by GA Hauser
“Wow, you are a fan.” Keith shook his head in amazement. “Yes, Xavier’s brother. I play a guy who’s being blackmailed and needs Troy to get him off the hook.”
“Oh, isn’t Carl Bronson adorable?” his mother gushed. “I swear he’s my new heartthrob.”
“Sandy, he’s half your age,” Ron scolded.
“Oh, hush. He is not. Keith. I am thrilled. We need to take you out to dinner to celebrate. Do you want to ask Patty and we’ll take you someplace nice?”
“Uh, sure. But not yet. I’m really busy with the rehearsal schedule.”
“Oh, of course…well, we need to make a plan. Ron, tell him we’d like to take him out someplace nice.”
“He’s on the line, he can hear you, Sandy. Keith, just give us a ring back when you can make it. No rush.”
“Okay, Dad.”
“Honey, I have never been so proud of you.”
“Thanks, Mom. See ya, Dad.” Keith said goodbye, hanging up. “You wouldn’t be so proud if you knew I had a hard-on for your ‘heartthrob’.” Keith spread out on the couch and stared at the ceiling, trying not to get too depressed about his life. After all, he was going to be a star.
Sighing, Keith closed his eyes and rested.
~
Carl heated up some leftovers in the microwave. His gaze kept being drawn to the telephone. He wanted to hear Keith’s voice. The bell sounded for his food. He opened the door and set the plate on the table. Taking a bite, Carl kept losing himself on the amazing kiss, Keith entering his mouth with his tongue. Carl sat in silence, the fork hovering over his plate, his food going cold. He wanted it to be for real, not make believe. And if Keith did feel something for him, how on earth was he going to convince Keith it was okay?
Chapter Seven
After his morning shower, Keith dressed in a pair of jeans and a cotton shirt. Behind him, Patty was sleeping on the bed. He hadn’t waited up for her last night. Instead, he slept in the spare bedroom and was asleep by the time she came home. As he filled his pockets with his wallet and keys, she opened her eyes, giving him a groggy stare.
“Hey.”
“Hey,” she echoed, stretching to see the time on their clock radio. “Are you going to sleep in the other room from now on or something?”
“I don’t know. I just don’t want to bother you.”
“Is something wrong?”
“You tell me.” Keith paused, knowing he had to get going.
“It’s just… It’s…”
“What?” Keith implored.
“Never mind.” She burrowed back into the pillows.
“Patty, eventually we need to talk about this.”
“I know.”
“I have to go. When are you off?”
“Monday.”
“Great.” He shook his head in frustration at having to wait all weekend.
She rolled over so she could see him again. “I called my agent.”
“And?”
“Nothing. Not a fucking thing.”
“I’m sorry, Patty. I did talk to Adam. I tried.”
“I know. I’m not blaming you.”
“Just hang in there.”
“Whatever.”
He bent down to peck her cheek. “See ya later.”
“See ya.”
As he walked to his car in the lot, Keith was beginning to understand why Patty had become distant. Jealously. He knew how he’d feel if she was offered a lucrative position in a number one drama. He’d be gutted. This was not helping a friendship which was already strained. And thinking of moving out? Having her pay all the rent? It sounded infinitely cruel. He just couldn’t do that to her.
The car was hot from the morning sun beating down on it. Keith opened the windows and turned the radio louder. As he drove to the studio he was pumped to see Carl, wondering what sexual contact they were in for next.
~
Carl kept looking behind him, checking for Keith’s arrival. He had the latest script for episode four and wanted to chat with him about it. Sitting in a folding chair, absorbed in the titillating new love scenes he and Keith were going to be performing, Carl felt hands on his shoulders from behind. Looking at one, he instantly recognized Keith’s fingers and trimmed nails. “Hello, hot stuff.”
Keith cuddled him from behind on the pretext of reading over his shoulder. “Uh oh. That’s the new one.”
Feeling Keith’s cheek against his lit Carl up instantly. The urge to kiss him, run his lips over the stubble of his jaw was overwhelming.
“More perversion.”
“Oh?”
The scent of Keith’s aftershave, his shampoo, his skin, was driving Carl absolutely insane. “Yes, look here.” Carl wanted him to keep snuggling, so he pointed to a paragraph on the script that was resting on his lap. “It says we’re at a dinner party with my parents at their home. No one knows we’re a couple. You, naughty boy, you lure me out onto an outdoor patio to kiss me. And, my oh my, we’re exposed as being homosexual.”
Keith rested his chin on Carl’s shoulder. “Bummer.”
“It was bound to happen.” Carl wanted to purr and nestle his cheek against him. It was hell holding back.
“So, Dennis and Troy are outted. Do we get shunned? Placed in a leper colony?”
