by Tara Lain
René raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. “That’s nonsense. Who else could have done so much with a silly vampire role as to be nominated for an Emmy—in the drama category, no less?”
Gray made a snorting sound. “That’s what we keep trying to tell him. Maybe he’ll listen to you.”
“Of course he will, since I’m willing to put my money where my mouth is.” René eyed Merle with a small smile.
Merle’s heart slammed against his ribs so hard they ought to break. René Montrose was not only a movie director; he was a respected one. He made really good films that often got nominated for big awards. Stop being a schmuck. “I’d be honored to talk with you about it.”
“How about we go to dinner tomorrow and discuss it?”
Shaz leaned his chin on his fist. “But then we won’t get to hear all the juicy details.”
René grinned. “How about I tell Merle first, and then we can get together and discuss it?”
“You could go in the other room. We’ll wait.” Shaz fluttered his lashes.
Antonia walked in with the first two plates of salmon and mashed potatoes and placed them in front of René and Merle.
Shaz laughed. “Saved by the salmon.”
Merle smiled. Still, I sure would like to know about the film now. “Shall I invite my agent?”
René shrugged. “If you don’t mind, why don’t you and I talk first? Then if you’re interested, I’ll call him and get negotiations underway.”
Negotiations. As if he wouldn’t do it for free. “Sounds great.” Trying desperately not to look too anxious, Merle took a bite of mashed potatoes.
The rest of the meal was fun, and everyone did a great job of ignoring the giant movie elephant in the room.
Not quite two hours later, Merle walked René to his car. “I’d be lying if I said I’m not dissolving with curiosity.”
“Good.” René cocked a cute smile. “That way you’ll be breathless with anticipation for our dinner. I love breathless men.”
René must have caught a flicker of a frown on Merle’s face, because he sobered. “Sorry. I’m not hitting on you—exactly. It’s one of those awkward situations where I really do want you for a part, and I think you’re gorgeous and delectable and would love to fuck you.” He gave a very Gaelic shrug. “I guess you could say I’m between a rock and a hard dick.”
Merle barked out a laugh. “We can talk about both—as long as one isn’t contingent on the other.”
“Oh no. I’d never say you had to take the role in order to have sex with me.”
Merle laughed, and René climbed into his Ferrari. Red Ferrari. He stuck his head out the window. “See you tomorrow night. Shall I pick you up here?”
“Why don’t you text me where to meet you? I’m not sure where I’ll be.”
René cocked an eyebrow. “Very cagey, my friend. See you tomorrow.” The sleek car purred its way out of the drive and onto the circular road that led to the guard gate. Gray and Ru didn’t love the security, but movie stars did need protection.
Merle watched the red lights vanish around the corner, then gave a little shiver.
“You okay, dear?”
He glanced at Ru walking down the front steps.
“Yeah.”
“I hope you don’t feel cornered. He called Gray and said he wanted to offer you a film deal. We didn’t know until he got here that he had personal designs on you.”
“I guess I didn’t assume he was after me for my incredible talent.”
Ru clamped a hand on Merle’s shoulder. “Enough of that. René Montrose can sleep with a lot of guys. He doesn’t have to give them a part in a film to make it happen.”
“I keep telling myself that. Shit, the casting couch is always with us.”
“No. I know it’s not true.”
He glanced into Ru’s dark eyes. “How?”
“Because he worked through Gray, and Gray is such a big star, even Montrose wouldn’t risk offending him.”
Merle nodded. “Good point.” He sighed. Trading on someone else’s credentials—again. The same way he got into college—his father—and snagged his audition for the series—his uncle. “I don’t always love this business.”
“None of us do. But you’re good at it, Merle. Honest.”
“Thanks, Ru. I’m sure glad I met you and Gray.”
Ru hugged him. “Us too, dear. Come on, let’s catch some z’s.”
A few minutes later, he crawled in bed—but the ceiling was too fascinating to let him sleep. That’s where he kept seeing projections of Tom Henry on a ladder with no shirt on.
