CHAPTER TWELVE

 

 

SHAZ SAT back on the apricot suede loveseat and listened to Giles marching around the townhouse kitchen like he owned the place. Oddly, he felt annoyed, even though he’d encouraged Giles to be comfortable in the house.

“I’m adding a bit of lemon zest to the lemon drops, darling. Where’s your zester?”

Shaz leaned back. “Won’t that make them bitter?”

“No, of course not. Just trust me.”

“Top drawer on the far left.”

He heard the drawer open and close.

Little things were bugging him. Number one on his ass-biting list—“Giles, why were you invited to sit at the head table at the dinner? You’re not a family member. Everyone else was related to the bride or groom.”

Giles appeared around the corner of the couch carrying two martini glasses on a small tray Shaz kept on the counter. “Here. You must try this. See if I’m not right about the zest.” He handed the drink to Shaz and sat beside him.

Shaz put up a hand. “Be careful. Don’t spill. I’ll never get another loveseat like this one.”

“Don’t be plebian. Drink.”

Shaz raised an eyebrow. “Some of us worked for our money, darling.”

“I work. You know that. Now take a sip.”

Shaz drank a little. Good, though the zest detracted from the smoothness of the vodka. He’d never say that or they’d discuss the pros and cons of the drink for an hour. “Delicious. You were right.”

“Ah.” Giles leaned back and sipped with a smile.

Shaz cradled his glass. “So you were saying about the dinner and your place of honor?”

Giles frowned. “I’m like family. Mitch and I have been best friends since prep school.”

“When you and I first met, I never heard about him, but now he seems to crop up in every conversation.”

“You brought him up.” He snuggled against Shaz’s neck. “But I must admit to some gratification at your jealousy.”

“Ummm.” Was he jealous?

“How about I take you to bed and convince your ass that I’m all yours?”

“Maybe I want to top tonight?”

He huffed. “You know I don’t like to bottom.”

Shaz set down the glass. “Actually, it doesn’t matter. I have a beastly headache anyway. I’m thinking we both do our own beds tonight.”

“Is this because I want to top?” He frowned.

“Oh, you mean again? No, of course not. I got the headache at the dinner. Probably trying to be heard over all the noise and chatter.” He stretched his neck.

“I didn’t see that slowing down your talking.”

Shaz sighed.

Giles set down his glass hard, sloshing some of the remainder on the glass table. “Well, damn. I could have stayed at the bar.”

“Thanks for your sympathetic response.”

Giles let out his breath slowly. “Sorry, baby.” He ran a hand over the back of Shaz’s neck. “You know I’m just disappointed.” He leaned over. “Give me a kiss.”

Shaz wrapped his arms around Giles’s neck and slanted his mouth to meet Giles’s open lips. The man was a good kisser. That was one of the things that had won Shaz when they first met. They’d play kissy face for an hour before getting down to business. Now Giles was mostly about business, one way or another. No different this time.

Giles pulled back. “So sleep good and take something for your head.”

“I will. Are you going out?”

“Maybe. Need to drown my disappointment, you know?” He laughed and walked to the door. “See you tomorrow, baby.”

“I have to be there early to check the styling, so I’ll meet you at the church.”

“Okay.” He paused with the door open. “Sure you don’t want to change your mind?”

He should. Hell, how hard would it be to just lie down? “No, I’m really feeling unwell, and it’s a big day tomorrow.”

“Okay.” Giles shrugged and walked out the door.

Shaz just sat there.

What was he doing?

Was he done with Giles? That’s how he was acting. He leaned forward and took a big swallow of the slightly gritty lemon drop. Did his heart hurt? Yes. Some.

Billy Ballew’s face flashed in his mind and the scene in the coffee shop that day Shaz had first seen him. He’d tried not to stare, but that handsome, mobile face went through every emotion while that girl was breaking up with him. Shock, sadness, embarrassment, revelation, and finally, as he walked out the door, some sense of what Shaz had thought of as freedom. The guy seemed frantic but still relieved. Would Shaz feel the same way if he broke up with Giles? Free or panicked?