“No. At least not yet.” Carl flipped a page. “It says my mother slaps me for embarrassing her. I wonder how Betty’s right hook is.”
Feeling Keith pull away, Carl was sad when he moved a chair over and sat down. He liked being cuddled.
“Good. Your turn to get clobbered.” Keith leaned over to gaze upside down at the script.
“Are you still upset about that?”
“No. I’m joking.” Keith met his eyes, giving him a smile.
Carl wanted to lick at his dimples desperately.
“I told my parents I was in the show.”
Closing the script on his lap, Carl gave Keith his undivided attention. “And?”
“I left out the gory details. I just said I got a part on Forever Young. Turns out you’re my mom’s newest heartthrob.”
“That’s really sweet.” Carl needed to touch him.
“So…” Keith stretched his back, his arms reaching over his head. “At least they know I’m working.”
“They have to be pleased with that, Keith. They know what the competition is like.” Carl savored the glimpse of Keith’s lower abdomen when his shirt gapped from his jeans.
After his cat-like stretch, Keith rested his elbows on his knees so he was closer to Carl. “They are. With the information they have at the moment, they are.”
“Good enough.”
“Uh…”
“Yes?” Carl mirrored Keith’s position, so they were nose to nose.
“I…I think Patty’s jealous.”
Sitting back with a start, Carl gasped, “Of us?”
“No!” Keith narrowed his eyes at him. “Of the fact that I got an acting job. Us?”
Carl wished he had a rock to crawl under. “That’s what I meant. Us. The fact that we’re working.” God, shoot me.
The suspicion in Keith’s sky blue eyes was doing two things to Carl. One, turning him into putty because he was so damn sexy, and two, scaring him.
Someone was shouting at them. It was time for a read through of the new script.
As they rose up off the chairs, Carl fell in behind Keith as he walked off, admiring his ass and legs. Cool it, Carl, just fucking cool it or this good working relationship will end.
~
Keith had to force himself to focus on the lines he was speaking. Since they were doing nothing more than a speed reading, Keith was left to imagine the scenes in his head. The next kiss on the patio had two words written in italics near the dialogue, as if it were emphasizing the action, “very passionate”. A very passionate kiss. What the hell had they been doing up ‘til then? Keith assumed each kiss they shared had to have that ingredient. Hadn’t they been kissing up to Charlotte’s standards?
When they took a br
eak for some coffee and the restroom, Keith decided on finding out exactly what he and Carl’s smooching had been lacking.
“Charlotte?” Keith whispered softly as she filled a cup with black coffee.
“Yes, sweetie pie?”
He held the script in front of her and pointed to the words as he said, “Very passionate.”
“Yes.”
“Like in we haven’t been kissing passionately up to now?”
A light, jovial chuckle preceded her answer. “No. That’s not what I mean.”
“Then, more of the same?”
“Uh. No.” She had a quick look around first before she added, “It’s really obvious you guys aren’t kissing like…uh, like…”
“Like? Like?” Keith waited in anticipation.
“I take that back. You had one.”
“One?” Keith was completely lost.
“How do I say this tactfully?” She tapped her smile with her index finger.
He got it. “French kissing.”
“Yes.” She pointed at him as if he’d answered the million dollar question. “I’m sorry, Keith. But you can tell the difference. On those scenes we come so close to your faces we can see every detail.”
Keith felt his skin break out in chills remembering the one kiss he and Carl exchanged that was completely intoxicating. He began to pant thinking about it.
Charlotte cupped his face, forcing him to meet her eyes. “You okay?”
“Yes. Just digesting it.”
“Jesus, Keith, don’t hyperventilate.”
He was humiliated it was that obvious he was.
“Forget it.” She waved her hand. “Do what you’re comfortable with. We’ll manage.” She walked away.
Keith could feel her disappointment spinning in her wake.
His hands on his hips, the script still in his right one, Keith stared at the floor trying to regain his composure.
“Keith?”
Carl’s warm hand glided to the back of his neck. Keith’s skin ignited at the sensuous touch.
“You okay, babe?” Carl lowered his head to connect with Keith’s stare.
“Yes.” Keith tried to snap out of his mood. When Keith stood straight, Carl’s hand slid off of him. “I…I was just confirming something in the notes of the script.”
“Can I ask?”
Sighing deeply, Keith pointed to the words. “This. Very passionate.”
“And? What did she say?”
“She says on the close ups of us sucking face that she can tell we’re not using our tongues.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“And that bothers her?”
“So it seems.”
“We did French kiss once.” Carl’s gaze was so intense it was making Keith weak at the knees.
“I know. So, no big deal right?”
Carl shrugged. “I suppose not.”
“You…are you okay with it?”
“Come here.”
