California Dreaming

Chapter 24

Woodrow O’Neill was sitting silently looking at me after I told him that I may not signing my new contract. Gloria had already declined hers, she was moving back to Kansas to be a mother and a wife.

He asked, “if you could live in New York, would you consider staying on with us?”

I thought for a moment, “if you are willing to make a few changes to the contract and allow me to live in New York, yes, I would consider it.”

He narrowed his eyes, “what kind of changes?”

I smiled, “I have been with the studio for almost ten years now, I appreciate you believing in me and giving me the opportunity to act. I have done everything you have asked of me, without question, and believe I have made the studio a lot of money.”

He interrupted, “yes, you have and in turn we have paid you well.”

I nodded, “yes, that is true, again, I appreciate it. I would like a little more say in the movies that I do. I have loved every minute of working with Gloria, but I would prefer that I not have to do any more Romeo and Juliet type films. I would also like to decide how many, and what type of films I do, with more than just a few days between finishing one movie and starting the next. I am more than willing to come out here for filming for extended periods of time but will live in New York.”

Mr. O’Neill sighed, “I suppose I knew this was coming, I have been talking to some of the other studio heads, they are getting similar request from their actors. They are starting to pay their actors per film instead of a weekly check, is that something you would consider?”

I said, “yes, from what I understand, some are even getting a percentage of movies gross ticket sales. I would be willing to talk about something like that.”

Woodrow wrote a few notes, “that seems to be the way the industry is headed, I think we can work that out. Is there anything else?”

I looked him directly in the eye, “the morality clause.”

He paused a moment, “what about it?”

I said, “what I do in my personal life is my business, I don’t think the studio needs to dictate what I do when I am not in one of their pictures or representing them in public. I would like the clause changed to reflect that.”

He said, “but the morality clause is meant to protect you as well as the studio. If you do something stupid, without that clause, the studio will not be able to step in and help you.”

I chuckled, “please Mr. O’Neill, you know as well as I do, that clause benefits the studio far more than the actors. The studio only steps in to help when the actions of one of their actors makes the studio look bad. If I were to do something horrific, you know full well that you would just fire me using that clause and deny any knowledge of my actions, as to not tarnish the reputation of the studio.”

He sighed, “fine, but we will have a clause in any contract stating that the contract can be terminated if you do anything that is outside of the studio’s standards.”

I nodded, “as long as I have the same right to terminate the contract if the studio acts in an inappropriate manner.”

The lawyer walked into the room with our contracts, Mr. O’Neill said, “we won’t be needing Miss Jewell’s contract, and I will meet with you later today, with new terms for Mr. Roman’s.” He turned and left the room.

We talked over a few more minor points and Gloria, and I left the office. As we got to the lobby, I asked, “will you join me for lunch? My treat.”

She smiled, “yes, I would like that.”

Once we were seated, I said, “so, tell me about your husband.”

She beamed, “oh Ivan, you would like George, he treats me so well is a wonderful father to George Jr. He was a grade ahead of me in school and when I went home after the war started, we started dating. He wasn’t drafted because he is an only child, his parents have welcomed me into their family, and my family loves him.”

I smiled, “that is great Gloria, I am so happy for you, he must be special for you to give up your acting career.”

She said, “he is, but it was my choice, he told me he was fine if I wanted to continue to be in movies. But when I came out here after the baby was born and did a couple films, I just missed them so much and decided I didn’t want to be away from them any longer than I have to.”

I said, “you are going to be a great wife and mother.”

She said, “thank you Ivan, so you said that you met someone too, tell me about that.”

It was my turn to beam, “you remember I told you about Henry.”

She nodded, “yes, your boyhood friend.”

I smiled, “yes, he was the one I met that night of our last premier, when you covered for me. When I was doing all those movies in New York, we continued to meet. That is why I want to move back, so we can be together.”

She smiled, “I’m happy for you too Ivan.”

Before I could respond, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Carl and another man smiling at me.

I stood and gave him a hug, “Carl, how are you?”

