Kiss Me

CALENDAR BOYS MARCH: KISS ME

…This wasn’t a film set. But that didn’t mean every inch of Alejandro wasn’t aching to climb between Mal’s legs and devour everywhere his mouth could reach. He settled for lifting his free hand and skimming a fingertip across Mal’s lower lip. “I’m really not very good,” he repeated. Mal caught his finger between his lips, and his tongue darted out to lick the tip before he released him. He set his glass of wine on the coffee table, then ran his free hand up Alejandro’s arm. “Trust me. Nothing you draw can be worse than Sparky: A Study in Black and White, Part Two. But if you’d rather not, I’ll understand.” He would, too. That was part of what Alejandro liked about Mal. That, and the sinuous glide of his palm over Alejandro’s biceps. Even though his shirt was lightweight, beads of sweat were already beginning to drip down the back of his collar, made worse by the obvious bulge in Mal’s crotch. He felt like he was going to jump out of his own skin, and all Mal had done was touch him. What would it be like if they were in bed? Skin to skin. Cock to cock. His legs wrapped around Mal’s hips as Mal slowly pumped in and out of his ass. He shuddered at the imagery. The darkening of Mal’s eyes

said that the tremor had not gone unnoticed. “We should probably order some dinner, if we’re going to stay in,” Alejandro said in a vain attempt to regain control. Mal nodded, though he didn’t release Alejandro’s hand right away, and Alejandro didn’t really want him to. “Are you in the mood for anything in particular?” You…

ALSO BY JAMIE CRAIG At The Advent Of Dusk Fortune’s Honor Keeping Time A Little Bit Bewitched The Master Chronicles Book I: Master Of Obsidian Book II: Unveiled Book III: Mosaic Moon Book IV: Seduction In Black And White Book V: Chaos & Communion Calendar Boys January: Miami’s Perfect Weekend February: Mine March: Kiss Me April: Out Of The Storm

CALENDAR BOYS

MARCH: KISS ME BY JAMIE CRAIG

AMBER Q UILL PRESS, LLC http://www.AmberQuill.com

CALENDAR BOYS MARCH: KISS ME AN AMBER QUILL PRESS BOOK This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. Amber Quill Press, LLC http://www.AmberQuill.com All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review. Copyright © 2008 by Pepper Espinoza & Vivien Dean ISBN 978-1-60272-223-1 Cover Art © 2008 Trace Edward Zaber

Layout and Formatting provided by: Elemental Alchemy

PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

MARCH: KISS ME

CHAPTER 1 “I have got to stop looking at naked men,” Mal Donnelly muttered, bringing the camera to his face once again. There were eight naked men, to be precise, and they were all posing like the professionals they were. They represented different heights, colors, and even lengths, but they all stood in front of the camera with an easy sexuality that made Mal feel awkward and clumsy. And when they were done taking the promotional shots, they would go back to the set. Mal didn’t know the name of the movie they were working on. But judging from the props surrounding them, it definitely involved bondage, prison, and slaves. It might have also involved leprechauns and pots of gold. 1

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Mal wasn’t sure. The shoot definitely did. And a rainbow backdrop, too. Mal wished he had been in charge of designing the set. He could have thought of something that fit a St. Patrick’s Day theme without looking quite so cheesy. But he had to admit, the green body paint had been an excellent idea. Their director told the eight men to have fun with it, and they had taken the words to heart. Mal liked taking candid photos—or photos that appeared to be candid—and he knew these shots would be a special treat for everybody who got the chance to view them. “Just a few more shots in the group,” he managed to say. Talking had been difficult since the shoot began. He thought he would be able to handle photographing the finest gay male porn stars in Los Angeles—and for the price, he was determined to be professional and easy to work with. But nobody had mentioned that one of his subjects would be Alejandro Marroquin. When it came to Alejandro, Mal didn’t know how to be professional. And somehow, the green paint only increased his desire for the other man. It might have been the playful glint in his eye—which Mal strived to capture—or the easygoing smile. Alejandro Marroquin was the stuff dreams were made of. Literally. And Mal wanted to drag him into the shower and scrub off every bit of the paint. Maybe even with his tongue. The stuff wasn’t toxic, after all. “We’ll take a lunch after this and everybody can shower,” the director, Bo, said from behind Mal. “Then I’m going to need Johnny and Lex in makeup.” 2

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Mal lowered the camera and smiled. “Well, you can all go to lunch now. We’re done here.” The eight naked men broke away from the group and casually reached for towels to wipe the thick paint away. What hadn’t already dried came off easily. Mal pointedly did not watch them dress. He found it was easiest to pretend these gigs were just like any other if he ignored the men as soon as the shoot was finished. Sometimes he toyed with not taking any more of these types of assignments, but freelance photography wasn’t easy, and Bo always paid well. Mal stole a glance at Alejandro from the corner of his eye. And the perks weren’t bad either. His lips twitched a little— Alejandro still had a drop of green beneath his eye. Alejandro was six feet and a hundred sixty pounds of bronzed perfection. Broad shoulders, rippled abs, slim hips with one of the tightest asses in the industry. With wavy dark hair that skimmed his shoulders and black eyes that burned through film, he commanded a presence that drove a lot of gay men to their knees. But that was the kicker. Alejandro Marroquin wasn’t interested in any of that. He was the hottest bottom currently filming gay porn. Mal had seen him practically bend in half to get the cock he wanted up his ass. He’d seen him swallow eight inches without blinking, then held the lucky actor there while he gazed up at him through his deadly, thick eyelashes. Mal had jerked off more than once imagining he was buried inside Alejandro, one way or another. And it didn’t help at all being in the same room with him now. 3

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The actors dissipated, their voices growing fainter as they ambled off to craft services to eat. Mal relaxed slightly as he packed away his gear, but his tension returned almost immediately when a familiar form appeared in front of him. “I’m looking forward to seeing how these turn out.” Mal glanced up to see Alejandro smiling at him. “I put the photos from the last shoot we did together at the front of my portfolio. Everybody raves about them.” Mal smiled, both pleased and embarrassed. “I think these are going to be good. Everybody looked great today.” “Are you done then? Or are you sticking around for lunch?” It took a few seconds to process Alejandro’s question. They had exchanged small pleasantries before, but their conversations never went beyond the initial politeness expected of occasional colleagues. “I…uh…am actually heading out now. I was going to go through the pictures and upload them this afternoon. Bo wanted to have them for the website before the seventeenth.” “But you have time to eat, right?” Alejandro nodded in the direction the others had gone. “You should come and join us. I’d love to hear more about your work.” Warmth crept up the back of Mal’s neck. Nobody as gorgeous as Alejandro had ever invited him to lunch. Even if it was just a friendly invitation to discuss photography, it was more than Mal was accustomed to. “Yeah. I have time to eat. That sounds good.” Alejandro stepped back, giving Mal room to finish packing 4

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up. He’d slipped on a pair of baggy white shorts after the shoot, and it was impossible not to notice the way the line of his pelvis angled down to disappear inside the waistband. Briefly, Mal wondered if he was going to bother putting on a shirt to eat. Probably not. The man was obviously more than comfortable in his own skin. His own delectable skin. Even if it was still a little green. When Mal moved to swing his camera case over his shoulder, Alejandro beat him to it. With a smile, he adjusted the heavy strap against his bare muscle. “I’m glad Bo listened to me. Not that this project needs any help, but plastering your photos across the web is going to put us over the top, I’ll bet.” Mal’s pleased smile widened as he began to follow Alejandro. He looked unbelievable from the back. Mal had always had a thing for broad shoulders, and Alejandro’s shoulders were perfect. “The shoot was your idea? I had no idea you were a fan of my work.” “Well, they were always going to do the shoot. I was just the one who told Bo he’d be an idiot not to get you.” “Thanks. I appreciate it. Of course, now I better make sure Bo only sees the best shots. I’d hate to make a liar out of you.” Alejandro glanced over his shoulder as they stepped into the large corner of the warehouse where craft services had been set up. “You’ll just have to make it up to me then,” he said. With one of his dazzling smiles. Mal blinked. Alejandro was really, actually, genuinely flirting with him. Him. Mal didn’t want to fool himself into 5

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thinking it meant anything, but he thought it couldn’t hurt to flirt back a little. “I suppose I do owe you one.” “Well, that was too easy.” As they stopped at the end of the table laden with food, Alejandro picked up a plate and handed it over to Mal. “Maybe I should hold out for you owing me two.” Mal was surprised by the sheer amount and diversity of the food laid out before them. He filled his plate, though he wasn’t really aware of what he was dishing up. Alejandro was standing close to him—close enough Mal could smell his aftershave. Who could think about eating? “Get me another nice gig like this, and I’ll owe you three.” He followed Alejandro to a low couch along the wall, hesitating only for a moment when Alejandro sat in one of the corners. There was just enough room for two people on it, and with Alejandro currently sitting sideways, propping his plate up on his knee, it would be next to impossible for their legs not to at least brush against each other. Mal didn’t have a choice, though. It was either take the seat or not sit with him at all, and frankly, the latter wasn’t even an option. “So what do you do when you’re not making men look fabulous?” Alejandro asked. “Whatever I can. I do a lot of freelance stuff, so most of my work comes through referrals. But fortunately, I’m doing less work at weddings and family reunions and more work on movie sets. What do you do when you’re not…” Mal paused, realizing he didn’t have a good way to finish that sentence. 6

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“Not here?” If Alejandro noticed his hesitation, he didn’t acknowledge it. “Eh, I’m boring,” he dismissed. “Right now, all my free time is taken up helping my sister get her restaurant off the ground. She’s a great cook, but she knows jack about business.” He dipped a taquito in a small pot of guacamole. “Bonita’s of the opinion that because of what I do and the fact that I’m not actually afraid of my computer, I must be a marketing genius.” Mal could tell Bonita that Alejandro didn’t need to be a marketing genius to be a success—not when he looked like he did. “Has she already opened her restaurant? I know the editor of the Life and Leisure section at the Times. I could give him a call.” The smile Alejandro shot him was quizzical. “You would do that? You don’t even know her.” Mal looked away, trying to hide his embarrassment at being so eager to help. It seemed ridiculous to say that he would do it just because she was Alejandro’s sister and, therefore, worthy of the effort. “I might have to try to her food first. To see if she’s as great as you say.” “Well, that’s easy enough. Pick a night. I’ll treat you to the best meal you’ve had in the past decade.” Mal had not been fishing for an invitation—or a date—but now that he had it, he wasn’t going to waste his opportunity. 7

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He’d be a fool to do so, even if all he got out of the night was a meal. “What about tomorrow?” “Good. Tomorrow is good.” Alejandro shifted slightly, rebalancing his plate on his thigh as his knee nudged against Mal’s. “Do you want to pick me up at seven?” “Yeah, I can do that. Pick you up here?” He shook his head. “I’m not shooting tomorrow. I’ll give you my address before you go. As long as you don’t mind driving to Santa Monica.” Mal thought he’d drive all the way to San Francisco, if that’s what Alejandro wanted. “No, I don’t mind at all.” He smiled, a little shyly. “I guess it’s a date.” “I guess so.” Alejandro dug into his food with a fresh gusto, prompting Mal to do the same. They chatted lightly as they ate, but it wasn’t long before the assistant director was calling people back to the set. Mal watched the others disperse with more than a pang of regret that lunch was already over. “Do you have a pen in your case?” Alejandro asked. “I should have one in my dressing room if you don’t.” It didn’t take Mal long to consider his options. If he fished out the pen he always kept with his gear, he’d have to leave Alejandro. If he lied, he’d have the perfect excuse to get another five minutes with him. Another five minutes that would just be more fuel for his already active imagination. “I don’t, actually. Do we have time to go to your dressing 8

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room?” “I’m not due on the set for another hour.” He rose and took Mal’s plate automatically, carrying both of them over to the trash. “I was just going to take a nap anyway. So as long as I’m not keeping you from anything, you’re welcome to stick around and keep me company.” Mal couldn’t even remember what else he had planned for that afternoon. All he could think was, oh, my God, Alejandro wants me to keep him company. “I can stick around for awhile.” Alejandro offered another dazzling smile before leading him down a long, narrow hallway. Somebody had scrawled Alejandro’s name on a white piece of paper with black marker and taped the sign to an otherwise nondescript door. The dressing room wasn’t much more than a closet, but it was big enough for a makeup table and a small couch. When Alejandro shut the door behind him, he blocked out all the noise from the set. “You don’t have to share this, do you?” Alejandro snorted. “Not on days I’m here. But tomorrow, the paper on the door is going to have Blade Blue’s name on it instead of mine.” Straddling the chair, he gestured toward the sofa. “Go on. Sit down. You’ve been on your feet all morning.” “Blade Blue, huh? You know, for as much time as I spend on these sets, I don’t think I’ve ever met him.” “You’re not missing much. He’s the kind of prick who gives the rest of us a bad name.” 9

