line of tension between Ren’s eyes. What
was he thinking that had him so worried?
“And you found one spot to study and never saw the rest of
the stores’ treasures.”
“Ah, but that just gives me a chance to come back and look
some more.”
“Do you need an excuse?” Ren asked as he moved away from the
window.
“Sometimes we need a reason. What we want and what we will
allow ourselves are not always the same.” What excuse did Ren need? If Adam
knew, he’d give it to him, then they could move past Ren’s resistance.
“I suppose you are right. Humans rationalize.”
That pensive look was back, marring Ren’s beautiful face.
That wouldn’t do at all. Time to offer a distraction.
“Come on. Let’s go see what we can find.” Adam started down
an aisle. The back corner looked particularly appealing today. Ren’s hand on
his arm stopped him.
“No, not there.” The expression on Ren’s face was strange,
almost scared. “Come walk through the store with me instead.”
Adam glanced back at the corner, struck by a strange
certainty that something wonderful awaited him there.
Another look at his companion assured him something
wonderful awaited him there as well.
He turned and followed Ren.
“So, what treasures have you found while wandering the other
stores?” he asked, picking his way through the crowded displays.
“Angels,” Ren answered, stopping to examine some archaic bit
of kitchen equipment.
“Do you collect them?”
“You could say I have an interest. What is this thing?” The
item Ren held had a large wooden knob, with long grooves leading the way to a
point on one end and a sturdy-looking handle on the other. Adam’s mind was
flooded with pornographic images that had him snickering like a
twelve-year-old.
“There’s a tag,” he said, fighting back the laughter. “Does
it say anything?”
Ren caught the slip of paper between his elegant fingers.
“This is apparently a juicer.”
“Oh, yes. That’s one of the best juicers you can buy.”
They turned to face the sturdily built shopkeeper picking
her way through the clutter toward them. She moved between the men and took the
tool from Ren. Adam did his best to stifle his amusement.
“A juicer? I’ve, ah, never seen one quite like this before.”
Adam rubbed a hand over his face to cover his grin.
“Oh, they don’t make them like this anymore, but I promise
you, nothing reams out a fruit like this baby.” She brandished it like a sword,
thrusting it in front of her and giving it a savage twist.
Adam choked.
“Are you okay, sir?” The shopkeeper stared at him, wide-eyed
behind her thick glasses. Behind her Ren bore a similar puzzled expression.
“F-Fine,” he sputtered. He forced a cough and tried to clear
his throat.
“If you need anything just let me know.” She placed the
juicer on a table and wandered toward the front of the store, throwing a glance
over her shoulder as she went.
“I know your mind was not on orange juice, but I think I’ve missed
the joke.” Ren picked up the tool once more and examined it with much more
speculation in his eyes.
“Maybe I’ll explain later. When we’re alone.” He took the
juicer from Ren and they moved on to the next booth, one done up with a
Christmas theme. Complete with a decorated tree. The Victorian angel on top
caught Ren’s attention and he moved around the tree, craning his head for a
better look at it.
Adam didn’t know what distracted him. A glint of light that
shouldn’t be there, a whisper of sound so faint he couldn’t even be sure he
heard it. Ren stepped in the booth to study a table of Christmas decorations
but Adam stood rooted, unable to move away from the beguiling call of…
What was it?
Something in the back corner drew him. A gleam, or maybe a
whisper. He couldn’t say for sure when he moved, when he left Ren, but he found
himself in the corner, surrounded by a mismatched collection of items.
There, on a low shelf, behind an old
was he thinking that had him so worried?
“And you found one spot to study and never saw the rest of
the stores’ treasures.”
“Ah, but that just gives me a chance to come back and look
some more.”
“Do you need an excuse?” Ren asked as he moved away from the
window.
“Sometimes we need a reason. What we want and what we will
allow ourselves are not always the same.” What excuse did Ren need? If Adam
knew, he’d give it to him, then they could move past Ren’s resistance.
“I suppose you are right. Humans rationalize.”
That pensive look was back, marring Ren’s beautiful face.
That wouldn’t do at all. Time to offer a distraction.
“Come on. Let’s go see what we can find.” Adam started down
an aisle. The back corner looked particularly appealing today. Ren’s hand on
his arm stopped him.
“No, not there.” The expression on Ren’s face was strange,
almost scared. “Come walk through the store with me instead.”
Adam glanced back at the corner, struck by a strange
certainty that something wonderful awaited him there.
Another look at his companion assured him something
wonderful awaited him there as well.
He turned and followed Ren.
“So, what treasures have you found while wandering the other
stores?” he asked, picking his way through the crowded displays.
“Angels,” Ren answered, stopping to examine some archaic bit
of kitchen equipment.
“Do you collect them?”
“You could say I have an interest. What is this thing?” The
item Ren held had a large wooden knob, with long grooves leading the way to a
point on one end and a sturdy-looking handle on the other. Adam’s mind was
flooded with pornographic images that had him snickering like a
twelve-year-old.
“There’s a tag,” he said, fighting back the laughter. “Does
it say anything?”
Ren caught the slip of paper between his elegant fingers.
“This is apparently a juicer.”
“Oh, yes. That’s one of the best juicers you can buy.”
They turned to face the sturdily built shopkeeper picking
her way through the clutter toward them. She moved between the men and took the
tool from Ren. Adam did his best to stifle his amusement.
“A juicer? I’ve, ah, never seen one quite like this before.”
Adam rubbed a hand over his face to cover his grin.
“Oh, they don’t make them like this anymore, but I promise
you, nothing reams out a fruit like this baby.” She brandished it like a sword,
thrusting it in front of her and giving it a savage twist.
Adam choked.
“Are you okay, sir?” The shopkeeper stared at him, wide-eyed
behind her thick glasses. Behind her Ren bore a similar puzzled expression.
“F-Fine,” he sputtered. He forced a cough and tried to clear
his throat.
“If you need anything just let me know.” She placed the
juicer on a table and wandered toward the front of the store, throwing a glance
over her shoulder as she went.
“I know your mind was not on orange juice, but I think I’ve missed
the joke.” Ren picked up the tool once more and examined it with much more
speculation in his eyes.
“Maybe I’ll explain later. When we’re alone.” He took the
juicer from Ren and they moved on to the next booth, one done up with a
Christmas theme. Complete with a decorated tree. The Victorian angel on top
caught Ren’s attention and he moved around the tree, craning his head for a
better look at it.
Adam didn’t know what distracted him. A glint of light that
shouldn’t be there, a whisper of sound so faint he couldn’t even be sure he
heard it. Ren stepped in the booth to study a table of Christmas decorations
but Adam stood rooted, unable to move away from the beguiling call of…
What was it?
Something in the back corner drew him. A gleam, or maybe a
whisper. He couldn’t say for sure when he moved, when he left Ren, but he found
himself in the corner, surrounded by a mismatched collection of items.
There, on a low shelf, behind an old
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