Chapter Five

Will Gets A Grilling

Okay, that hurts.

Except Will wasn't sure which was more wounded—his body or his pride. Because finding himself flying through the air with curses exploding from his mouth wasn't his idea of making a good impression.

"Oh my God, Will, are you okay?"

The genuine concern in Becca's voice went a little way to healing his bruised ego. Before he could respond, however, two hands came into view, and someone helped him to his feet. Will got his first glimpse of the Good Samaritan—

And froze.

God had obviously been listening when Will had expressed a silent wish that Milwaukee would be inhabited by the world's sexiest gingers, because would you look at him . The guy was sex on legs. His longish, wavy red hair fell unfettered, framing cream-colored skin, blue eyes, and a smooth, square jaw Will yearned to kiss and stroke.

"I am so sorry."

Shit, his voice was as sexy as his appearance. Deep, resonant, the kind of voice Will could listen to all day long.

Especially in bed. Hell, yeah.

"How's your back?" his savior asked.

"My back?" Oh. Yeah. His back. Where something had plowed into him. "What hit me?"

"That would be a bell cart." Earnest eyes gazed into his. "I can't apologize enough."

His words registered. "Why are you apologizing?"

"Because he's a klutz, that's why." Becca glared at the object of Will's lust.

"You know this guy?" Will's brain decided to reboot at that moment, and he looked from Becca to the guy, and back to Becca. "Is he related to you?" The hair was a bit of a giveaway. And now that he took a third glance, there was a definite resemblance.

Becca bit her lip. "If I say no, would you believe me?" Will frowned, perplexed, and she sighed. "Unfortunately, yes. This is my brother, Aiden."

Wow. Talk about good genes.

Aiden regarded him with such an expression of abject horror and remorse that Will felt sorry for him.

"Hey, I'm okay." Will rubbed his back. "It only just caught me. I just won't be doing any dancing tonight, that's all." Aiden appeared stricken, and Will regretted his attempt at humor. "It's fine. I didn't intend going anywhere near the dance floor anyway. My two left feet cause misery and mayhem, usually for those around me, and especially for my dance partners. We're talking crutches afterward."

"I'm sure that's an exaggeration."

Fuck, that voice…

"If Aiden hasn't maimed you too badly, would you like to go meet my parents?" Becca raised her eyes toward the ceiling. "They're probably on the seventh floor in the ballroom."

Will grimaced. "We've been driving for over six hours. I really could use a shower before I meet them. I don't want them taking one sniff of me and avoiding me for the rest of the night." He gestured to his suit. "This wasn't such a good idea. I should've worn my jeans and a sweater for the trip."

Becca widened her eyes. "It was my idea, if you recall."

"Yeah, that sounds like something you'd come up with," Aiden murmured.

"Exactly. That's why it wasn't a good idea." Will flashed Aiden a grin, and when it was returned, his world got a little brighter.

Damn it. Why does Becca's brother have to be so goddamn perfect ? Cute as hell, a wicked sense of humor, a voice made for sin, and smart too. He had to be, if he was a teacher. And dummies didn't study physics.

Will wasn't sure if the thought of never seeing Aiden again—once Becca " broke up" with him and Will ended up on the family's death list—consoled or distressed him.

"Then get your key card and then you can go on up to your room."

Will headed for the front desk, doing his best not to turn to see what Becca's delectable brother was doing.

What did she say about not thinking with my dick?

Yeah, that ship had sailed.

When he'd checked in, he went over to where Becca, Aiden and Mikey stood.

"Where did they put you?" Becca asked.

He glanced at the card wallet. "804."

She grinned. "You're gonna like this. Mom got upgrades for all the family guests. Room 804's got a Jacuzzi."

"That'll help your back," Aiden added. "You've got time to have a soak in the hot tub before this evening."

Will wondered if Aiden's solicitous behavior would last the entire weekend, and for one brief moment he thought about milking the incident for all the attention he could wring out of the remorseful guy.

That's just mean.

Besides, what if he did get to meet the Taylor clan again sometime in the future? He wanted Aiden to remember him fondly, not as Becca's dick of an ex-fiancé.

"Let me carry your bag," Aiden said in a decisive tone.

Will bit back a smile. "Wow. You really are feeling guilty about trying to kill me with a bell cart, aren't you?"

"Yes, so it's useless to argue."

Will recognized the set of that gorgeous jaw. It was a Becca trait too. She could compete at Olympic level when it came to stubbornness.

You're not seeing the plus side to this, are you? He goes with you to your room, you get to spend more time with him—with no Becca around, if you're really lucky…

Yeah, that collision had definitely slowed his thought processes.

He gave as casual a shrug as he could manage. "Fine."

"I need to go find Mom and Dad." Becca leaned in and kissed his cheek. "When you're ready, the ballroom is on the seventh floor."

"I'll make sure he gets there," Aiden assured her. He smiled. "I'll take good care of him."

