November Rain Read Online Free PDF Page B

must have some meat in there somewhere.
    â€œYou sure you’re not upset about the wedding?”
    â€œChrist, Dan. I got shot. That’s what I’m pissed about. Oh, and because you showed up without calling.” Emotion rose in his throat. Joe was pissed about everything—especially the fact that his leg hurt like a motherfucker and Dan was in the way of Joe getting some food in his stomach.
    â€œWell, sorry for caring.” Dan set a coffee on Joe’s microwave. “I brought you a latté, by the way. Don’t thank me.”
    â€œYou know I can’t drink coffee.”
    â€œOh, please.” Dan waved off Joe’s aggression, though the tension in his lips said he was more annoyed than he was letting on. “I came to see if you needed any help. I’m still your emergency contact, you know? The hospital called me yesterday.”
    Ah. So that was how Dan had heard about this in the first place. Nice that he hadn’t bothered to come over last night, when Joe might have liked some groceries or some dinner.
    â€œCan I get you anything?” Dan peered around Joe’s kitchen, not hiding the way his nose curled in disgust. Though his income from staging houses wasn’t any higher than Joe’s, Dan had always had a taste for the finer things in life. “I have to work, but I could stop by later.”
    Joe thought through all the things he needed. The list was too long to give Dan. Anyway, he didn’t want to deal with his ex again. It was painful enough seeing him now—looking dapper with his new highlights and designer jeans.
    â€œNo. I’m good.” Joe could make it another day or two on his own. “Seriously. I need to get dressed…” Joe limped forward. “If you don’t mind…”
    â€œAre you kicking me out?” Dan put his hands on his hips. “Seriously, Joe, what is your problem? Look at this place. It’s a mess.”
    Joe’s jaw tightened. “I’m fine.” He hobbled to his secondhand dresser with the Nordstrom bag on top. To hammer home how badly he wanted Dan gone, Joe pulled out the fire-engine-red underwear.
    Dan cleared his throat. “Oh, well, I can go if you’re busy.”
    Just then, footsteps in the hallway stopped in front of Joe’s door. Joe groaned—what was his place, the Space Needle? He’d gone nine months without bringing home so much as a trick, and now all manner of people felt welcome.
    Unfortunately, Dan had already gone to open it.
    â€œI’m sorry?” The voice behind the door was slightly feminine with a formal edge.
    Though Joe was in no shape to be entertaining a twenty-something in his bed, he still smiled to hear Elias’s nervousness.
    â€œOh. I see you are feeling better.” Dan made a little snorting noise under his breath.
    â€œI brought milk,” Elias said from the threshold.
    â€œThanks, hon.” Joe called him a pet name to piss off Dan. “You’re a sweetheart.” Joe went to the door.
    â€œCall me if you need anything…from me.” Dan’s expression had hardened to a scowl.
    Joe smirked, loving how Dan’s face had gone red with jealousy. “Thanks. I’ll let you know if I do.”Chapter Five
    The man at Joe’s apartment was around Joe’s age and had broad shoulders and fair hair that had thinned at the temples. Elias wondered if he and Joe were lovers.
    â€œSee you next weekend,” the man said once he’d passed Elias and was in the hall.
    Joe shrugged. “Yeah, I’ll see if I can make it.” He glanced at Elias, eyes heavy lidded and suggestive. “I might be busy.”
    Joe’s friend snickered. “Asshole.” Then he went down the hallway, leaving Elias unsure what he’d overheard.
    â€œSorry if I interrupted.” Stupidly, Elias held up the grocery bag filled with milk, cold cuts and a few apples he’d thought might be good