MERLE’S EYES flipped open to bright sunlight. Jesus, it took him about one day to settle into sleeping late after a full season of getting up at 5:00 a.m. for shooting. The noise of the vacuum cleaner suggested the housekeeping service was here—but maybe no one else.
He flipped out of bed, took a quick shower and shave, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, and threw on some flip-flops against the September heat. Man, a whole day in front of him with nothing to do—except worry about his dinner tonight. Maybe I should call Jerry and give the agency a heads-up? Nah. The whole thing could blow up so easily. No use getting the guy’s hopes up. Merle certainly made some money for his agent, but Jerry handled bigger stars, and a couple of them had actually won Emmys two nights before—unlike Merle.
It would be nice. Wouldn’t it?
He ventured into the hall, and looking through the window, saw the cleaners piling their equipment into a van in the driveway. Good. He walked into the kitchen and again found coffee made and breakfast smells coming from the warmer—french toast and bacon this time. Probably Antonia’s cooking, but still, Ru and Gray sure took good care of him. Right down to trying to get him a plum movie role. Well, he didn’t actually know it was plum, but if it was working in a Montrose film, it would be a cosmic step above Blood on the Boyfriend Jeans.
A note from Ru said he should come down to Ru and Shaz’s studio if he didn’t have anything better to do, which he kind of didn’t, except—yeah, okay, he wanted to see the house.
He rinsed his plate in the sink, stuck it in the dishwasher, went to the bathroom and brushed his teeth, grabbed a small notebook and pencil from Ru and Gray’s junk drawer, then set the house alarm and piled in his car. His place was only about five minutes up the road. Five minutes of not inspecting his motivations. It was his home. He wanted to see it. Period.
He turned left off the Pacific Coast and wound down through the narrow streets of his soon-to-be neighborhood. Skirting the trucks parked in front, he found a spot to put the Audi about a block up the road. He walked toward the house, taking in the changes. Billy had renovated the exterior, enlarging the upstairs deck and covering the lower part of the house with a stone veneer. It gave the place a modern and comfortable vibe.
Jim Carney, Billy’s partner who managed the job, was helping set a new light fixture in the entry.
“Hey, Jim.”
The big man glanced down from his ladder. “Hi, Merle. Come to see the progress?”
“I saw most everything with Billy yesterday, but I wanted to look more slowly. See the details. Plus, I want to start shopping for rugs and furniture, so I’ve got to take a few measurements.”
“Good idea. Need a tape measure?”
“That’d be great, thanks.”
Jim pulled a heavy-duty metal tape measure off his belt and handed it down to Merle.
“I’ll remember to bring it back.”
“No worries. I’ve got a few of them.”
Merle nodded and walked inside.
He started measuring the hall that led into the family room for a runner, but his eyes kept sneaking around without his permission. No Tom. He jotted down the dimensions in the notebook, then walked into the family room and measured that. By the time he’d completed the bottom floor, he’d accepted that Tom wasn’t there. Hell, for the best. What do I want to see him for anyway?
Chapter Five
M
ERLE CLIMBED the stairs and, like the previous day, caught his breath at the amazing wall-to-wall water view. This is so not hard to take.
He stared at the huge window. Wonder how I should cover it? He didn’t want to impinge on the view, but he also didn’t like the feeling of being onstage at night with the lights on. Maybe Ru or Shaz can suggest a decorator? Billy’s pretty good at that stuff too.
“Hi, Merle. What you doing?”
He started—or maybe that was just his heart leaping. Weird. He turned and saw Tom coming up the stairs. “Hi, Tom. I’m trying to figure out how to cover this window at night.”
“Like for coziness?” He grinned.
“Yes, exactly like for coziness.”
“You need some dogs.”
Merle couldn’t help chuckling. “It’ll take pretty big ones to cover my window.”
