Conned
Charity Parkerson
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--Warning: This book is intended for readers over the age of 18.
Copyright © 2018 Charity Parkerson
Editor: Hercules Editing and Consultants
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-946099-28-0
Created with Vellum
Contents
Introduction
Author Note
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
About the Author
Introduction
Four months. Countless calls, texts, and steamy nights. All lies.
All Army wants is to meet his biggest TV obsession, Tanner Murray. He’s watched the man playing one of Primetime’s sexiest vampires for years. When he learns his celebrity crush is appearing at a local comic con, Army doesn’t waste any time getting his ticket. After getting lost, making a new friend, and standing in the world’s longest line, Army gets one fan experience he’ll never forget.
Tanner, A.K.A. Brit, meets men and women everywhere he goes. Being a celebrity means there’s no shortage of willing bodies. The only difference between Army and the rest is that Army is the only person Tanner has ever slept with more than once. That doesn’t mean the man has him tied down, or that he knows Tanner at all.
After Army walks away from Tanner, he never expects to see the man again. In fact, he hopes he never will. The only thing Tanner has ever done for Army is break his heart. When circumstances land Tanner on Army’s doorstep, Army vows this time things will be different. He has no idea how right he is.
Author Note
I hope this is the one and only time I have to give this type of back story on a book, but I’m doing so for a good cause. The original version of this story was just a short meet cute—no sex or even kissing. You see, I was contacted by someone representing a small publishing company, asking for a donated story for an anthology to raise money for cancer. I wrote a short piece around 3,000 words and sent it to them. A few weeks later, they contacted me again, saying the only way they would include my story was if my characters weren’t gay, because the CEO of the publishing house is a Baptist. They said if I’d change my story to an M/F story, I could be included. In that moment, it no longer mattered if they’d be willing to accept me if I changed my story, because I was no longer willing to accept them. Refusing to accept a donation because a character is gay isn’t faith. It’s hate, and they obviously know nothing about me if they think for one minute I’ll stand for that. I withdrew my submission and made it longer. Now, with all the sexy scenes and hot kisses included, Brit and Army’s romance will help raise money for a different worthy cause—The Trevor Project, a charity that helps at-risk LGBT youth. A portion of this book’s proceeds will go to support the only thing that spreads even faster than hate and fear—love.
Chapter 1
“I am completely and utterly lost.” Army's words fell on deaf ears since he stood in an empty, endless hallway. Never in his life had Army been inside such a massive hotel before. It was like a tiny city. He'd already stopped two hotel employees and asked for directions. One had unhelpfully suggested he download an app to his phone that contained a map of the property. The second person he stopped handed him a paper map before pointing him in this direction. To a hall. An empty hall.
With a loud sigh, Army tucked the paper map beneath his arm and opened the app on his phone. Maybe between the two, he could figure out where he was supposed to be. If he missed his chance to get Tanner Murray’s autograph, Army would make this hotel’s existence miserable. For sure they’d get a bad review on Yelp. A frustrated growl stayed lodged in his throat as he struggled to balance his autograph book and the map, and scroll through his phone. No matter how many times he pinched the screen before spreading his fingers wide, the image didn’t enlarge.
“Are you looking for the Vamps in Space convention?”
A startled cry escaped Army at the question. The map floated to the floor as Army juggled his phone from hand to hand, attempting to stop it from going the way of the map. He finally managed to smack it to his chest and hold it there. His heart raced. Each rapid beat kissed the face of Army’s phone as he held it tight against him, trying to calm himself. He sucked in a deep breath. The purple-haired girl who’d appeared from nowhere barely reached the center of his chest. With her chin tilted up and staring at him with heavily black-lined gray eyes, she waited for his answer.
Army sucked in another deep breath and pushed his glasses up his nose. “Um. Yeah. Sorry. I didn’t see you there.”
She flashed him a quick smile before returning to the alcove where she’d obviously been hiding. After unplugging a cord, she moved back to his side. “Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to startle you. As big as this place is, they don’t have many outlets. I had to charge my phone. So, are you lost?”
Army nodded, thankful not to be alone. “Yeah. I’ve been wandering around for half an hour, trying to find the convention. They gave me a map, but it’s pretty much useless as far as I can tell.”
She nodded. “I had the same problem last year when they moved from the convention center downtown to here. This place is huge and they have way too much going on at the same time. I’m headed that way if you’re interested.”
Relief rushed through Army. A smile tugged at his lips. “Thanks. I’d like that.”
She shrugged and went back to donning an unaffected mask. Since he’d dealt with his share of goth girls, Army wasn’t insulted. He assumed it was part of the initiation or an oath they took. Whatever. Either way, none of them ever smiled. “It’s no big deal,” she said as they fell into step beside each other. “Tanner Murray is signing autographs next, and he’s on my list, so I was headed that way.”
He was on Army’s list too, but he didn’t think they meant it the same way. “That’s who I was headed to see. I was afraid I wouldn’t find the convention in time.”
