Lincoln had pretty much locked Grady in his room, insisting that anything he was likely to say or do would only serve to make matters far worse for Max than what they already were. He had promised Grady that he’d talk to Justin and find out exactly what was happening and would report back.
That was hours ago. Now, Grady stood in front of the window, looking out over the lush gardens of the property and watched the sun rise. He hadn’t even bothered to try sleeping, knowing that there was no chance of it happening with Max stuck in a jail cell. Kevin had that punch coming to him for years, and there were several family members who’d approached him afterward, congratulating Grady for finding a man who wasn’t afraid of the Barnes family.
When Grady finally saw Max again, he’d tell him as much.
Then he’d punch him for making him worry.
Followed by a kiss.
Grady couldn’t remember ever being this worried about another person. Sadly, he’d been a kid and hadn’t recognized how hurt his mother had been before her suicide. If he had, he would have done everything in his power to make things right. But as an adult? Everyone else seemed to be fine, to place him in the role of needing to be cared for, rather than looking to him to help.
He didn’t like to think he’d been that immature, and yet everyone in his family didn’t think he could handle life on his own.
Everyone except for Max.
God, he’d been to university, he had a degree. Just because he’d chosen to walk away from the family business, that he recognized that it wasn’t going to work for him, that didn’t prove he was a flake who couldn’t make up his mind about what he wanted from life. His father, Justin, simply saw it as him having a temper tantrum.
Idiots.
The click of the door opening had Grady spinning around to see an exhausted and defeated-looking Max. All previous thoughts vanished as he crossed the room and pulled Max into a fierce hug.
“Are you okay?” Grady squeezed him hard. “I’m so sorry.”
“I’m fine. And you have nothing to be sorry for. I was the one who lost my temper.”
“But I knew what Kevin was capable of. I should have pulled you away the moment he came over.”
“I’ve apologized to Lincoln downstairs and will do the same to your father when I see him.” Max dropped his chin to Grady’s shoulder and sighed. “How is Kevin?”
“Bruised. Uncle Connor laid into him with the most epic tirade I’ve ever heard. I think one of the cousins recorded it and put it on YouTube if you want to see.”
“Maybe later.” Max straightened, before pushing a lock of Grady’s hair away from his face. “Right now I want to go to bed.”
“Come on.” Grady took him by the hand and led him over.
Without giving Max time to think, he turned and began to unbutton his shirt for him. It was businesslike, and strangely felt far more intimate than when they’d had sex. Grady was looking after his man, caring for him much the same way Max had stood up for him at the party. He pulled the shirt down first one arm, then over the second, careful to avoid his bruised knuckles.
“God, that must hurt.” He gently ran his thumb across the abused skin.
“I’d forgotten how much it did. It’s been a while since I’ve hit anyone without gloves.”
Grady lifted Max’s hand to his mouth, taking time to kiss each of his knuckles before turning his hand over and placing a kiss to the center of his palm. “My hero.”
Max cringed.
“Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”
“No.” The single words came out rough, and Max shook his head as an afterthought. “No.”
It was strange. Normally when Grady was with a man, all he wanted to do was have sex. He’d never been interested in the softer side of relationships, never cared for quiet conversations, the moments post-sex when you lay entwined and spoke of your hopes and dreams. Max was the first man who treated him like a regular person, and as a result, Grady found himself wanting to do normal couple things. He wanted to give Max coffee in the mornings, go out on the town with him to parties and clubs. He wanted to be able to bring him home, show his father, Look, I’ve found someone who loves me for me. I’m worthy of this.
Grady wanted to be loved.
“What’s wrong?” Max cupped his face with his good hand. “You’re crying.”
Was he? “I feel guilty, I guess. I dragged you into my freak show of a family and you ended up getting hurt. I never wanted that for you.”
“You never forced me. I was the one who told Justin that we were engaged in the first place.”
“Two weeks ago you were happily living your life. You can’t say you’re better off for having come out here.”
