* * * *

  Gavin stared at him, stunned into silence.

  Wasn’t this what he’d wanted?

  Hadn’t he just spent months mourning what he’d had with Porter?

  Hadn’t he spent nights crying himself to sleep because he ached not just for his lover and Top and partner in crime, but his best goddamned friend?

  He had.

  All of that, and more.

  Every damn bit of it.

  How shocked he’d been to see Porter appear there at work yesterday.

  How he’d spent every day since moving back to Florida trying to resist the Siren’s call to go to Porter and beg him to not fuck Jayce.

  And now…he didn’t even felt worthy of the man after his colossal fuckup of not trusting him.

  Porter was a play slut. Gavin never begrudged that, because he loved watching Porter play. Hell, he loved helping him play with guys. The man was fricking hawt in Dom mode.

  It was one of the things he’d fallen in love with.

  “I’m still the same man I was, Gav,” Porter added. “I haven’t changed, except to realize I shouldn’t have held back with you. It wasn’t because I don’t love you. It was because I love you. You know what I went through with Dane. After what you went through, I didn’t want you to make a decision based on me and regret it later. I wanted it to be because you wanted it. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you, buddy, is for you to be happy.”

  His vision blurred as tears filled his eyes. There were suddenly double, triple Porters standing there.

  Was he really getting a second chance?

  More importantly…was he seriously going to squander that second chance?

  He found himself nodding. “Yes.”

  Porter’s smile outshone even the Sarasota sun as he stepped in and engulfed Gavin in a long, strong hug. He realized he was crying, sobbing as he clung to Porter and pressed his face against the man’s shoulder.

  Porter turned and leaned against the truck, his face buried in Gavin’s hair.

  “It’s okay, buddy. We’ll take this as slow as you need. I’ll marry you tomorrow or in five years, your call. But I meant it—only you. You’re the only guy I want. I’ve missed you so fucking much.”

  That only made it that much worse, that Gavin knew his isolation had totally been self-inflicted.

  Worse, he’d hurt Porter in the process and damaged the man’s trust in him.

  Yes, he could’ve simply told Porter he wanted to discuss taking things to the next level with him instead of the passive-aggressive way he’d handled it.

  Yes, he could’ve simply asked Porter if he’d fucked Jayce.

  Yes, he should’ve confronted Porter and cleared the air instead of sneaking back and taking another job and not even talking to him.

  What if I’d taken a job somewhere else and never knew how badly I’d fucked up?

  The shakes hit him then. Porter held him tighter as Gavin pressed his face into the man’s shoulder and sobbed with relief.

  “Shhh,” Porter whispered as he leaned against the side of his truck with Gavin cradled against him. “It’s okay, boy. I’ve got you. I’m never letting you go again, either.”

  Gavin didn’t care who saw them together. He didn’t give a shit they were at work.

  He didn’t care about anything except whose arms he was in.

  A man he wasn’t even sure if he deserved now after the shitty way he’d treated him.

  Gavin had no clue how long they stood there. Porter made no move to rush him or make him step back. “At lunch,” he said.

  “What was that, baby?” Porter asked.

  “At lunch. I want to get married at lunch. Today.”

  Porter gently grabbed his chin and made him look him in the eyes. “Are you sure?”

  He nodded. “I mean, I don’t know if we can actually get married at lunch, but let’s at least go get the damn license so we can get married as soon as we can.”

  The lines around the outsides of Porter’s brown eyes softened and slowly crinkled into a smile. “Gavin Hutchinson,” he said. “I like the sound of that.”

  “So do I, Sir.”

  Porter tucked him against him again, his chin rubbing along the top of Gavin’s head. “I’ll text you when I’m on my way over at lunchtime.”

  * * * *

  It turned out they couldn’t get married because of both the three-day waiting period, and Gavin either needed his passport and birth certificate, in addition to his driver’s license, or he needed to renew his license early and present those papers, too, so they could certify his ID thanks to new laws.

  But they had the form and a plan.

  They spent Wednesday and Thursday nights fucking each other to exhaustion and sleeping at Gavin’s.

