Prince of the Playhouse: A MM, Coming Out, Secret Identity, Theater Romance (Love in Laguna Book 3)

by Tara Lain

  Gray stood close to the door, arms hanging, staring at the floor.

  “Darling, what’s wrong?” Ru flew across the room and ducked so he could see Gray’s face. The brilliant stormy eyes looked shiny and blinked fast. “Tell me, please.”

  Gray shook his head. “I-I just walked across the lobby of the hotel, holding your hand, and I didn’t even care about what anyone would think.”

  Ru smiled. “That’s how life should be.”

  “Yes. You changed everything.”

  “No. You changed everything, Gray. You did it. You decided what you wanted in life. I just happened to be lucky enough to be hanging around when you did.”

  He wrapped his arms around Ru’s waist. “It took one hell of a lot to get me over being scared.”

  “You had one helluva lot to lose. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to face jeopardizing a career like yours.”

  He shrugged. “Who knows what will happen? Action stars don’t last forever, no matter what. I’d really like to do some new things before I get too old.”

  Ru snorted. “Poor decrepit guy.”

  Gray sighed long and loud. “Yeah, you better take me in the other room and fuck my ass while I can still get my legs over my head.”

  “Come on, grandpa, let me help you.” Ru wrapped his arm under Gray’s shoulders, and they walked three-legged into the bedroom—or maybe more like five-legged, since a couple of new stanchions had showed up for the party.

  Gray undressed and brushed his teeth while Ru removed his Maitland Designs suit. With a huge leap, Gray landed naked in the middle of the king-size bed. “Show. I want a show.”

  Ru had made it down to his shirt and underwear. Slowly, he raised the shirttail to reveal the Betty Boop bikinis that couldn’t contain his now massive erection. A couple of inches of penis peeked over the elastic top.

  Gray licked his lips. “Are those actually made for guys?”

  “They’re made for this guy.”

  “Get that shirt off, but leave those on and come here.”

  Ru covered his dick, then popped the shirt hem up again. “Oooh, what do you plan to do, you lascivious man?”

  “I plan to swallow that thing so far down my throat they’ll need a drilling machine to find it.”

  Ru pulled off his shirt and dropped it on the floor. “Ummm.” He walked forward, running his fingertip around the leaking head of his cock. “But you can’t do it too long, because I’ll come, and if I come I won’t be able to put this in your beautiful ass—the one I fell in love with at first sight.”

  “It’s okay, darling, we have all night. Actually, if you’ll have me, I’d like to make it a date for every night of our lives.”

  Tears flashed to Ru’s eyes. He looked up at the dresser mirror, which perfectly reflected his back, and smiled. “I didn’t know when I got this tattoo that she was my guardian angel.”

  Epilogue

  The surf crashed about a thousand feet below them, and seagulls squawked as they fought over scraps on the sand. The sounds made Ru catch his breath.

  Gray squeezed his arm around Ru’s shoulders. “What do you think?”

  “I think it’s beautiful, amazing, phenomenal. Uh, what am I looking at?”

  “One of the few empty lots left on the beachfront in Laguna. True, it’s on the southern end, but it’s quieter and more private here.”

  Ru’s heart beat like an old Singer sewing machine. “And?”

  “Well, I was thinking this would be a great lot for Mrs. O and the furries to come and visit. You know how dogs like to play on the beach.”

  “Yes, true.” Ru stared at Gray with wide eyes.

  “And my folks love the water, so I was thinking they’d get a big kick out of visiting here. We could build them a guest cottage.”

  “Yessss.”

  “And when they’re not here we could have Merle over to hang out, and—”

  “Gray, dammit!”

  Gray stared at the horizon, obviously trying not to laugh. “How would you like to build a house here exactly to your specifications?”

  Ru leaped into Gray’s arms, threw back his head and shouted—then stopped. “Oh, but we’d have to figure out a way for me to pay for half of it. I mean, my collection is doing well, so maybe by next year, I can afford my part—”

  “Your part?”

