按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃That's okay。 I don't actually want to drink any。〃 Zach crossed to the coffee maker； pulled the pot out of the metal apparatus that kept it at sub…boiling point； and passed it slowly back and forth beneath his nose。 Hot bitter steam wafted into his face； moistened his tired eyes。 He felt microscopic particles of caffeine traveling up his nostrils； into his lungs； out through the interfaces of his bloodstream and straight into the hard drive of his weary brain。
His heart gave a jump and began beating faster。 The rush made his mouth dry。 As he grabbed a bottle of mineral water out of the cooler； he found himself wondering why a cute kid who read GQ and knew about Hawaiian Kona coffee was working at a Bread Basket in Pass Christian； Mississippi。
At the register； Zach set his drink on the counter； added a lighter （patterned in gaudy pink and black zigzags； but no rebel flag）； and pulled out his wallet。 He hadn't tried to access any of his various bank accounts before he left town； knowing that all of them could be watched。 And he could get more。 He'd only brought the stash of ready cash he kept for an emergency such as this； he had always known that he might have to bail out someday； and that he would have to do it fast。 Now he found that the smallest bill in his wallet was a hundred。
〃Can't change it；〃 Leaf said apologetically。 〃They only let me keep fifty dollars in the register after ten； and I haven't had shit for business。〃
〃I'm really thirsty。〃
〃Well…〃
Zach caught the other boy's eyes with his own and held them。 Leafs eyes were long and slightly tilted； gimlet eyes； the same warm honey…gold as his hair。 〃Just give me the stuff；〃 he suggested。 〃I'll get you stoned。〃
This was a simplified version of a hacker technique known as social engineering。 It could be used to reassure an operator that she was talking to a bona…fide telco technician； it was good for all manner of scamming； impersonation； and general fraud。 This cute clerk was no challenge at all。 The seeds of rebellion were already planted。 Zach could see the kid mulling it over； talking himself into it。
He leaned an elbow on the counter and offered his most charming smile。 〃What do you say？〃
〃Well 。 。 。 oh； fuck it。 Take whatever you want。 I don't care。 I'm quitting soon anyway。〃
〃Thanks。 That's real neighborly of you。〃 Zach whisked the lighter into his pocket； cracked the mineral water open； and took a long gulp。 It tasted flat and dead； but then he was used to the carcinogenic soup that passed for tapwater in New Orleans。 Plenty of flavor in that。
Leaf snorted。 〃Neighborly。 Like you live in Mississippi。 I'll bet you're from New York or something。〃
Zach hadn't heard that one before。 People sometimes thought he was part Oriental…a fact that amused Eddy no end…but no one had ever accused him of being from New York。
He decided the idea appealed to him。 〃Well； yeah；〃 he admitted。 〃How'd you know？〃
〃The way you talk。 And you don't look like you're from around here。 The only other place you could've e from is New Orleans。〃
〃Never been there。〃 In a burst of inspiration； Zach added； 〃Yet。 It's where I'm headed。〃
Their eyes met again and locked。 For an instant Zach imagined that Leaf was able to look straight into his brain； to see the lie arid the convoluted reason behind it； the miles he had already run and all the miles still ahead。 But Zach knew that was not true。
And even if it were； he could see in those warm honeycolored eyes that this kid wouldn't care。
Leaf accepted Zach's offer and locked up the store； and they went into the back room to smoke one of the joints Zach had rolled for the trip。 Leaf lounged on a crate of toilet paper； long legs sprawled before him。 There was a small defiant hole in one knee of the faded jeans he wore with his uniform shirt。 The skin beneath was downed with fine gold hairs。
Zach leaned against the opposite wall watching Leaf's nervous gestures； tasting Leaf's lips on the joint。 The stockroom of a convenience store in Mississippi seemed a stupid place to get waylaid this early in the trip。 But the damn kid was making his mouth water。
〃I'm quitting tomorrow；〃 Leaf said after his third toke。 〃I hate this fuckin' place。〃
〃What are you doing here； anyway？〃
〃I'm an art student in Jackson。 Photography。 I was supposed to spend the summer here taking pictures； preserving the goddamn history or something。 But it sucks。 None of the rednecks know anything and none of the rich old farts will even talk to me。 I don't know which stuff is supposed to be important。 I guess I'll fail my project。〃
