Kate Sherwood - Dark Horse 01 - Dark Horse (34 page)

“Oh, excuse me for not wanting to track horse shit all over your restaurant—” Dan begins, but the other two just laugh at him. Dan is starting to wonder whether it’s a good idea to let Ryan and Jeff spend any more time together.

They need to get going, so Jeff heads off to see what Tat’s up to— he’s got Dan’s cell number if they decide not to meet them. Dan and Ryan drive quietly for a while, and then Ryan clears his throat carefully. “So—
really
never anything between you two?” He doesn’t sound threatened, just interested, and maybe a little skeptical.

Dan isn’t sure how much he’s allowed to say. He doesn’t really want to violate Jeff and Evan’s privacy. “Not really. Lots of… I don’t know, not
flirting
… just sort of an awareness, you know?” Ryan nods. “But nothing’s ever actually happened.”

“Yet,” Ryan adds, and again, he doesn’t sound upset by the idea.

“Why, did he say something?” Dan doesn’t think Jeff is the ‘staking a claim’ type, but he’s been surprised before.
“Nah, just… I was aware of the awareness, you know?” Ryan shrugs.

“Yeah.” Dan doesn’t really think he has much to add, so if Ryan’s okay with this, he’s happy to let it go. They’re almost in town before Ryan speaks again.

“I don’t really feel like I’ve got any right to say anything about that,” he says softly. “But, you know—keep me in the loop, okay? No surprises?”

Dan wants to deny it all, wants to tell Ryan that there’s nothing to worry about. But he also wants to be honest. “Yeah. Yeah, I will. If there’s ever anything.” He glances over, and Ryan just smiles.

They park behind Ryan’s apartment, and it’s the same awkward situation as at Dan’s house, only this time it’s Ryan, so it’s not awkward at all. “Hey, come on up for a second. You can see how the other half lives.”

“Shit, man, I
am
the other half. I just got a good rental.” Ryan nods as if he’s humoring him. “Yeah, okay.”

They head up the stairs and into the apartment. It’s about what Dan expected, and a hell of a lot nicer than a lot of places he’s lived. There’s a living area and a bathroom and a bedroom. The only things that look like they’re worth anything are the stereo and the guitars. Ryan says, “Make yourself at home. I’ll just be a minute.” He heads into the bedroom, and Dan flops down on the couch. It’s ugly but pretty comfortable.

Ryan is out in just a minute, pants changed, buttoning up a white shirt. It looks beautiful against his golden skin, and Dan has a sudden urge to stand up and try to persuade Ryan to change directions, start undoing buttons instead. Ryan catches him looking but just smiles a little. “Don’t you go starting something,” he warns. “I’ve got places to be.”

Dan grins and looks at his watch. “Come on, now, we’ve got a little time….”

Ryan bites his lip a little as he walks over and holds both hands out to Dan. Dan grabs hold and Ryan hauls him to his feet, and Dan tries to keep leaning into him, but Ryan holds him off. “Oh, no. No way. I want more than a
little
time with you.”

Dan gives Ryan his best seductive look, and judging by the way Ryan sways toward him, it’s pretty good. “Maybe a little now, a little more later….” He’s joking, teasing, but he finds that he means it too. He’s not quite sure what happened. Maybe the more outrageous suggestion from Jeff and Evan had made the simpler relationship with Ryan seem safer. One way or another, he seems to have gotten over most of his concerns about getting physical. Of course, he has no idea whether that will continue or if he’ll have another little freak-out, but he’s feeling pretty damn frisky right now.

Unfortunately, Ryan seems to have a little more self-control, or he’s a little less interested. Dan chooses to ignore that possibility, but he can’t ignore the way that Ryan is working his way toward the door. “Seriously, not even a little?”

Ryan pauses and looks at him, and Dan seizes the opportunity. He surges forward and grabs hold of Ryan, pushing him back against the wall as their mouths join together. Dan works to loosen the carefully tucked in shirt and then his hands are on Ryan’s stomach, his chest, and he can feel Ryan’s sudden gasp. Ryan tries to turn his head away to lower the intensity, but Dan gets one of his hands up there, holds his face and gently brings him back, slows a little, makes things deeper but less frantic. Ryan is still breathing in short little hitches, but his hands are up and on Dan, running under
his
shirt, along his back… then Ryan’s hands come between them, and he’s easing Dan away, pushing his forehead against Dan’s to separate their lips, and they both stand there for a minute, breathing heavily, not moving.

Ryan finds his voice first. “That was not a
little
.” He doesn’t sound too upset about it, though.

