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“Can we talk about something— anything else?” I begged, leaning back in my seat, bare feet crossing at the ankles.

“Why are your feet pretty?” Lacey scoffed. Mercy, or annoyance? I wasn’t sure. “That’s just…not fair.”

I laughed, wiggling my toes at her just to see her scowl.

For a while we chatted about work. About her new job—and how quickly she was climbing the ranks. We talked about Mavis. About how much she loved being a mom, but how difficult she found juggling her career and being present for her daughter. She admitted that she didn’t think she’d ever leave Ohio. That our family’s help was the only reason she felt like she was succeeding at raising her daughter.

Which was…food for thought.

If I had children—hell, when I had children, because it was something I’d always wanted and couldn’t imagine not doing—I couldn’t imagine doing it entirely alone.

Missy would help. But judging by the dildo debacle I wasn’t sure I could trust her with my kids. Mr. Pickles was a different story. As fussy as he was, he needed far less active care than a small child would. Would it mean I’d need to move? My current apartment was small. Perfect for two adults—but a child? No.

Which meant even if she was willing to help, she wouldn’t be conveniently across the hallway.

I knew there were a lot of single parents out there. Like Lacey, for one. And that they managed every single day, somehow—like magic. But I couldn’t…fathom doing that. Being a dad—without my mom nearby.

Catching up with Lacey was nice. She was more calm than my mother, and more expressive than Joe and my dad. She was more curious about my work life than anyone else. Even going so far as to ask me questions about things I’d mentioned in passing at dinner that first night.

Alex came and found me a bit later. June had sobered up, which was good.

“She’s no longer allowed mimosas,” Alex said as he pulled me out of my seat next to Lacey. Like touching me was a natural thing to do, even in front of an audience. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me snug into him, his face buried in my neck, right where his bite marks still stung. Inhaling greedily, Alex’s big frame relaxed fraction by fraction.

“Everything okay?” I asked, hands suspended midair, not because I didn’t want to hug him back, but because we were being watched, and I’d never…wi th anyone else had to worry about PDA. I didn’t know what to do with it.

“Fine,” Alex sighed. “Just recharging.”

Just recharging.

Christ, that was cute.

As the night wore on and I remained Alex’s loyal assistant, running errands beside him, and hovering as much as he’d let me, I couldn’t help but face reality. I’d misjudged him. From that very first day, I’d thought him unserious and nonchalant. I’d assumed that nothing bothered him. That he was cocky and manipulative.

But that…couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Alex had to be the most genuine person I’d ever met. He was a hard worker. He cared . He noticed details about everyone, and everything. He used those details to set people at ease. To make them feel seen.

When he entered a room it brightened.

He took things seriously. Maybe too seriously. His blasé attitude was only there to hide the man beneath. A person who was so desperate to do right by everyone else, I wasn’t sure he ever stopped to take time to do right by himself.

His response to my compliment had been awkward at best. Like he didn’t know what to do with praise. Like it was foreign—even though it had no right to be.

We were similar in that way.

Mirrors of one another.

And yet, opposites in almost every other regard.

I was beginning to suspect that Alex’s flirty persona was nothing but a mask. Something he’d crafted to hide behind so that he wouldn’t get hurt. A way to disguise his “intensity” as a flirtatious joke, and not an integral part of who he was.

The idea that a man like Alex could be insecure was frankly absurd.

And yet…the more I complimented him, talking him up whenever I could, making sure the rest of the partygoers understood how brilliant he was—and th e more he shied away from it, the more certain I became that I was right.

I’d thought he’d offered to be my “practice boyfriend” because he felt sorry for me? At least, at first. Or because he wanted to get in my pants—which he had, and still stuck around. His motivations had been murky at best. I hadn’t understood why a man like him would need such a silly, ridiculous ploy just to be able to “spoil someone.”

But…as the night wore on, I couldn’t help but come to the conclusion that perhaps…the reason Alex had made the offer wasn’t because he felt pity for me, but because he was terrified of being vulnerable. Of letting someone see behind his walls.

Maybe this whole ploy had been just as beneficial for him as it had for me.

At present, we were down at the lake, playing a round of beer pong with Roderick. “We” as in Alex, because there was no way in hell I was playing a game that arbitrary. Alex was enjoying himself, gorging on pizza and teasing Roderick between bites about his “shitty aim.”

