Page 19 of Fated Mates and How to Seduce Them
Since Ian had the list, he pulled things off the shelves just as readily as André. Stuffed bears and train sets, play kitchens, and kid friendly tool kits. What was too large to fit into the buggy, André called for a store clerk and had them haul it to the register. Even then, their buggy grew to overflowing, and Ian took the cart to the front to exchange it for an empty one.
Which meant André hit the LEGO section. Unsupervised.
Kit wasn’t the only one who wanted legos. Quite a few of the kids did. André didn’t remember the exact number, and it didn’t matter. The more LEGO sets you had, the more you could build.
Which meant all the legos.
By the time Ian caught back up with him, he had three stacks on the floor ready to go and two box sets in his hands. Ian screeched to a halt and pointed a stern finger at him.
“No. Put something back.”
André protested vehemently. “I can’t! You expect me to choose between the Neuschwanstein castle and the pirate ship?”
“Yes, André, I really expect you to do that.”
“You’re seriously overestimating my fragile willpower,” André whined.
“I am not. I assure you, I don’t think you have any.”
Well, he wasn’t entirely wrong there. André’s willpower was currently being tested to the max by not jumping Ian and seducing him. He didn’t have any spare energy left. Ian needed to be more self-aware—he was walking around the mall with a predator, for fuck’s sake. He smelled this delicious and wasn’t even on guard with André. Flattering on the one hand, frustrating on the other.
André was, however, wily enough to use this situation to his advantage. “I’ll let go of the pirate shipif—”
Ian held his eyes levelly, just waiting for the demand.
“—you let me come over and play with Casper.”
Ian sat on this offer for a full three seconds, blatant disbelief on his face. “All you want is to come play with my cat?”
Oh, he wanted a great deal more than that, but he’d be happy to hang out with Ian and make friends with the furball. André grinned and waggled the box. “Deal?”
“I cannot believe you. Seriously? Fine, fine, we have a deal. You have to put back more than the pirate ship, though.”
“Nope, this is all my heart can relinquish. No more than this.”
Ian placed his hands on his hips, lips pressed tight. “André, I’m just wondering, has anyone tried to strangle you out of sheer frustration before?”
“Only my brother’s boyfriend. But he annoys me as much as I annoy him, so it’s an even trade.” André sidestepped closer, leaning in to whisper against his ear, “There’s an easy way to distract me, you know. Just a teeny, tiny kiss.”
Ian quickly staggered back, startled, and stuttered out, “I-I’m not kissing you as a distraction.”
“You’re crushing all my hopes and dreams today.”
Regaining composure, Ian gave him a flat look. “My one pleasure in life. Okay, load up. We’re almost done with toys.”
“What? We can’t possibly be done already!”
“We’ve been in here almost an hour, André, and you’ve filled up four buggies.”
Had he really? “Well, time flies when I’m having fun, I suppose.”
“If this is what you’re like shopping for other people,” Ian commented as he helped put legos into the buggy, “then I shudder to think of what you’re like buying things for yourself.”
“Oh, it’s not nearly as much fun,” André said dismissively.
Ian paused, eyes sharp on him. “Really?”
“Yeah. I mean, I already have everything I could possibly want—you excluded—so what can I buy? I like shopping for other people better. More fun.” André cast one last longing look at the pirate ship. “You sure I can’t get it?”
