Adam was in his home in Malibu while Jack made them dinner. He had his cell-phone to his ear, and was exhausted from a long day at work.
“Adam, I’m really pissed off.”
“Carl, you need to calm down. Something will pan out.” He met Jack’s concerned glance, and Adam shook his head for Jack not to worry.
“Are you just sending me for auditions for gay roles?”
Adam lowered his head. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re out.”
“What the fuck?” Carl sounded enraged.
“Okay.” Adam shrugged, staring out at the ocean through the sliding doors. “I’ll send you. Just don’t be surprised when they don’t even offer for you to read.”
“Are you telling me, a straight actor can play a gay role, but a gay actor can’t play a straight role?”
Adam sat at the kitchen table, propping his head up in his palm. “Carl, do you recall years ago, when you and Keith first began your love affair?” Adam waited but Carl was silent. “I warned you, didn’t I? I told you again and again, don’t come out. Do you remember?”
“Adam.”
“Carl. I wasn’t kidding. I’m dealing with the same shit with Alexander and Keith. You three came out publicly. What am I supposed to do?”
“I can’t believe what you’re telling me.”
“I told you this would happen. You and Keith were outed by the media, and then you kissed in public. I hate to say I told you so.”
“Holy fuck. I’m in shock.”
“Carl,” Adam moaned and rubbed his eyes. “I’ll send you on auditions for straight leading men. Okay? I’ll send you dozens.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Why do you think most of the A-list male actors never come out? Huh? Why do you think they marry women and sneak out to fuck their boyfriends in hiding?”
“My head is going to explode.”
“Carl, I warned both of you this would happen.”
“So, if Keith and I lose our TV show, we’re done? Our careers are in the toilet unless more gay films are out there for us?”
Adam looked up when Jack set a glass of red wine in front of him. Adam threw Jack a kiss in gratitude. He sipped it, and then said, “Carl, I’ll send you on more auditions. I promise.”
“I’m so angry right now I can’t think straight. And the worst part is, I don’t know who to be furious at.”
Adam drank more of the wine. “Carl, calm down. Okay? You did win that award. That’s huge. Don’t feel like you’re a one-hit-wonder.”
“How is Alex doing it? Huh? Role after role?”
“He’s very hot right now. You know that. And he’s twenty-six. I’m not trying to offend you, Carl. But Alex is the new ‘it’ boy in Hollywood. But…” Adam inhaled deeply. “After this film wraps, I have nothing for him. Nothing.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah, shit. Be grateful you and Keith have that cable drama.”
“All right. Well, you confirmed Keith’s suspicions.”
“I’ll send you on more straight male auditions. Promise.”
“It’s all I can ask. Thanks, Adam.”
“No problem.” Adam disconnected the call and set the phone down. “I fucking warned them. I did, Jack. Years ago, when they came out, I said deny, deny, deny.”
Jack stirred a pot on the stove and approached Adam with a wooden spoon. “Taste.”
Adam did. “Mm.”
Jack kissed him and went back to cooking.
Adam finished his wine and gazed at the cresting waves. There was nothing he could do to help Carl now. Carl and Keith had chosen to come out ages ago, and he knew. Oh, yes, he knew the risk the two of them were taking with their future careers. Adam sank in his chair and closed his eyes.
~
Steve sat on one of the high bar stools at his island counter in the kitchen. The salmon fillets were ready to be grilled, but he didn’t cook them. He sipped a beer and stared out at the breeze blowing their flowering shrubs in their back garden.
When he came home from work, and Mark’s motorcycle was gone, Steve knew this was going to become a worse obsession than Mark riding his horse. The bike was here in their garage. Mark’s horse was in Glendale.
Steve checked the time. It’d been a half hour since Mickey had called him. He finished the beer, and put the dinner in the oven. He was hungry, and Mark most likely wouldn’t even eat anything anyway.
The house phone rang, which was unusual. Steve picked it up. “Hello?”
“Steven? It’s Harry. I have the details for the flight to Sacramento.”
“Hang on.” Steve found a pen and pad. “Go ahead, Harry.” Steve wrote down the time and then asked, “I assume you’re coming on the Lear Jet.”
“Yes. Do you want me to send one for you and Mark?”
