Clark's POV

After parking in Elias' parents' driveway, I kill the car's engine. The silence that follows is thick.

I glance at the expensive bottle of wine in the passenger seat, a gift I hope his sister enjoys. I'd splurged on the $300 bottle after interrogating Elias on his sister's likes and interests. While I may not be much of a partier, I know how to buy a damn good gift.

How much longer are you going to stall?

The rearview mirror captures my reflection, every line of doubt etched across my forehead. What am I even worried about? Why all the nerves? It's not like Elias and I are an actual couple. It shouldn't matter what his parents, sister, or anyone else thinks of me.

However, there is the lingering shadow of my brother's disastrous first impression on Elias. A big part of me wants to get this right and not have it end in flames in front of the people he cares the most about. I need to be flawless tonight. Perfect. For Elias.

My phone chimes with a new text, snapping me out of my self-imposed pep talk.

Elias: You here yet?

Clark: Walking to the front door now.

With a deep breath to steady my nerves, I grab the bottle of wine and step out of the car.

My feet carry me toward the sound of hip-hop music blasting, along with the faint hum of laughter and conversation, which all grow louder with each step.

Before I can even knock on the front door, it swings open.

"Wow." Elias smiles at me. "You must've done some deep social media stalking because that's Lalia's favorite brand," he says, eyeing the wine. "Good job."

"Thanks." I allow myself a small smile, relieved to have already cleared one hurdle.

Elias extends his hand. "Follow me."

I lace my fingers through his without hesitation as he pulls me inside for a quick tour. His touch is warm, familiar, and it lends me just a sliver of confidence.

Don't let it go to your head.

The party in the backyard is in full swing.

Two folding tables look like they want to groan under the weight of food and drinks sitting on top of them. There's a person manning the grill, a group playing an intense looking round of dominoes, a group of older women and men sitting around the fire pit conversing, and children running around after one another.

I scan the crowd a second time and spot Kahlan and Perry, but Remy's absence is a silent question mark.

Did his invitation get lost in the mail, or did Elias "forget" to send one, knowing my feelings about the man? Or maybe I shouldn't put myself in the equation at all and am better off assuming the guy is just not that close with Elias' sister.

Before I can dwell on it, Elias tugs me toward two women.

The taller one has long black hair, brown skin like Elias, and money pinned to her shirt that lets me know she's the birthday girl. The short Asian woman standing next to her with cropped purple hair, one arm wrapped around the birthday girl's waist, must be her partner.

It relaxes me to see just how diverse and welcoming Elias' family is.

"Clark, this is my sister Lalia, and her girlfriend, Devyn," Elias introduces, guiding me forward. "Ladies, this is my super handsome boyfriend, Clark."

Devyn laughs, then nods at me. "Nice to meet you, super handsome boyfriend Clark."

"Nice to meet you too," I chuckle. "And Lalia—"

"Sorry, I'm a hugger. Is that okay?" I nod, then Lalia tackles me with a hug, all bubbles and warmth like her brother. "You can call me Lia, by the way. I didn't know this brat was dating anyone, so it's great to meet you!"

She then pulls back to punch Elias in the shoulder. He howls in response, laughing. ¡Qué demonios!

"I can't believe you've been hiding this man away." She rolls her eyes at him, but they soften when falling back to me. "Color me surprised, Clark, because your guy has never brought a lover home before. For the longest time, I literally thought he was celibate."

Elias chokes on the air. "Lia!"

I can do nothing but laugh at this entire exchange. "We were taking things slow in the beginning, so you can blame me for staying away." I present the wine, earning an excited squeal in response. "Happy birthday."

"Clark, you shouldn't have! But I'm glad you did." She hugs me again before bouncing off with Devyn to find cups. "We're cracking this baby open now!"

After they're out of earshot, I say to Elias, "That went well, didn't it?"

"Totally. You're like best friends now." His hand finds mine again, squeezing gently. "One down, two more to go." He nods towards a couple standing by the grill. "My parents."

