Chapter 9

“I’m sorry.” Luca’s words were little more than a whisper.

“I love you.”

Gus’s voice cracked on the last word. He hadn’t realized how much the last minutes had affected him. He didn’t want to admit to the little nagging voice in his mind that had whispered What if?All he knew in this moment was that he was never letting Luca out of his sight again. Or at least not letting him see his mother without Gus being with him.

“Oh, honey, I didn’t mean to worry you.” Luca fidgeted and wiggled in Gus’s arms until he managed to turn around. He wrapped his long legs around Gus and threw his arms around Gus’s neck. The veil got caught between them and Luca moved to take it off, but Gus stopped him.

“No.” He freed the exquisite fabric from its trap, taking great care not to pull off any of the crystals. When the veil covered them both, he put his arms around his fiancé and spread his fingers wide on the small of Luca’s back. He rested his cheek against Luca’s and whispered, “I have no idea what happened, but I’m always on your side. Always.”

“I know,” Luca whispered back.

They didn’t move for several minutes. Gus’s hands wandered up and down Luca’s back, gentle fingers running over the spine. Gus’s heartbeat returned to normal, and they just sat there, breathing together. Inhaling and exhaling as one. In this moment, Gus didn’t care about a worried mother or the waiting guests. He just needed to be close to his fiancé.

Luca pulled away and looked into Gus’s eyes. He tickled the hairs on Gus’s neck before cupping Gus’s face and leaning in. Gus closed his eyes when the tip of Luca’s nose touched his own.

“Thank you.” Luca kissed him, and he moaned when Luca’s soft pouty lips touched his, making his body tingle from head to toe.

Luca’s tongue darted out and brushed against the seam of Gus’s mouth. Gus opened willingly, and warmth spread through his entire being when his eager tongue met his fiancé’s. It was almost as if he could feel the chemicals caused by the kiss being released in his body. They worked their magic, calmed him down, and made him feel closer to Luca.

His hands found their way down Luca’s back to his round ass, and Gus grabbed him and lifted until Luca rested in his lap. He squeezed Luca’s buttocks, and Luca groaned.

Luca undulated his hips, and his hardening cock poked Gus’s shirt-clad stomach. From that first moment they’d met at the bar six years ago, a touch or a word from Luca was enough to make Gus lose his mind. And the feeling had grown stronger with every year, their connection had deepened until Gus hardly knew where he ended and Luca began. He hoped their bond would continue to grow stronger after they were married, becoming even more complex and intimate.

But no matter how much he wanted to make love to Luca here on the floor, this wasn’t the time. He broke the kiss and immediately regretted it when Luca whined.

“I know, my love,” he whispered against Luca’s kiss-swollen lips. “But the next time we make love, I want to be your husband.”

Gus’s words seemed to finally yank Luca out of his arousal.

“Oh, my gawd, we have to get back,” Luca exclaimed and tried to scramble off Gus’s knee.

Gus gripped his waist and kept him where he was. “We have another minute.” Gus glanced down at his watch. The ceremony was supposed to have started ten minutes ago.

“How?” Luca asked.

“I called Mom, told her I needed an hour. And you know her. No one, not even the President himself, would dare to argue with her when she sets her mind to something.”

“That’s totally true.” Luca giggled, and the happy sound made Gus’s own laughter bubble up. When their laughter faded, Luca pressed a light kiss on Gus’s cheek. “I didn’t run away from you,” he said, looking Gus straight in the eyes.

“I know.”

“I realize I need to tell you what happened, but—”

Gus put his index finger on Luca’s lips, stopping whatever he was going to say. “The only thing you needto do is get off this floor, get dressed, and marry me,” he said. “Everything else can wait.”

“Okay,” Luca whispered behind Gus’s finger, and tears welled up in his big chocolate-brown eyes.

Gus wiped away the moisture with the pads of his thumbs, and with clumsy fingers, he swept away Luca’s hair from his face.

“Are you ready?” Gus asked.

Luca smiled, untangled his limbs, and stood on wobbly legs. He held out his hand to Gus, who grabbed it and jumped to his feet. Gus retrieved Luca’s tux from the chair and moved to help him get dressed. Luca carefully lifted the veil off his head.