Echo (10 page)

"Nice to meet you," Anderson gritted out.

Jeremy shrugged and leaned forward to grab his controller.

The room was filled with the sound of some shooter-killer video game with a hard rock beat. Anderson tried to pretend that he was paying more attention to watching the game than trying to figure out who the hell this guy was.

He hated the sick feeling he got at the idea of Cole with some other guy. Especially since underneath the scruff, the man was really good looking. A shave and a change of clothes and he might have been a model somewhere.

The tension vibrating through him was just about to kill him when Cole's bedroom door opened and he walked out. His black hair was damp and his skin was flushed pink from the heat, but just seeing him made Anderson want to smile goofily. Until he remembered Jeremy.

"Oh," Cole said on seeing Anderson, then smiled brightly. "I wasn't expecting you until later. Did Jeremy at least ask if you wanted to play too? I have another controller in the cabinet."

"No he didn't," Anderson said. "We just met like a minute ago."

"
We just met like a minute ago
. Well, you guys are very comfortable together," Cole said. "You seem like you've known each other forever."

He went over to the couch and sat down next to Jeremy. And Anderson wasn't upset about that. At all.

"Do you want to play?" Jeremy asked. His fingers were flying across his controller with frightening dexterity. It seemed as though he'd played a lot of games.

"I'm good," Anderson said. "I'll just watch for a while."

"Cool." Jeremy didn't seem all that broken up about him not wanting to play.

Anderson settled into the chair and tried not to seem all brooding as he watched the two men play. There was an organic quality to their relationship, as though they'd always been together. It made him feel like some kind of interloper, and it didn't really matter that Cole was trying pretty hard to fit him into the conversation.

He was tempted to just get up and go home, but there was no way he was going to give up that easily.

He'd probably been watching them play video games for about an hour when Jeremy gave a sudden, startling "Whoop!"

Anderson couldn't help his twitch of surprise. He'd pretty much been lulled into some sort of fugue state and didn't really know what was going on at first.

"Yes! Take that, sucker!" Jeremy yelled, then jerked his hat off his head and threw it toward the table. He was dancing around obnoxiously on the couch.

"
Take that, sucker
. Really, is that how you're going to be?" Cole rolled his eyes at Anderson. "He's the worst winner ever. You should have seen him when 'Demon Daze' was picked up for syndication. I had to deal with weeks of him being a major douche."

Sudden recognition hit and Anderson couldn't help blurting out, "You're Jeremy Heath!"

Two sets of eyes looked at him in disbelief. "You didn't know?" Jeremy asked. "I thought you knew who I was and were just being cool about it."

Anderson felt himself flush in embarrassment. "Actually, no. In fact, I was getting a little heated about how close you guys were being."

"You thought something was going on between us?" Jeremy jerked his thumb at Cole. Then he laughed. "Oh my God, that's so funny."

"
That's so funny
," Cole echoed. "Why didn't you say anything? I just thought you knew he was my cousin."

Anderson shrugged. "I don't know. He looks different than he does on TV."

"
He looks different than he does on TV
. He always looks like crap when he's not working," Cole said, ducking away from Jeremy's swiping hand. He got up and came over to Anderson's chair, nudging him over so he could squeeze in next to him, though he couldn't fit all the way and leaned against Anderson's shoulder. "If you thought something hinky was going on, you should have said something."

Anderson nuzzled his face against Cole. "Next time I'll be sure to say something."

Cole wrapped his arms around Anderson's neck. "
Next time I'll be sure to say something
. You do that. There's no reason for you to be wondering about what's going on without saying anything."

Jeremy watched them for a moment, then stood up. "I think I'm going to head back to my place." He stretched, then reached down to grab the plastic bag of candy he'd tucked under the table. "I'm taking the candy with me."

"
I'm taking the candy with me
. You don't have to go," Cole said, pulling out of Anderson's arms to stand up. Anderson had to fight the urge to pull him back down.

"Yeah, but I've been here all day and I was supposed to be learning my lines. I think the studio will be pretty mad if I wreck the budget because I don't remember what I'm supposed to say." Jeremy slapped Cole on the shoulder. "I should still be in town then, so I'll see you on Saturday?"

Cole nodded. "
So I'll see you on Saturday
. Let me know if you want to meet at the comic book store or if you're just going to come here. We can rent some movies or something."

"Sure," Jeremy said, then held his hand out to Anderson. "It was nice meeting you."

Anderson stood up and shook his hand. "You too."

Jeremy looked at him closely for a moment, then jerked a nod. "See you guys later."

