Alex wanted to tear their clothes off and bend over the island for Marcus. He couldn’t get the image out of his head. Marcus still had a hold of his right wrist, but Alex’s left hand was free. He traced the outline of Marcus’s cock with his fingers. “Maybe if I cooperate a little more, you could keep that stuff to a minimum?”

  “Cooperate?” Marcus smiled. “Baby, just say you want me. Say you like me.”

  “I don’t fuck men I don’t like. You know I like you. That has nothing to do with whether or not we’ll work out.”

  “Liking each other certainly helps.”

  Alex continued to tease Marcus through his trousers, waiting for him to take charge the way he had Sunday morning. He looked up, expecting Marcus to kiss him.

  “If you want to play with my cock, do it. If you want me to fuck you, say the words.” Marcus let go of him and backed away. “We’re both too old to play games.”

  Alex tilted his head. “Which is why you made up an elaborate story to trick me into a fake engagement.” He adjusted his pants and leaned against the island, crossing his arms. “We should just fuck until we get it out of our systems.”

  Marcus came over and pinned him to the island. “Sounds good to me. It’ll take a couple of decades, at least.”

  Alex rolled his eyes and shook his head.

  “Maybe instead of rolling your eyes and being flippant, you should cooperate more.”

  A shiver ran up Alex’s spine. “Do I get what I want when I cooperate?”

  Marcus backed up and unzipped his pants. He drew his cock out and stroked it. “You want to suck me off. I don’t know why you want to do it this way, but I want your mouth on me so bad I don’t care.” He reached out and ran two fingers over Alex’s lips. “Get down on your knees and I’ll keep tomorrow night as quiet as possible. No one but your father and brother have any idea there’s gonna be an announcement tomorrow night. We’ll let the reporters do their own digging.”

  Alex hit his knees and licked the head of Marcus’s cock. “I never said I didn’t want to suck you.” He swirled his tongue around the head again. “Just following your example and doing whatever I can to get my way.” He opened his mouth and took half the shaft in.

  Marcus moaned and reached out to steady himself by gripping the island. Alex kept his pace steady and slowly took more of the shaft into his mouth. Marcus’s breathing told him exactly what to do, and he looked up when he felt the man trembling. Marcus had his eyes closed, and his free hand massaged Alex’s neck.

  Why does he have to be so gorgeous?

  Alex took the head down his throat and worked his tongue along the underside. Marcus moaned and gripped the back of Alex’s head, thrusting his hips and fucking Alex’s mouth in a way that had Alex moaning as well. He began to swallow as soon as the cum burst onto his tongue. They were both trembling in the end, and he had to reach for the island to pull himself up. Marcus kissed him hungrily, pressing him close and cupping his face with surprising tenderness. Marcus reached down to touch him, but Alex backed away.

  “I’ll come in my jeans if you do that,” he said. Much as he hated to admit how close he was just from sucking Marcus off, he didn’t want to go home in cum-stained pants.

  Marcus dropped to his knees and had Alex’s cock free in no time. The man went slow, but Alex still came in less than a minute. Marcus had to hold him up against the island as he shook from his release. Alex could hear his heart pounding as he looked down. Marcus licked his cock clean and then tucked him away before lifting his shirt and placing soft kisses on his stomach. When Marcus stood up, he tucked his own cock away before going over to the sink to wash his hands. As Marcus dried his hands, Alex washed his as well, feeling the man’s gaze burning into him. He took the cloth from Marcus and dried his hands. Turning back to the island, he took his time hanging the hand towel up.

  “Can you stay for a movie?” Marcus asked.

  Alex turned back to him. “Sure, but I can’t spend the night. You implied we hadn’t had sex, so I don’t want anything I do to make it seem otherwise.”

  “Just don’t want them to know?”

  Alex nodded. “We don’t talk about that stuff. Not in a good way, at least.”

  Marcus pointed to a swinging door. “Living room is in there. Pick something out. Pizza should be ready in about ten minutes.”

