Chapter Nine

Sebastian held up one wall of the villa’s ballroom, nursing a bourbon and counting the minutes until he might slip out. The space was jammed with hundreds of people, most of whom were guests of his parents or the Emersons. Having few relatives and even fewer friends, his invitations would have made for a short pile. The look of horror on the faces of both mothers of the grooms at the idea of a small, intimate affair had crushed that hope. It was critical, apparently, that people he barely knew take part in the over-the-top wedding. As it was to invite the gossip columnists that they normally avoided. This kind of publicity was welcomed. The build-up in even legitimate news services about this merger of the families had been excessive, to his mind. Someone had even dared label it the marriage of the year.

He’d gritted his teeth against the growing aggravation and increasing resentment of what he was about to do and had taken solace with Parker. The boy was always there, offering his ear and the rest of his body, whenever Sebastian’s stress had flared. The boy’s steady presence and support had been a balm to his fraying nerves in a way he wouldn’t have expected. Normally, he took everything in stride. This marriage was proving to be different. And having Parker in his life was also different from what he’d expected. His relationship with his debt slave felt real and genuine compared to the fake romance he and Williard projected to the world. No one else thought that, of course. Some articles about the impending marriage had either alluded to his unsavory companion or outright condemned it. The latter commentary had the right of it, he was beginning to believe, although he couldn’t quite regret taking Parker on. Having him was wonderful. The idea that he might never have taken him into his life caused an ache deep inside him.

Will slid up to him on quiet feet, startling Sebastian out of his reverie. “Don’t you dare leave this party early, the way you did the engagement one.”

It was unsettling how well his fiancé knew him given that no intimacy had occurred between them. “If I stay here much longer, I fear I’ll be saying my vows tomorrow wearing a straitjacket.”

“It’s not that bad. You and I go to these types of things all of the time, and this one is populated with enough family, friends and business associates that small talk is easy.”

“For you, perhaps.” Sebastian pushed away from the wall and drained his glass. “It’s not the venue or the people that I find intolerable. It’s the effusive well-wishing. People seem to be endlessly fascinated to hear the details of our courting. As if they all don’t know this is a sham in one form or another. How can they not see that our marriage is a business transaction?” The flash of a camera caught his attention. “And paparazzi welcomed in instead of chased off? Christ, what a circus!” He was surprised at the bitterness in his own voice.

How did I end up in this ridiculous situation and why am I so mad?

“Oh, it’s not that bad. And it’s almost over. Forty-eight hours from now, give or take, you and I will be free to do as we like. I’m sure you’re keen on spending the next two weeks in that villa you rented. And I have plans of my own.” Will looked out over the dance floor.

Sebastian followed his fiancé’s gaze. “I take it the Honorable Serena Bishop will be lingering behind when the other guests leave?”

Will gave him a wolfish grin. “You wouldn’t believe how flexible that woman is. And she works in London so we’ll have time to enjoy each other even after we return from this honeymoon.”

The tawdriness of it all was revolting. “People will notice. People will talk.”

“In the immortal words of the Duchess of Devonshire, let them talk. What do I care?”

The man had a point. What others perceived of their marriage was of no account. No one would dare say anything to their faces. All the talk would be behind hands and in those loathsome gossip columns. And when the children came and eventually realized that their fathers didn’t love each other…that was no different than what happened with others of their social circle. He was sure his own parents weren’t devoted to each other in a sentimental way. They undoubtedly had affairs…although he had no wish to know for sure.

“I’m getting another drink and will give this one more hour. But I’ll make my own excuses so that you don’t have to.”

Will grabbed his arm before he could leave. He leaned in to speak softly in his ear. Anyone seeing them probably mistook it for some kind affection. “Lighten up, Sebastian. It’s not as if you’re giving up the love of your life for this marriage. It’s not as if you’re giving up anything, really.” He stepped away and smiled brightly just as someone snapped a picture of them.

Sebastian looked into his empty glass, not even trying to show a sign of happiness. It was all he could do to stop from shouting in the middle of the room, are you not amused ? “No. You’re right about that. I’m not giving up a damned thing, especially love.” Even as he agreed, however, there was a part of him that doubted the truth of it.

