Tony stood up and shook his hand firmly. “For the record, I’m sorry to see you go. Professionals like you are few and far between these days.” He gave a brief nod. “You take care, Scott, and good luck for the future.” He picked up the clipboard and sighed. “And now I need to find me a porn star. I’ve got a role that needs filling.” With one last smile, he exited the room.
“Hey, you wanna go for a drink to celebrate your retirement?” Dino asked him with a grin. “I’m thinking champagne.” The others murmured in agreement.
Mike laughed. “It’s a bit early in the day, even for me. Thanks for the thought, but right now there’s a young man I gotta see. I have some important news to share with him.” He winked.
Dino broke into a huge smile. “Aw, Scott, that’s terrific!” He seized Mike in a fierce hug. “So pleased for ya,” he whispered.
Mike patted his friend on the back. “Thanks, Dino. I’ll be in touch, okay?”
Dino stared at him as he stepped away. “You’d better.” He grabbed Mike, spun him around, and then smacked him on the ass. “Now go find your man.”
Mike laughed. He said his good-byes and hurried out of the studio, giving Paul a friendly wave as he went through reception. Right then, all he wanted was to see Tommy’s face when he broke the news.
Mike read through the e-mail one last time and smiled to himself. It was polite but to the point. He picked up his phone and hit speed dial. A couple of rings and there was that familiar voice in his ear.
“Hey. I was just thinkin’ ’bout you.”
Tommy’s words filled him with warmth. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you since I saw you last. You doing anything right now?”
“Just lyin’ on the couch, readin’.”
“Come to my house? Please? I need to see you.” Mike fought hard to keep his tone even. He wanted Tommy in his arms so badly, he ached for it. The last few days had brought home to Mike just how much he loved having Tommy in his life.
The line went quiet. Mike could only guess at what was running through Tommy’s head. He awaited Tommy’s decision, his heart beating that little bit faster.
“Sure. Gimme twenty minutes an’ I’ll be there.”
The tension in his arms and back eased. Mike sagged into the chair. “Great. See you soon.” He disconnected, put the phone down, and returned his attention to his laptop screen. “Only one thing left to do,” he said out aloud. He slid his hand over to the mouse and clicked on Send. Mike pushed out a long breath. Done. He’d already written a post for his blog that announced his retirement. All he had to do was upload it. Aware of how quickly his fans usually responded, he knew it wouldn’t be long before word got around. He logged in to the site, uploaded the personal message, and added a photo of himself, clothed and smiling. “Adieu, Scott Masters.”
Damn, it felt good. Better than he’d imagined.
Mike shut down the laptop and put it into its bag, along with the mouse. He took one last look around the house to make sure everything was as it should be before Tommy’s arrival. He’d come back from the studio and begun cleaning and tidying, not that the place had been a mess. It had been a spring cleaning, sweeping the dust bunnies of Scott Masters out of the house so that Mike Scott could have a clean start.
He had just enough time before Tommy arrived for one last call. Mike smiled as it connected. He just wished he could see her face. “Good morning.”
“And good morning to you too, baby—what’s left of it at any rate. It’s almost lunchtime.” She paused. “You sound happy. Any particular reason for that?”
He chuckled. “You know what I’m gonna say, don’t ya?” He shook his head. Mothers and their intuition. “Well, it’s done and it’s official. I’m out of the porn industry.”
“Thank heavens! We can celebrate this Sunday when you bring Tommy to lunch,” she said pointedly.
Mike guffawed. “You just don’t quit, do ya? Okay, I’ll bring him to lunch. Happy now?”
“I’ll be happier on Sunday when I lay eyes on him,” she replied dryly. “What is it about him that you’re not telling me?”
There was no way Mike was going to spoil the surprise, but he couldn’t resist teasing her, just a little. “Put it this way, Mom. I didn’t go fishing in the same pond as usual.”
That got her quiet, at least for a moment. “Well, I’ll be damned. Looks like youdolisten to your momma sometimes, after all.” A pause. “Lord, but you’re an evil child. You tell me this on Monday, knowing full well it’s gonna drive me crazy all week ’til I meet him.”
He laughed loudly. “You raised me, Mom. I must’ve learned it from you.” He glanced at the clock on the wall. “Is it okay if I cut this short? I’m expecting someone any minute.”
“Would that someone be Tommy, by any chance?”
“It might.” And Mike had enough time to grab a shower beforehand. “Love you, Mom,” he interjected before she could start asking more questions, “and I’ll see you Sunday, all right?”
She said her good-byes, although her grudging tone told Mike there was more she wanted to say, but he was conscious of the time. He disconnected, put the phone down, and hurried into the bathroom. Within minutes he was under the jets, soaping away the tensions and worries of the day. He resisted the temptation to jerk off, even though he was hard as a rock.Better to make this quick.The thought of Tommy in his home once more wasn’t helping matters. If anything, it was making him harder, if that were possible.
He put on his jeans and a clean dark blue shirt, leaving his feet bare. He always preferred to be barefoot around the house, even in the wintertime. It wasn’t long before he heard Tommy’s truck pulling up in the driveway. Mike opened the front door and watched his lover walk up the front steps, that familiar shy smile in evidence.