He took another sip. Didn’t really like the drink that much, but no use wasting it. Still holding the martini glass, he grabbed his phone and pushed the speed dial, then his speaker, and leaned back to listen to it ring.

One ringy. Two—

“Hello, darling, what’s shaking?”

Ru. His rock of a friend. “Want to talk?”

“Hmm. What’s got your thong in a wad?”

“You don’t have someone there, do you?”

“Moi? I am a veritable monk.”

“As if.”

“What’s up, dear?”

“I feel like I’m trying to break up with Giles.”

“What do you mean ‘trying’? Do it or don’t.”

“I keep doing things to piss him off and I notice I’m doing them, but I don’t stop. I mean, he wanted to have sex tonight and I claimed a headache. Jesus, I’ve had sex with a fever of one hundred and two. Why should a headache stop me?”

“Why did it?”

Shaz sighed and put down the glass. “I didn’t want to have sex.”

“With him.”

“What?”

“You didn’t want to have sex with him. If it had been Billy Ballew, I’ll bet your headache would have vanished in a second.”

“But that’s just stupid. He’s straight and not interested in me.”

“Apparently your brain, or at least your heart, doesn’t believe that.”

“Mmmm.”

“May I ask why that is?”

“Uh. What do you mean?”

“Last time I saw you, you were in a puddle over the fact that Billy had asked for all the clothes to be delivered and never wanted to see your angelic face again. Now you’re making life decisions based on him.”

“I’m not.”

“Shaz.”

“He wants to talk to me. He stared at my cock.”

“What the bloody hell are you talking about?”

“At the rehearsal dinner. He told me he wants to talk to me.”

“Where exactly was your cock that he was staring at it?”

“We were in the men’s room at the urinal at the time.”

Silence.

“Ru?”

“So you’re interpreting this how?”

Shit. He dropped his head in his hands. “I’m not. He probably wants to talk about furniture or cats or something. But at least he doesn’t seem to hate me.”

“Shaz, you’re thinking of quitting Giles. You know I don’t like the guy much, so if it’s because you’ve decided you don’t like him either, I’ll be the first to cheer. But if it’s because of some misguided affection for your knight of the sweatshirt, you need to be careful, darling. I don’t want you getting your heart broken.”

“I know.” Heat pressed behind his eyes. “Why am I such a sucker for this guy? Stupid, stupid. And I can’t afford to be stupid.” He swiped at his eyes. “Hell, Giles has a bunch of money in the new building. The staff is looking forward to moving.”

“A crappy reason to stay with him, in my opinion.”

“True. But I genuinely enjoy the lifestyle he affords me. I mean, he’s even good for business. Styling the old money set gives us cachet beyond just rock stars and movie stars.”

“You can afford your own champagne, Shaz.”

He laid his head on the back of the sofa. “Not out of the same bottles Giles pours.”

“You may be practical, but you’re not mercenary.”

“I know.”

“You worked your ass off to get where you are. You respect hard work. That’s one of the reasons you like the construction worker more than the dilettante rich guy.”

“Maybe.”

“But let’s say for a minute that your heart’s right. Billy Ballew wants to be gay for you.”

Shaz’s heart leaped higher than his cock.

“Are you really willing to become the boyfriend of a blue-collar construction worker? Seriously?”

His turn to be quiet.

“I’m not passing judgment, Shaz. It’s a genuine question.”

One for which he had no genuine answer.

 

 

BILLY STOPPED on the landing of the soaring modern cathedral and stared at his reflection in the glass door. Probably a sin to admire yourself in a church door, but hell, he’d never looked this good before in his life and might not ever again. He had to pause to pay homage. The tuxedo was fine. And by fine he meant way better than fine. Okay, get on with it. That’s all the vanity you deserve.

