Page 54 of Starring Role

He turned to Cooper and drew him into his arms. It felt good to hold him, even if he smelled all wrong, of distant places and despair. He had to ask. "Coop, did somebody hurt you?"

"No," Coop said against his chest. "I'm okay."

Except he clearly wasn't. Jimmy tried to marshal his thoughts. What did Coop need right now, to be okay again?He was obviously exhausted and probably hungry. "All right, you're going to take a shower, and then we're going to eat a big meal. Screw your diet."

"Can't you just hold me?"

Jimmy's heart broke a little when he heard those muffled words. "Yeah. I can hold you. I sure can." He wrapped his arms more securely around Coop. "You're home now, honey. Everything's going to be okay."

But whydid it feel more like a question than a fact?

Coop had no stubbornness in him. After a suitably long hug, he let himself be guided into the bathroom. Jimmy helped undress him and did everything but push him into the shower.

"You could join me," Coop offered softly.

"I could. I think it would be better if I got some food ready, don't you? We can sleep together in bed, where it's soft andnobody's going to get a bruised elbow." The shower was small and got crowded easily with one lithe actor and one big ex-farm boy trying to share the space.

Besides—although he would never say this—he didn't really want to sleep with Coop till he smelled a little better. It was off-putting, how unlike his normal odor he smelled.

"Okay," Coop said, and sighed, and reached for the soap.

"It'sgood food," Jimmy said encouragingly. "Stuff my mom made. I'm just going to warm it up. It'll be quick." He hurried away to do so, hoping it wasn't a mistake to leave Cooper alone.

#

"Where have you been?" Allan sounded livid.

Cooper had finally remembered to check his phone. A series of worried messages from Allan, and then some from Sarah. Allan now sounded highly irate.

"Sorry.I had to get away. I'm home." Actually, he was in Jimmy's apartment being pampered, but that was close enough.

Currently, he was sitting on the bed, wrapped in a towel, still damp from a morning shower. He'd been sweaty after sex and wanted to get cleaned up. The shower was currently running for Jimmy. In the kitchen, coffee was burbling, perking enthusiastically to welcome them intoa new day. It was glorious to be here; they would sit in the kitchen in the sun and wake up with coffee and then have something hearty for breakfast.

The comfort of last night had led to food and passion and then sleep, all of it wonderful, all of it with Jimmy staying close, keeping an eye on him, spoiling him rotten.

Now, Allan's words were like a splash of cold water in the face. "Listen,if you're trying to negotiate something with the studio by faking a little breakdown, contact me first so I can coordinate with you. If you're really losing your grip, then see a doctor and get some pills or something. You're at the wrong place in your career for this. You can't afford to start flaking out."

Coop winced at the harsh words. "Is that what they think?"

"No, that's what I think.You've never pulled this kind of shit before, so don't start—but if you're going to, keep me in the loop."

Jimmy cleared his throat. Coop looked up to see him watching, an avenging angel with damp hair and a towel around his waist too. His blue eyes were like ice. He held out a hand and asked politely, "May I have the phone, please?"

Coop shook his head and brought a hand up automaticallyto shield the mouthpiece. Jimmy, with his hyper-senses, could probably still hear every word. "Allan, this isn't a good time to talk about this."

The agent blew out a breath. "Fine. Call me later, then. Remember what I said."

"Cooper, may I have the phone, please?" Jimmy was being scarily polite.

"Bye," Coop said quickly, and hung up. He handed his phone to Jimmy and grinned. "Hereyou go."

"Thank you." Coop started looking at the phone, searching for...

Amusement turned to alarm. "You'renotcalling him back! Jimmy, don't do that. Please. It won't help."

"He doesn't get to talk to you like that." Jimmy met his gaze with a startling firmness mixed with a heartfelt and touching worry. At least he wasn't calling Allen back. "It's not okay. He's got to go, Cooper.You need an agent who will work for you and not treat you unprofessionally."

"Well, he had a point."