Quinn’s smile was friendly as he held out his hand to her. “That’s me. The lucky guy who’s marrying Spencer.”

  “I’m so sorry. I never meant for Spencer to be here helping me on your big day.”

  Quinn waved a hand in dismissal. “Don’t worry about it. Helping people makes Spencer happy, and if he’s happy, I’m happy.”

  “Yes,” Mimi said, buzzing around the kitchen. “It will be fine. It’s not as if the wedding can start without the grooms. Come, mi niña. Let us show you what we’re doing.”

  As Ace and Colton peeled yuca, Colton nudged Ace with his shoulder, his voice quiet. “Your family’s amazing.”

  “Our family,” Ace corrected, loving the gorgeous smile he received in return. “And yes, they are.” It had always been that way. Whenever there was a crisis, they would band together and come up with a solution, everyone helping where they could. Sure, they had their fair share of drama, and good lord the gossip ran rampant, but even when someone messed up, the family didn’t stay mad for long because they were all good people. They were all far from perfect, but Ace wouldn’t change a thing. Okay, maybe he’d change a few things, but they were very tiny things. Like how he was always branded guilty by association whenever Lucky did something to get himself in trouble.

  Mason arrived with Red and it was a good thing the house’s kitchen was a multi-butt kitchen because Ace had no idea how else they would have managed with so many people. Getting everything done was no problem. The moms ran a tight ship, everyone given a task or food group.

  As Ace observed his family working together, his heart swelled at how comfortable Colton was with everyone. It didn’t surprise him. For all of Colton’s wealth, he was amazingly down to earth, and he more than deserved the Prince Charming nickname Ace’s mom had given him. Colton and Ace’s mom chatted away like they’d been good friend for years. He teased her and made her laugh while she fussed over him like she did Ace and the rest of their family. It wasn’t just how well Colton got along with his family, or how generous he was, like insisting his wedding gift to Spencer and Quinn be the rental of the villa for their wedding weekend, that told Ace that Colton was the one, it was when Chrissy placed a big tray of pastelitos and croquettas on the counter along with a stack of small plates.

  Without thinking, looking his way, or so much as pausing his conversation, Colton took a small plate, added a meat pastelito and a couple of chicken croquettas, and placed it in front of Ace, because those were his favorites.

  Lucky smiled at Ace knowingly and came to stand on the other side of Ace where Colton wouldn’t hear. He placed a hand on Ace’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

  “Tonight?” Lucky whispered.

  Ace’s heart swelled in his chest and he nodded. “Tonight.” His heart overflowed with happiness, but he calmed himself. This was one of the biggest decisions he’d ever made, one that would change both their lives, but he knew down to his soul that it was what he wanted, and he hoped Colton would want it too.

  Four

  Two hours.

  Not too bad all things considering.

  The moms had done damage control, sending one of the aunts over to the hotel to assure the guests that the wedding was going on as planned, but the grooms were running a little late due to a last-minute family need, but not to worry, everything was okay. The guests were entertained, provided with cocktails and treats. They mingled and chatted, made merry while Quinn and Spencer got ready.

  As for Chrissy, the moms weren’t about to leave her to face Emilio’s father on her own, and the moment the man stepped foot in the house, the moms did what they always did, conquered and made friends.

  Mimi held out her hand to the large, stern-looking man. “Señor Álvarez. ¡Mucho gusto! Soy Milagros Quintero, pero everyone calls me Mimi. These are my cuñadas, Paquita and Lucia. We’re acquaintances of your beautiful daughter-in-law.”

  Álvarez blinked at her. “All of you?”

  “Sí.” She wrapped an arm around Chrissy’s shoulders, giving her a squeeze. “Chrissy wanted so much to make her family the perfect dinner, she enlisted our help. This is my son Julian, he is a SWAT officer for Miami, and today he is getting married to this beautiful boy, Spencer, who is also like a son to us,” Mimi said proudly before turning to Ace and Lucky. “These are Julian’s cousins, Anston and Eduardo. They are former military, Special Forces.” Mimi gushed over all of them and even threw King in there for good measure because who could resist the tall, blond former Warrant Officer, oh and had they met Red who’d been a medical sergeant?