Becca rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I've seen your brand of ‘taking care'. Just get him to me in one piece, okay?" She flashed Will a smile. "Enjoy the Jacuzzi." And then she grabbed her bag and dashed through the lobby toward the elevator at the other end.

Aiden picked up Will's bag. "There's no rush."

Will performed a quick assessment. His back did ache a little, but it was nothing a hot tub couldn't alleviate. "I'm okay, honest." He glanced up at the ceiling. "This is really impressive." A chandelier hung from the middle, illuminating the painted curved panel of sky, clouds, and floating cherubs. Everywhere there was the glint of gold. He shook his head. "I guess they don't build hotels like this anymore." Not that he could make any comparisons with his limited experience.

Aiden led him toward the elevator. "There's a gift store down here that has just about anything you could need or want, and there's a coffee shop too." He leaned in conspiratorially. "And according to what Mom says, if you like your coffee, don't drink the stuff in your room."

Will grinned. "Now that's what I call useful info." He pressed the call button for the elevator, then took a step back, trying not to make it too obvious he was drinking in the sight of Aiden in black pants and an emerald-green shirt, open at the neck. "Becca looks good in green too." It was only as the words left his mouth that he realized the implication.

Aiden's eyebrows went skyward, and his lips twitched. "So I look good, huh?"

Thankfully, the doors slid open and Will darted into the small elevator. He stabbed at the seventh-floor button, and Aiden chuckled.

"It won't work without your keycard. Put it in the slot."

Which went to show how often Will stayed in hotels.

The doors closed, and Aiden leaned against the wall. "Something I have to ask. What does Becca think of you playing D & D?"

"She told you that?"

Aiden's eyes twinkled. "Why? Is it a secret?"

"Just surprised, that's all. She doesn't say much about it. Why do you ask?"

And what else has she told you?

Aiden's scowl caught him off guard. "She used to mock me for being a nerd or geek, depending on how bitchy she was feeling that day. I wasn't allowed to be around when her friends came over, because she didn't want them to know we were related." Then the scowl dissolved into his previous smile. "I can't believe she's mellowed out enough to have her fiancé meet her friends."

They arrived at the eighth floor, and Aiden led the way once more. Will used the card to open the door to his room—

And stopped dead. He hadn't been sure what to expect, but it certainly wasn't this. They were standing in a living room, complete with desk, fridge, a couch that appeared comfortable, an armchair that seemed to be its equal, and a glass-topped coffee table. On the table sat a thermal mug and a delicate pair of teacups and saucers, white china painted with deep purple flowers.

"Those are a gift from the hotel," Aiden told him. He gestured to the fridge. "There'll be goodies in there for you too."

Will went over and opened it. Sure enough, there was a tray laden with fresh fruit—apples, strawberries, melon, you name it—another plate with slices of different cheeses, and yet another with the most delicious-looking pastries Will had ever seen.

"I feel like royalty," he quipped. "Do they do this for every guest?" He closed the fridge.

Aiden smiled. "Only the special ones." He coughed and went through the door to the left, Will following. The bed was wide and high, and he guessed the door off that led to the bathroom. Will peered around the corner.

"They like their marble, huh?" The bathroom was as opulent as the rest of the hotel—well, what he'd seen of it so far. That Jacuzzi was so tempting, but it would have to wait.

He had parents to meet.

A role to play.

When Will thought about it, he realized he deserved that room for putting up with Becca's shenanigans.

"This is awesome," he said with a smile.

"Nothing but the best for Becca's fiancé." Aiden leaned against the bed. "So, how long have you two been dating?"

Okay, he'd expected to be grilled, but not that soon.

"Oh, about nine days," he muttered, casting longing glances at the shower.

"What?"

Will jerked his head in Aiden's direction. "Maybe a year now?" He hated lying, but there was little he could do about it.

"You're studying Astrophysics, is that right?"

Will had no clue how many questions Aiden was going to put to him, but he was sure it would be better to answer them through the bathroom door.

"I really need a shower."

Aiden smiled. "Hey, I'm not stopping you. I only thought we could get to know each other, seeing as we're going to be related." He cocked his head to one side. "Can I stay while you take a shower?"

And what am I supposed to say to that? No? And look like an asshole after his mom has gone to the trouble of getting me this amazing room?

What made the situation worse was that Will couldn't make his mind up whether he felt awkward at having Aiden there—or grateful that he was staying.

"Sure."

Except there was the part where he had to take his clothes off.

Do I undress in the bathroom, or do I not give a shit and strip off right here?

Right then, Will was all for not giving a shit.

He removed his jacket and shirt, followed by his pants, underwear and socks. Naked, he ambled into the bathroom with a coolness he did not feel, left the door ajar, and turned on the jets.

"What are you going to do when you graduate?" Aiden called out.

"Aerospace Engineer. There seem to be plenty of positions about." Except that was a lie. There was only one place Will wanted to work, and it was going to take years to get him there. He paused. "Becca says you're a teacher." Aiden wasn't how he pictured a teacher to be. Hell, he didn't look much older than his grade twelve students.