He pulled open the door and stepped into the cool entry hall. He was an hour early for the wedding and could have waited a bit to arrive. The women were getting all the attention at this point. He and the other groomsmen were just the black velvet that would display the diamonds that were the bridesmaids. And, of course, the bride. But maybe he could help with something. If he had any other motives, he wasn’t up for examining them.

As he walked across the empty entry, he heard sounds coming from a hallway to his right. Follow the giggles. Sure enough, halfway down the hall, girls’ voices and laughter emitted from a half-open door. Billy knocked. “Can a guy come in?”

“Oooh, sure. We like guys.” He didn’t recognize the voice, but he’d take them at their word.

Slowly he stuck his head in. That way he could vanish if someone was undressed. Hmm. That was not what most guys like him would have thought about seeing undressed women. Inside, in a sea of purple, the bridesmaids clustered and flowed through the room. The noise level threatened every glass object in sight.

Sissy separated herself from the herd. “Hey, Billy, you’re early.”

“Yeah, I thought you guys might need someone to, you know, open jars or screw in light bulbs.”

She giggled.

“But darling, if there’s any screwing to be done, they have me.” The high musical voice came from behind him, and he turned to see Shaz standing in front of a mirror that had been propped up on a table beside a woman wielding a hairbrush and a blow dryer. The object of their attention? His mother.

He crossed over and stared. “Mom. Holy God, uh, I mean, wow.”

“William, do not be taking the name of the Lord in vain.” She patted her hair. “Even for the splendor that happens to be your mother.”

“Mom, this is amazing. Great.” And it was. The tight, turned-under thing she called a “pageboy” she’d always worn, which looked to him like she’d wrapped her hair over a sausage, had given way to a chin-length, silky style that framed her face. “You look twenty years younger.”

“Please, dear, then I’d be too young for your father.” She laughed.

Billy’s gaze crept up from his mom’s face. How great her hair looked was obvious since it had distracted him from the other vision in the room. Wow. Shaz leaned against the table and watched the woman finish Billy’s mom’s hair. His own red mane hung to his shoulders in a smooth curtain of brilliant fire, where it contrasted with the midnight of his suit. Billy didn’t know much about clothes, but from the way that outfit looked, he could probably sell it and buy a car.

As he looked up, so did Shaz, and their eyes met in the middle. “Hi.”

Shaz’s gaze traveled down Billy’s body like a caress. “You look amazing. Just wonderful.”

Can’t breathe.

His mom stared at him with narrowed eyes. “He looks so good, I’m sure one of these women is bound to snatch him up before the wedding reception is over. You’re a miracle worker, Chase Phillips, and I don’t use the word ‘miracle’ lightly.”

He swept her a bow. “Thank you, Madame.” But from his head-down position, he glanced up and winked at Billy.

He wanted to laugh. And he wanted to run. Every minute, his mother schemed to get him married. Let up, for crap sake. He looked at Shaz. “Everyone looks really great.” He glanced at the floor. “You too.”

“Thank you, kind sir. Why don’t you take your mother’s place and Amy will trim your hair?”

His mom grabbed Shaz’s arm. “I will thank you from my grave.”

He kissed her cheek. “Not necessary. From the chair will do.”

“Smart aleck.”

“Oh, I hope so.” He pulled the plastic cover off her shoulders. “Now go let Julie help you into your finery, then come back so we can admire you.”

Amazingly, she did exactly as he suggested. Shaz looked up at Billy and smiled into his eyes. “Shall we trim? We’ll be very careful not to disturb your finery.”

Billy swallowed—hard. He unbuttoned the tux jacket. Shaz stepped behind him and took the coat from his shoulders. Did his hands linger on Billy’s body a couple of seconds too long? Imagination, probably.

Billy sat in the chair and the stylist, Amy, swirled a plastic cape over him. She began running a brush with wide bristles through his hair. Shaz went back to his post, leaning against the table, and watched. Billy felt heat sneaking up his neck.

Shaz pointed at his head. “Just work with the waves, Amy. Let them have their way.”

