When Danny Met Horatio...

By Heather Mar-Gerrison

When Danny met Horatio, he was unaware that his life was about to change dramatically. When Danny met Horatio he knew that he was drawn to him as more than a friend.
What he didn't know was that their friendship was going to develop into something beautiful and precious and beyond his wildest dreams.
What he did know was that he had no business wishing for something more than friendship with his new best friend when he was a married man.
When Horatio met Danny, he couldn't believe his bad luck that the man of his dreams had come bursting into his life, perfect in every way except for one tiny flaw. The man of his dreams was straight - and married.
Horatio's friends, the other band members tell him to forget it - that no good could ever come of pursuing something with Danny and that he will ultimately get his heart broken.
He knows the dangers, he knows he shouldn't, but he just can't help himself...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Heather Mar-Gerrison
• Release date: Jun 24, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463983317

Heather Mar-Gerrison

I love to write M/M romance and as a sucker for a HEA, you're guaranteed one in my books. #happyheatherafters

Book preview

When Danny met Horatio...

The Band #1

Heather Mar-Gerrison

Heather Mar-Gerrison Copyright 2018

Revised Edition 2022

Smashwords Edition

Beautiful front cover courtesy of Shutterstock designs

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanically, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except where permitted by law. This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work.

Prologue

Danny

I wasn’t gay. That was my brother, Jules... stepbrother actually so we didn’t even share DNA... I was the straight one of the family. I was normal.

I never wanted to be like Julian. Jeez. He even had a poofter’s name. Julian. For fuck’s sake – his Mum must have known when she first laid eyes on him to call him that...

But for all his gayness, Jules was, without any doubt whatsoever, comfortable in his skin. Something that I was not – and I fucking hated him for it. Well, I didn’t really hate him... that’s a strong word and if I’m honest, deep down inside, I secretly admired him for being out and proud but I was never gonna let him know that. No. I preferred to chase girls with my mates and to take the piss out of guys like Jules, mercilessly. I wasn’t into gay-bashing or anything like that but they were fair game for taking the piss out of and jeering at. They were bum-bandits or shit-stabbers – or turd-burglars – anything that we could piss ourselves laughing about, even if we did secretly wonder just what it would be like to feel another guy’s cock inside us... Or maybe that was just me...

But that was before I grew up... and grew a pair.

I liked to think that I’d matured since my school days. I was married now – newly married to my girlfriend, Mara and we were happy... or at least she was happy when I was doing what she wanted. When I wasn’t doing what she wanted me to do? Well, let’s say we had a volatile relationship...

We’d moved into our own place and I’d joined the gym. There was a five-a-side football team that I’d been asked to join too – and that was where I’d met Horatio.

I was completely intrigued with him from the moment we met.

I didn’t think much about it to begin with, since I was absolutely convinced I was straight. Hell, I’d been around Jules growing up and I was quite sure that I was nothing like him. I loved sport. Jules didn’t. I wanted to be a mechanic – Jules loved hairdressing. I chased girls – he chased boys. We were nothing alike and I therefore assumed I was straight...

And I was straight, or at least, I was straight until I met Horatio...

Chapter 1 – After game drinks...

Horatio

I loved being in the band. I loved having mates that didn’t care that I fancied guys rather than girls – even if I had no romantic feelings for any of them and I loved playing five-a-side football to escape them and all their artistic temperaments from time to time, too. I wasn’t your typical flamboyant, made-up and sweet-smelling twinky gay guy that everyone envisages when you mention that you’re gay. I was a regular guy, built like every other hairy-arsed bloke. I just happened to fancy other hairy-arsed blokes instead of women.

And besides, you can’t spend every waking moment with your best mates – no matter how close you all are...

It was playing five-a-side football when I first met Danny. I couldn’t help noticing how pretty he was from the first time I ever laid eyes on him. We’d played the game and gone for a drink afterwards and I’d been the last to get to the bar due to Karl, our lead singer, calling me.

I rocked up just in time for Jayson, a big, daft lad who was only really good enough to put in goal, to turn back from the bar to hand Danny his pint and he looked at me, Oh, Horatio! he grinned, There you are – usual?

I nodded, grinning, as Danny turned and I’m not gonna lie, my heart did a total flip-flop in my chest. Those eyes! Man, I didn’t think I’d ever get used to them...

He had the bluest eyes ever – and the longest lashes. Fuck he was beautiful...

Danny’s eyes widened slightly in recognition and he grinned, Hey, man, he said with the hint of a laugh in his voice, I didn’t recognize you with your clothes on.

