Show Time, page 1
Show Time
Also by Renee Dahlia
BeST
Count Me In
Strum Me Hard
Desiring The Dexingtons
Love Wasn't Built In A Day
Gamble Racing
Driven To Distraction (Coming Soon)
Great War
Her Lady's Melody
Her Lady's Fortune
His Lord's Soldier
Kapow
Out of Her League
Rekindled
His Buxom Beauty
Craving His Spotlight
Her Pregnant Rival
Seraph's Burlesque Club
Show Up
Show Off
Show Queen
Show Time
Standalone
The Shipwrecked Earl's Bride
Watch for more at Renee Dahlia’s site.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Also By Renee Dahlia
Show Time | Renee Dahlia
About the author
Foreword
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Acknowledgements
Author Notes
All Books by Renée Dahlia
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Also By Renee Dahlia
Show Time
Renee Dahlia
Ben’s embarrassing crush on burlesque dancer Dan becomes impossible to keep a secret when Dan invites him to be his fake date at a wedding. The whole thing will push him out of his comfort zone; international travel, so many people, and pretending not to be intrigued by Dan. Maybe he can stop pretending for a few days? Isn’t that what a good fake boyfriend would do?
Dan only invited Ben to the wedding so everyone focuses on the two grooms and not on Dan’s, apparently hilarious, single status. He’s only 32. What’s the big rush to couple up, anyway? If only the location wasn’t so romantic, Ben wasn’t so stunningly hot, and capable, and fascinating, and... He might have a chance of not falling in love.
About the author
An avid reader, Renée Dahlia writes contemporary and historical queer romance. Renée is a bisexual cis woman who is fascinated by people and loves to explore human relationships, with a side of humour, through her writing. Renée has a degree in physics and mathematics, using this to write data-based magazine articles for the horse racing industry. Her love of horses often shines through in her fiction, and she loves a good intrigue and to escape the real world in the pages of a book. When she isn’t reading or writing, Renée spends her time with her four children, usually watching them play cricket.
Foreword
Welcome to SHOW TIME, an mm novella set in the Seraph’s Burlesque Club series.
This series consists of two gay novellas and three lesbian novels is set in a burlesque club in London. If you love to read about a found family with queer people who thrive, this series has that and more.
If you love fake dating and secret crushes, then you’ll enjoy Ben and Dan’s romance.
Please note this series is set after the COVID pandemic and assumes everyone is vaccinated. It’s a bit of a post-pandemic fantasy that doesn’t really reflect reality, unfortunately. There are some discussions around sex work and the impact of a homophobic family (off page).
This book is written in Australian English and some of the spelling and phrases may be unfamiliar to American readers.
If you are keen to keep up to date on new releases and, more importantly, sales, I recommend you sign up to my newsletter, or follow me on social media.
Social Media Links
romance.com.au
BookBub
I hope you enjoy reading this book!
Renée
Chapter 1
July
Ben loved his job at Seraph’s Burlesque Club. It’d been six months now and he’d just signed a permanent contract as the tech person. He loved it here. His colleagues were really friendly, the job was interesting, and there was the side benefit of being surrounded by so much eye candy. Yes, working in a Burlesque club was the perfect place for a shy bisexual.
“Hey Ben.” Dan, best known for his hula hoop dance, loomed over his desk. Loomed—ha, the guy wasn’t even six foot tall compared to Ben’s stringy six-two, yet his presence was large, and it always felt like he took up so much space. All the dancers at Seraph’s were gorgeous. Ben should be used to being this close to any of them by now; over the past six months he’d seen them all in various states of undress. Having Dan lean over his desk like this made his pulse race. Dan wore a tight white t-shirt that pulled tight across his broad shoulders, strong pecs, and was taut enough around his stomach that Ben could almost see Dan’s perfectly groomed chest hair and that dark line of black hair that went from his breastbone down his stomach and disappeared into his jeans. No one had any right to be this beautiful; and just to top it off, Dan had black hair paired with pale white skin punctuated by freckles that danced across his nose, and brown eyes with a hint of amber and green in them.