  “Okay.” He paused with his hand on the door. Looking back, he said, “I’m not saying being married to you would be a bad thing. But I’m not doing that unless I’m in love. Unless I’m sure. I like you. I want you. But that’s it. Okay?”

  “Whatever you say,” Marcus said with a warm smile.

  Alex nodded and then went into the living room. As he sat down on the couch and reached for the remote, he glanced back at the kitchen door. He could hear Marcus humming. Ten seconds ago, he’d felt as if he’d won their argument. But as he turned the television on, he knew he’d lost. He focused on the screen, telling himself he’d decide how he felt about that later.

  Chapter Three

  Marcus pulled Alex close and smiled for another picture. Though he’d kept his promise, it seemed Thomas had spread the word that there would be a big announcement at this party. Most of Marcus’s mixers only attracted one or two reporters at most, and they typically only stayed long enough to eat, take a few pictures, and jot down a quick list of the biggest names there. Alex turned away and headed for one of the doors that led out to the balcony. Marcus followed him and leaned on the railing beside him.

  “Ballroom too warm?”

  “No. Too crowded.” Alex glanced back over this shoulder and then leaned in. “There are over a hundred people in there.”

  “It is a bigger turnout than usual, but everyone will move on and forget about us in a couple of days.”

  “People at school will see the pictures. I’ll probably be tagged all over social media.”

  “Deactivate your accounts.”

  “I can’t do that. It would be like standing in the middle of the quad on campus with a sign saying I have something to hide.”

  “Then untag yourself. Make your profiles private. Restrict your audience or permissions or whatever it is you do.” Marcus shrugged. “I don’t have any of that stuff. My firm does, but I don’t.”

  “My friends are going to have so many questions.”

  “They know you’re gay?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are there any special friends who are gonna be surprised?”

  Alex glanced up at him for a long time. “No,” he said, looking down at the street below.

  Curious about that pause, Marcus asked, “Is there a friend who’s special to you? Someone you wish would be jealous or surprised?”

  That brought a slight smile to Alex’s face. “What’re you gonna do if I say yes?”

  “Be jealous and possessive and kiss you in front of someone with a camera. Maybe even twirl you around and dip you before I do it, just to make sure people are watching. I can’t dance, but I think I could manage that.”

  Alex burst out laughing, and Marcus had to smile when it became clear he was having trouble stopping. As Alex wiped tears away, Marcus took him by the shoulders. Alex sobered, but not in time to stop Marcus from coming in for a kiss. It was chaste enough, but Alex still turned pink.

  “You’re a lunatic,” Alex said.

  “And it’s all your fault.” Marcus let him go and looked back inside. “Not sure if anyone got a shot of that. Guess we’ll find out tomorrow.” He took out his cell phone. “I may need to log into some of the company accounts so I can keep an eye out. Want to make sure I get copies.”

  Alex grabbed Marcus’s phone and shoved it back into his coat pocket. “Leave it. You’ve done enough damage.”

  “Damage? Your father and brother look happy, and this is great publicity for our partnership. That’s how we’re going to frame it. We were going for a softer announcement before to avoid speculation among those who didn’t know the company was having issues, but I think something bolder will restore people’s faith and perhaps even attract new clients. Plus, we look amazing together.”

  “Do we?”

  “Yes. I think so. You’re blond and fair, and I’m tan with darker hair. I bet your eyes really stand out when you’re standing next to me.” Marcus reached over and straightened Alex’s tie. “This blue probably helps bring them out, too.”

  “If you say so,” Alex said, looking a bit overwhelmed by the compliment. He cleared his throat and focused his gaze on a potted plant by the door.

  Marcus took him by the chin and made him look back. “You’re very handsome, and you look nice tonight. And I feel like I look ten years younger.”

  “How do you figure that?”

  “Because I’m happy. Even if I am crazy. Even if you’re still holding back. And even if you walk away in three months. Right now, I’m happy.”

