Complicated (17 page)

According to Tony and Kade, the short film would be released as a DVD extra, but a teaser of it was attached to the end of the full length feature. Sean didn’t care. He was proud of the work he and Jonathan had done and couldn’t wait for the general public to see them together. Ten months with Jonathan had showed Sean he could still be a decent person without drugs or booze. Jonathan still saw the wonder and goodness in the world, and his attitude had rubbed off on Sean.

Jonathan twiddled his fingers.

“Nervous?” Sean asked.

“Yeah. I’m scared to death.” Jonathan balled his hands. “When we hit Tokyo, I was okay because it wasn’t here. We weren’t huge news, you know? This…this is big stuff. It’ll be on television and stuff.”

“You’ll do great, just like you did in Japan.” But he understood Jonathan’s worry. The American media tended to focus more on who dated who and what the women wore. The actual artistic aspects of the film were overlooked. If Sean and Jonathan made out or had an argument on the red carpet, now that would be news.

“I’m still uneasy.”

“They’ll ask you if you’re my boyfriend and if we met on the set. I’ll proudly tell them the truth—I’ve never seen you before in my life and you followed me into the limo.”

“Asshole.” Jonathan finally smiled. He unclenched his hands. “Thanks.”

“I’m your asshole. It’s my job to keep you Zen.” Sean held Jonathan’s hand and kissed his knuckles. “It’ll be fine. Have fun with this.”

“What if they insult my suit?”

“So? They’ll try to get you to say anything to make you look silly for the gossip reels. Who cares? I know you’re awesome and so does Tony. You’ll be fine. You’re wearing classic chic. It never goes out of style.”

“Sean.”

“You’re thinking too much. It’ll be fine. I won’t let them eat you whole. Promise. Think about it. You get to be in the whole cast pictures and most of the big six photos because you’re with me. You’re integral to my character not going freaking crazy.”

“Sweet,” Jonathan said, his voice droll. “I don’t want to encroach.”

“You won’t be. I need my rock with me.”

The roar of the crowd filtered into the car. People slapped the windows and doors. Jonathan scooted closer to Sean. “Man, they’re loud.”

“Yeah. They think we’re someone important.” Still the rush of the crowd unnerved him, too. He never quite got used to people wanting to push into him in search of an autograph or photo. As the car stopped, Sean gripped the door handle. “We’re here. Be cool.”

Sean held hands with Jonathan as they stepped onto the red carpet. More people shouted, and what seemed like a thousand flashbulbs went off. A couple of fans shouted his name and many held out their arms to him. One of the reporters strode up to him and Jonathan, but she angled herself such that Jonathan wouldn’t be seen.

“Who are you wearing?” she asked, sticking the mic in his face.

“My boyfriend, Jonathan.” Sean smiled and tugged Jonathan close. “Of course.”

The woman snorted. “He’s your designer?”

Ah, so she wanted to play games. Fine, he’d go toe-to-toe with her. “He suggested we get back to basics. Suit and tie. Classic. Both suits are Topher Azad creations, but I’m glad my partner picked them out.” The more he said partner, the more he liked the way the word sounded.

“Nice. Are you excited about the opening?”

“We put a lot of good work into the film. I hope that chemistry shines to the audience.”

“Now for the big question.” She leaned in nice and close. “You mentioned your boyfriend. Is he here?”

She was
not
being that dumb… He hated having to restate stuff for the media. Most of the time he liked being in front of the various news outlets, but every so often, they drove him crazy.

“Yes, Jonathan.” Sean switched sides and eased Jonathan in front of the camera. “This guy is… I’m so much better because he’s here. I love him. Stay tuned after the feature for the extras. There are a lot of little sneaks in there and some gems you won’t want to miss.”

“How long have you and your boyfriend been together? According to reports, you and Jonathan met in Cleveland on the set.”

“Those reports would be correct.” More flashbulbs popped around them, and even more people shouted for them to turn for photos. Sean focused on answering her questions. The faster he answered, the sooner they could get inside the theater and enjoy their time together. “This has been the best year of my life and career.”

“You’ve kept the relationship under wraps most of that time. Why come out now?”

“I’ve been out for the last four years, but this is the first time I’ve felt confident enough to discuss my personal life.” He tugged Jonathan closer. “Look at him. He’s a sexy man. I couldn’t wait to spend time with him.”

Tony strode over to them and threw his arms around both men. “These two guys make my job so much easier. Nah, they make it hard as hell sometimes, but it’s worth the headache. You can’t find better chemistry.” He nudged them forward. “But we’ve got a movie to premiere.”

Thank God for Tony and his pushiness. He didn’t want to deal with a thousand questions. Sean and Jonathan followed the rest of the cast into the theater.

“Holy crap.” Jonathan’s cheeks darkened. The blush stretched down his neck and up to his forehead. “That was…”

“That was the gauntlet. She wanted to trip me up and make you argue with me. If possible, she wanted me to open up about our relationship. It’s part of the game.” Sean shrugged. “I’ve played it for so long, it doesn’t bother me. I’d forgotten how overwhelming this part can be. You’re doing fine.”

“You’re saying fine a lot.” Jonathan grinned. “I was going to say it was awesome. I get to watch and not talk. Plus, I got a compliment from Tony. I’m stoked.”

“See?” Sean kissed him on the lips, loving the feel of Jonathan’s mouth on his. “Nothing to worry about. Let’s watch ourselves on the gigantic screen and critique everyone’s performances.”

Jonathan shuffled into the main theatre ahead of Sean and found their seats. After they sat, he leaned into Sean. “Wearing your boyfriend?” He chuckled. “That’ll be later.”

“I hope so.” From head to toe, his body warmed. “I love you. I’m glad you left that small town and followed your heart to movies. This was the best chance encounter I’ve ever had. You’re totally my better half.”

“I love you, too, Sean. You make complicated fun.”

“So do you.” He settled beside his boyfriend as the lights dimmed and rested his head on Jonathan’s shoulder. What a great life he had and a great future they’d share.

About the Author

Like spicy romance? So do I! Come along on this journey with me.

Welcome to my corner of the universe. I’ve always wanted to write. I love storytelling and weaving images with words. There’s something magical about a happily-ever-after that draws me to a story. Be it spicy and suspense-filled or lusty hot and bothered, I’m game for a good book. I’m still learning and growing, and I hope you’ll join me. It’s been a crazy ride, but it’s totally worth it. You’ll see.

I’ve always dreamt of writing the stories in my head. Tall, dark, and handsome heroes are my favorites, as long as he has an independent woman keeping him in line. I love playing with words and letting the characters run wild.

NASCAR, Ohio farmland, dirt racing, animals and second chance romance all feature prominently in my books. Come join me for this fantastic journey!

If you like my work, tell your friends and email me. I love hearing from readers!

Megan loves to talk to her readers and can be found at
http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm.

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