For a second Tom stared. Then he started to laugh, a deep, rich bellyful kind of sound that vibrated all over Merle’s body. Tom sucked in a breath. “Bernese mountain dogs are good.” He snuffled some more. “Or Great Danes.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” The guy was so many contradictions. Just when you thought he had the mind of a child, he revealed some unexpected sophistication. “So you didn’t work this morning?”
“Oh, no. I just had to go to the post office. Jim said it was okay. I had to send money to my sister. Boy, dresses for parties cost a lot.”
“You have a sister?” What did you think, idiot? He was hatched?
“Yes. She’s sixteen. Her name’s Lily. She goes to private school.”
“Here in Laguna?”
“No, in Fresno.”
“Is that where you’re from?”
“Um-hm.” He nodded. “Better go to work.” He walked over to a pile of equipment in a corner, pulled off his T-shirt, strapped on his tool belt, and disappeared into the guest powder room. Merle slowly pushed his tongue back in his mouth. Why the fuck is this guy so attractive? Jesus, he’s like a big kid. Yeah, a very big kid.
Everything in Merle wanted to follow Tom and—what? Watch him tile? Yeah, watch all those beautiful muscles do their expert thing. It blew his mind that anyone could be so simple and so capable at the same time.
Finish measuring and go see Ru and Shaz.
Merle stretched out the measuring tape and got the dimensions of the huge family space, then paced it off into dining and living areas. Once he had enough measurements to buy rugs, he wandered past the big island into the kitchen and opened each cabinet. His mind filled in the spaces with dishes and pots and pans—yeah, a lot of stuff he didn’t have. His current apartment in Santa Monica was still a transition space from starving-actor digs to TV-star quarters. TV star? He snorted softly. More like vampire of the month. Of course, he’d been lucky enough to be vampire of the month for two years.
I’m killing time. Go down to Ru’s studio and take him to lunch.
“Want part of my sandwich, Merle?”
He looked up into the truly pretty face smiling at him from the other side of the island. “I don’t want to take your lunch, Tom. I’ll go get some.”
“It’s okay. I made two sandwiches, so there’s lots.”
I should go, but—“Sure, I’d love half of your sandwich. What kind is it?”
“I’ve got peanut butter and I’ve got avocado and cheese.”
“Which kind do you like best?”
“I like them both.”
“I’ll take avocado.” He looked around the big room still covered in drywall dust, nails, and wood shavings. “Where shall we sit?”
Tom made a waggling motion with his finger.
Merle cocked his head and walked around the island to where Tom stood, towering over him. Suddenly he was flying through the air and made a little gasping sound as Tom sat him on top of the island, then grinned and easily hopped up beside him. Merle laughed. “No fair.”
“Oh, didn’t you like it?” Tom looked serious.
“I’m teasing you. I just meant it’s funny that you’re so much bigger than me.”
He shrugged. “I’m much bigger than anybody—except Billy. I’m just a little bigger than him.” He handed over his half sandwich. It was on some kind of multigrain bread and appeared to have cheese that wasn’t American.
“This looks delicious.”
“Mrs. Allison taught me to make it.”
“Who’s that?” He took a bite and was very happy he did.
“The lady I live with.”
“Oh, you live with a lady?” Duh, Merle.
“She owns the house, and I rent a room from her.” He chewed his peanut butter, which also looked like it might have some organic roots. “I help her with stuff, and she helps me too. Like teaching me about food and water and how to feed the boys.”
“Boys?”
“My dogs.”
“How many dogs?”
“Two. Fluffy and Tigger. I got them from the shelter where I work sometimes.”
“Most landladies don’t let you have dogs.”
“Mrs. A. is really nice. She doesn’t want me to have big dogs, though. Wish I could.” He chewed thoughtfully.
“You could probably get an apartment or house with enough space for bigger dogs if you want them.”
He shook his head matter-of-factly. “No. Can’t afford it.”
“I guess rentals in Laguna are pretty high.”
“Yeah, but Billy pays me good. I just need the money for my folks to take care of Lily.”
“Your sister.”
