Stranded (25 page)

Kendall was impressed. “So we should call you if we need to go out?”

“Yes. I won’t be able to follow you everywhere, particularly during the day, because I’m going to concentrate on the evening and early nighttime hours. Believe it or not, though it may sound like a cliché, that’s the time most people like this are active. They need some sort of cover, and darkness works.”

“How long will we have to keep this up?”

Henry sighed softly. “People like this are obsessed, and based on what you described, the guy we want is probably in New York for a limited time. I doubt they’ve relocated here, so they’re under a time crunch. They aren’t going to wait weeks or even days, so I’m hoping not too long. As for your friend Lyman….” Henry paused. “My gut is really mixed on him. He doesn’t seem like the type, because stalkers are usually repressed, and Lyman seems like the kind of person who would go for what he wanted full bore, not manipulate to get what he wants. But then there’s the fact that he’s in town and this just started again. That could be a coincidence, but I don’t tend to believe in them.”

“Me either,” Kendall said, and Henry stood up.

“I’ll be around, and like I said, just call if either of you need to go somewhere alone.” Henry walked toward the door and then paused. “I need the information on your landlord.” Johnny got it for him. “This shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Thank you,” Johnny said, and he and Kendall joined Henry at the door.

“You’re welcome.” He opened the door but then closed it again. “One more thing. Always assume when you’re outside the apartment that someone is watching you. Whoever is doing this has most assuredly been watching to see where you live and when you’re home. Get some timers to turn lights on and off in another room when you’re home. Keep them guessing. If the two of you are out, set the lights to go on and off periodically so it looks like you’re moving around the apartment. If he doesn’t see you leave, then maybe he can’t be sure if you’re home or not. The more he doesn’t know, the safer you are.”

“Okay,” Johnny said. “I’ll go out and get some today.”

“Bring them home in a grocery bag,” Henry suggested. “Like I said, assume someone is always watching.” Henry opened the door and left the apartment. Johnny closed and locked the door behind him.

“Well, I…,” Johnny began and trailed off.

Kendall sat back on the sofa. “I know. I’m not sure if I feel better or worse.”

“Hey, at least someone is watching out for us and looking for him,” Johnny said, and Kendall had to agree. Johnny stood up and extended his hand, tugging Kendall to his feet. “Come on, I think we need to get our mind off all this, and I need to take a shower.”

“But I already took one,” Kendall said, and Johnny stopped and turned to him, a smoldering look in his eyes. “I need another one,” Kendall said with a smile. In their bedroom, Kendall undressed, and Johnny started the water in the bathroom. Kendall joined him a minute later, just in time to see a naked Johnny step under the water. He followed behind him, and Johnny pulled the curtain closed and then pressed Kendall back against the tile. Johnny pressed his chest to Kendall’s, and Kendall was kissed within an inch of his life. All the worry and cares he’d had when he stepped into the bathroom seemed miles away when Johnny was holding him, his slick skin sliding against him. “God, I love you,” Kendall moaned softly, and Johnny grinned before leaning down to suck lightly on a nipple. Kendall whimpered and thrust his chest forward. Johnny suckled harder before licking and nibbling gently at his skin.

“I love you too,” Johnny whispered as he slowly went down on his knees, and Kendall’s cock pointed directly at Johnny’s lips. Kendall held his breath and closed his eyes, sighing softly, legs shaking in anticipatory excitement. Then Johnny slid his lips down Kendall’s cock, sucking him deep before sliding back.

Kendall’s head thunked back on the tile. It should have hurt, but Kendall felt so good, he hardly noticed. Johnny’s wet mouth sliding up and down him was too damned amazing for him to think about anything else. “That’s so good,” Kendall moaned, closing his eyes and letting the sensation wash over him. “Johnny,” he cried as a warning, and Johnny sucked harder, taking him deeper. Kendall’s legs throbbed and threatened to collapse from under him, and he tried to stave off the impending climax as long as he could. “I can’t….”