“Hope you’re not like that in bed,” Alex said around his mouthful.

Roderick chortled, tossed another “fish ball” across the water, and missed.

Alex flitted between both parties like a social butterfly.

Back and forth, back and forth, all night long.

Checking on things, checking on his sister, checking on Roderick, checking on the guests—the vendors—the food, the decorations. Arranging, managing, joking, flirting, dancing between worlds with his silver tongue at play.

If the sun were a person, it would be Alex. So full of light. Friendly. Exuberant. Enthusiastic.

I would’ve been envious of his social skills if I wasn’t so busy being in awe of him.

There wasn’t a single conversation he didn’t leave without making the person he was talking to smile at least once. When I was beside him, people smiled at me too—like I was an extension of his light, not a shadow following him around. He was charismatic and funny and genuinely so damn good at every single thing he did.

And yet, for some reason…every free moment we found, instead of basking in the attention he’d received, Alex’s eyes found mine.

He sought me out like he was drowning.

Like I was a life preserver.

The only thing keeping him afloat.

His smiles would soften, his walls collapsing.

The walks between parties were full of comfortable, wonderful silence. With me tucked against him, his face at my neck, and his deep, needy lungfuls of my scent.

Recharging.

I orbited him and he orbited right back.

More than once, on our trips between the lake and the bridesmaids’ cabin, we stole away into the woods. At first, I’d worried about animals, but Alex had assured me we’d be fine. Why I believed him? I had no idea.

But I did.

I trusted him to keep us safe.

Even in the dark—where anything could happen and you wouldn’t see it coming.

Even in the woods I’d always hated—but couldn’t anymore.

Not when thinking about trees reminded me of possessive kisses, all tongue, and teeth, and need . As the night wore on, Alex’s hands became greedier, handsier. His groping rougher, more pointed. Sometimes slipping inside my clothing to squeeze and grope my “tits”—and once, memorably, down the back of my pants where he could scrape his fingers over my hole, gentle and insistent, while he asked me how long it would take to get my pussy wet for him.

It was a game we both loved.

And every time he referred to my body like that—as pussy, or cunt, or other equally entertaining nicknames—it sent a thrill up my spine .

More exploration.

Feeling each other out.

Discovering, mutually, how delightful intimacy could be when truly authentic.

It was three in the morning by the time everything had wound down and we’d cleaned the bachelor party at the lake up. Drunk as they were, the party-goers had still managed to help clear the area of any trash. Now, they were gone, stolen off to take a turn at Juniper’s spa before the cleanup crew Alex had hired arrived in the morning to take it all away.

Which meant…Alex and I were alone. The stars danced above—reminding me of our picnic and the things that had transpired during it—as Alex and I transported the last bags of trash to the dumpster at the back of the boathouse. It was difficult to look at it without feeling the phantom slither of ropes around my wrists.

Everywhere I looked, I was reminded of Alex.

The path where we’d kissed, the tree we’d made out against. The boulder he’d groped my ass next to. The boathouse—for obvious, obvious reasons. Fizzles of heat buzzed through me at the reminder of what exactly had transpired in there.

It was heady—and overwhelming—and frankly fucking amazing .

“You tired, Duchess?” Alex asked. His beefy arms flexed as he yanked the lid for the dumpster open like it was easy. I knew for a fact that thing was heavy as hell. I tried not to swoon as his biceps bulged and the friendship bracelet dangled on his otherwise bare wrist, and wasn’t certain I managed. Clearing my throat, I tossed my bag in first. Alex arched a brow at me, amused. He was still wet from his dip in the lake—as he’d been the one who’d dragged all the loungers to shore.

“George?” Alex said, easily keeping the lid open as he threw his own bag in. “I know I’m pretty, but I asked you a question.”

My cheeks burned.

So he’d noticed the staring then .

“Are you tired, sweetheart?” Alex inquired again, softer this time.

“A bit,” I admitted, because I was. Even though I hadn’t done much talking myself, it’d still been a long, long night. Long enough that I didn’t even grimace when Alex used that godawful nickname. I was…maybe starting to like it.

I was tired.

I hated socializing and I’d just voluntarily done it for hours .

