Chapter Twenty Four
Raj took his seat in the crowded theatre, and waited for Brent to sit down behind him.
He wished that Brent could sit at his side but that seat was reserved for Gita, his co-star in The Lonely Road. After the titles had finished rolling and the film got into full swing, Raj leant back in his seat and tried to concentrate on the movie.
It was more difficult than he’d anticipated.
Raj could feel Brent’s eyes searing a hole into his back. He wondered what was going through the bodyguard’s mind at that very moment. Being around Brent for the past few days without actually being with him had been torture. If only Brent would reconsider his position, Raj was sure things could work out between them.
He turned in his seat and caught Brent’s eye.
The silver light from the screen bathed Brent’s face, giving it an almost ethereal quality. Brent stared back at him as though he were staring into his very soul and Raj felt powerless to turn away. The man was quite simply breathtaking. Raj wasn’t ready to give him up before their relationship had even begun. And it was a relationship he wanted, he was certain of that now.
Nothing less would do.
Gita turned her head to see who Raj was staring at and glanced back and forth between them both. Reluctantly, Raj tore his gaze from Brent’s and turned in his seat to fix his eyes on the large screen. He had hoped Brent would have changed his mind about the two of them after having a few days to calm down and think about what he was potentially giving up. But Brent’s words the bar earlier hadn’t given him much hope. Raj was certain they could be good together, but the difficult part was proving that to Brent.
About twenty minutes into the film, Gita leaned in close and whispered in Raj’s ear.
“You look good on the screen.”
She placed a hand on his knee and squeezed.
Shit.
What the hell was he supposed to say to that?
When he looked down, Gita’s hand was still resting on his knee.
Raj managed a half smile. “Thanks. So do you.”
Crap.
“We complement each other.” She smiled seductively and gave his knee another squeeze.
Brent cleared his throat behind them.
Could he see Gita’s hand on his knee from where he sat?
When her hand started inching its way up his leg, Raj knew he had to stop her before she went too far. He didn’t want to lead the woman on. He grabbed her wrist and lifted it from his leg, placing it back in her lap.
She looked across at Raj, eyebrows raised in query.
She’d made a few advances when they’d been filming the movie too, but Raj had managed to subtly ignore them. However, he couldn’t do that when he was trapped next to her for the duration of the movie.
“I’m sorry. I’m not interested,” he informed her quietly.
Her eyes widened in surprise, then her face broke out into a smile. “That sounds like a challenge.”
As he turned back to the screen, he sank a little lower in his chair and prayed the time would pass quickly so he could get out of the uncomfortable situation and go home. All he wanted to do was have the conversation that Brent had promised him earlier. Nothing else mattered.
Chapter Twenty Five
When the lights came on for intermission, Brent got up from his seat and stretched out his long frame.
The movie was wonderful, what he’d seen of it. Raj had lit up the screen, outshining everyone else who starred in the movie. Brent hadn’t been able to concentrate too much as most of his attention had been on Raj in the seat in front of him.
He hadn’t missed Gita’s attempts at flirting and trying to gain Raj’s attention, either.
He’d seen her place a hand on his leg, too. Several times, in fact. Raj had whispered something to her after the first time it had happened, and whatever he’d said, had encouraged her because her seduction attempts had only increased.
Couldn’t Raj have made it clear that he wasn’t interested?
Brent frowned.
Maybe Raj wanted people to see them together so he could keep up his ‘straight’ persona.
Brent had felt his anger intensify as the movie went on. One minute Raj was telling him things could work out between them and the next he had a woman fawning all over him and had done nothing to deter her.
Whatever.
They weren’t an item and Raj was free to do whatever he chose with whomever he wanted. But the thought of him being with anyone other than Brent made his skin crawl.
During the break, Raj stood in the aisle talking to some of the crew from the film. Brent recognized one of the men as the director from the movie Raj was currently filming. He let the men talk while he watched the room, paying close attention to anyone who came within touching distance of Raj. Gita made another appearance, brushing against Raj’s side and touching his arm. She leaned in close again and whispered something to him, and this time Raj threw his head back and laughed.
Brent clenched his jaw.
He was not jealous.
Five minutes later, Raj was at his side. “I need to go to the men’s room.”
“And? You want me to hold it for you?”
Crap.
That had been childish.
Raj frowned. “What the hell is your problem now?”
“Nothing. Just forget it.”
Brent indicated the way and followed Raj through the crowd of people making their way out of the large screening room. Raj walked straight past the men’s room and hurried down the stairs. Brent had to break out into a jog to keep up with his pace.
“Where are you going?”
“There’s another restroom down here. It will be less crowded.”
“What the hell difference does that make? Are you too shy to take a leak in front of people now?”
Raj ignored him and continued down the stairs. When they reached the ground floor, he veered left and made his way down a corridor. Raj stopped in front of a door at the end and lifted his hand to push it open.
“Wait.” Brent pulled Raj out of the way and went in first to check the room.
It was empty.
He looked underneath the stall doors but none of them were occupied.