Cole walked Jeremy to the door and let him out. They paused to whisper to each other, then Cole closed the door and came back to sit down on the couch.

"He was surprisingly nice," Anderson said. Off Cole's look, he shrugged, "He's getting to be a pretty big Hollywood actor. I wouldn't have expected him to be so cool."

"
I wouldn't have expected him to be so cool
. He's always been like that," Cole said. "I don't think he's ever going to turn into one of those douche bag actors that treat people badly. He's very down to Earth."

"I just feel kind of dumb that I didn't realize he was your cousin," Anderson said, standing up. He walked over to the couch and sat down next to Cole, where he reached out and pulled the other man close against him.

"
I just feel kind of dumb that I didn't realize he was your cousin
," Cole laughed, shaking his head. He turned in Anderson's arms, snuggling close against him. "What are you trying to do?" His voice lowered, "Are you maybe trying to seduce me?"

Anderson's lips quirked. "Maybe just a little. Does it bother you?"

Cole shook his head.

Anderson's skin felt hot and prickly and he couldn't resist snuggling in closer against the other man. There was just something so nice about human contact. It was something he'd been missing without even knowing it. He'd had a few flings, but it had been awhile since he'd last tried for a real relationship.

Anderson pressed a kiss against Cole's forehead, then against his cheek, then kind of bent around Cole's body to kiss his lips.

When Anderson brushed his tongue against his lips--silently questioning--Cole opened his mouth and let the kiss be deepened. Anderson could feel his body starting to catch fire and he liked the way Cole's fingers gripped the front of his shirt tightly, pulling him closer in wordless demand.

"Hold on," Anderson panted, pulling away.

Cole made a piteous sound in the back of his throat. He'd never realized before just how much he liked kisses.

Anderson laughed, a low sound that went right to Cole's groin. "We're not stopping. I just want to get a little more comfortable."

He got up on his knees and straddled Cole's lap. It probably looked ridiculous, considering Anderson was the taller man, but all Cole knew was that he was getting some contact against his erection. And when Anderson started kissing him again, his fingers combing through Cole's hair, he didn't have any objections.

They made out for what felt like hours. Just kissing and grinding against each other without removing any clothes or either one coming. It should have been frustrating, but instead Cole thought it was incredibly hot.

After a while Anderson pulled away and sat on the other end of the couch from Cole. "I don't want to do this yet," he said. He drew in deep breaths and fought for control, pressing the palm of his hand against the base of his cock. He was just glad he hadn't taken his jeans off or it already would have been over because there was no way he would have been able to let Cole go.

Cole groaned. "
I don't want to do this yet
. What are you talking about? I'm totally ready to do this."

"I'm not stupid. I can tell that you don't have very much experience," Anderson said frankly.

Embarrassed, Cole bowed his head. His cheeks were burning and he felt all itchy in his skin. It was a real trial not to run away.

"It's all right." Anderson put his fingers under Cole's chin, tipping his head back up to meet his eyes. "I talked to my dad today."

Cole raised his eyebrows questioningly.

Anderson shrugged. "Yeah, that's kind of a mood breaker. Anyway, I talked to my dad today and he's basically forcing a house on me."

"
He's basically forcing a house on me
. He's forcing a house on you? What are you talking about? How does someone force a house on you?" Cole asked.

"My dad is crazy," Anderson said. "He wants me to live closer to him, so he went and bought me a house in his neighborhood. Just a couple of wrong words from me, and next thing I know I have a house." Anderson shrugged. "Anyways, do you want to go look at it with me? We could go tomorrow afternoon and spend the night."

"
We could go tomorrow afternoon and spend the night
. What about work? If we spend the night there, how are we supposed to be back in time for work the next day?" Cole asked worriedly.

"I'm fairly sure your boss isn't going to fire you if you happen to miss one day this week." Anderson grinned cheesily, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. "Besides, you haven't missed a single day since you started with the company and you've done way more than your fair share of work. Come with me, please? I don't want to go by myself."

Cole looked at him for a long moment. He really didn't know what he was supposed to say.

He'd never thought about dating the boss, yet here he was. So was he supposed to take advantage of that relationship? Wouldn't the other people at work start hating him or something?

"Please?" Anderson begged cutely.

Cole made a face, but said with a sigh, "
Please?
Okay. I'll go with you."

Anderson cheered and Cole shook his head at his childishness. He had a feeling that he was going to end up giving in to Anderson a lot.

But when Anderson went back to those amazing kisses that left Cole's head spinning, he didn't feel so guilty at the idea of missing a day of work. Not if he got to have kisses--and maybe
more
--if he went with Anderson.