〃Can't you do some research？〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Go to the library； find out where people lived； what houses are haunted； that kind of thing。 Most of the old newspapers are probably on microfilm。〃
Leaf looked up at Zach。 The whites of his eyes were shot with a faint scarlet tracery of veins； but the irises and pupils were heartbreakingly clear。 〃I'm a totally visual person；〃 he said。 〃I hate reading。〃
Zach bit his tongue hard； dug his fingernails into the soft meat of his palms。 That was the kind of casual statement that could send his blood pressure rocketing if he let it。 But now it produced only a faint twinge in his heart； like a filament stretched to the breaking point。 So the kid was vapid； so much the better。 It made things easy； and Zach would never have to see him again after tonight。 〃You hate all kinds of stuff；〃 he said。
Leaf shrugged。 〃I guess。〃
〃Tell me something you like。〃
This was evidently a tough one。 Zach could see the kid sifting through possibilities； rejecting them one by one。 〃I like the beach；〃 he said finally。 〃I never go in the water； but I like to sit on the sand and stare out to sea。 It makes me feel like I'm looking into infinity。 You know？〃
A screen full of scrolling numbers flashed through Zach's head。 He nodded。
〃I like sleeping。〃
Another nod； this one coupled with the barest suggestion of a shrug。 Tell me something I couldn't have guessed。
〃I like you okay。〃
They had both known they weren't just locking themselves back here to smoke a joint； but the rest of their agenda had to be obliquely tested； so that no one would lose face。 Zach knew the game and approved。 He smiled and raised an eyebrow； waited for more。
〃Oh； just e over here and let's fuck。〃
Now that was Zach's idea of an excellent pickup line。 He slid across to the case of toilet paper and suddenly Leaf was upon him； face pressed up against his； one hand slipping under his T…shirt； the other squeezing his leg beneath his loose cutoffs。 Leafs mouth found his and closed over it； hot little tongue probing and searching； piney flavor of the weed still on his lips。 His spidery hands flew over Zach's skin as if trying to memorize its warmth and texture。 His touch was starving； frantic。 The poor kid probably hadn't been laid all summer。
Zach pushed him gently back against the wall； unbuttoned the tacky polyester uniform； stroked the boy's smooth chest and the hollow of his rib cage； managed to calm him down a little。 He kissed the side of Leafs throat； the pulse that beat there was as agitated as his own。 The skin smelled of soap and salt； tasted of clean sweat。
Leaf slid to the concrete floor and sprawled between Zach's knees； pressed his face into Zach's stomach and mumbled something unintelligible。 Zach cupped the boy's chin； tilted the sharp feral face up to his own。 〃What did you say？〃
〃I want to make you e。〃
〃How？〃
Those exotic honey…colored eyes tried to meet his； then wavered。 Leaf wasn't used to talking dirty。 〃How？〃 he asked again。
〃I want to suck your dick。〃
The words increased his desire； made him ache and burn。 〃Go on；〃 Zach said through clenched teeth。 〃Just do it。〃
The boy's hands fumbled with the button fly of Zach's pants； friction driving his hard…on nearly to the point of pain。 Then all at once Leafs hot mouth slid onto him； then pulled all the way back to a teasing； flickering tongue…tip； then swallowed him deeper yet。 Zach felt the pot and pleasure swirling in his skull； deliciously mingling。 God love the kid； it turned out he knew what he was doing after all。
Zach always appreciated it when people surprised him。
Twenty minutes later； stocked up with a handful of lighters； a sixpack of mineral； water； and two bags of jalapeno potato chips； Zach renewed his acquaintance with Highway 90。 It would take him through Biloxi； through the tag…end of Alabama； and all the way to Pensacola in another hour or two。 After that； he thought； he would get off 90 but keep heading east； all the way to the coast of the Atlantic Ocean。 Somewhere； he knew； there was a beach that was clean。
Leaf hadn't asked him to stay overnight； hadn't seemed put out in the slightest by the encounter。 After getting each other off they had rested together for a few minutes； embracing loosely； catching their breaths。 Zach had spent the moments appreciating the spare； elegant lines of the boy's face and body； admiring the sheen of his silky hair in the half…light of the storeroom。 Then by some silent mutual consent they rose and pulled their clothes together a