Read Jade Archer - Sandpipers 2 - Raven's Mark for Free Online Page B

know.”
“Please?”
“I’m not… I mean I’m n-not sure.”
“Just a drink.” Mark locked eyes with him, but instead of feeling intimidated and trapped, Raven found the steady gaze reassuring somehow…which only added to his confusion. “Come on, it’s too nice a day to be heading home yet.”
“Just…a drink?” Raven asked, battling doubt and insecurity. Much as he wanted to relax, maybe even trust Mark, neither came easily to Raven.
Mark smiled again and Raven felt the heat right up to the tips of his ears. Embarrassment and an odd, unexpected wash of pleasure fought for dominance inside him.
“Promise.” Mark used his finger to draw a cross over his heart…just the way he’d done the day before when he’d made his promise to Ryan. “We can sit in the park.”
As Mark pointed out the park across the road with its huge shade trees and convenient picnic shelters, Raven studied his face, looking hard for any hint that Mark was making fun of him or had some malicious intent. But there was no mockery. No spiteful glint in his eyes. There was just Mark staring back at him—open, honest, hopeful and maybe just a touch anxious, as if worried he might be knocked back.
Oddly enough, the touch of uncertainty was what gave Raven the extra shot of courage he needed.
“I-I think I’d l-like that.”
Mark’s expression—a potent mix of relief and delight—filled Raven up with a strange, warm pleasure from deep inside right through to the tiny hairs that stood up on his arms in heightened awareness.
“What would you like? My treat.”
“Um…just w-w-water, please.”
After paying the woman behind the stall and collecting two bottles of water, Mark led them across to the park and one of the bench seats sheltered from the sun under the sprawling branches of the trees.
“So, have you lived in Riversands long?” Mark asked, handing across one of the clear plastic bottles before cracking the lid on his own.
Raven watched, mesmerised as Mark tipped his head back and swallowed the water in long pulls, his throat muscles working in fascinating waves.
“No,” Raven finally managed, distracted by a bead of sweat that trickled down the strong column of Mark’s neck. “We…ah… We m-moved here about eight months ago. From Ch-Ch-Chicago.”
Even as the last word finally slipped out, Raven wanted to bite his own careless tongue off. He hadn’t planned on telling anyone where he’d come from. Ever. Just because he didn’t want to have anything to do with his old life, didn’t mean it wouldn’t try to track him down and drag them back.
“Wow. That’s a big move. You like it here?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t miss the windy city?”
Raven shook his head, hiding the fact his throat was too tight to answer by taking a sip of water. Every bad memory he had started there. From the first time he could remember being teased for stuttering to the bitterly cold morning he’d sneaked out of the house he’d been sharing with his drug and alcohol dependant brother. He’d packed up his dilapidated old hatchback and started driving, determined never to look back.
And with any luck the whole sordid, messy past would stay there, far away from him and Ryan.
“So how long were you in Chicago?”
“I g-grew up there.” Desperately wanting to change the subject, Raven cleared his throat. “Why are you d-doing this?”
“Doing what?”
“This.” Raven indicated the two of them sitting together with a wave of his hand. “Asking me to j-join you for a drink. T-talking to me.”
Mark studied him for a moment, as though wondering if Raven was ready for the answer. “Honestly?”
Raven nodded but he still wasn’t really prepared for Mark’s reply.
“I like you.”
Raven blinked.
“But—” Really and truly it didn’t make sense to him. Mark was the kind of goodlooking, self-assured man who would never have to go home alone if he didn’t want to. Why pick out someone so obviously messed up to hang around with? “You