Knight of Ocean Avenue (8 page)

Giles glanced at Billy, raised an eyebrow, and waved a hand. “Yes, of course.” He turned to Shaz. “When can we go to cocktails?”

“It will be a while, dear, as I told you this morning.”
Damn the man. He never listens
. “Why don’t you go to the club, and I’ll join you later?”

“All right.” The huff that went with the agreement took all pleasure from it.

Shaz put a hand on his hip. “Then I’ll see you later?”

Giles seemed to realize he was pushing his luck. “Of course, dear. I’ll look forward to it.” He walked from the salon with his short, exact stride. Shaz frowned.
Oh well
. He turned back to Ru and Billy.

Ru raised an eyebrow. He didn’t like Giles much, and Shaz knew he figured they could do their own new studio without his investment. “Trouble in la-la land—I hope?”

“Of course not. He’s just impatient.”

Ru snorted. “And deaf.”

Billy had the tiniest hint of a smile. “Tough to get men to listen, no matter which way they swing, I guess.”

Shaz threw back his head and laughed. “So true, my dear. So true.” He stepped back, looked at the fitting on the pants, and grabbed the jacket from the hanger. “Button the shirt, darling, so we can try this on.”

Billy did up the buttons, inch after inch of golden chest disappearing.
Sigh. This guy does not need clothes.
When the shirt was closed, Shaz held out the jacket, which slipped over those broad shoulders like butter. Perfect.

Billy looked in the mirror. “Wow.”

“You see what I mean about tailoring being everything.” He smoothed his hand across the lapel. “Ru, what do you think?”

“Perfect.”
Yes, it is
. Ru waved a hand. “I’ll leave you to it.” He walked back into the salon.

Shaz took hold of the jacket to pull it off, but Billy pulled back. The big man was still staring at his image like he didn’t recognize himself.

Shaz laughed. “Hold on. There’s more where that came from.” He slid off the suit jacket, then slipped a mauve sport coat up Billy’s arms. “Look.”

Billy shook his head. “Wow.”

“You see how you can wear this sport coat with the blue trousers?”

Billy nodded, still staring.

Grabbing a pair of pinstriped pants, Shaz held them against the blue suit coat. “And these two things will go together.” He added a pair of jeans he’d chosen. “These can go with the sport coat or—” He pulled a sweater off the rack. “—you can pair the sweater with the jeans or the trousers. Getting the idea?”

“Yeah.” Billy stared at his reflection with wide eyes.

Shaz put a hand on Billy’s shoulder. “You like?”

Billy blinked. “It’s just, I never thought—” He waved a hand down his front.

“You’re really a great-looking guy, Billy. The clothes just point out what’s true.”

“Thanks.”

“Oh, there’s lots more. We need to find shoes that fit, get you a couple pieces of outerwear, and some innerwear.” He laughed. “How are the boxer briefs?”

Billy shifted from one foot to the other. “They’re fine. But all this stuff must be really expensive.”

Shaz shrugged. “Mitch can afford it.”

“Mitch isn’t paying. I am.”

Son of a bitch, what a knight in shining armor.
“Well, you’ll be getting it for less than half price when you pose for me.”

Billy’s ears turned pink again. “You weren’t serious about that?”

“Totally, darling. We’ll make you the new face of Shazam.”

Some war waged behind the blue eyes. “What would I have to do?” He ran a hand over the sport coat. The boy did like nice material. That made two of them.

“Just show up and we’ll take some pictures. After you’re all styled and the clothes are tailored, okay?”

“I might not be any good at it.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll be great.” He pointed toward the dressing room. “Let’s get you a couple outfits ready to go today. The rest will require more extensive tailoring.”

Billy walked into the curtained space. “Thanks. My family’s pushing hard for me to look better.” He closed the curtain, and Shaz leaned against the wall outside.

“To impress Sissy?”

“Among other things.” His voice sounded flat.

“You don’t seem too excited.”

“I’m not really great with women. Get beat up enough and you lose your enthusiasm.”

Shaz grinned. “I must confess, I wouldn’t know. About women, anyway.”

The curtain opened and Billy stood there in his rumpled jeans, flip-flops, and old T-shirt. He looked down at himself. “I turned back into a caterpillar.”

Shaz laughed. The guy was so sincere you didn’t expect him to be witty.

Billy looked up. “Is it the same with guys?”

“What?”

“Do you have to kiss so many frogs you want to give up on the game?”

Shaz started to make a wise remark, but those blue eyes looked honestly interested. “Yeah. It can be that way. But if you’re a hopeless romantic, you go on looking for Mr. Right.”

