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Alex snuggled closer. “Yes, and you won’t be doing anything like that again. Now you’ve got an agent, you should get your coms team and business manager in place, but I’ll be keeping an eye out. Not full-time, I have an earl to wrangle.”
“I was thinking of stealing you away from Ben…”
“No chance. I’m not working for you. I’m his secretary, you can have all the other bits.”
It was probably for the best, he’d hire a PA at some point. It had worked with Robin because it had to but with Alex they would never have to hide. People already knew he existed, and his fans seemed as smitten with him as he was, especially after the ice cream pictures.
“I guess Ben does need you too.”
“Oh, yeah, he still hasn’t been able to wriggle out of the bachelor auction… he’s in a bit of a pickle because although he says Ashley’s okay with it, I’m not sure he’s happy about someone going on a date with his husband even if it is for charity.”
A horrible thought crossed his mind. “Please don’t make me do it instead.”
Alex scoffed. “No chance. You’re mine now, no one else’s sticky paws will be allowed close unless it’s for work and even then I’m not going to be able to watch it.”
That would be a conversation for another day, as he was likely to have a few leading ladies and maybe even a couple of leading men in his career. For now he was going to find all the ways to enjoy being with Alex in private as well as the odd public appearance.
“Fancy a shower?” he asked.
“Reckon you can hold me up? Be an interesting alternative to your usual weight training routine.”
Dorian kissed him. “I love the way your mind works."
He hadn’t felt this happy in years. The world could get to know the real Dorian Forbes and he would get to explore it with Alex by his side. He still had a lot to sort out, his career, and somewhere long-term to live once he left Crofton Hall but he had no plans to do that for a while unless Ben kicked him out. For now, it could all wait as Alex was heading towards the shower and he was already giving Dorian a look that made him want to do exactly what he was told.
CHAPTER39
Ben tugged on his collar and wished this wasn’t a black-tie event. No, what he wished was that he hadn’t agreed to take part in a bachelor auction and he wasn’t about to be put in front of an audience of feisty men and women. Mainly women if he were honest, who had been plied with enough champagne to forget their maximum budgets. He’d been herded into a reception room with his fellow bachelors and bachelorettes, where he’d engaged in polite conversation which centred on them all believing they had made a terrible mistake. One by one his fellow inmates were taken away to meet their fate and there were only a handful of them left.
He was surprised to see Alex, dressed in a dinner jacket and bow tie, enter the room. “Alex?”
“Good evening, my lord. I thought I’d check in and see that everything was going to plan.”
“Not my plan, maybe Mel’s.”
“There’s been a lot of money raised so far, and the secret ballot system is causing a great deal of excitement.”
“Secret ballot?” He didn’t think he’d been told about that.
“Yes, remember, it was explained that the bidders would use code names and bid via an app they downloaded onto their phones.”
He recalled something but he’d still thought there’d be people holding up numbers and he’d be able to get a first look at who he would have to fend off at a future evening.
“Dear God help me.”
“I don’t think you’ll need to worry.” Alex had a very reassuring demeanour about him, and despite his original misgivings, it seemed Alex and Dorian were a lot more suited than he’d given them credit for. Dorian was like a little ray of sunshine at the moment, and had continued to be for the last couple of weeks since him and Alex had come to a proper understanding.
“I’m not convinced. But I still don’t know what you are doing here. You didn’t have to come to help.”
Alex smiled. “I’m here as Dorian’s plus one. He bought a table.”
“What?”
“Yes, Robin and Simon are here as well. With Ashley—they bought six seats for the evening.”
“But there’s only five of them.”
“It’s a spare seat… Ashley said he fancied bidding on the fireman.” Alex checked his watch. “I better get back. Dorian was ordering more champagne and I’m not sure that was a particularly wise decision.”
