Page 120 of The Retreat

Isaac snickers, and Oliver huffs.

“Colin, do you have your vows ready?”

“Owen. When this began, it was a spur-of-the-moment choice to save my sister. But even in those first moments, despite being completely shit-faced?—”

Isaac hisses, “You can’t say shit-faced in your vows!”

“Don’t make this take longer than it has to by debating with him, kitten,” Oliver mutters.

All I can do is laugh, because I’m so filled with happiness.

“A part of me knew you were it for me. I fought it, hard, trying to protect myself from the inevitable of getting hurt when you decided I wasn’t worth it, but I’ve been in love with you since the beginning. I let myself believe I was doing this for selfless reasons, for noble reasons, but I wasn’t. Over the last twelve months, I’ve learned a lot about who I am and who I want to be. Thanks to you, I’m starting to see that I have worth beyond what I can give to someone. Just being me has value. The love and respect and self-assurance you give me every day scares the absolute shit out of me, but I can’t imagine my life without you. Neither of us knew what to expect from this. The growing pains were bumpy, but watching you blossom has been the highlight of the last year. You’ve taught me that I’m not a burden to those who love me, and you will never be a burden to me. I love that you need me. I love that you come to me when you’re struggling or anxious or just feel off. We’re friends, partners, lovers, husbands. You’re my ride or die. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted. I love you.”

“Now I want you to each take the ring for the other in your right hand, and hold out your left,” the minister directs us.

We position our hands, the new rings we picked out together hovering at the tips of each other’s ring fingers.

“Slide the ring onto each other’s fingers and say: with this ring I thee wed.”

We both do it, and my chest swells. The way Colin looks at me, and the feel of the matching rings locking into place, changes something inside me. It fills a part I never expected to have. I’ve always thought I was too different to be married. Too fucked up and too weird, but Colin fit me so perfectly. A tear streams down my cheek.

“You may now kiss the groom,” the minister says and steps back.

Rightly so because Colin jumps at me, wrapping his arms and legs around me. I catch him, cupping his ass to keep him there while we kiss.

“Now you’re stuck with me,” Colin says between kisses.

“Don’t you mean you’re stuck with me?” I growl.

“It can be both.”Colin looks over my shoulder right at Oliver. “I’m a Godfrey now!”

Oliver groans.

“I love you, husband.” The words carry so much more weight, and I am the happiest man on the planet.

“I love you.”

BONUS EPILOGUE

Colin

I’m basically dancing in our entryway when the doorbell rings. My pictures are being delivered, and I can’t fucking wait to see how they turned out and what Owen thinks of them. There’s a blank spot on the living room wall that is perfect for these!

The delivery man with a large box, a handcart, and a tablet are at the door.

“Are you Colin Godfrey?”

“Yes, that’s me.” I went back and forth about changing my name and ultimately decided to be petty. Since Owen is in the spotlight, so am I, and I hope it’s a knife in the gut every time my father hears my name.

“Sign here.” He hands me the tablet, and I slash a line across the little box. “Where would you like these?”

“This way.” I open the door and lead the way to the living room. “Here is fine.”

I’ve already contacted the building handyman to come put them up for me in like an hour. With any luck, it’ll be done before Owen gets home.

He sets the box down and gets to unpacking the framed images. I had them edited to black and white and blown up a bit. When he unwraps the first one, he stops for a second and stares at it before handing it to me.

It’s an image of us in the back of the car. Owen is about to come, my head in his lap, and his hand in my hair. The next one is me crawling across the floor, my naked ass toward the camera, and pure lust in Owen’s eyes as he watches me. The third image, Owen is fucking me from behind, arm around my shoulders to keep me against him, and my head is on his shoulder. The PI photographer managed to catch me coming. It’s impressive. He has good skills.

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