  They were all proud of their achievements and how far they’d come in life, each of them having made sacrifices, fighting their own battles to get where they were, but prestige didn’t matter to Ace and his family. It did, quite obviously, matter to Álvarez who was a wealthy real estate developer. The man was practically salivating over them.

  Álvarez shook each of their hands. “Thank you all for your service. My father was a military man.” He turned to Quinn and shook his head, his smile wide. “I remember seeing you on the news a few years ago. You were injured during a raid. Thank you for keeping our city safe.” He turned and beamed at Chrissy. “I am looking forward to this meal.”

  Emilio brought Chrissy into a hug and kissed her temple. “I told you she was amazing.”

  It saddened Ace that Álvarez couldn’t see how amazing Chrissy was in her own right but now that the blinders were off, at least Álvarez was open to seeing her, giving her a chance. The moms all chatted and continued with the meal, thanking Álvarez for the invitation to stay but reminding him they had a wedding to get to.

  “Do you think she’ll be okay?” Spencer asked Quinn as they all headed back to the villa.

  “I think so,” Quinn replied, kissing the top of Spencer’s head. “She has your number and knows she can call you any time.”

  Spencer turned and wrapped his arms around Quinn’s neck. “Thank you for being so understanding.” His lips spread into a cheeky smile. “I think I’ll keep you.”

  Quinn laughed and kissed him. Everyone cheered, and the moms hurried inside to get everyone moving. Ace, Colton, and Lucky lingered, since they’d be helping Quinn get ready. Well, Lucky and Colton would be helping Quinn. Ace was there for moral support. He didn’t know the first thing about tying the perfect bow tie.

  Quinn fidgeted, and Ace knew what his cousin was going to say before he said it. “I know we have to hurry, but I need to tell you something.” He cupped Spencer’s cheek, his expression soft. “I put in for retirement.”

  “What?”

  “I love you, Spencer, and I want to live out the rest of my life spending every moment I can with you. Baby, you’re going to get so sick of me hanging around, you’re going to tell me to get a hobby or something.”

  “That will never happen,” Spencer said, his sigh dreamy. A mischievous gleam came into his eyes, and Ace braced himself. “At least not the getting sick of you hanging around part. I might ask you to get a hobby if you try to backseat drive while I’m designing a website. I love you, but unless your intent is to burn the retinas off a website visitor, neon colors for a background are a no.”

  “I was only teasing about that,” Quinn said with a chuckle.

  Spencer didn’t look convinced. “Were you? Were you really? I don’t know about that.”

  “Come on, wise guy. Let’s go get hitched.” Quinn threw his arm around Spencer, and they hurried inside, both kissing sweetly before they were separated. Ace dragged his lovesick cousin away.

  “Let’s go, tough guy. You’ll see him in just a little while.”

  Everything moved in a blur after that, the sisters-in-law herding everyone like the expert cat wranglers they were. Not even King could have done as good a job at getting the family packed up and out of the villa. No man, woman, child, or smart-aleck Belgian Malinois was left behind.

  Quinn’s sisters had done a stunning job organizing the wedding, something that had too quickly overwhelmed Spencer, short-circuiting his brain to the point he’d baked enough brownies to feed everyone in Quinn’s precinct. Quinn didn’t know the first thing about picking swatches, nor did he want to know, so he’d begged his sisters for help, and they jumped all over it. They still needed input from the grooms, but it was no longer the insurmountable task it had started out as, saving Spencer from descending into a baking frenzy. Quinn might be used to dealing with hostile situations, but he was not prepared for organizing a Cuban wedding.

  The hotel was beautiful, the ceremony set up to take place outside on the beach with a stunning white and turquoise color scheme with pops of red—Spencer’s favorite color. A floor had been laid out so guests wouldn’t sink into the sand. White chairs with gossamer turquoise wraps and red roses were lined up on either side of the flower isle, along with rows of white columns holding bouquets of white and red roses. The white arch at the end squeezed at Ace’s heart. It was beautifully filled with white flowers, red roses strategically placed to add that burst of color, making him think of how their guys had brought color to their lives without them even realizing they’d needed it.

  Speaking of his guy, Ace turned toward the sound of Colton’s soft voice as he made Quinn laugh while helping him with his bow tie. Quinn looked handsome and sophisticated in his wedding tux, but all Ace could see was Colton in his tailored light gray suit and blue tie that made his blue-gray eyes look more blue than gray. His hair was neatly parted to one side, his smile wide.

