Samhain Publishing

There’s a penalty for breaking the rules…sometimes it’s the love of a lifetime.

Out of Bounds
Professional basketball player Kasey Johnson keeps his sexual preference out of the public eye. Resigned to empty, off-season flings until he retires, he thinks his secret is safe—until he meets Ingram Fletcher.

Gram has lusted after Kasey for over a year. But with Kasey’s twin brother running interference, Gram’s unsure if it’s safe to make a play. Then an impromptu kiss leaves him wondering if a relationship is possible—now, and beyond March Madness. And if Kasey is ready to make a fast break out of his comfort zone.

High Line
CJ Lamont’s place at the top of the racing world comes tumbling down when his ex-wife reveals the truth about his private life. As he hits rock bottom, rescue comes from an unexpected source—Garrett Johnson, Hollywood’s hottest leading man.

Garrett’s career is taking off, but watching his twin brother fall in love exposes the hidden emptiness in his life. He tells himself offering a shoulder to lean on is only to keep CJ from taking a more destructive path. But the two men grow closer and CJ realizes he has a decision to make—whether to rebuild the lie, or admit his love for Garrett.

Copyright © 2009 T.A. Chase
All rights reserved — a Samhain Publishing, Ltd. publication

Kasey Johnson leaned against his doorframe, fumbling with the keys in his pocket. A road trip this early in the season always wore him out. The team had headed up to Salt Lake City and over to the West Coast, ending in L.A., before heading home to Phoenix. He looked forward to finding his bed and sleeping. As he managed to slide his key into the lock, the door jerked opened.

“About time you got here.” His twin brother stood in the doorway.

“I’m not in the mood, Garrett.” Kasey dragged his ass inside the apartment, dropping his duffle bag on the floor next to the couch, and fell face first onto the cushions.

“You’re always like this during the season. I’ve never understood why you play basketball if you feel like shit after every game.” Garrett slapped Kasey’s ass as he walked to the kitchen.

“I’m good and I enjoy playing. I just don’t like the road trips.” He turned his head to look at his brother. “What the hell are you doing here? I thought you and Rich were visiting his parents this week.”

“Ah, yeah, well.” Garrett frowned.

“You broke up.” Kasey pushed his aching body up. “How many times has it been?”

“Four, but we’re not counting. He took off and I decided to stay here. We need time away from each other.” Garrett sighed, leaning against the counter and running a hand through his hair.

“Why do you keep getting back together? All you do is fight and break up.” Kasey thought about standing up, but his knees protested and he settled back against the cushions. “Can you bring me some water?”

“Sure.” Garrett grabbed a bottle out of the fridge and tossed it to him.

He caught it, raising an eyebrow at his brother. “Are you going to answer me? You two never fought this much before you made it big.”

Garrett frowned down at the fancy black leather dress shoes he wore. “I know. I don’t think Rich wants to be a Hollywood wife. It was fun to talk about when it didn’t seem very likely it’d happen. Now it’s a reality and he’s getting upset with the fact I’m in the tabloids all the time. As one of the few openly gay actors, I’m far more interesting than the other guys.”

“Add to the fact your twin brother is a starting point guard on a pro basketball team and you’re a tabloid reporter’s wet dream.” Kasey twisted the cap off the bottle and took a drink. “What are you doing here?”

“Take a shower and get dressed. We’re going out.”

Garrett’s chin stuck out and Kasey knew there was no point in arguing. He’d go out, have a drink and hope some of Garrett’s friends would show up to distract his twin, so he could come back home and sleep. “I hate you. You do realize that, don’t you?”

Garrett gave him a quick hug as Kasey made his way past him down the hall way to his bedroom. “I know you do. Thanks.”

Kasey shut the bedroom door and leaned against it with a sigh. He didn’t want to go out. He tried to avoid doing anything besides staying home during the season. Most of his time was taken up by basketball. He didn’t have the energy to be social. Also, being gay and playing professional sports didn’t mix well. More like oil and water. He’d learned to be lonely most of the time. He’d come out to his family and close friends at the same time Garrett had. He wasn’t out to the public yet. Never found any guy he considered worth the trouble of constant scrutiny from the public and his own teammates.

Stripping, he tossed his suit on the bed and headed into the bathroom. He turned on the water, climbed in, and let the hot spray beat down on his aching muscles. There was a bruise on his thigh where an opposing player landed the night before. Reaching for the shampoo, Kasey scrubbed his hair.

It was his first full season as a starter and after each game he felt like he’d been in a war. He braced his hands against the tiles and lowered his head, allowing the suds to cascade over his body. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the pounding of the shower.

“Are you done yet?” Garrett’s voice came from the other side of the shower curtain.

“Yeah. I’ll be right out.”