The night had been endless.

And yet—I didn’t want it to end.

“How do you feel about a shower?” I blurted, before I could stop myself.

“A shower?” There was a hint of teasing in Alex’s tone, and the spark in his eyes made it clear he knew what I was up to.

My mouth went dry.

My dick gave a feeble, needy twitch.

I swear to god, I’d been half hard all night—grateful for my cock’s size as it was far less obvious on me than it was on Alex.

“Correct. A shower. You know, for showering ,” I over-explained. “You’re…wet.”

“Not as wet as you, I’d bet,” Alex grinned.

I made a high-pitched sound, and he snickered.

The summer heat had a way of making all my clothing feel sticky.

I’d had to borrow yet another shirt from Joe—seeing as I’d run out of clothes from my backup backpack. Which was not…inspiring a lot of confidence. Me being…sticky. Alex being…covered in lake water?

Luckily for the both of us, he’d mostly dried off by the time we made the journey back up the hill.

We made a detour to the tent to grab clothing to change into. Alex, because he was nosy, noticed immediately that I had not grabbed a new shirt to wear. He frowned, his own suitcase wide open, a pile of designer t-shirts and pants arranged in neat squares.

God, even the way he packed his suitcase was sexy.

You are losing your mind, George .

Before he could open his mouth to ask, I saved him the trouble. “This is Joe’s,” I plucked at the hem of my too-large t-shirt with a frown. “I ran out of clean clothes. I wanted to do laundry but I’ve been busy—and my mom is always using the machines and so I’ve?—”

“Been borrowing clothes from Joe?” Alex frowned at me, offended. And then he chucked a shirt at me from his suitcase. I scrambled to catch it, nearly dropping it on the floor before I grabbed it just in time. “Hell no.”

“What?” I blinked, squinting down at the black t-shirt—so fucking soft to the touch—held in my grip.

“You’re not going to be walking around wearing some other guy’s clothes,” Alex grumbled, rising from his crouch.

“He’s not ‘some other guy’. He’s my brother ,” I deadpanned.

Alex shrugged, unrepentant. “Yeah, well, I’m your boyfriend.”

It did not escape my notice that Alex had omitted the “temporary” part. Which was…a first. And should not have filled me with the thrill it did. He’d only left it off to be dramatic. Not because he wanted something more from me. If he did, he would say something.

Alex’s shirt smelled like him. Like cologne, and laundry detergent. Unfortunately lacking the delicious musk of his sweat—but beggars couldn’t be choosers, and all that.

What in the hell was wrong with me?

Being disappointed I hadn’t been offered a sweaty shirt?

Who the hell was I?

“If you need to borrow clothes, you’ll be borrowing mine.” His tone left no room for argument. Alex gathered a pair of ill-fitting—for me, not him—boxer briefs and joggers from his suitcase. He didn’t chuck these at me. These he handed gently, making sure to invade my space as much as possible, as per usual.

When he pecked my cheek, the action nearly took my breath away.

So innocent, but intimate .

“Now, grab your toothbrush,” Alex commanded, retreating to his own corner for just that.

I grabbed my toothbrush. And… more than my toothbrush. Sliding the bottle of lube Alex had left in my backpack surreptitiously into the pile of clothing. I didn’t know where he’d gotten the bottle of lube in the first place, and truthfully, it didn’t matter. I was eager. And like him, I preferred to be prepared.

I’d initiated this.

The shower—that we both knew would lead to sex.

Which was something I’d never done.

As we made our way to the communal bathroom—because he was nosy—Alex couldn’t help but push. “Why did you only bring a tiny little backpack?”

Crickets were chirping, but otherwise, the world was eerily quiet.

“You don’t strike me as the kinda guy who comes unprepared,” Alex added, still talking. “That doesn’t seem like you at all.”

“My suitcase was, regrettably, lost,” I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I asked them to contact me, but as you know, my phone is still in your glove box.”

Alex took a second to reply. “So the backpack was…what? A backup bag in case your suitcase got lost—which it did?”

“Correct.”

“That is either genius-level of preparation, or paralyzing paranoia.”

“Things have a way of biting me in the ass,” I replied. “I’ve learned to…circumvent that.” Like the dildo—RIP Neil. Like the snake in the creek. Like my family’s matchmaking efforts—though admittedly, the ass-biting from that was far more pleasant.

