"Simon R. Green - Nightside 1 - Drinking Midnight Wine" - читать интересную книгу автора (Green Simon R)

Womanly, lovely, warm. As if he could curl up with her and be safe and happy for ever. As if she
was the other half of his life, and could finally make him complete. Sexy, but in a calm,
unhurried way. Confident, as though she no longer felt she had to prove anything. In fact, for
first thing on a Saturday morning, she looked pretty damned amazing. All of which made Toby feel
even more scruffy. His leather jacket creaked loudly as he shifted in his seat, and for one
horrible moment he thought he'd farted. He quickly took the jacket off and draped it over the back
of his chair.
'You came to me from the magical world,' Gayle said suddenly.
'When you passed through my door, you were translated back into reality. I felt it. How are you
finding the magical world?'
'Confusing.'
'Understandable. I have always preferred to live in the real world as much as possible. Also I
usually prefer to keep my own company, in my time off. How did you find me?'
'Carys Galloway told me where you live.' Toby felt a little easier now they were on neutral
ground. 'She said I was a focal point. That you and I were fated to be together.' Once he'd
started talking he couldn't stop, and he actually blushed as he heard himself say the bit about
fate. It sounded appallingly arrogant. 'Fated to meet, I mean. This morning. Here.'
'If the Waking Beauty sent you here, then there must be a purpose to this meeting.' Gayle frowned.
'Damn it. I really didn't need more complications just now. And focal points are always trouble.
For everyone.'
Toby almost jumped out of his skin as something brushed against his leg. He looked down and found
that a large tabby cat was rubbing itself against him with sensual thoroughness. He smiled and
reached down to scratch its head, and it purred loudly, pushing up against his hand. Toby looked
round the kitchen, and suddenly it seemed that the whole room was full of cats. There had to be at
least a dozen of them, of varying types and colours, all of them looking rather... well, battered,
really. Knocked about by life. Gayle smiled at them all.
'I collect strays. They turn up out of nowhere, the products of bad lives and worse luck, and I


file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/Sim...side%201%20-%20Drinking%20Midnight%20Wine.txt (30 of 118) [10/16/2004 5:28:20 PM]
 file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/Simon%20R.%20Green%20-%20Nightside%201%20-%20Drinking%20Midnight%20Wine.txt

haven't the heart to turn them away. They come and they go, but there are always more to replace
those who leave. I seem to attract strays.' She looked at Toby, but he didn't get the point. She
sighed quietly. 'What do you want from me, Toby?'
Love. Sex. Walking hand in hand for the rest of our days, under a perfect blue sky, with all the
birds singing...
That was what Toby wanted to say, but he couldn't, so he played for time by looking round the
kitchen again. He couldn't believe how clean it was. His kitchen always looked... lived-in. He
noticed abruptly that there was a lacy black bra lying crumpled beside the sink where his flowers
were, and he looked quickly away, obscurely embarrassed. Gayle sighed again, and poured him a cup
of tea. It smelled sharp and clean, with a hint of herbs he didn't recognise. He reached out to
take the cup she handed him and there was a definite spark as their fingers touched. Toby saw
Gayle's eyes widen just a little, and knew she'd felt it too. Neither of them said anything. Gayle
busied herself with her cup. Toby sipped cautiously at the steaming tea. It was delicious;
probably didn't dare be anything else in a perfect kitchen like this. Toby studied the delicate
china of the cup and saucer. It was decorated with an intricate design of owls made out of
flowers.
'You seem vaguely familiar,' Gayle said finally. 'Did we ever meet before last night?'
'We take the same train home from Bath every evening,' said Toby. 'I've seen you lots of times.'