Johnny paused, and Kendall whimpered. “Baby, I just want to make you happy,” Johnny said, then he sucked him deep once again, and within seconds Kendall was balancing on the edge of a knife. This time Johnny sucked hard, and Kendall tumbled over, coming hard with a cry that echoed off the tile.

Kendall pressed to the wall to keep upright and let the bliss float over him. When he opened his eyes, Johnny smiled at him, eyes shining. Kendall hugged him close, kissing him, tasting himself on Johnny’s lips. Johnny stood still, and Kendall kissed down his torso, sucking and licking until he reached Johnny’s thick cock. It bobbed in front of him for a few seconds, and then he sucked it hard. Johnny was usually pretty quiet during sex, but this time he nearly screamed. At first Kendall thought something was wrong, but the cry morphed into a deep, throaty moan, and Kendall smiled around Johnny’s cock and sucked harder.

He loved when Johnny came apart, and that was exactly what he did. Johnny slapped the tile and moaned deep and long as Kendall sucked him. He swirled his tongue around the bulbous head and tickled the sensitive spot with his tongue. That made Johnny’s legs shake and his moans turned to high-pitched whines. Kendall loved Johnny’s rich flavor and reveled in it, sucking harder to get more and more of his lover. He stroked up Johnny’s inner thighs to his balls, stroking the smooth skin, and then slid his fingers back along his perineum and tapped at his opening. Johnny gasped, and Kendall knew just from the pitch that Johnny wouldn’t last much longer. Sure enough, within seconds, Johnny came.

Kendall swallowed everything Johnny could give him and then let Johnny’s cock slip from his lips. Then he smiled at the expression of bliss on Johnny’s face. He hadn’t seen that in a while, and Kendall realized that no matter what was happening, as long as he had Johnny with him, happiness and bliss were only a touch or a kiss away.

T
HE
following morning Johnny had an appointment at the Columbia University library. Jeremy met him at the apartment, and the two of them planned to travel to the library together. As soon as Kendall met Jeremy, he had to keep himself from snickering. He’d pictured a strapping college-age man going after Johnny, but what he met was a kid of about twenty-three who looked maybe twelve. He was attractive in his own way, but Kendall felt like a fool for thinking Johnny had been having an affair with him.

“I’ve seen many of your shows,” Jeremy told him as they shook hands. “I must confess I’m a fan.” Jeremy rocked back on his heels with what appeared to be excitement.

“Thank you for going with him,” Kendall said, shifting his gaze to Johnny.

“It’s no problem. I’m starting my graduate work in history, and Johnny is really helping me with my research techniques.” Jeremy looked at Johnny, and Kendall saw a definite bit of hero worship.

“I’ll call you when we’re ready to come back,” Johnny promised and leaned in close for a quick kiss. Then he and Jeremy left the apartment, and Kendall locked the door behind them.

For the past day or so, he hadn’t seen Henry at all. They’d had a telephone call from him at one point with questions about someone going inside the building, so they knew he was around, but other than that, there had been no contact. Nothing had been left at his door and no one had tried to contact him, so some of Kendall’s nervousness had subsided. Admittedly, knowing Henry was around and watching made him feel much more secure.

He hadn’t made plans for the day, so he picked up a little around the apartment. He also got the laundry together and trooped it down to the laundry area in the basement. He got the machines running and went back upstairs. In the apartment, he finally picked up the envelope of scores and sat down to look them over. The first one he read didn’t speak to him and he set it aside before trudging to the basement to shift the laundry. Then he returned and looked over another one.

By the time the laundry was done and he was back in the apartment, much of the morning was gone. He’d also looked over all the scores, but hadn’t come to any decisions. One interested him, but Kendall wasn’t sure he was ready to go back on the stage yet. The thought of being in front of people again, especially with his stalker still out there, scared the crap out of him. The problem was he didn’t know how to tell Sal. His agent was going to think him crazy for turning down what could very well be the next mega-hit show. It had that kind of feeling to Kendall and he would probably kick himself later for making this decision. But he didn’t see another way.