"Uh-uh. I want to hear about you ."

"You checking if my prospects are good? That I can take care of Becca?" he teased before turning his face toward the stream of hot water that felt glorious after six hours in a car.

"She'll need taking care of. A dancer , for God's sake. You watch and see. She'll be waiting tables or stuck in some depressing dead-end job, instead of starring in some hot show on Broadway." There was another pause. "You a player or a dungeon master?" Aiden called out.

Will laughed out loud.

"What's so funny about that?"

"It made me think of a joke someone once told me. ‘How can you tell the difference between a nerd and someone into BDSM? Ask them what a dungeon master is.' He chuckled. He'd rather talk about D & D any day than be grilled about his future.

"So what are you?"

"Player. You?"

"Dungeon Master. In the non-BDSM sense."

Will let out another chuckle. "Good to know." He flipped the shower off and grabbed a towel from the rail. "Wow. These towels are fantastic. I have no idea how I'm gonna be able to fit them all into my bag." When there was no response, he stuck his head around the bathroom door and grinned. "Just kidding." He retreated into the steamy space and toweled off. He wrapped the thick towel around his waist, secured it, then realized a part of his anatomy was definitely interested in the guy sitting on his bed.

Will gave his half-hard dick a stern glance. "Sorry, but you can't have him," he whispered. "Becca would kill me if I made a move on her straight brother." At least Will assumed Aiden was straight. Becca hadn't said anything to the contrary. And Becca not sharing stuff like that?

Yeah right.

He strolled into the bedroom as nonchalantly as he could, opened his bag, and removed a shirt, briefs, and socks. "Okay, back to D & D." That felt like safe common ground. "I know we've all done insanely amazing things, but what I want to know is, what's the stupidest thing you've ever done in a campaign?"

Aiden stared at him. "Uh, no," he said with a shake of his head.

Will laughed. "Aw, come on. Why not?" He gave Aiden an innocent glance. "You embarrassed?"

Aiden snorted. "You got that right. I was new, and the DM was a jokester."

"Tell you what," Will said as he turned his back to Aiden and dropped the towel. "You let me know what yours was, and I'll tell you mine."

The slight catch in Aiden's breathing had to be Will's imagination—or wishful thinking.

Aiden sighed. "Fine. I hadn't been playing all that long. In fact, it might have been my first game, but I'm not really sure."

Will was ready to call bullshit on that, because who could forget their first game? But he bit his tongue and let Aiden continue.

"Anyway, the DM told us there were footprints all around. I wanted to see if I could discern any patterns, and he said to roll a perception check. Then he told me there were footprints from several races, including a set of human ones that were following behind me."

Will grinned as he stepped into his pants and zipped them up. "Oh, tell me you didn't."

"Well, I could lie, but I won't." Another sigh. "I spent thirty minutes trying to figure it out, and that asshole—and everyone else in the party—was laughing at me the whole time."

Will turned to face him and slipped his arms into his shirt. "How could you not realize they were your footprints?"

Aiden gave him a mock glare. "First game, remember?" He leaned back, his weight on his hands. "Turnabout is fair play. Now it's your turn."

"Okay, but this goes no further. And by that, I mean you don't tell your sister, all right?"

Aiden blinked. " Now you've got my attention."

"I was playing a satyr at the time. I had a personal quest to lay every race at least once."

"I think we've all been down that particular road," Aiden muttered.

"Yeah, well… During one, uhm, encounter , he had me roll a disease check. I rolled a one."

Aiden winced. "Ouch. Critical failure."

"Yeah. It was so bad, my dick fell off. He thought that would be the end of it, but I reminded him I still had a tongue."

Aiden snorted. "A bisexual bard. Gee, what a surprise. They're notorious for trying to get laid. A hole is a hole, right?"

Will wasn't about to comment on that .

He gazed at his reflection. "Will I do?"

In the mirror, Aiden blinked. "Um, what are we talking about here? Are you asking if my bard would have bedded you or…? I need some context before I can answer that question."

Oh dear Lord.

He waved a hand at himself. "My clothes. Will they be okay?"

"Maybe, if you put on some socks. Bare feet freak Mom out." Aiden chuckled. "You look fine. You might wanna dry your hair, though."

He laughed. "No need. By the time we get to the ballroom, it'll be dry."

Aiden gave him a look that was unadulterated envy. "Wish I could say that. Mine takes forever if I don't attack it with a hairdryer. Not that I'm gonna cut it."

Will opened his mouth. "No, don't do that," he said quickly. Aiden's eyebrows shot up again, and he backpedaled. "I mean, you might look weird with short hair."

And you look awful fine just the way you are.

This weekend was going to put a real strain on Will. The chances of him letting something slip before he and Becca left on Sunday afternoon were increasing by the second, and it was Aiden's fault.

Why does he have to be so…

Perfect. He was goddamn perfect .