Reluctant Groom by Allyson Young

Author:Allyson Young
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, gay, anthology, lgbt, contemporary, arranged marriage, antho
Publisher: Evernight

Chapter Two

Marcus smiled when he arrived home to find Alex sitting on his doorstep. He pulled into the detached garage and took his time getting out, even standing by the door and watching it until it finished closing. He hadn’t heard anything from Alex all week, though he’d had several conversations with Thomas and Louis. “Hope you’re ready for the party tomorrow night,” Marcus said as he came to stand in front of Alex. He extended his hand to help the younger man stand up.

Alex remained seated. “Will you really call off the deal if I don’t go through with this?”

“Come inside and talk to me. Please.”

“Answer my question.”

“The way you answered mine last Sunday?”

Alex stood. “What do you want from me?”

Marcus shook his head and moved past him. “Not a great listener, are you?” He opened the door and gestured for Alex to come inside. “I want the handsome, intelligent young man I met last Sunday to go out with me again. I want it so bad I’m willing to do anything to make it happen.”

Alex thrust his hands into his pockets and went inside.

Marcus shut the door and went into the kitchen. “Would you like something to drink?”

Alex came to stand in the kitchen doorway. “Water.”

“Sparkling okay? I think it’s green tea with citrus.”

“Sure.”

Marcus pulled out two chilled cans and then got a couple of glasses down. He felt Alex watching him as he added ice, poured each water, and then tossed the cans in the recycling bin. Alex stared at the blue bin as if he’d never seen one before. Marcus had noticed Alex had a tendency to fix his gaze on a single object when he was trying to work something out in his head. He slid one glass across the counter. “Here you go.”

“Thanks,” Alex said, coming up to the counter but not picking the glass up.

“Something wrong?”

“You live in a normal house. No servants. Your car is nice but just … normal.”

“What were you expecting?”

“Stuff like we used to have. Maids and cooks and multiple cars. Dozens of bedrooms. Rooms you don’t even use.”

“I have three bedrooms, and I use one of them as a home office. One car plus a truck for hauling things. I didn’t grow up with money. But that’s good because it’s easier to hold on to it that way. I buy expensive suits and throw lavish parties for business, not to show off.”

Alex picked up his glass and took a long sip. “How did we talk for so long and not say anything about our families?”

“I don’t know. The thing I remember most is wanting to keep you talking.”

Alex took another long sip and then stared down into the glass.

“You want dinner? We could order in or go somewhere. I have frozen pizzas for days I feel lazy.”

“You seem to be on top of everything. When do you ever feel lazy?”

Marcus smiled. “All the time.”

“I could eat a slice,” Alex said after a long pause.

“Coming right up.” Marcus set the oven to preheat and opened the freezer.

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