Chapter 17
SEVENTEEN
ALEX (ALEXEY)
After dinner, Julian helped me clean the dishes, and we settled onto my couch with fresh glasses of wine, him tucking into my side with my arm resting across his shoulders.
We’d decided on a new sci-fi movie that had been released recently, and I’d dimmed the lights in the room before starting the movie.
I glanced at the satisfying bulge in his jeans. Maybe we could start with blowjobs…I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it since dinner. Setting my wine on the coffee table, I slid my palm up his thigh and brushed my thumb along his balls.
Lifting a brow, he licked his lips and peeked at me. “Someone getting impatient?” He moved his wine from his lap to the table.
“Come here. The movie can wait.” We could rewind whatever we missed. I shifted on the couch, resting my back against a throw pillow and the armrest while sliding a leg behind him, and then patted my chest. This was more like it.
With a wicked grin, he lay on my chest, his swelling cock resting against mine through our clothes. “I thought I’d spend the entire night waiting.” He pressed his lips against mine, slipping his tongue inside my mouth and rocking his hips.
A battle scene started in the background, filling the air with thunderous booms and flickering light.
All my focus was on him, though. Slanting my mouth over his, I deepened the kisses and gripped his ass. Fucking him with the plug last night had been amazing. He’d shown me so many new things.
With a soft moan, he fluttered his tongue against mine—the kisses growing urgent and needful.
As the movie quieted, clicking sounded behind us.
What was that? Maybe the stove. My tongue slipped across Julian’s, and I lost myself in him.
“Oh my God. I knew it!” Margot’s shrill voice swept across the room. “Are you gay, Alex?”
My eyes popped open as my pulse skittered, and I shifted Julian off me. “What?” I sat up, gaping at Margot, standing behind us with fire in her eyes, her little black dress hugging her curves while she clung to her purse at her chest.
Julian jumped across the couch and gaped. “Margot, we were, we were, uh…” With a hard swallow, he stared at me.
“Bisexual. I think.” I had to own it. We couldn’t deny what she had just seen.
The movie clapped with an explosion on some foreign planet, and Julian startled.
Breathing through the drumming of my heart, I snatched the remote and paused the movie. I was almost glad this stupid fucking secret was out.
She stomped toward me, pointing her manicured finger. “You hated him. How the hell could you pick him over me?” She threw him a sharp glare.
I knew where this was going. “Yeah, well, things change. We realized we had more in common than we thought.” I raked my fingers through my hair and moved down the couch to be close to Julian. “Have a seat.” Why was she home so early? “I thought you’d be out late.”
She harrumphed as she dropped into the lounge chair beside the sofa. “I just told you that to make you jealous.” She pinched her lips while assessing Julian. “I didn’t think you’d bring him over here and, and—”
“Watch what you say, Margot. You’re talking about my boyfriend.” I refused to let her badmouth him. I swung an arm around his shoulders and peeked at him, watching her like a predator ready to pounce. Things might turn ugly if I allowed it.
“Boyfriend?” With a scoff, she threw her purse on the coffee table. “Which one of these glasses is yours? I need a drink.”
“Uh, the one closest to you.” I didn’t need it, anyway. Bracing myself, I said, “Margot, I never meant to hurt you. We’re friends and—”
“Friends don’t lie to each other and keep secrets.” She swirled the wine in the glass and then drank it. “I’ve cooked you all those nice dinners.”
“And tonight, Alex cooked for me.” Julian jabbed his thumb at his chest, his eyes burning.
She glared at him and then, with a smug grin, she said, “I’m sure you’re used to people waiting on you.”
Julian sneered and then said, “Yeah? At least I know when a man shows interest and don’t throw myself at ones who aren’t.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” She leaned forward, her lips thinning across her teeth.
“Stop it. Both of you.” I held my arm out as if I could put more space between them. “Let’s discuss this like adults, okay?” Damn, anger turned Julian into a wildcat. But I sort of liked it, in a bizarre way.
With a sharp huff, she crossed her arms on her chest and turned her face away. “I don’t want to talk with him around. He’s as awful as you said he was.”
A wicked grin swept across Julian’s lips. “If I’m so terrible, then why is—”
“I said, stop.” I leaned in close to Julian, giving him a stern look. He had to tone this down.
“Fine.” With his lips pressed together, he crossed his arms.
“When did this start, Alexey?” Her gaze crept to mine.