Falling out of character once more, the girl smiled. “You’re a Tanner Murray fan? He’s amazing. I know he isn’t on the show any longer, but he’s still my favorite. Did you sign the petition that went around, demanding he be brought back?” Before he could answer, she held her hand out for him. “I’m Jaylah, by the way.”
“Army,” Army said, accepting her handshake.
“Oh, like the actor.”
Army nodded. “Except spelled differently, and yeah, I signed. I hope they bring him back. The show hasn’t been the same since they killed him off. I mean, I’ll keep watching, but it hasn’t been the same.”
“Right?” Jaylah said.
They rounded a corner, taking a left where he’d taken a right earlier, and found the crowd. He spotted a sign hanging from the ceiling with Tanner’s name listed, but he couldn’t see the man’s table. The mob of people surrounding him was too thick.
“Whoa. Is that the line already? It doesn’t start for fifteen more minutes.”
Jaylah nodded. “The whole convention has been like this.”
Army held his silence. He hated admitting he was only there for Tanner. He was a fan of the show, but he wasn’t insane over it. Army knew from checking the website that some of the best tickets were five thousand apiece and those had sold out fifteen minutes after going live. He couldn’t imagine being that big of a fan. Of course, he had no right to judge. This was his fourth convention, in four different states. He was a huge fan… of Tanner.
“We’d better get in line,” Jaylah said, rushing ahead. He fought to keep up, but she snagged a spot and waved him over. Jaylah went up onto her toes as if trying to spot Tanner. Army swallowed down a laugh. If he couldn’t see the front, being almost two feet taller than her, Jaylah didn’t stand a chance.
“It’s long,” Army said, hating to burst her bubble. They moved forward a good ten feet. “But it looks like it’s moving,” he added, trying to hide his excitement.
She turned and focused on him, looking intense. “Be honest. How do I look?”
Since it was obvious this meant a lot to her, Army took his time inspecting her from head to foot. “Everything seems in place.”
With a sharp nod, Jaylah faced forward again, trying one more time to see over the crowd. “Can you see him yet?”
He knew they hadn’t moved enough for anything to change, but Army checked anyhow. “No. I’ll let you know.”
Her shoulders fell as she focused on him once more. “You must think I’m an idiot. I mean, it’s not like Tanner Murray will take one look at me and fall in love. It’s just the principle of it, you know?”
Even though they’d just met, loyalty had Army nodding. “I get it.”
She tried one more time seeing above everyone. “Grrr. I hate being short. My ex, Jay, he’s six-foot-eight and we’ve always done these things together, but we broke up six months ago, and now I can’t see anything.”
“Jay and Jaylah. That’s cute.” It was, but Army had hit the point of merely making conversation. He was ready to get to the front of the line.
“I used to think so,” she said, sounding absent. “Then he won a trip for two to Vamp Camp in L.A. and took my best friend Chrissy instead of me.”
Army tore his gaze away from the crowd surrounding Tanner’s table to focus on Jaylah. “That’s awful.”
Her gray eyes looked sad. “Yeah, but don’t worry. My friend Will is a level eight mage. He cast a spell to give them herpes.”
Against his will, Army was sucked into the story. “Is Will’s magic reliable?”
“Meh,” Jaylah said with a shrug. “But Will is Chrissy’s ex-boyfriend, and I’m banking he already gave her herpes and knew where it was headed next.”
Army’s eyebrows rose. He fought not to laugh. “Good thing you’re over it.”
“Right?” she said, sounding relieved.
He focused ahead again. Two people standing at the edge of the autograph table shifted, giving Army a clear view of Tanner. The breath caught in Army’s throat. “I see him,” Army said, hearing the excitement in his voice, and incapable of hiding it.
“How close are we? What’s he wearing? Does he look as amazing in person?”
“About twenty more people ahead of us. He’s wearing his outfit from the show. You know, leather jacket, white shirt, and jeans. He looks even better in person.”
Jaylah bounced in place. Excitement filled her gaze when she focused on him. “What should I say when I get up there?”
Army shrugged. “I don’t even know what I’ll say.”
“I’m asking for a hug,” Jaylah shot back, proving she’d already had a plan in place. Before he could call her on it, she asked, “So why are you here alone?”
His gaze skirted away. “I do everything alone.” The crowd moved forward another ten feet as he made the admission.
“That’s sad.”
“Not really,” Army said with a shrug. “I like being by myself.”
“Still,” Jaylah said, not letting it go. “You have great hair and really pretty blue eyes. Even your glasses can’t hide your good looks. It doesn’t make sense for someone like you to be alone.”
He wasn’t entirely sure what his hair and eyes had to do with anything, but Army still took the compliment. “Thank you. I—” The people in front of them moved aside, making him realize Jaylah was next, and killing the words in his throat.
Tanner’s blond hair was perfect and looked soft. Everything about the man was amazing, from his straight white teeth to his light-blue eyes. Those gorgeous eyes remained locked on Jaylah. “Hi. Did you have something you needed signed?”
Without a word, Jaylah shoved her autograph book beneath the man’s nose. It was obvious she’d frozen, forgetting about her hug beneath the gorgeous man’s stare.
Tanner bent his head over the book and signed his name. There was nothing personal about the moment. In the man’s defense, Jaylah hadn’t even given her name.
