Racing Hearts...

By Heather Mar-Gerrison

I ordered my drink and sat back in the bar stool watching the bubbles rising to the top of the glass. I rarely drank. Rarely got a day off if I’m honest – but you don’t turn twenty-one every day and so I’d gotten a whole weekend off.
My attention was caught by one of the barmen. He was talking about one of the dancers but then the guy he was talking to mentioned a name...
“Did you know Leo could dance like that?” I heard the guy next to me at the bar ask his co-worker and a tingling sensation went through me from my head to my toes, “Would you look at that. I thought he was training to be a chef at that fancy restaurant in Stoney Croft – not to be a pole-dancer.”
“Oh, wow.” The other one breathed, “I thought he was into motor sport, I had no idea he could move like that.” He was quite clearly admiring what he was seeing.
I frowned. Leo? Okay so there had to be more than one Leo on the planet, but put together with the rest – being a chef at the only restaurant in Stoney Croft? And being into motorsport? Well, it was just too much of a coincidence. I turned around slowly and followed the line of sight that the guys behind the bar were looking – with their tongues hanging out of their mouths.
My stomach nearly dropped through my backside, “Oh, holy hell.” I breathed as I took in the writhing sexy body wrapped around the pole on the central podium, “Leo...”
Brad leaned across and whispered in my ear, “So, what about him?” he nodded towards Leo, “wanna spend the night dancing with him?” he asked.
I didn’t have to even think about it, “Definitely.” I said, “I don’t want anyone else.” I never have...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Heather Mar-Gerrison
• Release date: Jul 26, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463244104

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

Racing Hearts...

(Boy Next Door #8)

Heather Mar-Gerrison

Smashwords Edition

Heather Mar-Gerrison Copyright 2016

Revised 2022

Beautiful front cover design by:

selfpubbookcovers/FrinaArt

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

Four years earlier...

Leo

Micha grabbed me and hugged me. Wow, Leo! he shouted, "That was fucking awesome! Number one and two!"

I laughed, I know! I yelled wrapping him up in my arms and returning his hug enthusiastically. It was only when he loosened his hold slightly and looked me in the eye that my heart stuttered and I faltered. You did really good. he said softly, You’re brilliant.

I shrugged, Nah, I said, "You’re brilliant, dude – that was a lucky break. I’m pretty good but I haven’t got your drive, or your commitment and besides, I want to be a chef, remember? I grinned, This isn’t really something I can make a career out of."

He grinned back, Well, I’m gonna try. And then, when I’m a famous motocross driver, I’ll buy you your own restaurant and I’ll be your best customer.

I laughed, Yeah, you will.

I’ll be your million-dollar guy, he said with a grin.

I didn’t know what to say to that... What did he mean? Did he have similar feelings for me as I had for him? My heart started to beat a little faster in my chest. I nodded, Sure, you will. I said.

Any more conversation that we might have had to explore those feelings was cut off as the rest of our families and team members descended on us from all sides. We were pretty hot stuff in those days...

The next race however, put an end to any career my father might have hoped I would have – as I crashed out on the first lap, breaking my thigh-bone and smashing my knee to smithereens when the rest of the guys failed to miss me and smashed me to pieces...

Micha, who was ahead of me and missed all the drama, went on the win the race but he wasted no time at all in coming to find me at the hospital as soon as it was over.

He came sidling in the room after visiting hours were over.

I remember looking up at him, slightly confused with the painkillers I was on and feeling utterly delighted that he was there. What are you doing here? I asked through my busted lip.

He smiled and leaned over the bed to kiss my forehead, I daren’t touch you, in case I hurt you. He said.

I remember giggling, I only broke my leg, dude, you can touch anything else.

He raised an eyebrow and grinned, Cool. He said, I might take you up on that. I quite like you high on pain meds.

I frowned. Everyone else had left hours ago... What time is it?

He looked slightly embarrassed, It’s nine o’clock, he admitted, the nurse took pity on me when I told them I’d only just got away from the racing committee.

I frowned, The racing committee. My eyes widened as his words filtered through my foggy brain and it dawned on me what that meant. I stared at him, my heart thumping with excitement for him, You’ve been signed?

He bit his lip and nodded.

Utter joy washed through me as I stared at him. This was his dream come true, Oh, Micha! I shouted, That’s amazing! I held out my arm that wasn’t attached to the drip for a one-sided hug.

He melted against my side, You’re not mad at me, are you? he mumbled against my neck.

I shook my head, I was never gonna put in the effort you put in. I love to cook. I shrugged, "It’s what I was born to do, Micha. Just like motocross is something you were born to do. I just hope my leg’s okay. I don’t know what I’ll do if I can’t walk."

You’ll be able to walk again, Leo, he said, I’ll help you every step of the way. He was still hugging me close. He pulled away from me slightly and lowered his voice to just above a whisper, Between you and me, I think I was just born to be with you.

