Their Reason (7 page)

There were a few sniffles behind them, but Red couldn’t look away from Bull. Gently, he reached up to brush the tears from Bull’s eyes and Bull gripped his hand, holding it against his cheek. In his wildest imaginings, he couldn’t have dreamed up someone who would look at him like that. Bull laid himself bare, sharing everything without reservation. The love and lust was there, but so was the vulnerability that eased his own. It was easy to say that he took his strength from Bull, it seemed to ooze from his pores, but Red knew that he was the only one that really saw it for the façade it was. Bull needed him, took strength from him, and trusted him without reservation.

“After this, I never want to see my ring off your finger.” Bull turned his head, placing a gentle kiss on Red’s palm before bringing their hands down between them. There was a slight tremble in Bull’s hand as he transferred Red’s ring to his left hand. “You know I have a beautiful speech in my pocket that I spent hours writing.”

“Me too.” And Red couldn’t wait to read it, someday. Now he just wanted to hear the words that were in Bull’s heart.

“When I saw you for the first time—stranded on the side of the road, heat exhaustion wearing you down—you had this look of defiance about you. That strong jaw clenched, chin up, every muscle tensed, because no matter what, you were not going down without a fight. You were gorgeous and strong, and not at all intimidated by me.” Bull laughed softly. “Owen said we haven’t been free since we set eyes on each other and he’s right. You were it for me in that moment and I’d be ashamed of the lengths I went to that day if I wasn’t standing here with you now. That’s how sure I was that you were everything I’d been searching for and that feeling has only grown every day since. This isn’t the beginning of our new lives together, it’s just another step on the path we took a year ago. I’m honored to be the man who gets to love you, cherish you, protect you, and keep you every day of our long lives.”

Red knew there was more to do before Lisa gave them the green light, but he’d heard everything he needed to hear. As far as he was concerned the words were said, the rings were on the correct fingers, and he was Ian Connor. That deserved a kiss, didn’t it? Bull must have thought so too, because he leaned in and placed a soft, chaste kiss on his lips. “I know I’m skipping ahead, but I had to do that.”

Red chased him as he started to pull back, taking a second kiss. “Now she can be mad at both of us.”

“I knew you two were going to be trouble,” Lisa whispered as she wiped the tears from her eyes. “Okay, let’s make it official. Do you, Ian Jones, take Jon Connor to be your husband? Do you promise to love, honor, and cherish him for all time?”

“Yes, absolutely, I do.” Red nodded hard and fast, making sure there was no doubt of his answer.

“And do you, Jon Connor, take Ian Jones to be your husband? Do you promise to love, honor, and cherish him for all time?”

“Damn straight I do,” Bull declared, tugging him closer. “Can I kiss him now?”

“You just kissed him!” Lisa rolled her eyes. “Jon and Ian, you have exchanged your marriage vows in front of your relatives and friends, and sealed them with your rings. By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you spouses in life. Please, get on with the kissing so I can properly introduce you to your guests.”

Bull had Red’s mouth before Lisa finished speaking and Red wrapped around his husband, needing to be as close as their clothes would allow. There was clapping, cheering, wolf whistles, and even the boat taking vacationers between parks blared its horn in celebration. It was everything. Bull was everything.

Lisa just laughed and called over the revelry, “It is my absolute honor and privilege to present our newlyweds, Jon and Ian Connor.”

Chapter 9

Hello, husband

“Everyone looks like they’re having a good time.” After the ceremony, they walked around Crescent Lake, their guests in tow, taking pictures and just basking in their new status as husbands. Mickey and Minnie were waiting for them on the makeshift dance floor on Crescent Beach, dressed in their own wedding finest, and Red would happily admit he was just as excited as the kids. He couldn’t wait to see the pictures and video.

The excitement of the character visit died down and everyone drifted to the tables where the wait staff was waiting to take drink orders and pass trays of hors d’oeuvres. Bull nodded as he sat back and tugged off his tie. “Of course they do. We throw a cool party.”

