Colum grinned when Xavier backed those words up with a shameless wink.Laughter had become a regular occurrence in Colum’s life these past couple of weeks.After so many years without it, every chuckle felt like a balm, soothing every ache and pain until he didn’t feel them anymore.He grasped Annie’s hand, the two of them kneeling before their husband together before Colum repeated the same vow.
Annie took their hands in hers, squeezing them tightly.“I pledge on my honor, and as your spouse, to love, protect, and keep you, all of your days.”
The three of them remained there for a full minute, simply staring into each other’s eyes before Eric cleared his throat.
They all rose, facing him once more.
“In the eyes of the law and the Masters’ Admiralty, I pronounce you husband and husband and wife.”
Annie laughed in delight.
“Colum,” Eric said.“This is the part where you kiss your spouses.”
Colum wasted no time doing just that.Bending his head, he kissed Annie first, then Xavier, then he took a step back to watch as Annie and Xavier shared their first kiss as husband and wife.
He was married.
Damn.It was going to take some time for that happy thought to sink all the way in.
Eric waited until they parted, then he reached over, pulling Colum in for a hug, slapping his back.“Congratulations.”He shook Xavier’s hand before bending to give Annie a kiss on the cheek.“I’m glad you decided to join us on this side of the pond.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ve asked the Spartan Guard to pick up a special meal for you later.You can dine in the dining room, or she will deliver it to your suite.”
“The room will be perfect,” Xavier immediately replied, not bothering to consult with them.
Eric rolled his eyes.“I’ll make sure a bottle of champagne is delivered as well.Now, if you will excuse me, I need to check with Regina regarding some security measures we’re putting in place.”
Eric left his office, leaving Colum alone with his spouses for the first time.
“Honeymoon time,” Xavier murmured.
Annie laughed.“Is it really a honeymoon if we’re basically captives?”
Colum grasped her hand, tugging her toward the stairs.“We’re in a castle on an island, and it’s not like we’re going to want to leave the bedroom once we get there.”
“You romantic devil,” Xavier joked, following him and Annie downstairs to the guest suite that would be their temporary home away from home until Eric deemed it was safe for them to return to their real lives.Considering how elusive the Spaniard had been thus far, God only knew when that would be.
Not that Colum was complaining.For exactly the reasons he just stated.
He would be perfectly content to spend weeks, months, years, tucked away with these two.The real world could go hang.He had everything he wanted and needed right here.
Once they entered the room, Colum closed the door, leaning against it, grinning as Xavier and Annie walked over to the bed, clearly ready to get right down to business.
He was about to demand his spouses—God, he loved the sound of that—strip, when Xavier crooked his finger at him.
“Come here, husband.”
Jaysus.He loved the sound of that too.
Colum moved, not stopping until he and Xavier were chest to chest, battling for dominance in the hottest kiss of his life.Xavier’s fingers slid through his curly hair, closing a fist so he could use it to twist Colum’s head this way and that as he deepened the kiss, their tongues stroking, their teeth nipping, their combined breath so hot it almost singed.
Annie was there in the periphery, watching.One night, she’d confessed to enjoying her role as voyeur when it came to them.But tonight wasn’t going to be a Xavier/Colum show.Tonight was about them—the three of them—embarking on their lives together.They’d engaged in a few celebratory fucks since getting the green light, but this would be the ultimate celebration.
Continuing to kiss Xavier, Colum reached out with one hand, grasping Annie’s waist and tugging her closer.Xavier did the same until they’d absorbed her into their embrace, the three of them expanding on the kisses, all content to remain just like that, in no rush to move to the next part.
Because they had forever.