Page 20 of Fated Mates and How to Seduce Them
“André. You have at least twenty LEGO sets in here.”
“I know. But, like, six kids asked for legos.”
“Twenty sets for six kids. I’ll let you do the math.”
Ian was not giving an inch, apparently. Well, André had made a deal. With a shrug, he let it go. It was fine. They had enough to work with for now.
André paid out, then helped put things in giant bags. Mateo found him as he finished, and André was able to hand purchases over to him.
It was midafternoon now. André put a friendly arm around Ian and asked, “Can I buy you lunch? Then we can head back.”
“I am hungry,” Ian allowed. “I can eat here.”
“Sure. I heard there’s a great taco place on the main level somewhere. Sound good?”
“That’s fine.”
Score! Lunch date secured.
Benedict’s advice to find something in common truly did work. André was ever so glad he took it. Look, Ian had already grown more relaxed around him than he had been this morning.At this rate, he might be able to get the man on a real date before the month was out.
As if Ian heard the thought, he stepped out from under André’s arm.
Then again, maybe not.
Chapter 6
Watching André this past weekend at the group home had been…enlightening. Ian couldn’t think of it in any other way. He watched the man hand out toys and clothes like Father Christmas, delighting as much as the kids in what they received. Then, in almost the same breath, he turned around and had a serious discussion with Mary, Emma, and the contractor about what repairs needed to happen.
Which was the real André? The easy playboy or the responsible man who talked business for orphaned children?
Ian gave himself a headache trying to figure it out.
When he left the group home late Sunday afternoon, only one full day after Hurricane André blew through, they were in much better shape than…ever. The kitchen appliances had all been replaced, the plumbing issue was fixed, and there was a schedule in place to have the damaged bathroom, roof, and windows all replaced. Getting all of the outside work done before winter hit was the number one priority. Ian could literally see the stress leave Mary’s and Emma’s shoulders as André came in and waved his wand. The man spent money like water, but at least here, it was money well spent.
Monday morning was pretty, the leaves turning golden yellows and striking reds for fall, the weather not truly cold yet,so he walked across campus, trying to not think of André and pretty much failing. The most famous playboy on campus had told him forthrightly that if Ian were the type to be easily bought, he wouldn’t be pursuing him in the first place. Ian wasn’t sure if he believed André, but then, he couldn’t wrap his head around why André was interested in him at all. Yes, he said it was rare for him to meet someone he could trust—Ian could understand that—but wouldn’t it make more sense to be friends with Ian?
For heaven’s sake, André was surrounded by drop-dead gorgeous peers on a regular basis. Something Ian was not.
Ian was a 5’8” somewhat chubby nerd who liked reading books over being around people. He wore his dark hair in a buzz cut because he had no patience to style it, wore clothes he’d bought off a sale rack, and his only forms of exercise were herding kids and moving kegs. He was not model quality like André.
And yes, apparently he was attracted to André, but even he wasn’t sure why. Normally the rare guys who caught his eye were kind of like him, nerds with cute quirks to them, not some drop-dead gorgeous vampire. But he couldn’t ignore how he reacted to the man every time André even casually brushed up against his shoulder. Like his entire body was a live wire coming to life with that simple touch. The attraction was too strong to be mistaken or passed off as something else.
All right, so, he might be bisexual? Ian still felt ambivalent about the label, but he was clearly into men, whatever he identified as.
He needed to give his libido a stern talking to though. André? Off-limits. He was so off-limits. For one thing, Ian didn’t have time for distractions. He worked full time at the bar, went to school full time, was now raising a cat, and still went to Second Sun as much as he could to help out there. A boyfriend who would likely break his heart was the absolute last thinghe needed. Dating could wait until after he’d graduated in the spring.
André was drama waiting for a stage call. Just, no.
Ian gave himself a light slap against the cheek. Stop. Stop thinking of André. He had a project to turn in this morning, a meeting with a professor, and then research to do in the library. He had no time to think of the man.
The universe chose to throw a monkey wrench into this plan immediately. Ian turned a corner of the building and walked into the courtyard and spied André almost dead ahead of him, standing at the top of the stairs leading to the pre-law building surrounded by four female students. They stood with their side profiles facing Ian, so he could see them all perfectly. The newcomers were pretty, of course, all vying for André’s attention.
Ian’s heart clenched at the scene. See? André had plenty of people more suited to him right at hand. His interest in Ian came from the challenge he presented as probably the first person ever to say no to André. That’s all. Any second, André would lose interest. The girl right in front of him was a model; Ian had seen her face in advertisements plastered on buildings and at bus stops. She was sure to catch André’s eye. Look at how gorgeous she was—thick auburn hair in a light wave down her back, the pert nose, flawless skin, perfect figure. Her girlfriends were of similar types, with the same skinny builds, perfect makeup, hair done just so.
Then André lifted both hands in the air, backing up, almost like he was trying to escape. Surely not?
“—I hate to turn you down,” André said while sounding quite insincere, “but I really can’t, ladies.”