  Friday, on his lunch break, Gavin was able to get to the county tax collector’s office, where they also issued driver’s licenses, and got that handled.

  Friday night they locked themselves in Gavin’s apartment.

  Porter’s lunchtime assignment had been going to his storage unit and digging his implement bag out. When he opened it that evening at Gavin’s, Gavin’s cock hardened and he dropped to his knees in front of it.

  “Dammit, I missed this evil thing,” Gavin teased.

  “My bag, or my cock?”

  Gavin laughed. “Yes, Sir.”

  Porter, also standing there naked, smiled down at him. His cock had hardened and the only reason Gavin didn’t have it down his throat right now was because Porter had told him no earlier. To wait.

  “We can’t scare your neighbors,” Porter warned, his tone light. “Pick three less noisy things out of there that I can use on you before I fuck your brains out.”

  Oh, it was no contest. Gavin immediately burrowed into the bag and dug through its contents. He selected his favorite riding crop, a narrow oak paddle, and a very stingy flogger.

  He loved the playful smile Porter wore. “Reeeeallly? Not exactly soft and fuzzy.”

  “You didn’t say soft and fuzzy, Sir. You said less noisy. I know the paddle’s a little noisy, but I love it.”

  Porter took the implements from him. “Ass over. Now.”

  Gavin jumped up, raced to the bed, and bent over the edge with his ass stuck out.

  “Mmm. Yes, exactly.” He stroked his hands down Gavin’s back, shoulders to ass and back again. “I have missed this sooo much.” He leaned in and Gavin felt Porter’s warm breath against the nape of his neck.

  Porter started with gentle nips that soon became hard bites, all the way down his spine.

  It was amazing how fast he could drop Gavin into subspace, as if they hadn’t spent any time apart. All the old things still worked just as well.

  The stingy flogger made Gavin arch his back and put him on his toes, but he loved every second of it, relished it.

  Needed it. The pain and the warm, gorgeous rush that flowed in after every impact. By the time Porter started using the paddle on him, Gavin was down deep and sticking his ass out for every strike.

  When Porter reached around him and started stroking his cock for him as he spanked him with the paddle, it nearly sent him over the edge.

  Then the riding crop. That devilishly mean beast. Every stripe Porter laid in his flesh over the marks he knew he sported now singed long-dormant passion into fiery life. Upon setting that aside, Porter rolled him onto his back and draped Gavin’s legs over his shoulders as he went down on Gavin.

  It rolled his eyes back in his head, the pleasure mixed with the feel of his tender ass rubbing against the bed.

  He reached down and stroked Porter’s hair, loving the evil gleam in the man’s eyes.

  Yes, by this time next week, he’d be Mr. Gavin Hutchinson, because he honestly didn’t want to keep his name. Well, he’d hyphenate it because of his certifications, but he’d use Hutchinson.

  On that thought he exploded, Porter staying with him and sucking down every drop before standing and lubing his cock and Gavin’s ass and sliding home.

  Porter leaned in and kissed him. “Mine, mine, mine,” he whispered as he slowly fucked him, nibbling along the side of Gavin’s neck.

  Gavin tried to coax him into fucking him harder. “Yours, Sir. All yours.”

  “Damn right you’re all mine.” He lifted his head and stared into Gavin’s eyes. “In case it wasn’t clear, you don’t take any other jobs in Costa Rica or Outer Mongolia, or wherever. Nothing happens that I don’t sign off on or can’t be with you for. Understand?”

  Gavin grinned. “Absolutely, Sir.”

  Porter started moving, long-stroking him before slamming home deep and hard. It didn’t take him long to build up a good one before he exploded and fell still inside Gavin, kissing him, nibbling his lips, whispering to him how much he loved him.

  “Never letting you go, baby,” Porter whispered. “Never again.”

  Gavin buried his hands in Porter’s hair and held him in place for another kiss. “Good, because you’re never getting rid of me.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Friday afternoon, after the men were officially proclaimed husbands, Gavin filed the name change form and then the next part of their newly-wedded bliss could commence. From Sarasota, they headed north to St. Pete and checked in at the Toucan. They were in a second-floor room on the north side of the pool courtyard. It’d give them a perfect view of the party this weekend.

