Prince of the Playhouse (16 page)

“I can’t? I thought you said I could.”

Ru frowned back at him.

“Oh, you mean we might have something to talk about? Maybe I didn’t just spend a ton of money to buy sex from you? Is there a chance of that?” His voice rose—that famous voice that made every word sound like a line from a movie.

“Okay, talk.”

“What are you thinking?”

Ru crossed his arms. “I’m thinking that you’ll do anything to shut down that story that you’re gay, even spend a gazillion dollars to back my collection.”

“Ah. I see. And breaking up with a woman was the best move to prove I like girls?”

“She got too demanding. You had to get away from her.” He shrugged.

“It never crossed your mind that I might have broken up with her—because you wanted me to?”

“No.”

“Or that becoming your business backer not only provides me with a sure return on investment, it also gives me a good reason to hang out with a gay man without it being the subject of a headline every fucking day?”

Ru sucked wind. “Hadn’t exactly thought of that.”

Gray leaned against the opposite car door, and it felt like a long way away. “You haven’t thought of a lot of things.” He took a deep, ragged breath. “I really like you. If you want me to, I’ll go away and leave you alone. I won’t retract my business support, because I honestly believe in you and want to be a part of your success, but I know I come with a mountain of baggage. I’d like to say I’ll just walk away from my career, Ru, but so many people depend on me.” He shrugged. “No, that’s a fucking excuse. I like making movies. I really do. There’s a big, fat rush to being Gray Anson, and I haven’t decided I want to give it up. Hell, I’m not even sure I can. Contracts, entanglements. What can I say? Do you want me to go?”

“If I say stay, what does that mean?”

Gray stared at his hands. “We keep seeing each other. Maybe you even come to Hollywood with me.”

“You keep dating women?”

“I have to.”

“And I have to date men so that people never think I’m your closet boyfriend?”

“Shit. I suppose so.”

Ru blew out his breath, and it felt like a stream of pain. “I told you, I’m not a masochist.”

Gray nodded and wiped two fingers across his eyes. “I understand.”

“No. You don’t. You’ve replaced every other man in my life for the better part of three years. I dream about you at night and daydream your face all day. Walking away from you is far more than I can manage. The chance to have you in my life pretty much trumps everything, darling. Sadly, that may include self-respect.”

Gray leaned forward, his eyes glistening. “Maybe we can both live without it.”

CAN’T BELIEVE
my eyes.
Gray Anson sat in front of him, asking Ru to be his—what? Fuck, who cared? The stuff of dreams.
Be careful what you wish for.
“What happens now?”

“You open your fly and I give you a blowjob.”

Every cell in his body freaked. “You’re serious?”

“As sin.”

“Gray Anson wants to give me a blowjob?”

“Yes. Have since the day I met you.”

“Holy shit.”

Gray scooted across the seat, slapped Ru’s hand away, and opened his fly for him. “I’m gonna do this fast and deep. Later, at home, I’ll kiss you a lot and then you’ll fuck me into the mattress.” Ru’s mouth opened. Gray slowly closed it with his thumb. “Since we’re in the getting-to-know-you phase of the relationship, I should ask, am I correct in assuming that you’re a top?”

“Nobody ever guesses that.”

“But it’s true, correct?” He reached inside Ru’s boxer briefs and grabbed his cock in one hot hand.

“Ye-yes. Jesus, yes.”

Gray nibbled against Ru’s jaw as he stroked Ru’s erection. “Because no one ever guesses that I’m a bottom who loves having the cock of a tough top in my ass, and I can’t wait to let you do whatever the hell you want to me.”

“Oh my God.”

Gray chuckled. “No. Just the god of action movies, darling. And I’m about to show you how I love to do my own stunts.” His head dropped into Ru’s lap and his big hands fed Ru’s throbbing erection between his lips.

Holy God, watch. Watch every frame. Don’t miss a minute. You want to replay this every night of your life. Gray Anson going down on your cock.

Ru’s head fell back as shocks of fire lit up his balls. One problem with this movie—the big explosion about to get cued. His cock had survived off Gray Anson’s charisma for three years. Ru’s dreams centered on the lips now wrapped around his dick. No way he could make this last. Too perfect. Too much a dream come true.