“Hi.” Ben stared at his laptop screen, determined not to listen to the slight Irish lilt in Dan’s voice, and he most definitely wasn’t going to check if Dan was smiling. His skin always tingled whenever Dan grinned. It was so unfair that he had dimples; as if he wasn’t stunning enough already.
“Do you have a passport?”
Ben hadn’t expected that. “Yes.” The question was rude, but better than the typical ‘where are you from?’ nonsense that he usually got as tall thin Black man in London. His accent told everyone he was from North Kensington, the suburb made famous by the tragic Grenfell Tower fires. He’d lost friends in that fire. Remembering that broke the spell caused by Dan’s spectacular presence and he glanced up at him.
“Cool. Are you single?”
Ben rolled his eyes as he turned back to his laptop screen. “Is this Ask Ben Rude Questions Day?”
Dan stepped back. “I’m going about this all the wrong way. Sorry.” He didn’t appear to require an answer, so Ben just waited. Time stretched uncomfortably.
“Um, would you like to...” Dan paused. “...be my plus one at my friend’s wedding in the Greek Isles. I’ll pay for everything.” The scrambled rush of words made Ben blink.
“Could you repeat that?”
Dan said it again slower, but it still didn’t make sense.
“You want me... Me? To come with you to the Greek Isles as your plus one for a wedding?” Why him? Dan had barely paid him any attention before today. Dan covered his eyes with his hand. Fuck, dancers could be so melodramatic.
“Please say yes.”
“Okay?”
“Awesome. It’s in three weeks. Can I have your phone number? I’ll text you all the details.”
Ben stared at Dan. He hadn’t actually agreed to this plan but there was something in the way Dan’s eyes sparkled and his body relaxed as if his agreement was a really big deal for him. He could hardly say no now. Besides, it was the Greek Isles, somewhere he’d never been. To be fair, he’d never really been anywhere. He grew up on the Lancaster West Estate, managed to get a scholarship to Cambridge University, and then came back to London where he rented a cheap two-bedroom unit only a few blocks from where he’d been born. Most of North Kensington was too expensive now, but his place was in the poorest pocket. His previous job had paid him enough that he’d been able to save up something of a contingency fund for rainy days. He had never travelled; it seemed like an exorbitant luxury after growing up in with a single mum who supported him and his sister, Rachel, and their grandma. He didn’t drive, so he’d applied for a passport to use as formal documentation, never intending to use it for actual travel.
Dan stood there with his hand outstretched. With a swipe, Ben unlocked his phone and opened his contacts app before handing it over to Dan. When he gave it back, Ben couldn’t help but laugh.
“Dan Dan the Hoop Man? Don’t you have a surname?”
“Yes, but it’s entirely unmemorable and this is not.”
“Okay.” Ben sent him a text that simply had his name in it. Ben Seapine.
“Fine. If you want to edit the entry, it’s Dan Browne.”
Ben couldn’t help it. “Like the author?”
Dan rolled his eyes. “Everyone asks that. No. My Browne has an e at the end, the famous author does not.”
“I think I’ll leave it.” Ben did edit the entry though, adding Browne with an e in the notes section.
“Thanks for agreeing to this. You are a life saver.” Again with the dramatics. Dan stepped closer and for a second Ben thought he was going to kiss him, but he shifted from one foot to the other instead. Dreams were free. As if someone as gorgeous as Dan would kiss a boring IT geek like Ben. Although, he’d never expected to be invited to a wedding as Dan’s fake boyfriend either. Grandma was going to love this story, and he couldn’t wait to tell her about it at breakfast tomorrow.
“Sure. I hear the Greek Isles are lovely at this time of year.” What the fuck, Ben? He tried not to grimace at the completely fake nonsense he’d just said. As if he’d know.