“So you found him?”

“What?”

“Mr. Right? That guy who couldn’t remember your schedule?”

Shaz laughed. “That certainly doesn’t make him sound like Prince Charming.”

“Sorry.”

“No, fair question. I can’t really answer it yet, I guess.” That made him wince. He’d been dating Giles for six months. Why didn’t he know?

“Sure is a good-looking guy.”

“Yes.” Funny how big hunks suddenly looked more appealing.
Oh, Shaz, you are such a dreamer
. He cleared his throat. “So what do you need clothes for in the next couple days?”

“I have to go to the bachelor party, which is going to have women at it, so I don’t get the bachelor part.”

“Yes, mixing the sexes for these events has become de rigueur. Gone are the days of strippers and shots off of women’s breasts.”

“Really? I mean, is that what they used to be like?”

Shaz patted Billy’s arm. It was an excuse. “I’m sure that sounds like much more fun to a big guy like you.”

“Not really.”

A voice came from the other room. “Shaz darling, can we come in?”

Billy turned his head toward the high voice. Sissy. Oh, and Rhonda and Mitch. Was he glad or sad that they interrupted? Shaz was really checking him out. Kind of flattering.

Rhonda crossed from the salon into the area where Billy had been changing. She frowned. “Shaz, I thought you were dressing him.”

Shaz kissed her cheek. “Never fear, darling. I had him looking positively debonair. You just missed it.”

“Well, damn, I want to see.”

Sissy took hold of Billy’s arm. “Hi, Billy.”

He smiled at her. “Hi.”

“Can’t you do a fashion show for us?”

Shaz shook his head. “Sorry, dears, I’m out of time. I have to meet Giles at the club.”

Sissy grinned at Mitch and gave a little bounce. “Hey, I have a plan. Why don’t we all go to the club? Put Billy back in some of his finery and we’ll go show him off.”

That sounded like a crappy plan. Billy shook his head. “None of it’s ready.”

Shaz spread his arms. “Not so, dear. We can dress you in the jeans, the striped shirt, and one of the sports coats. You’ll put the membership to shame.”

An evening with Shaz. Oh, and Rhonda, Mitch, and of course, Sissy. Yeah, and Shaz’s boyfriend.
“I guess so.”

Shaz took his arm. “Come on, let’s get you dressed.” He waved toward the other room. “The rest of you wait in there for the big unveiling.”

Sissy clapped her hands. “Fun.”

In three seconds he was squeezed back into the dressing room and Shaz was handing him clothes. Those jeans fit like skin. Really nice skin. He grabbed the shirt from Shaz’s hand and buttoned it, then pushed it into the jeans and added a belt Shaz found somewhere. He walked out of the room barefoot.

Shaz stared at his flip-flops. “My oh my, those feet are big. I just happen to have a size thirteen pair of short boots I guess might fit you. Will they work?”

“Probably. I’m usually thirteen or thirteen and a half.”

“Hold your breath, darling.” He flitted his way into a room off the back wall and returned holding a pair of black leather ankle boots that looked so soft you could eat them on ice cream, and a pair of socks.

Billy tugged on the socks, then the boots.
Perfect.
“Cinderella.”

Shaz gave him a little smile. Made his gut feel funny. “Does that make me the handsome prince? Surely it must be the other way around?”

Billy couldn’t get over the guy’s eyes. They were this greeny-gold color.

Sissy’s voice called from the other room. “Hey, guys, we’re dyin’ out here.”

Shaz gazed at him a moment longer, then smiled and called to her, “And we’re ready for you. Go back to the waiting room and wait, little bird, so Billy can make his entrance.”

Billy took a deep breath. Hell, he’d rather just stay here.

S
O
THIS
is how the other half lives
. Billy looked around the bar in the country club. Not much like the places where he hung out with the guys on his crew. Not too much like Anthony’s either. People here might be giving each other blow jobs, but they weren’t in the bathroom; it was out in the open over business deals. Funny, the drinkers seemed half twitchy and half bored. Totally weird to be on a triple date with his sister and her fiancé and a gay couple. And him dressed like some fashion model with a rich blonde on his arm.
Jesus
. He’d never have believed it if someone had told him.

“Cheers.”

Billy turned back to the group. Mitch held his glass of scotch on the rocks up in the center of the table. Everyone else raised their glasses, so Billy did too.

Shaz smiled, which was an amazing sight all by itself. “To love and happiness for our soon-to-be newlyweds.”