 

“Shit. It really wasn’t.” Dan looks at Ryan a little sheepishly. “I don’t know what to say—waiter kink?”

Ryan laughs and pushes him away, tucks his shirt back into his pants. “Excellent, I’m all for it. Usually I get the musician kink, so at least you’re original.”

“Fuck, yeah, I forgot about that. Damn, get back over here.” Dan pretends to reach out for Ryan, but he’s just playing. The intensity of his response has left him a little freaked out, and he’s not really sorry that they have to go out in public now.

Ryan grins at him as he backs up a little farther. “Not that I’m complaining, but what happened to taking it slow?”

Dan just shakes his head. “Fuck if I know.” He shakes his head. “But I don’t think I’m complaining, either.”
“Good. But, seriously, I do have to go to work. If I’d known I’d have such a good reason for being late tonight, I wouldn’t have been late all those other times… but as it is, I’m pretty much on my last chance with them.”

Dan nods his head ruefully, but then perks up. “Hey… panini!” Ryan just laughs as they head out the door and down the stairs. “Man, you’re a cliché—the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”

“Dude, I don’t mean to be crude, but it wasn’t my
heart
that wanted to keep us in that apartment.”
Ryan laughs and they drive the few blocks to the restaurant. Ryan goes in and gets to work. Dan goes out and finds a table on the patio. He’s not there for long before he’s joined by Jeff and a freshly scrubbed Tatiana. Tat seems to be in a bit of a mood. Jeff catches Dan’s eye and makes a sort of warning face.
“Hey, Tat, glad you came,” he ventures. “Piper didn’t take too much out of you this afternoon, then?”

Tat looks like she’s torn between sulking and talking about horses. Luckily for everyone, the horse talk wins. “No, she was good. She’s really fast, isn’t she?”

Dan grins. “Yeah, she is. Thoroughbreds—they’re made for speed. But you’ve got to work on controlling her and making sure she only uses the speed when you want it.” Tat nods seriously. Dan nods to indicate Jeff and Tat together. “Are you two still going to do lessons? I can help with the horse end of things, but I honestly don’t know that much about training riders.” Tat gives Jeff a bit of a dirty look, and Dan begins to sense the general source of the sour mood, if not the exact cause. “I guess Jeff might be getting pretty busy with the art thing—your show’s in less than two weeks, right?” Jeff nods, and Dan continues, “But you should probably be taking lessons from somebody.”

Tat looks like she might be gearing up for something to say in that area, but then Ryan comes over to take their order and she pours the full weight of her disapproval onto him.

“Hey, guys, can I get you something to drink?” Dan already has a beer, so Ryan’s talking to Tat and Jeff.

 

“Yeah, a beer would be good, thanks,” Jeff says, and they all turn to

Tat.
“Is your Diet Coke from a can or from a fountain?” she asks in a
tone that Dan wouldn’t have thought she knew. He wonders if they teach
that tone at rich-kid school. He wonders if Evan would mind if he washed
Tat’s mouth out with soap until she forgot how to use it.
“It’s from a can.” Ryan’s smile is friendly, and Dan wants to stand up
and protect him. Had he not heard the tone?
“Is it
really
, though? Or is that just what you’re trained to say?” Dan
wants to smack her, but Ryan still smiles.
“I can bring you the can unopened with your glass, if you’d like.” Tatiana doesn’t really have a comeback for that. “Please do,” she
says as if she’s the queen, and then turns back to her menu. Dan gapes at
her in astonishment before turning apologetic eyes to Ryan, who just
smiles back.
“Comes with the job,” he says softly and then heads to the kitchen,
Tat glowering after him.
Dan sits for a minute, but doesn’t think he can let this go. “Hey,
Tat?” he says softly. She looks up at him, rebellion burning behind her
innocent expression. “Tat, I consider you a friend of mine. And I think you
know that Ryan’s a friend of mine.” He tries to catch her eyes, but she’s

staring over his shoulder. “But that shouldn’t really matter, because I don’t think anybody deserves to be talked to that way. And it makes it really hard for me to keep thinking of you as a friend when I see you treating someone like that.” She just stares at him, and then she stands up.

“I need to go to the bathroom.” And she heads off through the restaurant. Dan stares after her helplessly, and it’s Jeff who breaks the silence.

“God knows she’d better not have details… but she’s picked up on Evan’s interest in you.” He looks a bit apologetic. “And maybe she’s got the idea that Ryan’s a threat to that somehow.” He shrugs. “I was going to call Evan, and see if he wanted to come meet us here when he’s done work, but maybe it’s not a good idea. Maybe one hostile Kaminski is enough for one night.”