She giggled, which sounded funny coming from a middle-aged woman in spandex tights. “I can say I had my way with him.”

Shaz smiled. “So can we all.”

The heat made it all the way to Billy’s hairline and was probably burning the ends of his waves.

Shaz went over to check some of the girls’ dresses, and Amy kept clipping quietly. At least Billy had time to cool down.

When he looked up again, she was stepping back admiring her work. Man. He looked cool. The hair was still longer than his mom was going to like, but it was amazing. It curved around his cheekbones and behind his ears. Like it had accidentally found this perfect way to lie.

Shaz walked up behind him. “Great work.” And then Billy traveled straight back to embarrassment hell. Shaz slipped his fingers into Billy’s hair and pulled outward so he could see the ends. He’d let it fall, then dive his fingers in again, scrape across Billy’s scalp, and thread through his strands—just like that time when they’d first met.

Every nerve in Billy’s body tingled, hyperaware of that touch. He wanted to scratch his arms—yeah, and stroke his cock.

A lot of spunk had pumped out of his prick since that day he’d first met Shaz and about come in his jeans. Now he knew what Shaz’s beautiful lips felt like wrapped around his dick. Sitting here with his damned ears on fire and his cock pressing against the fly of his tuxedo pants, he knew he wouldn’t mind it happening again, and denying it wouldn’t change the facts one hair.

Amy had stepped back, and Shaz just kept fooling with Billy’s head.

Billy looked up. “Can we talk?”

Shaz smiled and his hands got silkier, not so much in the hair as on Billy’s head. Caressing and stroking. His cock was going to explode. Shaz pulled off the cape and stared down at Billy’s huge erection. “Yes, I’m looking forward to it. During the reception, maybe?”

He swallowed. “Okay.”

Shaz raised his voice. “There. I think even your mother will agree that you look marvelous.”

Sissy came scooting over. “Oh God, Shaz you’re a miracle worker. That is amazing.”

“Amy did it, darling.”

“Amy, good job, girl!”

Amy gave Sissy a glance and went on threading pearls into one of the bridesmaids’ hair. Billy crossed his legs and took deep breaths. He glanced up at Shaz, who was now in conversation with the wedding planner. God, the man was gorgeous. They were going to talk. He couldn’t wait. And he was scared shitless.

The wedding planner clapped her hands. “Okay, everyone. This is your fifteen-minute warning. The groomsmen will escort the family members first. Finish up your primping and get ready to line up. It’s show time!”

Sissy grabbed his tux coat from the rack where Shaz had hung it. “Come on, handsome. Let’s go knock ’em dead.”

He took one more big breath to calm the cock and stood up. A small tent, but not a big top. Good. She held the jacket and he slipped it on, even though he had to duck a bit to shrug it over his shoulders.

“I need to escort Mom before we walk down the aisle.”

She nodded. “I remember. Let’s go get her.”

They crossed the big room arm in arm. His mother was sitting on a chair with Teresa and his aunt Clarice, sharing the arms. Teresa wore the requisite “aubergine” as the matron of honor. His mom’s dress was a blue-green color, and the style was a lot younger and better-looking than most of her clothes.

He smiled. “Hello, ladies. Mom, are you ready for your march?”

She stared at him. “Had I known that you could ever look this good, I would have been even more insistent that you improve your appearance.”

Teresa patted her arm. “Don’t worry, Mom. You didn’t shirk your duties in that department.” She smiled at Billy. “You do look grand, darling.”

“Thanks.” He held out his arm to his mother. “As the lady said, show time.”

She got up, smoothed her skirt, and took Billy’s arm. “I guess this is really happening.”

He looked at the others. “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be back for you.” He escorted his mother out of the room and into the hall. “Did you doubt it, Mom?”

“What, dear?”

“That Rhonda and Mitch would get married.”