“Right.” He grinned like he was happy Merle knew her name. They chewed companionably. “You’re on TV, right?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t see TV much, but I’m going to watch this week. Mrs. Allison said I can.”
Why did his saying things like that wring Merle’s heart? “Do you like movies?”
“Oh yes. I go to movies sometimes.”
“What kind do you like?”
“All kinds. Except the ones with the words. I’m not so good at that.”
Merle’s glance snapped to Tom’s face, but Tom didn’t seem to be complaining or confessing. Just stating a fact. “Do you have trouble reading?” He tried to ask it with great nonchalance.
“Yes. That’s how Billy and I got to be friends. He doesn’t read so good either.” He grinned. “But we’re better now.”
“May I ask you a personal question? You don’t have to tell me.”
“Sure, Merle. You’re my friend.”
Again, that thump on his heart. “I know you passed the electrician’s exam. Billy tells me that’s really hard. If you have trouble reading, how were you able to do it?”
“Mrs. A. read it to me.”
He looked up from licking his fingers clean of avocado. “What?”
“I gave her the tests that were like samples, and she read them to me. And she read all the handbooks too. Then a nice guy named Burt read me the questions on the test, and I said the answers out loud.”
“So you learned everything when Mrs., uh, A. read it to you?”
“Um-hm. I remember really good.” He finished the last bite of his avocado. “Most people don’t, you know?”
Merle grinned. “Yes, I do know.”
“Do you like being on TV?”
“Yes. It’s a good job. Long hours, but I get time off sometimes. Like now.” Funny. He wanted to tell Tom. “I might have a chance to make a movie.”
Tom’s whole face lit up. “That would be really good, right? Would you like that?”
“Yes, it’d be a step up in my career. And the guy directing the movie is very well-known and respected.” He glanced over. Did Tom have the slightest idea what he just said?
“Do you like him?”
Merle smiled. Leave it to Tom to get to the heart of the matter. “I don’t know him very well yet. He seems nice.”
“Usually you can tell right away.” Tom hopped off the island, wiping his big hands on his dusty work pants. “Like I knew I wanted to b
eat up those guys who were hurting you.”
Whew. He did it again.
Tom grasped Merle by the waist, lifted him from the granite surface, and set him on the floor. He smiled. “Thank you for having lunch with me.”
“Thank you for sharing.” He had trouble catching his breath. Tom’s eyes met Merle’s and just clung, while crinkles of happiness shot out from the big pools of baby blue. Merle heard the words come out of his mouth. “Maybe you could watch my TV show with me?”
Tom’s eyes widened, and he actually gasped. “Oh, I’d love that.”
What in the hell am I saying? “Uh, actually, I should ask Ru and Gray, since it’s not my house. Do you know them?”
“Sure. They’re nice.”
“Yes, they are. I imagine they’ll say it’s fine.” Shit, he had a TV the size of Iowa in the guest room if they had other plans, but better to leave options open in case the idiocy of the idea asserted itself.
“Probably Mrs. A. will watch anyway since I told her I know you, so if they don’t want me to come, I can still see it.”
Sweet Jesus, spare me from a man without artifice. “How can I let you know?”
“The show’s tomorrow night?”
“Right.” Shit, he should just say yes now.
“I’ll remember to bring my phone tomorrow, and you can call me, okay?”
Merle pulled out his phone. “What’s your number?” Tom recited it and he keyed it in. “Okay, got it. Can I text you?”
“Calling is better because then I can hear your voice.” He smiled.
What did that even mean? “Okay. Well, I think—” He bit his tongue. I did this to give myself space. Take it. “I’ll call you.”
“That will be nice.” He looked over his shoulder. “I have to go back to work on your house now, Merle.”
“Yes, you do.” He couldn’t help laughing.
Tom turned and walked back to the powder room, his big shoulders moving, skin shining, ass muscles clenching and relaxing.
Merle forced his eyes to his hands. Stop it.
“Merle?”
“Yeah?”
“I really would like to watch your show with you.” He disappeared into the room.