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That may have been the case, but as far as pricks went, Blade’s wasn’t too bad. “I’ll keep that in mind. Though he’s probably closer to what some people expect porn stars to be.” “Probably.” Another devastating smile. “I guess it’s a good thing we know differently, then, yeah?” Mal was certain that if Alejandro smiled at him like that again, he would slide off the couch and onto his knees. He was also quite certain that if he did hit his knees, Alejandro wouldn’t be surprised. How could he be? That smile must have the same effect on everybody he met. “Yeah, it is. So…how long have you been…making movies?” “Four years. An ex-boyfriend introduced me to Bo. I didn’t really want to do it, but…” He shrugged. The simple gesture just drew attention to the tight sinew of his shoulder. “The money was good, the work was easy, and I got to travel with a lot of hot guys. After my ex dumped me, that sounded pretty damn good.” “Somebody dumped you?” Mal blurted. Alejandro chuckled. “Let’s just say I wasn’t exactly what he was looking for. What about you? I’m not stepping on any toes by taking you out to dinner tomorrow night, am I?” “Oh, no. I think LA is just about the worst place on the planet to find a relationship. Or even a worthwhile date.” “Well, maybe tomorrow night will change that opinion.” For a moment, Alejandro ducked his lashes. “This is going to sound crazy, but I spent most of the shoot this morning trying to figure out how to ask you out.” 10

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Mal’s eyes widened at the confession. “You’re right. That does sound crazy. For a lot of different reasons.” “It’s not going to change your answer, is it?” Mal was startled into laughing. “No, of course not. Why would it?” Alejandro relaxed again. “Just checking. It’s been awhile since I’ve…dated.” “Really?” Mal leaned forward. “I figured you of all people wouldn’t want for dates.” “Nah, I’m too busy most of the time. And the guys I meet aren’t the kind I’m usually interested in spending more than a few hours with.” That implied he thought Mal was the sort of guy he’d be interested in spending time with. But Mal didn’t know what was so special about him. “What kind of guy are you interested in?” “Oh, the usual. Though I’ll admit, I’ve got a weakness for anybody remotely creative. I see someone with talent, and…” His black eyes glittered. “…I just want to suck him up with a straw.” Mal’s mouth ran dry. “In that case, maybe I’ll have to bring my entire portfolio with me tomorrow. And some poetry I wrote in high school.” A sharp knock at the door startled Alejandro into straightening, and it opened to reveal the AD standing in the entrance. “Bo needs you,” he said, glancing between the two men. “And bring the cuffs.” Alejandro shot Mal an apologetic look as he rose from his 11

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chair. “Sorry about that.” Turning around, he grabbed a notepad lying haphazardly on his makeup table and scribbled something down. “I guess that hour he promised me was just a tease.” “I’ll tell Bo you’re on your way.” “Thanks.” The door clicked shut again as Alejandro tore out the sheet of paper. Mal was already on his feet, wishing Bo hadn’t teased with the promise, too. “Bonita’s place is dress casual,” Alejandro said, holding out the address he’d written down. “So just come as you are, and I’ll have the best date there.” Mal disagreed with that assessment—it was pretty obvious he was making out with the better end of the deal—but he nodded and accepted the paper. They looked at each other for a beat, and Mal found himself entranced by the perfect curve of Alejandro’s lips. But then the moment passed and Alejandro took a step back toward the door. “I’ll be there at seven sharp,” Mal promised. “I’m looking forward to it.” He grabbed the cuffs by the door and led Mal out of the small room, but before they went off in separate directions, Alejandro clasped Mal’s hand and drew him close. “I’m really looking forward to it,” he murmured. Then Mal felt those same perfect lips brush below his ear, lingering for half a second too long. Mal’s pulse spiked and he could barely choke out a, “Me, too,” before Alejandro left. His cock was hard and his skin felt 12

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too tight. For a moment, Mal was worried. If Alejandro could have this sort of effect on him after only an hour and brief contact, how on Earth was he going to survive an entire date?

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CHAPTER 2 Alejandro was nervous. It had been months since he’d had a date, even longer since he’d bothered to ask anybody out. When he was on set, he knew what was expected of him, but that was acting, that wasn’t really him. Or at least, it wasn’t completely him. This, this was something totally different, and he’d been attracted to Mal Donnelly for too long to fuck it up at this point. He’d changed clothes four times by the time seven came rolling around. He’d even called Bonita twice to get her opinion. “Somehow, I don’t think he’s going to be looking at your clothes,” she’d chastised the second time. 14

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He’d hung up then. She probably had a point, but he had high hopes that Mal might not be as superficial as a lot of the guys he met. Alejandro knew he was good looking, knew that the care he took with his body didn’t go unnoticed. It was his livelihood, after all, but that didn’t mean that was all he was. What he liked about Mal—other than the puppy dog eyes and the shy smile and his soft, southern accent—was that Mal didn’t treat him like most men he met. They’d flirted, sure, but they’d talked as well. And the fact that Mal could transform a Groucho Marx into a Johnny Hazzard with just a little bit of film and lighting was sheer brilliance. When Alejandro thought about what else Mal’s hands might be able to do, he just wanted to get down on his hands and knees, and say, “Yes, please.” In the end, he settled for black slacks and a white shirt. Untucked. With the collar open. And he pulled his hair off his face, though he left the back free. He wasn’t stupid, after all. If there was one thing he knew, it was how to look good. At two minutes to seven, a knock came at his apartment door. Taking a deep breath, Alejandro wiped his hands on his pants and crossed to open it. Mal was wearing black jeans and a black shirt. His red hair was still damp and combed off his forehead, and his light brown eyes were smiling. His gaze moved down and up Alejandro’s body, and the shy smile Alejandro liked so much touched his lips. 15

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“Wow,” Mal greeted. “You look…great.” He was very glad he’d chosen loose slacks. His cock was already perking up at the appreciation in Mal’s eyes. “So do you.” He held the door open wider. “Did you want to come in for a drink before we go? Or we could get something at Bonita’s. She’s got an excellent wine list.” “I think a drink sounds good right now.” He sighed as he passed Alejandro and entered the apartment. “I’ve had a long day.” “What happened?” He gestured for Mal to sit while he went into the kitchen. “Do you like red wine?” he called out. “Or I’ve got beer. Brandy.” He opened the cupboard. “Wait, no brandy.” “Wine is good.” Mal waited until Alejandro returned, carrying the bottle of wine and two glasses, before answering his other question. “I had a really simple shoot this morning. Shouldn’t have taken any more than thirty minutes. It’s not even a job I would usually take, but I did it for a friend. Because of the rain this morning, thirty minutes became about three and a half hours. Which threw off the rest of my day.” Mal smiled slightly as he accepted the glass from Alejandro. “Honestly, thinking about tonight was the only thing that got me through it all.” They sat down next to each other on the couch. After setting the bottle on the coffee table, Alejandro angled his body toward Mal in order to better drink him in. “I’ve been looking forward to this all day, too.” He held up his glass. “To new friendships.” 16

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Mal touched the rip of his glass to Alejandro’s. “To new friendships.” He sipped the wine with a look of satisfaction. “This is really good. What is it?” “A pinot I got on a shoot in Washington.” He watched Mal catch a drop at the corner of his mouth. “I’ve been saving it for a special occasion.” Mal got that surprised, pleased look on his face. The one Alejandro liked almost as much as his shy smile. “This is a special occasion?” “It is for me.” He ducked his lashes and sipped at his wine, suddenly embarrassed at how needy he must look to the other man. “I guess it remains to be seen whether or not it is for you, too.” “No. It already seems like one to me, too. I guess I’m just…still surprised.” “Why? Not because I asked you out.” Mal snorted. “Yes, because you asked me out. I don’t know what you’re accustomed to, but you…well, guys like you typically seem out of my league.” “Because of my movies?” Alejandro waved a hand in dismissal. “Forget that shit. None of that’s real anyway.” “Not because of your movies. Well, not just because of your movies. I mean, you’re gorgeous.” Mal smiled. “You appreciate my obvious talent. And, judging from the wine and your apartment, my talent isn’t the only thing you appreciate.” “So I like nice things.” He set down his glass and edged a little closer. “Why does that mean I can’t like the way you smile? Or notice how strong your hands are?” Before Mal 17

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could protest, Alejandro reached out and captured the one not holding the wine. He spread the fingers out, then caressed the back of them, lingering for a moment on the firm knuckles. “You sell yourself short. I would never have asked you out if I didn’t want to spend time with you.” Mal watched Alejandro’s fingers as they continued to move across the back of his hand. “I can’t help but believe you when you touch me like that.” “I guess that means I shouldn’t stop, or you’ll walk out on our date.” “I don’t think I’ll walk out, but maybe it’s best not to risk it.” With a smile, Alejandro laced their fingers together, dropping their hands to rest between them. “It’ll be awfully hard to drive like this,” he teased. “I have an automatic. I can drive with one hand. But…if you’re worried about my ability to drive like this, I don’t mind staying in.” Bonita was expecting them, but after all his nervous calls to her that day, he didn’t think she would be surprised if he didn’t show up. And he rather liked the idea of having a quiet night in. It told him a lot about Mal; it said he wasn’t interested in parading Alejandro like a trophy. “I think I’d like that,” Mal said softly. “A lot. Not that I’m not looking forward to eating at Bonita’s. I am. But…” He brought their linked hands up to his face and brushed his lips across Alejandro’s knuckles. “I’d like to keep you to myself, too.” 18

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His cock jerked at the slight contact. “You know, if you brought that poetry, I’m pretty much a goner here.” “Damn. I left the poetry and the portfolio at home.” He kept his mouth close to Alejandro’s hand, letting his lips brush against the skin as he spoke. “Do you do anything like that? Anything creative?” His answer came automatically, though his gaze was riveted by the sight of Mal’s lips on his skin. “I draw a little bit, but nothing serious.” “What do you draw?” Mal’s breath was impossibly warm. “People? Still life? Landscapes?” “People. Parts of them, at least. Hands. Ears. Mouths.” He had to swallow. His throat had never felt so dry before. “I’m not good at putting them all together.” Mal’s mouth traveled farther down Alejandro’s hand. “When I first started taking photos, I stuck with pictures of my dog, Sparky. I think he was the most photographed dog of all time.” He slid over on the couch, closing the inches between them. “Can I see your sketches…later?” On a set, it would have been the perfect segue into sex, and Alejandro would have dropped to his knees, pulled out the guy’s package, and gone to town. This wasn’t a set. But that didn’t mean every inch of him wasn’t aching to climb between Mal’s legs and devour everywhere his mouth could reach. He settled for lifting his free hand and skimming a fingertip across Mal’s lower lip. “I’m really not very good,” he repeated. 19

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Mal caught his finger between his lips, and his tongue darted out to lick the tip before he released him. He set his glass of wine on the coffee table, then ran his free hand up Alejandro’s arm. “Trust me. Nothing you draw can be worse than Sparky: A Study in Black and White, Part Two. But if you’d rather not, I’ll understand.” He would, too. That was part of what Alejandro liked about Mal. That, and the sinuous glide of his palm over Alejandro’s biceps. Even though his shirt was lightweight, beads of sweat were already beginning to drip down the back of his collar, made worse by the obvious bulge in Mal’s crotch. He felt like he was going to jump out of his own skin, and all Mal had done was touch him. What would it be like if they were in bed? Skin to skin. Cock to cock. His legs wrapped around Mal’s hips as Mal slowly pumped in and out of his ass. He shuddered at the imagery. The darkening of Mal’s eyes said that the tremor had not gone unnoticed. “We should probably order some dinner, if we’re going to stay in,” Alejandro said in a vain attempt to regain control. Mal nodded, though he didn’t release Alejandro’s hand right away, and Alejandro didn’t really want him to. “Are you in the mood for anything in particular?” You. “Your choice. I’m the one depriving you of Bonita’s cooking, after all.” “I could be happy with pizza, actually. It’s the perfect food, if you think about it.” 20

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Alejandro rose from the couch, grateful for the distraction. “There’s a great place around the corner. They do a stuffed crust that melts in your mouth.” Mal lifted his abandoned glass and finished the wine before muttering, “That sounds perfect, then.” He dialed the number from memory. When he hung up, Alejandro wasn’t entirely sure what he had ordered, but his body wasn’t raging anymore, his heart back at a normal pace. He turned back to see Mal wandering around the perimeter of the room, head tilted as he looked at the CD and DVD collection that took up a major part of the wall. “Did you want to watch something? We’ve got time before the pizza gets here.” “I don’t think I could focus on a movie or anything right now. But…” He plucked a slim CD case from the shelf. “Can we listen to this?” His mouth curved. “Robert Johnson? Absolutely.” He was already humming under his breath by the time he reached the CD player. “This is one of my favorites.” The whiney, scratchy blues guitar filled the room, bringing a fresh smile to Mal’s face. “It’s one of my favorites, too, but I think I lost it somewhere between Virginia and Los Angeles.” “Is that where you’re originally from?” “Yep. When I was eighteen, I took all the money I saved for college and invested it in some professional gear. Then I took all the money my parents saved for college and moved out here.” As Mal spoke, he drifted closer to Alejandro, until he was standing within kissing distance. “My parents were 21

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less than thrilled, as you can imagine.” “That explains the accent then.” It didn’t explain why his erection returned with a vengeance, though, or why his mouth watered at the scent of Mal’s musky cologne. Unbidden, his tongue darted out to moisten his lower lip, but when Mal’s gaze dropped to follow the motion, Alejandro almost groaned. “You’re not still surprised I asked you out, are you?” he asked, his voice hushed and rough. Mal shook his head slowly. “No, not really. But I will be surprised if I can keep my hands to myself for much longer.” Alejandro took a long, jagged breath. “I don’t remember telling you that you had to.” “I didn’t want to presume,” Mal murmured before closing the space between them completely. His body fit almost perfectly against Alejandro’s larger form, and when Mal tilted his head up, Alejandro expected a kiss. But Mal seemed to change his mind at the last moment, his mouth going to Alejandro’s jaw instead of his lips. His lashes fluttered shut, and his hands reached out to grip Mal’s hips. The soft sensation of lips skimming just out of reach of his own sent a shiver down his spine, and Alejandro turned his head in order to touch the tip of his tongue to the curve of Mal’s ear. “I really do like your smile,” he breathed. “But I’m starting to think it’s everything about your mouth that I’ve been crushing on.” He felt that smile against his skin, and it was almost better 22

