The Paranaturalist by Ki Brightly

Author:Ki Brightly [Brightly, Ki]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gay romance
ISBN: 978-1-63477-282-2
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2016-06-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

Owen Watson

I HATE the church. There aren’t many people in the rows when we enter the heavy double wooden doors at the back instead of crashing into a soft bed together. Okay, the together part is wishful thinking, but bed would be good. St. Paul’s. It’s beautiful in an ornamental, overdone fashion that makes me think someone was intent on buying their way into heaven when it was designed. The walls are heavy, somber stone. Saints and an abused Jesus stare at us with unseeing eyes from stations around the room while the brilliant morning sun streams through stained-glass windows intent on wiping out every trace of natural light to replace it with something holier.

When did nature become the enemy? I want to be pissed about it, being here. A strange embarrassment works its way through me. I’d hate it if any of my friends saw me. I don’t do the church thing. I’m a pagan—fuck, I usually claim Heathen—for what that’s worth, even though the whole soft or hard polytheist debate makes me want to jam a screwdriver into my brain and stir. I renounced the very idea of the validity of this sort of institution years ago.

Yet I’m walking along at Joe’s side because he wants to be here.

I should get out now. How can there ever be an us if this is something he needs?

He’s beautiful in the soft light, all dark eyes lit with the happiness of one of his small, surprised smiles. I’m trapped in his current. He’s too much of a mystery. I’ll never be able to leave him alone. And he feels so, so good when he’s in my arms. We aren’t touching now. Wish we were.

The aura of the place is thick with discontent, a barbell on my head, but he’s relaxed here and happy enough to slip into the pew farthest back in the vestibule. Frankincense hangs thick in the air, which is actually kind of nice after the night we’ve had. As cleansing as it is, I can’t fully enjoy it with the need for sleep demanding I lay my head on Joe’s shoulder to snuggle in for a nap.

I sit up straight beside him. It would almost be worth it for Briony to see me here so I could watch her faint dead away. I grin to myself, and he shifts next to me. I’m struck by the urge to be closer to him, so I stretch my arm along the back of the pew. The young priest standing at the front of the church, barricaded into his sanctity by a railing and lectern to keep us lesser folks out, doesn’t notice, or maybe doesn’t care because no one stops the service to point at the gay guys in back. The man drones on, and I don’t understand a thing. Maybe he hasn’t had his coffee yet?

“Why couldn’t we have come tomorrow?” I whisper into Joe’s ear. He turns his head slightly to frown at me as the Latin of the service in progress rolls over us.

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