* * * *

Sebastian was careful not to get drunk at his own party, tempting as it had been. He didn’t want to get married hungover, squinting from the Tuscany sun and sweating out bourbon.

It had taken well over an hour simply to make the rounds and say his goodnights personally, as he’d promised Will he would do. Stepping out into the cool night air had been a physical and emotional relief. One of the chauffeurs hired for the wedding whisked him away and dropped him off at the rented villa. Because he could hear Parker’s voice coming from the back, he walked around the house to the pool area. There he found his boy on his knees, not to give a blow job but to dangle a feathered toy in front of the cat that had come with the villa. Parker had been delighted to learn of that fact and had started playing with the orange tabby before Sebastian had left. He’d been glad the boy would have something to do while waiting for him to return.

Now, Sebastian envied the cat, wanted to nudge it away so that he could play with Parker himself. He couldn’t make his feet move, however. He remained stuck to the fringes of the shrubbery, watching his slave’s face in the unguarded moment. Here was the true Parker—not someone very different than the one the boy presented to him normally, but it was still lovely to see that circumstances hadn’t forced Parker into conveying disingenuous happiness.

Parker giggled as the cat batted at the toy. The sound washed over Sebastian, calming his frayed nerves. His heart did a slow roll that forced him to face a reality that had been pushing its way into his mind for weeks now. I love him. A few months ago, he’d bought a debt slave to fill a need without the expectation of emotional strings attached, without risking the inevitable drama of yet another break-up. He’d been stupid to think he could live his life that way, to believe that sex and companionship would never lead to love. Parker had broken through the wall he’d built around him. Unlike any of his other relationships, the intimacy of the sex had led to first affection, then more. Parker was a part of him now and he couldn’t imagine a future without him. It wasn’t a matter of five years. He wanted the boy in his life forever. By his side. In the light. Not something dirty and hidden in the shadows.

Turning on his heel, Sebastian quietly returned to the front of the villa. He pulled out his phone and called the chauffeur and told the man to turn around. On the ride back to the Emerson villa, he formulated his plan. It was risky. He might lose everything, and all for a boy whose feelings he didn’t know. Parker might spurn the offer Sebastian was going to make, especially after he found out that their living circumstances might diminish to a very large degree. No, that was a stupid worry. Parker had needed money to clear his father’s debts, not because money was important to him, personally. As long as the debt remained cleared—and it would—he couldn’t imagine that the boy who showed such innocent appreciation for everything Sebastian did for him or gave to him would leave because the luxury would take a hit.

The bigger problem was that unless and until Parker stopped being a debt slave, any feelings he professed or promises he made to Sebastian could not be trusted. Parker was honorable. He’d made a commitment and would stick with it no matter what, even if it meant agreeing to a man and a life he didn’t truly want. It would eat away at Sebastian if he thought Parker stayed with him out of a sense of duty. He wanted the boy to make a life with him because they loved each other. Although it tied his stomach in knots, he had to accept that the only way to have Parker for real was to first let him go.

When he arrived back at the Emerson villa, he was uncharacteristically nervous, yet determined to do what he’d come to do. The crowd of revelers had thinned out to a few stragglers. There were always those who never left a party until the sun came up even if it meant returning for a noon wedding. Still, it was easy to avoid them by slipping in through a side door near the kitchen. As luck would have it, he found Milo walking by. The sight of his friend, someone truly on his side, bolstered his courage.

Sebastian grabbed his friend’s arm, careful not to dislodge the glass of juice he carried. “Milo, thank God. I need you.”

His friend gave him a hard look. “I thought you left already? I mean, I know you had a lot of people to get through, but still…”

Sebastian tugged the man into a recess in the wall. “I did leave, but now I’m back. And the fireworks I’m about to light are going to be spectacular. I could use a friend by my side.”

A gleam came into Milo’s eyes. “Damn, son, are you calling off the wedding?”

“Yes. Yes, I am.” Saying it out loud confirmed it was the right call.