“Oh.” Alex processed this. “What about a suit for the wedding? Are you going to wear what you had on at the airport?”

Fuck.

I’d nearly forgotten.

How was that possible ?

“Absolutely not. That is casual linen. Not wedding appropriate.” I kicked at a rock, and Alex caught my elbow, twisting me to look at him. “I figured I’d ask Joe to take me to Columbus at some point to find something. I’d rather not look like a schmuck at your sister’s wedding. I would’ve gone earlier but I got…distracted.” By Alex.

Alex’s eyes held no guile. “I’d be happy to take you suit shopping.”

“You’re busy. I don’t want to inconvenience you.“

“Baby, you’re not an inconvenience.” Alex laughed, like I was being delightful and not an anxious ball of stress. “I need to head to Columbus anyway. I’m picking up my dad. You could come with me? We could leave tomorrow…or should I say, today? Considering the hour. What do you say? Shall we make it a date?” Alex kept talking, but I was stuck on the fact that he’d just invited me on a date.

A formal date.

“Dinner could be something fancy—” Alex tacked on, getting excited. “There’s this Italian place I fucking love. Best lasagna I’ve ever had. Oh shit! And the ice rink. I wanna take you there—and no, I won’t ask you to kiss my hockey skates.” Thank God he’d listened when I said I wouldn't. Kissing his napkin had been weird enough.

“I’ll fall on my face.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it.” Alex winked. “Some of the guys will probably be around—my team,” he added unnecessarily. “I could introduce you. Bet they’d like you—and get a kick out of me bringing a date.” Alex launched into a rant, informing me that the “rest of the guys” were “nice.” That he’d actually met Roderick because he was on the team too. He was convinced that everyone was bound to love me.

I highly doubted that.

But the sentiment was nice.

“Shit, Georgie, this would be so fun! We could get a hotel—something fancy. Yeah, fuck . I wanna knock your proverbial socks off. Okay. Okay . Yes. I am very into this plan. Leave tomorrow, take you on a date, spend the night—then pick my dad up the following morning and bring him here.” Alex looked genuinely rejuvenated at the prospect of taking me to the city and impressing me.

No one had ever?—

No one had?—

I didn’t know what to say.

“I’ll buy your suit, obviously,” he added at last, finally realizing he’d gone off on somewhat of a tangent. “As well as whatever else you want. That diamond collar? Fuck yeah.”

“I can buy my own suit,” I interrupted, sharper than intended. Alex paused, watching me warily like he wasn’t sure what to say. Immediately, I felt bad. It’d been a long time since I’d genuinely snapped at him.

I hadn’t meant to.

I was just…overwhelmed.

And a little lost.

Because the more time we spent together the closer our end date became.

I sucked in a breath, “Sorry, I just…you…”

“Too much?” Alex’s smile was sad, and I hated that I’d caused him to make that face. “My bad?—”

I reached out for him, tangling my fingers with his and squeezing. Squeezing with all my fucking might, hoping the pressure would break through the walls I could see steadily rising since I’d made that stupid-ass comment.

“No, you’re perfect.” Alex squeezed back, walls crumbling again. His blue eyes were open once more, something tremulous and wary inside them, like he was desperate for me to explain—uneasy, in a way he rarely was. “I didn’t mean to get snappy. I just…you realize you’re offering me a lot right now, right? And I already told you that no one’s ever—I…”

Fuck, pull yourself together, George.

“Suffice to say…It’s not too much.” I swallowed the lump in my throat, well aware that I wasn’t just talking about the goddamn suit. “It’s perfect. Really .”

So perfect it doesn’t feel real.

“Yeah?” Alex perked right back up, chest puffing out as he nodded. “I’ll double-check with June, but I doubt she’ll care if I leave earlier than planned. She’ll probably throw a condom at me and tell me to have fun if I explain I’m leaving so I can take you out.”

I laughed, unable to help myself.

Alex’s answering grin was so fucking sunny it nearly blinded me. He always responded like that when I laughed. Like he loved it. Even though I sounded like a goddamn pterodactyl and I knew it.

“As long as you’re certain it won’t mess anything up for either of you,” I said. “I’m in.”

