“Oh, my God!” Nadia gasped. “You couldn’t wait one day. I’m a mess from traveling.”
“We’ve waited months,” Gabriel said with a smile. “It feels like we’ve waited a lifetime. No, we didn’t want to wait another day.”
“I need to change! I can’t wear this to your wedding!” Alexei cried.
At the same time, noise exploded in the house as Jess and the rest of her family trooped through, carrying baskets and containers filled with food. Behind them followed Devlin and Jake, helping to carry even more food.
“Jess! The food? I thought we agreed we’d just throw some steaks on the grill after the ceremony,” Gabriel said, standing there in absolute shock.
The stout woman snorted at him. “Who ever heard of a wedding without cake?”
Jess’s husband, Gary, walked over and clapped him on the shoulder. “We thought we’d help make this a big party to celebrate. Lots of food and beer.”
“Thank you,” was all Gabriel could force out in a rough voice. He’d never expected this. He looked across the crowd of boisterous people at Justin, who could only shrug at him and give the same dazed kind of smile. This life was not something he’d ever expected. Friends. Neighbors. Family. And very soon…a husband.
As if snapping from his daze, Justin and Gabriel quickly started making introductions, helping to get food settled, and Gabriel’s family in their rooms so they could quickly freshen up before the wedding.
They’d set up a spot on a flat piece of ground not far from the house that looked out on the lake. Snow had fallen the night before, covering the ground in a pristine blanket of white and gilding the evergreens that edged their property. The sun was starting to ride low in the sky, casting the clouds in brilliants shades of orange, pink, and purple, while the mountains in the distance were snowcapped with dark-blue rocks against the sky. White folding chairs had been rented and set up on either side of a short aisle.
Jess stood at the head of the aisle with her back to the water. The original plan had been for Justin and Gabriel to walk down the aisle together, but the arrival of Gabriel’s mother had necessitated one alteration.
Gabriel’s heart swelled to look down and see his mother on his arm as he walked toward the man who meant the absolute world to him. When she handed him off to Justin, she lifted on the tips of her toes to press a kiss to each of their cheeks before she took a seat in the front row.
Taking Justin’s hands in his, Gabriel looked over the gathering of people in rows of chairs. The front row held his mother, sister, and nephew. There was all of Jess’s family with their sweet, smiling faces. And there was Devlin and Jake. It hadn’t taken much convincing for the man and his son to return to Colorado for a happier occasion. These people represented his family. The ones that Gabriel would drop anything for. The ones he’d kill for and die for.
And the man standing opposite him was his everything. Justin had given him laughter and hope. He’d helped to heal so many deep, ugly wounds inside of him. He’d put life into his heart again and given him a new reason to live. There was no telling how many years they had ahead of them, but Gabriel would cherish every one that he was lucky enough to have.
The wedding was a blur. They’d not chosen special vows, sticking with the classics that Jess read off for them. They’d made their own oaths to each other that really weren’t family-friendly. They promised to protect each other’s backs and not to make fun of the other’s weapon of choice. They promised to always carry a spare magazine for the other person and to always openly discuss reservations about a potential contract. They promised to enjoy the adventure and cherish each moment they had. And they promised to always make time for dancing under the stars.
Justin finished turning out the lights and checking the locks on the house before strolling into the master bedroom. It was nearly two in the morning. The wedding had been incredibly short thanks to the cooler temperatures outside, but the party afterward had stretched on as they filled themselves with good food, good alcohol, and so much good company.
Even Devlin seemed to relax and smile a little easier for the first time since they’d met the man. Jake had enjoyed spending time with Alexei, and the dogs loved being around so many people. The only ones to stay hidden were the cats, who were now starting to poke their heads out and prowl the silent house once again.
As he closed the door behind him, Justin looked up to see Gabriel step out of the bathroom wearing a pair of black sleep pants that rode low on his narrow hips. His dark hair was wet and slicked back from the shower. A new white scar cut across his stomach, but it almost seemed to blend naturally with the stark black tattoos that covered his shoulders and chest. Reminders of another life. A life before Justin.
