Tabloid Star

by T. A. Chase

  Climbing in, Josh let the hot water roll over his neck and shoulders. His muscles were loose and he felt more energized than he had in a while. He’d have to get laid more often. Good sex always brightened his outlook.

  After drying off, Josh dressed in jeans, a T-shirt and work boots. He poured a mug of coffee that had brewed while he showered, and grabbed his tool belt and hard hat as he left his apartment.

  “Hurry up, Sleeping Beauty,” Antonio called from the truck as he waited for Josh.

  “Fuck me, asshole.” Josh climbed in and slammed the door shut. “We’ve got plenty of time.”

  Antonio glanced at him before pulling out into traffic. “Oh ho, did you finally get some ass last night?”

  His eyebrows raised, he looked at his best friend and asked, “Do you really want to know?”

  He laughed as Antonio turned slightly green and shook his head.

  “Forget I asked,” Antonio muttered.

  “I thought so.” Josh settled in the seat and sipped his coffee.

  Antonio had been his best friend since they were fifteen and living in the barrio on the bad side of L.A. They both could have fallen into one of the many gangs that populated the area, but their friendship gave both of them strength to fight the pressure.

  Josh came out to Antonio when he was twenty-one. While he didn’t understand and didn’t want to talk about it, Antonio never turned his back on Josh.

  “Let’s just say I slept well last night.” He winked.

  Antonio rolled his eyes and changed the subject. “Reese says we have about five more weeks at this site. He’s already got us another job lined up after this one’s finished.”

  “Cool.”

  One thing Josh liked about Southern California was there really wasn’t an off-season for construction.

  Throughout the day as Josh worked, his mind wandered back to Ry, the man’s mouth and his ass. Yep, good sex always made the day better.

  Later, after working ten hours at the construction site and six at the restaurant, Josh strolled into the Lucky Seven at a few minutes before eleven. He set his bag in Rachel’s office, nodding at the boss lady, and took his place behind the bar.

  Pete leered at him. “I see you let pretty boy mark you.”

  Josh glanced down at his chest, bared by the open shirt he wore, and his eyes crossed. “I saw that this morning. I should’ve spanked the guy harder.” He finished buttoning it.

  Simpson, the new bartender, squeaked, but Pete didn’t react except for a shake of his head. Josh winked at both men and went to work.

  He was closing in on the end of another long day when Rachel sat at the end of the bar. He mixed her usual dirty martini and handed it to her.

  “Thanks for covering me last night.” He rested his elbows on the edge of the bar.

  “You’re welcome. I figured you’d want to get an early start on the rest of the evening.” Her smile was bright; whatever had bothered her last night was gone.

  “I did.”

  Rachel didn’t push for details and simply nodded. “Are you going to see him again?”

  “Probably not. He was gone when I woke up this morning. Guess that tells me about my status right there.”

  Josh wasn’t hurt that Ry had left without telling him. He was simply disappointed because he would have loved another go at Ry’s ass before they went their separate ways.

  “Sometimes one-night stands are perfect because of what they are. You don’t have to worry about them hanging around and bugging you when all you want to see is their ass heading out the door.”

  “Sounds like you’re talking from experience?” He laughed. “Male or female?”

  “That time it was male, though some of the women I’ve been with have been just as bad.” Rachel shook her head. “Why don’t people have more self-respect?”

  Josh grabbed a towel and wiped down the top of the bar. “I don’t think it has anything to do with self-respect. More than likely, it’s just wanting to be with someone. You’re a beautiful lady, Rachel. I can see everyone flocking around you.”

  “Really? And you’re a flirt, Josh, but that’s what I like about you. I can flirt back and you won’t be getting any ideas.”

  He tossed the towel back on the shelf behind him and grinned. “No, I won’t, though if I liked girls in that way, I’d be doing everything in my power to get you in my bed.”

  Blushing, Rachel finished her drink. “You know, that guy you left with last night looked familiar. Did you get his last name?”

  “Darling, he was a one-night stand. I was lucky to get his first name and I can’t be positive that was real.”