“Yes. It should be fun. Especially now that I won’t be the only single person at the wedding. Thank you so much. You don’t know how much this means to me.”
“Okay. Send me the details. I’ll need some time to arrange a few things.” Like ask Rachel to look after Grandma while he was away. A couple of years ago, Mum had remarried and moved to Cardiff with her new husband, Henry, but Grandma hadn’t wanted to leave London and all her friends. Rachel had enough to do with her busy job, equally busy husband, and their three amazing kids, so Ben had suggested Grandma move in with him. The job at Seraph’s had the added benefit of giving him time during the day to take her to medical appointments, or to visit her friends. Her eyesight wasn’t the best anymore and she needed his help navigating public transport. Grandma’s plants took over his cosy unit, and when her bonsai desert rose had started to drop all its leaves, he’d ended up joining a Plant Parent group online. The solution—keep the plant warmer than ten degrees Celsius—seemed obvious for a plant originating from Africa, and once he’d shifted it into a warmer spot over winter, it had thrived again. It was weird how saving one of Grandma’s favourite plants had led him to meeting the boss of Seraph’s in the Plant Parent group, then to this job, and now apparently to being Dan’s fake boyfriend at a wedding on a Greek Island. Rachel was going to laugh her head off at him, and Grandma would join her. Well, they would have a week to laugh together at his expense. He’d be on a Greek Island with Dan. Wow.
***
Dan couldn’t believe that smoking hot Ben had agreed to his, quite frankly, wild and impulsive plan. When the invitation had arrived from Titus, he’d been so thrilled for one of his closest friends. Vittorio was a lovely man and Titus deserved to be happy. It’d only been in the middle of the night that his brain had woken him up with the super-anxious thought that now he was the ONLY one in their friend group who was single. They already roasted him for his side hustle; what type of electrical engineer did Burlesque? And using that bass player from Queen as a comeback had gotten old pretty fast, especially once the movie came out and they all quoted lines from it at him. Even though Krishna had never said it aloud, Dan still heard the subtle judgement in his tone. Apparently being a sex worker years ago meant he didn’t deserve to find happiness. Well, fuck that. Dan had a date for the wedding now and Krishna could shove his little backhanders up his arse. He breathed out, long and slow. It wasn’t that simple. Krishna had been his friend for a long time now, and most likely these feelings were just Dan’s own anxiety and nothing to do with one incredibly awkward night twelve years ago.
It’d seemed perfectly rational to cyber stalk Ben for a week to work out if he was single. Yes, that made him a dickhead, but he really needed a date for Titus’ wedding. Having a date would make the whole week a lot easier to navigate. There was no one else to ask, except maybe that hot builder who’d done the refurbishment work at Seraph’s, or heaven forbid, Beth. The boss at Seraph’s wasn’t an option, which left the only other person he knew who was, probably, single. Yeah, sure, because asking Ben had nothing at all to do with the fact that Ben was exactly his type. Geeky and calm to counter his loud nonsense. Tall, lean, short hair, masculine and wore glasses. Yes, Dan the Hula Hoop dancer with circus flare had a thing for a quiet geek with long lean thighs. There was something wonderful about sex with someone taller than him. He wanted to be pushed against a wall, to have someone tower over him, and stare down at him through glasses. He wanted to be treasured.
“Cool. Thanks again.” Dan rushed away from Ben before he said something completely out of line, clutching his phone tightly, as if he could keep Ben’s contact details closer that way and managed to wait until he was safely on the other side of the club before letting out a flamboyant squeal. Ben had agreed to be his date for Titus and Vittorio’s wedding. Ben with the intense stare hidden behind glasses, and tall lean body that had to be gorgeous. He wanted to remove Ben’s baggy clothes and discover what was underneath.