Gabriel had mentioned adding a new tattoo to his collection, something Justin-related, but he hadn’t decided on a design yet. Justin had suggested having “Property of Justin Mallory” tattooed on Gabriel’s ass, but it hadn’t gone over well. The tattoo could wait. The important thing now was the matching silver bands they both wore on their left hands.
“Everyone settled?” Gabriel asked.
“Yep. I thought Nadia was going to share with Alexei, but apparently she decided to share with your mom, and Alexei is basking in having a room all to himself. Dev and Jake are settled in the room that’s eventually going to be our office. I’m not sure who has which dog, but at least they’re not going to be in here tonight.”
Gabriel shook his head in wonder. “My mom is here,” he whispered. “I…I just can’t believe it. When I saw my uncle’s note all those months ago, I was sure it was a trick. It seemed like such an impossibility that she was alive and I didn’t know it.”
Justin crossed the short distance between them and slid his hands around his lover’s waist and up his back in a slow caress. “But now she’s here and you get to make up for lost time.”
Gabriel’s eyes fell shut and a look of pain crossed his face. “I hate that we lost all those years together, but I’m also glad that we never saw each other during that time.” He opened his eyes and let Justin see the gut-wrenching sadness that still wrapped itself around his soul. There were so many things Gabriel still struggled with, nights where nightmares gripped him and wouldn’t let him go. All Justin could do was hold him. He counted it as a good sign that Gabriel wasn’t hiding his feelings from him any longer.
“Why?”
“I’m glad she didn’t meet the person I’d become. I was cold and ruthless. I don’t know if I would have been able to love her or understand why she left me with my father. Why she saved only herself all those years ago.” Gabriel reached up and pressed his hand against Justin’s cheek. “You gave me my heart back. Gave me love. Made me a better person. The person my mother would have wanted me to be.”
Justin closed his eyes and turned his face into Gabriel’s palm, pressing a kiss to the center. He couldn’t begin to explain how much Gabriel’s words meant to him. This man just reached into his chest and turned him inside out over and over again.
He knew Gabriel didn’t understand what he’d done for Justin. His own childhood had been filled with emptiness and loneliness. He’d been passed from family to family to boys’ homes growing up. Never really belonging. Never feeling as if someone cared whether he lived or died. Gabriel gave him a home. Gave him a place where he was loved and cherished and valued.
“I only want you to be happy, G Love.”
Gabriel smiled at him. “Even if it means us going out and shooting people every once in a while?”
“Bad people,” Justin corrected.
“And stealing things.”
“Liberating things from bad people,” Justin said.
“And blowing things up.”
Justin grinned. “God, you’re sexy when you’re evil and ruthless.”
Gabriel’s hand dropped from his face and slid down Justin’s chest until it cupped his hardening cock. “I thought you just liked how I handled a weapon.”
Justin
couldn’t stop himself from rocking his hips, thrusting into Gabriel’s tightening grip. “Definitely love how you handle a weapon. How about you come to bed with me, husband, and show me exactly how well you handle my weapon?”
Gabriel slipped out of Justin’s grasp and walked over to their bed. Stopping, he pushed down his pants and stepped out of them before crawling naked onto the bed. In the center, he halted and looked over his shoulder at Justin with a wicked grin, before stretching out on his stomach.
Fuck. All Justin’s elaborate plans to take it slow, to linger over every inch of Gabriel’s body, to worship the man he loved more than anyone, went up in a fiery explosion. No, this was going to be hard, fast, and dirty. They’d have to do sweetness in the morning.
Justin reached over his shoulder with one hand and grabbed the back of the T-shirt he’d changed into after the wedding. He pulled it over his head while he started working on the button of his jeans with the other hand. Stepping out of his shoes, he nearly fell over in haste to lose all his clothes at once.
When he was finally naked, he paused long enough to grab the new bottle of lube from the nightstand and toss it onto the bed. He moved up Gabriel’s body, pressing light kisses up his calves, the backs of his knees, and his inner thighs. Gabriel moaned and lifted his ass as if offering it up. Smiling, Justin leaned forward and bit down hard on one cheek.
