Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 5

Lenny! Jeez, you'd think there would be someone around this place."
    The two of them parted abruptly. Ted's brain screamed that they couldn't let her find them like this. It could ruin both of their careers. Sure, just about the entire industry knew that Ted was gay, but to be caught red-handed in such an unprofessional position…. And Len… Ted didn't even want to think about what might happen to Len's career if this got out. Sure, Marjorie was his assistant, but anyone could be bought for enough money. And this would make one hell of a good story for some gossip rag.
    "I remember her." Ted tried not to make a face as he wiped himself clean with a paper towel and pulled his pants back on. Len tossed the used condom into the toilet and scrambled back into his clothes.
    "She has that effect on people. I sent her back to the beach condo to pick up my iPod." Ted looked confused, but Len just grinned and added, "I left it on purpose. I was hoping to have some time alone with you." He pulled Ted into the stall and kissed him.
    Ted wasn't at all sure how to take this—he knew Len shouldn't be so careless, especially over something like a one-time bathroom fuck—but there wasn't much time to think about it. A minute later, Len was walking out of the bathroom. "Sorry, Margie. Ted and I were taking a break," he heard Len say.
    Ted pulled his shirt back on and did his best to fix his hair with his fingers. That's when he noticed the tube of aftershave sitting on the edge of the sink. Len had never gotten around to putting the stuff on his face.
    CHAPTER 3
    The next two weeks were spent working on the prosthetics for Len's alien alter-ego. Ted didn't need Len to be physically present to do any of the work, so life returned to normal. Or relatively normal—it was hard for Ted to forget about Len, especially since every minute of every day was filled with visions of him either wearing the makeup Ted was slaving over, or of Len's cock filling his ass.
    By the end of the first week, the once-empty building in which Ted had been working was filled with a dozen other makeup artists and assistants, all of them under Ted's direction. There was hardly enough time to sleep, let alone think about what had happened with Len in the bathroom.
    Filming began on a Monday, following a particularly long weekend spent making the last-minute changes that the director had requested. Nearly two dozen makeup stations were lined up on one side of the building, along with several private makeup and costuming areas for the film's stars.
    Ted had gotten about three hours of sleep the night before, but he didn't mind. He loved this part of the process. By the time he'd showered and ridden the elevator down from the small studio office where he'd spent the night on a cot, he was on his third cup of coffee and flying high on a caffeine buzz. There'd be plenty of food around—catering was already setting up a large spread near the main entrance. He'd grab something later, after he'd done the preliminary work on Len.
    Tina was already working. She corralled two of Ted's other employees to prepare the workstations and had posted a large schedule on the wall so that the actors would be ready by the time the director planned to shoot their scenes.
    First up, of course, was Len. His makeup was the most complicated. Ted had done a mockup of the actor's makeup on Len's stand-in over the weekend. Even with Ted's practiced hand, it would take four hours to transform Len into the alien warlord. Ted wasn't sure how he felt about that. He wanted to see Len again, but they hadn't spoken since that day in the bathroom, either.
    You could have called him. It wasn't the first time he'd had this thought, but reading about the gorgeous women Len was rumored to be dating in the gossip columns hadn't exactly given Ted any confidence, either.
    "Sure wish I was Shari Lane," Tina had sighed when she told Ted about the latest supermodel spotted at Len's side. "I could get used to hanging on that guy's big, muscled arm." From the lust-filled expression on her face, Ted doubted she was really thinking about Len's arm.
    By the time Len showed up for his 6:00 a.m. call, lack of food and too much caffeine had made Ted a nervous wreck.
    "Hey, Ted." Len's voice was bright and cheery. If the early makeup call had bothered him, he hid it well.
    "Hi." Ted didn't meet Len's gaze, instead rummaging through a few of the makeup drawers and pretending to arrange them. They didn't need