Dan wonders why he and Jeff haven’t sat down and talked before this. “I… I don’t really see the two things as being connected. I mean… I thought about what you guys talked about last night, and… that’s really not something I’m ready for right now. I mean”—he looks around almost furtively—“I mean, if it was just you, that’d be one thing. And I respect what you’ve got going on with Evan, but… I’m really not up for all that jealous, possessive crap. Not right now, maybe not ever.” Jeff is looking at him intently, and Dan looks over to make sure that Tat’s not coming back. He feels like this is his opportunity to get things straightened out.

“And I don’t really understand the exact mechanics of whatever you were talking about, and, you know, if it ever came down to it we’d definitely have to work out some details.” The word “contract” dances through his head, but he suppresses it. “But… me and Ryan… we’re right now, not down the road. I don’t think we’re long-term or anything, but… we’re good for now. You know?”

Jeff nods, then looks up at Dan, and his eyes are riveting. “So are you saying you might be interested in something else eventually?”

“Might be? Eventually?” Dan shrugs his shoulders. “I can’t say there’s no attraction. But… I’m a pretty simple guy. Gay thing aside, I’m pretty traditional, I think. I mean—”

But Ryan arrives with the drinks, and then Tatiana comes back from the bathroom, eyes possibly a little red, but she’s polite to Ryan the rest of the night. Jeff and Dan don’t really have another chance to talk, but that’s okay with Dan. He doesn’t really have that much more to say, at least for now.

Jeff and Tat go home as soon as they’re done with dinner, and Dan follows soon after. He thinks about sticking around and waiting for Ryan, but they’re both tired, and Ryan’s scheduled to work until midnight.

Dan reminds himself that his priority is the horses—his and Justin’s horses—and he hauls himself home to bed.
Chapter 28

D
AN
spends the next day working, and when he goes home for dinner, showers, reads for a while, and gets ready for bed, he realizes that he’s spent the entire day without any contact from Ryan, Jeff, or Evan. He thinks about calling Ryan, but decides against it. Maybe it would be good to take a day off. But he feels a bit like he’s going through withdrawal. He’s gotten used to a certain level of attention, and apparently he misses it.

The next day starts the same way, but around lunchtime Dan gets a call from Ryan, and he sounds excited.

“Dan, man, you’ll never believe it. We got a call yesterday from a record label—Good Dog Records—they’re not huge, but they’re a fair size, big enough to really help us out. And they had our demo, and they’re interested! They’re coming down tomorrow night to hear us play live!”

“Holy shit!” Dan doesn’t know much about the music industry, but he knows that Ryan’s been working for this for a long time. “Congratulations, man! That’s incredible.”

“Yeah, no kidding! We’re gonna be crazy busy getting ready—we don’t normally play on Thursdays, so we’ve got to call around and get people to come,
and
we’ve got to get the band as tight as it can be. But I wanted to give you a call.” His voice softens a little, and Dan wonders if there are other people in the room. “Wanted you to know I’m thinking about you—a lot. I just… I’ve gotta go for this a hundred percent right now.”

“No, absolutely you do. And I can come tomorrow, and I’ll try to get some other people to come too. It’ll be great.”
“Thanks, man.” Ryan hesitates a little. “Listen… I can’t be…. If it was just me, I’d say the record company should take me as I am, but… there’s the whole band to think about. And I don’t really know if the company will care about me being gay, if it’ll decrease marketability or something… but I can’t really take that chance, you know?”

Dan’s stomach has tightened up a little. “Yeah, okay. So… do you not want me to come?”

 

“Shit, no, of course I want you there. I just mean—don’t be offended if I don’t… you know… if I don’t act like a boyfriend.”

“Yeah. No, we’re not really at the boyfriend stage anyway, right? Just casual.” Dan knows that Ryan’s got a good point, that it would be insane for him to risk something he’s been dreaming about for years over a person he’s known for less than a week. But it still feels a bit weird—a bit wrong.

Ryan can obviously sense Dan’s feelings on the matter. “You understand why, right?”

“Yeah, Ryan, I’m not an idiot. It’s fine.” Dan tries to put a lid on things. Ryan had sounded so excited when he called, and Dan doesn’t want to be the one who kills that excitement. “So, is there anything I can do to help you get ready? I mean, I don’t know anybody out here, and I don’t know anything about music, so probably not… but if you need someone to carry heavy things or something….”