Ethan (Alluring Indulgence) (36 page)

No,
Ethan wasn’t in a place where he wanted to show public affection, wasn’t sure
he would ever be in that place, but as he studied Beau, he hoped he could see
just how much he loved him. Even without saying it or showing it, he knew it
had to be written all over his face.

Beau
leaned over slightly, still keeping some distance between them. “Yeah, I know.”

It
was Ethan’s turn to cock an eyebrow at his lover.

“And
the feeling is completely mutual.”

♂♂

“Does
it hurt?” Ethan asked, standing behind Beau.

“No.”

“Not
at all?”

Beau
laughed, making Ethan smile.

“No.
Why? Did you want it to?”

“Maybe
just a little,” he teased Beau. “I like it.”

Tim
handed Beau a mirror and Ethan took a step back, letting him get up from the
table so he could go check out his new tattoo for himself.

“Nice,”
Beau said as he admired the ink that spanned the width of his back, standing in
front of the floor length mirror on the wall.

Never
Too Late

Although
Beau hadn’t told him what he was getting – insisting it be a surprise until Tim
placed the outline on his skin – Ethan had loved it immediately. And Beau was
right, it was never too late. Not to go after what you wanted. Hell, they were
both living proof of that.

Ethan
was particularly fond of the tattoo – both the design and the meaning – and
looked forward to being able to see it, especially when he was lodged deep
inside of Beau’s magnificent body.

“All
good?” Tim asked Beau, cleaning up his workspace. The guy had been true to his
word, calling Ethan up yesterday to let him know he’d be in Austin. They’d met
up with him at one of Tim’s buddy’s tattoo shops a few hours ago, and now it
looked as though they were finished.

“I
like it,” Beau confirmed. “Nice job, man.”

Tim
looked pleased as he glanced between the two of them.

“You
sure you don’t want another one?” Tim asked Ethan.

Shaking
his head, he grinned. “Not yet anyway. Won’t rule out never, but not just yet.”

The
next one he planned to get would be on his left index finger – with Beau
getting a matching one. One that symbolized the promise he fully intended to
make to Beau one day in the very near future.

♂♀

Sawyer
stood along the outer wall, watching as people walked around the large, open
banquet room. As it turned out, the conference area at Alluring Indulgence
Resort doubled as a reception hall quite nicely. Just like he’d told Zane it
would.

Ethan
and Beau hadn’t wasted any time once they made the decision to formalize their
relationship, not even giving Zane and V a chance to get married before they
decided to do the deed. It had been rather amusing to watch Zane get huffy over
the fact that another one bit the dust before he managed to. His words exactly.
Then again, Zane had no one to blame except for Beau, who had beaten Ethan to
the punch and proposed first, insisting that the wedding be prompt. He was
proud of that fact too.

Now
that the official (yet unofficial) ceremony was over, everyone had gathered to celebrate
the union between Ethan and Beau. The ceremony had been touching, even Sawyer
could admit that much. As he had stood beside Ethan as his best man, and Zane
beside Beau, the two men had pronounced their love and lifetime commitment to
one another. Sawyer had heard sobs from the women in the audience, the loudest
of which had probably been their mother. Rightfully so.

Sawyer
noticed Travis and Kaleb talking to the groom – or rather to both grooms as was
the case – and he moved over to eavesdrop, without actually eavesdropping.
Stepping up beside Ethan, he clapped him on the back as Travis explained
something about the information on a piece of paper they were signing.

“It’s
binding,” Travis added.

“I
hope so,” Beau said with a grin, glancing over at Ethan.

Sawyer
laughed and then stepped away, grabbing a flute of champagne from the tray of a
passing waiter. He noticed his father and his mother on the dance floor, moving
slowly as they looked back at one another.

One
day,
Sawyer thought to himself.

Yep,
one day he might just find what the two of them found all those years ago. Or
hell, he’d be content with finding what Kaleb and Zoey, Zane and V, Travis,
Kylie and Gage, as well as Ethan and Beau had found. He just wasn’t sure it was
in his cards.

Ethan
and Beau passed in front of him, laughing at something Zane had said and Sawyer
watched them for a second.

Those
two were certainly made for one another and Sawyer didn’t have a single doubt
in his mind that they would share the rest of their lives together. There may
not be any guarantees in life, but Sawyer could sense that those two were meant
to be.

Hell,
just a short while ago, he’d watched while Ethan had held Kaleb’s son in his
arms, Beau by his side, and it was easy to imagine the two of them with one of
their own in the future. Sawyer wasn’t quite sure what their plans were, but no
matter what they decided, he’d be right there rooting for them all the way.