“Yes. Please.” Steve set the pen down.
“How many are coming, Steven?”
“Just Mark and myself.” Steve checked the time.
“Fine. Do you prefer morning or evening?”
“Where are we staying?”
“I’ve booked rooms at the best hotel I could find.” He gave Steve that information as well.
“Rooms?” Steve stared at the pad.
“There’re quite a few of us coming in, Steven. My son and daughter, their spouses and children…”
As Harry rattled off the absurd number of mourners who were coming to California, Steve became confused. But he said nothing to Harry about it. “Okay, Harry. Mark and I will make arrangements.”
“Will you stay at the estate?”
Hell no! Steve wasn’t going to drag Mark there. “No, Harry. You know it sold.”
“I thought it had been purchased by friends of yours.”
“No. Friends of a friend.”
“I see. Well, I think you should make the reservations for the hotel now. So you don’t get stuck without a room.”
Steve knew his taste in hotels was not Harry’s. Steve was happy with a clean bed. He had a feeling Harry’s family, with Leslie’s wealth, were the nouveau riche “I’ll take care of it. See you soon.”
“Ta.”
Steve set the phone back into its cradle and checked on the fillets since he was broiling them. He removed them and took one to his plate. As he did, he heard the garage door open.
He put the plate of food on the table, and opened the door to watch Mark roll the motorcycle into the garage.
Steve leaned on the doorway and gazed at his husband as he removed his helmet and leather jacket. Mark pointed his key fob at the garage door, and it lowered. It was then Mark noticed him waiting.
Mark approached Steve, kissed his cheek, and walked right by him.
“Are you eating?” Steve called after him.
“No.”
He listened to Mark climb the stairs. Steve sat at the table and ate his dinner, alone, staring outside as the wind picked up, blowing their roses so they bent low.
After a moment, Mark returned, and stood at the refrigerator, taking out a bottle of water.
Steve finished his meal and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “What have you eaten today?”
“Enough.”
“Did you at least have salad for dinner?” Steve stood, tossed the skin from the fillet into the trash, and placed the leftover food into containers.
“I hate the smell of that fish cooking.” Mark made a sour face.
“You hate the smell of all food cooking.” Steve removed a can of air-freshener from a cabinet in the laundry room and sprayed it.
Once he cleaned up the table and wiped counters, he had a look at Mark. He could see the small pinpoint sights from the needle, but Mark wasn’t very bruised or red. “Harry called.” Steve pointed to the pad. “That’s the information for his flight and hotel. He’s giving us the jet to fly in.”
“Good.” Mark tipped the bottle up, drinking it.
“How was the ride?”
“Fine.” Mark set the water down and leaned over the pad to have a look. “I see Harry is going to enjoy living it large now.”
“Didn’t he with your mom alive?”
“I doubt it.” Mark leaned back against the counter.
Steve approached him. “Is something bothering you?”
“Yes.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Mark lowered his head.
Steve moved closer, pushing his crotch against Mark’s. “I love the way you look in those torn pants.” Steve poked his finger into a large gap on Mark’s upper thigh.
Mark smiled and Steve was glad to have made him smile. He eased Mark into his arms and held him. “You smell so good.” Steve inhaled Mark’s hair.
Mark finally reached for him, holding onto him.
Steve rocked him, kissing Mark’s neck.
“Jackie called.”
Steve chewed on Mark’s skin gently, nibbling towards his jaw.
“He… he asked me to write a statement.”
“About?”
Mark rested his chin on Steve’s shoulder. “About the fact that the captain and I are not carrying on.”
Steve tried to think before commenting.
Mark explained without being prodded, “He believes Alexander’s television show was cancelled because of the horrid tabloid rumors.” Mark added, “But you knew that.”
Steve relaxed his hold on Mark and allowed Mark to vent.
“Well, Jackie-blue thinks he can poke the telly-beasts and try and set things right.”
Steve leaned back to look into Mark’s green eyes. “And?”
“Steven. What if it’s true? What if the vicious lies destroyed my baby’s television show?”
“Then, someone has to be held accountable for the defamation.”
“Yes. And that someone is me.”
“Mark.” Steve held Mark from fleeing, which is probably why he went out on his motorcycle to begin with. “Mark…” Steve wanted to cup Mark’s jaw, but was afraid to touch him in case he was sore. “Look at me.”