“It won’t.”

I felt bad leaving my family behind when the reason I’d come to Roderick’s wedding was to spend time with them. But…then again, I knew they were all ridiculously invested in me bonding with Alex, so I figured there was no need to stress. My family was just as likely to throw a condom at us.

I didn’t need to ask to know they’d much rather I go suit shopping with Alex than with one of them.

I’d been so mad at them for instigating this—but now I only felt gratitude.

Without that…I wouldn’t be where I was now.

“I’m certain.” Alex nodded. “One-hundred percent sure a little detour won’t affect June and Roderick’s pending nuptials .”

I smacked his shoulder.

He cackled.

We’d reached the bathroom, and he paused just outside the doors, listening to make sure we were alone. No one was around. Only crickets. Only the stars. Only the soft grass underfoot, compressing with our every step.

“You don’t need to worry about anything,” Alex tacked on as he pushed the door open. “I’ll take care of it all.” I trailed after him, the rest of the world cut off as the door swung shut, enclosing us in the dark space.

Alex flipped the light switch on.

He pressed into my space, forcing me against the door with his body. Around me, he reached out to lock it, the click it made sending sparks up and down my spine. The wood was solid supporting my back, cool, and yet I still felt feverish.

I bit my lip.

The thick, sticky heat of him made me feel small —but in a pleasant way. Protected. Like he’d use his bulk to keep the danger away, not harm me.

The communal bathroom was completely empty. Which was unsurprising. I was pretty sure by this point even the drunkest of the bachelor party were passed the fuck out. We were the only people awake aside from the bugs and critters?—

And fuck, I needed to not think about them if I was going to have a good time.

And I wanted to…have a good time, that is.

With Alex.

Here.

Alex’s grin was wicked as he yanked me away from the door. He flipped me so my back was to the showers, and with a hand on my chest, began to walk me backward toward them. My heart beat double-time. On his way past the sink he deposited our clothing. The lube slipped out of its hiding place in my pile, falling to the floor with a clatter.

Alex cocked his head to the side. His hand was still on my chest, holding me in place with a silent command. He removed it as he bent over, retrieving the bottle with a shake of his dark hair and a chuckle that made the hair on my arms stand on end.

When he held up the bottle of lube his eyes were dancing.

“Now, Georgie…” Alex clucked his tongue, “if I didn’t know any better I’d think you invited me in here so you could have your wicked way with me.”

I flushed, but didn’t deny it .

I wasn’t innocent.

It didn’t feel right to go a whole day without touching him. Like something was fundamentally wrong. I felt safe enough with him to initiate sex—which was something I’d never done with Brendon.

He’d called the shots.

He’d decided when, where, how, and how long.

Christ—maybe Alex was right. I really needed to stop thinking about Brendon.

Alex blinked, watching my face with mild surprise. Maybe he’d expected me to contest the truth of his words, and when I hadn’t, he… fuck . An evil smirk curled his lips. “Really?” he said, moving again. He reached out, using his free hand to gently, but firmly, steer me backward into a shower stall. “How naughty of you.”

Alex pressed me into the chilly tile of the back wall in the shower. His hand slid up my chest to my throat, gently holding me still.

“ Alex ,” I whined, annoyed that this was not at all going the way I’d expected it to.

“What?” Alex moved his hand from my neck to flick my ear. “Am I teasing you too much?” The sting made me jump, but made my dick twitch too. “You thought we’d come in here…you’d be all suave, pull out the lube, and seduce me?”

That was exactly what I’d thought would happen.

“It was a good plan,” I complained—though my ire was lessened by Alex’s delight. “And you ruined it.”

“You’re right,” Alex purred, lips skimming my jaw as his body moved to bracket mine. The tile was chilly against my damp t-shirt, forcing it to stick to my skin. He was the one who had been in the lake—and yet, he felt drier than I did. “That was mean of me. Should I let you try again?”

“Try…again?”

Leisurely, deliberately , Alex stepped back, out of my space. He handed me the bottle of lube. It felt foreign in my grasp. I stared at it, heart racing .

“I’m a top,” Alex husked. “But if you want to dominate me, baby, be my guest.”

And then he slid to his knees at my feet, cold tile be damned.

And now it was my turn to short-circuit.