My mouth goes dry, heart thumping against my ribs. "Mind if I get a drink before we head over there?"

"You need liquid courage for my parents? Really? But you did so well with Lia."

"Because she was barely here for five minutes. The last thing I want is to make an ass of myself in front of your folks by doing or saying something stupid. So yes, one drink would be great right about now."

"Eres lindo." Elias chuckles and shakes his head. "Come on, scary man. Let's get you a drink."

***

An hour into the party, I still hadn't met Elias' parents.

Every time we go to approach them, they get pulled away at the last second by other party guests. Elias gave up after the fourth attempt, so now we're sitting at a table in front of plates piled high with delicious food.

"Still having fun, or are you regretting your decision to come here?" Elias playfully bumps my shoulder.

"Considering Oliver's are the only birthday parties I actively attend, I'm glad you invited me," I answer honestly. "Plus, the food here is way better."

"I won't tell Oliver you said that," he laughs. "But wait until you try my mom's churro cookies. She puts caramel on the inside and, oh my God, I promise it'll be the tastiest thing you've ever had in your mouth."

I smirk.

The memory of our one night together flashes through my mind—how I had explored every inch of him, savoring the heat of his skin, the taste of his mouth and cock and come. Pretty sure nothing will top that flavor.

"Hey." Elias narrows his eyes like he's reading my mind, and he leans in closer, his voice dropping to a seductive whisper. "Are you thinking of something inappropriate, Mr. Ashford?"

Emboldened by the two and a half beers I had, I angle toward him, our lips nearly touching. "What will you do about it if I am, Mr. Barnes?"

For a split second, Elias looks like he might close the distance between us, his gaze now fixed on my mouth. Under the table, I throw caution to the wind and rest a hand on his thigh, slowly inching upward—

"Elias!" Lalia calls, shattering the moment. "Get your big head over here and play with me and Devyn. Kahlan and Perry are being party-poopers."

We both look in her direction to find her and Devyn setting up a game of beer pong.

I'm down to play. The more I drink, the less coherent my thoughts will be, which means the less I'll think about taking Elias inside his parent's house to do filthy things to him.

I stand and extend my hand. "Let's go kick your sister's ass."

"Let's do it." He smiles and takes my hand, leading the way toward Lalia and Devyn.

"Alright, listen up," Lalia announces. "Winners get bragging rights 'til we meet again. Losers have to eat a whole Carolina Reaper."

"You're insane! Is it your birthday wish to kill your only brother?" Elias asks.

"She won't be able to." I squeeze his hand. "Because we won't lose."

Lalia quirks a challenging brow. "Game on then, amigo."

Having forgotten my responsibilities outside this party, the game turned out to be more intense than I expected. Devyn and Elias are playing for fun, but Lalia and I are playing to win.

Twenty minutes in and several drinks later, we're tied with one cup left on each side.

My turn. I line up my shot, but Elias grabs my arm at the last second. He kisses my cheek, lips soft and sweet with beer, as he whispers, "I believe in you!"

Lalia makes exaggerated gagging noises, but I hardly hear her over the blood rushing in my ears. I take a deep breath, line up the shot, and let the ball fly...

Come on, baby. Don't embarrass me now.

The ball arcs through the air and lands perfectly in Lalia's cup! Elias lets out a celebratory holler and throws his arms around me. I hug him back, grinning and cheering as I spin us around in a circle.

"Whatever! I ain't eating no damn pepper," Lalia grumbles as she and Devyn walk off.

"Way to be a sore loser!" Elias calls after her, laughing.

As the excitement fades, leaving us standing in the aftermath, Elias turns to me with a curious look.

"Didn't know you'd be this good at college games. What other secrets are you keeping from me?"

I open my mouth to answer, but I'm interrupted by an older couple approaching—Elias' parents.

My stomach flips. Here we go.

I quickly sober up as Elias steps closer, slipping an arm around my waist. I take strength from his touch, his scent, and I greet his parents with a smile as he introduces up properly.