  Gavin was damn sure looking forward to it.

  Porter flopped onto his back on the king-sized bed and unbuttoned his shirt as he lay there. “This freaking place, man. I’m so glad we got our shit together. I always love coming here with you.”

  Now shirtless, Gavin climbed on top of him on the bed, straddling him. “You do, huh?”

  “Yeah.” Porter stared up at him with those gorgeous brown eyes. “I never had a fraction of the fun as I did when you were with me.”

  “Except for Ivan.” Gavin smirked.

  Porter’s smile evaporated. “Are you really upset about him?”

  Gavin leaned in and kissed him. “Not as long as I finally get to meet him and his hubby, no.”

  “Ron texted me they’re coming up tomorrow morning. Ivan got stuck in surgery today with an emergency that didn’t go well, and he’s a wreck. Ron apologized and said he wants to keep him home tonight because being with the babies always makes him feel better.” His hands settled on Gavin’s hips but he stared up into Gavin’s eyes. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I saw so much of Dane in him that I wasn’t thinking straight.”

  Gavin arched an eyebrow at him. “Gee, ya think?”

  Porter pinched his right hip.

  “Sir,” Gavin added, leaning in to kiss him again.

  “Brat.”

  Gavin reached down, smiling, and tweaked Porter’s nipples. “Your brat, Sir.”

  He felt Porter’s cock harden under him, even between their clothes. “Damn well better be a brat only for me.”

  “That’s the deal.” He scooted down just a little so he could lie on top of Porter, his head on Porter’s chest. “You’re only mine, and I’m only yours.”

  Porter’s arms closed around him and Gavin felt Porter’s breath warmly brushing against his scalp. “I only want to be yours,” Porter quietly said. “I’ll spend the rest of our lives together showing you that, as long as it takes to convince you.”

  In Gavin’s ear, Porter’s heartbeat softly throbbed even as the man’s hands stroked his back, gently pressing into the muscles along his vertebrae, soothing Gavin, relaxing him.

  “Me, too, Sir,” he quietly said without a hint of snark this time. “Still can’t believe you bagged yourself a fricking surgeon. Damn.” He loved the way Porter’s hands felt warm against his back, how he slowly stroked up and down his flesh.

  Porter snorted. “Wait until you meet him. You’ll swear he’s barely old enough to drink, much less operate on people.”

  Gavin looked up, into his eyes. “I swear I won’t obsess about this all weekend.”

  “I damn well hope not.” He smiled. “This is our honeymoon, after all.”

  “I can’t believe you finally talked me into marrying you.”

  The eyebrow went up. “I can be persuasive and even downright pushy when I want to be.”

  “I see that, Sir.”

  “You saying you mind?” Porter asked.

  Gavin grinned. “Not what I’m saying at all. I love your pushy, persuasive ass.”

  “But what about my other pushy, persuasive parts?” Porter playfully waggled his eyebrows at him.

  “I love all your pushy, persuasive parts, Sir.” Gavin kissed him, taking his time and savoring it. “Master,” he whispered, cutting free those last few tendrils of doubt tenaciously clinging to his soul.

  Doubt had no place in their marriage. None whatsoever. He’d seen this man at his worst and at his best, and Porter had seen him at his, too.

  He was never letting him go again.

  Porter’s hands stilled as he stared up at him, his gaze deep brown, black coffee with hints of amber dimly winking like stars in distant galaxies. In this moment Gavin sensed all Porter’s defenses had dropped, his soul stripped bare. “If you really are giving me that,” Porter softly said, “be advised I’m never letting go of it, or you. It means no more limits, in some ways.”

  Gavin nodded. “I know.”

  He still stared up at him. “I’m going to mark what’s mine,” he softly said in that deep Dom-tone that made a delicious shiver ripple throughout Gavin’s body.

  Gavin’s soul felt lighter than it had in…ever. “I know, Master.”