“Now, that is something I don’t want to miss. And I’m just going to say I’ve never been more proud to be your friend. Let me get this up to Daphne. Nursing makes her thirsty and she wanted juice, not water.”

“You’ll find us in the sitting room on the second floor. The one with all of the red and gold?”

“I know it.” Milo started to leave, then stopped. “We still get to stay the weekend, though, right?”

Sebastian gave that some thought. This whole thing was going to be messy. “I’ll put you up in a hotel. And fly you back home separately from my parents.”

Milo nodded once. “That works.”

When he was alone again, Sebastian took a deep breath and went to gather up the people he needed to speak with.

* * * *

“Honestly, Sebastian. What’s going on?” His mother gave a delicate yawn. “We’re all exhausted and need to be fresh for tomorrow. Can’t whatever this is wait?”

Sebastian remained standing while his parents and the Emersons sat on facing sofas. Will perched on the arm closest to his mother. Milo stood a few feet away from him in silent support. He’d extricated some of them from final goodnights to the guest while having to pry others from their bedrooms. Will had actually managed to coax the lovely Serena into his bedroom and had been unable to bank his annoyance at being interrupted. Sebastian had called upon all of his relentlessness honed in business to get them in this room. Now that the time was upon him to break the news, the same calm that came over him as he closed a deal bolstered him.

“I’m sorry, it can’t.” He paused a moment before lowering the proverbial boom. “What I have to tell you needs to be said tonight. There’s not going to be a wedding.”

A stunned silence filled the room. The parents were frozen in their spots, their expressions one of surprise. Will’s, however, was pure anger.

Will shot to his feet. “This isn’t funny, Sebastian.”

“It’s not meant to be, as I’m sure you are aware. This marriage was a farce from the start and I’m not going through with it.”

His father found his voice. “What do you mean? You and Will get along great, share similar interests and a friendship. Lots of couples don’t have that kind of solid foundation when they marry. How can there be a problem with you two marrying under these circumstances?”

Sebastian jammed his hands in his pockets and spilled all the beans—even though it wasn’t his story to tell—because it was necessary to make everyone understand. “Will’s not gay, Dad. He’s not bisexual, either. This marriage was never going to be consummated, for lack of better way of saying it. We both agreed to this to shut you up. All of you,” he said, training his gaze on the Emersons.

“Fucking hell, Sebastian. What are you accomplishing doing this?” Will’s question was both a plea and a threat.

“For you, nothing. I’m sorry. Your parents are your problem. If you’d been honest with them from the start about your sexuality, maybe they wouldn’t have pushed for us to get together.”

The Emersons blinked at him with surprise before Will’s mother spoke. “You’re wrong about that. This is about family legacies and wealth-building, the same as it’s been for generations. I’m a lesbian but I suffered Sam’s touch long enough to conceive Will. You both being men, you don’t have to do even that much.”

From the looks on the parents’ faces, Sebastian could tell this was not news to them. Their expressions told him that his revelation about Will was of no consequence whatsoever.

Will, on the other hand, was surprised. “Jesus, Mom. I knew you two weren’t in love, but this…?” He shook his head, looking defeated and no longer angry.

Patricia lifted her chin. “What? You think it’s any of your business who I’m attracted to?” She swept her gaze over to Sebastian. “Do you think any of us had a choice in our marriages? We did what was expected of us. No one told us we were going to like it or even cared whether we did. You two have it much easier than we did. At least biology doesn’t force you to have sex with someone who repulses you.” She patted her husband’s hand. “No offense, dear.”

Sam smiled. “Of course not, darling.” The man had the audacity to go even further than his wife in airing their secrets. “We both have our girls on the side—discreetly—and are very happy with the arrangement. You two will do the same. We assumed that regardless of your sexual orientation. It’s how it’s always been done.”

Sebastian was so dumfounded by this information, he nearly laughed. “So says the man who lectured me and Will about fidelity not long ago.”

Sam waved that criticism away. “I was talking about paying for sex, not taking lovers.”

Sebastian rolled his eyes. “My mistake.” The hypocrisy of these people was a never-ending ride of surprises.