Mark did.
“You know how sick the tabloid press is. Do not, and I repeat, do not, take this one on your back.”
Mark lowered his head and tried to hide behind his hands.
“Mark.” Steve hugged him, rocking him. “Stop allowing the trolls to control you. Please.” He felt Mark nod, but knew Mark was very sensitive to the world around him.
Changing the topic, Steve asked, “Who’s coming with us on Wednesday?”
Mark appeared to try and be strong and leaned against the kitchen counter. “Well, Alexander will still be filming.”
“And I don’t think Jack and Adam are going to go.”
“That leaves Billy.”
Steve tilted his head. “Why would Billy go? He hardly knew her. And she hated him.”
“He offered to go for me.”
Steve tried not to have a kneejerk reaction. “When did you and Billy discuss this?”
“When I arrived home from Dr Love’s office. He pulled up in his new car after his flight here.”
Steve’s mind began to go into scenarios of why and what those two did while he was at work, and Alex was in Ontario.
As if Mark read it, he shoved Steve away from him. “Unbelievable.” Mark made a move to leave the kitchen.
“Wait.” Steve reached for Mark’s arm. “Okay. If you want Billy with us, that’s fine.”
“Get away from me.” Mark jerked out of Steve’s hold and walked up the stairs.
How was Jack going to convince the TV big-guns Mark and Billy were innocent, when he didn’t believe it himself?
He looked up at the ceiling and heard Mark slamming things in their bedroom. Steve stood at the back sliding door and stared into space.
~
Alex sat on his bed in his hotel room, reading the notes and script for tomorrow. They were so close to the final scene, Alex wondered if they would actually need the next four days to finish it. As he located the page with a preview of the work ahead, he realized something. The days at the end of the shoot were for correcting mistakes made during filming, and ADR or Automated Dialogue Replacement. That meant, if any of their dialogue had become contaminated by background noise, or was corrupted, they would redo them in a sound studio. But, other than that, they only had a few scenes left.
And, that was it.
A knock on his door made him look up. Alex figured it was Jeremy. He opened it, and yes, his costar was there, with the schedule in his hand.
“Not much left,” Jeremy said as he entered Alex’s room.
“I noticed the same thing. It looks as if we’re wrapping ahead of schedule. That’s amazing.” Jeremy leafed through the pages, since he had the exact same information Alex did. “Well, we kept doing the scenes in one take. They don’t expect that.”
“Wow. Could we actually get done early?”Alex sat on the bed with the papers.
Jeremy sat next to him. “Yes. Holy shit. Alex we’re down to three scenes.”
“And… what day is today?” Alex looked around the room.
“Monday.”
“My last two films didn’t finish early.”
“Let’s not jinx ourselves.” Jeremy set a few of the pages aside and held the one with their dialogue. “So, Billy left?”
“Yeah.” Alex did what Jeremy had done, took the two pages with their dialogue from the stack.
“Because of me?”
“No.” Alex shot him a smile.
“Phew!” Jeremy made a cliché gesture of relief.
Alex laughed. “But, he wasn’t keen on seeing us act like lovers.”
“I get that.” Jeremy nodded. “I could tell he hated it.”
“And I made him fly all the way here and back for nothing.”
“Nothing? You didn’t get a fuck?”
Alex met Jeremy’s devilish gaze. “I got a fuck. Boy, did I ever.”
Jeremy laughed. “You’re brave man. I’d be terrified of getting it in the ass from a man as powerful as the captain.”
Alex shrugged. “I like it rough.” When Jeremy didn’t answer, Alex glanced at him. “What?”
Jeremy fanned himself with the pages. “Okay. I’m just getting the visual on that one. Yowza.”
Alex started to chuckle. “Yeah. Believe me, people would pay good money to see him going at me.”
“Holy shit. You mean, like really rough?”
Alex gave Jeremy a silly expression. “You want a play by play description?”
“Yes!”
Alex glanced at Jeremy’s lap and could see he was hard. “Anyway…” Alex looked at his lines.
“No, huh? Not going to divulge your sex-capades?”
“Nope.” Alex felt his cheeks go red.
“Does he fuck you while he’s in uniform?”