His hips lifted off the car seat to get deeper, hotter, wetter. “Oh God, Gray. I want—too much—not going to—oh shit!” Gray sucked harder and harder, his surprisingly rough palms abrading Ru’s balls like a damned milking machine until— “Can’t hold it. Can’t. Oh God!” Jesus, he should pull out of Gray’s mouth, he—shot his load straight down the most famous throat in motion picture stardom as his head blew apart and scattered the stardust in his brains all over the limo interior.

“Ohhhhhhhhh.” Ru’s body melted into the very cushy leather upholstery. He chuckled softly.

Gray busily licked the last of the spunk from Ru’s cockhead. “What?”

“I can die now. I have everything I ever wanted.”

Carefully he tucked Ru’s softened cock into his briefs and tidily closed his trousers. “Nope, no dying. I want to discover every way to get fucked in the history of the world. I want to invent new positions and find exciting venues for the exploration of ass sex. I want to make up for everything I’ve missed with the only person I’ve ever really wanted.”

Ru stared at him. Hard to accept so much goodness all at one time. “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why me?”

Gray cocked his head. “Will you forgive me if I say I don’t know? I’m kind of a basic guy. I relate to my body, not my head. The first moment I saw you, some switch went off in my brain, and I couldn’t stop thinking about you, wanting you.” He flashed a quick smile. “Sorry. I’d like to get all Shakespearean on you.”

“Hey, I’m happy to have you think about me anytime.”

“There’s something about you. You’re this pretty, prancy queen, but I get some other vibe. Like this power. Together, those things are irresistible to me.” He shrugged. “Told you. I’m far from a poet.”

Ru swallowed. Never ever would one of those words leave his heart. “You’re doing fine.”

“So you get out of the car, slip inside, and go mingle. When people ask where I am, say I had to make a call or something, okay?”

Right. Now they got to the lying part. “Okay.” He peeked out the window. Nobody. Next he glanced at the sky. Quickly he opened the door a crack, crawled out, dashed for the door, and slid inside before a single person noticed him—he hoped.

When he walked back into the lobby, Chris gave him a hard look. “Where’s Gray?”

“He had to make a phone call. I’m not sure where he went.”

“Damn. He can’t just wander around.” Chris took off down the hall.

Shaz came up beside him. “You lost your companion.”

“Uh, yes, he had to make a phone call.” Damn, lying to Shaz was the hardest part.

Shaz grinned. “Right.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “A phone call to his dick telling it to calm down enough to appear in public.” Laughing, he walked back to his guests.

Maybe he wouldn’t have to do so much lying after all.

GRAY SETTLED
into the backseat of the limo, with Benson and Courtney still blabbing at him from the sidewalk outside. Benson nodded. “This was great, Gray, really good. Those reporters ate this story up with a spoon.”

Courtney gave him an arched brow. “You’re welcome.”

“Yes, good job, Court. But the fact is, this brilliant maneuver is compliments of the Gray man himself.” He laughed.

Gray sighed. “It’s no maneuver. This is a terrific investment, and I’m excited about it.”

“Yeah, yeah. So, New York. I’ve got Fitzie working on lining up a date with that hot new model who made the cover of SI, okay?”

Double sigh.
“Sure, fine. As long as she can complete a sentence and doesn’t embarrass me.”
Wait. Cool.
“How about we dress her in something of Ru’s? That’ll get him some red-carpet exposure. And I can’t stay. I’ve got to get back here and work. The show’s only a week away. After this premiere, I’ve got to focus.”

“Sure, Gray, fine.” Benson checked his tablet.

“Thanks. I’m tired. See you tomorrow.”

“But—”

Gray slammed the door, and Chris applied pedal to metal as if he’d read Gray’s mind.

Gray released all the air in his lungs in a long hiss.

“Tired, boss?”

“Kind of. Tired of—I don’t know. Just tired.”

Despite their rapid escape, Chris seemed to be driving slowly down Broadway toward the ocean. “Tired of taking orders from people who work for you?” Chris chuckled.

“Oh, you noticed that, did you?”

“Yeah, hard to miss.”

He stared out the window. “They want what’s best for me.”

“Yep. And man, do they know what that is.”

Gray looked at Chris’s eyes, crinkled at the corners, in the rearview mirror.

“Nobody works harder than you do, man. Hell, if I was a billionaire, I think I’d have more fun.”

Interesting advice.

