A Memory Away Read Online Free Page A

ignored him and frowned in surprise when he found himself looking down at the picture of an infant rather than a picture of Kyle and some other guy as he had half been expecting. His pre-dawn musings had led him to the theory of a recent break-up, which then morphed into a bad break-up. That had turned into a crazed ex hell bent on a campaign of terror to force a stricken Kyle back into his abusive arms which would then – naturally – lead to Jonah storming to the rescue and having a grateful Kyle Gerritsen hurl himself into Jonah’s studly arms and offer up his inexplicably hot body so that Jonah could work off his puzzling attraction to him.
Jonah had quietly resolved to start considering de-caff and maybe making more of an effort to get back to sleep after one of his episodes – they were obviously having a completely whacked out effect on his mind.
He glanced up at Kyle with a curious expression and was startled by the pale, stricken look on the other man’s face. “It’s a baby.”
Kyle opened his mouth soundlessly and then closed it again.
Completely at a loss as to why Kyle was staring at him like he was expecting to be facing a firing squad at any moment, Jonah looked back at the picture and squinted doubtfully down at it. “Cute.” In truth the kid looked like a small, angry prune wrapped in white wool but Jonah had learned over the years not to share his opinions of other people’s kids after an unfortunate incident with an assistant ME that led to him being chased out of a mortuary and Jennifer Crawford swearing if he ever spoke to her again she would give him an up close and personal experience of an autopsy – whilst he was still breathing. “Got a name?”
Looking like he wanted to pass out, Kyle stared helplessly at him and forced himself to croak, “Shea. His name is Shea.”
“Right.” Shrugging, Jonah casually replaced the frame back on the desk and scowled when Kyle still stared at him like he was expecting imminent death. “Chill out, dude, I wasn’t going to do anything to it. It’s all good.” He frowned harder when Kyle remained frozen in place and said, “He your brother or something?”
“I...” Kyle’s eyes flickered down to Shea’s picture and then back up to Jonah’s face. He really, really wanted to lie but couldn’t bring himself to deny his son not even in the midst of his almost overwhelming fright. He shook his head and squared his shoulders, praying his voice wouldn’t sound as shaky as he suspected it would. “He’s mine. My son.” He drew himself up further when Jonah’s eyebrows shot north again in surprise and repeated firmly, “Shea is my son.”
Feeling his jaw drop, Jonah stared incredulously. “No shit?” He picked up the frame again, ignoring once again Kyle’s yip of protest, and looked at it more closely. “Doesn’t look much like you.” He glanced up at Kyle’s milk white face again and felt a stab of bewilderment at the wide eyed expression on the other man’s face. “You don’t seem....” He bit off ‘the type’ that wanted to trip off his tongue and finished awkwardly, “Old enough. You don’t look old enough to have a kid.” In fact, he thought privately, Kyle looked barely old enough to be out of high school let alone have his own obviously successful business and a child of his own.
Kyle stared helplessly at him and then at the frame still held in his hand.
“Well, okay.” Keeping his eyes on the other man as he realised that Kyle wasn’t going to answer him Jonah replaced the frame on the desk and nodded shortly. “I think I got all I need for now.” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder and said, “I’ll see myself out.” He felt a stab of annoyance at the look of almost pathetic relief on Kyle’s face and told himself it was only that which made him add ominously, “I’ll be back.”
Kyle waited until the door closed behind him before giving into the weakness in his legs, collapsing into his chair, and burying his