Max smiled, though his eyes didn’t sparkle the way they normally did. “I am. You see, my life has been good, but I hadn’t realized that I’d fallen into a rut. I went from the bar to the gym, trying my best to look after everyone and everything. I wasn’t unhappy, but I wasn’t living my life either. I was existing. Nothing more. I’ve been looking for something, but for a long time I didn’t know what that was.”
When Max slipped his hands over Grady’s hips, he was again struck by the intimate nature of the touch. “You’re a good man. You deserve so much more than what I can offer you.”
“That’s the problem.” Max pulled him closer. “You’ve been treated so poorly by people who claim to love you that you don’t know how to accept kindness. Lincoln and Serena are wonderful, but they have their own lives. Your father . . . I don’t even know what to think. And Justin—”
“Fuck Justin.”
“He cares for you too.”
“Lincoln always said he had a crush on me.”
“What if he did? What if things were different and I wasn’t here?”
“Would I suddenly fall in love with Justin? Are you insane?” It had nothing to do with Justin’s personality or looks, and everything to do with how he’d treated him over the years. “He could have been kind to me. He could have shown me that despite the harshness my father inflicted upon the world, that he was there to help. He always took Father’s side. How could I possibly love a man who sees me as a pawn?”
Max nodded.
“You never treated me that way. Even when I gave you no reason to like me, you chose to see the good in me. You didn’t have an angle, didn’t want my money or my fame. You liked me, Grady the person. How could I want anything more than that?” Max looked away, and Grady knew there was something else going on. “Tell me.”
“Your father wants me to break up with you. Publicly. As loud and messy as possible. He wants me to break your heart into a thousand pieces and walk away.”
“Fuck.” He was too stunned to be angry.
“Justin said that your father would not only go after Frantic, but the gym as well.” Max chuckled, though it lacked humor. “I wasn’t supposed to tell you.”
“What. The. Fuck.” Rage flared in him, making his body shake. “How dare he do that to you.”
“To me?” Max shook his head. “I was more concerned with hurting you.”
“Don’t be.” Grady slowed his breathing and unclenched his fists. “I’m used to being on the receiving end of his . . . schemes.”
Yeah, he should be furious. What business did his father have interfering with Grady’s life at all? Why?
What was it about him that encouraged his father to do these things? He licked his lips, tasting the remnants of the beer he’d had while waiting for Max to arrive. “You know I worked for him once?”
“Your father?”
“Yup. I quit because it just wasn’t for me. I never felt like I was doing the right thing for me. When I told my father, he was furious. He said I’d never accomplish anything, that I’d sit around until some man came along and simply looked after me.”
Max gave his hand a squeeze. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting someone to care for you.”
“But there is something wrong with letting another person run your life. I push back against Father, but it’s always an emotional knee-jerk. I can’t remember the last time we had a talk.”
“Maybe this is the time. To tell him what you really want.”
With Max sitting on the edge of the bed, shirtless, Grady was in charge. Cupping Max’s face in his hands, he tipped his head back and kissed his mouth, infusing as much passion as he had into it.
Every time they did this, it felt as though it was the first time. In every relationship he’d had in the past, Grady hadn’t bothered to look below the surface of his partner. They’d never felt real, permanent, so he never bothered to try.
Max’s personality was as solid as his body. He was a pillar who could survive the hardest of storms and still be there to offer support. With him, Grady knew he’d be cared for, and also treated as an equal. He deepened the kiss and prayed that Max would understand how he felt.
He pulled back and looked down at Max. “You’re amazing.”
He wasn’t at all surprised when Max yanked him down so they fell onto the mattress together. This wasn’t about sex, not for Grady at least. He needed to communicate how much Max had come to mean, not caring how insane the whole thing was given how short a time they’d known one another.
Max rolled them so Grady was on top and continued to kiss him. “I want you inside me.”
Air caught in his lungs for a moment, causing his head to spin and his heart to pound. “Really?”
“What, you thought I wouldn’t?”
“I don’t know. You just seem like a hard-core top.”
Max rolled his eyes, and for a moment the world felt right again. “I’m not that bad.”