Sebastian’s mother weighed in. “Sam and Patricia are right. Your father and I were fortunate in that we enjoyed sex with each other. He just happens to want it far more than I, so he fills his needs with others. It doesn’t bother me in the least.” She stiffened and sniffed. “Forcing us to make all of these unseemly confessions is both rude and unnecessary. You can have whatever life you want after you two marry. Calling off the wedding is a very selfish thing to do, Sebastian.”

All these revelations were depressing and also only served to firm his resolve. “I’m sorry for you all. You’re children of the sixties and should have demanded more for yourselves. For myself, I’ve decided I am going to have more. I want love to go along with a ring and children. Believe me, I’m as surprised by it as you are,” he muttered.

Will took a few steps toward him. From his expression, he’d shoved aside his mother’s shocking confession and was back to being mad at Sebastian. “Yeah? And how are you going to find Mr. Right when you have that slave boy in your bed? You already cart him around pretty damn much everywhere you go.” When Sebastian merely stared at him, Will threw up his hands. “Oh, fuck me. You’re in love with him ?”

“As it happens, yes. Again, I’m surprised, too.”

His mother turned to look at him head on. “You can’t mean to marry that…that boy. I won’t have it.”

“Oddly enough, Mother, I don’t need your permission.” He kept his tone light, yet steely. No one was going to talk him out of his decision.

“You’ll be thrown out of the company and cut off from funds.” This wasn’t unexpected—not the threat or the person making it. His mother had always been the more ruthless of his parents.

Sebastian shrugged with indifference even though his stomach tightened. He didn’t want this fight but he’d brought it on himself. “Then I’m fired, I guess. I’ll have to start my own company.”

“With what?” his father demanded.

“I have my inheritance from Grammy Howard. I haven’t touched the capital and it will make good seed money.”

His father scoffed. “That won’t be enough.”

“Then I’ll sell my house, my car, my art, my first editions. I can do it.”

“I’ll be your first investor,” Milo piped in, earning himself a glare from Sebastian’s mother. He merely smiled politely back at her. “I know a lot of people who’ll be interested in betting on the success of Sebastian Endicott.”

Will came over and put his hand on Sebastian’s shoulder. “Let’s go talk this over, just the two of us.” His tone bordered on pleading. In this way, they weren’t the same. Will didn’t have the spine to stand up to his parents.

Sebastian gently removed the hand and stepped away. “There’s no ‘us’, Will. There never has been. We spent time together as friends, then jumped into this nonsense simply to keep the family peace. I can’t go through with it. I just can’t. I’m sorry.”

Will pinched the bridge of his nose. “Fine. You win. I’m going to see if Serena is still awake. I’m sure she’ll be willing to soothe my hurt over being dumped on the eve of my wedding.”

He strode from the room without another word. His parents, quivering with outrage, followed him. With a brief look of sympathy, Milo left, too.

Quiet fell over the room now that Sebastian was alone with his parents. He went to sit heavily on the sofa the Emersons had vacated. “I know you’re upset, but this is my life and I have to live it in a way that pleases me. Parker is a sweet boy and he has good business sense. Once he has a college degree, he’ll be an asset to the company—yours or mine. You choose however you think best where I’m concerned. I’m done being governed by your expectations.”

His mother smoothed the skirt of her dazzling silver gown. She’d gone all out for this wedding and he felt bad about that. She would never wear this dress again. That was her rule, not a fallout of the situation. James and Gloria had rigid rules and their social standing mattered to them in a way he couldn’t appreciate.

“The gossip will be intolerable.”

“It might have been less so if you hadn’t invited the gossip columnists and paparazzi to the wedding.”

His mother glared at him and blinked away what appeared to be tears. Not from grief, he thought, but anger. “Now you’re being gratuitously mean.” She sat back with a huff. “It would be one thing if you ran off with an Italian count or something. We could have spun that story in a way that would have at least helped our family. This boy?” She shook her head and went silent.