  “Of course. So we can both own it.”

  “We will both own it.”

  “No, I can’t let you do that, Gray, I—”

  The Gray Anson smile broke out like sunrise. “Did I forget to mention that I’m hoping we can move into the house right after the wedding?”

  Meet Tara Lain

  Tara Lain believes in happy ever afters - and magic. Same thing. In fact, she says, she doesn't believe, she knows. Tara shares this passion in her stories that star her unique, charismatic heroes and adventurous heroines. Quarterbacks and cops, werewolves and witches, blue collar or billionaires, Tara's characters, readers say, love deeply, resolve seemingly insurmountable differences, and ultimately live their lives authentically. After many years living in southern California, Tara, her soulmate honey and her soulmate dog decided they wanted less cars and more trees, prompting a move to Ashland, Oregon where Tara's creating new stories and loving living in a small town with big culture. Likely a Gryffindor or maybe a Ravensclaw but possessed of Parseltongue, Tara loves animals of all kinds, diversity, open minds, coconut crunch ice cream from Zoeys, and her readers. She also loves to hear from you.

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  Books by Tara Lain

  From Tara Lain Books – Available in KU

  LOVE IN LAGUNA

  Knight of Ocean Avenue

  Knave of Broken Hearts

  Prince of the Playhouse

  THE MIDDLEMARK MYSTERIES

  The Case of the Sexy Shakespearean

  The Case of the Voracious Vintner

  PENNYMAKER TALES SERIES

  Sinders and Ash

  Driven Snow

  Beauty, Inc

  Never

  THE ALOYSIUS TALES SERIES

  Spell Cat

  Brush with Catastrophe

  Cataclysmic Shift

  EVER AFTER, NEW YORK STORIES

  Better Red

  FUZZY LOVE

  Passions of a Papillon

  Prancing of a Papillon

  BALLS TO THE WALL

  Volley Balls

  Fire Balls

  Beach Balls

  FAST Balls

  High Balls

  Snow Balls

  Bleu Balls

  TALES OF THE HARKER PACK

  The Pack or the Panther

  Wolf in Gucci Loafers

  Winter’s Wolf

  LONG PASS CHRONICLES

  Outing the Quarterback

  Canning the Center

  Tackling the Tight End

  GENETIC ATTRACTION SERIES

  The Scientist and the Supermodel

  Genetic Attraction

  The Pretty Boy and the Tomboy

  Genetic Celebrity

  HOLIDAY NOVELLAS

  Mistletowed

  Be Bad, For Goodness Sake

  STANDALONE TITLES

  Home Improvement - A Love Story

  From Dreamspinner Press

  Hearts and Flour

  Trex or Treat

  COWBOYS DON’T

  Cowboys Don’t Come Out

  Cowboys Don’t Ride Unicorns

  Cowboys Don’t Samba

  DREAMSPUN BEYO
ND #15 – Rome and Jules

  DREAMSPUN DESIRES #5 – Taylor Maid

  LOVE YOU SO

  Love You So Hard

  Love You So Madly

  Love You So Special

  Love You So Sweetly

  MOVIE MAGIC ROMANCES

  Return of the Chauffeur’s Son

  Love and Linguistics

  SUPERORDINARY SOCIETY

  Hidden Powers

  Rising Magic

  From Pride Publishing

  DANGEROUS DANCERS

  Death Dancer

  Audiobooks by Tara Lain available at Audible, Amazon, and Audiobooks.com

  Keep Reading for an Exclusive Excerpt of LORD OF A THOUSAND STEPS

  Book 4 in the Love in Laguna Series

  Prologue

  “I’ll miss you so much.” Ian wrapped his arms tighter around Rico’s neck. Don’t care who’s staring. Passengers rushed past them, and one giggled.

  “I’ll miss you too.” The dark circles under Rico’s beautiful brown eyes testified to his worry. He usually laughed and joked. Mr. Lighthearted.

  Ian held his arms. “You’ll call me as soon as you get there? Let me know how your dad is, okay?”