Kasey shut off the water, toweled down and got dressed. He checked out his reflection in the mirror. His black slacks fit his ass well. He didn’t go in for “tighter than a glove” clothing. Wasn’t into showing that much of his body off. Not after running up and down the court in a tank top and shorts all night. A dark blue button-down shirt completed the outfit. He slipped on a pair of dress shoes. Dark circles under his eyes attested to his lack of sleep, but he figured no one would really pay much attention to him with Garrett around and he liked it that way.

A splash of cologne and he headed out to where his brother waited for him. Garrett was dressed in black leather pants leaving nothing to the imagination and a tight mesh shirt. Kasey laughed. No matter how much alike they looked, they couldn’t be more different. Garrett was flamboyant and interested in everyone around him while Kasey was introverted. Garrett looked at him and grinned. “Come on. We’ll go to the Liverpool. There’ll be a ton of straight people there, so you won’t get harassed for being in a gay club.”

“Thanks for understanding.” Kasey grabbed his keys and wallet, locking the door behind him.

“No problem, bro. Hollywood is more accepting of gay leading men, but it doesn’t mean the rest of the world will be as open.” Garrett flipped open his phone. “I’ll call Quentin. He’s bored waiting around for me. Letting him drive us to the club will give him something to do besides guarding me. Samantha and Tina are going to meet us there with a few friends.”

Kasey nodded, but didn’t comment. Sam and Tina were two of their closest friends, plus they knew about Kasey as well and weren’t opposed to playing his girlfriend if he needed one. They’d all been friends since high school. He wouldn’t feel bad about leaving Garrett with them when he decided to call it a night.

“Why take a car when it’s only a couple blocks to the club?” He followed Garrett to the elevator.

“I can’t be seen walking up to the club. Big stars don’t walk places.” Garrett shook his head at him.

“Stars who aren’t complete assholes and don’t think too highly of themselves do.” Kasey jabbed an elbow into his brother’s side.

“You’re right, but I don’t feel like walking and being stopped in the street by rabid fans. Yours, not mine. It’s not like you don’t stick out.” Garrett winked at him.

The only differences between them were their eye color and weight. They stood six-five, but Kasey weighed in at around two hundred pounds. At one hundred and eighty pounds, Garrett was several pounds lighter. Kasey’s eyes were a darker green, moss colored, and Garrett’s were grass green. It was their stunning platinum blond hair and green eyes that had gotten them named two of People’s 50 Sexiest People. It helped they were twins and both famous in their chosen professions.

“Genetics. What can I say? I got the looks and you got the talent.” Kasey smirked.

They laughed as Garrett punched him.

“The car’s here. Let’s go.”

Kasey felt his exhaustion lift. Maybe his brother was right. Relaxing with friends might be what he needed to unwind from the grueling road trip.

Garrett Johnson stood on the other side of the wall down in the pit area. Wearing a headset, he listened to the chatter between the driver and the crew chief. Most of the technical terms flew over his head. That’s what you’re here for. To learn all this car stuff.

“Bring her in, CJ. Someone’s here to talk to you.” Disdain colored the crew chief’s voice.

He let it roll off him. Garrett had dealt with prejudices like the crew chief’s all his life. Worrying about other people’s opinions took too much time and energy away from the important things in his life.

The stock car flew into pit row and rolled to a stop in front of him. Its front bumper barely brushed the numbered sign someone held out. Garrett studied the brightly colored vehicle sporting the decals of CJ Lamont’s sponsors. Some called it “the car of tomorrow”. He wasn’t sure what that meant, but he had a month to cram all the knowledge he could into his head. He hated not making his characters as authentic as possible.

The noise disappeared. Someone took his headset as he glanced over at the rubber netting where the driver’s window should have been. The steering wheel appeared from inside the car and Garrett held his breath. God, it was like the most painfully slow striptease he’d ever seen. The papers had declared CJ Lamont the sexiest driver on the NASCAR circuit and Garrett was eager to see if the man lived up to the hype in person.

CJ emerged from the car, removed his helmet and pulled off his gloves. He turned and held out his hand, flashing Garrett a bright yet shy smile.

Garrett’s first thought was, God, he’s hot.

Yeah, but he’s straight.

God, he’s hot was his last thought before CJ spoke.

“You must be Garrett Johnson. I’m a huge fan of yours.”

Their hands touched. All the thoughts rabbiting around Garrett’s head disappeared into their respective holes and his mind went blank.

“Yeah. You must be CJ Lamont.” Garrett wanted to smack himself upside the head. What an idiotic thing to say. Who else would the man be?

CJ’s chuckle was low and easy. “That’s me. One of those crazy rednecks driving in circles all day, making nothing but left turns.”

“I do think racing is crazy,” Garrett agreed. He held up his hand to stop the argument he could see forming in CJ’s eyes. “Don’t get all worked up. I think any kind of sport is crazy. That’s why I’m an actor. I don’t even like basketball and that’s my brother’s livelihood.”

“Kasey Johnson is your brother?” CJ handed his helmet and gloves to one of the crew members, accepting a bottle of water in return.