He smiled, “I’m good Ivan. It’s so good to see you. This is Roger Abbott.”

I shook the man’s hand, “Roger, nice to meet you, this is Goria Baines…er I should say Gloria Meyer.”

Roger smiled, “oh, I know who both of you are, it’s very nice to meet you in person.”

I asked, “will you join us? We haven’t ordered yet.”

Gloria chuckled, “yes, please do, it’s Ivan’s treat.”

They looked at each other and nodded, Carl said, “well, if Ivan is buying, how can we refuse, we would love to join you.”

The waiter smiled, “very good, I’ll give you another minute and I’ll be back to take your order.”

Carl asked, “are you two working on another movie?”

I shook my head, “no, Gloria is just in town for the day, she is headed back to her husband and son this afternoon.”

Carl looked at me, “her husband?”

She smiled, “yes Carl, I married about four years ago. Ivan just negotiated a new contract for himself and is moving back to New York to be with Henry.”

Carl’s eyes went wide as he gave me a questioning look. I grinned, “yes, Gloria knows about everything, and yes, I am going back to New York.”

We filled him on my new contract, and we talked about serving in the war, Carl and Roger both spent most of their enlistment in France.

I asked, “so are you two working together, or…”

Carl smiled, “yes and or.”

Roger chuckled, “I am a writer, and we just finished a script and are trying to find a studio to make the movie. Carl is hoping to direct the film.”

I grinned, “a director? That is great Carl, be sure to let me know when you get the movie complete, I can’t wait to see it.”

Carl nodded, “yeah, I directed a couple plays at the El Capitan last year, and when Roger and I started seeing each other after the war, we came up with an idea for a script and we are trying to get it produced.”

We ordered and continued to catch up, as we talked, I could see how happy Carl and Roger were. They kept looking into each other’s eyes, there certainly was love there. I imagined that is the same way Henry and I looked at each other, or at least I hoped so. After we finished eating, we hugged, and I took Gloria to the train station so she could return to Kansas.

The next day, Mr. O’Neill called and told me the contract was ready to sign and sent a car to pick me up. Tom led me to his office, Woody joined us, and we went over the new contract. It was what we had agreed on, I got to choose the movies I worked on, and would do no more than two movies a year. The morality clause was less restrictive, if I was not working on the movie set or at a studio function, they couldn’t dictate my actions. I still couldn’t do anything stupid, like commit crimes or be intoxicated or high in public, again not an issue for me. The biggest thing for me, was everything about who I could or couldn’t be with was removed, and there were no restrictions on my sex life. Of course, I couldn’t have sex in public, but I could have a relationship with whomever I wanted.

Once we signed the contract, Mr. O’Neill sighed and said, “I hope she is worth it, is she an actress?”

I asked, “what do mean, is who worth it?”

He said, “the woman you want to be with so bad, that you almost didn’t sign this contract.”

I could see the panic on Woody’s face, not knowing what I was going to say. I smiled, “yes, HE is worth it. His name is Henry, and he is a barber.”

Woody went pale when I finished speaking, his father just stared at me for a minute, he finally muttered, “Henry?”

I said, “relax Mr. O’Neill, Henry has no interest in being in the spotlight. We have agreed that he won’t attend any studio functions with me, we intend to keep our private lives private. We just want to be together, and we will go out in public together just as other couples do, but we will be discreet.”

He was still just staring at me, “I guess this explains why you and Gloria were so resistant to continue your on-screen relationship to real life. Ira Harris over at RKO was telling me about one of his actors being… well, like you. I guess things are changing.”

I nodded, “yes Mr. O’Neill, things are always changing, there are a lot more guys "like me" than you know.”

I thought Woody was going to faint, I had no intention of outing him, but he almost outed himself with his reaction. Fortunately, his father was still trying to process what I had just told him, he wasn’t paying attention to Woody.

Woody stammered, “I’ll have the car brought around and take you home Ivan.”

I smiled, “thank you Woody.” I turned to Mr. O’Neill and shook his hand, “thank you sir, I am looking forward to reading my next script.”