I frowned. He’d said a lot of stuff like this lately, and I was beginning to get the impression he was into me as much more than a mate, which was absolutely amazing – but equally terrifying, since my dad couldn’t have been more homophobic if he tried. I was actually afraid for Micha’s life.

If that bastard ever found out about me or Micha... Well, it didn’t bear thinking about.

Micha, I said, my head feeling as if it was detached from my body and floating around the room somewhere, I really like you man – but we can’t...

He shook his head, I know what your dad’s like. He whispered, I’ve been around you for long enough – but surely we can be careful?

He looked so utterly hopeful. So full of certainty that we could have a relationship against all the odds but he hadn’t grown up in the same world as I’d grown up in. The one where my dad said that gay guys who were beaten to death deserved it; that they should be rounded up and put to sleep. And I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he meant every single cruel, ignorant word he uttered. He truly hated anyone who wasn’t straight. It was quite beyond disturbing, it was downright petrifying. I couldn’t let that happen to my Micha. And I couldn’t see any way around it, either. We weren’t adults. We were only sixteen and seventeen. Dad would kill him. I was absolutely sure of it.

Sure, we can. He said with a big smile, I love you. You love me. What’s there to be afraid of?

Dad. Panic swamped me. He thought he knew my dad but he had absolutely no idea what the man was capable of.... No. I said, We can’t. Because, I uh, I don’t feel that way about you, dude. I said, closing my eyes so he couldn’t see that it was absolutely killing me to say the words, We’re just mates.

I didn’t open them again until he’d gone...

Chapter 1 – Twenty-One...

Leo

I hadn’t seen Micha in a while. Well, apart from following all of his races online and on the TV, when he shocked the hell out of me and actually came in to the club where I was working. He was with a group of guys and they were all laughing and jeering and rubbing Micha’s head.

It was his twenty-first birthday. I already knew that because everything important about Micha was etched onto my memory – or rather, carved into my heart... I watched them closely as they walked in, looking for any sign that one of them meant more to him than just mates but I could find nothing... It just looked as if his mates had brought him to the gay club to celebrate with a hook-up with a podium dancer... I guessed they knew about him, then...

I glanced across to see River climbing up to his podium, getting ready for his first dance slot. I dashed across the dance floor to him, River! I hissed.

He looked down in surprise and then smiled that beautiful, sexy little smile of his, Oh, hi, Leo, he said, what’s up?

I took a deep breath and tried my best not to blush bright red, without much success I might add... I really need a favour. I gasped.

He raised an eyebrow, a smirk on his face, Well, maybe six months ago I’d have taken you up on the offer – but me and Jodie really have something special these days...

I rolled my eyes at his teasing, Don’t flatter yourself, big boy. I said with a grin, I only need your podium.

He blinked, Come again? he said.

I nodded, swallowing nervously. I’d never set foot on a podium before – and I was a little nervous of finding my spatial awareness being a bit off that high off the ground... but if Micha had come here looking for a hook-up – then I was gonna be that hook-up... That guy that just walked in? He’s a famous motocross rider, I hurriedly explained, in fact, he’s close to becoming number one in the world – and we, uh... we used to be friends.

River’s eyes grew quite round, "Used to be? he asked, What happened?"

I scratched my neck uncomfortably, We had a bit of a misunderstanding. I guess I was confused, back then...

River nodded, tuning in, "And I take it that he wasn’t? Confused, that is?"

I shrugged, Something like that, yeah...

I wasn’t so much confused, as horrified at what might have happened to the pair of us if we’d attempted a relationship. My father was so disgusted by gay people he honestly thought they should have been rounded up and disposed over, Damned unnatural perverts, he’d rant, "That’s all they are. Fucking perverts!"

I simply hadn’t dare come out back then. In fact, I still hadn’t come out at home. Mum and Dad had split up a couple of years back. Once he realised he was never going to make any money out of my failed motocross career, he’d thankfully left us. It was just me, Josh and Mum, these days. Josh had a steady girlfriend and spent a lot of his time with her. I was still, for the main part, stuck at home with Mum, which wasn’t so bad – apart from the fact that we had very little money, since she couldn’t work.

Thankfully she wasn’t a homophobe and I had the feeling she knew all about me. The fact that I had a pole in my room to practice dancing and worked in a gay club could possibly be the main two giveaways – but we just didn’t talk about it.

River grinned, Hell, yeah, he said, Sure you can have my podium. Gives me more time to spend with Jodie. He said he’d be right over once he’s finished work.

I grinned. Jodie and River were absolutely adorable together. Jodie worked at a different restaurant owned by Peyton McKenzie, the guy who’d owned this establishment before selling it on the current owner – a guy that was more like a father to me than anyone had ever been. Rob. Thanks, River. I said, "You can have any tips I