  “True. I was curious is all. I’m going to take a walk around the club. Page me if you need me.” Rachel stood and walked away.

  Josh watched the heads turning in her wake. If she would only look around, Rachel could find any number of men and women who would love to warm her bed. Shaking his head, Josh took an order from one of the wait staff. It wasn’t any of his business what Rachel did in her private time. He just didn’t like the sad expression she got once in a while when no one was looking.

  “Hey, Josh, are you going to catch that new action movie coming out this weekend?” Simpson brushed past him as the kid went to grab some ice.

  “What’s the name?” He winked as he handed the waiter his drinks and the waiter blew him a kiss.

  “Something weird like Luther is King, I think. It’s a sci-fi fantasy combo, but it’s supposed to have some kick-ass fight scenes.” Simpson ducked his head slightly and blushed. “Plus that new actor, Ryan Kellar, is fucking hot and he’s starring in it.”

  Josh shook his head. “Sorry, kid. I don’t have time to go to the movies. When I have free time, I go to the gym.”

  Simpson eyed Josh’s body. “That would explain it.”

  He reached out and patted Simpson’s ass. “Thanks, sweetheart.”

  The kid blushed again. Had Josh ever been that young?

  “Quit flirting with the youngsters, Josh.”

  Pete pushed by him, but shot a grin his way to let him know the guy was teasing.

  “I can’t help it, Pete. All that blushing is cute.”

  Before Simpson could protest being called cute, Josh moved down the bar to fill orders as they came in. Things were heating up at the club and he’d be busy for the rest of the night.

  Josh liked to keep busy and if he searched the crowd for a certain baseball cap and sunglass-wearing man, he never let himself admit it.

  Chapter Eight

  Shit. Ryan’s nose itched and he fidgeted.

  “Don’t move.” The makeup artist popped him on the ass. “I don’t have time to re-do this if we smudge it.”

  “Sorry,” he muttered and wrinkled his nose.

  “Kellar.”

  He glanced up to see Raz, his agent, standing in front of him. “Hey, Raz.”

  “Where the hell were you last night? I tried calling you and couldn’t get through.” Raz glared at him over thick black-framed glasses.

  “My battery died and I went out to celebrate with Bill.”

  Actually he had turned his cell off the minute he stepped out of his apartment. He didn’t want Raz bugging him.

  “You’re done, Mr. Kellar. Don’t lean or brush up against anything for ten minutes. The paint has to dry.”

  “Thanks, Bertie.”

  Bertie flashed him a bright flirtatious smile and Ryan grinned back as he stood. Oh, he knew he shouldn’t be flirting with the cute little twink, but he was still feeling good from the night before.

  Raz grabbed his arm and dragged him from the makeup room. “You didn’t go out with that redneck, did you?”

  He shook his arm free. “Yes, and Bill isn’t a redneck. He’s in town visiting me for a couple weeks.”

  “I bet he dragged you off to some second-rate club where you’d never be seen by the right people.” Raz groaned and shook his head. “I’m going to have to give you a list of all the right clubs to
go to. You need to start hanging out with the other A-list actors, Kellar, if you want to become a star in this town.”

  “I thought you said I was a star already.” He rubbed his itching nose and rolled his eyes. “Give me the list. I’ll look it over.”

  And shove it in the closest trash can. Ryan understood the need to keep up appearances, but too many people had come to Hollywood looking for their one shot and ended up losing themselves along the way. He’d given up a lot to get as far as he was. He didn’t know if he was willing to give up any more.

  Nodding, Raz looked him over with a practiced eye. “I see you went and got waxed again.”

  He touched his chest where it still tingled a little from getting the hair ripped from his skin. “Yeah. I still don’t understand why these photo shoots can’t happen while the movie’s being shot. It makes more sense since I was already made up like Luther.”

  “That’s not how the industry works, Kellar. Get used to it. Oh, by the way, I booked you on the Taylor Show early Tuesday morning. It’ll be great publicity.”