  “I will. I promise.” Rico kissed Ian’s nose. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’ll just keep thinking about you waiting for me, and it’ll make everything bearable. Maybe when I get back, we can find that place to move in together.”

  Ian’s heart leaped. After three years. Finally. “I’d love that. Should I start looking?”

  Rico smiled sadly. “Sure. That’ll help me think happy thoughts.”

  “Oh, baby, I wish you didn’t have to go through this.”

  “Me too.” He glanced at his watch, then at the board showing departures and arrivals. The Mexico City flight said On Time. “I better go. Remember I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  They hugged once more. Then Rico ran to the security line—and was gone.

  Chapter One

  Ian Carney stared at the computer screen, adjusted the spaces to fit maximum parking in the commercial structure, glanced at his phone, stared back at the parking plan, glanced at his phone—shit! Rico had said he’d confirm the arrival time of his flight from Mexico City. He should be in the air by now. Why hadn’t he texted?

  “Hey, Ian, did you calculate the parking spaces?” Max Flynn stuck his bald head around the corner of Ian’s cubicle.

  “Almost.” He leaned closer to the screen. Come on, Carney. Think! If Max asked for the plan, it meant Braden Lord needed it. Parking calcs could make or break the profitability of a project. Make the big boss happy.

  “You have to be at school today?”

  “No. No classes until tomorrow, but I’m supposed to pick someone up at the airport.”

  “Orange County?”

  “No. LAX.”

  Max glanced at his watch. “Man, you’re gonna run into some shitty traffic. You better get going.”

  “I’m, uh, waiting for a text to tell me the flight number and time.”

  “Good luck. Just get me those calcs ASAP. Braden’s meeting with the client in an hour.”

  “Okay, yeah. I’m on it.”

  Max turned away, then looked back over his shoulder. “By the way, Carney, your skill with CAD hasn’t escaped anyone’s notice around here. We’re getting more than our money’s worth with you as an intern.”

  Ian grinned. “Thanks, but getting your money’s worth wouldn’t be hard.” He held up a hand. “Just joking.”

  “Okay, wiseass.” He snorted. “That minimalistic paycheck can be improved.” His smile got sly. “After all, we wouldn’t want some other firm to appreciate your skills more than we do.” He slapped the cubicle wall. “Get me those numbers and hit the freeway.”

  “Right away.” Ian’s fingers flew across the keyboard, but not as fast as his heart beat. Getting an employment offer from Lord and Kendrick even before he graduated would mean—everything. One of the top-rated architectural firms in southern California. What a way to start a career. Rico would dance for joy.

  Rico. Damn. Ian forced his brain to finish the parking layout. When he finally pushed Print, he let himself look at the phone. Oh. A text.

  So sorry. Father taken turn for the worse. Can’t leave yet. Will let you know.

  Ian’s mouth opened and closed. Disappointment tightened his throat. Three weeks. Rico’s been gone three weeks and now—longer. Okay, damn, selfish much? Hell, Rico’s dad might be dying. He stared at the text again. Still, Rico hadn’t even said “Love.” Heat pressed behind Ian’s eyes. I so wanted to tell him about the apartments I found. He took a breath. Come on, he’s got heavy shit on his mind. Grow up. Ian grabbed the papers from the printer and headed down the hall.

  Smiling at some of the designers and project managers at their high-tech workstations, Ian approached Max’s office and stuck his head in. Nobody. Hayley, Max’s admin, waved from her desk and put her hand over the speaker of the phone she was talking into. “He’s down in Lord’s office, Ian. Are those the calcs they need?”

  He nodded.

  “Would you mind running them down?” She waggled the phone.

  “No problem.” He sure as shit didn’t have anything better to do.

  Everybody in the firm—all hundred and twenty-five—knew Braden Lord pretty much kept his office door open, and anyone who needed to go in did. Although lately the office had been closed a lot more, and the boss looked stressed. Rumors said his D-I-V-O-R-C-E, as the old song said, was shredding both his nerves and his bank account.

