Page 5 of Sin Deep
He smiled at that. “Please, sit.” He opened the bottle of water and took a sip, finding it cool and refreshing so he took another. “I’m actually quite thirsty. I didn’t realize.”
“It’s warm in here, I tell you what.” Harley drank too, throat working. He was broad shouldered, for all he was on the short side, and he had dark, short hair, dark eyes, and long black eyelashes.
He was especially fascinated by those eyelashes. “Too hot for your mask, hm?” Winter liked his mask, it put up a little barrier and he felt braver behind it.
“My…” Harley reached up and touched his face. “Oh! Right. I forgot. I got to staring at all the sparkles, and it totally slipped my mind.”
He knew Harley had one, the young man had caught his eye the second he and Ollie walked in the door. It was in the boy’s back right-hand pocket, a little gold sequined corner stuck out and caught the light at the bar. “It’s not a requirement, and it would hide your lovely dark eyes.”
A compliment wasn’t too forward, was it? He wasn’t sure one could be too forward at Sin Deep.
“Well, thank you, sir. That’s a helluva compliment coming from you. You got pretty eyes yourself, Mr. Winter.”
He’d had his share of compliments, but no one in his entire life had ever called him pretty. Or anything about him pretty. “Thank you. They’re green, like my mother’s were.” He lifted his mask off to allow Harley to see him better. “It feels strange to be masked when you’re not.”
“Mine look like my momma’s too. Daddy’s are dark also, but more stormy.”
“Mm.” He nodded. “I’d say my father was stormy too.” He took another sip of his water, a bigger one this time. “So what brings you to New York? I assume you’re a friend of Jackson’s? Are you staying with Ollie while he’s away?”
“I am. I wanted to come and live up here, see something new, and I’m having a ball. I’ve learned a ton in a little while.”
So young. So enthusiastic. “Yes, so much to learn.” Winter wasn’t a teacher anymore. So much investment just to watch the pretty birds fly away. He was done with being left behind. “Ollie is sweet, isn’t he? I’m sure he’s been helpful.”
“He’s a sweetheart. I’ve been friends with Jackson since I was a kid, and when he offered me an out, I came.”
“You felt you needed an out, hm?” Interesting.
Those dark eyes twinkled. “Yeah. The factory I was working in closed down, my mom got remarried to a preacher man, and it was time to hasta.”
Goodness, Harley was fascinating to him. So easy in his skin, so sure of himself.
He nodded. “Sounds like it. Well, you’ll find plenty of family in the city.” He said that, knowing that he had found people when he needed them who led him here, and that was all the family he’d wanted.
“I’ve had a ball, I swear to God. I work my butt off, but there’s so much to do. Jackson’s staying gone, and Oliver likes me well enough, so I have a room for another few months.”
“Work hard, play hard.” A responsible young man was a rarity these days. “It’s good to have a safe home.”
Well, well, Winter. You’re having a real conversation.
And something about Harley put him at ease instead of making him anxious.
“Yeah. I’m into having things like hot water and a bed. I mailed a big old box of my important stuff, even, so I have my favorite pillow.” Harley winked at him. “I was fixin’ to bring my truck, but Jackson said it would cost a fortune and that part of the experience was learning how to use the subway and all. I’ve met some neat folks.”
He had to smile. It was possible that conversation with Harley wasn’t difficult for him because Harley could carry on most of it all on his own.
As Harley spoke, Winter imagined the boy cinched into in a stylish, hourglass corset. He wondered if Harley’s skin had that permanently tanned color and whether it was smooth and rich or made rough from outdoor work back in Texas. Those lovely, dark eyes would benefit from black eyeliner, he thought, and possibly even some mascara on the boy’s exceptionally long lashes.
It was indulgent of him, but what harm did it do to fantasize a little? He could even imagine Harley’s sweet, sleeping head resting on that favorite pillow he talked about.
“A truck would do you no good here.”
“Yeah, I figured that out. I work moving furniture, but they don’t let me drive, thank god. I’m not ready for that, not yet.”
That was a full-time job for sure, people were always moving in the city. Moving in, moving out…moving on. He’d seen so many people come and go. “You must be…very strong.” And wasn’t that a delicious thought?
“Yessir. You wouldn’t think so, given that I’m on the short side, but I’m a little ox.” Harley’s smile was warm and gloriously happy.
“You’re marvelous company, Harley. I’m glad you stopped by my little table. So kind of you to bring me the water.” His bottle was empty, it was just what he’d needed.
