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forget about eating. His erect cock would take the place of his fork.
    Be casual, for God’s sake. “What happened to Chris?”
    Gray glanced behind him with a nod. Chris sat at a two-person table near the wall, facing the door, looking big, mean, and vigilant.
    Ru shook his head. “It’s hard knowing people are out to get you all the time.”
    Silence.
    What? What did I say? He looked up at Gray, who gazed at him with a quizzical smile. “Sorry, I mean, I bet it’s hard. Must be très weird never feeling completely alone or safe.”
    “Yes, it’s very weird.”
    The waiter showed up, clearly ready to either have a heart attack or post his entire life story on Facebook. He took orders all around and delivered two bottles of champagne that Gray ordered.
    As he sipped bubbly, Ru looked past Gray at the beautiful Penelope. “Did you enjoy the rehearsal?”
    Cool and elegant. Man, she oozed money. “Yes, although I didn’t get to see Gray do any real acting yet. I’m looking forward to that.”
    A flash of something strained passed over Gray’s face. “We’ll get to the ‘to be or not to be’s’ soon enough.”
    Penelope looked toward Beverly, who was chatting with Phillip. “Miss Howard, I’m a great admirer of your work.”
    Beverly, one glass of wine past her limit, flushed. “I’m honored. Thank you.”
    Penelope turned her cool gaze on Merle. “My sister is a huge fan of yours, Mr. Justice. Your posters litter her walls.”
    “Litter may be the appropriate fate for those posters, but I’m glad she likes them.” Merle cracked his cute grin.
    “I thought perhaps you and the lovely Ophelia were an item.” She smiled. “Though it would break my sister’s heart.”
    He laughed. “She might be more heartbroken to learn I don’t prefer women at all, but then she probably knows it. Most of my fans do.”
    She raised a golden eyebrow. “Really. Have we progressed to the point that heartthrobs can come out of the closet?”
    “Some can. I was never in the closet, so people who hate fags hate me. Just that simple. It makes life less complicated—although also less profitable. There are roles I don’t get offered because the producers don’t want to lose the homo-hating audience.”
    “How inspiring of you, nonetheless. And you, Mr. Maitland—”
    Ru’s brain snapped back from its dwelling place on his thigh that absorbed the heat from Gray’s leg. “Me?” He quickly rewound the conversation. “I’m a fashion designer, dear. Being gay adds to my mystique and credibility.”
    She laughed. “I meant to say that I’m also an admirer of yours, and yes, you have a great deal of mystique and credibility.”
    He about swallowed his tongue and fanned his face to cover it. “Oh my, how could one of the world’s best-dressed women know about little me?”
    “Shaz styles me.”
    “He does? That devil must be keeping you all to himself.”
    “I’ll admit, he hasn’t been able to drag me to Laguna before, but that will be changing. What a charming town. He has brought some of your designs for me to see, and I’m thoroughly impressed.”
    “Will I sound like a poor country girl if I say ‘wow’?” He smiled.
    “Not at all. I share the sentiment.”
    Gray glanced at Ru and flashed a grin. Heart stop city.
    Food arrived. Ru had ordered the salmon, one of his faves, and Gray copied him. Merle had gone for Rick’s famous fish sandwich, as had most of the others. As the waiter placed the plates in front of Ru and Gray, Gray’s napkin dropped to the floor between his legs. He scooted back, spread his knees so he could reach between them, and managed to press the full length of his hard-muscled thigh against Ru’s. Perfect paralysis. Don’t move, don’t speak, don’t make him aware of what he’s done. Shocks of heat streaked into Ru’s balls, and he enjoyed the boil.
    Gray snagged the napkin, scooted his chair back in, and—didn’t move his leg. From knee to hip, his long limb rested fully