  Ian stopped at the half-open door and knocked.

  “Come in.”

  Ian pushed the door open. Max sat on one side of Lord’s conference table and Braden Lord on the other, both leaning over a set of renderings. Ian got that little breath hitch and groin tingle that seemed to accompany any Braden sighting. Migh-ty fine. The dude might be past thirty-five, but he rocked sex on the hoof. Dark, auburn-tinged brown hair that never seemed to get cut with any regularity. A tall, slim body that wore clothes idly, like he never thought about what he had on. But the seat of the sex appeal centered inside that brain. Vision, innovation, an almost shocking grasp of three-dimensional space, and a take on the world Ian wanted to eat with ice cream. Lord’s business partner, Doug Kendrick, brought the economic sense and contract negotiation skills, but the heart of what clients from across the world bought lived in that handsome, oddly naïve head.

  Lord glanced up, his eyes unfocused, his consciousness probably still focused on that site plan. But like mist clearing on the mountains, he seemed to home in on Ian. He cocked his head, and his tongue slowly wet his lips.

  Ian shivered.

  Max smiled. “Hey, Ian, thanks a lot, buddy. You’re just in time to save our bacon. Did you get it parked?”

  “Yes, sir. Five cars per thousand, like you asked.”

  Max nodded and looked toward Lord, but Lord still stared at Ian. “Braden?”

  Lord blinked and turned to Max, his eyes trailing a little behind. “That’s great. Perfect. Thank you.”

  “Braden, you’ve met Ian Carney, right? Our intern?”

  Lord blinked again. “Oh, yes. Ian.”

  Ian smiled and extended his hand. Lord took it and for a second just held it, then shook. After a hard swallow, Ian laughed. “Ian Carney and Braden Lord. We sound like we’re trying out for a Highlander remake.”

  Lord looked blank for a second, then barked a laugh. “Yes, if we count in Dougall Kendrick, we’ve got the whole cast.”

  Max pointed out something to Lord on the printouts, and Ian tried not to stare at Braden. C’mon, man, you’ve got a boyfriend. No drooling over the nice architect. Besides, if Ian’s brother Jim thought Rico was too old for him, this dude would qualify as ancient—and he was straight. Although Ian had heard rumors—

  Max looked up at Ian. “Really nice work, Carney. You better take off for the airport.”

  “Oh, thanks, but, uh, my pickup
got canceled. I mean, I don’t have to pick him up anymore. He had to stay in Mexico City.”

  “Well, hell, man, he didn’t exactly give you a lot of notice. What if you’d cancelled a hot date or something?” Max laughed.

  Ian shuffled his feet. Awkward much? “Not likely. He’s my boyfriend. I mean, his dad is real sick, and I guess he took a turn for the worse.”

  “Oh hell, I’m sorry.” Max glanced at Lord. “Hey, a bunch of us are going over to Antonio’s for drinks in about an hour with some clients. Why don’t you join us?”

  Lord’s eyes widened, but not more than Ian’s.

  Holy shit! “Uh, thanks a lot, but I’m afraid Antonio’s is a little rich for my scholarship budget. I really appreciate being asked, though.”

  “The company would pay, Ian. Why don’t you come? I’m sure the client would like to see the kind of talent we’re nurturing at Lord and Kendrick.”

  “Wow.” He sucked wind, then laughed. “Well, that was plain uncool. Sorry. Uh, thank you. I’d love to.” He looked down at his jeans, T-shirt and sports coat. “Am I—?”

  Max waved. “You’re fine. You’ll fit right in.”

  “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

  “Meet us in the lobby in an hour.”

  “I will. Thanks again.” He practically genuflected on his way out the door. Talk about scared shitless! But man, what an opportunity. He hurried back to his desk without actually running and flopped in his chair. Pulling out his phone, he texted Just got asked to drinks with the clients by the big bosses. Cool shit. So very sorry about your dad. Hope he recovers fast. Miss you terrible. Love.