Page 50 of Where the River Meets the Skye

“You’re serious?” Skye said, pulling away eventually and pressing his forehead to River’s, his breaths ragged.

“If you’re sure you really want me.”

Skye smiled. “I’m sure,” he said, as tears fell down his cheeks. “God, River, I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.”

River smiled, too, but it quickly turned to a frown, causing Skye to pull away.

“What is it?” he asked, clasping River’s hand in his.

River looked down, biting his lip. “Skye, you know I may not be ready for sex still, on our wedding night. I mean, I always thought I would be, back when I thought I would be marrying a woman, but now…” he trailed off, looking back up at Skye. “It might still take some time before I’m ready for that, and…that’s not the reason for your proposal is it? Because if it is…I’m afraid you might be disappointed. Stuck with a chronically ill husband and lots of bills, and no sex. I mean, I’ll try, and I’ll work on it. I’ll see a counselor for it if I need to. I will, Skye, cause I’d do anything for you, but, I just want you to understand that it might be a while…”

“River,” Skye said, scooting closer to him again, their legs touching. “You don’t have to be ready for anything on our wedding night, okay? You don’t have to be ready for sex ever, if it’s not something you want. That’s not why I’m proposing. I do want you. Of course I do. I always have, but I think being married, knowing we don’t have those boundaries anymore, might help you. Knowing you don’t have to guard yourself, and you can look, and touch, and enjoy me freely, if you want to, uninhibited. Maybe you’ll realize more of what you want, and if you really are scared or if you are just holding back because you feel like you have to. It’s worth a shot, right? Either way, I want to be married to you.” He planted a sweet kiss on River's temple, and then another one on his cheek, and then his nose.

River closed his eyes again as Skye’s lips brushed against his face, and he could feel himself getting hard all over again, and he knew what his body wanted, what his heart wanted. He just wasn’t sure his mind would cooperate. But being married would give him the opportunity to find that out. It scared him a little bit, but it also excited him, the idea of being able to explore all that marriage had to offer with Skye. And knowing that Skye truly would be patient with him, and love him, and guide him through it.

“When should we get married?” Skye asked, pressing soft, addictive kisses to River’s neck and jaw, making him harder still. He could hear Skye breathing in his scent and feel his nose against his bare skin even as Skye’s lips brushed the short stubble on his face. He gasped and his dick twitched. God, he hoped being married to Skye would give him the courage to try being intimate. He wanted this man so much.

He was so gone on how Skye was making him feel that he almost didn’t comprehend the question.

“Riv?” Skye said.

“Hmm?” he asked, and he heard Skye chuckle, his warm breath ghosting over River’s neck, sending a shiver down his spine.

“When do you want to marry me, beautiful?”

River tried to catch his breath. “Um, tomorrow sounds good,” he muttered, his heart racing and his cock throbbing now, as Skye pressed his palm to River’s cheek and continued to lavish him with warm, soft kisses, even nibbling on his ear. It felt incredible. He didn’t think he’d ever been so turned on in his life. Skye made him feel things, want things he’d never wanted before. He never thought another man would be able to make him feel this way, and that gave him hope. Hope that sex wasn’t impossible.

“Tomorrow?” Skye said, pulling away. “Really?” His eyes danced over River’s face again, as if to gauge his sincerity.

River blinked and nodded as he tried to catch his breath. “Yes, Skye, please? The only reason we’re not going now is because the courthouse is already closed. But I’ve been too sick lately to try and plan a wedding. These migraines are so debilitating, and we still don’t know if this new medication is even going to work. I want to marry you before they start up again. So, if in the morning I’m still migraine free, can we please go get married?”

Skye took River’s face in his hands and kissed him. “Okay,” he said, smiling. “You convinced me. I guess I better call my boss to tell him I need a personal day tomorrow. And then I better make a few other phone calls too. I think Jaden and Mom would be pretty upset if I didn’t tell them I was getting married.”

“And Nick and Jenna,” River said, smiling so hard his cheeks hurt.

Skye grinned. “Definitely. If we don’t tell them, Jenna will have our balls.”

River laughed, and Skye made his phone calls. Jenna and Nick swore they were going to be at the courthouse in the morning to witness the nuptials, even if it got them fired, and they barely slept that night, curled up in each other’s arms, smiling, kissing, brushing their faces together, sliding their legs in between each other’s, holding each other close, because in the morning, they were getting married.

CHAPTER 24

Skye

They were beaming the whole way back from the courthouse the next day. They’d gotten a little dressed up for the occasion. Dress pants, shirts, and ties. Skye’s tie was blue, and River’s was green. And Skye had a hard time keeping his eyes on the road instead of on his husband as they drove home.

Husband. He couldn't get used to the idea that River was his husband. That they truly belonged to each other. Forever. For always. He was River’s and River was his. And he wouldn’t have it any other way. He reached over to take his husband’s hand, the one that now bore a silver wedding band, and squeezed it gently. River smiled at him, interlocking their fingers together, and holding their hands on his lap.

It had been a simple ceremony, and Nick and Jenna had both cried. Then they had gone out to brunch with their friends who were still very much together and very clearly in love. Skye wondered how long it would be before they tied the knot.

When they got home, Skye went around to River’s side of the car before he could get very far and handed his keys to River.

“Here, take these,” he said.

River looked at him in confusion but did as he asked, and the next thing he knew his feet were off the ground and he was in Skye’s arms. He let out a surprised yelp, and wrapped his arms around Skye’s neck.

“You’re being way too romantic,” River said, smiling up at him as Skye carried him up the front walk.

Skye smiled back. “You gotta open the door,” he said, gesturing.

---