  “Not that gossip queen?” He groaned. The woman did her level best to make every person who went on her show look like a complete ass or an idiot. He didn’t want to know which one she’d decide he needed to be.

  “She’s good for your career. Just go along with whatever she talks about. Luther is your first big starring role and people need to get familiar with your face.”

  Ryan heard giggling and looked to his left. Three women were standing there, staring at his chest and abs with hungry eyes. Shuddering, he hurried away from them toward the studio where the shoot was taking place.

  It wasn’t that he didn’t like women. On the contrary, he loved women. He liked how they smelled and their curves along with the way they dressed, but that didn’t mean he wanted to sleep with any of them, especially those back there.

  They looked like predators out searching for their next meal and he didn’t want to get eaten by them. There were men and women who knew how to play the game better than he did, and to be honest, he didn’t want to learn. He never wanted to use someone to get ahead.

  “You must have gotten in early enough last night. You don’t look like you lost any sleep.” Raz assessed him quickly, no doubt looking for bags under his eyes.

  “Early enough,” he said vaguely.

  He wasn’t sure if getting into his own bed at six that morning would be considered early by Raz’s standards, but he didn’t think the agent needed to know what time Ryan had gotten home.

  Bill hadn’t gotten in until right before Ryan had to leave to get his chest waxed. He promised his best friend they’d hook up after the shoot and he’d take Bill sightseeing. Of course, maybe Bill had other plans with the little redhead he picked up at the club.

  His cell buzzed and he tugged it out of the front pocket of the tight leather pants they’d dressed him in. Stupid wardrobe people. Did people really wear lace up black leather pants with combat boots? Checking the caller ID, he chuckled.

  “Hey, man, I was just wondering if you made plans with that pretty redhead I left you dancing with at the club.” He held up a hand at Raz’s impatient sigh.

  “Nah, dude. She was good for one night, but I can’t see hanging out with her for any length of time…unless it was in bed.” Bill’s laugh crashed over the phone.

  He joined in. “You really are an asshole.”

  “So we still hooking up for some sightseeing? I want to check out that Chinese Theater place and the Walk of Fame thing we’re always hearing shit about.” A sly tone came into Bill’s voice. “And you can tell me all about that fucking amazing bartender you picked up last night.”

  Ryan’s cheeks heated and he ducked his head, turning away from Raz. “I’ll give you a call when I’m done here and we can meet up somewhere.”

  “Gotcha. You’re not alone or not with someone you can talk in front. That’s cool, man. I’ll catch you later, but you will be spilling all the nasty details.”

  “Bastard.”

  He hung up and sighed, putting his phone in Raz’s outstretched hand.

  “Okay, just listen to what the photographer is saying. Let him direct how you pose. He’s the professional and you are just a body to him.”

  Raz pushed open the door to the photo studio and Ryan rolled his eyes.

  “I feel the same way.”

  The low voice made him jump and he flushed at getting caught acting like a teenager. He turned to see a tall blond man with amazing green eyes smiling at him. A slightly shorter dark-haired man stood next to him.

  Ryan’s gaze skipped down to where the men’s hands were clasped together. His surprise must have shown in his eyes as he looked back up at the blond.

  “Don’t worry. It gets easier.”

  What would get easier? Did the blond know he was gay and how hard it was getting to hide it? Or did he mean the whole celebrity thing?

  “Garrett, we’re done here. Thanks for stopping by,” one of the photographer’s assistants called out.

  “You’re welcome, Connie.” Garrett turned to leave, but stopped and turned back to say, “You’ve got talent. Don’t let the rest of the bullshit get to you.”

  “Ummm…thanks.” Ryan couldn’t help but be proud, even though he wasn’t sure who Garrett was. It was obvious the man was someone important in the movie industry or the other people wouldn’t be rushing around him, opening doors and holding out pieces of paper for him to sign.

  The dark-haired man with Garrett stood, relaxed and grinning, as Garrett signed autographs and got pictures taken with fans. Ryan noticed how the man’s hand never left Garrett’s body, whether it was holding his hand or touching his back while Garrett talked to a young girl.

