Max’s head pounded from all of the bullshit he’d been dealing with during the suit fitting. Now, after only having a few minutes to himself, he was standing face-to-face with Serena. She’d caught him on his way to his bedroom, and he should have known from the gleam in her eyes that this encounter wasn’t going to bode well for him. If it had been anyone other than the bride-to-be making this particular request, he’d have hopped a plane back to Toronto. Max closed his eyes and counted to three before responding. “What do you mean we have to go to a country club?”
“We’re having a prewedding party. You have to come.” She crossed her arms and grinned in a way that shouted to the world she was up to no good. “It will be a great chance for you to meet the family. People will expect Grady’s fiancé to be there so they can be introduced.” She winked as a maid walked by them. “Think of it as ripping off a bandage.”
“Oh well gee, I can’t wait to go now.” Max rolled his eyes for good measure. “Grady didn’t mention this.”
“You expect him to remember a detail that isn’t about him?” Serena shrugged. “You know what he’s like.”
Max didn’t, but she knew that as well. It grated to hear someone who apparently cared for him speak so callously of his nature. “You’d be surprised by what he does for others.”
Serena waved his comment away. “It won’t be that bad. Dress shirt and pants, maybe a tie. There will be booze and food, and I even have a DJ coming. The old people will wander away to do whatever they do and we’ll be able to have fun.” Her excitement rolled off her in waves. “If you don’t come, then Grady won’t come, and that will just cause a fight with his father.”
“That seems to be a common occurrence.”
Serena looked around, her carefree demeanor fading. “Yeah. When we moved in together, I never really believed Lincoln when he said his family had issues. I mean, everyone gets into rows with people they love, yeah? But their dad, he’s closed himself off. Apparently, he wasn’t this bad before their mum passed. Not great, but not this harsh.”
Max had so many questions about Grady’s mom, about what had happened that had sent this family into a death spiral. It had never seemed right to ask Grady details that were far too personal for a near-stranger to know.
Serena cocked her head to the side. “He’s never talked about his mum?”
“No.”
“Suicide. Lincoln doesn’t talk much about it. He was in England when it happened. He was devastated, but didn’t seem surprised. Grady was here, but was seeing events through the eyes of a youth. You know how that colors the world around you.”
Max nodded, thinking back to the events that led up to his parents’ temporary separation. “You see only what they want you to see.”
Serena smiled, the light coming back into her eyes. “Look. I wasn’t sure what to think when Grady said he knew a guy to pull this little scheme off, but I have to admit that I like you.” She took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. “Come to the party. It’s the last big thing that we need to worry about before the wedding. You’d really be doing us a huge favor.”
Grady came into the kitchen, no longer wearing the pinned suit. Lincoln was a step behind him looking overwhelmed with life. Grady stepped in close beside Max, letting their arms brush. “What’s my handsome fiancé doing for you? Is this something I need to be worried about?”
Grady’s form-fitting dress pants and navy-blue dress shirt made Max, in his jeans and T-shirt, look like an imposter. Shit, he really didn’t want to go shopping for clothing he’d never wear again. But if he was going to survive in Grady’s world for even a few more days, he’d have to look the part.
“Serena just reminded me about their prewedding party at the club tomorrow night.” Max turned to face him, letting his gaze roam down Grady’s body. “You didn’t mention it.”
“So?”
“So, I don’t have the right clothing for that. And I left my tailor back in Toronto, so I can’t get a suit whipped up.”
Grady chuckled. “We’ll go shopping. It’ll give us an excuse to get out of the house for a while. Have some alone time.”
Max was doing well with Frantic and didn’t want for the necessities, but neither was he so well off that he didn’t need to keep an eye on his finances. He’d have to make sure whatever he got he could wear to the bar. “Fine.”
“Excellent.” Serena grinned. “It’s going to be fun with both of you there.”
Lincoln snorted.
“What? It will be. We’ll have Max, Grady, the people from work. That will balance off all your family.”
“Won’t your family be coming?”
It was strange, but given all the wedding talk over the past few days, Max didn’t remember hearing much about Serena’s family. From the slight way Grady stiffened, Max must have said exactly the wrong thing.
Serena didn’t seem to mind. Or if she did, she hid it well. “No, they won’t be in attendance.”
Max looked between Serena and Lincoln. “I just stepped into something, didn’t I?”
Lincoln leaned in closer to Serena. She smiled up at him, but her earlier enthusiasm had waned. “I never knew my dad. Mum passed a few years ago, and my sister, Sophia, doesn’t speak to me.”
Shit. “I’m sorry.”
“That she’s a twat who’s more interested in getting high and eating curries? Nothing you can do about that.” Slipping her arm through Lincoln’s, she let her head rest on his shoulder. “I’ve got a new family now. No matter how twisted it is, trust me when I say it can be a whole lot worse.”