Chris pulled up to the light at PCH and peered at him in the mirror. “Where to?”

Oh man.
“Uh, I was thinking maybe I’d work on the script a little tonight.”

“Like with Ru?”

“Uh, yeah.”

Chris maneuvered the limo into the right-hand lane and put on his blinker. “Good.”

They drove in quiet for the few blocks to Ru’s house. Chris pulled up a block away and turned his big body to look back at Gray. “Why don’t you put on your hoodie? I stuck it in the compartment.”

“Oh, thanks for thinking of it.”

“I’ll stay here. You crawl out and go down this side of the block, then cross over and see if you can get around to his back door.”

Gray pulled the hoodie over his head. “Uh, I’ll call you—”

“Call me if you need me. I took a motel room a couple blocks from here.” He pointed at the street corner behind them. “I’ll meet you there tomorrow morning at 5:30 a.m., okay? Not much traffic then. You can scoot to the Vistage and change before rehearsals.”

“Uh—”
Close your mouth, Anson.
“What are you assuming?”

“That you’re going to spend the night with your lover. About fucking time, if you ask me.”

“So you think—”

“That you’re gay? I don’t think. I know.”

“How?”

He grinned. “Impeccable gaydar, my man. My boyfriend’s name is Peter. He’s a physical therapist. I’ve gotta tell you, you had me going. I signed on because I’d heard the rumors and I thought you might need a friend. But shit, man, you’ve made monks look promiscuous. Then finally I spied that
I-want-candy
look in your eyes when you saw Ru Maitland. I thought,
okay, this one he won’t be able to resist
. Then I got in the car and it smelled like righteous sex. I thought,
finally
! Gotta admit. Good taste. That’s one gorgeous dude.”

Gray frowned.

“See.” Chris laughed. “You’re jealous as hell. I thought you were going to take out that poor TV actor. Anyway, have fun. I stuck a care package in the storage compartment, under the hoodie. Did you find it?”

Gray rooted in the compartment and came out with a paper bag. When he looked inside, he laughed. He pulled out a giant-sized bottle of lube and three boxes of condoms, from regular to extra large. “I wasn’t planning on fucking elephants.”

“Ah, but multiple human fucks add up to one elephant fuck. I figure you’re due.”

God, it felt weird to have someone know. “Thanks, Chris.”

“I hope you won’t worry about me. You pay me well. I’m not going to turn you in for a quick million.”

“I appreciate that.”

“Hell, it’s hard enough being gay for a guy like me. I can’t even imagine what it’s like for you. You’re a good man. You deserve a little happiness for a change.”

He ducked his head. “Thanks. It means a lot.”

“Quit wasting time. I’ll bet that angel face is about to split a seam waiting for you.”

Gray grabbed his bag of condoms, adjusted the hood, and slid out of the car into the shadows of the tree lined street. The limo pulled away. Could he trust Chris? Right now, he didn’t seem to have any choice.

THE ANGEL.
Ru stood stark-naked, cock half erect, staring at his back in the full-length mirror. Okay, no way would he pass up the chance to have sex with Gray Anson over a fucking tat. His knees buckled, and he slid to the rug.
You’ve done it before. You’ve had sex and never undressed.
He flopped backward, which made Mr. Half-Staff spring to near alert. Yeah, but those had been simple one-night stands. The guys didn’t care as long as Ru fucked their brains out. They were usually so brain-blown over the idea he was a power top that they never noticed the T-shirt he kept on. This was different.
Not complaining. Just wish I knew what the fuck to do.

Gray trusted you with his secret. Turnabout, baby.

What if he’s disgusted? Plus Gray’s secret isn’t illegal, mama.

Damn.

Wait. He sat up.
Was that the back door?
He pulled on his jeans commando and slipped a long-sleeved T-shirt over his head. Sliding his knife in his pocket, he walked softly through the kitchen and peeked through the glass in the back door.

Heart leap.

He ripped open the door and put a hand on his hip. “What are you doing back here?”

“Didn’t want anyone to see me arrive.” Gray grinned. “That way they won’t be expecting me to leave.” His smoky eyes gleamed, but he blinked like maybe he wasn’t positive of his welcome.

“Then get in here before Flopsy and Mopsy spy you and want half the bed.”

Gray laughed, and it had a young sound. He stepped into the kitchen and lit up the space.