Chapter 13

At

the front door to the building, they paused. “That was wonderful,” Nuri said.

“Your voices. Have you always been so good?”

“Good

at what?”

“You’re

a natural mimic. The children loved it.”

“The

children loved attention,” Eddy scoffed.

Nuri

laughed. “And do you?”

“Do

I…what?” Nuri’s face was suddenly very close to his. Eddy wondered how many

brain cells he’d sacrificed to the raki’s heart-warming properties. His

stammered words sounded dimmer than the security light over the front door, so

covered in grime it barely lit the porch, and on damp nights was covered with

the spooky shadows of flattened spiders.

Nuri’s

lips touched his, and the turmoil in Eddy’s mind sighed and slowed. Eddy had

time to take a deep breath, savour the warm, earthy smell of Nuri’s skin, and

then they were kissing deeply. He instinctively opened his mouth to let in

Nuri’s tongue. Much better than imagining Arachnophobiain the narrow,