  There went the eyebrow. “I’m sure I can find someplace around here who can pierce your nipples for us tomorrow.” That’d always been Porter’s favorite thing to tease him with, and Gavin’s rejoinder had always been if he was the Master, it’d be his property to do with as he pleased, but until then, they were off-limits.

  So this wasn’t exactly unexpected.

  Another nervous swallow. “That’s up to Master.”

  Porter sat up, his arms around Gavin. “Anything you want to negotiate first?”

  “Play with others only if we’re both there, but no sex with them, not even oral. Veto rights for both of us on play.” He stared into Porter’s eyes. “Everything else belongs to Master, and it’s your call.”

  Porter fisted Gavin’s hair and slanted his lips over Gavin’s for a sweetly searing kiss that made Gavin moan. “Agreed. Anything else before I fuck a load inside you, baby?”

  “Yeah,” Gavin softly said. “There’s a quick trip I want to make next weekend.”

  * * * *

  Porter blinked back tears as Gavin told him what he wanted to do…and why.

  “Yeah,” Porter hoarsely said. “Book the flights when we get home Sunday night.”

  Gavin smiled. “Would you like me to get naked, Master?”

  “Fuckin’ A, you should be naked already.”

  Gavin quickly stripped and grabbed the lube while Porter shimmied out of his shorts and briefs. Thirty seconds later, Gavin was happily impaling himself on his hubby’s cock.

  “Mmm,” he said as he settled in. “Nothing like a freshly minted hubby cock to make a guy feel loved.”

  Porter had to process that for a second before he burst out laughing, which made Gavin smile. It was the first deep, untainted laughter he’d remembered having in…

  Well, a long damn time.

  Since before losing Dane.

  And with the sweetly tight ass of his hubby now riding his cock, he was ready to unplug his own brain for a while. It’d taken them no time to reacquaint themselves with each other’s bodies. He slowly stroked Gavin’s cock with one hand while reaching up to pinch his nipples with the other.

  He couldn’t wait until there were rings in both of them he could tug on and play with.

  When he came he quickly stroked Gavin, getting him over and loving the feel of his ass squeezing Porter’s cock. They lay there for a moment, then Porter patted him on the ass. “Shower, then downstairs for dinner.”

  * * * *

  “Yes, Master.” He couldn’t wait for this part, either. They were going to be telling everyone the good news…and flashing their shiny new wedding bands around.

  After dinner, they headed into the courtyard where the party was just getting started and a live DJ was spinning tracks.

  Porter left Gavin standing there after squeezing his hand. “Stay.”

  Gavin wanted to know what he was doing, but then Porter walked over to the DJ. While Porter’s back was turned to Gavin, from the way he pulled his wallet out and handed the DJ something, Gavin was pretty sure he had a suspicion what was going on.

  Not to mention, Porter wore a sneaky damn smile as he turned and slipped his wallet back into his jeans. But instead of walking all the way back to him, he stopped dead center of what was supposed to be the dance floor area, except it was still early in the evening and no one was dancing yet.

  Then he held his hand out to Gavin.

  The song playing faded out, and the DJ’s voice came over the speakers.

  “We’ve got a special request, folks, and since it’s a first dance for two newly-wedded hubbies who just got married this afternoon, I’m not about to refuse it. This one’s for Porter and his boy, Gavin, Master and Mister Hutchinson. Give it up for them!”

  The courtyard erupted into applause and raucous cheers. Everyone stepped back from the dance floor, or gathered closer to see, if they hadn’t been near there already, as the opening strains of “Bad Liar” by Imagine Dragons started playing.

  Unable to contain his own smile, Gavin laughed and walked over to Porter. Gavin took Porter’s hand, grinning as Porter swept him into his arms and started swaying with him.

  “I thought you didn’t like to make a public scene, Sir.”

  Porter laughed. “This time, I’ll make an exception. I want everyone to know I’m proud that you’re my hubby and my boy.” He turned them so Gavin was facing the south building. “And look up on the second floor, two rooms down from the stairs.”