When Carl cupped his face and kissed him, pushing his tongue into his mouth, Keith dropped the script and wrapped around his neck. Their mouths open and their tongues going crazy swirling around each other, Keith’s cock was so hard he was in agony.
As Carl parted from his lips, Charlotte’s voice whispered from right next to them, “See? That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
Keith jumped back, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand nervously.
She winked at Carl and walked off.
“Did she ask you to do that?” Keith couldn’t stop his heart from exploding in his chest.
“No. I just figured I’d give us a rehearsal. No big deal, right?”
Was he kidding? Seeing Carl’s calm confidence, Keith shook his head slowly. “No. No big deal.”
“Problem solved.” Carl walked over to the refreshment table and picked up a bottle of water.
Once he did, Keith kept touching his lips, as if the sparks of electricity lingered. No, Carl. Problem far from solved. The problem keeps getting worse.
~
On the way home Keith stopped off at the diner where Patty worked. Sitting at the counter, he tried to get her attention as she rushed back and forth from the kitchen to the tables.
He read the menu and waited for her to notice him.
“Keith?”
“Hey.”
“You here to order food? Or for me?”
“Both.”
She took out her pad. “Shoot.”
“I’ll take the cheeseburger and curly fries. And a cola.”
“Okay.”
“You have a minute?”
“Let me put your order in and check. I’ll be right back.”
He set the menu in the stand and watched her continue to race around. A few minutes later she set his soda down with a straw.
“How was rehearsal?”
“Good. My parents want to take us all out for a celebration meal.”
“When did you call them?”
“Yesterday.”
“Did you tell them it was a gay part?”
Cringing, Keith looked around the area to see if anyone heard. “Please be quiet about that.”
“Sorry.”
Keith didn’t think she looked sorry in the least. “Patty, it’s me that should be apologizing.”
“Why?”
“I feel badly that I finally got work and…” he gestured to the diner.
“That’s life. Let me see if your burger is done.”
Sipping his cola through the straw, Keith felt very guilty. He just didn’t know what to do about it. He couldn’t find her work. Only her agent could.
She emerged from a double door with his order. “I have to get going again. Can we talk more at home?”
“I try but you’re usually not receptive to it.”
“I’m just worn out.”
“I know.”
She left him sitting there, staring after her. This wasn’t good.
~
Carl stopped at a bar on the way home. It was Friday night and he didn’t want to hide in his condo just yet. Sitting at the counter, he ordered a beer and checked to see if his mobile phone was on. He considered calling one of his drinking buddies, reconsidered, and stuffed the phone back into his pocket.
The bartender returned with his order. “Aren’t you Carl Bronson from Forever Young?”
Blushing at being recognized, which didn’t happen very often, Carl nodded. “Yes.”
“I love that show! Isn’t the new season beginning next month?”
“Yes. It is.”
“Can I have your autograph, man?”
“Sure.” Carl waited as the bartender found a pen and paper. “You want me to write just my name? Or?”
“No. Write ‘to Dave’ on it.”
Seeing the man’s name tag with the same name, Carl wrote, To Dave, I’m flattered you like the show, all the best, Carl Bronson. After he finished he handed it to him. “Is this okay?”
“Yes. Perfect. Thanks.”
Carl went to give him some cash for his drink.
“No. On the house.”
“That’s very generous of you.”
The man nodded and left to help another customer.
Smiling warmly, Carl knew the show was still in its infancy, and he wasn’t exactly swarming with paparazzi. But it felt nice. Being noticed, acknowledged. And he had his taping of the talk show this weekend. More publicity, more air time…it had to be a good thing.
Leaning his elbows on the bar, relaxing as he sipped his beer, Carl used the opportunity of a pause in his thoughts to remember Keith’s kiss. Charlotte wanted them to use their tongues? Oh, that is so fantastic. Yes, it was missing. Carl had a feeling you could tell. And the damn strain of holding back when all you wanted to do was enter…
Inhaling, Carl felt his body go rigid. A stream of air hissed from between his teeth he was so excited. He flipped out his phone, wanting to call Keith, hear his voice.
Pausing before he finish
ed dialing, he shut it down and pocketed it again. No. Don’t harass the man on his time off the set.
Blurring his vision on the rows of liquor bottles behind the bar, Carl went back to his fantasy. He wanted another bed scene. Something really crazy. One where they were both naked and exploring each other’s bodies while kissing. He wondered if he could ask Charlotte to add a scene like that. After all, they wanted racy passion. The straight characters were all over each other already. His and Keith’s scenes seemed restrained by comparison.
Imagining them both nude, touching, caused Carl to moan out loud.
Blinking, coming out of his dream, he finished his beer and headed home, in need of sexual release.