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than a kiss. “I’ve been crushing on everything about you. Since the first time I took your picture. You probably don’t even remember that.” It was Alejandro’s turn to smile. “Six months ago. The promo shoot for Gold Diggers.” He caught the lobe between his teeth and bit lightly. “You blushed when I got on my hands and knees to pretend to blow Lex. I spent the rest of the day wondering what your cock looked like.” Mal caught his breath. “I had to ask Bo for a copy of that movie after that shoot, and I fast-forwarded through all the parts that didn’t have you. Is it weird for me to admit that?” He pulled back, his eyes searching the other man’s. “Is that why you’re here? For some wish fulfillment thing?” God, he hoped that wasn’t the entire reason. “Because I really like you, Mal. Spending time with you was about more than just fucking.” “I like you, too.” He reached up and brushed the back of his fingers across Alejandro’s cheek. “I don’t…if this was just a fantasy thing, I would have stuck with the movies and my fantasies. I want to spend time with you.” Relief flooded through him. Unable to resist, Alejandro turned his head and nipped at Mal’s strong fingers, his tongue darting out to taste the salty skin. “Good. I know it’s stupid, but…” He shook his head, grabbing Mal’s hand to drag him back to the couch. “Never mind. I’m just glad we’re both on the same page.” As soon as they were settled on the couch, Mal’s mouth went back to Alejandro’s neck and jaw. “It’s not stupid. I 23

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guess that sort of thing has probably happened before.” Too often for him to count. But now, Alejandro just wanted to concentrate on the hungry caresses of Mal’s lips, the way his tongue licked beneath his chin, his teeth caught at his stubble. Leaning back, he pulled Mal to stretch out atop him, bearing his weight at the same time he sank beneath the arousing warmth. “So is this a danger of your trade, too?” Alejandro smoothed his hands up and down Mal’s back, more tightly muscled than he’d imagined. “You get actors hitting on you all the time?” “I wouldn’t say all the time. I’ve been invited to a few dressing rooms after a shoot.” Mal’s mouth moved up his jaw, closer and closer to Alejandro’s lips. “None of them wanted me to just keep them company.” “I like your company.” He liked a lot about Mal. “I’m glad we were selfish tonight.” “Me, too. Besides, it would be awkward if everybody saw that I’m more interested in tasting you than the food.” Alejandro chuckled, but the sound was trapped when Mal finally skimmed over his mouth. His cock throbbed at the faint trace of Mal’s tongue, but he steeled himself against begging for more by slipping a finger inside the waistband of Mal’s jeans and stroking the line of his pelvis. Mal moaned softly at the contact, and slid the tip of his tongue over Alejandro’s lower lip again. Mal teased him like that again and again, his heart pounding harder with each slow swipe. Alejandro thought he would break first, but it was Mal 24

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who groaned and pushed for more, claiming Alejandro’s mouth. His head spun. It had been a long time since he’d kissed someone for the sheer pleasure of kissing him, without strings, without an audience. It had been even longer since that someone had made Alejandro want to crawl on hands and knees to service him, again and again and again, until they both dripped in sweat and come, too spent to do anything but collapse against each other. The untapped potential with Mal made him sigh into the kisses, his fingertips digging into Mal’s hip. Mal shifted against him, grinding his erection against Alejandro’s. Alejandro’s pants were loose, but they still felt much too tight. Mal’s mouth was firm yet soft, and he controlled the kiss, holding himself back. He cupped the back of Alejandro’s neck with one hand, and put the other flat on his shoulder, curling his fingers into his shirt. When he finally broke away for air, his eyes were shining, and his lips were already a little swollen. He studied Alejandro’s face for a moment, then lowered his head again. How long they remained like that, mouth to mouth, cock to cock, Alejandro had no idea. It was impossible to keep track when it felt like his skin was going to combust, his chest explode. Every time he gasped for breath, Mal came back, sucking away even more as his expert tongue tangled with Alejandro’s. Only the sharp knock at his door was enough to jolt him from the blissful caresses. 25

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“Pizza’s here,” he rasped. Mal didn’t move. “I don’t care.” Protest was cut off by another kiss. Harder. More insistent. So was the next knock. “I need to get that.” Mal sighed, but he didn’t argue again. He pushed himself off Alejandro’s body and held his hand out to pull Alejandro to his feet. “I’m not really hungry.” Neither was Alejandro, but making out to Robert Johnson wasn’t how he’d really wanted to spend the evening. At least not entirely. “You can look at my sketches while we eat,” he said. Pulling out his wallet, he went the long way around the couch in an attempt to keep his hands off of Mal even more. “They’ll probably look better with cheese dripping on them anyway.” Behind him, Mal snorted. Alejandro paid off the delivery boy and carried the hot box into the kitchen. Mal followed him into the kitchen and found the cupboard with the plates while Alejandro opened the box. At the first whiff of the pizza, his stomach growled, and he realized he was hungrier than he thought. Mal set two plates on the table and eyed the food. “How long have you been sketching, anyway?” “Since high school. I used to do it to just to keep my hands busy.” Pulling out two large, gooey pieces, he placed them on the plates before wiping his hands. “Wait here. I’ll go get them.” Bustling out to his bedroom, he felt like a little kid getting 26

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ready to share his homework with his parents. There was a thrill of excitement, threaded through with that anxious voice that wondered if he would get laughed at. He wasn’t an artist. Not like Mal. But for whatever reason, it was important to him that Mal see these. Mal was seated when he returned, and Alejandro slid the folder between them as he took his chair. “Just don’t laugh too hard,” he said lightly. “I have a fragile actor’s ego.” Mal was more interested in the folder than he was in the pizza. He opened it and turned through the pages slowly, pausing every once in awhile, turning back through the pages occasionally. Alejandro ate mechanically as he watched Mal, chewing the thick crust without tasting it. When Mal finally looked up, he was smiling, but his face was serious, too. “Do you ever use models? Your hands, in particular, are amazing. Look…what you did here.” He pointed to one sketch without touching the paper. “The marks you included. The scars. They can tell a whole story about these hands.” “No models, no. I do them from memory.” A slow flush of heat spread through his muscles, better even than the euphoria from making out on the couch. “Those are my grandfather’s. Or what I remember his hands being like, at least. You really like them?” “I do. I mean, I don’t know as much about sketching as I do photography, but I think you have a lot of talent and even more potential.” Alejandro dug into his pizza with more enthusiasm, 27

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launching into talk and questions about Mal’s work. It took a little while for Mal to warm up to it, but Alejandro couldn’t really blame him. The kissing had been more than amazing. Alejandro just wanted to see if he was right in thinking that it all could be amazing. Or even more so.

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CHAPTER 3 Bonita’s restaurant was gorgeous. If Alejandro’s sister put half the effort into the food that she put into decorating the small space, then Mal had no doubt it would be the talk of the town soon. Because the rented space was so small, there was a certain air of intimacy. Mal could almost believe that he and Alejandro were the only people in the building. Or maybe it was just Alejandro? There were other couples in the dining room, but Mal only had eyes for his date. In the low candlelight, his skin was the color of caramel, and his eyes were like melted chocolate. Mal kept sipping from his water, trying to distract himself from memories of tasting his warm, salty skin. 29

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It had been two nights since their first date. Mal wasn’t getting any work done, because he couldn’t concentrate. His mind was consumed by thoughts of Alejandro during the day, and at night, all Mal could do was dream of him. Unfortunately, his dreams didn’t go any further than reality— there was kissing, there was groping, there was a sharp desire for more. And then he woke up, hard and frustrated. Mal hoped tonight would have a different, less frustrating ending. He liked Alejandro, and he liked spending time with Alejandro, but he was going to burst. “Everything looks too good,” Mal said, to cover the fact he couldn’t pay attention to any of the food on the menu. “What do you suggest?” Alejandro’s gaze flickered down the list. “If you like fish, the blackened cod with the lime sauce is good. Or if you want something meatier, I like the lamb with mushroom risotto.” A questioning smile curled his mouth as he glanced up. “Just make sure you save room for dessert. I already told Bonita to save some apple empanadas for us.” Mal set the menu aside. “The lamb sounds delicious. Almost as delicious as the apple empanadas. Is Bonita here tonight?” “Bonita’s always here,” Alejandro joked. “She said she’d come out when she got a break.” He gestured for their waitress to come over. “That’ll probably be sooner rather than later. She’s excited about meeting you.” “She’s excited about meeting me? Why? What did you tell her?” 30

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There wasn’t time for him to answer before the waitress arrived to take their order. Mal sat back and watched Alejandro smile and charm the young blonde, discreetly adjusting his semi-hard cock against his thigh. Alejandro had left his hair down tonight; Mal was itching to run his fingers through it again. “She’s seen your work,” Alejandro said as if they hadn’t been interrupted. “And she’s been listening to me tell her what a genius I think you are for six months now. She’s just excited that I finally got the nerve to ask you out.” He smiled as he sipped at his water. “Twice now.” Mal had been on dates before. He’d even been on dates before with guys he really liked. But he had never been on a date where the actual date part seemed like more of a hindrance than anything. He had to settle with reaching across the table and lightly touching the back of Alejandro’s hand. “I hope you have the nerve to ask me out a third time. Or will I have to earn Bonita’s approval first?” “Bonita likes who I like.” He paused, the tip of his tongue appearing along the edge of his teeth as he seemed to contemplate his next words. “There’s nothing stopping you from asking me out, though. I have a feeling that I won’t be able to deny you anything you might ask for.” Mal arched his eyebrow. “I have a feeling I might have to test that later. But in the meantime, are you doing anything Saturday night? It’s St. Patrick’s Day.” Alejandro thought for a moment, then shook his head. “Not that I can think of. Do you want me to save it for you?” 31

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“If you don’t mind me monopolizing your time three nights this week. But…I’m greedy,” Mal admitted, “and I don’t want to wait until next week to see you.” “It would actually be two weeks. I have to be in San Francisco next week for some club work.” Alejandro lifted his hand to entwine their fingers. “So be greedy all you want.” Nothing about Alejandro’s schedule should have come as a surprise, but even so, the disappointment was like a rock in the middle of his stomach. “Do you go up to San Francisco often?” “Depends on my shooting schedule. I usually get up there for a week or so every other month. You should go. You’d get some gorgeous shots.” “Gorgeous shots of the city, or gorgeous shots of you?” His eyes twinkled. “I meant the city. Or the bay. You can take pictures of me anywhere.” Mal leaned forward. “I’ll go up to San Francisco, but only if I get some exclusive shots of you. In the club, and around the city.” The slight lift of Alejandro’s brows showed he hadn’t expected the direct approach, but the way his fingers tightened around Mal’s said that he more than didn’t mind. Though it wasn’t usually Mal’s style to be quite so assertive, something about Alejandro demanded it. He’d had only tastes of the man, and frankly, he wanted to glut. He would push as far as Alejandro let him. “I can’t guarantee exclusivity at the club,” he said. “I’ll have to double-check, but I think they’ve already got a 32

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photographer lined up. But you’re welcome to the rest of it. Do you have something specific in mind for the pictures?” Mal narrowed his eyes. “You should be photographed at the bay. Near water. Every time I shoot you on set, you’re nude. You’ve got a great body, but there’s more to you than that. I want to capture that.” “Make sure you get his big mouth, too.” The woman who hovered at the table’s side could only have been Alejandro’s sister. Tall and slim, with the same dancing eyes, she didn’t give either man a chance to respond before she was pulling up a chair from a nearby empty table and sitting between them. “You must be Mal,” she said, sticking out her hand. “I’m Bonita.” Mal held out his hand. “I am Mal, and it’s a pleasure to meet you.” “I was beginning to think I’d never get a chance to meet you. Sometimes Alejandro can be all talk.” Mal couldn’t help but be surprised, once again, that Alejandro had apparently spent so much time worrying about asking him out. “Well, once he bribed me with the best food in the city, I couldn’t even think about turning him down.” “That wouldn’t be the first time I got my brother a date. You wouldn’t know it to look at him, but he’s ridiculously shy.” Mal smiled slowly. “I wouldn’t have expected that. Especially given the way he comes alive in front of my 33

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camera.” “I’m still sitting here, Bonita,” Alejandro scolded with a half-smile. Bonita rolled her eyes. “And you’re not speaking up for yourself. Again.” She leaned closer to Mal. “He’ll try to hide. Don’t let him.” “I won’t,” Mal promised. He wasn’t sure how a man like Alejandro could hide. Didn’t he realize that all he had to do was walk into a room, and everybody would stop and notice him? “Not that I’m one for attracting attention.” “You got Alejandro’s. I thought I was going to have to set up a MySpace page saying, ‘Please date my brother’!” Alejandro snorted. “I think I’d be more worried with you placing a personal in the paper. You couldn’t even find your own website if I didn’t have it bookmarked for you.” “You get crazies in the paper.” “And the Internet is chock full of all the sane people?” With a smile, Alejandro relaxed in his chair, his thumb casually stroking the side of Mal’s hand that he still held. “Besides, I found my own date, didn’t I? I don’t need anybody else right now.” Something about the tone of Alejandro’s voice made Mal’s muscles tighten from his throat to his groin. Not for the first time, he wondered how he was going to make it through the meal. “So, Bonita, how long has the restaurant been open?” “Three months. And hopefully it’ll last three more months if Alejandro’s plans work out.” 34

