Read Online Needing Harte (1-800-DOM-Help) by Marilu Mann - Free Book Online
Authors: Marilu Mann
Tags: Romance, Contemporary
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really good at this.”
“Seduction?” Hearing the playful tone in Harte’s voice, he responded in kind and was rewarded by a smile crossing those features.
“Yes, and dancing. You’ve been doing this awhile?”
“Yes. And we’re about to be interrupted. The others will be back in here in just a few minutes.”
“What time do you get off?”
“Midnight. The shows all stop then, even though the bar stays open until three.”
“Meet me at the bar for a drink.”
“Are you asking or telling me?”
One of those blond eyebrows rose and those eyes went very blue. “I’m telling you, sub.”
“As you wish, Sir.” Ramey leaned forward to hug Harte and felt Harte’s arms come around him strong and steady. “Sir? May I ask a question?”
“Ask.”
“Do your co-workers know you’re gay?” The long silence was answer enough. Ramey felt his heart drop before Harte even started to answer. He kept his head on Harte’s chest, listening to the beat of his heart.
“No. With my job…it’s just not…I’m a good cop, Ramey. I do my job really well and I’m on the fast track right now. I don’t want to derail that.”
“Where do I fit in with that?”
Before Harte could answer, someone turned the doorknob and hit the door from the outside. Several confused voices sounded from the other side of the door and someone banged loudly on it. “You should go. I have to be back onstage in a few minutes.”
Without looking up, Ramey stepped away from Harte. He moved to stand in front of his mirror as the door opened. He was not going to watch Harte walk out. He didn’t want that to be his last sight of the other man. He wanted to remember the teasing and the kissing.
As the other dancers came into the room, some of them giving him hell for locking the door for a quickie with his boyfriend, Ramey just smiled. If his smile was a little strained, well, only he knew that. He honestly didn’t believe Harte would still be waiting for him and inwardly cursed himself for pushing it. Harte had taken the first step by coming to watch him dance.
Ramey had just effectively shut the door in his face.
Yanking his costume off, Ramey wiped his body down with a towel and pulled out the next costume. He had two more routines to get through. He had to maintain and not look at the bar to see if Harte was waiting for him. First the solo then the final group number—he took a deep breath, he could do this.
“Ramey, turn,” his friend Tony hissed at him. The three-minute final felt like three hours and he couldn’t keep his head on the moves. Ramey clenched his jaw into a rigid smile as he caught up with the other dancers. Finally the music ended and he could flee the stage. Part of him wanted to go to the bar but another part wanted to go home and pass out—or hit the bike again.
Harte nursed his drink. He’d allowed himself one gin and tonic, since he didn’t have to be at work early. He grimaced when he saw Ramey’s concentration falter. They definitely needed to hash some things out. He wasn’t going to be the reason for Ramey losing money, or worse, his job.
As the dancers exited the stage, Harte’s pocket vibrated. He snatched the phone out then cursed when he saw the text. All officers on the Ramos case had to report for a seven-in-the-morning meeting. Damn lieutenant—didn’t he know not everyone kept his cock-a-doodle schedule? Still, he wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to talk to Ramey tonight. They had to hash this out.
He had some hard decisions to make. Did he want to come out to his co-workers? To his boss? Did he want to pursue a relationship of any kind with Ramey? He could answer a solid yes to that. Did he want to compromise his career to do that? Harder question. His musings were cut short when Ramey joined him at the bar. Though the man stood right next to him, he might as well have been across the room. Hating that distance, Harte turned to face Ramey.
Before he could speak, Harte
“Seduction?” Hearing the playful tone in Harte’s voice, he responded in kind and was rewarded by a smile crossing those features.
“Yes, and dancing. You’ve been doing this awhile?”
“Yes. And we’re about to be interrupted. The others will be back in here in just a few minutes.”
“What time do you get off?”
“Midnight. The shows all stop then, even though the bar stays open until three.”
“Meet me at the bar for a drink.”
“Are you asking or telling me?”
One of those blond eyebrows rose and those eyes went very blue. “I’m telling you, sub.”
“As you wish, Sir.” Ramey leaned forward to hug Harte and felt Harte’s arms come around him strong and steady. “Sir? May I ask a question?”
“Ask.”
“Do your co-workers know you’re gay?” The long silence was answer enough. Ramey felt his heart drop before Harte even started to answer. He kept his head on Harte’s chest, listening to the beat of his heart.
“No. With my job…it’s just not…I’m a good cop, Ramey. I do my job really well and I’m on the fast track right now. I don’t want to derail that.”
“Where do I fit in with that?”
Before Harte could answer, someone turned the doorknob and hit the door from the outside. Several confused voices sounded from the other side of the door and someone banged loudly on it. “You should go. I have to be back onstage in a few minutes.”
Without looking up, Ramey stepped away from Harte. He moved to stand in front of his mirror as the door opened. He was not going to watch Harte walk out. He didn’t want that to be his last sight of the other man. He wanted to remember the teasing and the kissing.
As the other dancers came into the room, some of them giving him hell for locking the door for a quickie with his boyfriend, Ramey just smiled. If his smile was a little strained, well, only he knew that. He honestly didn’t believe Harte would still be waiting for him and inwardly cursed himself for pushing it. Harte had taken the first step by coming to watch him dance.
Ramey had just effectively shut the door in his face.
Yanking his costume off, Ramey wiped his body down with a towel and pulled out the next costume. He had two more routines to get through. He had to maintain and not look at the bar to see if Harte was waiting for him. First the solo then the final group number—he took a deep breath, he could do this.
“Ramey, turn,” his friend Tony hissed at him. The three-minute final felt like three hours and he couldn’t keep his head on the moves. Ramey clenched his jaw into a rigid smile as he caught up with the other dancers. Finally the music ended and he could flee the stage. Part of him wanted to go to the bar but another part wanted to go home and pass out—or hit the bike again.
Harte nursed his drink. He’d allowed himself one gin and tonic, since he didn’t have to be at work early. He grimaced when he saw Ramey’s concentration falter. They definitely needed to hash some things out. He wasn’t going to be the reason for Ramey losing money, or worse, his job.
As the dancers exited the stage, Harte’s pocket vibrated. He snatched the phone out then cursed when he saw the text. All officers on the Ramos case had to report for a seven-in-the-morning meeting. Damn lieutenant—didn’t he know not everyone kept his cock-a-doodle schedule? Still, he wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to talk to Ramey tonight. They had to hash this out.
He had some hard decisions to make. Did he want to come out to his co-workers? To his boss? Did he want to pursue a relationship of any kind with Ramey? He could answer a solid yes to that. Did he want to compromise his career to do that? Harder question. His musings were cut short when Ramey joined him at the bar. Though the man stood right next to him, he might as well have been across the room. Hating that distance, Harte turned to face Ramey.
Before he could speak, Harte
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