Red grinned and reached up to open the top buttons of Bull’s shirt. “Hello, husband.”

Those green eyes lit on him and strong hands tugged him close until he was sitting in Bull’s lap. “I like the sound of that.”

“It does have a really nice ring to it,” Red said agreeably. He sat still as Bull returned the favor, tossing both their ties on the table before settling back in the chair. “Did I see a ring on Davin’s finger?”

“And a matching one on Ric’s? Yep, looks like they beat us to the punch.” Bull shrugged. It wasn’t a race after all. “I admit, I’m not really surprised that they did it on the down low.”

“No? I was expecting some big blow out gala with the full red carpet treatment.”

“Naw.” Bull unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves, giving Red a glimpse of the artwork he loved. “Ric only likes to pretend he’s that snobbish. They’re much simpler than that, and I’m not surprised that he didn’t want to share their day with anyone. Especially Ric’s overbearing relations.”

Red nodded and looked at the group that had come out to celebrate with them. Everyone they wanted with them had said yes, without question or hesitation, and had done whatever they had to do in their own lives to make this weekend happen. It only solidified what Bull had been telling him for months. They would all be there for each other, no matter what. “I love our family.”

“I love you.” Bull gripped his chin and pulled him around for a kiss. “I know you think you’re the only one unused to this, but most of our guys are still adjusting to being part of this group.”

Having seen that firsthand, he could hardly dispute Bull’s claim. Of the thirty guests surrounding them, only a few were real blood relations. Yet they were all a family, not just to him and Bull, but to each other. He was truly in awe of the environment Bull had built for them. “You brought most of them together.”

“And you and I will keep them together.” Bull smiled at the waiter who put a small platter on the table with a selection of their chosen hors d’oeuvres. “Those bacon-wrapped shrimp things look delicious.”

Taking the hint, Red picked one up and hand-fed his husband. His husband. Yeah, he was probably going to think that a thousand more times before it fully sank in. “Good?”

Instead of answering, Bull kissed him, sharing the lingering flavor. They normally didn’t consider food foreplay, but he couldn’t deny that bacon-flavored Bull was addicting. Red knew they could sit there for the next four hours, hand-feeding each other and listening to the happy murmurings of their guests, and be quite content.

“Mind if I sit for a minute?” Tommy pointed to Red’s vacated seat.

“Take a load off, Pops.” Bull grinned when Tommy glared good-naturedly. “Too soon?”

“That’s the best of the list he’s come up with, Tommy,” Red teased. “You might want to get used to it.”

“I don’t want to know.” Tommy looked at them for a quiet moment before nodding his head, as if approving of what he saw. “Would I be out of line if I told you how proud I am of you?”

“No, it’s not out of line,” Red assured him softly. “It means a lot that you feel that way.”

“Good.” Tommy nodded and looked around, seemingly unsure what to do or say next. Finally he stood and offered his hand to Bull. “I’m gonna go for broke here and tell you to take care of my boy, okay?”

“Count on it.”

They watched him walk away and Red sighed. “It’s getting better, right?”

Bull smiled encouragingly. “I think it is.”

“How about we get this party officially underway?” The DJ’s voice saved him from having to continue that conversation. The awkwardness was getting tiresome and he was ready to be over it. It was something they’d have to deal with sooner rather than later, but at least he didn’t have to think about it now. “Red asked that we get their song out of the way first—his words, not mine—and says you guys better not leave them out there dancing alone. So, what do you say, can we fill up the dance floor so I can see these guys in action?”

Bull tugged him up as the others started making their way over. As the first strands of “Everyday” by Rascal Flatts
began to play, Bull pulled him close and nuzzled his ear. “It’s just like the bathroom, Ian.”

“With thirty of our closest friends,” Red pointed out.

“Well, yeah,” Bull acknowledged. “But they aren’t looking at us, are they? They’re too busy looking at the man in their arms.”

Red could have been snarky and pointed out that there were a couple of woman on the dance floor—three to be exact since Craig had brought his cute librarian—but he knew what Bull was trying to do. And he was right. No one was paying them the least bit of attention—they were all engrossed in their partner. “Chris and Owen look good together.”