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“You’re too hard on yourself, Bonita.” His tone with his sister was soft and affectionate. It was very easy to see just how close the two were, even if they did tease each other. “You can do this. I know you can.” The kitchen door opened and the most enticing aromas drifted into the dining room. Mal’s stomach growled, and his mouth began to water. “I’m going to reserve my judgment until after dinner, but I think this is probably going to be one of my favorite new restaurants.” “Just make sure to tell all your—” She was interrupted by the hostess coming over and tapping on her shoulder. The hostess leaned down and whispered something in her ear, which promptly led to Bonita rising from her seat. “Sorry, guys. Emergency in the kitchen.” She leaned down and brushed a kiss over Alejandro’s cheek, then surprised Mal by doing the same with him. “I’ll be back with your dessert. I promise.” Alejandro watched Bonita rush off with an amused smile. “So now that my sister has made me look thoroughly pathetic…” He shifted back to face Mal. “Do you have any sisters? Tell me you do and that you understand what it’s like to have one poking her nose in your business every chance she gets.” “No, I don’t. But I think it’s great how much…well, how close you are. Nobody in my family would threaten to put up a MySpace page to help me get a date. Their threats aren’t quite so benign.” 35

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His thick brows drew together slightly. “What do you mean? What do they threaten you with?” Mal waved his hand dismissively. “Nothing anymore, since I moved to the other side of the country. But my family is far from accepting of my so-called ‘lifestyle’ choice. Devout Irish Catholics, the lot of them.” “Probably like my parents aren’t exactly thrilled about my career choice. I understand.” Mal would have liked to push and find out just what his relationship with his parents was like. But even he could recognize that it might be a little too early in the relationship to get that curious. Even if a part of him could recognize that he was already falling a little bit for Alejandro—a porn star. “So I guess you’re pretty lucky to have Bonita, even when she does drive you crazy and stick her nose where it doesn’t belong.” “It’s probably silly, but Bonita’s my best friend. I love her so much because she drives me crazy.” Their appetizers arrived, and though they both dove into the food with a ravenous hunger, Alejandro continued to reach across the table to touch Mal whenever the opportunity arose. He laughed when Mal dribbled pesto down his chin, made wicked innuendos with the celery sticks that garnished the plate. When their entrees arrived, he promptly stole a bite of Mal’s risotto and then teased him by demanding to feed him a spoonful in return. By the time their plates were taken away, Mal was even more entranced. 36

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“Well?” Alejandro prompted. “When was the last thing you tasted anything as good as that?” “Two nights ago. And, no, I’m not talking about the pizza.” A slow smile brightened Alejandro’s eyes, though his thick lashes ducked to hide it as he toyed with his napkin. “Are you really going to come with me next week? I know you have work. I don’t want you to feel obligated.” “If you wouldn’t mind me tagging along. I know you’re going there to work and not on some vacation.” “It’ll be good to have company.” Under the table, Mal felt Alejandro’s foot nudge against his leg. “It’ll be good to have your company.” “I was serious, you know. About wanting to get some shots of you. The gigs at the movie sets don’t really require much from me. But you…” Mal paused, unsure of how to describe his desire. He didn’t want Alejandro to think that Mal liked him just because he was a pretty face, or just because of who he was, but nobody could deny that Alejandro was one of the most photogenic people Mal had ever encountered. “You could be a challenge for me.” “Well, my days are mostly mine. I’ll probably be useless in the morning because the clubs run so late, but…whatever you want. What’ll it take to get comped a few of those proofs?” Mal pretended to consider the question, though he was more than willing to comp Alejandro anything he wanted. “I think we can work something out. I’m always willing to 37

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barter.” His pleased smile only widened farther when the waitress set their empanadas on the table. “I always think I can never eat another bite,” Alejandro said, picking up his fork. “Then Bonita serves something else even more delicious.” The empanadas were delicious, but that wasn’t why Mal ate them so eagerly. The sooner they finished dessert, the sooner they could return to Alejandro’s. And the sooner Mal could touch and kiss him the way he had been longing for all night. When they were finished eating, and drinking, Alejandro went to settle the bill. Mal only overheard some of the argument over how much Alejandro should pay, and if he should pay at all. Finally, Alejandro thrust a handful of bills into Bonita’s hand and turned away before she could return the money. The drive back to Alejandro’s apartment passed quickly. The Los Angeles traffic was surprisingly light, and Mal’s skin felt too tight and hot. Alejandro smelled good. He always smelled so good, but it was even more obvious within the close confines of Mal’s car. Mal’s hands tightened on the wheel, otherwise one might have drifted across to the passenger side to settle on Alejandro’s thigh. By the time he parked and accompanied Alejandro to his front door, Mal’s body was bowstring tight. He was almost, but not quite, shaking with anticipation. He thought that one kiss might be enough to make him shatter, but he still wanted to feel Alejandro’s mouth on his. He smiled as Alejandro 38

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unlocked his door, but his smile turned into a confused frown when he paused instead of opening it. “I had a wonderful time tonight.” The black eyes that fixed on him seemed to burn from some unknown light. “Did you?” “Yeah. I’m having a great time.” Alejandro sighed. Running a hand through his hair, he glanced at his still-closed door before turning back to Mal. “Would you still say that if I told you I can’t invite you in? I have an obscenely early call tomorrow. I really need to get some sleep.” Mal almost asked if he was serious, but then, why would he joke about such a thing? He forced a thin smile and said, “Oh, yeah, I get that.” There was no mistaking the relief on Alejandro’s face. Reaching up, he cupped the back of Mal’s neck, holding him still as he leaned in to kiss him. The caress was bittersweet, a tease of what could have been, and though Mal savored each slide of Alejandro’s tongue against his, he was still disappointed when Alejandro pulled away. “What did you want to do on Saturday night?” he asked. “Anything special I should wear?” “Um, I’ll call you and let you know. I haven’t quite decided what we’re going to do yet.” Alejandro nodded, though it was clear he hadn’t picked up on Mal’s discontent. The door was just slightly ajar when he turned back. “I really wish I had the self-control to invite you in,” he said softly. “Good night.” 39

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With that, he disappeared inside. Mal was outside before his frustration erupted into profanity. He kicked a random car’s tire for good measure, but that didn’t help. Nothing was going to help, short of getting in Alejandro’s bed, and Mal was beginning to wonder if that would ever happen.

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CHAPTER 4 Mal’s instructions had surprised him a little. “We’re going out,” he’d said on the phone. “Friends of mine have booked Runaway for the night so they can have a big blowout. Free beer, lots of music…it’ll be fun.” It wasn’t what Alejandro would have chosen for their third date, but considering they’d shut themselves in for the first and spent the second at his sister’s restaurant, he knew he couldn’t begrudge Mal’s wishes to spend time on his own turf. And Runaway was a nice gay bar, if a little off his beaten path. It would be interesting to see how well they worked surrounded by their peers. Alejandro had lost more than one boyfriend because they couldn’t deal with the attention he got. 41

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He took his time getting ready. Leather was too obvious, so he opted for white slacks and a green T-shirt that molded over his arms. Hair stayed down. He would’ve had to be an idiot not to see that Mal preferred it that way. It would be damp and annoying by the time they got done dancing, but to impress Mal, he’d live with the mild discomfort. Promptly at seven, the knock came at his door. Alejandro smiled as he went to answer it. He loved that Mal was so punctual. Mal wore jeans again, but these were dark blue, and a black Rolling Stones T-shirt. His one nod to the holiday was a small green and white pin. Kiss me. I’m Irish. Mal grinned and touched it pointedly. His eyes devoured Mal. It took only a couple seconds for him to step forward, cup Mal’s face, and devour his mouth as well. Mal immediately responded to the kiss, his hands going to Alejandro’s arms. If Alejandro had any doubts about Mal’s desire, they were firmly laid to rest as their tongues tangled, and Mal’s teeth scraped against Alejandro’s lips. “Does that mean you missed me?” Mal gasped when Alejandro broke away. “Absolutely.” “You don’t have an early call tomorrow, do you?” “Absolutely not.” As delicious as he looked, Alejandro was tempted to ask to forget the rest of the night and drag him back into his apartment. But Mal had made special instructions. He had 42

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done the asking. Alejandro was going to respect that. “It means you’re going to have to work very hard to peel me off you tonight.” He locked the door, slipping his keys into his pocket as he took Mal’s hand. “No early call, no sister hovering in the background. No excuses.” “I don’t plan on trying to peel you off me at all.” His fingers tightened around Alejandro’s. “Of course, I fully expect most of my friends to spend the night trying to get your attention.” “They’ll be out of luck.” As they headed out to Mal’s car, he couldn’t resist lifting their hands to his mouth in order to brush his lips across Mal’s knuckles. “Tonight, I’m all yours.” Mal caught his breath. “I think that’s the best thing you’ve ever said to me.” He unlocked the car door and Alejandro unwillingly released his hand. “We can leave early tonight, if you’d like.” He slid into the passenger seat, contemplating Mal’s words. He’d been trying to take things slowly, to keep this real instead of something that was just about fucking. The more time he spent with Mal, the more that seemed possible. But just touching him drove Alejandro crazy. This was their third date. That was waiting enough. “What are your plans for tomorrow?” he asked as Mal started the car. “Do you have anyplace you have to be in the morning?” His mouth twitched. “Church maybe?” Mal laughed. “No, no church. I don’t have anything planned for tomorrow except recovering from tonight.” The offer just popped out of his mouth. 43

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“You’re welcome to recover at my place if you want. Unless there’s stuff you need to get done before we leave for San Francisco on Tuesday.” Mal brought the car to a stop and looked over to Alejandro. He studied his face for a moment before smiling. “I’m all ready to go. I’d like to stay with you. Do you happen to know any surefire hangover cures?” Anticipation of falling asleep curled around Mal flooded through him. “I’m sure we’ll figure something out.” As Mal drove, he told Alejandro about the gig he’d lined up in San Francisco. “Now I can write off the whole trip,” he added with a laugh. By the time they reached Runaway, the small parking lot behind the building was full, and so was the alley. “Thank God for valet parking.” Once they were out of the vehicle and the keys were turned over to the valet, Mal took his hand again. “So we don’t get separated when everybody mobs around you,” Mal explained. Runaway was ready for the party. Over the door, a big sign proclaimed, “Happy St. Patrick’s Day!” Four-leaf clovers plastered over the windows, and the throb of music played at deafening decibels blasted into the street when Mal opened the door for him. Alejandro felt like he was walking into a work gig. He didn’t normally hang out at gay bars or clubs anymore; the recognition factor made him uneasy, especially in Los Angeles. He dealt with it professionally, of course, but that didn’t mean he liked it. Tonight would be an exception. For Mal, he’d smile and 44

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mean it. He let Mal guide the way. The other man seemed eager to reach the party already raging inside, and though more than one person did a double take when they saw him, Alejandro deliberately set aside the last of his trepidations about a night out on the town. Mal had had difficulties from the start believing Alejandro wanted to see him. If proving it to the public was what it took to finally get through to him, then so be it. “The darkest beer they have,” he said when Mal asked him what he wanted to drink. “One heffi and one stout,” Mal said, just barely over the roar of the music. “Sorry, we’re only serving one kind of beer tonight.” “What’s that?” “Green.” Mal laughed. “Then two of those!” As the bartender turned away, another hand fell on Mal’s shoulder. Mal spun around with a smile, greeting a man who was a little bit taller and looked to be a little bit younger than Mal himself. “Hey, look who showed up.” The other man grinned widely. “Told you I’d be here. Who’s this?” “Oh, Jay, this is Alejandro. Alejandro, this is my friend, Jay.” Though he smiled and extended his hand in greeting, Alejandro saw the exact moment recognition dawned in Jay’s eyes. Mal watched them intently, obviously trying to gauge 45

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the reaction, but Alejandro just let it slide without acknowledgement. “So Mal’s friend,” he said instead. He released his hand and casually reached around Mal’s waist, slipping his hand into the far back pocket. It was obvious, but that’s what was going to be called for tonight, apparently. And he didn’t want anyone to doubt exactly why he was there. “Does that mean you’re the one I hit up for all the juicy details on how to wrap him around my little finger?” Jay snorted. “Are you kidding? I’ve been trying to do that for months now.” He looked pointedly at where Alejandro’s hand disappeared. “It looks like you’ve been a bit more successful than me. Maybe you should tell me one of your tricks.” “Maybe that’s because you’ve got your eye on about a half dozen other guys,” Mal cut in. The grin never left Jay’s face. “You know I’ll dump them all for you.” Alejandro bit his tongue. Players like Jay were exactly why he didn’t usually bother with the scene anymore. And as tempting as it was to make a cutting remark, he knew he couldn’t. Not if he didn’t want to fuck with his career. “I guess I’ll just consider myself lucky then,” he said. He leaned back against the bar, deliberately aligning his hips with Mal’s. “Very lucky.” Jay’s eyes narrowed for a moment before he was pulled away by a young Asian guy, laying a wet kiss right on his lips. Mal waited until they were safely from hearing distance before 46