“Laying like this, you’d think you just wanted to get fucked,” Justin said as he moved his mouth over to the other check and bit down.
“You laid claim to my heart and soul in the wedding ceremony today. I thought I’d give you a chance to prove that you own my body.”
A possessive growl rumbled up Justin’s throat. This man…his husband…got him in ways he didn’t think possible. Lit fires in him. Made him feel alive and reckless and free. And it was amazing. Addictive.
Roughly grabbing Gabriel’s hip, he flipped him over, forcing him onto his back. Positioned between his long legs, Justin leaned down and swiped his tongue along Gabriel’s hard length. Gabriel moaned and shifted under him, but Justin grabbed his hip again and held him in place as he placed little teasing licks on the inside of his hips and close to his dick without ever touching the hard, straining flesh. Above him, Gabriel moaned and cursed him, trying to move his dick closer to Justin’s warm, wet mouth.
“Evil bastard,” Gabriel snarled.
“What do you want, G Love?”
“Quit teasing! Suck my fucking cock.” Gabriel grabbed a handful of Justin’s hair and pulled him toward his dick.
Justin finally obliged, taking him down to the back of his throat. Gabriel groaned and loosened his hold on Justin’s hair, but didn’t completely let go. Relief caused fine trembling in his frame and he petted Justin’s head. If the man could purr, Justin was pretty sure he would.
As he moved up and down his dick, he flattened his tongue, pausing to swirl it around the head before sliding down his length. He loved blowing Gabriel. Loved the weight and feel of his silky flesh. He knew Gabriel’s dick almost as well as his own. Knew so many little tricks for getting him off and how to push him right to the edge.
Tonight, he’d wanted to dangle him from the edge for hours until they were both shaking and covered in sweat. But his own body was making demands. He needed to be buried balls deep, listening to Gabriel scream his name as he came hard. The delicious torture could wait this once.
He reached over and grabbed the lube, pouring some on his fingers before rubbing them over Gabriel’s hole in small circles. A soft cry left Gabriel’s parted lips and he lifted his hips, trying to press back on his fingers. He carefully pressed one finger inside and Gabriel shouted.
“Yes! Fuck me! More. I need more.”
Justin lifted his mouth from Gabriel’s dick and chuckled. “Maybe we should have gotten a hotel room for tonight.”
“Fuck that,” Gabriel snarled. He shifted, taking more of Justin’s finger inside of his body with a satisfied groan. “This is my damn honeymoon. I’m getting fucked hard and going to make all the noise I want.” He lifted his head and glared Justin. “Now get your cock inside of me.”
Justin smiled as he shoved two fingers deep inside of Gabriel, stretching his hole even more. Gabriel reached down and grabbed his dick. He slowly stroked it and sighed happily. Justin turned his face and placed more kisses along Gabriel’s leg as he continued to prep his body while his own was begging for attention.
Fuck it.
Justin pulled free of Gabriel’s body and snatched up the lube. He slathered some on his own cock, hissing at the sharp pleasure. When he positioned the head at Gabriel’s entrance, brushing it lightly against the sweet nerve endings, he looked up to see a positively feral grin on Gabriel’s handsome face. He gave one sharp nod and Justin pushed forward, stretching him and plunging into that mind-melting heat and tightness.
They both moaned low and loud. When he was halfway inside, he withdrew and pressed forward again. He entered Gabriel slowly in a series of tiny increments, teasing them both. When he was finally buried to the hilt, Justin stretched out on top of Gabriel, placing his forearms on either side of his head. He grabbed his hair with both hands and captured his mouth in a searing kiss that set them both on fire.
“Love you,” Gabriel panted between kisses. “Love you so damn much. You’re my everything.”
Justin dragged his lips along Gabriel’s jaw, nibbling and kissing until he got to the tender flesh where his jaw met his throat. “You are my everything. My life. My breath. My heart. And I’m going to fuck you until we both forget about the rest of the world.”
