Needing Harte (1-800-DOM-Help) by Marilu Mann

Ramey. Another sub offered himself but Harte refused. He leaned his el-bows on the bar.
    “Hey there, handsome. More coffee?” Tasha’s friendly smile got one in return even if he didn’t feel it.
    “Yeah. Can I ask you some questions?”
    She grinned as she poured the java. “Absolutely. We bartenders are the same every-where. I’m here to listen. What’s your name, anyway?”
    “Harte. Tell me something, Tasha, what drew you into this?”
    “You mean this particular den of iniquity or just the lifestyle?” She laughed and sipped from a glass of water.
    He laughed with her as he picked up the coffee cup. “The lifestyle. Even someone as new to this as I am can see the appeal of this particular place.”
    “Well, that’s a delicate question, Master Harte.”
    “Wait, stop right there. How do you know I prefer to be in control?”
    “Your demeanor? The very butch haircut? Or maybe it was the fact that about ninety minutes ago you were standing right here with a nearly naked guy on a leash giving him water from your hand?” She raised a red eyebrow at him with a “duh, asshole” expression on her face.
    “Okay, busted. So, are you also a Dominant?”
    “Like I said, that’s a very delicate question. I used to be in the lifestyle twenty-four seven as a slave. When my Master and I parted ways, it took me a long time to get my head back on straight, you’ll pardon the pun.” Tasha sipped at her water again and focused her very green eyes on his face.
    “Someone gave me a special business card, told me to call the number, that I’d find what I was looking for. After spending some time with Mistress Dru, the manager here, I realized why I’d been so unhappy with my former Master. You see, Harte, I’m not a sub or a Dom. I’m both, a switch. Depending on who I’m attracted to, who I’m in a scene with, I can take either role.
    “Now, your boy Ramey? He’s a total sub and I can’t see you ever giving up control for a very long period of time. Am I right?”
    “Yeah, you are. So you can go both ways? And you’ll pardon that pun.” As he intended, she laughed again.
    “Exactly! So answer this, Master Harte. How did you feel when Ramey trusted you enough to let you take control, to tell him what you wanted, what you were going to do, what was going to happen while the two of you were together?”
    “Like the king of the mountain.”
    “And how did Ramey react?”
    “He was great. So responsive, so…” Looking up at Tasha, Harte smiled. “He was amazing.”
    “So, you’ve got this amazing guy who lets you tell him what to do, who responds to you in ways you never dreamed of, and he just left the bar with someone else? What’s wrong with you?”
    “Our lifestyles are so different. He’s a dancer, a stripper. I’m a…” Harte hesitated then met her eyes again. “I’m a cop.” His voice came out low, he didn’t want that particular fact broad-cast in this venue.
    “Yeah, that doesn’t surprise me. Listen, Harte, let me break this down for you. You’re gay.
    You’re in a profession that doesn’t take too kindly to people being gay. You’re probably in the closet at work. Now you’ve discovered that you’re also a sexual Dominant.”
    The look she gave him was half-amused and half-understanding. “As if your life wasn’t complicated enough, let’s just add the cherry to that particular shit sundae, the guy you’re totally attracted to is a sub, which is a great thing, but he’s also a stripper. That’s not so great with your job. So what do you do? Do you let him slip through your hands and into someone else’s or do you take a chance? I bet if you came out at work your co-workers wouldn’t be a bit surprised.”
    The other bartender’s voice reached them. Harte looked up to discover that the bar had become crowded.
    “It’s last call, Harte. I’ve got to go before this crowd turns ugly. Just think about what I said.” With a quick squeeze of his hands, she moved away