Josh had only been half listening to his dad and Monica talk about three houses they had narrowed their search to for their move. Of course he was happy for them, and any other day he would have been more of a participant in the conversation, because he really was curious to see where they would end up in relation to Jim and Diane’s neighborhood, but at that moment all he could think about was Cory, the afternoon he had planned, and their wedding.
“Alright you guys, we didn’t mean to get so carried away,” Brian said startling Josh out of his thoughts. “You both look like you have other things on your minds and quite understandably. Sorry for taking over your day, all this house stuff will keep until another time. Let’s get out of here and let you guys start enjoying your day.”
Josh stood up and when Cory almost toppled his chair over getting to his feet, too, the table chuckled. Josh didn’t feel any embarrassment at their eagerness. This was their day and he wanted to enjoy every second of it with Cory, just as much.
“Thanks for breakfast.” Josh nodded at his dad and catching everyone’s eye, took Cory’s hand. “We’ll see you all a bit later.”
With nods and goodbyes, they left the small patio via the side gate, and Cory squeezed his hand while wrapping his outside hand around Josh’s forearm.
“I thought we’d never get out that breakfast,” Cory said with a groan and a smile. “I was just sitting there thinking about you and what you might have planned for us and our wedding. I couldn’t wait to get you alone and all to myself. I probably only said two words the entire breakfast.”
Josh chuckled. “Same here. I couldn’t focus on anything except you,” Josh said earnestly as they approached Tony’s. Cory looked at him and removed his left hand from Josh’s forearm to place it on his cheek. They’d stopped walking and were along the side of the building heading toward the rear entrance. When Cory smoothed his thumb along Josh’s bottom lip, he took a shuddered breath. The look on Cory’s face told him they needed to get inside or they would probably be arrested for indecent exposure.
“Inside. Now.” Josh croaked, and they both ran for the stairs. Josh didn’t have the door open for even a second before Cory pushed him through and against the wall while they devoured each other’s mouths, taking nips and swipes with tongues and teeth. Josh groaned at the contact and pleasure and the rough handling by his smaller partner. Even though Cory was leaner than Josh, it never stopped him from taking what he wanted when things heated up.
Cory ran his hands down Josh’s chest and when they reached the hem of his shirt he slipped them under and pushed his hands back up taking Josh’s shirt with them. When the garment was removed, Josh gripped Cory’s as well and roughly discarded it without a care as to where it landed.
They came together again, skin to skin, and the warm sensation of his man’s body against his made Josh cling to him, clutching him tightly while their mouths continued their sensual dance. His hands were everywhere, digging into the golden strands of Cory’s hair and running up and down his back.
“God, I want you so bad,” Cory groaned into Josh's mouth, and he proceeded to rub his hips in circles, letting Josh feel his length. He slipped one hand down the back of Josh’s shorts and underwear and gripped his butt, holding them together. When Cory inched his fingers into Josh’s crease, he felt helpless to resist his man’s will.
“Cory, you need to stop,” Josh whimpered in the least convincing voice he’d ever used. Cory must have decided against that idea because he latched on to Josh’s neck at the juncture of his shoulder and sucked hard enough Josh knew he’d leave a bruise. The idea of wearing his man’s mark during their ceremony made him punch out his hips, and he knew if he didn’t stop, they would be breaking their decision to abstain before their wedding.
Cory’s finger was lightly skimming the sensitive ring of nerves at Josh’s entrance, and the sensation about had Josh ready to forget his own name. He could hardly be expected to remember why stopping was a good idea. “Cory,” he groaned. “That feels so good. I can’t wait to have you inside me.”
Their hips were still pressed tightly together and rubbed in a delicious friction, and even though they were both trapped in their briefs still, it made Josh’s head flop down onto Cory’s shoulder while he panted out sharp gusts of air. Cory laved Josh’s neck and ear with attention, moaning sexy little sounds, and Josh grew even more turned on hearing his Complement’s breathy sounds so close to completion.