I grinned back at him and raised an eyebrow. I couldn’t help the flirtatious chuckle that escaped against my will, Really? I drawled, Want me to take something off?

He snorted into his drink and shook his head, No, dude, He said, I’m good.

Jayson shook his head and disappeared off to join the others, leaving Danny still sat at the bar. He nodded to the barstool beside him, Are you gonna sit down – or are you joining the others, too?

I blinked, Aren’t you?

He shook his head and sighed, I have to go in a minute – the wife’ll be waiting.

My jaw dropped as my heart plummeted. No way? He didn’t look old enough to be married... Y-you’re married? Well, that was a fucking disappointment.

He nodded and held up his left hand where a fine gold band circled his third finger. I frowned at it. That wasn’t a wedding ring. If he was my husband I’d buy him a solid platinum ring that could be seen from space – well, okay, slight exaggeration but it would be a ring to be proud of – and I’d have one to match, too...

Still, I was getting ahead of myself. We’d only just met and there was the small matter of him being married – and therefore, presumably straight. And I was a flaky, butch but still gay-as-a-rainbow wannabe rock-star...

Wow, I murmured, You don’t look old enough. It was lame, but I had nothing else.

He grinned, "Yeah, I guess we are pretty young. We’re both twenty-four."

I shook my head, Jesus, I replied with a sheepish grin, I’m twenty-three and I’ve never once had any inclination to settle down.

He shrugged, We’re all different, I guess – you’ve just not met the right girl yet. That’s all.

Apart from the fact that he’d guessed the sex of my perfect partner wrong, I begged to differ. I’d just this minute found the right one – albeit a little late since he’d already gone at gotten married while I wasn’t paying attention...

We sat there in silence for a moment, both of us lost in our own thoughts and drinking our beers. I was kind of pleased to see that he was drinking the same beer as mine. For some reason, I was really interested in finding out more about him. Sure, he was married and all but that didn’t mean we couldn’t be friends... did it?

Danny however, seemed to be desperate to finish his drink and to get going. He kept glancing at his watch and switching his phone on every couple of minutes to check the time.

After the fourth time in as many minutes, it was beginning to stress me out too. Have you got to be somewhere? I asked, You’re like a cat on a hot tin roof. I smiled at him.

He stared back at me, his eyes on my mouth as I spoke and then they flickered back to my eyes. Wow, he was stunning... I, uh, yeah. He said, the corners of his mouth turning down, I’m sorry to run out on you but I’ve really gotta go. He nodded and stood up. Grabbing his sports-bag he smiled apologetically at me and darted past.

I grabbed his arm before he could disappear on me altogether, You’re coming on Thursday, though, right? I asked.

He nodded, Oh, uh, yeah – sure. He flashed an adorable smile, making my heart beat a little quicker, See you then.

I let out the breath I wasn’t aware I was holding, Cool, I said with a relieved smile, I’ll see you then.

Chapter 2 – Fight for love...

Danny

I pressed the button on the alarm fob of my car keys and climbed in. Throwing my bag onto the passenger seat, I crossed my arms over the steering wheel and rested my head on my arms, Oh, God. I muttered, Why now?

It wasn’t that I hadn’t been attracted to guys before. I had. But I’d always thought that I was just admiring their physiques in an ‘I wish I looked like that’ kind of way. To realise that I’d actually fancied them all this time made me feel, first and foremost, completely ashamed of myself for giving my stepbrother such a hard time – and horrified that it had taken me so damned long to work out what I’d been feeling all this time. Lastly, I felt stupid. I was married... to a girl. How the hell was I supposed to tell Mara that I fancied guys?

I started the car, still thinking about Horatio. God he was attractive. All muscle and tattoos and beautiful dark skin... But it was his kind, soft, brown eyes that I really couldn’t get out of my mind. Mara never had kindness in her eyes – she was a beautiful woman, don’t get me wrong. And I guess she had her good points. She was clever; she had a great job – allowing me to continue with my mechanics degree – and a great sense of humour when she felt like it. But she also had a temper on her that was fiery to say the least. She’d broken cups and plates by throwing them in a temper – narrowly missing me a couple of times, then there had been the pan of hot water that had been really quite terrifying and once or twice she had physically attacked me. She’d always been really apologetic and mortified with herself afterwards and always vowed never to do it again. It hadn’t recurred in the last couple of months but to say I was wary about upsetting her was putting it mildly...

I pulled up outside the house and pasted on my happy