Sebastian leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. “When Samuel Howard stepped off the Mayflower, how much money and property did he possess? How about Francis Endicott? And a generation later, one of his descendants goosed the family’s fortunes by marrying a Putnam, as I recall.”

His father glared at him. “We understand your point, Sebastian. But we’re well past those humble beginnings. It’s not the seventeenth century anymore.”

“No, it’s not. So why are we acting as if it is? Parker Jameson is no one to be ashamed of. Yes, his family’s debt is embarrassing. That was his father’s doing, and Parker stepped up and sold his body to a stranger to keep the family home and protect his mother and sisters. That speaks well of him, I hope you agree.”

His mother tried a different approach. “How do you intend to marry a debt slave? I don’t know that the law allows it.”

Sebastian shrugged. “I don’t, either. It doesn’t matter, though, because I’m going to free him.”

His mother sniffed again. “I see. Even so, how will you ever know that he’s with you out of…love, and not gratitude or a sense of obligation?”

Yeah, Gloria could cut deep when she wanted to.

“Because I’m not going to ask him to marry me. Not right off. He has to go to college first, have a way of supporting himself without me. He’s made for an excellent intern and I’ll keep him on in that position under someone else’s guidance.” As he’d hurriedly formed a plan for the future on his way back to the Emerson villa, that decision had been a hard one. He desperately and selfishly wanted to keep the boy by his own side. Parker needed distance, however, in order to be free of any pressure as much as possible.

His mother tapped her knees. “You’ve got it all figured out, I see. How long have you been planning this?”

Sebastian looked at his watch. “About an hour, give or take.”

“Is that all? Why, you haven’t had time to think it through. You should…”

He cut off her enthusiasm. “I’m sorry you’ve never experienced that lightning bolt that is the sudden realization that you’re in love with someone.” He stood. “I’m going to the villa I’ve rented to be with Parker. I’ll return in the morning and explain everything to our guests.”

“No!” His mother’s tone was the one she used when taking charge. “I’ll do that. The least you can do is allow me the dignity of putting my own spin on this. The truth of the matter will become apparent soon enough.” She stood and his father did with her.

“Very well. It doesn’t matter to me what you say about it. I’m staying here for two weeks. Should I bother coming back to my office when I get home?” It was surprising how much he wasn’t worried about the answer. The idea of starting out on his own had a lot of appeal.

His father flicked his hand. “Don’t be more of an ass than you already have been, Sebastian. We have a board meeting next month to prepare for. Endicott Global may be a private company, but we still have investors to answer to. I’ll be damned if I’m doing that on my own.”

As Sebastian watched his parents storm out of the room with their quiet fa?ade firmly in place, he could only laugh internally at how his mother’s threat had somehow turned into an unwelcome demand by him. They will never change. He could work around them, so long as they were at least civil with Parker. Once there was a grandchild to dote on, they might even soften up a bit. The idea of having a family with Parker lifted the heaviness he’d worn since entering the Emerson villa.

All that was left was to wait to see if Parker loved him back. It might take years for that to be revealed in a dependable way. That was okay, he reminded himself. He had to be sure that Parker’s feelings for him were real. He’d never been so scared in all his life because the idea that Parker wouldn’t ever love him hurt more than anything that had been said in that very room. He hurried back to the boy, leaving the anger and disappointment from the others behind him. He selfishly wanted one more night with his debt slave before setting him free.

* * * *

Parker woke to strong arms wrapping around him and kisses peppered along his shoulder. He rolled over to face his master. “Sorry. I couldn’t stay awake.”

Sebastian kissed him long and slow, invading his mouth with that commanding tongue of his. “That’s all right. I want to fuck you now. I can’t wait until morning. We can sleep in late anyway.”

Parker ran his finger along the man’s cheek. “Hmm, sounds lovely, but you can’t. I know the wedding isn’t until noon but you’ll need a few hours to get ready.”

Sebastian was shaking his head before Parker finished speaking. “There’s not going to be a wedding.”

Parker’s heart stopped, then started again with a heavy thud. “What?”

“I called it off.”

Parker tried to sit up, but his master held him in place. “You did? Why? Not that it’s any of my business.”