His phone rang and Kendall looked at the display. “Sal, I was just about to call you.”

“So you’ve come to a decision, then,” Sal said.

“Yes, I have,” Kendall said with gravity.

“Oh no,” Sal told him firmly. “I know that tone. I’ve heard it enough in my career, and don’t you think I’m going to let you throw everything away.”

“Sal—” Kendall began.

“Don’t ‘Sal’ me. You’ve read all the scores and you like
The Devil with Love
, but this whole stalker thing has you so unnerved you don’t want to do it.”

“Yeah, I guess….”

“Welcome to the big time,” Sal told him, and Kendall was speechless. “What were you expecting—to be coddled and pampered? Think again, bucko. Every celebrity gets a stalker at some point. Granted, they don’t usually do what yours did, but you can’t let that stop your career.” Papers rustled in the background and Sal shuffled the phone. “I’ve already scheduled a sit-down with the producers. They want to meet you badly. They say you’re the only man they want to play their Lucifer. It’s the role of a lifetime, and you know it.”

“Okay,” Kendall said, caving. “When do you want me to meet with them?”

“They’re taking you to lunch, two o’clock at the Four Seasons.”

“Today?” Kendall asked in disbelief.

“Yes. Today as in an hour and a half.” Sal sounded gruff, but Kendall knew he was pleased. “It was the only time they had, and you have to do this. They can’t wait, and while they want you, they won’t hold up the entire production.”

“Okay,” Kendall said, girding himself. He could do this. “I’ll be there. Will you send a car around for me?”

“Of course. They’ll be out front in an hour,” Sal told him, and Kendall relaxed. “They’ll have your number, and it’s my usual driver, Ivan, so you shouldn’t feel nervous.”

“Thanks, Sal,” Kendall said and hung up the phone so he could begin getting ready.

K
ENDALL
was dressed and waiting well before the car was scheduled to arrive. He dug the card out of his wallet and called Henry. “It’s Kendall. I have an appointment at the Four Seasons for a late lunch.”

“All right,” Henry said. “How are you going?”

“My agent is sending a car. I know his driver, so I should be fine. But I wanted to let you know. I’m not sure quite how I’m getting back, though. I’m hoping Sal will let me use the car and driver to get home, but he’s a busy man, so….”

“You call me as soon as you know,” Henry said. “I’ll be around.”

“Thanks,” Kendall said and then hung up and finished getting ready. When the call came, Kendall left the apartment, locked up behind him, and then hurried out to the car. He made sure the door to the building locked behind him and then checked the driver. Ivan smiled at him as he held the door, and Kendall got in back. Ivan closed the door and walked around the car, then got back in and drove him to the restaurant.

At the restaurant, Kendall was shown through the elegant dining room directly to the table. Two men stood up, and Kendall shook hands with both of them as greetings were exchanged. Kendall knew both Derrick Hanson and Izzy Leftwich fairly well. He’d worked on one of their shows earlier in his career. They talked a bit, ordered drinks, and then discussed business over lunch for the next two hours.

The lunch must have cost a fortune, but Izzy paid the bill without looking at it once they were finished. “Can we count on you?” he asked across the table.

Kendall swallowed, and both men shared a glance. “I think the show is amazing, and if you do what you say you’re planning, it will be a spectacle that will be remembered.”

Izzy cleared his throat. “Sal was kind enough to tell us about your current problem. If you decide to join the cast, we will employ extra security and we’ll provide transportation to and from your apartment. Your safety is important to all of us.”

“Thank you, gentlemen.” Kendall knew better than to commit to anything on the spur of the moment. “Your offer is generous, and I’ll give it very serious consideration. I know time is of the essence, so I’ll give you my answer no later than tomorrow evening.” Izzy and Derrick shared another brief look. “I don’t jerk people around, but I need to make a sound decision.”