Page 39 of ILY
I glower at that. A lifesaver indeed.
“Nice to meet you,” Clay says.
I feel myself grunt, and I can make out the sound of Leaf’s soft chuckle. He taps my arm again and signs without speaking, ‘I just need to talk to him about the harvest. If you want me to interpret…’
I shake my head. None of that is my business, and I very much doubt it has anything to do with Michael. ‘It’s fine,’ I sign back.
Leaf smiles at me, his eyes bright, before he and Clay move outside and onto the porch. I follow, unable to keep my eyes off the way the two of them speak to each other. Easy and free. Leaf doesn’t need to use his hands with this guy. This guy doesn’t have a disease that is slowly stripping his hearing away.
Didn’t Leaf say that he quit because he was burned out? And here I am, appearing in his life and forcing him to sign. Maybe the conversation they’re having is about how irritating my presence is for Leaf. It wouldn’t surprise me.
I sigh loudly without meaning to, and Leaf turns around, glancing at me. He immediately switches to ASL, and I wince. They reallyaretalking about the harvest, the apples, plans Clay has for the off-season.
Fuck. I should leave.
The cowboy leans over and chucks Leaf under the chin, making Leaf blush slightly as he regains his full attention.
Something twists in my gut, and I clench my fists at my sides.
“Come by anytime for a drink. I’ve been experimenting,” Leaf tells Clay as he squeezes Leaf’s shoulder. He keeps his hand there for far too long.
Clay grins at that, his eyes tracking the way Leaf smiles. He must catch me looming to the side because he just nods at me as he moves back through the house and disappears out the front door.
I don’t step from my place on the porch.
I should move. I should get in my car and go. I shouldn’t have come here in the first place, but my feet don’t move.
Leaf appears at my side before I can make any rash decisions and taps me on the shoulder. When I turn toward him, he offers me a soft smile.
‘Sorry about that,’ he signs. ‘Have to harvest the red grenades before they rot.’
I stare at him and then say, “He likes you.”
‘Of course he does. I’m his boss now. I pay him.’
I shake my head and add back in sign in case Clay is lurking nearby, ‘He wants to fuck you.’ I’m pretty sure I got those signs right from the way Leaf lets out a disbelieving laugh.
‘Clay?’
‘Yes.’ My fist shakes a little as it nods. God, this is so not like me.
He shakes his head and then sighs, running a hand over his giggling throat. ‘You’re hallucinating. Come on, let’s sit down.’
I don’t want to sit down. I want to leave, but my body does as he says.
I lower myself into a rickety chair and say, “I know what I saw. I’m not hallucinating.”
His giggles die off, and he nods solemnly. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to suggest you really were. I just…Clay has been around for ages. He doesn’t want to fuck me. He just feels sorry for me. This mess my aunt left me.’ I roll my eyes, and Leaf blushes and shakes his head again. ‘Understand, not many people want to fuck me. I think you’re one of the only people who wants anywhere near me.’
My head cocks, and my hands unclench on my thighs. ‘That’s not true.’ My hands move up to sign, my voice completely off. Leaf watches my hands move, and his eyes flick up to meet mine.
‘I like the way your hands move.’ He shifts on his feet. ‘I like your hands.’ He does a cute little sign, one where he pretendsto lick the tip of his fingers before emphasizing that last word. ‘Period.’
‘I like your hands too.’
‘My hands are quite talented.’
I know that. I’ve felt them wrapped around my dick, and the way he’s signing to me right now. Fucking fabulous.
