Alexei shrugged, completely unrepentant. The faster they got through this, the faster they would be married. “Can kiss you now?”
Laughter from their guests was echoed by their family standing with them on the dais. Greg smiled at them as he closed his fist, the holographic display disappearing. “Sean, do you take Alexei to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
“I do,” Sean said firmly.
“And you, Alexei. Do you take Sean to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
Alexei took a breath, and it was so easy to sayyesto the rest of his life. “Da. I do.”
“Then I now pronounce you husband and husband in the eyes of the law. You may kiss your—”
Alexei didn’t wait for his father-in-law to finish the sentence, preferring to kiss Sean immediately, dipping him backward a little. Everyone’s laughter, clapping, and whistling rang in Alexei’s ears, but his world was narrowed down to the man in his arms and the smile pressed against his mouth. When they finally straightened up and separated enough that they weren’t breathing with each other’s lungs, Alexei was smiling so hard his entire face hurt.
“To those gathered here today, may I present to you Mr. and Mr. Alexei and Sean Dvorkin,” Sean’s father said over the noise of everyone cheering.
“I fucking knew it!” Kyle whooped from behind Alexei on the dais. “Everyone, pay up!”
Alexei laughed, tugging Sean with him back down the aisle, raising their linked hands together over their heads. At the end of the aisle, a small group of Strike Force officers had taken up position, their swords of rank held up high to form a glittering arch for them to pass under.
Alexei leaned over to kiss Sean one more time before they even made it to the other end of the aisle, giddy with excitement and relief and love that they’d made it to today.
Sean kissed him back just as fiercely, and Alexei knew he wasn’t the only one excited for tomorrow.
“Ya tebya lyublyu,” Alexei said, the words just as meaningful as the vows they’d just exchanged.
3
Fortuna-sur-mer
France
Winterin the Mediterranean Sea was as one would expect in the middle of December: cold and dreary. But they were headed somewhere warm in the middle of all that sea water. The flight to Fortuna-sur-mer on Jamie’s private jet had been choppy from turbulence, but their pilot was good for a civilian. He managed to find a steady way through when the bumps got too bad, which meant they’d gotten some sleep on the flight over.
Sean stirred from his half doze and lifted his head off Alexei’s chest as the pilot’s voice came through the public comms system. “We’re beginning our descent into Fortuna-sur-mer. Our entry through the biodome has been approved.”
Sean stretched against Alexei’s warm body where they lay together on the daybed located in the rear of the jet. It wasn’t a private bedroom, as the jet was one of the smaller ones at the Callahans’ disposal, but it provided comforts one would never find if they flew commercial.
“Lyosha,” Sean said, poking him in the side with a finger. “We need to get up and buckled in.”
Alexei made a disgruntled sound, choosing instead to tighten his arms around Sean, refusing to open his eyes. “Comfortable.”
Sean couldn’t help but smile at the way Alexei didn’t want to let him go. “I know you don’t have a headache. Gracie dosed us both with anti-hangover meds.”
“Not move.”
Sean shifted on the daybed, framing Alexei’s face with one hand. He leaned down to gently kiss his husband, stroking his thumb over warm skin. “Come on. The flight attendant is making coffee.”
Sean pulled back far enough to see that Alexei had opened his eyes, a sliver of gray peeking through his lashes. Alexei slid one hand beneath the long-sleeved shirt Sean wore, his touch warm and possessive in a way that always made Sean shiver when they were like this.
“Coffee?” Alexei repeated.
“Lifetime supply, remember? Kyle promised you that for our wedding gift.”
Alexei raised his head and kissed Sean, licking past his teeth. Sean would’ve chased after him for another kiss when they broke apart, but Alexei was already sitting up. “Coffee.”
Sean laughed, following him off the daybed. He stretched his arms over his head until his spine cracked, watching Alexei walk away from him with an appreciative look for his ass in the jeans he wore. Sean absently hit the button that would fold the bed back into the couch it usually operated as before going to join Alexei at their seats.
The flight attendant waited until he had sat down and buckled up before serving them Alexei’s precious coffee in ceramic mugs. Alexei doctored both their drinks to their liking before snapping on a clear plastic lid over the top of each mug to prevent spillage.
