Mike smiled to himself. Stellar reputation.That’s what you get after twenty years in the industry. His smile faded.Jeez, twenty years. All of a sudden Mike feltold.
Then it hit him.Jackwas here. Not only that, Jack was filming with them. He figured Pete had to know Jack’s status,and things must have been okay for him to have the go-ahead for the shoot. Some studios could be funny about using positive performers.
And then all such reflections were driven from his mind by one single thought.
We’re gonna have to talk, him and me.What the fuck do I say to him?
Mike didn’t have a fucking clue.
He gazed at his laptop bag, and suddenly there at the forefront of his mind was the reason for its presence, that conversation with Tommy from the previous Sunday. He clung to it as a welcome diversion. He couldn’t think about Jack, not yet.
“So, will Ben be going out Saturday night?”
Tommy paused in the middle of packing his overnight bag and tilted his head. “Why’d you wanna know? You’re gonna be God knows where.” There was the teensiest pout that was just adorable.
“Because I have something planned for Saturday, and it would be best if you had the apartment to yourself. Locked door, no Ben likely to show up….” Mike grinned. “Think you can arrange that?”
Tommy’s eyes glinted. “Yeah, that’s doable. Wanna tell me what you got in mind?”
“Nope.” Mike chuckled to see Tommy’s expression of consternation. “You’ll just have to wait ’n’ see. But there is one thing I need to know. You’ve got a laptop, right?” Tommy nodded. “Does it have Skype?”
“No, but I can always download it. Why?” Tommy’s eyes lit up. “We gonna chat via Skype while you’re away?” He grinned. “I’d really like that.”
Mike opened the drawer in his bedside cabinet and withdrew the gift-wrapped item. “Take this with you. You can’topen it, mind. Not until we’re Skyping next Saturday, okay?” He speared Tommy with a keen glance. “You promise? No peeking?”
Tommy laughed. “How old am I, six? Yeah, I promise.” He packed the gift carefully into his bag and then moved to stand in front of Mike. “Just so’s you know? In the spirit of sharin’ how I’m feelin’, like you asked?” He placed his hands on Mike’s shoulders and looked him square in the face. “I’m gonna miss you next weekend.” The words were uttered softly. He leaned forward and kissed Mike on the mouth, his hands looping around Mike’s neck and drawing him closer.
Mike wrapped his arms around Tommy’s firm torso and held him while they kissed, slowly, just a brushing of lips at first, but soon they were feeding soft moans into each other’s mouths, hands moving restlessly over backs, arms, shoulders.
“Think we got time to make out a little before you have to go?” Mike murmured against his mouth, stroking down his back to cup that round ass. Tommy didn’t reply, but Mike took his groan and slow nod to be answer enough.
The gentle tapping at his door dispelled the pleasant memory. Mike walked across and opened it to find Jack standing there, dressed in jeans and a dark blue T-shirt that showed off his ripped body and tattooed arms. The tattoo that curled around his collarbones was just visible above the neckline of his T-shirt.
“Hey.” Jack gave him a half smile. He ran his hand through the short layers of hair on top of his head. “I was waiting for you to arrive.” He glanced to his right down the hallway toward the kitchen. Mike could hear Nico laughing and chuckles from the two younger men. “Can I come in?” There was a jumpiness to him that was new.
“Sure.” Mike stepped aside and let Jack into the room, closing the door behind him. He watched his former lover walkacross the room to the window, shoulders hunched forward, his gait lacking his usual fluid grace. Mike frowned. “What have you done to yourself?”
Jack turned, eyebrows lifted. “Damn, that was quick.” His smile widened. “I forgot how much you see.”
Mike was having none of it. He took a deep breath, as if that would help to quell the anger and hurt welling up inside him. Fat chance.
“What the fuck, Jack?” He clenched his hands at his sides, staring at his old friend, suddenly finding it difficult to breathe.
Jack paled. “Mike?” He swallowed hard.
“Fuckingbareback? What the fuck are you thinking of?” Mike’s heart hammered so strongly, it caused him pain.
“Oh God. You know.” Jack reached out for the plastic chair by the window and crumpled into it. “I shoulda known you’d get to hear about it.” He gripped the arms of the chair, his knuckles white.
“Oh yeah, good news sure travels fast in this industry,” Mike said with a snarl. “Far more important to me, however, is why I got to hear about it from William fucking Marks and not from you!” He couldn’t keep a lid on all the emotion that bubbled up to the surface. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me. After everything we talked about, our agreements….”
“Mike, please, hear me out,” Jack pleaded, his face now white. “I can explain.”
“We always talked about this, damn it!” Mike yelled. “Have you given a thought to the ramifications for your costars? ’Cause I’m thinking aboutthemright now, notyou, you selfish bastard. Damn it, you’re supposed to care about people! The JackIknew cared. He wouldn’t risk the people he filmed with, curled up with, loved….” Mike struggled to draw a breath, his pulse speeding, heartbeat pounding.
Jack rose slowly to his feet, his breathing rapid, his expression pinched. “I don’t have to listen to this.” He walked stiffly to the door without a backward glance at Mike and shut the door after him.
Mike stared at the wooden door, the bile rising in his throat. He swallowed, fighting to compose himself.