"...this is Clark, my boyfriend. Clark, meet my parents, Leon and Elodie."

Leon's piercing gaze scrutinizes me from head to toe, and I can't help but straighten my posture under his inspection. When I extend my hand, he ignores it.

"Mind if we have a word alone, son?" he says to Elias, but his eyes remain on me.

"Wait. Aren't I supposed to be present for this?" Elias asks, protective instinct etched on his face. "That's how these things usually work, right?"

Putting on an air of calm I don't quite feel, I turn and kiss him on the forehead. "It's fine. I'll find you in a minute."

A pretty blush colors his cheeks as he nods. With one last squeeze of my hand, he walks away, leaving me alone with his parents.

Leon wastes no time getting to the point. "What exactly are your intentions with my son, Mr. Ashford?"

They're strictly business related. "To keep him happy, sir. Elias means the world to me."

"And your long-term plans together?"

We don't have a future. Our lies end in a year. "As a businessman, I'm all about planning ahead. But with Elias, I don't want to rush or steer us in a direction we may not be ready for. So we're still taking things slow, going with the flow. But I can say I'm in this for the long haul. I truly want to build a life with your son."

After going back and forth for another ten minutes, thankfully not diving too deep into my boring life as a CEO, Leon finally finishes picking me apart.

"Break his heart, and you'll answer to me." Leon's dark eyes narrow, but he seems to approve of me. For now.

"Yes, sir."

With a last warning look, Leon kisses his wife and walks off to rejoin the fun. Elodie touches my arm, her expression apologetic.

"Don't mind him. Elias is our only son and the baby of the family. His father is just overprotective."

I nod. "I completely understand, ma'am."

"Please, call me Elodie." She smiles warmly. "So, Clark, has Elias met your parents yet?"

Her question catches me off guard, and for a second, I falter. "Actually... I lost my parents when I was a young boy. My grandparents raised me." I swallow hard. "Elias hasn't met them yet, but he will soon."

Elodie's brown eyes soften with sympathy. "I was raised by my grandparents too, so I understand where you're coming from. But yours must be so proud of the man you've become. CEO of Ashford Technologies is very impressive."

Her words touch something deep in me, and I feel my face heat with a blush. "I think they are."

We talk for a while longer, and somehow the topic shifts to marriage. Elodie is so kind, so genuinely interested and invested in getting to know me, that it makes me want to reassure her about my and Elias' relationship.

Which is the only explanation I have for what comes out of my mouth next.

"I plan to propose to Elias before the end of the year," I blurt out, my drunken boldness resurging.

"¡Dios mío!" Elodie gasps, and then she pulls me into a crushing hug. She's a strong little thing. "I've been waiting for a wedding! I thought Lia's would be first, but it seems Elias will beat her to it. This is amazing news!"

I hug her back on autopilot, my mind reeling. What the hell did I just do?

She releases me and wanders off to find Leon, probably to tell him the good news that will never see the light of day. I stand there like an idiot for several seconds, internally cursing myself six ways to Sunday.

Then I look up. Across the yard, Elias is staring straight at me, eyes wide with shock.

Shit.

Panic rising in my throat, I make a beeline for the table with the drinks and grab another beer. More liquid courage. I'll need it to face Elias after this.

"What was that all about?" He appears beside me a minute later, and I nearly jump out of my skin.

"Huh? What was what about?" I play stupid.

"I saw you and my mom talking for a while. I was about to rescue you until she hugged you."

"Yeah, well..." I trail off, unsure how to explain without making things worse.

"Clark," Elias prompts gently, his tone equal parts curiosity and concern. "You had a good talk, right?"

I couldn't lie to him even if I wanted to. Not while in the state I'm in.

Reluctantly, I relay the conversation Elodie and I had... including my insane, alcohol-fueled proposal declaration. Elias listens, eyes getting bigger and bigger.

When I finish, he snatches the beer from my hand.

"Have you lost your damn mind?" he hisses.