  “Holy fuck, do you realize who that is?” Raz trembled with excitement.

  “Not really. He looks familiar.” He nodded at the prop guy who handed him two large, very futuristic looking automatic hand guns. Lifting them, he tried to balance their weight and look less awkward than he felt.

  “That was Garrett Johnson. He was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his role in Racing the Past.”

  Ryan glanced over at Garrett, his eyebrows raised. An Oscar-nominated actor had told him he had talent? Maybe he had chosen the right profession after all.

  “Mr. Kellar, we’re ready for you.”

  Sighing, he headed toward the backdrop where the photographer and his crowd of assistants stood. The acting part he liked. It was all the publicity shit that came after the movie was done and in the can that drove him crazy.

  Chapter Nine

  Cursing his stiff muscles, Josh straightened. He’d strained his back at the construction site earlier in the day and bending over to re-stock the coolers behind the bar was murder. He should have waited until Simpson got there and made the younger guy do it.

  He rested his hands on his hips and twisted, trying to loosen up. He jumped when warm hands settled on his shoulders and started rubbing.

  “What’s up, old man? I’ve never seen you move so slowly.” Pete’s teasing words flowed over Josh.

  Biting back a groan at how good Pete’s massage felt, he leaned back against the other bartender. “Strained my back at the construction job this morning. Things are starting to tighten.”

  “Shit, Josh. You work too hard. You need to take care of yourself once in a while.”

  He didn’t want to think about why he needed to work. “I have bills to pay, Pete.”

  Pete grunted, but didn’t push the subject. His thumbs dug into the length of Josh’s muscles along his spine and drew a low moan from him.

  “You know…I could go home with you after work and give you a true massage,” Pete offered, his warm breath bathing Josh’s ear.

  Josh reached back and patted Pete’s hip. “Thanks for the offer, babe, but I don’t fuck people I work with.”

  Pete’s disappointed sigh flowed around him. “I know, but it never hurts to ask.”

  “Hey, you two,” Tammy c
alled as she walked behind the bar. She pinched Pete’s ass and kissed Josh. “You hurting, Josh?”

  “It’s nothing.” Turning, he hugged Pete. “Thanks, man.”

  Tammy eyed him for a second before she said, “It’s a Monday night. We won’t be that busy, plus Simpson’s coming in later. Pete and I can handle it. Go home and soak, Josh.”

  “Thanks. I’ll go tell Rachel.”

  Usually he wouldn’t have taken her up on her offer, but his back hurt just enough to convince him it was a good idea. He knocked on the office door and waited until he heard Rachel say “Come in”.

  “Hey, boss lady,” he said as he pushed the door open. “I wanted to let you know I’m going to head home. I twisted my back this morning and the damn thing’s as tight as a drum.”

  Rachel looked up from whatever she was reading. “Evening, Josh, I was about to come and get you. I think you need to see this.”

  He sat in the chair she pointed to and took the paper she handed to him. It was one of those tabloid rags, The Hollywood Enterprise.

  “I didn’t know you read this shit. Did they find Marilyn Monroe living in a nursing home in Mexico again? Or is Elvis working at a fast food place in Ohio?” He grinned, but Rachel’s expression never changed.

  “Look at the front cover.”

  Frowning, he did what she said and glanced at the cover. He took a moment to comprehend what he was looking at.

  “Holy fuck! That’s me.”

  He stared at the blurry picture. It was him, or technically, it was his back, but he’d recognize the dragon tattoo anywhere. Josh’s gaze went to the blurred face of the man he was kissing.

  “Jesus fucking Christ.” He slammed his fist against his thigh.

  Someone had taken a picture of Josh and Ry kissing in the back alley of the club. He read the headline.

  “Kiss and Tell Us.”

  “Who is he?” He shot a glare at Rachel. “He has to be someone famous if the Enterprise is putting us on their cover.”

  “The man you took home on Thursday turns out to be Hollywood’s newest heartthrob. He’s on all the magazines and talk shows. His name is Ryan Kellar and this is why I thought he looked familiar.”