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saying, “I promise, he’s the worst one here. Everybody else is pretty all right.” Mal turned to face him, pressing his body against Alejandro’s. “Can I talk you into a dance?” His cock was already hard, and the rough edge of Mal’s fly only sensitized him further. On the dance floor, it would only be worse. And so much fucking better. Grabbing his beer, Alejandro downed half of it before setting it back on the bar. “Your wish is my command,” he said, lacing their fingers together. The music throbbed around them and the strobe lights followed the rhythm of the drums. The dance floor was already crowded, though not quite full, and Mal had no qualms about pushing through the writhing bodies to find a clear spot on the floor. Mal started dancing immediately, but the longer they stayed on the floor, the more Alejandro realized that his date was not the one attracting attention. Hands began brushing along his body. He was sure it was accidental at first. A touch along his arm. A brush against his hip. Each one just drove him closer to Mal, until he had his arm locked around Mal’s waist and was grinding their cocks together. For that, Alejandro wasn’t going to complain. He already knew from hours of making out on his couch that Mal was deceptively muscled. Now he also had the reminder that Mal’s cock would feel like heaven buried in his throat, and sheer nirvana splitting his ass. It wasn’t long until the heat and sweat and physical contact began to make Alejandro heady. The unmistakable stench of pot began to drift over their heads. When he needed a breather, 47

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he’d drag Mal back to the bar, where they would quickly down another beer, then dive back into the sea of flesh. Each time they ventured onto the floor, people began to take more and more liberty with Alejandro’s personal space. It was easy to block out the others if he concentrated on Mal. For every new touch, he took one of his own. Someone touched his ass, he slipped his fingers beneath the back of Mal’s waistband. Someone else pressed into his side, he caressed Mal’s chest, seeking out a single hard nipple. And when he caught the eye of someone winking at him, Alejandro finally yielded to the desire to taste Mal’s skin. He bowed his head and licked a path of sweat along Mal’s jaw, ending at his ear. “If you told me to drop to my knees right here, right now, I’d do it without batting an eyelash,” he whispered. The music drowned out Mal’s moan, but his entire body shook with a long shudder. Mal tugged at his shirt, untucking it, and seeking out Alejandro’s heated flesh with his slick fingers. Every touch fanned the desire already flaming through his body. “Want you,” Mal gasped. “So much.” Alejandro cast a discerning eye around the bar. He was just drunk enough—and definitely horny enough—not to care about fucking in public tonight. But hell if he was going to do it on the middle of the dance floor. When he spotted what he wanted, he turned back to Mal. His mouth went dry at the lust gleaming in Mal’s eyes, but he managed to keep from ignoring his decision not to fuck then 48

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and there long enough to return his mouth to Mal’s ear. “You get us over to the corner by the dart board, and I’m all yours.” Mal nodded and gripped his hand tightly. It was more difficult to get off the floor than it was to get to the middle. Each person they passed reached for them, almost indiscriminately. Bodies grinded against Alejandro, hands reached for Mal, and almost everybody required a kiss as payment for passing. Mal didn’t let anybody deter him from his goal, but he didn’t protest either, and he didn’t seem to notice, or mind, when a few began to follow them. As soon as they reached the cooler corner, Mal cupped the back of Alejandro’s neck and found his mouth. This, this hot, sweet suction, this was what Alejandro had been waiting for, yearning for, ever since taking Mal’s hand outside his apartment. They molded together, and he ran his hands up and over Mal’s chest, wishing the cotton T-shirt wasn’t in his way. He wanted to feel their skin rubbing against each other, sweaty and salty so that he had to lick them clean. He wanted all of it, and now, six months of waiting, anticipating, bubbled over to make him heedless of whoever might be watching. Mal was obviously on the same page. As soon as Alejandro lifted his head to gasp for air, Mal peeled the T-shirt over his head. His mouth was hot and wet, and it seemed to be touching him everywhere. After a few hazy seconds, Alejandro realized that it wasn’t just Mal’s hands and mouth on him. 49

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“Feel so good.” A trail of wet kisses led to Alejandro’s ear, and Mal’s breath blew hot across his neck as he spoke. “Nobody feels like you do.” He was dizzy with desire. This was better than the best sex he’d ever had on set. Fuck, it eclipsed anything that happened there, and he wasn’t even naked yet. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d wanted someone as badly as he wanted Mal. He needed to show him. Pushing Mal against the wall, Alejandro pinned him there by the shoulders long enough to keep him from moving away, mouthing wet kisses over his shirt as he began to move lower. Fingers caressed his cheek, but the lighting was dim and it was impossible to tell just who was doing the touching. He didn’t think it was Mal. Mal had his fingers knotted in Alejandro’s hair. He kept them there even after Alejandro was on his knees, lined up perfectly with the object of his desire. He looked up at Mal through his lashes and waited until Mal met his eyes. Then, slowly, deliberately, he leaned in and ran his teeth along Mal’s denim-covered erection. Mal might have said something. He might have even groaned. The only thing Alejandro knew for sure was that Mal’s fingers tightened against his scalp until his skin tingled. Alejandro continued to mouth him through his pants, sinking his teeth against his flesh when Mal jerked his hips forward. Alejandro glanced up again just as a shadowed face moved closer, the stranger’s mouth descending onto Mal’s. A flare of jealousy ratcheted through him. He didn’t mind 50

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hands pawing over him—he was used to it—but the thought of anybody but him kissing Mal tonight made him see red. Abruptly, he broke his hold on Mal’s cock, pushing off the men who’d approached to pet him as he prepared to blow Mal, and straightened to shove away the stranger. “He’s with me tonight,” he growled. And to prove his point, he slammed his mouth to Mal’s. All their earlier kisses had been hungry, but this one was completely possessive. Alejandro kissed him like he wanted to obliterate the memory of every kiss, every person, who touched Mal before that moment. Mal matched him, followed his lead, didn’t pull away or hesitate to respond. Alejandro’s lips felt a little swollen and raw when the kiss finally ended, and Mal’s breath was coming in harsh, ragged gasps. “We don’t have to stay.” He searched his eyes, dark and fathomless. “I thought you wanted to have a night out with your friends tonight.” “I did, but not half as much as I want to be with you.” “I have no idea how we’re going to get back to my place without pulling over.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jay lurking in the background. Alejandro grabbed Mal’s hand, scooped up his shirt, and began dragging him away from the corner. “But damn if I’m not going to try.”

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CHAPTER 5 They made it back to Alejandro’s without pulling over, but it wasn’t easy. Mal didn’t keep up with Alejandro’s drinking, so he felt comfortable driving. But he wasn’t in danger from the alcohol in his system. Alejandro’s fingers and mouth and soft promises did more to distract him and make his head spin. He had known that the party would probably degenerate to sex. It did every year. He hadn’t expected Alejandro to kiss him like that. It never occurred to him that Alejandro would be so…possessive. But as soon as Alejandro kissed him, Mal knew he didn’t want to be in the middle of a lot of nameless flesh. He didn’t want mouths and hands pulling his attention away from Alejandro. There was no person in that room he 52

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desired as much as Alejandro, and nobody worth staying for. As soon as Alejandro’s door closed behind them, Mal was drawn to the other man’s body, his mouth watering, his fingers tingling. Was it even possible to get enough of Alejandro? Mal didn’t think so. Alejandro helped him get out of the shirt he’d stripped off him at Runaway, his long hands folding over Mal’s fingers. His head tipped back as Mal latched onto the sharp edge of his shoulder, and he shuddered when Mal dragged his teeth down to a dark nipple. “You drive me crazy,” Alejandro muttered. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you all week.” Mal worked Alejandro’s belt free without lifting his head, lapping his tongue over Alejandro’s salty skin again and again. He couldn’t stop his sigh of satisfaction once he worked Alejandro’s pants open and grasped his hard cock. His skin was smooth, and his flesh throbbed. Mal had to take a step back and look at him. He had seen Alejandro so many times before—during shoots, developing pictures, and in his movies—but Mal couldn’t remember any of that. Because he had never seen Alejandro like this—hard for him. “You’re just so…” Mal’s voice was thick. “Amazing.” Alejandro reached forward and grabbed a belt loop, tugging Mal back against his body. “My turn,” he said. His breath was sweet as he bent his head. With his fingers busy at Mal’s waist, he licked a wet trail down his neck, sucking at the softer tissue at the base of his throat. Mal scrambled to hold on, hands clutching at Alejandro’s bulging 53

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biceps. He couldn’t hold back the moans, even when Alejandro lifted his head again to find Mal’s mouth. “Tell me what you want.” He pulled out Mal’s cock, fisting both their lengths together. “Because I can’t decide. I want it all.” Mal might have had a wide array of fantasies, fueled by his own imagination, as well as knowing exactly what Alejandro was capable of, but he forgot all those. He really only wanted one thing—to be as close as possible to Alejandro. He wanted to feel Alejandro’s smooth skin and muscled chest against his. He wanted to lose himself in endless kisses. He wanted to be totally surrounded and overwhelmed. “I want to fuck you,” Mal breathed. “Oh, thank God.” Alejandro licked along Mal’s lower lip, his strong hand squeezing their cocks even more tightly. “You have no idea how badly I was hoping you’d say that.” Mal closed his eyes, wondering if the pressure around his shaft would be enough to break him right then. Now he remembered why the party had seemed like such a good idea—if Alejandro were the center of the attention, he wouldn’t have the chance to be disappointed in Mal’s performance. Because Mal knew he didn’t have the stamina, or the size, of some of Alejandro’s regular costars. He pushed aside the thought. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was that the man he wanted, the man who was currently holding him in more ways than one, wanted him, too. Alejandro continued to lavish Mal’s mouth with nibbles 54

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and kisses, as if he couldn’t feast enough on his lips. When he swiped his thumb across the tips of their cocks, he finally let Mal go, taking a step back. Deliberately, he licked away the pre-come, a wicked gleam in his eyes. He retreated another step, never looking away. “As tempting as it is to just fuck here, my bed is far more comfortable,” he said. “But I’ll warn you. Get in it, and odds aren’t good I’ll let you back out again.” Mal moved toward him slowly, letting Alejandro lead him to the bedroom a step at a time. He was desperate to touch him again, but he was also happy to simply look at him, absorbing every detail he could. “Who says I’ll want you to let me out again?” “My movies could all just be smoke and mirrors.” “Fancy editing tricks?” Mal shook his head as they entered the bedroom. “I spent all night dancing with you. Nobody who can move like you do needs smoke and mirrors.” He gripped the waistband of Alejandro’s pants and yanked them down. His own pants quickly followed. Licking his lips, he added, “Can I get a taste of you first?” Alejandro tilted his head toward the bed. “Lay down with me, and we can both get a taste.” Alejandro settled on the mattress first, his head propped up by a pillow. He looked inviting and entirely comfortable in his own skin. Mal absolutely itched to touch him, to finally stretch out on top of him. Alejandro reached for his hand, guiding him until Mal was straddling his chest, facing his cock. He bent and let the slick tip of Alejandro’s cock brush against his lips, 55

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smearing the salty pre-come on his mouth. “I think yours is the hottest mouth I’ve ever felt.” Alejandro ran his palms up the inside of Mal’s thighs, meeting at the junction of his thighs. Rather than touch his erection, however, his thumbs pressed against the base, pinning it to Mal’s stomach. Mal gasped when he felt Alejandro trace around his heavy sac, once, then again before sucking it into his mouth. Mal gripped Alejandro’s legs, holding on like he was afraid of flying away, and parted his lips. The harder he sucked on Mal’s balls, the harder it was to concentrate on what he was trying to do. He wanted this to be good, wanted to do it right, but his body was not completely responsive to his brain. He opened his mouth wider, swallowing more of Alejandro, inch by inch. His lips were stretched tight around Alejandro’s shaft, and the points of his teeth delicately scraped across the skin. Alejandro bucked beneath him. It drove more of his length deeper into Mal’s mouth, the tip just pushing into his throat, and fresh droplets of pre-come coated his tongue. He tightened the suction, focusing on the sounds Alejandro kept making, and moved up slowly, stopping to catch the crown with his teeth. The heat on his balls disappeared. “Don’t stop,” Alejandro begged. “God, please, don’t stop.” Mal’s mid-section twisted at the hungry edge in Alejandro’s voice, and he resolved not to stop until Alejandro 56

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pleaded with him to do just that. He smoothed his tongue over the head repeatedly, until Alejandro jerked beneath him again. Then he slid his mouth down his shaft again, moving farther than before. When the tip brushed against his throat, he didn’t stop. He didn’t stop until his nose brushed against Alejandro’s smooth sac. A choked cry made his cock ache. Alejandro’s thighs quivered beneath Mal’s hands, and his hot murmurs fanned over Mal’s balls. Mal couldn’t understand what he was saying, but as he sucked back up the length, he felt the fingers at the base of his shaft move, curl around it, angle it away from his stomach. By the time he reached the head of Alejandro’s cock, Alejandro had positioned Mal’s at his mouth. “I could suck you all night,” he heard him murmur, right before guiding the tip past his lips. “Oh…fuck…” Mal dropped his head to Alejandro’s thigh. “Oh, God…” His whole body went rigid. He didn’t try to push for more. He didn’t thrust his hips. He just let Alejandro move at his own pace until his entire cock was buried in Alejandro’s mouth. Alejandro’s tongue never stopped. It swirled around his shaft, traced the vein, dipped into the slit when Alejandro eased off. Every trick he had seen Alejandro use in his movies felt like it was being brought into play, even the way he would turn his head at the last minute to scrape his lips around the root. Then he turned his head in the opposite direction to counter the sensation. For the first time, Mal utterly believed that Alejandro would be perfectly content to keep Mal’s cock 57