  Alex shook his head slowly, though he did eventually smile. “It’s like riding a rollercoaster with you. A rollercoaster made out of bits and pieces of five different rollercoasters.”

  Marcus moved closer and lowered his voice. “And you love it. You resist when I’m aggressive and you panic when I’m sweet, but you love both.”

  “Love? You’re pretty confident.”

  “More like pretty observant.”

  Alex’s jaw clenched as he scanned the room. “I’m gonna find my dad and tell him no more photos.”

  “Okay, baby.” He kissed Alex’s cheek. “Don’t be gone too long.”

  “Would you stop that?” Alex said in a low voice.

  “No. I’m the model fiancé, and the world will love it even if you claim you don’t.”

  Alex licked his lower lip and opened his mouth to reply, but he quickly shut it and walked back inside.

  Marcus took a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and turned back to watch the traffic below.

  “I can tell how much he likes you, but I think all of this was a bit too much for him. He’s good in front of a classroom, but he doesn’t like attention anywhere else.”

  Marcus turned to find Louis Zane approaching him. “There aren’t usually this many people at my quarterly mixers. Lots of people have open invitations, but most of the time it’s some of my close friends and maybe twenty to thirty clients.”

  Louis exhaled loudly. “Dad wasted no time telling anyone and everyone about this. Most probably thought the announcement was about our team up, though.”

  “We’ll throw another party for that. Invitation only.”

  Louis’s jaw clenched, and Marcus smiled because it reminded him of Alex. Louis had more red overtones in his blond hair, but their eyes were nearly identical. “Dad will dress me down for saying this, but you are too old for Alex. I don’t want to see him hurt. He has so much to learn about life, and he’s great with his students. I want him to be able to go wherever he needs to in order to have the job he wants. You’re settled here. All I can see is him being unhappy.”

  “Tell him that. Let him know you care.”

  Louis narrowed his eyes. “You’re not gonna try to convince me not to?”

  “He’s grown, even if he is young.”

  “He’ll get angry at me if say anything. Everything I do and say rubs him the wrong way, but I’m always trying to look out for him.” He gripped the railing and closed his eyes. “Dad and I have been stressed, and Alex is working so hard in school. When we aren’t all ignoring each other, we’re bickering.” He opened his eyes and looked over at Marcus. “I was a dick to him Monday night. I thought the deal was off. Thought Alex had done something wrong. I was so stunned I didn’t even think of apologizing.”

  “Then go apologize now. Offer your congratulations and say you’re sorry.”

  “You make it sound easy.”

  “My little sister is twenty-three years younger than me. You think that’s easy?”

  Louis gave him a half smile. “How’s your blood pressure? I saw her with you at that fundraiser last Christmas. She looks just like your mother.” Louis raised a self-conscious hand to his thinning hair. “She certainly gave you and your sister great hair.”

  Marcus ran a hand through his dark curls. “You’d change your mind if you woke up with it every day. If I don’t keep it short, I look like a 1970s throwback.”

  Louis laughed.

  Marcus smiled and then looked back into the ballroom, his gaze searching for Alex.

  “I probably owe you an apology, too. Can’t remember anything too clearly, if I’m honest.”

  “It’s fine.”

  “Nice of you to say. And I’m not apologizing for being protective, mind you. But I shouldn’t have asked about … well … that part of your relationship. Especially not in from of him and Dad.”

  “If Victoria brought home a forty-two-year-old man, I wouldn’t be asking questions. I’d be opening a window and dropping him out of it.”

  Louis laughed again.

  Marcus laughed as well. He’d never seen much of Louis’s personality until tonight, and he thought they might end up getting along pretty well. That was, as long as Louis never found out the truth about how his relationship with Alex had started. When he looked up again, Marcus caught Alex watching him and held his glass up in a salute. Alex turned away, and Marcus returned his gaze to Louis, who was studying him with a puzzled look on his face.

  “Guess there’s no going back now. The news will be everywhere tomorrow.” After a long pause, he said, “But if he gets cold feet … you have to let him go.”

