I started to feel ashamed at the direction my thoughts took in a church, but Xavier chose that exact moment to look into my eyes and all my good intentions went out the window. The sunlight streaming through the stained glass windows landed on the altar, bathing it in a kaleidoscope of rainbow light suitable for the special occasion. Xavier’s eyes looked like glowing ambers in the sunlight. I couldn’t look away from him and it appeared that he was equally enthralled with me. It was if the world disappeared and only the two of us remained. We stayed connected until the music began to play and the grooms made their way down the aisle.
I had attended plenty of weddings in my life, but none that I enjoyed as much as Chase and Gray’s. I had almost expected them to recite their own vows, but they both wanted the traditional words spoken and repeated to one another. I didn’t consider myself an overly emotional man, but listening to them commit themselves to one another was a touching experience. The tenderness between them was like nothing I had witnessed before. At one point, Gray lovingly reached over and wiped a stray tear from Chase’s face. Gray’s voice broke during his vow recital and Chase squeezed his hands to give him strength to continue. I was struck anew by how much I wanted that for my future. Thanks to the recent Supreme Court ruling, same sex couples would be allowed to marry and be recognized in all 50 states. It was something extra to be thankful for as I sat in the pew.
Ellie sniffled beside me and I reached over and held her hand. She smiled up at me with watery eyes before she leaned toward me. I lowered my head so she could whisper in my ear so not to disturb the ceremony. “Don’t think I missed the moment shared between you and my brother. He was so locked on you that he didn’t see me smile and wave at him. Please don’t hurt him.” Ellie punctuated her plea with a soft kiss on my cheek.
“I think you should start worrying aboutmegetting hurt,” I whispered back. Ellie raised a questioning brow and I simply nodded in return. It was the candid truth and something I’d known from the very start; Xavier Cruz may never belong to me.
I waited for Xavier outside the church by his car once the ceremony was over and I hugged and congratulated the grooms. I was feeling a little shaken by the pull I felt between us in the church and I didn’t want to wait until midway through the reception to speak to him.
“Waiting for me?” Xavier’s smile told me that he wanted it to be the case.
“None other.” My fingers itched to run through his shortened hair before I wrapped my hand around his nape and pulled him into the kiss. That crazy imagination of mine kicked in, displaying the HD image for me in my mind. I could almost taste him on my tongue and breathe his masculine smell into my lungs. It only took a few seconds for my body to react to both my vision and his nearness. “This kind of feels like a scene from the 80s movieSixteen Candles,” I said with a smile.
“Do you have a pair of my briefs with you?” Xavier smiled mischievously as he played along.
“Do you make a habit of leaving your briefs around town?”
“At least I wear them.” Xavier raked his eyes up and down my body, lingering on my crotch. “I noticed that on at least one occasion you were commando beneath your pants. I admit to being curious if that is a common occurrence with you.” His hot eyes returned to my dick and I could feel the beginning of an erection emerging beneath his stare.
“I go commando most of the time, but never to work or any other time I wear dress pants. They don’t conceal much,” I said and gestured to the effect he had on me.
The temperature outside just ratcheted up by about ten degrees due to the sexual tension between us. It was obvious as hell that we both wanted to take the physical part of this thing we had going a step, or ten, further. The physical aspect was definitely not the reason we circled each other like wary animals. No, I was in unchartered territory of wanting more from a man than just sex. Xavier had barely escaped an abusive relationship and I was completely out of line by even hoping he would consider giving me more.
Xavier looked around the parking lot to see if anyone was paying us any attention. I did the same and realized that most of the wedding party had already left for reception and there were only a few stragglers left behind. Xavier stepped into me, taking me by complete surprise. I felt the heat from the sun-warmed metal of his car through the back of my clothes while the heat emanating off his body nearly burned the front of my body.
“Come home with me after the reception. I want to feel you inside me, Ben.” Xavier’s warm breath blew across the sensitive flesh of my ear and my knees nearly buckled. There was no way I could resist him.
“Wouldn’t you rather come back to my house instead of your sister’s?” I turned my head so that my lips were close to his. I slid just the tip of my tongue out and teased the corner of his luscious mouth. He’d removed the lip ring for the ceremony and I missed it.
“I’m house and cat sitting for Mr. and Mr. Wright. There’s a big, comfy guest bed with our name all over it. What do you say?”
“How long do we need to stay at the reception?” I asked, there was no attempt at hiding my enthusiasm.
“At least until their first dance as a married couple. It would be really poor taste for me to skip out before I serenade them like I promised.” Xavier rubbed his nose along mine and I breathed him in, committing this moment to memory; it felt like so much more than just lust to me.