Sebastian nipped at Parker’s lower lip. “It very much is your business. You see, I decided I didn’t want a sexless and loveless marriage. I deserve the full package.”

“Yes, you do. There will be other men. You’ll fall in love with one of them, I’m sure.” Although he truly did want the best for Sebastian, he secretly hoped it would take years for him to find the right husband.

Once more, Sebatian was shaking his head. “No, I won’t. I don’t need to find another man in order to fall in love, because I already have.”

Parker furrowed his brow. His master’s words made no sense. He racked his brain to think of what other man had been hanging around that could have… He widened his eyes at the intensity of Sebastian’s gaze. His heart leaped this time, right into his throat. It can’t be .

“W-what do you mean, Master?”

“I’ll show you.”

Sebastian rolled him onto his back, kneed his legs apart and sat within them on the back of his heels. He kept staring at Parker as he first removed the cock cage, then pulled out the plug. “I want you free tonight.”

There seemed to be a subtext to his master’s words that Parker couldn’t quite grasp. His cock enjoyed the liberation, however, springing to a rigid hardness. His hole spasmed uncontrollably, demanding to be filled. Sebastian understood. He slid his cock inside, without extra lube as he frequently did, causing a delicious burn. Sebastian clasped Parker’s dick and squeezed as he pumped the shaft slowly.

Parker stuttered out his breath and started to close his eyes to focus on the intense pleasure.

“No. I want your eyes open. Look at me, Parker. Look at me.”

Parker did as commanded, hard as it was to obey. The pressure in his balls mounted quickly. He would have come, except Sebastian clamped the base of his dick with a hard grip. A whimper escaped his lips.

“I want to make this last, greedy boy. We’ll come together…eventually.”

“Yes, Master.”

Something fierce came into Sebastian’s eyes. “Call me that again.” He slid his hand up to dig his thumbnail into the head of Parker’s dick.

He squirmed as he moaned but kept his gaze on Sebastian. “Master.”

There it was again, a possessiveness by this man that thrilled Parker.

Sebastian began to thrust, long, hard and slow strokes. “I love it when you call me that. I love you .”

Sebastian quickened the pace, snapping his hips and thrusting his cock deep inside Parker’s ass. He jerked Parker’s cock to match his rhythm. The pleasure was so intense that Parker had trouble holding on to what his master had said, what those words meant.

He slammed into Parker hard enough to push him into the headboard. “Come with me. Now!”

Parker obeyed, as always. It was impossible to keep his eyes open. He shouted his pleasure, his voice drowned out only by his master’s bellowing cries. Parker shook his head from side-to-side and fisted the sheets beneath him. He didn’t relax until Sebastian fell on top of him. The man’s skin was slick from his exertion and his heart pounded so hard that Parker could feel the vibrations in his own chest. He wrapped his arms around his master and held him tightly, reveling in the weight upon him.

“I’m crushing you.”

When Sebastian tried to get up, Parker held him in place. “I like it. Please stay this way a little while longer.”

On a sigh, Sebastian melted back into him, although he was obviously also holding some of his weight off.

Parker worked up the courage to ask the burning question. “Do you mean what you said or was that lust talking?”

“What, the part where I said I love you?”

Parker nodded into the crook of Sebastian’s shoulder.

“Yes.” Sebestian pulled back to look at him. “Against all expectations on my part, I have fallen hopelessly in love with you. And acknowledging that truth gave me the courage to walk away from the merger my parents negotiated for me.”

Delighted as he was at the declaration, Parker couldn’t help worrying about Sebastian. “Everyone must be very angry.”

“Oh, incandescently so. My mother threatened to kick me out of the family business and cut off my funds.”

Parker reared up with enough force to push Sebastian off. “Oh, no. I’m not worth that kind of rift between you and your parents.”

Sebastian narrowed his gaze before flipping Parker onto his stomach and delivering three sharp blows to his ass. “Never denigrate yourself again. It makes me very cross. You’re worth anything and everything to me.”