Raj followed him inside.
“Now do you want to tell me what the hell is wrong with you?” Raj asked, folding his arms across his chest.
Brent drew his eyebrows together. “What makes you think something is wrong?”
“Oh, please. You look like a bear with a sore head.”
Well, if Raj wanted to know…
“Fine. Why the hell did you just sit there and let that women paw you? What sort of game are you playing, huh?”
“Okay, firstly, she did not paw me. I took her hand off my knee several times, or did you fail to notice that? What the hell else did you want me to do in a crowded theatre?
“Beat her around the head a few times until she got the message? And secondly, are you jealous? Is that was this is about?”
“Why the hell would I be jealous of a woman? You’re gay.”
“Damn right I am.”
Raj advanced on Brent and pushed him backwards until he was pressed up against the wall. He grabbed hold of Brent’s face and kissed him hard, forcing his mouth open and pushing his tongue inside possessively.
Brent was caught off guard.
He should have pushed Raj away, but as soon as Raj’s tongue entered his mouth he swallowed down his objections and let Raj take over. Their bodies pressed together and Brent hissed into the kiss when a very hard erection came into contact with his own.
He lost all rational thought.
Someone could have walked in on them at any moment but Brent couldn’t bring himself to care. Raj’s mouth on his felt too damn good. And, if he were honest with himself, the possibility of them being caught only excited him further. He’d never been an exhibitionist so he couldn’t understand why he felt that way now, but he filed the tho
ught away to examine later when he wasn’t out of his mind with lust.
Raj reached up and fisted his hands in Brent’s hair, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss while their hips ground together roughly. If they didn’t stop this soon, he was in danger of coming in his damn pants, yet he still couldn’t push Raj away.
He didn’t have to.
The door to the men’s room swung open and Raj jumped back, separating their mouths and bodies. He quickly turned to the washbasin and turned on the tap as an elderly gentleman walked into the room and strode passed them, entering one of the stalls.
Brent frowned when he caught Raj’s embarrassed gaze in the mirror.
Yet again he’d let his attraction to Raj overshadow reason and common sense. Why couldn’t he keep his hands off Raj? He had to stop thinking with his dick and start using his brain. Was he ever going to learn his lesson?
Raj had no intention of leading an open and honest life, that much was evident.
“Let’s get back up there,” Brent snapped.
He crossed to the door and pulled it open. Raj nodded and followed in his wake. They made their way back into the crowded theatre in silence.
Chapter Twenty Six
When the movie finished, the majority of people in attendance left the theatre but the crew and cast stayed for drinks in the bar. Raj was tired and couldn’t be bothered with the pleasantries, but it was his movie and he knew he had to make an effort. His lips still tingled from the kiss he’d shared with Brent earlier in the men’s room. He would like nothing more than to leave with Brent so they could continue where they’d left off, but he knew that wasn’t an option. Not only did he have to stay until the after party was over, but he doubted Brent would want things to go any further between them than they already had.
Brent hadn’t said two words to him since they’d got back from intermission.
Raj wasn’t sure what was bothering Brent more—the fact that Raj had kissed him after Brent had made it perfectly clear he didn’t want to get involved, or the way Raj had reacted when they’d nearly got caught, yet again.
Either way, Raj couldn’t blame Brent for being pissed off.
Raj was pushing himself on Brent and he was in no position to do so. He couldn’t be open about any relationship they might form and it was obvious that Brent would settle for nothing less.
The most frustrating part was that Raj wasn’t even sure if he cared anymore whether people found out about him or not. Hiding such an important part of himself was exhausting, yet when the door to the men’s room had swung open, he’d still jerked away as though he’d been burnt. He was starting to worry if he would ever react differently. He’d concealed his sexuality for so long he couldn’t imagine ever being any different.
Hiding who he was had become a habit—one that would be extremely difficult to break.
Brent stood a few feet away from Raj with his back to the wall and his arms folded, his lips set in a tight, thin line. The set in his shoulders was a giveaway to his mood but, when Raj caught his gaze, Brent’s mouth curved up into a smile that made Raj’s stomach flip. He couldn’t help but remember the way those lips tasted or the way that tongue had felt as it stroked against his own, teasing him almost to the point of insanity.
He jerked his gaze away. This was not the time to get hard and most definitely not the place…although not being hard around Brent seemed like an impossible feat. At least he wasn’t the only one suffering. The lustful look Brent threw him every time their eyes met could not be mistaken. Brent wanted Raj, that much was obvious, but if Raj didn’t instigate things between them he knew Brent never would.
“Raj, darling, you were wonderful in the movie,” Gita purred, stepping up beside him and grinning broadly.
Raj hoped the groan that tore free from his throat wasn’t audible over the din of conversations that filled the large room.
“Thank you.”
It would be polite to return the compliment but, knowing Gita, it would only encourage her and that was the last thing Raj wanted to do. An amused smile slipped onto his lips when he caught Brent shooting daggers at Gita’s back.
So the man was jealous, after all, despite his protestations.