Another
couple that caught Sawyer’s attention was his cousin Tessa and her husband,
Cooper. Not long ago, they’d all attended their wedding and being that Cooper was
a country music superstar, Zane thought it only fitting to invite them.

Thankfully,
Travis had informed Cooper that he didn’t have to perform. Instead, Travis had
invited a friend of his, Cheyenne Montgomery, to be the night’s entertainment.
Sawyer wasn’t sure when it happened, but somewhere along the way, Brendon
must’ve become a country music fan because when the woman wasn’t singing, she
was talking to him.

Speaking
of Brendon… Sawyer’s attention was drawn to Braydon and Jessie as they leaned
against one another, their feet barely moving while they swayed to the slow
tune. Sawyer wasn’t so sure about those two. Or rather, three. Although tonight
it was clear Brendon had other things on his mind. Not that Braydon or Jessie
seemed to notice, or care, that he was missing. And maybe that was the issue.
For what was supposed to be a threesome, lately it seemed there was always at
least one missing – and not the same one every time.

He
caught sight of Sheriff Endsley moving over to talk to Curtis as Sawyer’s
father exited the dance floor, and Sawyer immediately began searching the room.
He had no idea whether the man’s daughter would’ve come, but he was certainly
one to hope. It didn’t take long to spot her. He merely had to search for the
most beautiful woman in the place.

And
there she was.

Kennedy
Endsley was stunning. That was the case no matter what she was wearing, but as
she moved so gracefully across the room in that silky emerald green dress that
clung to her lithe body, his mouth literally watered. He downed what was left
of the champagne in his glass and set it on an empty table before moving across
the room with purpose.

She
might not want to have anything to do with him, but at least here she couldn’t
make a scene. Or at least he hoped she wouldn’t.

“Hey,”
he greeted when he snuck up beside her.

For
a brief moment, he thought he saw the hint of a smile, but then it was gone.
The woman enjoyed the hell out of messing with him, that was obvious.

“Care
to dance?” he asked, not willing to give her a chance to say no.

“Sure,”
she said sweetly, surprising him with her quick response.

“With
me?” he asked incredulously, not quite believing that she’d agreed.

Kennedy
laughed, and the warm, raspy chuckle had his blood making a detour. South.

Get
it together, Walker.

When
Kennedy actually took his hand, leading him to the dance floor, Sawyer had to
wonder what the fuck was going on. Was he dreaming? This couldn’t be happening.
The same woman who made it her mission in life to avoid him was dragging him
along behind her?

When
he pulled her up against him a moment later, he kept his eyes locked with hers
as he slid one hand around to her slender back. “What gives?”

Kennedy
smiled brightly. Perfect white teeth, smooth pink lips.

“It’s
just a dance, Walker,” she assured him. “Don’t get your hopes up.”

Staring
into gorgeous gray eyes, Sawyer couldn’t believe the words that came out of his
mouth. “Darlin’, it’s way too late for that.”

♂♂

Later
that night…

Ethan
pulled off his boots and his socks as he watched Beau move across the room
slowly. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing,”
Beau answered way too quickly.

“Nothing,
huh?”

“Nope.”

Ethan
leaned into the soft leather cushions, getting himself comfortable. It had been
a long night, one that he would never forget for as long as he lived.

Tomorrow
was going to be an even longer day due to the traveling, but he was looking
forward to it. They were leaving for their honeymoon. One solid week at a
private villa on a secluded beach in Hawaii, thanks to some help from Travis
who apparently had contacts for just about anything and everything.

When
asked, Ethan had informed Travis that he wasn’t looking to interact with locals
or go sight-seeing, but he was looking forward to being cut off from the rest
of the world, completely alone with Beau. That’s when Travis said he had just
the thing and that option had suited them both just fine.

But
right now, Ethan was looking forward to passing the time tonight.

Naked.

With
his husband.

God
he loved the sound of that.

“Come
here,” Ethan instructed Beau, still watching as he moved around their living
room as though he were a man on a mission.

“I
can’t.”

“Why?”

“I
just can’t.”

Ethan
pushed to his feet although he wanted nothing more than to sink into the
cushions of his couch with Beau’s gorgeous body on top of him.

“Is
something wrong?” he asked when he approached, realizing that Beau’s eyes
looked a little wild.

“No.
Yes.
No.”

“What’s
going on?”