He nodded, “yes, I will have it sent to you in the next week or so.”

As Woody and I waited for the car, he said, “I can’t believe you told my father about Henry.”

I smiled, “I can’t tell you how good it feels to not have to hide my relationship just to keep my job.”

He shook his head, “and when you told him there were more, I nearly had a heart attack. I thought you were going to tell him about me.”

I said, “I would never do that to you Woody, you know that.”

He nodded, “yes, I know.”

He dropped me at my hotel, I stayed an extra couple days to find an apartment. Even though I would be living in New York, I decided to get a small place to stay when I was here working, it would be better than staying in a hotel.

I returned to New York and went straight to see Henry at the barber shop, his father was gone for the day. I sat and waited while Henry finished the customer he was working on, as soon as he left, we stepped into the back room.

Henry pulled me in for a kiss, “I missed you.”

I smiled, “I missed you too.”

He asked, “so, how did O’Neill take the news that you didn’t want another contract?”

I pulled the contract out of my bag, “I did sign a contract.”

Disappointment flooded his face as he saw the paper, “what? I thought you weren’t…”

I smiled, “I got him to agree to my terms, I can live here, and we can be together. I got him to take out that stupid morality clause and I told him about you.”

His eye went wide, “what? You told him about us?”

I nodded, “yes I did, I love you and now I don’t have to risk my job to be with you.”

I told Henry about everything that had happened during my stay in California, and about Gloria and Carl.

He smiled, “wow, I can’t believe it, we can really be together.”

I nodded, “yes, and I rented a small apartment so I would have a place to stay when I am working. I want you to come out with me, once in a while, whenever your schedule allows it.”

He gave me a kiss, “yes, I would like that too. What do we do now.”

I gave him a kiss, “we find an apartment here to rent.”

A week later, we were moving into our first place together. We finished unpacking and sat down to relax. I wrapped my arm around Herny and kissed his cheek.

He looked at me, “I still can’t believe this is actually happening.”

I smiled, “believe it, you are now stuck with me forever.”

We turned to each other and began to kiss, a few seconds later there was a trail of clothes from the couch to our bedroom. I fell on top of Henry as we continued to kiss and stroke each other’s hard cocks. We moved around so that we could suck each other, I would never tire of sucking Henry’s cock. I sucked and licked until his pole was coated in my saliva, I moved on to Henry’s plump full nuts, sucking them into my mouth, one at a time. I spit on my finger and worked it into his perfect pink pucker, Henry let out an approving moan, I added a second finger. He kept working on my cock as I worked his hole, he finally let my cock fall from his mouth and pushed me onto my back. Before I could react, he threw his leg over my waist and aimed my cock at his hole. He gave me a quick kiss then plunged down onto my swollen manhood. We smiled at each other as he started to bounce up and down, grunting every time he bottomed out and hit his sweet spot. I watched his perfect cock bounce and slap against my stomach on every stroke of my cock. He was leaking his clear liquid all over me, I scooped some up and brought it to my mouth, savoring the salty-sweet taste. He grinned at me, “you like that? Open your mouth, I have something better.”

I smiled as I opened my mouth, he reached up and gave his cock a few strokes. I pushed up into him as far as I could and he groaned as his cock started to squirt his semen across my chest and face, the second shot landing right on my tongue. The sight of Henry’s cock shooting his seed and his ass muscles contracting around my cock sent me over the edge. My cock exploded, sending my cream deep inside of his warm, tight, love tunnel. He collapsed on top of me as we caught our breath and our heart beats returned to normal.

We held each other as we came down from our euphoric high. I said, “I can definitely get used to this.”

He smiled, “me too.”

We lay there in silence for a few minutes.

Henry asked, “what did you tell your parents about moving into this apartment?”

I said, “I just told them I was moving to my own place, what did you tell yours?”

He shrugged, “the same thing.”

After another brief silence, I asked, “do you think we should tell them that we are living together?”

 

To be continued…