What's His Passion 2 - Climbing the Savage Mountain (9 page)

“Jensen!” He cried out, cum spurting from his cock.

His shuddering and undulating must have pushed Jensen over the edge because it was only a few seconds later that Jensen came, filling his ass and yelling his name as he did so. He moaned as Jensen flopped to the side and slid out of his body.

Being gathered into Jensen’s arms as though his lover couldn’t stand to be even an inch away from him brought a smile to Toby’s face. He didn’t complain about the cooling strings of cum that were going to stick them together in the morning. Right then, he didn’t think that was a bad thing.

Chapter Eight

Friends can help each other. A true friend is someone who lets you have total freedom to be yourself—and especially to feel. Or, not feel. Whatever you happen to be feeling at the moment is fine with them. That’s what real love amounts to—letting a person be what he really is.

—Jim Morrison

Jensen rubbed his sweaty palms on his shirt before turning to look at Jigger. His friend grinned.

“Getting nervous?”

“Yes. It’s stupid to be nervous about this. It’s not like Toby’s going to back out or run away. He’s as committed to this relationship as I am.” He cleared his throat. “It’s just…”

“It’s a major step. Sure, moving in together was a big one, but you were willing to do it because Toby wanted you living with him. It gave you a base to build from, more than the trailer in my backyard.” Jigger tweaked Jensen’s collar. “This means Toby really is going to keep you. There’s no walking away from this, not without a lot of damage on both sides.”

Stiffening, he glared at Jigger. “I’m not going to walk away. Even if we never got married, I wasn’t going to abandon him again.”

Jigger tapped his cheek. “I know that and Toby knows that as well, but this helps heal the scar you inflicted all those years ago. You’re letting him bind you to him with rings and vows.”

“I can’t believe how fast this is all happening,” he muttered as he paced in the small room behind the pulpit at the little country church Cat had told him about three days ago.

They’d gone to the Laramie County courthouse to apply for a marriage license. Shockingly there wasn’t a waiting period. Jensen had his birth certificate with him, but they needed Toby’s mother to overnight a copy of Toby’s before they could get a license. It only took an extra day and it gave them time to plan the rest of the small ceremony.

After that, they’d gone ring shopping. There wasn’t a huge selection of jewelry shops in the town, but neither one of them wanted anything fancy or expensive. Jensen pulled the simple platinum band out of his pocket. The date and his name had been engraved on the one he held. Toby had the one with his own name on it to give to Jensen during the ceremony.

“I forgot to ask you how Toby’s parents took the news?” Jigger asked, probably trying to take Jensen’s mind off his upcoming nuptials.

“I thought Toby lost hearing in his right ear from her screaming. Then she started crying and his dad came on to try and figure out why his wife was having a meltdown.” He grinned at the happiness the Schwartzels had expressed at him becoming their son-in-law. “They were both really excited about it. They wanted us to wait until tomorrow so they could fly out, but Toby promised we’d have a big ceremony and reception in August when I’ve recovered from the Everest climb.”

Jigger laughed. “Better reception than I got when Cat took me home to meet her dad. When he found out I used to be in a rock band, he almost lost it. Then once he realized which one it was, I thought he was going throw me out of the house. He chewed Cat out about being deceived by a sex fiend like me. It was bad enough that she’d obviously slept with me, but to believe that I actually wanted to marry her was crazy.”

Jensen cringed. “He didn’t care that you could take care of her financially? That she wouldn’t have to work another day in her life, if she didn’t want to? All he saw was the tattoos, long hair and bad reputation, huh?”

“Yep.” Jigger took a lock of his long hair in his fingers and tugged lightly. “I had planned on cutting it before we went, but she told me not to—that if her father couldn’t see what a wonderful man I was underneath all the ink and long hair, then he was the one at fault. Not me.”

“The more stories you guys tell me about him, the more I’m glad I’ve never met him.”

“He’s a winner, that’s for sure. It’s awesome that Toby’s family really seems to have taken to you. Be glad about that.”

And he was
very
glad. Before he could say anything else, the door opened and the minister peeked in, her thin face wreathed in a bright smile.

“Are you ready in here?”

“God, yes.” Jensen winced. “Sorry.”

