Anastasia Romanov

Lynan could think of several places he would rather be right now than a limo filled with over dressed and over enthusiastic people.

It’s not like he had even signed up for this.

His sister was the one to blame for this entire affair.

The country had been taken by storm by a reality TV show. It had been all over the media, newspapers, magazines and the internet.

Why?

Because it was the world’s first ever openly Bi Bachelor.

The whole country was torn apart by the news. On one side, people were applauding equality and the production company for going ahead with it while on the other hand, people were claiming it was all just a disgusting publicity stunt.

Lynan had been keen to keep out of the debate, to be honest.

Something that had proven to be exceedingly difficult because every single person seemed to have an opinion on it.

The models he took photos of for fashion shoots were the worst- they had been going on about it for months. It seemed like everyone he knew was putting forward a damn application to get in.

All for someone who was supposedly the ‘Most Sought After Bachelor’ in the country.

A reclusive billionaire that swung both ways. He had to admit that the man was attractive, with the chiselled body and confident red eyes staring out from the advertisements.

But it was none of Lynan’s business.

Except that his dear sister had decided to catch her recently ‘come out gay’ older brother the biggest fish of them all.

You can imagine his surprise when he got the call. Worse still, the producers wouldn’t listen to his protests and told him in no uncertain terms that he would be on the show.

His sister was thrilled.

Lynan had contemplated faking some horrific illness to get out of it but he knew he would never live it down. Because his sister had blabbed to every single person she knew that he was going to be on the show.

His friends were certain that Lynan would be the one ‘normal’ person there, most likely chosen just to highlight the crazy.

This was only emphasized by the ride in one of two limos that chaperoned twenty participants to the mansion where they would spend the next two months.

Ten males, ten females.

Apparently, the producers had changed the way some of the show worked and now, they would all be living in the same mansion as Mr. Big Hotshot Bachelor for two whole months.

Worst still, the entire place had been rigged with cameras for live streaming as well as the cameras that will no doubt be stalking them everywhere.

No communication with the outside world except for once a week with one hour of computer time under supervision. Something about avoiding accidentally leaking information.

No vote offs, just two months of dating hell.

Group dates, solo dates. Bitch about other people’s dates.

It was going to be hell.

At least he could sit in the corner and ogle at the man in question for some of it.

The man was eye candy.

He also couldn’t remember the man’s name.

What a great start this was shaping up to be.

His aversion to the whole thing was not helped by the people sharing his ride.

A woman sat with a freaking chicken in her lap; it was cute but it had already did his shitty business on the limo floor once.

Another one was downing all the champagne she could get her hands on and exclaiming about how she would sweep this man off his feet while sneering at the men in the limo.

Another blond man wailed on about unrequited love. Apparently, he was a manager at one of the bachelor’s establishments, and Lynan was sure he had heard the man’s entire life story by now.

A famous idol sat next to Lynan, Amulet, who seemed sweet, if a little air headed.

The limo pulled to a stop, idling for what felt like an age before it moved again and a vibrant voice came over the intercom.

“Are you all ready to meet Yael Kalis?”

Yael- that was his name.

Lynan winced as everyone screamed their enthusiasm.

A laugh sounded over the intercom as they pulled to a stop and they were told to wait their turn until they were called to exit the limo.

Then they would be formally introduced to Mr. Bachelor.

Theirs was the second of the two limos and Lynan was one of the last to be called forward.

He was oddly nervous.

It’s not like he expected anything out of this, other than what would probably be the most stressful all expenses holiday he had ever had. Still, he was meeting a rather intimidating man, the one he was supposedly dating for the next two months.

Finally, he was called forward.

Taking a deep breath, Lynan gathered his nerves and carefully stepped out of the limo.

He nearly tripped over his own feet on the exit, barely catching himself on the door, and he walked unsteadily toward the dark figure standing near a garden with decidedly warm cheeks.

He hoped that the man hadn’t seen him but no doubt the camera that followed him had caught everything.

Perfect, first view on national TV was him barely saving himself from falling flat on his face.

Lynan stopped in front of this Yael person and looked up.

And up.

Damn he was tall.

And muscular.

And holy shit was he good looking.

Those photos really didn’t do him justice.

Lynan had never felt so out of place as he did in his ill-fitting suit while standing next to this perfectly put together man. He didn’t even realize he had been standing there wordlessly staring until an eyebrow rose.

Lynan cleared his throat to hide his embarrassment before holding out his hand and finally introducing himself.

Ugh, he wanted to sink through the floor right then and there.

Soon enough, he was heading into the mansion proper and he honestly did not remember a thing he said or even what Yael had said in return.

All he could remember was that the man’s voice was deep and smooth.

They really did pick the perfect man for this.

His thoughts were interrupted when he walked into a large room filled with chattering people and immediately felt most of them dismiss him out of hand.

Well, that made it easier for him, he supposed.

It would give him a way to carry out his plan to ogle Yael from the corner of the room and not get drawn into cat fights.

Accepting another glass of champagne, he felt like he would need a few to get through the night. 

Lynan moved to the side of the room only to be stopped dead in his tracks by a pretty white pony.

What the hell.

Turned out one of the women had brought her in to make a play on the whole white knight princess thing.

Lynan didn’t entirely get it but took a few minutes to pet the mild mannered pony. The others reminded him that there was some first impression guaranteed a solo date thing he had completely forgotten about.

Well, that was out for him.

Unless him tripping on his own feet counted as something memorable to Yael.

Which Lynan sincerely hoped wasn’t the case.