  “How do I look?” Quinn asked, holding his arms out to the sides.

  Ace patted his cousin on the back. “Like a man who can’t wait to start his future with his new husband.”

  Quinn’s eyes grew glassy, and he brought Ace in for a tight hug. “Thank you, bro.” He pulled back with a sniff, his grin huge before turning to hug Lucky and Colton. A soft knock on the door signaled the changing of the guard. Mimi and Quinn’s sisters hurried in, looking stunning in their dresses, eyes filled with happy tears. Ace kissed each of their cheeks before taking Colton’s hand and leading him out of the room. It was time to take their seats. Checking his watch, he grinned when he saw he had a few more minutes than expected.

  Making sure the coast was clear, Ace pulled Colton into one of the small meeting rooms and locked the door behind him.

  “What on earth are you doing?” Colton asked, wide eyed.

  Ace swung Colton around and pushed him up against the door, a small “oomph” escaping from between his full lips, lips that Ace loved kissing. He brought their mouths together in an ardent, hungry kiss, moaning when Colton opened up for him, his long fingers curling around Ace’s sleeves. With a gasp, Colton broke their kiss first, his chest rising and falling in rapid pants.

  “Are you crazy? Your cousin’s about to get married.”

  “I know, and I’m so excited for him, and also really horny. Come on, babe. We’ve been surrounded by family almost nonstop.” He nuzzled Colton’s temple and squeezed his ass as he ground his erection into Colton’s leg. “Please. I need you.”

  “Oh God, Ace. That’s not fair.” Colton trembled in Ace’s arms, and Ace grinned before nipping at Colton’s neck, loving his sharp intake of breath. He quickly unbuckled Colton’s belt and shoved his pants and boxer-briefs down to his thighs.

  “If we had time, I would fuck you right here against this door, but since we don’t…” Ace dropped to his knees, unzipped himself, and pulled out his hard cock. He swallowed Colton down to the root, moaning around his gorgeous man’s thick length when Colton cried out and thrust his hips. Ace used the precome from the tip of his cock to ease the friction as Colton grabbed his head and fucked Ace’s mouth like he loved doing.

  “Oh God, Ace. Love, I’m not going to last.”

  Ace hummed, tightening his lips around Colton’s cock as he pumped himself. He slipped a finger into his mouth, getting it wet before pressing it between Colton’s ass cheeks, his sharp intake of breath and throaty moan sending a shiver through Ace. No one got him as worked up and drove him crazy the way Colton did. All he had to do was look at Ace in a certain way, and Ace was a mess of want and need.

  “Ace,” Colton ground out through his teeth when Ace circled Colton’s tight puckered hole and gently pushed the tip of his finger inside. The guttural cry Colton let out as he came inside Ace’s mouth had Ace coming hard, his orgasm rolling over him in waves as Colton continued to pump himself inside Ace’s mouth until he was too sensitive to keep going. Ace released him, allowing Colton to pull him up so Ace could kiss him, letting him taste himself on Ace’s tongue. Their kiss went on for what felt like ages, but Ace knew to only be several heartbeats. He could kiss Colton for hours and still want more. Colton’s moan made Ace’s cock twitch, but there was no time for a round two. What Ace really wanted was to get Colton into bed, to have that gorgeous body writhing beneath him, panting, begging, but that would have to wait.

  Reluctantly, Ace pulled back, but not before brushing a kiss over Colton’s cheek. Colton let his head fall against Ace’s. “I love you,” Colton whispered, his face flushed, lips swollen from their kissing. He was beautiful.

  “I love you too.” Ace popped a quick kiss on Colton’s lips and laughed when Colton held up a tissue. “Always prepared.”

  “Well, it’s a wedding after all.”

  Ace cleaned himself up, dropped another quick kiss on Colton’s lips then smoothed his suit out. “How do I look?”

  “Not like your boyfriend just fucked your mouth,” Colton teased.

  Ace almost tripped over his own feet. He glared over his shoulder at Colton. “Can you please not give me a boner before I have to see my entire family? I’d really appreciate it.”

