Stephanie Vaughan

Excerpt: "Strictly Halloween"

"What do you mean? Who's checking who out?"

Valerie must've decided to take pity on him, because she kept her
voice uncharacteristically low and confidential. "The booth to your
right, about three o'clock. Two guys and a girl; a couple of
parental-looking types with them. Dark-haired guy with glasses
keeps checking you out and you act like he's not even there, you
dog."

"Huh? Where?" Fighting the urge to whip his head around, Danny
eased back in his chair.

Slowly, ever so casually, sweeping his gaze to his right, it wasn't
hard to locate the group Valerie had described. A middle-aged
couple sat flanked by a younger pair Danny judged slightly older
than his own twenty-five and a single dark-haired guy wearing
glasses. It took an extra couple of seconds to identify where he'd
seen the familiar-looking profile, because Aaron hadn't been wearing
glasses when they'd met in the living room of Danny's new
apartment.

He was now, though, and Danny was beginning to realize just how
pleasing the fit of Aaron's thin green t-shirt was over slender
shoulders when Aaron looked up and caught Danny staring.
Cautiously, as though half expecting rejection, a small smile
appeared at the corners of Aaron's lips. A subtle nod of the head
followed, accompanied by brows lifted in recognition.

Cool.

Aaron's responses the night they'd met had been restrained, to say
the least, and Danny'd been too tired to press. But tonight he was
picking up a very-definitely-interested vibe. Gaze flicking toward the
back of the restaurant, where the restrooms and door to the patio
were, Aaron's eyebrow rose questioningly.

Already pushing his chair away from the table, Danny nodded briefly
and turned to Valerie, aiming for a casual tone. "Um, turns out I
know him. I'm just gonna go say hi."

"Go get him, killer." Valerie was smiling broadly, but it was Dina who
held up her hand.

"Hold on. Just hold on a second." Rummaging first in her purse, her
eyes lit up as she reached across the table to press something into
Danny's hand. "Be careful. And we want a full report after, got it?"

Danny didn't have to look to see what Dina'd passed him. The
characteristic serrated plastic edges scraped his skin as he curled
his fingers around the sealed plastic packet of a single condom.

Looking first at what he held in his hand, then into their upturned
faces, Danny scowled back at their expectant expressions. "You're a
couple of sick individuals, you know that?"

"Maybe. But we're looking out for you, hon."

He glanced over to where Aaron was telling the older woman
something before getting up from the table. Looking his way briefly
first, Aaron headed for the door to the patio, where the baking heat
of the summer afternoon hadn't yet given way to the cooler
temperatures of evening.

Danny shoved the condom deep into his pants pocket, tugging his
shirt down to cover it up. They meant well, but he didn't need
people pushing him into things he wasn't ready for.

Aaron was just an acquaintance.

He barely knew the guy.

All they were going to do was just talk.

***

© 2007, Stephanie Vaughan, Torquere Press
All Rights Reserved

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