Rhonda beamed. “I would wish that for all of us.”

Sissy put a hand on Billy’s arm. Nice nails. A soft beige with little white tips. She squeezed. “So you’re a builder, right?”

Billy shrugged. “Not really. I work construction.” He looked up in time to see Shaz’s boyfriend glance away like he was bored. Billy turned his eyes back to Sissy. “I’m a construction supervisor.”

Shaz sipped his champagne. That was sure the right drink for the guy. He grinned. “Too bad you’re not a contractor. I’m going to be needing one for the new building.”

Rhonda leaned in. “Billy is more than qualified to be a contractor, believe me. We just haven’t been able to get him to take the test.”

Damn. Change the subject
.

Mitch nodded. “Yeah, man, you should do that. Take the test. Shaz needs someone he can trust.”

Shaz put a hand on Billy’s arm beside Sissy’s. Warmer. “Is there a chance you’ll be completing the test in time? We’ll be going to bids in about a month. I’d love to include you.”

Shivers ran up his arm. “Uh, no. I won’t be doing that.” Shaz took his hand away, and Billy’s arm felt cold.

Rhonda was so on it. “Why not, Billy? That would give you a goal. Imagine getting to bid on a job right away. What a fantastic idea.”

The boyfriend, Giles, practically sneered. “I hardly think it would be wise to hand over our project to an untried individual just because you think he’s cute.” He raised an eyebrow. “No offense.”

God, give me strength not to hit the idiot
. He should keep his mouth shut, but…. “Actually I’ve been a construction super for almost five years. So I have more than enough experience to qualify, and my company relies on my bidding skills.” Jesus, he should sink in the floor. Why was he bragging about this shit? Easy. Because this dude was a rude asshole.

Shaz glanced some daggers at his boyfriend, then looked at Billy. “Almost five years. You must have been a baby.”

He shrugged.

Rhonda glared at Giles. “Yes, he was made a supervisor when he was twenty-one. That’s how professional he is. You should see those big men who are older than Billy by decades all following his lead.” She patted Billy’s arm. “He’s inspiring.”

Well, hell, who’d have thought she’d ever say that
?

Shaz clapped his hands. “It’s settled. Billy’s going to get his license and bid on my job. Yay!”

Sissy clapped too.

Holy shit, this was a runaway train. “No. I can’t.”

Shaz cocked his head. “Why not?”

He stared at his beer. “I can’t take the test.”

“Why not?”

He always said the same thing when somebody asked him, but he didn’t really want to say that to Shaz. Still, he didn’t have another answer. “I’m not smart enough to take the test.”

Rhonda snorted. A real live snort. “Nonsense!”

Shaz’s hand came back to his arm. Billy’s eyes locked on those long, slim fingers, with blue polish now. The guy’s high voice was soft. “Have you tried taking the test?”

Billy shook his head. “Not exactly.”

“Then how do you know?”

He sighed. “I’m not good at tests.”

“That was a long time ago, Billy.” Rhonda gave his shoulder a pat.

He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. Can’t.”

Sissy pressed her boobs against his arm. She didn’t seem to have a lot of control over where she landed those things. “I think you’d be great. I’ll bet you’re better than you think you are. And to get to do the new building? What an opportunity—”

Shaz’s voice cut her off. “Who are you styling currently, Sissy?”

“What? Oh, this new singer who’s up for a Grammy. I’m picking her accessories for a dress that Wendell chose. It’s—”

She was off on a whole new track.
Thank God
. Billy looked up, and his eyes met Shaz’s. The guy winked. Giles was staring at Billy’s face so he didn’t smile back at Shaz, but he wanted to. That sure was nice of Shaz to save him from all these people’s good intentions. Wouldn’t that be great, to do build-outs for a guy with such amazing taste? He often fantasized about taking the test, but this was the first time he ever wished he really could.

The next two hours were interesting like a toothache. Clearly, Rhonda matched with these people. Hell, she had a decent education and was the prettiest girl in the room, including Sissy. She fit. Him? Not so much. Mitch and Giles talked about the stock market. Rhonda and Sissy dissected the current fashion trends, with snarky comments from Shaz about something called wedge sneakers, which he maintained should join gladiator sandals on the list of worst fashion statements of all time. Billy had no clue what they were talking about. He didn’t really care. But watching Shaz’s mouth form words was adult entertainment. Je-sus, the man had these full lips. Actually, the top lip was just kind of nicely shaped, but the bottom one looked like some bee had pounced on him. Full and pouty. What would that feel like in a blow job?