“Can we come, Cory? I’m so close,” Josh groaned and couldn’t decide if he should send his hips forward, or backward, rocking between Cory’s hips and finger, as he tried to get more of both.
“No, babe,” Cory breathed out, causing Josh to whine pitifully. “We agreed, remember?”
“That was before you stuck your finger between my cheeks, Cory. You know how much that turns me on.” Josh almost growled, as Cory slowly withdrew his finger, still clutching the meat of Josh’s butt cheek. “Don’t,” Josh whimpered. “Put it back.”
“Fuck, you have no idea how much I want to babe. I want to bury myself inside you and live there, but not until tonight,” he said, but didn’t sound happy about it either. “I didn’t mean to get you so worked up. I just look at you, and I want you so bad.”
“Why did we think waiting two days was a good idea?” Josh groused. “We’ve been all over each other for weeks, and now, on our wedding day, we have to stop,” he grumbled into Cory neck.
“I’m sorry, Josh,” he said, sounding a bit miserable, as he withdrew his hand from Josh's shorts. “I promise. Tonight, nothing will stop us from being together. We’ll finally be married and we can have each other every way possible for forever, okay?”
Josh nodded reluctantly and when he looked up he finally realized their door was still open and all that he’d planned for their afternoon was laid out waiting. Despite the situation he finally smiled. He took Cory’s hand and lacing their fingers together, kissed the back of it. “Come on. I want to show you what I planned.”
Cory looked over then and smiled back at him.
Closing the door, Josh smirked at Cory as he adjusted himself, and then led him into their small space.
“Josh, you did all this?” Cory questioned, looking around.
“Our parents helped,” Josh explained. “My dad and Monica did the shopping, but yeah. After talking about different ideas with your mom and Monica, I put it together.”
Cory moved over to the table and looked at all the supplies laid out. Then moved his eyes to the kitchen and over to their bed.
On the table were art supplies of various kinds: paint, stencils, and a large piece of wood. There were empty picture frames and an envelope of developed photos, along with a large white matte and an eleven by thirteen print of Josh and Cory standing on their hill with a sunset in the background.
The kitchen had both their favorite snacks set out along with some sparkling cider, and rose petals covered their bed, complete with a basket of massage oils.
Cory walked into the bathroom, and when he came back out he looked at Josh like he was the only reason his heart beat. He came over and hugged Josh tightly. “Thank you, babe. This looks amazing. What are we supposed to do first?”
Josh smiled and explained the project he had in mind, showing Cory different ideas online.
“I love this idea, Josh. Our first little art piece to hang up. And we get to write the date of our wedding on the day we were actually married,” Cory said sweetly. Josh had planned on them making an art piece that had their names and the date they were married, or established, like some of the plaques he’d seen.
“Do you want a solid color background? We have what we need if we wanted to do a rainbow background.” Josh said, and Cory looked at him like that was the silliest question he could have asked. “Okay, okay, rainbow,” Josh chuckled and they set to work.
While their rainbow stripes were drying, Josh pulled out the developed photos and they looked through them, picking their favorite ones to put
in the frames, and decided where everything would go, leaving a large space in the middle of the wall for their established sign. The matted photo would come to their reception and all their guests would sign the outside with well wishes, as a sort of guest book to commemorate their day.
They had some of their snacks and Josh explained how much time they had to finish up and shower, or they could take a bubble bath together and relax, before Megan and a friend would be over to Cory’s house to do their hair and give them manicures.
Cory laughed at that and Josh said he knew he would, but still wanted to pamper his man on their special day. Cory just hugged him and went into the bathroom to turn on the bathtub.
While the tub filled, they laid out their name stencils and used black paint to finish off the project.
As they tidied up, Cory got some red paint on his finger and wiped it on Josh’s cheek, to which Josh retaliated with a green paintbrush on Cory’s stomach. A mini paint war ensued, and when they finally stripped down and climbed in the bathtub together, they had a pretty good reason to be so thorough in their cleaning of the other man’s body.