Her laugh was high and joyous. “Son, I don’t think He’ll mind, not when we’re celebrating such a marvelous occasion here today.”

Jigger clapped him on the shoulder. “Let’s go get you married, man.”

Taking a deep breath then releasing it slowly, Jensen nodded. He followed his best friend and the minister out to stand in front of the altar. He shot a quick glance up at the stained glass cross hanging in the large picture window.

At one time, Jensen hadn’t believed in God—or a higher spirit. He’d believed man was lost and alone on the planet. Then he’d climbed his first mountain and stood at the top. He’d looked out over the world, realizing that God wasn’t a faraway entity ignoring the creatures He’d brought into being. God was everywhere. He existed in the air Jensen breathed and the water he drank. God was in the rocks under his feet and the clouds sweeping across the blue sky. Jensen had prayed at that moment, thanking God for keeping him alive long enough to realize how much he wanted to live.

Music started and as the opening chords from k.d. Lang’s version of
Hallelujah
drifted through the almost empty church, he turned to see Toby walking down the aisle toward him. Watching the man he loved make his way to him, Jensen sent another prayer upward, promising to love him forever and thanking God for convincing Toby to give him another chance.

For Jensen, Toby’s heart was where God really lived. The loving spirit he showed to Jensen every day was the finest example of God existing that Jensen had ever seen—even more than the beautiful mountains he climbed.

He held out his hand when Toby got close to him. The dazzling smile Toby bestowed on him eased Jensen’s heart. He relaxed. This ceremony was a small detail that wouldn’t change anything in the grand scheme of their lives.

Toby gripped his hand tightly as he stepped up next to him. Jensen couldn’t resist, so he leaned forward to place a soft kiss on Toby’s cheek. The minister cleared her throat and they turned to look at her.

“I’m so glad that I’m finally able to do this,” she announced. “Even if it’s the smallest wedding I’ve seen in my many years of ministering.”

Jensen glanced over his shoulder to where Jigger and Cat stood, holding Pamela in their arms. They were his family and while it might not have been fair to Toby to have no one here, Jensen knew Toby wasn’t too upset about it.

Suddenly the door opened at the back of the sanctuary and three people stepped in. Toby gasped when they got closer and they saw it was Toby’s parents and Simpson. Toby’s mom rushed up to them, throwing her arms around them.

“We couldn’t let you get married without us,” she said, kissing them each on the cheek.

“After I talked to you yesterday, I got us all plane tickets out here. I talked to Brockhoff about the time and everything.” Simpson slapped Toby on the back then shook Jensen’s hand. “Thanks for making it as late as you could.”

Toby whirled to look at him. “Is this why you said we had to have it in the afternoon? Not some silly climbing tradition?”

Shrugging, Jensen grinned. “There might be some kind of tradition about weddings in the climbing community, but I don’t know them. I just knew we had to do this as late as we could so they had a chance to get here. Almost didn’t make it.”

“Sorry about that,” Simpson said. “Got a little lost on the way out of Laramie.”

Toby’s dad hugged them both before turning to greet the minister. “Sorry to interrupt, ma’am.”

“It’s no problem. I’m happy to see there’s family here for both of you.” She motioned for Toby’s parents and Simpson to take their seats. “Like I started to say, it’s been a long time coming, but now I can finally marry all couples—no matter their sex—in the eyes of our loving God.”

Jensen held Toby’s hand through the entire ceremony. He trembled while he slid the band on Toby’s ring finger then didn’t feel so bad when he saw that Toby was doing the same. He spoke his vows in a loud firm voice, not wanting anyone to think he had any hesitation about this wedding—or his love for this man.

At the end, the minister smiled at both of them. “‘A new commandment I give you—Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.’ That was Jesus’ commandment to us and it’s the only bit of advice I’ll give you today. Jesus loves us with all our faults and mistakes. You must try to keep that same kind of love for each other. If you do, your lives will be filled with such incredible joy. Now you may kiss and start your new life together.”

Jensen encircled Toby’s waist before pulling him near. He stared down into his husband’s eyes, seeing the tears glimmering in them. Bending, he pressed his lips to Toby’s cheeks and claimed those tears as his. Then he took a quick kiss from Toby.