“You totally are.” Grady was many things, but he wasn’t an idiot. There was no way he’d pass up the opportunity to feel Max, to push inside to his core. It was the closest two people could get, and he wanted to know every inch of this amazing man’s body.
Ignoring the way his clothing stretched awkwardly, Grady straddled Max, continuing to kiss him the entire time. He’d never been a sentimental person, had purposely kept his distance from people as much as possible since his mother’s death. But, right then, Grady knew that no matter what transpired between them in the future, tonight would always be special to him.
Max would always be special.
Time lost its meaning to Grady as he took great effort to explore Max’s body. He cataloged the small imperfections: the too large mole on his right side, the scruff on his neck that made the skin rough and raw, the distinctly male scent coming from him as his deodorant wore off.
“You’re too handsome for your own good.” Grady kissed just above Max’s nipple, breathing him in.
“That’s what all the boys tell me.” But the tone of Max’s voice didn’t match the teasing nature of his words.
Something was wrong, though clearly Max wasn’t at a point where he was willing to discuss it.
Fine. Grady might not be the most perceptive of men at times, but he knew when not to push. Sex first, talking second.
Sliding to the side, he deliberately went to work on opening Max’s pants. His arousal strained beneath his briefs, reassuring Grady that Max did in fact want this as much as he did. Without removing the shaft from its cotton prison, Grady gave it a gentle squeeze, his gaze locked on Max’s face.
Max sucked in a breath through his nose as his eyes slipped shut. That wonderful pleasure-pain expression that Grady loved to see on his lovers washed over Max. “I’m going to take your pants off now. Lift up.”
It took a moment of coordinated effort, but they were able to deftly strip Max bare. Only then did Grady remove the remainder of his clothing and climb back on top of Max. Cocks pressed together, Grady kissed Max long and deep.
Grady didn’t want this to simply be about sex. This was a thank-you, a gift, a memory he’d cherish. He wanted Max to know that this game of theirs had changed, grown into something more. Grady—somehow, someway—was starting to have feelings for Max. Not simple affection, or attraction.
God, he was fairly certain he was falling in love with him.
Was that even possible? To love a man after knowing him for such a short time?
Did it matter?
Max wrapped his arms around Grady and rolled them over so Max was now pressed to the mattress. “You’re wandering.”
Grady cupped his face. “Just thinking.”
“About what?”
“You.”
The kiss this time had more of an edge, desperation and hope waging a war inside Grady. No one had cared for him the way Max had. Grady let his hands wander as he ground their cocks together. The contact was powerful, pushing away any remaining thoughts he had beyond need and now.
The condom package brushed against his hand on the bed, a reminder of exactly where he wanted this to go. Grady began to place kisses against Max’s neck, across his shoulders, and down his body. The press of Max’s shaft sliding between them was a bonus tease, pulling more than a few moans and squirms from him.
With continuous glances at Max, Grady slid lower so his face hovered above Max’s groin. Instead of sucking the head into his mouth, Grady only gave him a little teasing flick of his tongue as he went lower.
“What are you doing?” Max barely managed to get the words out in between gasps.
“Exploring.” Then Grady sucked Max’s balls into his mouth.
There was something amazing having a man like Max come apart around him. That Grady was able to do this, not with money or influence, but a simple touch. This was true power, and he wanted as much of it as he could get.
Lowering his face, he placed a kiss on the inside of each thigh as he scooped up the bottle of lube. “I’m going to open you up.”
At the sound of the lid snapping open, Max shuddered. “It’s been a while for me.”
Grady’s cock throbbed, trapped between his body and the mattress. “Me too.”
The lube was cool on his fingers, and he knew it would be equally so against Max’s heated skin. Still, better to get to work. With a single, slow motion, he pushed his finger deep inside Max. The groan he got in response was more than enough encouragement to keep going. Before he knew it, Grady had worked two fingers into Max and had stretched him open.
“I’m going to put the condom on. Okay?”
Max’s eyes were glazed, and he nodded as he flashed him a dopey smile.