That could work to Raj’s advantage.
“Tell me, how are those cute little dogs of yours?” Raj asked.
Gita had often brought the annoying little mutts on set when they had been filming together. Without wanting to lead her on, he knew there was no better topic to get her talking animatedly. “Chinese Crested, aren’t they?”
“You remembered! Why, yes, yes they are. Aren’t they the cutest things you ever saw?”
No, they aren’t. They look like giant rats.
“The cutest!” Raj lied.
It wasn’t natural for a dog to have no hair like that. One had jumped all over him, licking his face to within an inch of its life, and the other had snapped at him when he’d tried to pet her.
And the noise they made…
Gita placed a hand on Raj’s arm and leaned in close. Raj couldn’t resist peeking over her shoulder to gauge Brent’s reaction. If looks could kill, Gita’s family would have a funeral to arrange.
Raj stifled a grin.
“Poor little Muffy has been ill.” Gita pouted. “The vet said she was suffering from sunstroke but I made sure I put plenty of sun cream on her before I took her out.”
Sun lotion…on a dog?
Raj wasn’t sure how to respond to that statement. “Well, I hope she gets better soon,” he replied.
Gita brightened. “Oh, I’m sure she will. I was thinking of getting a second opinion. I’m sure the man got it wrong, and he looked barely old enough to be a vet. Maybe he wasn’t trained properly.”
Raj fought the impulse to roll his eyes. “Good idea,” he choked out.
When he glanced over Gita’s shoulder again he saw that Brent had edged a few feet closer, so that he was all but standing next to them.
“Do you have any plans later?” Gita asked.
Raj shook his head. “Not really. Home to bed, probably.”
Crap.
That had probably been the wrong thing to say because Gita’s eyes lit up like the Diwali light festival.
She grinned salaciously and leaned in even closer.
“I could always come and keep you company.”
Brent cleared his throat loudly and Raj did his best not to laugh.
He waited for the bodyguard to meet his eye then said, “I’m sorry, Gita, but I’m already spoken for.”
Chapter Twenty Seven
Brent folded his arms and leant back against the wall in the corner of the brightly lit studio. He couldn’t take his eyes off Raj as the actor filmed the final scenes of the last movie he was to star in.
Raj was simply incredible.
He came alive in front of the camera, lighting up the screen like no one Brent had ever seen. Every time the director yelled cut, Raj would turn to Brent and grin suggestively, pinning him in place with a heated gaze that sent shivers over his body.
It had been two weeks since Brent had told Raj that what they’d shared had been a mistake, and a week since their heated encounter at the theatre, but the more time he spent in Raj’s company, the more he felt his resistance to the man wane. Brent had managed to avoid the ‘talk’ and thankfully Raj hadn’t pushed for it, but he had done everything in his power to seduce Brent in the week since—everything but parade naked in front of him and drag him upstairs to bed.
Although Brent was sure that idea had crossed Raj’s mind a few times.
When Brent had picked him up that morning, Raj had been dressed in nothing but a tiny white towel, slung low around his narrow hips. Brent had almost swallowed his tongue. He hadn’t been able to take his eyes off Raj’s firm, toned body, and the treasure trail of fine, black hair that ran down his navel to the prize below had him practically salivating.
The man could test the patience of a saint.
Raj had made th
e excuse of sleeping late and only just getting out of the shower. It might make him conceited to think so, but Brent was sure Raj had only done it to excite him…and it had sure as hell worked.
Brent had thought of nothing else all day.
Amrita, one of Bollywood’s hottest new actresses, danced seductively in front of Raj while she sang a song about their burgeoning love. Based on Raj’s performance, if Brent didn’t know any better he would assume the actor was in love with the sultry actress in real life. But Brent did know better and he’d be surprised if even the casual onlooker failed to notice the heated glances Raj kept casting in his direction at every opportunity.
Another song and dance routine ended.
Brent had been surprised to discover that some of the scenes in the movie, and even a few of the songs, were performed in English.
Apparently, it was becoming the norm.
With English being one of the most widely spoken languages around the world and Bollywood being ever popular, the bigwigs in the industry had decided it was time to move Bollywood into the twenty-first century.
Brent didn’t take his eyes off Raj while he spoke with his director. They talked heatedly while watching a replay of the last scene on a small television screen near the set. A moment later, Raj walked in his direction and this time he didn’t look happy.
“Everything okay?”
Raj shook his head, his lips pressed together in a thin line. “The director wants us to do the scene again. Apparently, we didn’t look like a couple in love.”
Brent rubbed the hair on the back of his neck and drew his eyebrows together. He had a sudden urge to go and tell the director how to do his job.
“He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. You were wonderful in that scene.”
Raj smiled shyly and peeked up at Brent through lowered eyelashes. “You really think so?”
The action was a stark contrast to the way Raj had paraded in front of him earlier, confidence oozing out of his every pore, or the way he’d pushed Brent against the wall of the men’s room and taken his mouth like he owned it.
Bollywood Bodyguard Page 11