“That would definitely be poor taste.” I whispered the words against his lips before I closed the gap and pressed our mouths together. I just needed a tiny taste of him if I had to wait hours before I could finally claim his body. I kept the kiss light with only a playful tease of tongue before I broke the kiss. “You taste delicious.” I practically purred the words against his lips.
A soft hum escaped Xavier’s lips. His eyes opened slowly and I read his naked desire – or desire to be naked – in their depths. It was the first time that he ever let his vulnerability show and I silently vowed to never break his trust, because it was so preciously given. I would be what he needed me to be whenever he needed it, and hope that I didn’t get ripped to bloody shreds in the process. “Ride with me to the reception?”
I smiled broadly while shaking my head. “We’d never make it there in one piece. I’m calling a timeout while I get myself under control.”
“Good call.” Xavier stepped back slowly and I missed the weight of his body pressed against mine at once. He shot me a wink and walked around to the driver’s side of his car. “See you on the dance floor,” he said before he climbed into his car and fired up the engine.
I stepped away from the car and stood there watching him drive away like the lovesick fool I feared I was becoming. Then I remembered his parting words and walked to my car with dread. I really did have two left feet and could only hope that Xavier was suave enough to make up for my clumsiness.
“Chase came into my life when we were both three years old,” Xavier said to begin his toast to the happy couple. “I knew the moment that we met that he would become my best friend, but never could I have guessed that in a few short years he’d also become my brother and the greatest gift God ever gave to me.” Xavier’s voice wobbled a bit and he cleared his throat before continuing. “I met Grayson during one of the most difficult times in my life and he showed his amazing character right from the start. Once again, God blessed me with another of his gifts. Having known Chase my entire life, I saw the intense connection between him and Gray immediately and knew that these two men were fated to be together. They complement one another perfectly - each man bringing out the best in the other.” Xavier raised his glass of water and turned to address the grooms. “Chase and Gray, you give me hope for things I never knew I wanted. May all your days be filled with love, laughter, and happily-ever-after.”
We all took a drink in toast to the happy couple and then Preston stood up to give his toast, wiping moisture away from his eyes. “Well, I’m not sure how the hell I’m going to follow that up, but I’ll give it my best shot.” Preston waited for the laughter to fade before he continued. “Mom and dad brought home a squalling bundle of bratty joy when I was a little over three years old. I wanted to resent the interloper, but quickly fell in love with his smiles and giggles. Over the years, Gray became more than just a brother; he became my best friend and confidante. He stood by my side during all the good times and bad times, never wavering in his love and support. It took me a while to notice that my laughing, carefree brother had changed, though. There wasn’t as much smiling and laughing, and at times I worried I’d never see that brother and best friend again, but then Chase came along. Chase, you gave me back my happy brother and I can’t thank you enough.” Preston raised his glass high and said, “Here’s to a long life of smiles and laughter. Congratulations!”
I couldn’t be sure which one of my lady friends cried the most during the toasts given by the best men. It appeared to be a three way tie between Gram, Ava, and Ellie; however, my co-workers from Wright Creations, Kayla and Carman, weren’t too far behind. I even caught myself misting up a time or two during the heartfelt tributes.
Dinner was consumed, more toasts were given, and it was time for the grooms to take center stage on the dance floor. I watched as Xavier took off his tuxedo jacket and draped it over the back of his chair before he made his way to the stage. I was mesmerized by the confident way he picked up his guitar and approached the microphone.
“I asked Chase if he would let me choose the song to sing for their first dance and he graciously agreed. There is one song that so accurately tells the tale of two lovers traveling down a broken road until they find one another and that is ‘Bless the Broken Road’ by Rascal Flats.”
Xavier began to play the intro on his acoustic guitar so beautifully that I nearly forgot to watch Chase and Gray come together on the floor, but the oohs and ahhs pulled me away from Xavier. The love they felt for each other had never been more evident than when they danced closely together while Xavier sang to them. Their foreheads were pressed together, their eyes were locked on one another, and they wore matching smiles. It was a beautiful moment and I felt lucky to be a part of it.
Once their song ended, the DJ played an upbeat song to get everyone out there on the dance floor, including Gram and her boyfriend, Lennie. Xavier came down off the stage and crooked his finger at me.Uh oh!I thought he had wanted me to slow dance with him, not fast dance. I was clumsy at best during a slow dance, but was I total cluster fuck at fast dancing. I was a jerking and twisting hot mess who couldn’t keep rhythm, but that didn’t stop me from going to him.