Parker couldn’t help giggling and grinding his cock against the sheet. A spanking always got him going. “If you meant to punish me, you’ll need to find something that I don’t enjoy.”

Sebastian turned him again and kissed him. “See, you are the perfect boy for me.”

“Yes, you picked well and I’m so glad you did.” He hesitated laying bare his own heart, yet Sebastian had paved the way. “I love you, too, you know. And have for a while.”

Sebastian caught Parker’s chin between his thumb and finger. “I’m delighted to hear that. Unfortunately, I can’t accept your feelings for me as being real. Not yet, anyway.”

Confused and not a little irritated, Parker started to ask what the hell he was talking about. Sebastian had them sitting and facing each other before he could get the words out.

“Let me explain, dear boy. You are my slave and thus, not in a position to feel something for me freely.”

Parker tossed his head. “Oh, I thought of that already, but…”

“Hush. This is how it’s going to be, the last command I’m going to give you. We are going to spend two glorious weeks here, and when we return to Boston, I’m tearing up the contract.” He must have seen the sudden fear Parker felt. “Trust me. This doesn’t mean anything other than you will be free. I won’t take the money back.” He looked a little hurt. “How could you think I would?”

Parker threw his arms around the man’s neck and kissed him, something he rarely did. “I’m sorry. It was a knee-jerk reaction. Of course, I know you’d never do that. But why release me? We’re happy as we are, right?”

“How can I be happy knowing that the man I love is foregoing his education to cater to me?”

“I’m learning more by your side than I will in classes.”

“I agree. That’s why I’m keeping you on as an intern. Paid . I’ll help you apply to Bentley for next fall and help you get tuition assistance. If you need it, I’ll loan you money on easy terms that you can pay back without worry. I’d give the money to you outright, but that would only make me worry more that you are with me out of obligation. After you graduate, we’ll see where we are.”

For once, Parker felt in control. “We’ll be right here, Sebastian. I’m not going anywhere.”

With that, he took advantage of the man’s distraction and pushed him onto his back. Not surprisingly, his master was hard. He was always hard. So was Parker. He straddled Sebastian’s hips and maneuvered the large dick into his ass. Being stuffed was wonderful and the slight sting of his ass as it rubbed against Sebastian’s pelvic bone only added to the pleasure.

He rocked gently as Sebastian had done when he wasn’t in a hurry and just wanted to savor the pleasure. “Are you offering me marriage, Sebastian?”

“Certainly, dear boy.” He clasped Parker’s hips and tried to make him go faster.

Parker resisted. “If you think I’m going to wait for five years to become your husband, you are very much mistaken. We can leave it until the spring, that’s as long as I’m willing to wait. I don’t need some lavish affair in Tuscany, either, but I want some kind of celebration. And I want a child. Next year, as you planned. Becoming a parent with you will make me happier than anything.”

“I can get behind that plan.”

A thought occurred to Parker. If Sebastian was worried that Parker would stay out of guilty duty, he had his own concerns. “Aren’t you afraid I’m marrying you only for your money?”

“I wouldn’t care if you were. That’s how much I love you. But as it happens, I’ve come to know you very well, darling. You aren’t that kind of person.” He stroked a finger down Parker’s cheek. “You are proof that there are still people in this world with the strength of character to appreciate more than money.”

Parker flushed with pride. He wanted to be the kind of person Sebastian saw him as, and silently vowed to himself that he would strive to stay true to that vision of him. “I promise not to be greedy. All I really want is you and a family. Wealth is a nice perk but I don’t need it.”

Sebastian’s gaze smoldered. “You don’t have to tell me that. I want to spoil you, though. And when you ride my cock like this, I’m helpless to deny you anything. Tell me what you desire and it’s yours.”

Parker grinned down at the man he loved, his heart soaring with more happiness than he could almost bear. “What if I want to be the master?”

Sebastian stilled for a moment, holding Parker in place. “Almost anything, cheeky boy.” He had their positions reversed with dizzying speed and thrust deeply. “I will always be in control, even when we’re married. And you love that, too, don’t you?”

Parker put as much of his love in his expression as he could. “Yes, Master.”