  “He knows I will. I promised, in fact.”

  Louis blinked a couple of times. “You did?”

  “Yes. I know we’re very different, and I know how the age difference could complicate things. I’m not deluding myself.”

  “I hope not.” He glanced at Alex. “I don’t know you that well, but I don’t want to see him hurt you either.”

  Marcus held Louis’s gaze. “He’s worth the risk.”

  “Must be nice to find someone like that,” Louis said, walking away without giving Marcus a chance to reply. He watched Louis winding through the crowd before looking around for Alex again.

  Tonight probably was too much for him. I’ll have to think of a way I can make it up to him.

  He smiled when he caught sight of Alex, and a plan began forming in his head as he went back inside and made his way over to his tentative groom.

  ****

  Alex jerked awake, blinking as his eyes tried to focus on the images dancing in front of him. He sat up and realized his head had been resting on Marcus’s leg. He gave the other man an apologetic look. “Guess I missed most of the movie.”

  “Only about thirty minutes. Doesn’t matter.” Marcus paused the movie and turned toward him. “I thought you were getting frisky when I felt you sliding onto me, but then I realized you were asleep. I moved over a bit so your head could rest in my lap. You must’ve been pretty tired.”

  Alex rubbed his eyes. “Yeah. I slept in a bit after the party last night, and I had lots to do today.”

  “You didn’t have to come over, baby.”

  Alex wanted to tell Marcus to stop calling him that, but he’d let it go on so long he felt it would be a losing battle. It’s not so bad when we’re alone. “I wanted to. I need to make myself take breaks. Unwind. Only takes me fifteen minutes to get here. Less if I come from campus.”

  “I’ll always understand if you need to focus on school. I worked while I was getting my bachelor’s and my MBA, and I spent most of my time at home sleeping.”

  “Where did you go to school?”

  Marcus smiled. “I went to Southern, too. Graduated seventeen years ago.”

  Alex did the math in his head. “You were twenty-five. Did you work full-time?”

  “Close. I did retail and food service at first. Then the campus bookstore. Ran errands and did research for a marketing firm during the MBA. Twenty-five hours a week most of the time. My parents were landscapers, and they had associate’s degrees from state schools. They had good jobs and always provided for me, but they wanted me to go as far as I wanted to go. And I couldn’t let them wear themselves out doing it alone.”

  “I didn’t have a job or anything until my senior year. I kind of fell backward into a tutoring job in the writing center. I’m a really good writer, and I worked with the freshman comp students. But my majors were education and mathematics, with minors in biology and chemistry.”

  Marcus’s eyes went wide. “Double major and double minor? Shouldn’t they just give you a master’s?”

  Alex laughed. “That would help. But the grad-level education classes are tailored more to your specialty. And the practicums help prepare you for what you’ll actually be doing.”

  “What subject do you want to teach?”

  “I’d be happy teaching any science or math course, but my real goal is a full-time job at the McGregor Institute.” He paused and then asked, “You know what that is?”

  “Sort of. I think we made a donation last year. It’s some kind of STEM center, isn’t it?”

  “Yes. Right now, I tutor for four hours one day a week. But when my internship begins in the fall, I’ll be teaching actual classes. The internship is the best way to get a leg up on being hired.”

  “What age do you work with?”

  “Junior high right now.”

  “I’m not good with kids.”

  Alex shrugged. “Lots of people think that. But they’re just people. In some ways, they’re easier to deal with because they’re blunt and honest.”

  “You never have issues?”

  “Oh, we have issues. Some days, they don’t want to work. Or they’re tired. Or distracted. But the tutoring has helped me learn how to talk to kids. Most of them like me.”

  “Louis said you’re good in the classroom.”

  Alex opened his mouth but then shut it again. After a few seconds, he asked, “When did he say that?”

  “At the party last night.”

  “What else did you two talk about?”

  “Answer my question first.”

  Alex tilted his head. “You didn’t ask one. You said Louis told you I was good in the classroom.”