That was a perspective that he’d needed to hear. “I’m looking forward to attending your prewedding party.”
“Well, I guess that means I get to take you shopping.” Grady wrapped his arm around Max’s waist. “It’s the least I can do after not giving you a heads-up.”
“Just point me in the direction of the store and I’ll be fine.” He’d never had another man pick out clothing for him, and he wasn’t about to start now.
“Serious, no.” Grady on a mission was clearly not something to mess with. “Come on.”
The next several hours were lost to shopping in a store that had no price tags, which terrified Max on a level he’d never experienced before. Not that he had time to think about it for long; Grady clearly loved clothing in a way he couldn’t relate to. Shirts, pants, ties—hell, cashmere socks—were loaded up with the demand that Max try everything on.
The soft wool pants weren’t something Max could ever see himself wearing. That was until he came out of the dressing room and saw the absolute lust shining on Grady’s face. Maybe I need to rethink my wardrobe.
“We’re taking that. All of it.” Someone to Grady’s side scurried away making notes. “God, you’re hot.”
“Not very practical for the bar.” Though he could grow to like wearing the good stuff. “We can always return it after the event.”
“Oh hell no. The least I can do is buy you an outfit for the fun we’re about to put you through. Plus, remember, it’s not my money. I have no problem spending Father’s fortune on you.”
If the rest of Grady’s family was half as bad as his father, then it would be a challenging evening to say the least. “I’m sure not everyone will have a problem with me.”
“They will if Father wants them to. Everyone is so concerned with kissing his ass to make sure they don’t get cut from the family fortune, they’d bend over backward if he gives the slightest indication that’s what he wants. Still, as much as he’s pissed at me, I don’t think he’ll do anything so blatant to ruin Lincoln’s night. Probably.”
Yeah, this was going to be hell. “Well, then I’ll accept the outfit as payment.”
He’d have to be sure to wear it the next time he saw his parents. They’d get a kick out of seeing him in something other than jeans. Max went back to the changeroom, making a mental note to call his mom later. While being away from the bar for two weeks was far longer than he would like, he couldn’t come all this way west and not make a stop in Calgary on the way home. Even if it was for a day or two, it would be good to check in and make sure everything was okay.
As long as his dad didn’t find out ahead of time and decided to put a stop to it, all would be good.
Max had unbuttoned the dark-plum dress shirt and opened the front of the dress pants, when Grady stepped into the room with him. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Watching my fiancé get changed.” He leaned against the door and crossed his arms. “It’s not like you gave me any opportunity to see you this morning.”
Max had gotten up and dressed long before Grady had woken from what looked to be a fitful sleep. It had been hard enough to sleep on the couch listening to him tossing and turning, occasionally moaning when sleep had claimed him. Letting Grady see him change, or worse, seeing Grady in any state of nakedness, would not have ended well for his promise to keep his hands to himself.
“You won’t have that opportunity again either. Now go so I can change.”
“No.”
Max closed his eyes and mentally counted to three before trying again. “I want to get out of this so we can pay for it and leave.”
“I’m not stopping you.”
Click went the little control Max had. He turned and placed a hand beside Grady’s head on the door. The shirt fell open, leaving his chest exposed. “I asked nicely, now I’m telling you. Leave.”
The air in the small changeroom had heated; the scent of their aftershaves and deodorants competed for room in Max’s nose. Grady’s face flushed, and his lids looked heavy. “You’re not playing fair.”
“I’m not playing at all.”
“One kiss and I’ll get out of here.”
“No.”
“Please.”
“No.”
Grady slid his hand across Max’s chest, his fingers teasing the coarse hair, tugging it as he went. “One little kiss to tide me over until the wedding party. Something to keep me grounded when the shit starts to hit the fan. Trust me, it will.”
Max knew nothing good would come from kissing Grady. Especially after what had happened in the restaurant bathroom. “This is a bad idea.”
“No, it’s not.” Grady slid his hand over to tease Max’s nipple. “It’s a very good idea.”
“I’m not kissing you.”
“Then let me kiss you. Consider it a thank-you for this morning. If you hadn’t been there, I might have punched Justin.”
It didn’t take a genius to know that Justin had a talent for pushing Grady’s buttons. Stopping the inevitable fight from happening certainly didn’t warrant Max breaking his own rules.
Except he wasn’t the one doing the kissing.
Grady telegraphed what he was about to do, giving Max more than enough time to pull away if he really wanted. Every time they’d kissed, it had been Max in charge, controlling the pace, the intensity. Holding still, he let Grady take control.