They’d seen them dancing when they had their big night out on the town and Red had been impressed by both men’s skills on the dance floor. It didn’t escape anyone’s notice that once Chris had Owen in his arms, they’d seemingly forgotten anyone else was around. Now the big man led Owen on to the dance floor by the hand, swept him close and, if the look on Owen’s face was any indication, rocked his world once again. Enthralled by the encouraging sight, Red was floored when Chris leaned down and appeared to whisper something in Owen’s ear. “Did he just talk to Owen?”

Bull glanced over, but Chris had already straightened up. “Owen looks a little shell shocked, so I’m guessing so.”

Red sighed happily and rested his head on Bull’s shoulder, letting his worries over the dance go. He might not be great at it, but he loved being in Bull’s arms and knew his body would always respond to Bull. If he could spend the next fifty or so years right where he was now, life would be perfect. “I love you, Jon Connor.”

Bull hummed happily and tipped Red’s chin up, taking his mouth in a slow, searing kiss. It was all he could do to remember they were in public and not start humping his leg. “I love you too, Ian Connor.”

The last strains of the song ended and those around them started clapping. As much as he had dreaded doing it, he wasn’t ready for the dance to end. Bull dipped him a little and nodded to the DJ. There was a bit of a shuffle as the DJ cued up another ballad
,
with the non-couples stepping off and the triads switching partners, but for the most part their family stayed with them as one song flowed into the other.

“Did you know our room is right over there?” The suggestive whisper made Red’s whole body tingle. “No one would mind if we snuck off for a quickie to seal the deal, so to speak.”

“Quickie? Do either of us know the meaning of the word?” Not that he thought any of their guests would be surprised. They’d developed quite the reputation for sneaking off. “Seal the deal? Did you really say that?”

Bull just laughed at him. “You know you want to.”

Red shifted, brushing Bull’s cock with his thigh, and leaned up to whisper, “Anticipation is the best foreplay, isn’t that what you told me?”

When Bull’s lower lip jutted out in a mock pout, Red was right there to catch it with his teeth. “Two can play that game, you know.”

“I’m counting on it.” Red swept his tongue over Bull’s abused lip and challenged, “By the time we get to the room, I want us to be so turned on that the door won’t even be closed before you have me pinned to the nearest flat surface. There’ll be clothes tearing, buttons flying, hands-free orgasms and your cock so far up my tight ass that I’ll be feeling you all the way to Ireland and back.” Bull cursed viciously and Red could feel every muscle in that big body ripple with the effort to hold back. That uninhibited response to his words was empowering, and he pressed his thigh against the solid length of Bull’s erection, slowly rubbing back and forth. “Think you can handle that, caveman?”

“I’m the only one who can handle that.” One big hand glided down his back, cupped his ass, and pulled him in tight. “You got any other requests?”

“Oh, Jon.” Red whimpered when Bull thrust a thigh between his legs and nudged his balls. “Oh, fuck.”

“We’ll get there, anticipation, blah blah…” Bull taunted. “Look at you, talking dirty, humping my leg…how the hell did I get so lucky?”

“My car broke down.” Red dragged in a deep, steadying breath, and tried to remind himself where they were, and that there were kids in the general vicinity.

“Best damn tow of my life.” Bull must have come to the same realization because his hold eased.

Red sighed and rested his head on Bull’s shoulder. Those hours on the side of the road, before Bull’s truck pulled up, had been his absolute rock bottom. There were so many ways it could have gone wrong. Another tow truck driver might not have taken pity on him or been willing to drive him all the way back to Fort Lauderdale for basically nothing. Then he would have been stuck in Miami with no car, no money, and no way to get back to the motel he called home or the dead end job that was paying his bills. And even if the driver had agreed to take him back, Red knew he would still be in that hovel and barely scraping by. In those hours under the hot sun, the fragile hope he harbored was destroyed along with his car and he had been precariously close to giving up.