Chapter 26

“So,did you two have a good time?Do you both have tans?”Luke was lying on his and Andy’s bed for his now-customary afternoon rest.It was something Andy insisted upon.

His mobile phone had rung.It was Donnie.Luke had completely forgotten his best friends were due home that day.

“Yes,”Donnie said,“though Sam hasn’t an all-over tan.You know what a prude he can be.”

Luke heard good-natured banter down the phone,as no doubt Sam was expressing his displeasure at Donnie’s comment.

“Behave!Otherwise I’ll change my mind about tonight.”Donnie had moved the handset away from his mouth,but Luke could still hear.He wondered just what the two of them had in mind for later.“Anyway,how are you?I’m so sorry we were away when…when you were hurt.God,is nowhere safe these days?What did the police say?Are you in a lot of pain?”

“Whoa,”Luke laughed,and then grimaced at the pain shooting through his chest.Would he everlearn?“I’m all right.Though it hurts when I laugh.”

“I remember when my granddad fell down the stairs.It took weeks for his ribs to heal.”

“Thanks.I think.”Luke didn’t really want to hear that.“And the police weren’t that interested,not until Andy got on at them.”

“And is this Andy taking good care of you?”

Luke knew his friends always worried about him.He appreciated it.“Yes,he is.In fact,as of last weekend we’re boyfriends.”Luke knew he was grinning.

“Oh.”

Luke paused,hoping to hear more.When Donnie didn’t say anything,his grin faded.He asked,“What does that mean?”

“It’s just…well,you know we worry and you’ve not known this Andy guy for long and…well,you’ve not had very much luck with previous boyfriends.”

They’d never met.If they had,Luke was sure both Donnie and Sam would have liked Andy.

“He’s a good man.Really looks after me.”

“I’d just be happier if I knew more about him,that’s all.”

“We’ll have to get together sometime.When I’m next in town.I’ve got an appointment at thehospital to have my cast taken off,but that’s not for another six weeks.”

“Are you planning on staying in,uh—Yorkshire is it—until then?We could drive up and fetch you,or you could get the train and we’d meet you—”

“Of course I’m staying in Yorkshire.Andy’s my boyfriend.”

“What about your flat and your career?

“I don’t know yet.”He bit his lip.That was only partly true.He didn’t know what to do about his flat.He’d had more luck making decisions about his career.

“Well,if you think you’ll be all right…Please know that Sam and I are just at the end of the phone.If you need us,just call.”

“Thanks,love.”How could Luke convince them that he couldn’t be safer,more all right,thanwith Andy?

****

They had adopted their usual evening positions on the sofa,Andy gently cradling Luke from behind.Luke’s mind wandered from the action movie on the TV to earlier that afternoon.He knew he’d made some monumentally bad choices over previous boyfriends,Roger being by far the worst.Each time he’d hoped for romance,a happy-ever-after.He had wanted,needed them to love him for Luke Matthews the person,not Luke Wales the porn star.

Andy,he knew,was different.Andy didn’t want him just for sex.In fact,they’d never done anything of a sexual nature.Okay,the baths Andy gave him had become increasingly playful,butAndy never took advantage.Luke knew some of this was due to Andy not wanting to hurt him because of his ribs.But didn’t that prove that Andy was genuine?Not just out for what he could get?

His relationship with Andy was so different from any of the others.All the two of them did was kiss and cuddle;surprisingly,Luke was fine with that.Andy seemed okay with the current levelof intimacy,too.Luke imagined,hoped they would do more later,when it felt right.

Andy was unique in other ways,too.He didn’t keep going on about Luke’s porn career.If anything he tended to avoid the subject.This,Luke hoped,would make what he was about to say alot easier.

“Andy?”

“Uh?”Had he been asleep?

“You watching this?”

“Not really.”Andy yawned.“Why,is there something else you want to watch?”

“No;can you turn it off for a minute?”

Once the screen had gone blank,Andy put the remote on the arm of the sofa and kissed the top of Luke’s head.Luke had come to cherish him doing that.It made him feel safe,protected and,yes,loved.

Luke sat up and painfully manoeuvred himself so he could face Andy.He needed to see the man’s reactions.

“I made a phone call today.”

“Donnie.You told me.But I thought you said he rang you?”

“He did.That’s not the call I’m talking about.This one was to my agent.”

There was only the briefest of frowns before Andy’s face returned to its usual neutral state.

“After my attack,I—”Luke faltered.Even now,in his safe haven a couple of hundred miles from the scene,Luke still found it difficult to bring up the subject.

Andy took hold of his left hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“Thanks.After the attack I had to tell him,my agent I mean,that I couldn’t work.He seemed all right about it,even sent me a basket of fruit.But he did tell me that it might be some timebefore I could get another role.The bruises would have to completely heal,and I’d have to build up the muscles in my right arm again.”

Andy nodded.

“I knew all this of course.He didn’t need to tell me that this couldn’t have come at a worse time.It’s been more and more difficult for me to get work because of my age.”

“Don’t they have older porn stars?I know they do,I’ve seen‘em.”

“Yes,there are older guys in the industry.But I’m a twink.A bottom.I’d never be able to put on enough hair or muscle to cut it as a bear.”

Andy shook his head.Obviously he didn’t understand the porn biz.That,Luke thought,was justone of the reasons why he liked him so much.

“So anyway,the phone call.I told my agent that I was resigning,hanging up my,uh,whatever it is that porn actors hang up.I’ve realised recently how little I’ve missed the industry.All the backbiting,bitchiness and superficial friendships.I just don’t want to be part of that anymore.”Luke took hold of Andy’s hand.“Here,with you,I’ve seen what’s real,what’s good,what’s—”Luke had forgotten the little speech he’d prepared.How could he tell Andy that living with him,being around him,was what he wanted to do for as long as Andy would have him?

Andy was silent;Luke couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

“Andy?”

“I don’t know what to say.”

Luke looked into Andy’s eyes.He seemed on edge somehow.Had Luke misjudged him?Didn’t Andy want him now he was no longer a porn actor?

Andy hesitated,then said,“What do you want me to say?”

“Well,uh,tell me what you’re thinking.Do you think I’ve made the right decision?”Luke hoped he had.He supposed he could call his agent back and…

Andy leaned forward and gave him a full-on,tongue-probing kiss.“I never liked it that you worked in porn.”