~
Even though Josh had sworn he wouldn’t get nervous, he’d started to get nervous.
Their photographer had been buzzing around and moving between his room and Cory’s for the last half hour. Megan had finished with his hair in Cory’s parents’ room and he had been sitting in their room with a sweet girl named Fern, who had both her eyebrows, nose and one lip pierced, for fifteen minutes, while she shaped and polished his nails. Josh wasn’t sure if they would enjoy the manicure, but when Fern rubbed a generous amount of some amazing smelling lotion on his hands and gave him a hand massage, he thought at the very least that was something he and Cory could do for each other when they were stressed for some reason; it felt divine.
Jersey hovered around behind him in his gray trousers and white dress shirt, fiddling with Josh’s tux and laying all the pieces out for him to change into. Josh and Cory had each collected all the pieces they needed to get ready and moved them to the appropriate rooms. Travis was in with Cory, hopefully doing the same for his fiancé.
“Jersey, can you go check on Travis, and make sure he’s got everything Cory needs?” Josh said over his shoulder.
Jersey snickered. “You know your man is fine, and Travis has everything under control, but it’s no hardship for me to go check him out, or I mean, go check on him,” he laughed not even trying to hide the fact that he found the other man delicious to look at. Fern laughed as well, and Josh just glared at his friend. “I’m going. You know, you’re turning into quite the groomzilla, bossy.” But thankfully he left and did as Josh asked.
“You know, you guys are pretty adorable. It’s not very often guys so young are ready to settle down and commit to one person. I think it’s super sweet that you guys love each other so much,” Fern said. “When you guys were introducing yourselves, I could just see how Cory looked at you and how you looked at him. That’s kind of special. We should all be so lucky.”
“Thanks.” Josh almost blushed. “He is pretty amazing, isn’t he?”
“See,” she giggled, and it sounded little crystals in the air. “That’s what I’m talking about, right there. That dreamy look you get when you talk about him. That’s when you know it’s meant to be,” she said sweetly, her short spiky hair belying the soft tone of character she demonstrated. “I’m all finished here. You were a good sport and I hope you at least didn’t hate it,” she teased.
Josh laughed, but Jersey opened the door and came back in, closing it behind him.
“Well?” Josh asked.
“He’s fine, and you are so going to shit yourself,” Jersey said, shaking his head. “It’s a damn good thing you aren’t laying eyes on him until we’re up there. We’d never get to the ceremony otherwise. You two would just stand there staring at each other, drooling, then attempt to rip each other's clothes off before you even said I do.”
“He looks good?” Josh swallowed.
Jersey shook his head. “He looks incredible. Megan is a wizard. Way beyond prom, babe. And that’s saying something because he was in the same room as Travis and I hardly noticed Travis; you know that man is drop dead. Cory is swoon worthy for sure.”
Josh’s mind was about to implode trying to envision Cory looking better than prom, and Jersey laughed again.
“Dude, you are so whipped. Don’t strain yourself too hard there, Junior. Let’s just focus on getting you dressed and your boutonniere on okay? One thing at a time, then you can finally see your man and live happily ever after. Diane said all the family is ready and the officiant is here. They’ll be waiting up on the hill for you guys, whenever you’re ready.”
Josh swallowed again, his nerves creeping back in, but he nodded. Fern packed up her things, and after a quick goodbye, Josh set about changing. The photographer had returned, but Josh hardly noticed as Jersey handed him his shoes and when he stood up straightening his sleeves, Jersey handed him something.
“What’s this?” Josh questioned.
Jersey shrugged. “I read online that a traditional gift is cufflinks, so I had a set monogrammed for you and Cory. Though, I just got them both with a J and C and the date of your wedding, so you would each have a set to wear. I know you’ll probably never really wear them, but I wanted to do something for you guys to each have a piece of the other with you during the ceremony,” Jersey explained and shrugged again.