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inside his mouth for as long as Mal let him. Pleasure built under his skin, making it more and more difficult to do anything but moan in encouragement as Alejandro worked his mouth like magic. Mal turned his head anyway and began licking and mouthing Alejandro’s shaft, then his groin, his inner thigh, and his balls. Anything he could reach between his low, hungry moans. A part of him thought he should let this continue indefinitely. Another part knew that if he really wanted to fuck Alejandro—and he did— then he’d have to put an end to this soon. One of Alejandro’s hands slithered upward, along the curve of his ass, to trace over his hole. He didn’t attempt entry. Instead, his fingertip circled the ring of muscle over and over again while the suction tightened around Mal’s shaft. It was a maddening tease, making Mal clench and then unclench as his body warred with his desires. Alejandro’s mouth was hot and tight, but Mal knew his mouth could never compare to the sensation of Alejandro’s ass clenching around his shaft. He opened his mouth once to tell Alejandro to stop, but he sucked hard on Mal’s crown, driving the words from his throat. Mal rocked back against Alejandro’s face, sliding his cock along Alejandro’s tongue, relishing every second of contact before choking out, “Gotta stop. Want to fuck you.” Alejandro obeyed immediately, his head falling back onto the pillow as his hands slid up Mal’s thighs. As Mal sat up and turned around, Alejandro twisted to the side, pulling open the nightstand drawer and taking out a box of condoms and a 58

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bottle of lube. The grin he flashed at Mal as he tossed both at him was pure sin. “At least you know in my line of work, I’m always prepared.” “Almost like a Boy Scout.” Mal poured lube on his fingers as Alejandro settled on his back again and pulled his knees up. Mal was grateful for the opportunity to cool down a bit. He was still tightly wound, but it no longer seemed like a single breath across his skin would be enough to end him. He slipped his fingers between Alejandro’s cheeks and into Alejandro’s tight hole, gasping as his muscles clenched around him. In the dim light, with the shadows cast across his face, Alejandro looked more than a little dangerous. His eyes glittered as they fixated on Mal, watching him move his fingers in and out. His lips parted with his shallow breathing, and both the wild disarray of his hair against the pillow and the long line of his nose made him almost devilish. “I’m glad we came back here,” he said. “I didn’t like the way the others looked at you.” Mal wondered if that should bother him. After all, he wasn’t the one who made a career out of attracting attention. But it really didn’t. If anything, it made him more eager to bury himself in Alejandro’s ass. “How were they looking at me?” “Like they wanted to eat you alive.” He grabbed Mal’s wrist and tugged him back against his body, their cocks lining 59

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up between their stomachs. “That’s my privilege.” “It is,” Mal agreed, without hesitation. He added a third finger and began to pump his hand in and out of Alejandro’s body. “And any other privilege you want.” Alejandro touched the side of Mal’s face, drawing down to trace his mouth. “I’ll hold you to that. I don’t have very much in my life that’s just mine.” Mal’s tongue darted out to lick the pad of Alejandro’s finger. The thought of being Alejandro’s excited him, but it was also a sweetly, pleasant feeling. He didn’t know, but he thought it might be too soon to make any promises. Instead of using words, he dipped his head and found Alejandro’s lips, the rhythm of the kiss matching the rhythm of his hand. Alejandro cupped the back of his head, keeping the caress tender as their tongues twisted together. He pushed back against Mal’s fingers, already writhing beneath him. When they finally parted, his breath was fast and hot, his words rushed. “Need you in me. God, Mal, if you don’t fuck me soon, I’m going to throw you to the floor and ride you until neither one of us can move anymore.” Mal’s mouth went dry. “Save that idea for later.” He straightened and slid his hand free, then reached for the condom. It took two tries to get the foil open, and his fingers were shaking a little as he unrolled the rubber down his shaft. He slicked it with a bit more lube, and he didn’t need to ask if Alejandro was ready. His eyes were half-closed and hungry, his lips parted slightly. 60

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Mal pushed the blunt tip of his cock past Alejandro’s ring of muscle slowly, but once he had the initial penetration, nothing could hold him back. He sheathed himself with one, easy stroke. A shudder rippled through Alejandro. Strong hands reached out and cupped Mal’s ass, pulling him harder against Alejandro’s chest, followed by a desperate mouth latching onto his. Mal kissed him back, adjusting to the sensations of heat and constriction around his cock, but the desire to move quickly supplanted those, and he propped himself up on his knuckles in order to slide out. Alejandro gazed up at him, eyelids heavy. “Fuck but you feel good,” he said, smoothing his hands up Mal’s back. There was no doubt that he meant it. Mal didn’t even have the impulse to second-guess himself, or imagine that Alejandro was secretly comparing him to somebody else. He covered Alejandro’s face with kisses, finding a new piece of skin to caress and taste with each slow thrust forward. He needed to keep things slow, because if he built the friction, he wouldn’t be able to withstand the assault on his senses. He wanted to make this last as long as possible, and tried to will each second to stretch as long as possible. Alejandro’s body was amazing, perfect, beneath him, and Mal could feel each beat of his heart, each time his muscles tensed, each breath and moan. Alejandro matched each of his kisses, their cheeks scraping against each other as they fought over who would get to taste more. At one point, he buried his face in the curve of 61

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Mal’s shoulder, and when his teeth sank into the sinew, it stifled a throaty shout. “Do that again,” Alejandro managed, when he finally eased off. As if to demonstrate what he meant, he lifted his long legs up and wrapped them around Mal’s hips, forcing him to thrust inside his hole at the same angle. Another gurgled cry came from his lips. “Oh, yeah. Just like that.” With Alejandro’s expert guidance, Mal began to move faster and faster. Each time he thrust forward, he was rewarded with another sound of satisfaction, of desire, of the simple need for more. His head was spinning and he knew he was so close, too close to keep this pace up for much longer. “Touch yourself,” he rasped. He wished he could reach between their bodies to stroke Alejandro’s cock, but he needed to brace himself with both hands. Alejandro let go of where he’d been fisting the blanket and curled his fingers around his shaft. After only two hard pulls, he cried out, his ass clamping down around Mal’s cock, and shot over both of them. Some hit Alejandro’s chin, and, unable to resist, Mal bent down and licked it away. The first taste of it on his tongue added to the heat and tightness of Alejandro’s ass. That was all it took for Mal to shatter. He slammed into Alejandro’s hole one more time, filling the condom as his orgasm blasted through him. His sweaty brow came to rest on Alejandro’s shoulder, and the wide mouth he was growing increasingly familiar with rained kisses along his cheek, Alejandro’s tongue darting out to lick away the drops of sweat dampening his hairline. 62

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“That was so much better than hanging out at the bar,” Alejandro murmured. Mal could only nod. His body was still shaking from the force of his orgasm. Tightening his arms around Mal’s back, Alejandro pulled him closer, forcing him to rest directly on Alejandro’s chest. He didn’t speak. He just continued to kiss away the last of the tremors.

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CHAPTER 6 Part of Alejandro couldn’t believe how well it was going. Saturday night had been hot, sweaty, and exhausting. When he woke up Sunday morning, he was sorer than he’d been in a very long time, even with work. That didn’t stop him from waking Mal up with a blow job, however, or dragging him into the shower where Mal promptly blew him, or retreating back to bed to eat breakfast off Mal’s stomach. Which only instigated another shower. The entire day had been spent kissing and touching and talking and laughing, and frankly, Alejandro couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so happy. It was hard for them to part on Sunday night, but Mal had 64

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a job early Monday morning. They spent ten minutes at Alejandro’s door, kissing good-bye, before he was finally able to let Mal go. Promises of meeting up for the drive to San Francisco on Tuesday kept Alejandro humming for the next day and a half. Now, here they were, pulling into the parking lot of the hotel. “I changed my reservation.” Alejandro had actually given this a lot of thought on Monday, and in the end decided that he didn’t care if it was too soon. He liked Mal, he was pretty sure Mal liked him, and it made economical sense to do it this way. “I got us a room with a king-size bed instead of two queens.” “Good. I would have felt awkward climbing into your smaller bed.” Glancing over, he caught Mal’s grin and returned it with one of his own. God, he loved that man’s smile. “And here I was, wondering how I was going to stay out of yours. I guess it’s a good thing we’re on the same page, huh?” “It certainly doesn’t hurt. It’s probably why we’re so good together.” Alejandro pulled into a spot and killed the engine. He was smiling when they got their bags out of the trunk, and he was smiling when Mal laced their fingers together as they walked into the lobby. He was still smiling even when they stood outside their room, juggling luggage in order to get the keycard into the slot. “I need to shower before we go to the club,” Alejandro said as he hung his garment bag on the closet rail. “Did you 65

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want to hop in before or after?” Mal rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Given those options, I’m going to have to say…neither.” Considering how much time they’d spent in the spray over the weekend, Alejandro shouldn’t have been surprised. “I have to shave, though. I always do it as close to a job as I can so I’m as smooth as possible.” A wicked thought made his smile widen. “Unless you’d like the honors.” Mal arched his brow and stepped forward, pressing his body against Alejandro’s. “I think I would be very honored to be trusted with such a task.” “Just remember we have to be there at seven for the set-up and run-through.” He kissed Mal lightly, aware of the rising erection against his thigh. “I’ll make it up to you later.” “Seven? That doesn’t really give me enough time to admire my work, does it?” He threaded his fingers through Alejandro’s. “But I suppose it’s all right. What exactly is the show tonight going to consist of?” “Me dancing mostly naked for a lot of horny guys.” Grabbing his smaller overnight bag with his toiletries, he pulled Mal into the bathroom, humming under his breath as he set the water to lukewarm. It wasn’t the most comfortable way to wash up, but when he was freshly shaved, it was the gentlest on his skin. And he didn’t think Mal was even going to be aware of the water temperature once they were both naked again. “Sounds like a pretty sweet gig,” Mal said as he stripped out of his clothes. He stepped up behind Alejandro and 66

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smoothed his hands down Alejandro’s abdomen to his waistband. “Any touching?” His cock jumped as Mal’s fingertips grazed along his shaft. The contact was incidental, but it still made his length stiffen. He was going to have to think the unsexiest thoughts he could while Mal shaved him or his erection was going to get in the way. “Depends,” he said, kicking off his pants. Taking out his razor and shaving gel, he climbed into the shower, Mal right behind him. “I usually play it by ear, see what the crowd is like. If it seems like a bunch I can trust not to go too far, I tend to let them touch.” He grinned as he leaned against the wall. “My tips usually triple then.” Mal cupped his balls, gently rubbing them with the pads of his fingers. “That makes sense. I can’t say I’d blame them.” He released Alejandro and filled his palm with the shaving gel. It turned to foam as soon as Mal began spreading it over his groin and sac. “God knows I would have given more than a nice tip to get the chance to touch you.” He was too curious not to ask. “Have you ever seen me live before?” “Oh, no.” His voice was distracted as he reached for the razor. “I…it was torturous enough to see you at the shoots. It didn’t seem like a good idea to seek out more torment.” “Torture good, though, right?” Alejandro bit back a groan as Mal grasped his cock to lift it out of his way. “I always used to debate inviting you to shoot, but you were always so professional. There was a while there I wasn’t even sure you 67

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were gay.” Mal delicately moved the blade over Alejandro’s skin. “It was definitely the good kind of torture. But I had to play it professionally, because you don’t want to get a rep for not being focused. Plus, I never thought…I didn’t think you even noticed me.” The smooth movements of the razor distracted him for a moment. There was the slight sting against his most sensitive skin, followed by the pelt of water, soothing it away. Mal was studiously careful in his strokes, and Alejandro widened his legs in order to give him more room. “Why?” he finally asked. “You’re brilliant, you’ve got gorgeous eyes, and your smile makes me melt. That’s a hell of a lot more than most of the guys I’m around on a daily basis.” Mal half-shrugged. “Just because…people generally don’t notice the guy behind the camera.” He focused on the back of Alejandro’s sac for a long, quiet moment. “Not when there are so many guys in front of the camera who are worth looking at.” Something about Mal’s tone made Alejandro want to pull him to his feet and hold him tight, drown him in kisses that left both of them aching. “I think you’re worth looking at.” He pushed the wet hair off Mal’s forehead, fingertips gliding across his brows. “And maybe not being in front of the camera is better sometimes. At least you can be pretty sure when someone asks you out, they’re interested in you, not whatever image you present onscreen.” “Well, I suppose you could have screened potential dates 68

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for somebody who never saw any of your films.” Mal lifted his head and brushed his lips across Alejandro’s shaft in a gentle kiss. “All those people who just want you for your body don’t know what they’re missing out on.” A warm curl of delight licked through Alejandro’s gut. The more time he spent with Mal, the more right he thought his instincts were about the man. He’d been attracted to him from the first, but it was watching him work, seeing the results of his passions, spending time with him over the past few days, that was showing Alejandro that there could be something real there for them. Something that might last longer than a week of gorgeous sex. “When did you want to do your photos?” He would use all his free time this week to take as many pictures as Mal wanted. “Are we starting tomorrow?” “If I can manage to drag myself away from you and out of bed, then yes. Although…” He looked up at Alejandro through his lashes, almost shyly. “I’d love to get some private shots of you…here in bed. If that’s okay.” “Whatever you want. Whenever I’m not on the job this week, I’m all yours.” Mal brushed his thumb over his skin, swiping away a bit of foam. “You know…” His brow furrowed and he focused on his task, the words dying on his lips. Alejandro waited for one…two…three…slow swipes of the razor before Mal finished his thought. “I like it when you say that.” Alejandro decided then and there that he’d had enough of shaving. Grasping Mal’s wrist, he met his questioning eyes 69