“Yes. The newest star in the NBA, though he’s finding it a lot harder than college.”

He smiled as he thought about his twin. Kasey was a rookie in the NBA and his team was working him hard. Garrett rarely got to see his brother because of conflicting schedules.

“Big leagues always are.” CJ gestured for Garrett to follow him.

Garrett tried not to stare at the broad-shouldered, lean-hipped man walking in front of him, but he was a healthy gay man and CJ Lamont was the sexiest thing he’d seen in a long time.

“Super Freak” blared from his pocket. Wincing, he answered, apologizing to CJ with a smile.

“Hey, babe.”

“Where the hell are you?” Rich’s screech filled Garrett’s ear.

He glanced at CJ, who gave him a sympathetic look.

“I told you when I left I’d be in North Carolina for a month. I’m doing research for my next role.” Garrett sighed.

“No, you didn’t.” Rich’s pout came through loud and clear.

“Yes, I did, but you were either too hung over or too caught up in that party of yours to listen.”

He moved farther away from CJ and shoved a hand through his hair.

“It’s a party for you, asshole. I told you when it was and you promised me you’d be here.” Rich’s pitch rose.

“I’m not doing this now, Rich. I never promised to be there. In fact, I told you several times I was coming to North Carolina. You chose to ignore me.”

“I’m not going to be here when you get back. I’m going to find someone who really loves me.” Rich sniffled.

There’d been a time when Garrett would have folded at the first sign of tears from Rich. No more. Rich had used them too many times to get his own way. Garrett wasn’t going to feel guilty anymore.

“Maybe one of these days, I won’t come back, Rich. What will you do then?”

Garrett hung up and turned his phone off before sticking it in his pocket. Closing his eyes, he tried to ease his anger and his pain. It was hard to watch a four-year relationship implode.

“You okay?”

He jumped. He’d forgotten CJ stood near him. He smiled his famous “movie star” smile.

“I will be.”

CJ nodded. “My wife and I are separated. She’s trying to decide if staying together is worth the effort.”

“Sounds like you don’t think it is.” He didn’t want to pry, but CJ seemed to be willing to talk.

“She deserves better than me,” CJ stated. “You hungry?”

Wow. CJ wasn’t going to make any sort of comment about the boyfriend issue. Most of the time, he could shrug off people’s disdain or disgust, but he was tired and being fed up with Rich’s attitude played havoc with Garrett’s patience.

“Thanks. I got in late last night and then overslept this morning. Didn’t have time for more than a sip of coffee.”

They headed toward a building swarming with people.

“This is the Morik Racing Team’s garage. It’s where all the magic happens.” CJ gestured to a car on a lift and the men working under it. “I’ll give you a tour of it later when there aren’t so many people.”

A man slammed into Garrett, spilling oil over his shirt and jeans.

“Hey, Chick, watch where you’re going,” CJ admonished the man.

“Sorry.” Disdain and sarcasm dripped from Chick’s apology. “Hey, why don’t you let one of the P.R. guys show him around? I need to talk to you about the car.”

Chick—the crew chief. From the impression he’d gotten of Chick earlier when they’d been introduced and from the look on his face right now, the oil definitely wasn’t an accident.

“We’re getting something to eat. I’ll come back for the briefing.” CJ frowned.

The crew chief stalked away with CJ staring after him for a second.

“Sorry.”

Garrett shrugged. “I get that sometimes.” He grimaced, looking at his clothes. “I wish I’d brought something else to change into though.”

CJ eyed him and Garrett thought of piles of techno-colored vomit to keep from getting hard. Those electric blue eyes combined with the sweat-drenched black curls pushed every button of Garrett’s libido.

He turned away, angry with himself. Things had been going badly between him and Rick for a while now, but it didn’t give him any right to lust after another man, especially a straight, married one.

“A friend of mine left some of his clothes behind after he got caught in a storm. He’s about your size.” CJ moved away. “Nothing great, but they’re clean.”

“Clean is all I’m interested in.”

The oil covering his shoes made walking across the concrete floor hazardous, so he stepped carefully. His shoes slid and his weight shifted just enough to throw him off balance.

“Crap.”

Strong hands grasped his arms, supporting him until he caught his balance again. His breath left him when he met CJ’s gaze and witnessed the flare of heat in them. It disappeared so fast, Garrett convinced himself it wasn’t there. Just wishful thinking.

“You can use this office.” CJ let go of him and pushed open a door. “The bathroom has industrial strength soap. It’ll get the oil off your hands. I’ll grab the clothes and I have an extra pair of boots you can wear.”

CJ left the room like his pants were on fire and Garrett sighed. Maybe CJ Lamont was better at hiding his disgust than Chick.

Glancing at his hands, Garrett pushed his worries to the back of his mind. He’d get through the crash course on NASCAR and stock cars. He’d go and make the best movie he could. Afterward, he’d take a break and visit Kasey. His twin always managed to ground him when things piled up.