A soft sob escaped from Toby as he wrapped his arms around Jensen’s neck. He hid his face against Jensen’s chest, obviously trying to get his feelings under control. Jensen whispered nonsensical words while rubbing Toby’s back.

Once Toby got himself back together, they stepped apart then turned to face the six people waiting for them.

“Everyone, may I introduce Mr. and Mr. Toby and Jensen Schwartzel,” the minister announced.

“Oh my,” Toby’s mom gasped and Toby’s dad wiped a tear from his cheek.

“So pretty,” Pamela cried, as she tried to grab the flame of the flickering candle on the altar.

“No, honey. You can’t touch that. Why don’t we go give Uncle Toby and Uncle Jensen hugs?” Cat brought the little girl to them.

They got wet kisses from Pamela and warm hugs from Jigger and Cat.

Jensen grasped Simpson’s hand and shook it. “Thanks for getting them out here,” he told him. “I know you and I aren’t ever going to be best friends, but I do appreciate the effort it took.”

“It was your plan, man. I just put it in motion.” Simpson grimaced. “You’re right about us, but you know what? We don’t have to be as long as we accept that we have something in common.”

“What’s that?” Jensen turned to check where Toby was.

“We’ll both do whatever we have to do to keep Toby from getting hurt.”

Jensen met Simpson’s intense gaze. “I’ll never hurt Toby again, Simpson. I promised him that when he took me back.”

Simpson nodded before moving on to introduce himself to Jigger and Cat. There was none of the usual fawning from people when they realized who Jigger was. Jensen shouldn’t have been surprised. He figured Simpson had probably done a background check on both of them the instant Jensen had reappeared. The man wasn’t taking any chances with Toby. He was like an overly protective older brother.

“Jensen honey, come here.” Toby’s mom gestured for him to join her where she stood with Toby and the others.

He strolled over and got enveloped by another hug. He breathed in her simple perfume of lavender and vanilla. It certainly beat the expensive scents his mother wore.

“I can’t believe you took our last name.” She stepped back to look up at him.

Lifting one shoulder, he said, “I’m not attached to my last name, Mrs. Schwartzel. It didn’t make sense to make Toby change his or hyphenate it when I could just change mine.”

“Please call me Mom—or Nancy, if you can’t call me that yet.” She tucked her hand in the crook of his arm. “But what will your parents say when you tell them?”

Jensen licked his lips as he tried to think of a way not to have to talk about his family. Not on such a wonderful day as this. Yet he knew she wouldn’t let it go. Mom could be a bulldog when it came to dig out the truth.

“Well, Mom.”

She beamed at him and Toby winked at him from where he stood between Simpson and Jigger, holding Pamela.

“I haven’t spoken to my parents in years. I have no idea how they’ll react because I don’t plan on telling them.” It was blunt, but it was how he felt about the whole situation. They’d never made any effort to contact him. He wasn’t going to ruin the memories of his wedding by calling his folks and finding out they didn’t care one whit about him.

“Oh honey.” She hugged his arm. “Did they throw you out because you were gay?”

“Mom,” Toby interjected. “There are other reasons why people don’t talk to their parents.”

She flapped her hand at him. Jensen started moving toward the door. They’d paid the minister before the ceremony, plus they’d given a generous donation to the church. They had reservations at the nicest restaurant in Laramie and Jensen wanted to head over there.

“My parents ignored me until I was sixteen then they sent me off to boarding school. I think that’s when they forgot about me. They never came to any of my games or any of my other school events, except my graduation. I got a letter from my dad telling me my tuition to Harvard was paid for, so when I got accepted there, that’s where I went.” He shrugged. “After that, I’ve had no contact with either of them. I’m not even sure they’re still alive.”

“Of course they are, or else you’d get contacted by lawyers,” Simpson spoke up. “You’re an only child, right?”

He didn’t understand this fascination with his family. “Yes. All right. Simpson, why don’t you follow us to the restaurant?”

Jensen got everyone sorted out between the two vehicles before they were underway to supper. He settled in the backseat with Toby and Pamela, entertaining her while holding Toby’s hand.

Toby whispered, “I’m sorry about my mom. She’s concerned for you. Mom hates when people aren’t treated well. And she loved it that you called her Mom.”