb thought about how much he wanted out of Anita's house. If he got a better job he could afford to pay half of Greg's rent. Gregory's apartment was nicer than anything he could afford on his own. He looked at Gregory, thought about the way he moved, the way he looked on stage; that blush. Maybe there'd be other fringe benefits, too. Caleb smiled; maybe the day wasn't going to be a complete waste after all.
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