Page 28 of Bound to Him

Will pushed it down. “Before we order, I’d like to have a talk.”

Sebastian let go of his menu. Christ! “What about?” He took a healthy swig of alcohol, assuming he was going to need it.

“Us, of course.” Will also drank deeply before continuing. He looked as uncomfortable as Sebastian felt. “About…you know, our getting married?”

Well, that shouldn’t have been a surprise, yet somehow it was. “Are you proposing, Will?”

“Yes.” The man gulped down the rest of his drink and signaled for another round. “I mean, I’m going back to London in a couple of weeks and we can have an engagement party before I leave. Then a destination wedding, next spring. The family villa in Tuscany would be the perfect spot.”

“I’m sure.” Sebastian grabbed his new drink as if it were a lifeline. “Look, Will, you’re a great guy. I enjoy the time we spend together and I’m sure sex would be…” Boring. “Wonderful.” It was actually a bit weird that Will hadn’t done so much as try to kiss him goodnight despite all the time they’d spent together. With Parker always on his mind, Sebastian hadn’t given it much thought, and certainly hadn’t had the urge to initiate anything.

“I’m not actually interested in sex. In having it with you,” Will amended.

Sebastian couldn’t hide his surprise. “Really? I pride myself on being eminently desirable. You don’t find me attractive? You are to me.”

Will raised his eyebrows. “And yet, you’ve never made any moves on me.”

“Well…” What was there to say? You’re not as fetching as my slave? That would be a gratuitous insult for a man like Will.

Will put up his hand before Sebastian could say more. “Wait. Let me explain. I’m not interested in having sex with you because I’m not gay.”

“What?” Sebastian couldn’t keep his mouth from falling open. “What the fuck!” He could barely keep his voice down. “I assumed you’ve been dating me for the same reason I’ve been dating you, perfunctorily—to shut up your parents. But I also assumed our parents threw us together because we both need a husband, and not a wife.”

“Oh, I have been pressured. There’s no denying that. So much so that my own sexual preferences haven’t been even a consideration. Not for them, anyway.” Will shrugged. “Going out with you has been like going out with a friend. I enjoy myself. You’ll have noticed, however, that I’ve never tried to hug you, hold your hand or kiss you goodnight.”

“Yes. And I’ve appreciated the restraint. Not because I don’t find you attractive,” he hurried to add. There was no point in being rude about it, even though Will had thrown a curve ball the size of the Prudential Center.

Will leaned forward. “You don’t have to worry about offending me. I know you’ve got your debt slave to go home to, so I’ve assumed you don’t miss the opportunity to sleep with me. Which has been a relief. I had to figure out how I was going to react if you tried anything. But you didn’t and I didn’t, so…problem solved.

“My point is that my reticence hasn’t been out of a sense of propriety but out of repellence. I’m not into guys. At. All. In fact, I’ve been fucking random women just about every time I part ways with you because I like sex—a lot—with people who have breasts and curves and the kind of entryway that turns me on. You don’t have any of that.”

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. “You cad.”

Will rolled his eyes on a chuckle. “Shut up.” He sat back again and fiddled with his glass. “Look, this situation is perfect in a way. We get married to make our parents happy. Mine are so keen on joining our families that they basically told me I’m bisexual and it’s time for me to stop screwing around and commit to one person legally—you. If only you had a sister, but then I’d be in a pickle, having to marry someone who I probably don’t love yet have to be intimate with and faithful to for the rest of my life. With you, love and fidelity don’t factor into it at all. I figure as long as there’s no sex involved, what difference does it make if I’m gay? I’ve never been interested in marrying, actually, and this way, I can have the best of both worlds.”

Sebastian figured he hadn’t had enough to drink yet, or maybe had already had too much because Will’s words started to make sense. “What about children?”

“What about them?” Will shrugged. “We each get a surrogate and father a kid. I produce an Emerson and you an Endicott, thereby keeping both family lines going for another generation. Then when I move back here for good, we put the family together. And we can have separate bedrooms like our ancestors used to and have sex with whomever we want. I mean, you already have your slave.”

“Yes. I do. And you won’t expect to share him.” Knowing that actually made the whole thing even more bearable.

“God no. I’d get a girl for myself through one of those debt agencies, but I like variety and knowing that my bed partner is a willing participant.”

Sebastian let that stab pass through him. It was the truth, after all, that he’d bought the person in his bed. “You’re serious about this, aren’t you?”

“Of course I am. I want my parents off my back, and I’m sure you do, too. Admit it, this is the perfect solution to our mutual problem.”

Sebastian tossed the remainder of his bourbon back. “I’m going to need a lot more to drink before I say yes.”

“Not a problem.” With a smile, Will signaled to the server again.

* * * *

Sebastian tried not to look as drunk as he felt as he stood waiting for Milo to answer the door. When his old friend opened it, Sebastian threw out his hands. “Congratulate me. I’m engaged.”

Milo made a face. “What the fuck, son. It’s eleven at night.” Nevertheless, he stood back. “Be quiet. Everyone else is in bed.”

Sebastian only stumbled a little bit as he crossed the threshold. “Has the baby come yet?”

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