“Fuck,” he bit out, impaling Reese one final time as his cock erupted.
The instant he’d drained himself, Brantley pulled out and dropped to his knees, urging Reese to turn around. When he did, Brantley opened his mouth, took Reese to the hilt, then accepted the punishing thrusts as Reese chased his own release.
“Fuck, yes, Brantley,” Reese groaned. “Swallow me.” He growled softly, thrust forward one final time, and came right down Brantley’s throat.
Sated, at least temporarily, Brantley grabbed a towel, tossed another to Reese, and proceeded to dry off.
“We’ve still got an hour and a half. I say we grab some lunch, then do that again.”
Reese’s response was a grin, followed by, “We’ll see.”
*
After spending their allotted time sating their urges, Reese was almost grateful the team had returned.
It wasn’t that he hadn’t enjoyed being used and sensually abused by Brantley. He absolutely did. But he’d been worn out after the third round and too proud to admit he couldn’t go another. Not without a nap first.
As they’d done the other days, they spent the afternoon down by the water. Every now and again, someone would brave it and race in only to race back out. Reese didn’t care for the water even during the heat of summer, so he opted to watch and enjoy everyone else’s pain.
Now, as he sat on the back deck looking out over the ocean, Brantley and Trey inside cooking dinner while the other four took a stroll down the beach, Reese picked up his phone, opened his text messages.
He pulled up the one he’d received two days ago, read it for what felt like the hundredth time.
I heard you were gonna be in my neck of the woods. Thought maybe you’d want to grab some dinner while you’re in Dallas. It would be nice to catch up. I’ve missed you, Reese.
Honestly, he had no idea why he didn’t simply delete the text message from Madison Adorite. It wasn’t like he was reading it to reminisce or because he harbored old feelings for her. He wasn’t enticed by her invitation, didn’t even look forward to meeting with her.
But something kept him from doing so. A feeling he got, perhaps. Or maybe it was a feeling he no longer had that worried him.
Although Reese was no longer having doubts about what he wanted, accepting that he had fallen in love with a man, he wouldn’t deny he had some mixed feelings. Not about Brantley. No, his feelings for him were sound. His doubts had more to do with his own sexuality.
Basically, he still wondered how he had lived his entire life without ever having so much as an attraction to a man, yet he was now in what was proving to be a long-term, committed relationship with one. As though he was a different person entirely.
Truthfully, that—the uncertainty about what prompted his choice—bothered him from time to time.
He understood what it meant to be bisexual, to want both men and women, but Reese wouldn’t categorize himself that way. And he knew it wasn’t a switch that could be flipped. He loved Brantley, but at the same time, if something ever came between them, he couldn’t see himself with another man.
Did that mean he was still on the fence? Did it mean he shouldn’t write off who he had once been? It wasn’t like he and Brantley were talking about marriage or forever. They were living together, sure, but at times it seemed more for convenience than anything.
“Dinner’s almost ready.”
Reese jumped, turning his phone over and resting it on his knee, hand firmly over it.
“You okay?” Brantley asked, eyes narrowed as he walked around to stand in front of him.
He picked up his beer. “Perfect. Why?”
“You get a call?”
Reese took a drink, shook his head. “Just my mother. She texted to check in.”
Brantley continued to watch him closely. “She doin’ all right?”
“Yep.” He let his gaze shift to the waves below and lied through his teeth. “Said she looks forward to us bein’ up there. Wants to make us dinner.”
“Sounds like a great idea.” Brantley started toward the house. “Five minutes.”
Five minutes would’ve given him more than enough time to delete that text message.
And yet he did not do it.
Epilogue
Saturday, March 20, 2021
From the moment Travis told his family that he intended to officially marry Gage, they’d come up with a dozen suggestions as to how they should do it. At the church, at the resort, in the park. Full wedding party, half wedding party, no wedding party. Decorations, a big reception afterward, color schemes, themes. He’d pretty much heard every variation there was from small and basic to a wedding to rival the royal family.
As was the case with most of the debates with his siblings, there’d been some arguing and bartering, maybe a little bit of bribery thrown in. Admittedly, Zoey was pretty good at that, but Travis had stood his ground.
In the end, his idea was simple: him and Gage by the magnolia tree at his parents’ house. He gave them the option of getting on board with the idea or making themselves scarce for the big day. They eventually gave in, realizing he wasn’t going to back down.
Travis wasn’t looking for some grand gesture; he only wanted to fulfill his wife’s wish, and he wanted his husband to know he was committed for the long haul. As far as he was concerned, no one had to attend except for Gage and Pastor Bob.
Although his sisters-in-law had been disappointed that they wouldn’t get to plan a big to-do, they had rallied behind him. But he should’ve known putting his foot down didn’t necessarily mean he would get everything he wanted. They’d snuck in a few things without his consent, but since they’d kept it simple, Travis could honestly say they’d had the right idea. And they were all there, seated behind them in rows of chairs. Kaleb and Zoey, Zane and V, Ethan and Beau, Braydon and Jessie, Sawyer and Kennedy, Brendon and Cheyenne, plus all twenty-three of their kids. His mother and father were also there, as were Kylie’s father and stepmother.
For Travis, that would’ve been plenty, but someone had slipped in a few additional invitations. Several of Travis’s cousins, aunts and uncles, and some good friends were also in attendance. There to help keep the little ones in line during the ceremony, or so he’d been told.
And fine, perhaps it was better this way. His entire family there to witness them pledging their love to one another.
But there was one attendee he hadn’t expected. According to Gage, the magnolia trees likely wouldn’t produce flowers for years. While they were already several years old at this point, having been transplanted from whatever farm they were grown on, it would still be a while before their flowers made an appearance. Yet there it was, a single bloom on the magnolia tree, the flower open fully as though seeking the warmth of the sun. As far as he knew, the other three trees had yet to produce a single flower, and Travis couldn’t help but think it was a sign.
So, beneath the warm Texas sun on a beautiful spring day, Travis and Gage exchanged their vows.
Nothing elaborate because, again, it wasn’t about the pomp and circumstance. He held himself together, kept a smile on his face throughout. But it was when the rings were brought forward that Travis got choked up.
At their wife’s request, Gage had taken their rings to a jeweler in the neighboring town, along with Kylie’s, and had them melted down together and two new rings created. The result was two platinum bands, each with three tiny diamond chips across the center. While the largest diamond and the other smaller ones had been saved for the girls, Gage had decided the three diamonds—signifying the three of them—would be a reminder that even without Kylie with them, she was still in their hearts, still part of them.