Chapter 2
Mid-August
Travelling didn’t agree with Ben. From the moment he’d stood in line at Heathrow, until now as he disembarked down a ramp off a crowded ferry onto Mykonos, he’d been surrounded by too many people. A huge percentage of them weren’t wearing masks and he appreciated that Dan did wear one and had shown him his vaccination card. His first plane ride—London to Athens—had been a lot more boring than he’d expected, and then there was the ferry ride across to the island which would have been lovely if there weren’t so many people on the boat. Everywhere he looked there were crowds of people, all talking loudly and being near each other. None of the research he’d done in the past three weeks had informed him of the vast amount of time that travel took. No source had discussed the wasted moments, standing in lines, waiting for the next part, hanging around with nothing to do. It’d surprised him, and not in a good way. He’d expected more efficiency. It was naïve, perhaps, but people travelled all the time, and shouldn’t that mean the whole process would be better than this? Why did people travel if most of the time was spent going nowhere?
“Titus said he’d meet us here.” Dan had kindly guarded Ben from the worst of the crowds and the simple act of care had left Ben even more unsettled. Did Dan somehow know that Ben struggled with this many people, and he’d protected him from them? Or was it just Dan being his outgoing self? He’d seemed to enjoy chatting to every random person who sat or stood next to them. Ben followed Dan along the crowded wharf, dragging his suitcase, and then stood awkwardly on the side of the road as Dan texted someone. Why had he agreed to this?
“Does your phone work?” Dan asked, and Ben pulled it out of his pocket to turn it on. He’d gone to see his provider in London last week and had set it all up for travel, as per the advice he’d read online.
“Seems to.” In this simple interaction, the enormity of the task ahead grew. For the whole trip, Dan chatted happily to strangers while Ben had stiffened until he could barely speak now. How the hell was he going to convince anyone they were lovers? He had one idea, but it was a bit extreme.
“Cool. Want a selfie?” Dan pulled off his mask and tucked it into his pocket, then held up his phone and aimed it back at the two of them. Ben removed his mask too and tried his best to smile. “Do one on your phone too. Your arms are longer, so we’ll get more background.”
“Okay.” Ben didn’t take many selfies, he preferred being behind the camera than in the shot, but he held up his phone and stared at the camera. Not at the screen—he wouldn’t make such a rookie error—except his gaze flicked there to check he was in the shot, and... Oh. He almost forgot to take the photo as the screen showed him the incredible sharp light glinting off the azure sea behind them. He spun around and stared. How did he miss this?
“What’s the matter?”
“Look at that.” He waved in the direction of the sea. The depth of colour, blues and golds contrasting with the dark greens and browns of the land. Mykonos was a photographer’s paradise and he’d missed it because he’d sat inside the ferry away from all the people crowding the decks. If this is what they’d been staring at, well, he’d really missed out.
“Yeah, it’s pretty. Just wait until you get to Ornos.”
Ben glanced at Dan who seemed unconcerned at the natural beauty around them. “Ornos?” His repetition was pointless as he already knew they were staying in the village of Ornos. He’d googled everything about this trip, so he’d be prepared. It was a small village, about fifteen minutes drive from the main township on Mykonos and situated on a hillside. The photos were all beige stone walls and bright white painted cottages. Ben knew enough about photography to expect reality to be less gorgeous than the photos online, so he’d been prepared to be underwhelmed.
“Yes. It’s where Titus’ family is from, so that’s why he’s having his wedding there.” Dan had told Ben this before. Maybe he was nervous too? No. Dan didn’t ever seem to be worried about anything; he was bold and cocky and danced Burlesque and chatted to random people. He was all the things Ben knew he could never be.
“Okay.” He’d hadn’t expected the light here to be so rich. Usually the light in the height of summer was too sharp for good photography. He preferred the softer light of spring and autumn, but this brightness was sensational. It would really push him creatively. The loud honk of a car horn startled Ben. A stocky white man with a dark brown beard and floppy hair leaped out of the driver’s seat.
