Free The Shearing Gun by Renae Kaye Page B

two words. ‘I’m gay,’ is all you had to say. I would’ve understood. In fact, I would’ve understood you probably better than any other guy in the district, but you didn’t tell me. Just because we’re both gay doesn’t mean that we have to have sex with each other, you know. We could just be friends. Friends that talk about that one special issue from time to time. I was angry that you didn’t like me enough to confide in me.”
    “It’s not that, Ell. I haven’t told anyone.”
    He nodded. “Logically I understand that, but emotionally I was hurt. I’d made my interest in you clear enough, and you couldn’t even tell me that you batted for the same team. You didn’t have to want me sexually—I can put up with rejection, Hank—but to not even hint at your sexuality made me angry.”
    “Sorry, Ell.” I didn’t know what else to say. “I’m sorry you saw me with that guy and I’m sorry if that hurt you.”
    He laughed in a self-depreciating manner. “I will have to say, the green-eyed monster reared his head a bit. There you were in your best clothes, looking so hot that I nearly melted in a puddle, and you had to go and find a cute guy to almost devour you in public. I hated that stupid twink.”
    I was surprised. “Who, Dom? He was just a willing body. He didn’t mean anything.”
    “It wasn’t that. As I said before, just because we’re both gay, it doesn’t mean we have to have a sexual relationship. It was more the shattering of dreams. I thought you were straight and dreamed of you. Then suddenly you were gay, and that twink made it clear I was so out of your league….”
    I snorted again. “What league? You think I belong to any league? I’m just a country boy who chases sheep around the paddock most days. Sure I can walk into a club and have them panting, but the following day they’re always running far in the opposite direction, scrubbing at their skin to make sure I haven’t got sheep shit all over them.” I would never forget the guy who made me scrub my hands with bleach before he let me touch him.
    Elliot shook his head. “Then they’re idiots. As I said, I considered you my friend. I still consider you my friend. I don’t care about the gay stuff, Hank. But I wish you had told me.”
    I hung my head in shame.
    He reached over and laid a hand on my shoulder. “So who does know? Middy? Neil?”
    I shook my head. “Dad and Paul. That’s what the fight was about. You know? When Dad chucked me out? That’s why I had to move away from home. Dad is afraid that if my secret is ever revealed, it’ll stain him. He’ll lose business and friends. Uncle Murray and his partner, Jimmie know too. But apart from that, the only people are those who see me in the club. I never expected someone from home to be hanging around lesbian mud-wrestling night in the city’s best gay bar.”
    We grinned at each other. Elliot spluttered, “Heck! I didn’t even know that was on until I got there. I’d been in the club a couple of times before, but never on a Wednesday. I was just about to give up and leave when you arrived.”
    I grimaced. “I don’t think you’re going to be welcomed back—not for a while, at least. Sorry about that.”
    He shrugged. “I don’t do well in clubs, anyway. The cute twinks get all the hot country boys and usually leave me standing in the cold. I guess it will be classifieds for a while.”
    Shame spread across my chest, because it was true I probably wouldn’t pick him up at a bar. There were lots of other cuter and more willing bodies, but strangely, I found that I was more aroused at the thought of taking Ell to bed than Dom. “I still have Dom’s number,” I offered with a smile. “I can give it to you if you want?”
    Laughter spread across his face. “Somehow I think that Dom would be a little miffed at me, even if we were compatible. Which I highly doubt.”
    I frowned across at him. “What do you mean that you’re not compatible? Do you