Lindsey grinned. “I guess that’s possible sometimes, but not in this case. He’s just highly inappropriate. A tough cop I met while helping Dave with the kidnapping issue. Dave asked if I would take him to the polo match to give him a chance to investigate among people we know without being too obvious. So I did it.” Lindsey shrugged.
“And got caught in your own trap.”
He smiled, but it hurt around the edges. “Yes, I guess. I found him attractive from the start but assumed he was straight, so it was just a harmless flirtation. After the match, I found out he’s gay, so that made the vast expanse between us more real.”
Pop-Pop frowned. “It’s not like you to discriminate based on class.”
“Nothing like that, sir. He’s the one discriminating, I’m sure. I’m simply not at all his type. A bit too lavender silk for his black leather, shall we say.”
His grandfather steepled his fingers and stared over them. “You’re not just one thing, Lindsey. I’ve know many men in my life and you’re one of the very best. Smart, decisive, action-oriented, kind, and basically good. Unlike your father, I might add. You need a man who sees that. But you’ve got good judgment, so if you think this cop is romance-worthy, then my bet is there’s something there worth pursuing. Ride him down, son!” He laughed that big robust sound that had comforted Lindsey since the day he was born.
Lindsey smiled. “Thank you for your counsel, sir. I’ll take it under advisement.” He got up and gave the old man a big hug.
Shit. Fuck. Crap. Motherfucker. Seth sipped the beer and picked at the label on the bottle. Do not call. Do not call. He stared at his cell phone sitting in front of him on the bar like it was a snake.
The bartender wiped the condensation from the polished wood when Seth picked his bottle up for a sip. Nothing better to do. It was early for a gay bar crowd.
Sunday noon sun peeked through the tightly closed blinds. Seth turned and leaned his back against the edge of the bar. A couple of guys sat at a table holding hands, and two singles perched farther down the bar. One of them was a big bear and the other a tiny twink. Talk about your study in contrasts. Like looking at a Great Dane and a Chihuahua. Hard to believe they were the same species.
Which one did he like? Hell, something better take his mind off the fucking queen. He shoved his package forward just a bit. Advertising.
Bam. The bear got up and ambled over toward Seth. He lowered himself onto the barstool next to him. “Buy you a drink?”
“Still got one, thanks.”
“Anything else you’d like?”
Seth turned back around toward the bar. His fucking phone stared him in the face. “Maybe.”
The guy outweighed Seth by fifty pounds at least and topped him by two or three inches. Hair sprouted from the top of his T-shirt in contrast to his shaved skull. “Name’s Aaron.”
“Seth.”
He stuck a fat finger out and pushed the edge of Seth’s cell phone. “You waiting for this thing to ring?”
Seth chuckled. Aaron was a smarty bear. “Not exactly. Trying to keep from picking it up.”
“Yeah. Been there.” He sipped from his own beer bottle. “Who’s winning?”
“Not sure yet.”
“Hey, I’m hoping for a power failure because I think you’re gorgeous.” He tipped the bottle toward Seth, then swigged.
“You’re pretty gorgeous yourself.” There it was. Aaron was his type down to the ground. He liked big, hairy guys he couldn’t hurt with a little unnecessary roughness. He liked guys you’d never think were gay. Shit!
“Want to spell it out for me?”
Seth shrugged. “There’s this guy.”
“I kinda knew that part.” Aaron grinned and flashed white teeth and a tongue stud.
“He’s not my type at all.”
He nodded his big bald head. “They never are until they are.”
“No, I mean really. He’s all silk scarves and ‘darling’ this and ‘darling’ that. A flaming queen. It’s embarrassing to be gay with guys like that around.”
“There must be something about him you like.”
“I need him.”
“Hell, that’s everything.”
“No, no. I mean professionally. He can do stuff for me that will help me in my job.”
Aaron frowned. “Hey, buddy, there’s a name for shit like that, and they write it on bathroom walls.”
Seth ran a hand through his escaped curls. “I’m not explaining myself very well. I’m a—a cop, and this guy can get me access to some places that I need to go to investigate. I’m working on a big case, and he could be the key to solving it.” Yeah, that was it. That’s why he needed to call.
“Oh, I see. You had me going for a minute. So you’re a cop? Should I be worried?”
Seth glanced at the guy and waved a hand. “Hell no. I’m just sorting through shit. You’re helping. Thanks.”
“Okay, so this guy can give you entrée to important, uh, informants.”
“Yeah.”
“But he’s this queen and, what? People will think you’re a couple?”
“Yeah. They could.” Shit, would that be awful? Yeah, awful.
“A lot of cops don’t like fags.”
“I can’t ever let the guys on my team meet him. Unless they know he’s part of my investigation. Shit, it’s tough enough being a gay cop without them thinking he’s my, you know, boyfriend.”
“So you don’t really like this guy, right? You just need his contacts and you don’t want to call and ask.”
Seth dropped his head in his hands.
“Uh, or maybe not?”
He raised his head. “Who am I kidding? The fucking queen turns me on.” He took a drink of his beer. “He rides horses. You should see it. It’s like poetry in motion. Erotic poetry. But the real shitbag is that he even makes me hot when he’s prancing around like a movie queen. And the shit is, I’d probably bust the guy in half with the first fuck. I don’t know who I am anymore.”
“Bad news for me, but I think you’re in lust, man. You better fuck the guy and get it out of your system.” He took a big drink. “And then come back to old Aaron and I’ll make you feel good.”
Seth looked up at Aaron. The man ought to be just what the doctor ordered. A quick trip to the men’s room or a nice walk to the alley and no more ball clog. No more head full of Lindsey Vanessen. He sighed. But his cock was not interested. The damned thing just lay there. Traitor.
He pulled some money from his pocket, tossed it on the bar, nodded at the bartender, and pointed at Aaron. “Please give my friend another beer.” He turned to the big man. “Thanks a lot.”
“Shit, man, I just talked myself out of a good blow job.”
“How do you know it’d be good?” Seth smiled.
“Because I’d be giving it.” The tongue stud flashed.
“Whoa. You really know how to hurt a guy.”
“So good luck figuring out what this guy does for you.”
“Yeah. Thanks again.” He grabbed his phone, stared at it, and walked out into the early afternoon sun. Okay, shit. He was a cop; just the facts. No matter how he felt about him, Lindsey could gain him access to places he would have trouble going on his own. Or more particularly, he could go, but only as a cop. Lindsey could get him in undercover. That access could get him on top of this case. It wasn’t about being on top of Lindsey. Whoa. Cock wiggle on that thought.