"As much as I've had to drink tonight... probably, yeah."

Elias sets the bottle aside and grabs my hand, tugging me toward the house. "You need to sober up. Now."

We head inside and he guides me into his childhood bedroom, which has since been converted into a guest room, but his photos as a baby and young boy still line the walls. I can't help but chuckle at a picture of a young Elias, cheeks puffed out with birthday cake.

"God, you were such an adorable kid," I comment, my filter long gone. "Look at those cheeks!"

Elias doesn't share my amusement. He tugs me by the arm, steering me to sit on the bed. When I do, he steps back and crosses his arms, fixing me with an exasperated look.

"Do you realize what you've done? We're basically already married in my mother's eyes!"

I blink at him, confused. "What? How?"

"Clark, at my big age of twenty-six, I've never introduced my parents to anyone I'd been dating. You and I haven't even made it to the living together stage! The mention of a proposal makes us look way more serious than we are. Which is good in keeping our lie alive, but it's not good where my family is concerned."

"Elias... you don't actually have to marry me," I point out weakly. "You are aware of this, yes?"

"Of course! But now my mom's hopes are probably through the roof." He pauses, frowning. "It's going to crush her when I tell her we broke up."

The anguish on his face stabs right through my heart. I stand up and reach for his hands, desperate to make this right somehow.

"I'm sorry. Please don't be mad at me."

He swats my hands away, fighting a smile. "I had no idea you were such a clingy drunk."

This is good. If he's teasing, he can't be that upset, right? I grab for his hands again, smirking. "Neither did I."

Our eyes lock when he looks up from the floor, and everything else fades into the background.

I lick my lips when he licks his, my pulse racing, cock getting hard. It's ridiculous. We're once again doing the bare minimum and it's taking everything in me to not strip him naked and take him until the sun rises.

"Clark." His voice drops to a whisper, soft and tempting. "We shouldn't."

"So you're thinking about it too?" I lean in closer, pulling my hands from his to rest on his hips. "Me kissing you, tasting you again. Tell me you're not thinking about it."

Color rises in his cheeks. "I'm not..."

"Mentiroso," I breathe. And then I'm kissing him, deep and heated. Months of pent-up attraction roar to the surface, and I'm happy as hell that Elias meets me with equal fervor, both hands fisting in my hair.

"You're driving me fucking crazy," Elias murmurs into my mouth. His fingers tighten in my hair and he pulls me even closer, our bodies flush against each other.

"Good," I murmur back, trailing kisses along his jaw. "Because I've been going crazy since we met."

Lifting him up, I carry him back to the bed, my adrenaline pumping. We fall onto it with a laugh, still entangled in each other, mouths back to moving in sync as I slide one hand over his erection and squeeze.

He moans aloud, a mix of a curse and my name. "Clark, please..."

"Please what?" I lick at his pulse point while rolling my hips down. "Say it. Ask me."

"Please f—"

The door bursts open before he can finish his sentence.

We spring apart like the smoke alarm just went off, only to see Lalia standing at the door's threshold with a beet-red face after catching us in the act.

"Shit! I'm so sorry!" She covers her eyes while shutting the door, adding, "Dev needed something out of her suitcase in the closet, but never mind. Carry on!"

After the door slams shut, Elias and I just stare at each other, breathing hard.

You were about to fuck him in his childhood bedroom, of all places? What the hell is wrong with you?

Elias recovers first. He clears his throat and backs slowly toward the door, not quite meeting my eyes. "You should stay here and cool off for a bit. I'll come check on you in a little while."

Then he's gone before I can even formulate a response.

I flop back onto the bed with a groan. My thoughts are whirling as I stare at Elias' photos on the wall, innocent witnesses to the chaos of adult emotions.

If anything is becoming crystal clear, it's that we suck at keeping the pleasure out of the business we're in. This faux relationship is getting more complicated by the second, especially when we can't seem to keep our hands off each other behind closed doors.

How the hell are we going to keep this up for another twelve months?