Beau
stopped abruptly, staring back at him. Ethan took a tentative step closer and
put his hand on Beau’s broad chest, slowly unhooking the buttons of his shirt
as he did.

“We’re
married,” Beau said, sounding surprised.

Ethan
grinned back at him, pushing his hands flat against Beau’s now exposed chest.
“We are.”

Technically,
the state of Texas didn’t recognize same sex marriage; however, Ethan and Beau
had agreed ahead of time that they didn’t give a shit what the state thought.
It was what they felt for one another that mattered, not what a sheet of paper
showed. Not to mention, Travis had helped them to get official, legal documents
drawn up to formalize their arrangement and protect them where it mattered.

As
far as Ethan was concerned, they were married.

“You
married me,” Beau whispered.

“I
did,” Ethan confirmed, pushing Beau’s shirt off of his shoulders and then
unhooking the cufflinks so that he could get him naked faster.

“I
love you,” Beau said.

“And
I love you,” Ethan replied with a smirk. He’d never seen Beau like this. For
the entire day, Beau had been right there by his side, greeting guests, laughing,
smiling. Proud, handsome, sexy and even slightly aggressive.

“Are
you all right?” Ethan asked as he slipped the button of Beau’s pants from the loop
and eased the zipper down.

“We’re
married.”

Ethan
laughed, sliding his hand inside of Beau’s boxers and fisting his cock firmly.
“We are,” he murmured against Beau’s lips. “And I fully intend to make love to
my husband for the very first time tonight.”

Beau
shivered, and Ethan continued to stroke him. “So, you’d be doing me a favor if
you got out of these clothes,” he encouraged.

“What
if I wanted to make love to
you
?”

“Do
you?” Ethan was game for anything, just as long as he could get this man naked.

“Maybe,”
Beau said and a wicked grin formed on his lips sending a tremor through Ethan.

“Well,
first one naked gets to decide,” Ethan dared.

Beau
pulled away abruptly, toeing off his boots in a rush before sliding his pants
down his legs and stepping out of them.

Ethan
glanced down. “Socks?”

“Shit.”

He
watched as Beau hopped on one leg, then the other, removing his socks before
standing upright once more.

“You’re
still dressed,” Beau said smoothly, although slightly confused.

“Looks
like you get to choose,” Ethan told him with an answering smile. He really
didn’t care who won because, as far as he was concerned, as long as he could
have Beau, naked or otherwise, he was the winner.

When
Beau linked their fingers together and began leading him toward the stairs,
Ethan’s heart picked up a rapid tattoo in his chest. He wondered if that’s how
Beau had felt moments ago when it finally sank in that they were actually
married.

Before
he could ask him, they were at the top of the stairs, and Ethan stopped
suddenly.

The
room was lit with candles of all shapes and sizes, casting a soft golden glow
across everything, including the bed which had been turned back as though they
were at a hotel for the evening.

“Who
did this?” Ethan asked, releasing Beau’s hand and going to work on removing his
own shirt.

“If
I had to guess, I’d say Kylie and Zoey.”

That
would’ve been Ethan’s first guess too. His sisters-in-law were sneaky like
that. They were also thoughtful because as Ethan stared around the room, he
couldn’t imagine a more perfect scene for tonight.

Taking
Beau’s hand again, he moved closer to the bed.

“What
the fuck is that?” Beau exclaimed.

Ethan
glanced back at Beau to see what he was looking at. That’s when his attention
was drawn to the headboard. He let out a resounding laugh as he noticed the
ropes tied perfectly to the sides.

“Looks
like I get to tie you up tonight,” Ethan said as he forced his pants down his
legs and then stepped out of them.

Now
that they were equally naked, Ethan was suddenly tired of wasting time.

“Bed,”
Ethan directed Beau and to his utter surprise, Beau moved swiftly.

Ethan
admired Beau’s tight ass as he crawled on all fours into the center of the bed.
“Don’t move,” he said quickly.

Without
trying to be overly aggressive, Ethan climbed up behind him on the bed, sliding
his hands up the inside of Beau’s spread thighs. He moved slowly, teasing more
than fondling until he reached the heavy sac that hung between Beau’s thick legs.
Gently kneading his balls, Ethan leaned forward and pressed kisses to Beau’s
perfectly sculpted ass.

“I
like this position,” Ethan told him as he reached around Beau with one hand,
gripping his cock softly and brushing up and down the length with featherlight
strokes. He continued until Beau was moaning and trying to push into his hands.