“Mr Runner!” Alex felt shy. “You dog!”
Jeremy fell back on the bed and kept fanning himself with the loose pages. “Damn.”
Alex relaxed beside him, propping his head on his hand. “Don’t tell me you have a police fetish too.”
“No. I just wouldn’t mind being in my sheriff’s outfit fucking the hell out of you.”
Alex choked and sat up. “Okay. I think we’d better get back to work.”
Jeremy managed to sit upright and stared at Alex. “Damn.”
“Stop. You’re embarrassing me.” Alex was extremely flattered.
“That lucky SOB. And he left? Really? Went back to California when we have only a few days left?”
“Jeremy. Stop.” Alex’s good mood vanished. “Okay. Let’s read. There’s not much here.”
“Damn.” Jeremy pushed at his crotch and then looked at the papers. “Okay. You start.”
Alex peeked at Jeremy’s profile as Jeremy stared at the script. Sure, it would be easy to have a fling here, in secret. But Alex couldn’t. How would he feel if Billy did that?
He already knew. And it wasn’t good.
Alex read his first line, focusing on his work.
~
After a shower, Mark lay naked on the bed, staring into space. Steve’s footfalls were heard coming up the carpeted staircase. Mark stared at the open doorway.
Steve sat next to Mark on the bed.
Mark scooted over so he could rest his head on Steve’s lap. “I’m sorry I overreacted.” Mark touched Steve’s cheek.
“Me too.”
“It’s been a mad week. And it’s only Monday.”
“I know.”
“Make love to me, Steven.”
Steve caressed Mark’s hair and Mark moved so Steve could stand. He watched Steve undress and as he did, Mark removed lubrication and a dildo from the nightstand.
Steve crawled over to Mark on the bed, caressed Mark’s inner thighs, and sank low between them.
Mark straddled, bending his knees, and unwound as Steve sucked his soft length into his mouth. Mark ran his fingers over Steve’s conservatively cut brown hair and began to get aroused.
Once Mark had a nice erection, Steve reached for the lubrication and dildo. Mark watched Steve, seeing him hard, and eager. Steve sucked the head of Mark’s cock and slid the slippery dildo into Mark.
Mark closed his eyes and loved the sensation of being penetrated. He whimpered and lowered down on the bed, raising his hips for more.
Steve moaned with his mouth full, and once the dildo was inserted deeply, Steve turned it on. The vibration set Mark on fire. He cupped Steve’s head as Steve sucked him, and let go of his thoughts, his terrible mood, and lost himself on the act.
Steve held the base of Mark’s dick in one hand and pushed the dildo in and out with the other, all while drawing hard suction on the head of Mark’s dick.
Mark began to climb into an orgasm. He watched his lover doing what Mark needed to come. Steve had been with Mark for so long, he knew exactly how to do it.
The vibrator began to warm and was switched to its highest setting. As it massaged Mark internally, Steve used his hand in tandem with his mouth to give Mark the stimulation he needed.
“Ah! Steven!”
Steve grew excited and sucked harder, jerking his hand faster on Mark’s cock, into his mouth.
Mark threw his head back against the pillows and came, feeling the tension, anger, and emotions melt away.
Steve milked Mark’s cock gently, dropped the dildo on the floor, shifted Mark’s body lower on the bed, and thrust in.
Mark watched his macho former LAPD cop make love to him like no one else ever could. “Yes!”
Steve bit his lower lip and Mark felt his cock pulsating rapidly inside him.
“That’s it, Steven. So good.” Mark enjoyed Steve’s climax as much as his own.
Steve thrust in a few last times, then pulled out and dropped down on Mark.
Mark locked his ankles around Steve’s legs, and hugged him, kissing Steve’s face, and then his lips.
Steve devoured Mark’s mouth, sucking on his tongue and pulling on Mark’s long hair.
As they came down from the climax high, they caught their breaths and Mark held onto Steve, feeling his heat, his sweat, and inhaling Steve’s masculine scent while his muscular body was on top of his. He held onto him, kissing Steve’s hair and face. “I love you. So bloody much.”
Steve leaned up on his arms to stare at Mark. “My baby.” Steve had tears in his eyes.
Mark embraced him in a death-grip and didn’t want to ever let go.