Page 63 of Fated Mates and How to Seduce Them
André sat back a little, letting her walk past without trying to stop her, although he did wonder. Talk what out? Oh. Probably this whole thing.
Ian looked him square in the eyes. “Now, your takeaway from this whole ordeal is to talk to me properly about things when they bother you. Right?”
André gave a meek nod. “I’m sorry.”
“I hope this doesn’t repeat, but I’m going to address the root of the problem, just in case.” Ian took in a breath, clearly phrasing this before he spoke. “André. I didn’t just give in to you. You didn’t wear me down. I’m not with you because I gave up and let you win.”
André went utterly still, eyes searching Ian’s face. How had he possibly known this fear lurked inside André’s heart?
“I’m not oblivious,” Ian said gently. “I can see the fear in your eyes sometimes. André, I only needed to learn how to trust you. Once I did, the walls came down. Okay?”
André felt his eyes burn with unshed tears. Hearing those words was sweet indeed. He’d needed to hear them more than Ian could ever suspect. He hugged his boyfriend back to him, burying his head against his firm shoulder for a minute. Ian stroked a hand up and down his back soothingly.
“You are precious to me,” Ian murmured against his hair. “I don’t want you to question that ever again. In fact, I had something made for us, a physical reminder in case you ever doubt it.”
Physical reminder? André was intrigued enough to lift his head. “What?”
From his pocket, Ian slid out a rectangular jewelry box, something too large to hold a ring in. He flipped the lid up and pulled out a platinum bracelet, a very elegant and sleek design. He took one of André’s hands in his and slid the bracelet on. André could not have been more delighted. It was the first thingIan had ever given him and so amazingly to his taste—something he would have bought and worn.
Then Ian lifted a second, matching bracelet out of the box and slid it on his own wrist. André looked at it, realizing the significance, and his heart just about burst out of sheer happiness. Couple bracelets. Ian had given them couple bracelets.
How dare he be this cute.
André was in serious danger of feeling overload. He caught Ian’s head with both hands, kissing him fervently, unable to do anything else. He just had to kiss this man, had to show him how happy he’d made André.
Ian was all smiles when he finally let go. “I knew you’d like it. Thank Mom. She introduced me to the designer.”
“Wait, these are custom?” André looked at the bracelet with a whole new respect. These were the only two in the world?
“They are. I couldn’t find anything on the market I liked.”
He’d gone through that much trouble? All to get them something he knew André would like. If André didn’t already love this man to pieces, he’d have fallen in love all over again.
The words came out of his mouth unbidden. “Marry me. You’re making me so happy right now. You’ve got to take responsibility.”
“Responsibility is it?” Ian’s hazel eyes danced with laughter. “I’ll marry you after you graduate. Not before. And yes, André, I love you too.”
How astute of him to hear those unspoken words. “I love you so fucking much I can’t stand it sometimes.” André had never meant those words more, his heart so full of the emotion, he nearly drowned in it.
Ian laughed a little at his passionate declaration before drawing him back into a kiss. It made André perfectly happy tosit here and make out with his lover, basking in this incredibly sweet moment, knowing they’d be together forever.
Honestly, he’d played the field because he’d never expected to find this, the one person who made life worth living. He’d been surrounded by people he couldn’t trust, couldn’t let his guard down against, and resigned himself to centuries of drifting amidst shadows and masks. Instead he found Ian, a perfect complement to himself, someone he could love and cherish for the rest of his life. His own miracle.
A miracle he’d never, ever take for granted.
Hotdamn. What had he done to deserve all this? Ian would go with him to France, move in, and marry André in the future. Promises for all three at once. Had he died and gone to heaven? Was he in a coma and dreaming? Don’t pinch him, either way. He was quite happy to exist in the fantasy.
“You’re moving in tomorrow. I hope you realize.”
“Tell you what.” Ian snuck a kiss before continuing. “You help me pack, and I’ll move in tomorrow.”
See? Ian was head over heels for him, after all. “Deal.”
Epilogue
One Year Later
Ian stepped out of the car and into the new Second Sun building. It had taken a year to find a better location, get building permits, and construct it, but the group home had moved in to the apartment-style building last week. They were still in the process of unpacking, but he doubted the boxes would last more than a few days. The kids were gung-ho about tackling boxes, acting like a well-oiled machine.