“Uh…” I needed to stick with the truth. There was no point in lying to her anymore. “When we were on the road. We had to share a hotel room.” Or had it really started earlier? He’d infuriated me, yet he’d still attracted me. “At least, that was the first time…” She didn’t need details.
As her jaw fell, she said, “That long ago? You’ve been fucking him all this time?”
“We’re not just fucking.” Julian tutted.
“Basically, yes.” I grabbed Julian’s forearm, uncrossing his arms, and held his hand on my thigh. “I’ve known I was bisexual for a long time. He isn’t the first man I’ve been with.”
Her brows shot up. “Even when we were together?”
With a slow nod, I said, “Yes, but I didn’t cheat on you. I’d hooked up with men before I met you and then after.” And I’d believed meeting the right woman would give me a hetero-normative life. How stupid I’d been. “I’ve never dated a man or had a boyfriend. Until now.”
Julian’s gaze cut to mine and softened.
“Okay, so this explains a lot.” She sighed and dropped her arms to her sides. “I think you might be gay, Alexey.” She wrinkled her brows.
“Why do you say that?” I knew why deep down. The sex with women was less satisfying. I could get it up, but it had always been trying. Swallowing hard, I braced myself. I’d suspected it was just her…but it repeated with other women. And afterward, I’d always sought men.
“Something felt off when we were in bed together. It was mechanical.” She threw a glare at Julian. “You won, okay? Keep your mouth shut.”
He gave her a knowing smirk and squeezed my hand.
“Yeah, okay. So, maybe I’m gay.” I’d never wanted to admit it, probably because of my upbringing. Russians weren’t gay. Well, they weren’t queer at all.
“What about your parents, Alexey?” Her forehead creased. “I don’t think they’ll understand. They still hold on to all those Russian traditions and ways of thinking.”
Damn, she was on the same wavelength as me. “Yeah, I don’t know.” I peeked at Julian, studying me. “Eventually I’ll tell them, but right now it’s complicated.”
“They sure as hell are. I doubt the organization allows players to date people who work with the coaching staff.” She arched a brow at Julian. “Right, Julian? How do you think your father will react?”
“Uh…” Biting his lip, he dipped his gaze to our entwined hands.
“Yeah, franchise policy strictly prohibits it.” His Adam’s apple bobbed.
“I looked it up yesterday.” As his gaze swung to mine, he said, “I spoke with my sister, Camille, and she told me I should have a position in mind for Dad to switch me to in case he finds out about us.”
“You spoke to your sister about us?” I raised my brows. How many people already knew?
With a shrug, he said, “Yeah, well, she’s damn smart, and she’s closer with my father than I am. So, I asked her for advice.”
“Seems you’ve gotten yourself into quite a conundrum.
” Margot crossed her legs and then picked my wine glass up from the table and took a sip.
“You know, exposure to one wrong person could cause significant public relations issues for the team.” Her lips flattened.
“Having your parents find out through the press would be horrific for them.”
My gut knotted. “I know.” Fuck, she wouldn’t tell anyone though, right? “Hey, you need to keep this a secret, Margot. Don’t say a word.” I straightened my spine.
She took a deep inhale. “I won’t. But you need a plan for when it happens. Alexey, what about your agent?”
The public relations specialist in her was coming through. “Yeah, I suppose I could talk to Craig.” The conversation would be awkward, and he might be unhappy with me, but she was right.
“And you, Julian, I think your sister is correct. You need to provide an immediate solution to your father, a position in the company where you’re not in violation of the policy.
” She lifted her chin. “Being the son of the owner, if your father lets you break the policy, it’ll mar his reputation and negatively affect the morale of the other employees, let alone hurt your ability to earn respect from anyone. ”
“I’ve earned respect from the team and the coaching staff.” With his brows furrowed, Julian glanced at me. “Right?”
“Yes, you have.” But she was right on all counts. He’d already fought an uphill battle with his careless attitude coming into the organization. It would be terrible for him to lose all the ground he’d gained. I hung my head. We had a lot to think about.
She drank the rest of my wine and set the glass on the table. “Anyway, Alexey, I wanted to let you know I’m moving out at the end of next week. I’ll be moving into a house with Stephanie. She has a spare room, and we enjoy each other’s company.”
“Oh.” I nodded once. This was a pleasant surprise. “I’m happy for you, Margot.”
“Thanks.” As she rose, she gave Julian a pointed look. “I hope your parents accept this, Alexey. I have some grave misgivings about it.” With a tsk, she said, “I hope you don’t lose them.” She strolled into the hallway leading to her bedroom, her high heels clacking across the tile floor.