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on it, right?"
"I don't think I can get bonded." Why couldn't Nate see
how many problems there were? Why it wouldn't work. "And
TV hosts. They're all these good looking guys and gals. I'm
just nobody. I tried to tell those people that, but they kept
after me. That's why I was at that party. Angel talked me into
going so that I could talk to them. I've got half a dozen
messages on my cell from the guy."
For awhile Nate sat silent. Then he asked, "Why aren't you
calling him back?"
"I don't know how to deal with those kind of people. How
do I know he doesn't just want to get into my pants?"
"Carol." The one word was said like it was a magic phrase.
Caesar's eyes narrowed. He couldn't have heard right.
"What?"
"Carol can take care of it for you. We'll call her."
That wasn't the issue. Nate just didn't understand. "Nate,
people like me don't do those kinds of things."
"Who says?" Nate sounded annoyed that people would be
that truthful about things.
Why couldn't Nate just understand that it would never
work? "Everybody!" Caesar spat and started to roll off the
bed. He needed a shower and the conversation was going
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nowhere. Nate wasn't in touch with reality enough to
understand the problems.
"They lie." Nate grabbed his arm and pulled him back onto
the bed. He searched Caesar's face earnestly. "You can do it.
I know you can."
Caesar swallowed. Something in his voice, his eyes, said
Nate really believed it. No one had believed those kinds of
things about Caesar for as long as he could remember. "You
think?" He could barely whisper the question. If he tried it
and couldn't do it, that would be so much worse than not
trying at all.
"I know it." Nate brushed Caesar's hair back off his
forehead. The tenderness of the touch was more
disconcerting then the unbridled confidence. "Let me call
Carol for you. She'll take care of it for you. You won't have to
do anything."
"I don't..." Caesar was stopped by Nate's hand over his
mouth.
"I'm not going to let you talk unless you say yes."
Caesar nodded and Nate pulled back. "Okay, you can call
Carol."
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Chapter 20
After an hour on the phone with Carol, Caesar decided to
take a walk. Poncho needed to get out and he needed to
think. Everything was so confusing. She'd spouted off about
agents, contracts and labor codes. His head swam with
references to client lists and commitment to integrity ... hell,
he'd never been committed to anything. Artistic freedom?
Merchandizing agreements? Royalty statements? All he
wanted was a paycheck. When she'd asked if he had an
attorney he wanted to look over things, the only name he had
to give was Al Gregor. Carol said she'd take care of
everything and get the paperwork over to Al first thing.
He left a quick message for Al. Hopefully what he left on
the machine was an explanation and not insane ravings.
When Caesar asked if Nate wanted to join him, the cop
begged off, reminding them both that he had to check in with
his Sergeant. As scrupulously as possible, IA was combing
through the list of Price's associates to see who fit the
description of the cops who'd attacked Caesar. If they found
likely suspects they'd need to arrange Caesar's viewing. Then
there were details of when Caesar would testify before the
Grand Jury awaiting confirmation. Nate looked as disgusted
as Caesar felt, reminding them that this wasn't playtime.
Maybe to take the edge off things, Nate hinted he was
planning something special for lunch to celebrate. After the
calls he was headed to the store again. Chocolate syrup
spread all over that man's naked body would be special.
Somehow he figured Nate had more traditional fare in mind.
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Oh well, there was always after lunch for the naked Nathan
Reilly type of celebration.
Caesar hit the beach. Poncho bounded off chasing surf.
Just beyond the haze, Caesar could make out the bulk of the
Channel Islands. The water was so blue up here. Near Santa
Monica, the only beach Caesar had really been to, the ocean
was a murky green-brown. Palms jutted out of the dunes,
adding a gentle rustle to the wind. Clean, white sand
stretched miles in either direction. It was peaceful, quiet. Surf
and gulls were about the only real noise. Not many places in
the metro hell could qualify for that.
Maybe, if things went right, Carol could get him an
advisory position on the show. That would work. He was
nowhere near qualified to host the damn thing. What's-his-
name just wanted in his pants and was trying to stroke him
with that offer. Caesar was sure of that. They'd get some
good looking actor to be the mouthpiece. But he could do
some advising, sort of like the stunt guys. Let someone else
look pretty and Caesar would do the actual work. Angel said
that's how it always was on those reality gigs. If things went
good, he could buy his mom a new TV. She'd like that.
And then, maybe, he might work on Nate. The screwing
around was good. It was damn great as far as it went. But
dating, a normal life, it kinda sounded nice. Boring, but nice.
He was getting old enough that boring held some interest.
Nate seemed hot for Caesar. Caesar was definitely hot for
Nate. Working it into something more ... he hadn't let himself
hope for that type of thing in ages.
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A bark caught his attention. Ponchito was playing the slut
again, drumming his paws and wiggling his whole body in that
notice me way. When he saw Caesar watching, the dog
darted into the surf. Laughing, Caesar grabbed a bit of drift
wood and tossed it toward the water. Ponchito sent up spray
as he chased after it. It'd been a long time since he'd had the
time to play with Ponchito. If he wasn't still so damn stiff,
Caesar might have started a game of chase. Instead he let
Ponchito entertain him with his antics and just walked and
thought about the investigation, Housebreaker, and the
general bizarreness of his life recently.
Mostly he thought about Nate.
He thought about green eyes and blond hair. It bordered
on obsessive, how much he dwelled on those features. But
Nate was too much of everything he liked. His poke at Nate's
vanity had been pretty hollow. Caesar liked guys with muscle,
always had. Most of the time those bodies came without body
hair, another of his things. Not that he was into bears or
anything, but a little bit was really good. Gym queens seemed
compulsive over shaving every last bit off. The contrast
between the soft down over the chiseled chest ... that Nate
was built and a little furry, rocked Caesar's world.
Added onto that, Nate was a nice guy, but not a pushover.
Caesar could totally see Officer Reilly rescuing some little
girl's kitty and then turning around and busting a guy up.
Again a hard core under a soft exterior, it got Caesar every
time. Although he still had to figure out what Nate saw in
him. Good looking? Well, yeah, he'd been told he was. But
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Nate didn't seem the type that would stick around on the
basis of a pretty face and decent sized cock.
The fact that he was having those kinds of thoughts at all
scared the shit out of Caesar.
Finally, he headed back to the house. Time for lunch. Or
time to convince Nate to skip lunch and go right to desert ...
with chocolate syrup. As he approached the house, Caesar
sensed something was wrong. Two men stood on the deck.
Sitting in one of the deck chairs, Nate's arms were crossed
defensively over his chest. The taller of the pair had sandy
red hair and a sun-burnt complexion. His companion was a [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]