Duet in Blood Read Online Free Page B

me for someone he’d met at the gym, someone who shared his interests. Someone who wasn’t content just to stay home every night, but who knew how to enjoy life. Someone like me, before I met you, Robert , I’d thought.
    Funny thing was that I had known it was going to happen. I don’t know how or why, but I’ve always had this innate knowledge of when something life-changing was going to happen to me. Several times throughout my life, I’ve had premonitions of events that have later taken place. Like when my father died so suddenly…
    “Shit,” I muttered, wiping my eyes. “I’ve got to get outta here.”
    Maybe Rhonda who lived in the apartment above me would like to take in a movie.
    Rhonda had been so terrific to me when Robert left, spending hours just talking to me, telling me Robert was the loser, and it wouldn’t be long before I’d realise that and start dating again.
    Even though I hadn’t believed a word of it, I valued the encouragement and the friendship.
    But who was I kidding? It was Saturday night, and Rhonda would be out painting the town all shades of red.
    Walking quickly into the bathroom, I turned on the hot shower spray. Maybe if I
    spruced up a little and went out for a drink, I might run into a friendly face—maybe even someone I knew. There had to be one or two friends left somewhere. That’s the trouble with committed relationships, people you used to hang with suddenly disappeared—especially the single ones.
    What happened to Ron? I wondered. We used to spend so much time together…good times, too. I wondered if he still managed that Italian restaurant—I must have his number somewhere.
    Drying myself, I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I’d be twenty-five in three weeks and apart from the ‘melancholy baby’ aura, I guess I still looked okay. I’m just a little less than six feet. My hair is reddish blond, thick and wavy. My eyes, when they’re not bloodshot from crying, are a clear, light blue, and my mouth is full and wide.
    Robert used to call it truly kissable.
    DUET IN BLOOD
    J.P. Bowie
    22
     
    Pushing that thought from my mind, I tried smiling. It looked more like a grimace.
    Gotta perk up if you want someone to pass the time of day, or night, with you , I told my reflection.
    After applying a spicy deodorant and a splash of cologne, I pulled on a pair of my favourite blue jeans and a black cotton tee. Shoes or boots? Sneakers, I decided.
    I spiked up my hair up a bit, picked up my keys and billfold then headed for the door, wishing I felt more into this than I really was.
     

     
    The Blue Moon was fairly crowded when I sauntered in, trying to look cool and
    unattainable.
    “What’ll it be?” The bartender gave me an appraising look. He was cute.
    “Michelob light.”
    “Comin’ up.” He smiled as he passed the bottle across the bar. He let his fingers linger on mine for just a second as he took the five I proffered, and I grew warm. I smiled back at him, before moving away into the crowd, my eyes scanning the people around me while I looked for a familiar face. A strange sensation stole over me, and my senses came to full alert.
    Someone, somewhere near, was waiting for me.
    I shivered slightly as I looked around, and that’s when I saw him, standing in a far corner. Tall, built, wide shoulders, dark, almost black hair cut short, military style. He wore a white tee that showed his honed physique to great effect, and even from where I was standing, I could see he had the most beautiful eyes I’d ever seen on any man. They were startlingly clear grey eyes, and when they met mine across the crowded room, I felt myself go slack-jawed with awe. He didn’t look like he should be standing alone in a gay bar—he was way too good looking to be on his own. I hung back, expecting some other dreamboat to come out of the men’s room at any moment and make a beeline for him. Amazingly, that didn’t happen. Even more amazingly, he smiled—at me.
    I thought I