God, his hands were shaking so badly the condom slipped twice before he was able to get it on. They continued to shake as he adjusted Max’s large body so he could line up to that heavenly place he wanted to be.
Only then did he let his gaze fall to Max’s. “Ready?”
A nod of consent.
A push forward.
A cringe. Muscles adjusting. Relaxing.
Another push. Mutual sighs.
Grady had been both the giver and recipient of sex from several partners over the years, but this was the only time he really connected deeper than at a physical level with his lover. Max reached up and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him closer. Grady sighed, feeling as though he’d come home.
They moved together, perfect timing that brought Grady’s orgasm close to the edge. His skin tingled, and each touch of Max’s body against him was ground zero for every burst of pleasure. Max kissed the side of his neck, scraped his stubbled jaw and cheeks across his, moaned pleasure into his ear.
“Grady.” He flexed his arms around him. “I think . . . I might . . .” Max’s body tensed and whatever he was going to say was lost on the wave of his orgasm.
Grady couldn’t think or focus on anything beyond the wetness between them, and the intensity of Max’s body squeezing around his cock. A stronger man than he was wouldn’t be able to resist, and so Grady didn’t even try. Squeezing his eyes shut, he let the rush of his orgasm slam into him. He moaned long and low against the side of Max’s neck, unable to stop his body from moving. With a final thrust, the current of electricity that coursed through him tapered out, leaving him a motionless heap.
He was aware of Max sliding him from his body and rolling beside him on the bed. They were both sticky, come coating their stomachs and lube on various parts of both of them. Grady curled beside Max and listened to his heart beat.
“Tonight, I’m going to tell Father to back off, to leave you and your businesses alone. Tomorrow,” Grady cleared his throat when his voice came out shaky. “Tomorrow we’ll tell him that you’re going to be sitting with the family at the wedding. That there will be no public breakup or fight. There’s no reason for him to treat you like crap, especially considering as far as he knows we’re engaged. You and I are a couple until either you or I decide to end things.”
Max tensed for a moment before shifting slightly. “You don’t need to do that.”
“Yes, I do.” It was weird, but the longer they were playing this little engagement charade, the more Grady was growing comfortable with the idea. Not just of one day settling down and getting married himself, but with the possibility of it happening with Max. “Do you believe two people can fall in love at first sight?”
Max sighed, reached up and began to play with Grady’s hair. “I do. I’ve seen it happen.”
“With who?”
“You met one of them. Zack and Nolan. Zack said he knew Nolan was someone special the moment he laid eyes on him. And considering they were in a public washroom, that’s saying something.”
“I bet that’s quite a story.”
“It was. But I have another friend, Eli. He also believed in love at first sight.”
“What happened?”
“He and his partner broke one another’s hearts. Eli left town about a year ago to hit the MMA circuit, partially because he’d gotten an awesome opportunity, but mostly to get over Devan.”
Wait, what? “Not Eli McGovern?”
“Yeah.”
Grady hit Max’s arm. “Your friend is the Eli McGovern, Canada’s next George St. Pierre?”
Max chuckled, laid back and closed his eyes. “It’s just Eli. Zack used to kick his ass all the time when we were teens.”
God, there was still so much Grady didn’t know about him. “Wow.”
“I’d think you’d have met enough celebrities over the years that me knowing someone famous wouldn’t be that big of a deal.”
“Most people I meet are usually after something. Mostly for me to put in a good word with my father.”
The ease that they’d fallen into slipped away. Max tensed again before he rolled off the bed. “I’m going to get us something to clean up with.”
“Okay.” Grady knew Max was upset, but he couldn’t for the life of him figure out why. “I think we should crawl in bed and get some sleep for a bit. We could both use the rest.”
Max hesitated, his hand on the bathroom doorframe. “Sure. Rest would be good.”
That was probably all it was. Max was tired from having spent several hours in a holding cell. That would be enough to throw anyone off. Grady would have to make sure that the rest of the day would be perfect. He could do that for Max.
Nothing else would go wrong.