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with a smile and took away the razor, setting it on the edge of the tub as he pulled Mal to his feet. “I’m not into playing games,” he said softly. “So you can trust that I don’t say anything I don’t mean.” Mal’s shaft slid against Alejandro’s, and Mal reached between them to wrap his fingers around their cocks. Pumping his wrist, he skimmed his mouth across Alejandro’s chest, then moved up the column of his throat. His mouth was hot compared to the cooler sting of the water. “I do,” Mal murmured. “Trust you, that is.” “Good.” Their kiss was long and languid, ending in a sigh. “But as good as this feels, we should wash up, or I’m going to be late.” Mal moaned, but he took an obliging step back, allowing the water to cascade down Alejandro’s body to wash away the last of the shaving cream. “This is going to be a very long night for me.” Alejandro laughed as he ducked his head under the spray. “You’ve got the easy job. All you have to do is sit out there and enjoy. These gigs always exhaust the hell out of me anymore.” “Well, that’s okay. You’ve got me here to help get you back and put you to bed. And I promise, I won’t take advantage of your exhaustion…much.” “Good.” He shook the excess water out of his hair before reaching for Mal. “Though I’ll warn you. Sex is usually the last thing on my mind after these things. I usually get home and crash. You might have to settle for me just wrapping 70

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around you and falling asleep.” The corner of Mal’s mouth lifted in a soft smile. “Whatever you want.” *

*

*

Mal found a spot near the back of the club, close to the bar. He didn’t want to get too drunk, but he did tell the bartender to keep a steady supply of beer coming his way. He would have loved to have been closer to the stage where Alejandro was dancing, especially as the club began to fill and more bodies blocked his view, but it was probably for the best that he wasn’t close enough to reach out and touch Alejandro. Lately, whenever he touched the other man, he found it almost impossible to stop. He had wondered why the club would bother to book Alejandro—and pay him—on a Tuesday night, but it wasn’t long before Mal understood. Alejandro brought them out in droves. And Mal wouldn’t be surprised if the same faces returned again and again and again. Watching Alejandro turned them on, of course, but there was something more than sexual response. Alejandro also made them happy, on some level. They received joy simply because somebody as gorgeous and charming as Alejandro existed in the world. Of course, the joy he brought them wasn’t entirely pure. Mal had more than enough evidence of who wanted Alejandro, and how they wanted him. “You’ve seen his movies, right? I just want to fuck his throat raw.” 71

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“I’m more interested in his ass. He’d look great bent over a table.” “He does look great bent over a table. It’s happened in a few movies.” “I want to see how great he looks with my come dripping down his ass.” “You’re obsessed with his ass.” “Come on. You’re not?” “I hear some guys will put on a private show, if you got the cash.” “You’re joking. You think Alejandro would?” “Can’t hurt to ask.” Mal listened to that conversation, and variations of the conversation, without comment. Or any outward sign that he heard them at all. He almost felt uncomfortable on Alejandro’s behalf, but not quite. He knew he was more than just a sex object to these people—he was the epitome of their fantasies. And he pandered to that fantasy because it was easy, because it was fun, because it was a good way to make money, because he could. Jealousy didn’t enter into the equation. If any of them knew the truth, he would probably be declared their king. As Alejandro’s scheduled time came to an end, Mal made it a point to order his favorite beer. It was waiting for him when he finally descended from the high stage and made his way to where Mal sat. More than one hand slapped Alejandro on his sweaty back as he wove his way through the crowd. Though he laughed 72

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and smiled at those who called out their praise, he didn’t stop, didn’t even falter until he stood next to Mal. Then his smile warmed even more. Cupping the back of Mal’s neck, Alejandro bowed his head to brush a swift kiss across his mouth. Mal caught more than one set of raised brows in the background when Alejandro slid onto the stool. For his part, Alejandro seemed completely oblivious. “Thank God,” he said, reaching for the beer Mal had waiting for him. He gulped down nearly half of it, his throat working, beads of sweat still dripping down the side of his neck, before setting it back down. “You have no idea how badly I needed that.” “I had a small idea. It feels like it’s about one hundred degrees in here. I figured it was even worse under those lights.” Mal grinned. “Also, you were pretty thirsty the last time I saw you this sweaty.” Alejandro swiveled in the stool, not quite turning his back to the curious onlookers, but making it clear that he wasn’t there to be approached. Leaning toward Mal, he propped his head up on his knuckles, regarding him thoughtfully. “I couldn’t see you up there. Did you see the whole show?” Mal nodded. “I had a pretty good view from here. And I couldn’t take my eyes off you.” “The crowd seemed to enjoy it.” He leaned a little closer, lowering his voice. “Except I think the photographer they hired is a hack. I’ll bet the pictures you would’ve gotten 73

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would’ve been a hell of a lot better.” Mal moved toward him, almost close enough for their brows to touch. “Maybe we can talk to whoever is in charge here tomorrow before the show, and I can get a few good shots.” “If you’ve got a few shots to show him, there won’t be any maybe about it.” Mal always kept his portfolio with him when he traveled— he wasn’t going to be caught out if the chance for a paying gig came up. He was about to suggest Alejandro help him pick a few of his favorites when he noticed a man approaching. The man who was obsessed with Alejandro’s ass. No doubt, he intended to find out about that private party. Mal acted quickly, closing the final inch between his lips and Alejandro’s. Alejandro’s mouth was warm and damp with salty sweat. Alejandro returned the kiss without hesitation, and he didn’t seem to mind when Mal put a possessive hand on the back of his neck. “Tim the manager said there’s a great Italian place around the corner that does delivery,” Alejandro said when they parted. “If you want to come back with me to the dressing room, you can place an order while I clean up. It should be ready by the time we’re ready to leave.” Mal bit back his enthusiastic agreement in favor of a mere nod. He was more than happy to get out of the hot, crowded room. Especially since the other men were still eyeing Alejandro like hungry lions. He slid off his barstool and let Alejandro take his hand to guide him through the crowd and 74

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backstage. A young man with lashes thick enough to make women hate him and a bulge in his crotch to make the men love him stepped in their path. “Hey, Alejandro, can I get your autograph?” he asked with a smile that suggested he wanted a lot more than a signature. Alejandro returned the smile. “Sure, have a pen?” Someone shoved one into Alejandro’s hand as the young man whipped his shirt off. He stepped closer, pointing to a spot on his well-muscled chest. “Right here would be great.” Mal frowned, watching as the young man took another bold step forward. Anybody else might have taken advantage of the obvious invitation to do more than just scrawl his signature across the other man’s chest, but Alejandro didn’t seem interested. The young man ran the tip of his tongue over his top lip as Alejandro dutifully drew a big, round A, and he casually rested his hand on Alejandro’s shoulder. Mal couldn’t help but smile as Alejandro treated the situation as professionally as possible, drawing a marked look of disappointment from his fan. A couple other excited young men pushed forward, demanding he sign various parts of their anatomy, too, before Alejandro finally raised a hand to stop the next one from approaching. “I’ll be back here tomorrow night.” Blindly, he reached back and grasped Mal’s hand, tugging him close. “And I have a date who is going to tan my ass if I make him wait any longer.” He paused, pretending to consider what he’d just said. 75

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“Which normally would be enough to make me stay, but then I’d miss out on everything else he does that makes my toes curl.” Waving off the groans of protest, Alejandro pulled Mal the rest of the way to the exit off the side of the stage area. “Now you’re going to have everybody in the club hating me,” Mal complained good-naturedly. “I’ll just have to hide you in my dressing room tomorrow night then.” They came to a stop in front of a narrow door, but before opening it, Alejandro pressed Mal to the wall. “Thanks for being so cool about this. I know it’s a meat market out there.” Mal smoothed his palms down Alejandro’s back. “I can be cool about a lot of things, as long as I know you’re coming home with me at the end of the night.” “Well, that I am.” The kiss this time was slow and sweet, a tender exploration as their tongues tangled, Alejandro’s fingers tickling at Mal’s waist. The roar of the club was a distant echo, growing fainter with each caress of Alejandro’s lips. “You really do make my toes curl,” he murmured against Mal’s mouth. Mal’s groin tightened, and at that moment, all he wanted to do was push Alejandro into his dressing room and fuck him until they were both wasted. But he still had enough concentration to remember that Alejandro had already told him he was more interested in sleeping than sex after a gig at a club. 76

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“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.” Alejandro pushed the door open. “Don’t forget the Italian.” “Of course not.” Mal followed him into the tiny space, more than happy to watch him strip out of his damp pants and towel the sweat off his body. He couldn’t help but feel more than a little privileged. Not just because he got to share Alejandro’s bed, but because at the end of the night, not one of the men lusting after Alejandro had any idea about the sweet, shy, talented, sometimes boyish, and always charming man who had so willingly welcomed Mal into his life.

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CHAPTER 7 Alejandro had deliberately not taken the booking for Thursday when the job came through because he knew he couldn’t take three nights straight on the club scene. Now he was just glad that he was getting a night in San Francisco with Mal. Most of Wednesday had been lost when they’d both slept in until well past noon, then the show in the evening. When Alejandro had woken up Thursday morning, Mal was already gone, off to the job he’d booked in order to make it a working trip. Be back around four. —Mal 78

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That left Alejandro to his own devices for the day. He could have gone out, spent some time wandering the city, but doing it on his own after having Mal for company for most of the past ten days was unappealing. He settled for relaxing in the room, indulging in soap operas. At two, he pulled out his sketch pad and started to doodle. Before he knew it, the door was opening, and Mal was standing there, and his smile came automatically. “How’d it go?” “Great. Fortunately, nobody seemed to notice that I was very distracted.” Alejandro rolled onto his side, propping his head up in his hand as Mal set down his gear. “Why were you distracted?” “Because I kept thinking about the way you looked when I left this morning.” Mal shrugged off his jacket, then sat on the edge of the bed. “Like you needed to be licked from head to foot.” “You always think I need to be licked head to foot.” “It’s not my fault you’re delicious.” He leaned over like he intended to demonstrate just how delicious he thought Alejandro looked, but he paused when he noticed the sketchpad. “What have you been up to?” “Oh, just killing some time.” He pushed the pad away to make more room for Mal. “So how brilliant were you today? Pick up a hot young thing I need to be thoroughly jealous about?” “Are you the jealous sort?” 79

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“Not if you tell me I don’t have to be.” Mal smiled. “You don’t have to be. There were plenty of hot young things at the shoot, but none of them could begin to compare to you. A few familiar faces were there, though. Some of your former costars.” But Alejandro didn’t hear much after, “You don’t have to be.” His possessiveness toward Mal surprised even him. Maybe it was because he had so little that he could truly call his own in his life. And Mal seemed to genuinely like being with him. He hadn’t even balked when Alejandro had fallen asleep halfway through his lasagna on Tuesday night. “Did you have thoughts about what you want to do tonight?” “No. Whatever you want.” He squeezed Alejandro’s fingers absently. “Maybe go out to dinner. Or we can stay in and find a bad movie on television.” “You wouldn’t mind staying in?” The eagerness in his tone made him flush slightly, abashed. “Sorry. I guess…I think I’m a little worried you might have these expectations.” Mal tilted his head. “What expectations? The expectations of parading you through the city?” “That. Or that I always need to be out. I don’t. When I’m not working, I’m really boring. I tend to be a bit of a homebody.” “You’re not boring, and I’m hardly a social butterfly.” Mal pushed gently on Alejandro’s chest, forcing him to slide over a little. He stretched out beside him, their chests pressed together. “I’m more worried that you’re going to be bored 80

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with me.” Alejandro frowned. “Why? Have I given you that impression?” Mal took a deep breath to speak, then paused, and shook his head. “No, no. Not at all. So, what were you drawing?” It was an obvious ploy. “You’re changing the subject. What’s wrong?” “It’s just…when it’s just the two of us, I forget what you do when you are working. It’s just not that important. But I spent the last three hours taking nude photos of some of hottest guys I’ve ever seen. Some of them you’ve already…hell, let’s not talk around this. Fucked. And the others, you probably will at some point soon.” His gut clenched. This was exactly what he’d been afraid of. “That’s what I do, Mal,” he said carefully. “It’s just sex.” “Sex that you really, really enjoy. I mean, if you don’t, then your acting talents are being wasted in adult entertainment. And I just don’t see…how I can even compare to any of that.” “But you do.” He had known Mal felt a little insecure at their first couple of dates, but he had thought—hoped—that he’d proven to him that he didn’t have anything to worry about. Obviously not. “Here. Look at this.” Reaching over the edge of the bed, Alejandro picked up the sketchpad he’d discarded, flipping it open to the last couple of pages he’d been working on. He laid it out so that Mal could take a good, long look. “This is what I spent most of my afternoon working on. 81

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Does this look like I’m not thinking about you twentyfour/seven?” Mal looked unconvinced, but he glanced down at the pad anyway. Alejandro just hoped that it was enough. They were just bits and pieces, but they looked more than recognizable to Alejandro. Mal’s mouth, both in repose and smiling. Mal’s left eye, because he couldn’t get the shape just quite right and had given up trying to capture the right one. But the bulk of the page was devoted to Mal’s hands. Long. Nimble. Fingers tense, fingers relaxed. Palm upward. Heel upward. Curved around an imaginary camera. Mal traced each sketch with the tips of his fingers, his eyes wide. “I guess you are thinking of me now. I really like you, Alejandro. I…I want to see how far we can go. And I guess I’m scared…well, like I already said. That you’re going to be bored with me.” “I really like you, too,” he said softly. “And you’re not the only one who’s scared. A lot of guys can’t deal with what I do at all. But that’s not all I am. It felt like you knew that.” “Don’t say it like that. I know that’s not all you are.” “So you shouldn’t have to worry about me getting bored then.” “You can tell me that you’ll never wish that I was taller…or stronger…or had a bigger cock…or had more experience?” Alejandro quirked an eyebrow. “Trust me. It’s never even crossed my mind to wish for any of those things.” He skimmed a hand over Mal’s hip, tugging him a little closer. 82