The press of his mouth against Max’s was far more gentle than he would have guessed possible. It was all lips at first, soft and smooth. Slowly Grady deepened the contact, using his teeth to nip at Max’s bottom lip, as he used his fingers to explore Max’s chest. Max had to fight hard to keep his hand flat on the door and his other hand at his side. He knew if he were to touch Grady, then they would most likely end up arrested for lewd behavior.
Grady was clearly enjoying the kiss; he kept it light and teasing, much the way Max knew he liked to approach life. As slowly as it started, Grady ended it and pulled back.
“That wasn’t so bad.” He looked up at Max, his eyes sparkling.
“No.” God, was that his voice? Rough, low, sounding as though he’d spent the night making love rather than a few moments kissing in a dressing room. “It was good.”
“I know this is a screwed-up situation. I know you’re stumbling half the time and don’t know how to react to people who you’ll probably never see again. Thank you for that, my friend.”
The word friend came out more as a question than a statement. It wasn’t surprising that Grady didn’t have a lot of close people in his life. But he must have tons of friends. Right? “You’re a good man, Grady Barnes. Don’t let your father, Justin, or anyone else try to convince you otherwise.” Stepping back, he gave Grady some space. “Now, I need to get changed.”
Grady cocked his head to the side, looking at him oddly. “Sure.”
It wasn’t until Grady left and Max heard him start talking to the attendant that he sat down. Had he only been in Vancouver for two days? Maybe he was jet-lagged and that was what was throwing everything off in his brain. He certainly wasn’t developing feelings for Grady, not after knowing him for what? A week?
Reaching into the pocket of his jeans crumpled on the floor, he pressed the speed dial for Zack. It took until the fourth ring before his gruff voice came through. “Hey. How’s Vancouver?”
“Clusterfuck. How’s Ringside?”
“Found a rat’s nest in the changeroom wall. Had to call the exterminator.”
Max shivered. “Glad I’m in Vancouver.”
“I thought Nolan was going to fly out to join you when we found it. It seems he’s as fond of real rats as he is spiders.”
Max laughed. “I would have paid money to see that.”
“Are you okay?”
“Why would you think I’m not?”
“I’ve known you too long for your bullshit. What’s wrong?”
I’m in lust with a man who I don’t know. I might be developing feelings for him, and there’s no chance it will ever work out. “I think it’s just jet-lag.”
“God, you’re a terrible liar.” He could hear Zack doing something on the other end of the line. “Sorry, I was in the process of making supper.”
“I still can’t believe you’re cooking. Nolan has no idea the monster he’s created.”
“It’s nice to have someone to cook for. Someone who enjoys what I make and enjoys eating with me.”
There was a wistfulness to his voice that squeezed Max’s heart. That was what he wanted: that closeness, a partnership between equals. Not something that he and Grady could ever have. Their backgrounds were too different, as were their futures. “I’m really happy for you, man.”
“So what can I do to help? Or did you want to just shoot the shit?”
“To be honest, I needed to hear a friendly voice. Man, I thought my family was tense. Dad isn’t in the same universe as Grady’s father.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t say something smart-assed to him.”
“I only spent five minutes in his company. Any longer and I might have. Total asshole.”
“You’ll survive. Is the sex at least good?”
“Jesus, why does everyone assume we’re sleeping together?”
“What, I saw the way the two of you looked at one another. If you did any more eye-fucking, the cops would have been called.”
“Didn’t think we’d been that obvious.”
Zack laughed hard. “Everyone could see it.”
“Yeah, well, it only happened once, and that will be it.”
“Damn. I didn’t peg him to be bad in bed. Hey, did you know he’s some sort of reality star? Nolan lost his shit when I mentioned Grady’s name.”
“Yes, I knew, and no, he wasn’t bad.”
“So why only once?”
“Because it will complicate matters.” It had already complicated matters, not that he was going to tell Zack. “Plus I doubt I’ll see him again after the wedding. I’ll come back to Frantic, and he’ll go off doing whatever rich reality stars do on their downtime.”
“It’s your call. But if he’s consenting and you’re interested, then I don’t see what the problem is.”
No, Zack wouldn’t. Until Nolan had come along, he’d never had problems avoiding emotional entanglements with any of his lovers. “Maybe you’re right.”
“Of course I am. Go have crazy sex with your socialite, make some memories. When everything is over, you’ll have some great stories to tell.”
A knock on the changeroom door pulled Max’s attention. “Are you almost changed, sir? Mr. Barnes has already paid for your purchase.”
“I’ll be right there.” Max sighed. “I have to go.”
“Lighten up, buddy. It will all work out.”
Max ended the call and quickly got changed. Maybe he really was overthinking things with Grady. The sex had been amazing, and he’d clearly been up for more. Max could keep his emotions in check and give himself permission to have fun.
What harm could it do?