“You look hot.” Horror raced through Army as Tanner’s gaze slid his way at the asinine comment.
“Thank you.”
Heat exploded through Army’s face. He didn’t even know where the words had come from. They’d popped from his mouth without a thought. “I meant temperature wise,” Army explained. “With that leather coat on,” he tacked on, because he couldn’t stop. Army could feel Jaylah’s stare boring into the side of his face, but he didn’t turn his head. He couldn’t stop staring into Tanner’s eyes. “I mean, it’s cold outside, but not in here.” Why couldn’t he stop?
The humor in Tanner’s gaze deepened. “You’re right.” The man stood and peeled off his jacket. The move had the man’s t-shirt stretching tight across his hard muscles. Army’s mouth went dry. “You should hang on to this for me,” Tanner added. He handed it Army’s way.
Army’s fingers automatically closed around the leather piece. It was heavier than he expected. The star’s cologne engulfed him, making Army’s stomach growl. Army glanced down at the material, speechless.
“What’s your name?” Tanner asked.
“Army,” Army’s mouth answered with no help from his brain.
Tanner glanced past Army, eyeing the line. “It should take about thirty more minutes to get through this line. They’ve blocked off the second floor for me. If you head up that way, I’ll meet you then and get my coat back. Until then, keep it safe.”
Without thought, Army clutched it to his chest and nodded. He walked away without waiting for his autograph. He had the man’s coat and plans to see him in half an hour. That was so much better.
Jaylah stood waiting for him, all pretense of goth-hood gone. Her mouth hung open. “Oh my gosh. You are now my best friend in the whole world. What just happened? I was standing there and even I don’t know what happened. You should’ve told him he looked overheated in his pants.”
“If I’d known he would strip, I would have,” Army said, incapable of keeping the excitement from his voice. He brought the coat to his nose. It smelled like heaven, leather, and man.
“I’ve never been more jealous of anyone in my life. If you don’t text me afterward and tell me what happened, I’ll never forgive you.”
A hint of panic wormed its way in. He couldn’t tell her that. Army made a mental note to remember to forget to ask for her number. “He said half an hour,” Army reminded her. “Do you know where the nearest elevator is? I’m too excited to wait.”
She pointed down the hall. “There’s one down there on the right. Come find me later,” she demanded.
He nodded. “Will do.”
With one final conspiratorial smile, Army headed for the elevator. It was a short ride up from the first floor to the second. Still, he could barely stand still. The leather material never left his nose. Excitement had his stomach dancing, and his heart turned cartwheels in his chest. When the door slid open, two large security men blocked his path. They took one look at him and stepped aside. Army didn’t make eye contact as he passed. Spotting a s
et of plush white chairs, Army made a beeline for them. He didn’t know how much time had passed, but it felt like hours. Would he show? There was always the chance Tanner would send his personal assistant to retrieve the jacket and Army would spend the rest of the convention hiding from Jaylah. Tanner didn’t have to keep his word to meet him. Once that thought settled in, Army’s nerves frayed to the point of breakage. He almost stood and walked away. Instead, he buried his nose in the jacket once more and inhaled, drawing strength from the other man’s scent.
A set of warm lips brushed the back of his neck, causing goosebumps to break out across Army’s skin. “You’re showing up more and more often at these events.”
The smile tugging at the corners of Army’s mouth was out of his control. “You’re getting worse and worse at hiding me.”
Those gorgeous soft lips he’d felt against his skin in the last four states he’d visited now brushed against Army’s nape once more. “Maybe I don’t care to hide you.” Before Army had time to let those words sink in, Tanner straightened away. “Would you like a tour of my room? It’s beautiful.”
Army stood and accepted Tanner’s outstretched hand, allowing the man to pull him along. He was ready to go anywhere the man led. Four conventions. Four months. Endless texts and calls. Throughout it all, Army still hadn’t awoken from the dream of being the center of Tanner’s attention. In fact, Tanner trusted him enough to admit that all his real friends called him Brit. He refused to let Army call him anything else. Army didn’t know how long this would last, but he was holding on until the end.
Brit’s gaze followed Army’s every move as the man trailed from one room to the next, inspecting Brit’s enormous hotel suite. One of the many reasons this year’s vampire convention had been moved to this hotel was due to their ability to handle multiple celebrity visitors, keeping them safe from the influx of crazed fans. No matter the reasons, Brit loved watching Army as he tried hiding his thoughts. Army wasn’t impressed, but he obviously didn’t want to insult Brit. When he looked around, his faked expressions didn’t fool Brit. Army couldn’t care less about the expensive furnishings. When the man’s gaze landed on Brit, his face lit with genuine excitement. Maybe that was why Brit couldn’t stay away. Fuck it. He wouldn’t kid himself. The way Army’s eyes lit was exactly why Brit kept inviting Army back. Before Army, Brit hadn’t slept with the same person twice in years. This man, though, there was something about him. He wanted Brit, but Brit didn’t think it was because he was famous. Army wanted him for some reason all his own. Brit needed to know.
Conned Page 1