Josh looked at the tiny pieces of silver in his palm and feeling a lump in his throat, grabbed Jersey and hugged the other guy tightly. “Thank you, Jersey. You’re an amazing friend, you know that?”
Jersey patted him on the back and took the cufflinks, helping Josh get them on straight.
Josh straightened his sleeves again and slipped on his jacket. Jersey handed him the box with his boutonniere, and Josh pulled out the single red burgundy rose with the same seeded eucalyptus and what looked to be a delicate fern leaf behind. Jersey’s boutonniere was a smaller white rose set with baby’s breath and some greens.
Jersey took his boutonniere from him and carefully pinned it to his lapel. Stepping back he looked Josh up and down approvingly, and Josh helped Jersey with his coat and boutonniere in return.
“You know I’m not really a huge fan of all this lovey-dovey stuff, but I think I’m actually a little jealous,” Jersey confessed. “You are one lucky bastard to have found Cory. And not just because of fate and all that voodoo, but because he’s it for you. He’s your other half, and of all the accidents, in all the hospitals, in all the world, he managed to roll into yours. That’s pretty damn incredible, Josh. Congrats, bro. When you’re ready, let’s go get you married.”
Josh thought he was pretty damn lucky indeed. After taking a moment to collect himself, Jersey poked his head out, and after a quick stop in the bathroom, they made their way to the living room. The photographer was doing their best to remain unobtrusive as they snapped shots of Josh then retreated down the hall to get shots of Cory.
His bees were starting to get agitated, and he knew Cory would feel that he was ready.
A few moments later, Travis called out. “We’re ready, Jersey. Get that man blindfolded and we’ll be right behind you.”
Josh nodded and took a deep breath. “Cory?” he called out, his voice unsteady as the weight of the moment hit him.
“Yeah?” his fiancé returned in an equally shaky voice.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too, Josh,” he called out and Josh could almost hear the tears in his throat.
Josh held out his hand for the blindfold and slipped it over his eyes. “You have the rings, Jersey?”
“I have the rings, brother. You ready?” Jersey asked, grabbing onto Josh’s bicep.
“Absolutely.”
And Jersey helped to guide him out the door and over to the wall. He could feel the bee magnets stirring then easing off and knew his Complement was in good hands behind him, following him
to the spot where they’d shared so many memories and where they would start their new lives together.
The walk up was a little awkward, but Jersey did his best to guide him verbally, and Josh could just slightly make out the ground below the edge of the mask, keeping him from any major spills.
When he neared the top, he could hear the murmuring of voices, and then another set of hands found his other bicep.
“You look really handsome, Josh,” his dad said into his ear as he was lead across the clearing. “I’m so proud of you, you know that?”
Josh nodded feeling the lump return. “Thanks, Dad.” His dad hugged him and moved away, leaving Jersey next to him, holding onto his elbow.
“He’s here,” Jersey whispered and Josh’s pulse raced at those two words. His beautiful, amazing, sassy, loving Complement was just across from him and was about to join his life to Josh’s, forever. Josh took a deep breath and wiped his palms on his pants. “Travis is coming to stand across from us, and when you’re ready, nod, and Jim will tell Cory to remove his mask.”
Josh wasted no time and nodded immediately. He reached up, after a moment to relay the message, and removed his own mask.
Across the small space stood his golden-haired angel, his Complement, with his captivating blue eyes that seemed brighter and more alive than Josh remembered, from even hours ago. He was radiant and staring at Josh with the same awed look of amazement on his face. His tux fit his smaller frame well, and his hair was parted on one side and swept back in chunky pieces, with a few pieces hanging down into his eyes, which Josh noticed were lined in eyeliner.
Josh unintentionally took a step toward him and he smiled the most beautiful smile Josh had ever seen, meant just for him.
Cory looked to his dad, then back, as they slowly closed the distance, approaching Josh, who hadn’t taken his eyes off the man, the man he was about to marry.
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