“Maybe a little. You don’t remember, I’m sure, but she didn’t really like boys for a long time. When she finally started dating, I never saw someone so little interested in romance. She’s always been more excited by her teaching. Anyway, I was surprised when she finally decided to accept someone’s proposal. But I actually think Mitch is perfect for her. She’s a bossy little thing. I suppose she gets that from me.” She looked up at him and smiled.

He grinned back. “Never.”

“Anyway, he seems to thrive on her, um, shall we call them ‘leadership skills.’ I hope they’ll be happy together.”

A picture of Mitch leaning over the rail at the bachelor party, drunk as a sailor, flashed in his mind. “I hope so too.”

They arrived in the vestibule, and the wedding planner made a “hurry” motion. The strains of some classical thing or other floated out the partly open door from the church. The door to the outside opened, and a couple of guests arrived and were snatched up by the groomsmen and escorted down the side aisles so that Billy could lead the mother of the bride down the center. “Okay, let’s go.”

The wedding planner pulled open the door grandly, and Billy stepped in with his mom. Holy crap. The place was packed, and that was saying something, because it was huge. He barely recognized a face. His mom’s hand tightened on his arm, and he patted it. They walked slowly down the aisle, and he seated her in the front pew on the left. The bride’s side. But since the groom’s family had so many guests, they hadn’t abided by that rule or the left side of the church would have looked really empty. As it was, a few people were standing in the back because every seat was filled.

He deposited his mother and hurried back to get in line in the vestibule for the big procession. About halfway back on the bride’s side, Shaz sat with Giles. Shaz smiled at him. Giles frowned. Well, the feeling is mutual, asshole.

Through the door, the wedding planner pushed him toward his place in the lineup; he grabbed Sissy’s arm, and the great march started. Two by two, like some giant purple Noah’s Ark parade, they marched down the aisle. Sissy looked up at him. “Wow, quite the turnout.”

“Yep. The Auchinclosses didn’t miss a friend, but Rhonda seems okay with it.”

Sissy squeezed his arm and whispered, “Mitch really loves Rhonda. I’m so glad to see that.”

“Me too.”

“He doesn’t like many girls.”

“What?”

“I mean, he hasn’t had a lot of steady girlfriends. More short-term things. His folks are so glad he found Rhonda.”

They arrived at the altar and split up, him going to the right and Sissy to the left. He turned in time to see Mitch’s best man escort Teresa up the aisle. She looked really pretty in her slim, sophisticated dress.

The music changed and everyone stood up. The doors opened grandly and in came Rhonda. Wow. He hadn’t seen her in her dress. She’d stayed in a back room with only a few of the women—and Shaz, of course—checking in on her. Her dress was amazing. It had a huge skirt that started below her hips. Everything above that was tight and showed off her slim figure. The veil part was big too and stood up above her head as well as over her shoulders and face. They got closer. Her dress stretched halfway down the aisle behind her. Oh yeah, his dad was there too, walking slowly with his cane, but it was hard to look at anyone else. Rhonda was so grand.

He glanced at Mitch. The guy’s eyes watered and he had a stupid smile on his face. Perfect.

His dad did the handoff thing, and the minister started his recital about “dearly beloved” and all that. Billy glanced out at the congregation, his eyes like homing pigeons. Shaz’s red hair shone like a beacon in the crowd. Giles looked like he might cry. His eyes were bleary as he stared up at the ceremony. But Shaz stared at Billy. Or at least it seemed like it. The only things behind him were flowers.

Billy’s lips turned up just a tiny bit. The welcoming smile from Shaz was bigger. Ever so slowly, Shaz’s tongue slipped out and licked his lips. Holy shit! Did he do that on purpose?

Look away. Even with the coat on, an erection would show in this tailored tux. Hell, losing battle. He shifted his feet and listened really hard to the minister. If he popped wood at the altar, he was dead meat. His mother would kill him.

Breathe. Again. He stared so hard at the bride and groom his eyes hurt. It felt like a year, but several deep breaths later, Mitch was kissing the bride and everyone was applauding.

The wedding was over. Now the reception. Holy shit.