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“It’s not like I’m going to be doing this for much more than a couple more years anyway. Somebody younger and prettier will come along, and I’ll stop being the flavor of the month.” Mal buried his face against Alejandro’s neck. “I don’t believe that. You’re always going to have a loyal, and large, fanbase. I can say that with some authority, because I’m pretty sure I’m your biggest fan.” He closed his eyes, inhaling the slightly sweaty scent of Mal’s skin. “I’m not looking for a fan.” He couldn’t resist turning his head and sampling the corner of Mal’s mouth. “I was more hoping you’d be interested in the job of boyfriend, instead.” Mal looked up, studying Alejandro’s face for a moment before smiling, the troubled light disappearing from his eyes. “Can I have both jobs?” One of the knots in his stomach eased. “As long as you take the boyfriend one, that’s all I care about.” “What are the perks of the boyfriend job?” He pretended to give it serious consideration. “Undying devotion. Blow jobs on demand. And Bonita’s eternal gratitude for making me a much nicer guy to be around.” Mal grinned. “If Bonita’s gratitude comes with free food, this is going to be the best gig I ever had.” Alejandro touched his fingers to Mal’s smile. There was a little line that bobbed up and down at the corner, not quite a dimple, that he was going to have to remember to catch the next time he tried sketching Mal. “I travel a lot with my job,” he said. “Is that going to be a 83

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problem?” “I don’t know. I travel, too. I’ve been getting more and more jobs around California, and even into Nevada. But I’m willing to try…and even travel with you if possible.” “You’d be welcome to come.” He cupped the side of Mal’s face and drew him close, their mouths soft and lingering. “I think we could be really good together. I think we are really good together. And I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make this work.” Mal’s lips moved over Alejandro’s chin. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt this way with anybody else. I’ve never trusted anybody like this.” Nudging his knee between Mal’s legs, he pressed lightly against his balls, smiling at the groan that came from Mal’s throat. “Feel like sealing this deal?” Mal pushed his hand between their bodies, palming Alejandro’s shaft. “Is this when the blow jobs on demand come in?” “After. Right now, I just want to show you how much I missed you today.” Pushing him onto his back, Alejandro straddled his hips. His hair hung over his cheeks as he gazed down at Mal. This was a face he could definitely get used to having around. He said as much out loud. Mal’s lips twitched, and he gripped Alejandro’s firmly muscled thighs. “Good, because I’ve already become accustomed to yours.” “You’ve had all my movies to memorize. Maybe I should steal your camera and wallpaper my bedroom in pictures of 84

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you to even the score.” “Hey. I have not memorized all of your movies.” Mal’s eyes danced. “Just a few very carefully selected favorites. Besides, you wouldn’t want to do that. I’m not photogenic, like a certain gorgeous man I could name.” “Matter of opinion.” Leaning down, he dragged his tongue along Mal’s jaw, and dropped kisses along his brow bone. “And why haven’t you memorized all my movies? I’m really good, you know.” “I know.” Alejandro slid his mouth to Mal’s ear, drawing a soft moan from Mal’s throat. “I really, really know. But I had to limit myself, otherwise, I wouldn’t do anything except watch your movies.” He gasped when Alejandro bit into his earlobe. Stealing a hand between their bodies, Alejandro deftly undid the buttons on Mal’s shirt, continuing to nibble at any patch of sensitive skin he could reach until there was enough room to slide his hand beneath the soft material. “I think you’re probably going to be too busy to ever watch one of my movies again.” His mouth watered at the soft rasp of stubble against his tongue, and his fingers circled the nipple he found. “I’m going to assume you don’t have a problem with that.” Mal pushed against Alejandro’s hand and jerked like he was shocked when Alejandro pinched his nipple. “I don’t have a problem with that. Not at all.” “And those nights when all I want to do is have you hold me?” He raked his nails down Mal’s side, relishing the tremor 85

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that rattled through his lover’s muscles when he reached his waist. “Will that be enough for you?” Mal slid his hands up Alejandro’s thighs to his hips, his thumbs massaging the skin just above Alejandro’s waistband. “It’ll be more than enough. I’m pretty sure that’s what boyfriends do. And that’s what I want to be.” Alejandro pulled back at that, searching those warm brown eyes he’d been daydreaming about. Dragging his knuckles across Mal’s twitching stomach, he bent down in order to find his mouth as well, lips soft for the split second it took for them to part. He slid his tongue inside, letting the tip dance with Mal’s, and moaned into the caress. This was what he’d wanted. The thought that he could actually have it made him feel more than a little drunk. Mal let Alejandro guide the caress, his tongue and lips responsive to each shift, each subtle change in pressure and speed. The kiss was like a slow dance, a steady give and take, and Mal’s hands drifted all over Alejandro’s body—up his ribs and down his chest. Over his shoulders. His fingers tangled in Alejandro’s hair, tugging gently, and sending a shower of sparks down Alejandro’s spine. Mal’s cock was hard against his. Having it so close and yet so far made Alejandro ache, and he pushed his hand farther inside Mal’s jeans in order to glance across the dripping tip. They both groaned at the contact. “This boyfriend would very much like to ride you,” Alejandro murmured. “We can do the holding after, this time.” Mal moved beneath him, lifting his hips off the bed—a 86

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sudden, instinctive reflex. “Good. I was going to suggest it if you didn’t. I’m pretty sure there’s still a condom in that drawer.” Alejandro dropped one last kiss to his mouth, reluctant to lose the feel of him even for a moment. Quickly, he climbed off Mal and went to the nightstand, listening to Mal strip out of his clothes behind him as he pulled out the condom box. He turned back just in time to see the delicious swell of Mal’s ass, and before Mal could lay back down again, Alejandro was there, pushing him over onto his stomach. “First things first.” Kneeling between Mal’s legs, he bent forward and licked a path down his spine, not stopping when he reached the warm crease of his ass. Alejandro grasped each cheek and spread them, the tip of his tongue tracing until he reached the clenching hole. “One of these days, I’m going to fuck you,” he breathed. “Right now, I’ll settle for this.” With that, he pushed his tongue past the tight ring of muscle. Mal cried out, but the sound was muffled as he put his head down against the pillow. Alejandro could feel Mal’s body tighten, winding tighter and tighter. He pulled his knees beneath him and pushed back against Alejandro’s face, but Alejandro forced him back to the mattress with one steady hand, holding him there as he fucked him with his tongue. Words drifted to Alejandro’s ears between the yelps and moans. “Anything…Alejandro…anything you want…just tell me.” He would, too. The need in his voice went straight to Alejandro’s gut. 87

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He closed his eyes, focusing on the heat emanating from Mal’s skin, the sounds echoing through his body, the shudders rippling beneath Alejandro’s fingers. It didn’t take long for Mal to start grinding against the mattress. Alejandro sat back, silently vowing to surprise Mal with this again as soon as he possibly could. “Roll over,” he instructed, his voice rough. While Mal repositioned, Alejandro tore the foil and pulled out the condom. “Looks like we’re staying in tonight after all.” “I love the thought of having you all to myself,” Mal murmured. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but Alejandro gripped the base of Mal’s cock, squeezing it just hard enough to cut off Mal’s words. His breathing had been a bit ragged before, but as Alejandro slid the condom down his smooth shaft, Mal began to gasp. Alejandro grinned. “Maybe I shouldn’t have teased you for so long.” “Doesn’t matter if you tease me. Just being around you has this effect on me.” The declaration only spurred Alejandro to tear off the rest of his clothes, shimmying out of his pants and grabbing the lube before climbing back on. Slicking up his fingers, he reached behind and coated Mal’s covered cock, his eyes never leaving the other man’s. “You’re not the only one who gets all worked up.” His erection bobbed against his stomach as he rose up on his knees, positioning Mal’s length at his waiting hole. Slowly, he pushed back down, shivering as his ass burned from the initial 88

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intrusion. “Oh, fuck…” Mal squeezed his eyes closed, his chest stilling as Alejandro sank down his shaft. He clenched around Mal’s shaft once he was completely seated, drawing a low, harsh groan from Mal’s throat. Mal’s hands fluttered over Alejandro’s body, like he didn’t know what to do with them. Alejandro caught them, clasping Mal’s fingers as he began to rock his hips. “Look at me.” He waited until Mal gazed up at him with heavy-lidded eyes, then smiled. “That’s better. I like the look you get when you’re about to come. I don’t want to miss a thing.” Mal responded by tightening his grip on Alejandro’s fingers. The tendons of his neck stood out, and his skin had a soft sheen of sweat. Now Mal didn’t look away, didn’t close his eyes. And he didn’t try to block any of the emotions shining in their brown depths. Mal looked at him with open desire, and lust, and even adoration. Alejandro leaned forward, twisting Mal’s wrists above his head as their chests came flush against each other. He continued to glide up and down, the tip of his cock now leaving wet streaks along Mal’s stomach, but it was the heat wrapped around both of them that fueled his languid kiss. The heat fanned through Alejandro’s body, making his skin flush, and the back of his neck prickle with perspiration. He could smell Mal’s spicy aftershave—something a little darker than cinnamon—and Alejandro thought the scent would have the power to make him hard for the rest of his life. 89

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The soft tips of Mal’s hair brushed against his forehead, almost tickling him. Each small detail filtered through his mind and skin. He kept his eyes open, unashamed to let Mal see just how he felt about him. If Mal could bare his heart, then so could he. No more hiding. No more being alone. Nothing had ever felt so good. When Mal tugged at his wrists, Alejandro let him go, sucking in his breath when he felt Mal’s hot fingers wrap around his cock. His strokes began to quicken, matching the rhythm Mal set, and he tightened his muscles every time Mal was fully sheathed. “Not going to last,” he warned. “I’ve been thinking about this too much today.” “Me, too. Thinking about coming home to you…all day…” He stripped Alejandro’s cock with each word. “God…oh, God, Ale…I can’t…” The word became a formless shout as Mal thrust forward, his cock jerking hard against Alejandro’s tight walls. Coming tightened Mal’s grip to the point of almost pain, but Mal didn’t let it stop his strokes, swiping across the wet tip with each pull. Alejandro slammed back onto his pulsing length one more time before he erupted with Mal’s name on his lips. Blast after blast ratcheted through him, until Mal’s chest was coated in sticky fluid. His quivering arms gave way, and he collapsed against Mal, seeking him out for a searing kiss. Mal held him close, not letting go even when they had both stopped trembling. 90

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Alejandro only broke away from his succulent mouth when his lungs were ready to burst. “You really don’t have to worry about me ever getting bored,” he panted. “I’ll be doing my best to keep that from happening.” He didn’t want to have to move, but he did it anyway, groaning when Mal slid out of his ass. Rolling onto his back, Alejandro grabbed Mal’s hand and just held it between them while he lay there, fighting to get his body back under control. “So how was that for sealing the deal?” he asked. Mal reached over with his other hand, skimming his palm over Alejandro’s chest. “Best contract negotiation I’ve ever had.” “We’ll have to go over the fine print, too. Later. In the shower. As soon as my legs work.” “I expect to be going over the fine print for most of the night. Is that good with you?” “Something tells me this is going to be a work in progress.” Alejandro smiled as he turned his head to gaze at Mal, lifting their joined hands to his mouth in order to brush his lips over Mal’s knuckles. “Thank you.” Mal turned on his side. “You’re welcome,” he said, matching Alejandro’s solemn tone. “For what?” “For giving this a chance. For not making me stick around Runaway on St. Patrick’s Day. For a lot of things.” Stretching, he caressed Mal’s lower lip with his tongue, tasting the salt of perspiration before deepening it into a full kiss. “Mostly, for seeing me. That’s a big deal. Whether you know it or not.” 91

MARCH: KISS ME

“Well, I guess I should be thanking you, too. For giving me the chance to see you. Because I know I would have never had the courage to ask you out.” “You did, though.” “Only after you asked first.” “Still counts.” Mal looked unconvinced, but Alejandro didn’t care. As he leaned in to kiss him again, all he could think about was the potential of the months to come. It might have been the luck of the Irish that had brought them together, but it was going to be something real that kept them together.

92

JAMIE CRAIG

Jamie Craig is the collaborative efforts of Pepper Espinoza and Vivien Dean. Both successful authors on their own, they began working together in early 2006. Pepper lives with her husband and cats in Utah, where she attends graduate school, and Vivien resides in northern California with her husband and two children. *

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When it rains, it pours. Television weatherman Nick Lau’s romantic weekend with his boyfriend, Austin, ends in disaster before it even has the chance to begin. Austin dumps him and leaves their cabin just as the heavens open, and soon the mountain is awash in dangerous flash floods. Jay Archer just wants to escort the tourists off the mountain and to safety. But instead, he finds himself stranded in a small cabin with the very attractive Nick Lau. He seeks sanctuary with Nick. Soon Nick returns the favor by seeking a different kind of sanctuary in Jay’s arms…

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