The 17-Year-Old Itch

By M.J. O'Shea

Coconut Cove: Book Four

An old conflict boils up behind the scenes of Coconut Cove.

The popular show is about to start filming its second season, and Tony Adams is happy to return to sunny Key West and his role as innocent Joey… mostly. Being back on set also means facing Casey. They had indulged in a scorching behind-the-scenes tryst during season one, but it ended in heartache for Tony. It still hurts.

When they return to Key West, nothing has changed. Casey takes his role as hot dad a little too far and can’t seem to remember that Tony isn’t the teenager he plays on TV. Tony’s tired of being Casey’s dirty little secret—he’s more than man enough for a real adult romance—and draws a line in the sand. Either Casey acknowledges him and their relationship publicly, or he’s calling it off between them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
• Release date: Aug 17, 2018
• ISBN: 9781640804593

Book preview

Table of Contents

Blurb

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Coconut Cove

More from M.J. O’Shea

About the Author

By M.J. O’Shea

Visit Dreamspinner Press

Copyright

The 17-Year-Old Itch

By M.J. O’Shea

Coconut Cove: Book Four

An old conflict boils up behind the scenes of Coconut Cove.

The popular show is about to start filming its second season, and Tony Adams is happy to return to sunny Key West and his role as innocent Joey… mostly. Being back on set also means facing Casey. They had indulged in a scorching behind-the-scenes tryst during season one, but it ended in heartache for Tony. It still hurts.

When they return to Key West, nothing has changed. Casey takes his role as hot dad a little too far and can’t seem to remember that Tony isn’t the teenager he plays on TV. Tony’s tired of being Casey’s dirty little secret—he’s more than man enough for a real adult romance—and draws a line in the sand. Either Casey acknowledges him and their relationship publicly, or he’s calling it off between them.

Chapter One

TV Tiffany here with the latest goss from the small screen, y’all! I’ve missed my Tiffers while I was away for my long awaited vacay in the tropics, but I’m back and better than ever, and do I have news for you!!

Everyone knows I have a soft spot for our favorite primetime teen drama Coconut Cove. Notice how I left the gay part out? I did because who are we kidding? We all watch it. Anyway, here’s the buzz for season two. I don’t know about you guys, but I can’t wait! I’m ready for summer to be over. Rumors off the set say that Mack and Kelly are on the outs. How!?!?! I can’t even handle life if those two aren’t together. Things are heating up on-screen for Robbie and Joey. Hopefully Joey can help Robbie tame his bad boy ways. Ryder is still single and very fabulous and fashionable. Maybe he’ll land Mack now that Kelly’s broken his heart. And poor Charlotte and Brooke. Will they never find romance in this hotbed of boylove? Maybe they’ll get smart and hook up with each other! They can coordinate their Dolce sunglasses and Louis Vuitton bags. Just a suggestion, ladies ;)

I’m off to finish perfecting my tan before a season of serious television blogging commences. Time to get ready!

Xoxo

Tiff

HEY.

Hi. Tony nearly choked on his spit. God, he’s gorgeous.

They’d just walked out of one of the first meetings with the cast members who’d been contracted so far, and Tony was a bit overwhelmed. Huge part in an ensemble cast was a long way from shilling crappy jeans on a twenty second prime-time spot or student in blue shirt, as he was credited in his last role. His general feeling of freaking the hell out didn’t need the addition of the most gorgeous guy in the room talking to him, of all people.

What’s your name again? It was pretty full-on in there.

Tony got a shy smile and a slight laugh, and he thought he might melt into the sea of bland corporate carpet beneath his feet. It was like the casting director was psychic or something and had probed into Tony’s brain to find the guy in LA, no the earth, that he’d be most attracted to and offered him a contract.

T-Tony. Sorry.

He grinned. His grin was beautiful, and it crinkled the sides of his eyes just a bit. Don’t be sorry. I’m Casey. Nice to meet you.

Casey. Tall, built, looked like he spent his days on a surfboard. Tony wanted to run his hands over the abs he knew were barely hiding under that thin, threadbare T-shirt.

Casey of the tall, gorgeous surfer body raked his fingers through his sun-bleached curls. He must’ve noticed Tony staring, because he grinned wryly. They’re gonna make me cut it, I think. I have to look like a dad now.

Oh. Um. Get it together. Sorry? Tony felt like he was choking on simple syllables. Wait, dad?

At the most, he figured hot teacher. This dude couldn’t be playing the father of a teenager.

Yeah, I’m going to be one of Mack’s dads. I auditioned for Joey’s dad originally, I think, but they decided to have me audition for a more central role. Looks like I got lucky.

Good thing. That would’ve been pretty awkward since I’d imagine I look like I want to take your clothes off.

Tony knew his parents were rarely on-screen, at least in the treatments he’d been given, so it was probably a very good thing for Casey anyway.

Joey. That’s me. We were almost related, but it wasn’t meant to be.

Casey chuckled. Not this time.

I guess a major role is worth a haircut, then, isn’t it? Did that sound like flirting? I hope it didn’t sound like flirting.

Casey raked his hands through his hair with another grin, almost protectively. Definitely. Hey, I don’t want to pay for another hour of parking, so I’m going to get out of here, but I’ll see you soon, right?

Yeah, Tony said. See you in Key West.

Universal Studios, Los Angeles

HE’D BEEN there all summer, and Tony Adams, brand-new star just off his first season of Coconut Cove, still hadn’t gotten used to LA. The days were dry and bright, with none of the pregnant, tropical humidity of Key West. Instead he could nearly see the waves of oven-hot afternoon sun rise from the pavement. The Hollywood Hills soared in the distance, and Tony thought if he sniffed hard enough he could possibly smell the Pacific, but somehow he was still sitting right in the middle of Greenwich Village. Sort of. It wasn’t quite right, obviously. There was something a little too perfect in the artful weathering of the fake stones, the trees were missing, everything was awfully… square. There wasn’t that feeling of life seeping out of the streets after generations of love and family and hate. It didn’t feel real. It wasn’t real. Nothing in LA was.

Tony had never felt comfortable in Hollywood, but it was okay, because he didn’t really expect to. There was something about it that hadn’t ever rubbed him the right way. Maybe the baseline norm to be hot and ripped-out and, well, hot, didn’t quite match with his… his anything. He’d never look like Christian Bale or Hugh Jackman. Hell, he’d never look like most of his costars either. Cutter had the ripped-out hot thing going on; Blair might as well be on a runway. Tony was just cute.

Cute.

Fuck cute.

Tony sighed and sipped his sugar-free vanilla latte, a little weird in the middle of his surroundings. He was on a fake New York City stoop on the Universal Studios lot, dressed in fake turn-of-the-century gear—uncomfortable itchy wool pants, button-up, vest, and leather shoes. Give him a hat and he might as well be in Newsies. He thought it was probably the same buildings that movie was shot in, anyway. Maybe thinking Christian Bale was a given. He’d always had a thing for older guys, hadn’t he? He definitely had a thing for older guys.

No. No older guys. Stop.

Tony winced and pushed the thought away. Along with it, he tried to get rid of flashes of warm skin, the smell of sunscreen and cologne, and kisses that lit his blood on fire. He wasn’t successful. He hadn’t been all summer.

One of his costars walked by in a corset and a long dress. He realized he probably shouldn’t feel too sorry for himself with his uncomfortable, hot costume. The women had it far worse. It was over eighty on the