“Jesus, Chad! What did I just say?”
“Oh yeah, my bad. Please don’t take your ‘I do’ back, please.”
I laugh. “I’m not going to take anything back, just go.”
“Ahem.” He starts clearing his throat and taking a steadying breath. I can only imagine what’s going to come out of his mouth. “John, you’re the hottest bikerbaddie I’ve ever seen. But also? You’re kind and protective. You take care of me. You let me touch you even though you pretend to hate it, which is adorable. You might be standoffish, but I think you have the softest spot in your heart for me and that makes me feel really special. I know you think you’re all rough and tough and scary, but I feel safe with you.”
Something tightens in my chest, because even though he said most of this shit as he was trying to convince me to agree to marry him tonight, somehow it all sounds more real when he’s labeled it as vows.
“I think maybe you need someone who can make you happy and laugh, and I can do that. I promise to try to make you laugh all the time and give you endless love and attention. I’m also really excited to find out about all of the not so PG things I’m sure you’ll teach me about,” he says, waggling his eyebrows as he bites his lips.
Then he hiccups, and we burst out laughing. Our gazes meet, both of us cracking up, and for a moment, the promises he’s making are so easy to imagine. So easy to hope for.
“Okay, I think that’s all I’ve got. Wait, I promise to be the best husband ever! Now I’m done.”
Elvis turns to me. “Beautiful. Just beautiful. Do you have vows, John?”
“No,” I say with a short laugh, but fuck, that sounded bad. “But, uh, I can… say something?” Elvis nods encouragingly. “Chad… you are exhausting.” I look over, and he’s still beaming at me. “You are loud. You don’t listen. You touch me way too much.” He nods along proudly at all of that. “But… you’ve also made me laugh more in the last few days than I ever thought possible, and I guess I had kind of forgotten what that felt like. For some reason, being here with you doesn’t seem wrong. I’m sure you’re going to wake up and regret this tomorrow because as I’ve mentioned repeatedly, I am a man?—”
“No, I won’t! I swear!”
Elvis tilts his head at that, but I ignore him.
“Chad, I don’t really know what it is about you. You’re right though, you’re just special. I don’t hate it.”
Somehow Chad looks even happier than before. “Shit, John. That’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard. I promise to be the best husband ever. I can’t wait to show you!”
Elvis snaps his binder shut. “Alrighty then. By the power vested in me by the great state of Nevada, I now pronounce you… married. You may kiss your husband.”
Chad jumps into my arms, wrapping his legs around my waist as he throws his arms around my neck. He’s not small, so while I automatically move to catch him, and somehow manage to hold him upright for a few seconds, I can’t possibly hold this two-hundred-plus-pound man because this isn’t a goddamn movie.
He drops from my arms, both of us laughing, but that doesn’t deter him. He keeps his arms wrapped around my neck and leans in, slamming his mouth to mine with so much urgency.
He doesn’t just press his lips to mine like I’m expecting, his tongue is immediately pushing into my mouth. It’s hot and hungry and shockingly sure for someone whohas never kissed a man before. His hands are all over me, in my hair and moving down my back. Fuck, it’s hot, and his enthusiasm must be contagious or something, because I realize belatedly that I’m kissing him back just as forcefully.
This doesn’t seem like drunken curiosity, this seems like he’s been waiting his whole life to kiss a man.
Chad finally pulls back, and he looks dazed and lit up and… happy. So fucking happy.
Because of me.
“Oh my god,” he whispers, touching his lips. “John… that was… fuck. The most incredible kiss I’ve ever had in my life. Now that we’re married, does this mean I can kiss you anytime I want?”
I honestly don’t know how to answer him. None of this really feels real.
“Let’s see how you feel in the morning first, Princess.” Because, again, I’m still not convinced he won’t regret this and wonder what the fuck we decided to do tonight, but I also kind of hate the idea of never kissing him again, so I add, “But tonight, yeah, you can.”
“Photo time!” Scotty shouts. “You ordered the package with all the extras so let’s get started.”
“We did?” I question, looking at Chad.
“Of course we did! Obviously we need proof of this forever, and I wanted magnets and mugs and all the merch with our wedding photos!”
“Smile!” Scotty prompts, and despite myself, I do, wrapping my arm around Chad’s waist as he rests a handon my chest. “Wow, that’ll look great on a mug! Speaking of, whose address am I sending everything to?”
“Oh,” Chad says, turning to look at me. “Do you have any interest in moving to the city? I have a really nice place, and it’s way too big for just me honestly.”
I scoff at that idea. I just moved back to my hometown from a much smaller city than fucking New York City because it had felt too big. “No.”