Gabriel’s groan turned into a shout when Justin pulled back and slammed home again. He thrust into Gabriel, loving the feel of his tight body clinging to his shaft, the sound of their flesh slapping together, each ragged breath and cry that left Gabriel. They ate at each other’s mouths. There was no getting close enough. Justin could feel Gabriel’s hard, leaking dick rubbing against his stomach. Gabriel shifted underneath him and whimpered.
“So close. God, baby, so close. Please,” he pleaded. He opened his dark eyes, pupils blown wide with pleasure and need.
“I’ll get you there.” Grabbing Gabriel’s legs by the backs of the knees, he forced his legs up to his chest. “Grab your cock.”
Gabriel followed his instructions and started to stroke himself, while Justin changed the angle of his thrusts. He knew he hit the spot he was searching for when Gabriel’s entire body tensed, and he cursed loudly. Justin continued to peg his prostate until Gabriel was shouting his name. Cum splashed across his stomach and the muscles in his ass contracted, squeezing him so damn tight that Justin could barely move. He fucked his lover through his orgasm, loving the look of intense joy on his face.
Justin had been trying to ignore the tingling pressure of his own orgasm building at the base of his spine, but there was no fighting it any longer. Gabriel was still moaning and panting when his own orgasm slammed through him like a freight train. His rhythm shattered, Justin could only mindlessly thrust, pumping himself into Gabriel.
He collapsed on Gabriel, not caring that he was smearing Gabriel’s spend on both of their stomachs. Their chests expanded and collapsed almost in time with each other as they struggled to catch their breaths. Justin pulled the last of his energy together and wrapped his arms around Gabriel, pulling them onto their sides so that he was no longer crushing his husband with his weight.
“We’re making a mess on the bed,” Gabriel said and gave a little groan when Justin slid free of his body. Justin hated the lost connection as well, but he just couldn’t move.
“Don’t care. Housekeeping will get it.”
Gabriel snorted. “We are housekeeping.”
“But that’s future us’s problem.”
Justin released a happy sigh when Gabriel snuggled his face against Justin’s shoulder and wrapped one arm around his waist, keeping them locked together. A peaceful silence settled between them for a couple of minutes, and then Gabriel
broke it with the best question.
“Do you think they could hear us?”
Justin laughed and hugged Gabriel tighter. “What happened to ‘It’s my damn honeymoon. Fuck me.’?”
“I was senseless and drunk on your dick,” Gabriel replied with a weary sigh. “I really don’t want to think about my mother or Alexei hearing me shout ‘Get your cock inside of me.’ Even if it is my honeymoon.”
Justin laughed again at Gabriel’s dry, put-out tone. “God, you’re amazing.”
“I’m also serious.”
Leaning back a little bit so that he could see Gabriel’s cheeks that looked partially red from the sex and partially from embarrassment. “I doubt they heard us. They are at the opposite end of the house and probably dead to the world after a long day of travel and partying. We also put in some extra insulation in the bedroom. It works as soundproofing.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. But if I’m wrong, fuck it. This is our honeymoon. We are consenting adults who love each other.”
Gabriel huffed a little laugh. “True. Now I’m getting a towel before we fall asleep and end up stuck together.”
Reluctantly, Justin released his hold on Gabriel, allowing him to climb out of the bed. He watched him slowly walk around the room with only a small wince and disappear into the bathroom. Gabriel really was the sexiest man he’d ever known. His lean, hard body was regaining all its definition after he’d forced him to remain sedentary following his hospital stay. But even when parts of him grew soft, he was perfect.
When Gabriel returned a moment later, he lay back and let the man wipe him clean again. Tossing the damp towel on the floor, Gabriel turned off the lamp burning on the nightstand and climbed into bed.
Soft lips brushed against Justin’s and Gabriel sighed. “I love you. Thank you for the perfect day. The perfect wedding.”
“It was pretty damn perfect. I’m glad we invited Devlin and Jake. They looked happy.”
Gabriel hummed. “I think it was good for Devlin. I worry about him.”
The Exit Strategy Bundle Page 68