  Colton’s laugh was music to his ears. Just one more day. As they walked hand in hand toward the beach where the ceremony was about to take place, Ace’s heartbeat sped up at the knowledge that perhaps soon, they’d be attending another wedding.

  Their own.

  Five

  “I’m not crying, you’re crying.” Ace sniffed and thanked Colton for the tissue.

  “I know,” Colton replied, dabbing at his eyes. They sat in the front row of chairs on the left side of the isle as Quinn stood by the flowered arch, a tear rolling down his cheek, and his smile stretched from ear to ear as the music kicked off and everyone turned to see Spencer arm in arm with Mimi as she walked him down the aisle. Ace chuckled at Spencer’s red Chucks paired with his black tux. They were Spencer’s favorite and what he was wearing when he met Quinn. He considered them his lucky sneakers.

  There wasn’t a dry eye in the place, and even King, who sat next to Ace, was misty eyed. As Spencer made his way down the aisle, Ace remembered something, and he pulled a tiny packet of Swedish Fish from his pocket. Discreetly, he turned and placed it in King’s hand, smiling when King stared down at it. A slow smile spread across his face, his eyes filled with warmth.

  “You know he’s missing you like crazy right now.”

  King gently patted Ace’s cheek. “Thank you.”

  “I love you, man. You know that.”

  King nodded and slipped the little packet of fish-shaped sweets into the front breast pocket of his suit jacket. They all turned back to the front as Mimi handed Spencer over to a beaming Quinn. The priest thanked everyone for coming and the ceremony began. Spencer and Quinn stood facing each other, their hands clasped as the priest spoke of love and its unbreakable bond. Colton laced his fingers with Ace’s, and Ace squeezed his hand.

  Once the priest had said his piece, the words beautiful and fitting, Quinn said his vows through tears and sniffing. He was a big man. Tall, broad shoulders, with muscles on muscles, the cut of his suit making him look even bigger. The guy was surrounded by men just as big, his daily uniform consisting of tactical gear and firearms, and yet when Spencer finished his vows, Quinn couldn’t stop himself from grabbing Spencer and hugging him tight, one big hand on the back of Spencer’s head, the other on his back. Everyone cheered and clapped, and the “I Dos” hadn’t even been said yet, but the overwhelming love that surrounded the two men was incredible.

  When Quinn finally managed to get himself to release Spencer, the priest sped up the ceremony. It was obvious Spencer and Quinn were dying to get some alone time. It would have to wait considering the number of pictures they’d need to have taken, but Ace was sure Quinn would managed to sneak his about-to-be-husband away for a few minutes.

  “I now pronounce you husband and husband.”

  The roar of cheers that filled the air as everyone jumped to their feet drowned out the waves crashing on the shore. Spencer threw himself into Quinn’s arms and kissed the hell out of his husband. Flower petals rained down on the grooms as they headed down the aisle hand in hand, thanking guests and hugging them. Once they were inside, everyone else followed, heading for the reception room. Ace and the rest of his family were herded by Laz and several other photographers, and when what felt like millions of pictures were taken, they joined the rest of the guests at the reception.

  It was one hell of a party. Everyone busted a move, even the moms. Ace and Colton danced until their feet hurt, and at the end of the night, Ace, Colton, the rest of the guys, along with Spencer, Quinn, and Quinn’s siblings, gathered around the lit-up pool back at the villa. With half an hour left until midnight, it was still Valentine’s Day. Ace held Colton in his arms in the lounger by the pool, their jackets and ties having been shucked off hours ago. Their sleeves were rolled up their arms, hair a mess from running their hands through it as they sweat it out on the dance floor.

  “Today was wonderful,” Colton said, humming as Ace stroked his hair.

  Hopefully, it was about to get even more wonderful.

  “Could you get up a second, I need to do something.”

  Colton did as he asked, his expression puzzled. “Everything okay?”

  Ace nodded, his smile wide. His pulse sped up, his heart beating furiously as he took Colton’s hands in his. “Colton, being here with you proved to me something I’d known all along. That you were made for me. Not everyone can handle my, well, being me, but you don’t just handle me, you encourage me, laugh with me, challenge me. In you, I didn’t just meet my match, I met the other half of my soul.” Ace got down on one knee, Colton’s hands in his.