Chapter 3 Kieran
KIERAN
“Ican’t believe we’re flying first class.” Jace is beaming next to me as the flight attendant hands us champagne. He cradles the glass in his big palms like he’s going to savor it forever. “This is, like, movie rich,” he whispers even though no one is paying attention to us.
I bite back a smile and lean closer. “Hot shot, you’re allowed to enjoy it out loud. They’re not going to drag you back to coach if you act too excited.”
His cheeks flush a little as he grins. “I just… other than for the show, I only flew one time. I walked past the people up here, but I never thought I’d be one of them.”
“You do realize that we have money, and we live by a giant airport, right? You can sit in the big seat and drink the free bubbles whenever you want,” I reassure him with a soft smile.
“Yeah, but that’s your money. I don’t actually need all this to be happy,” he dismisses, gesturing around at our fancy seats.
Shit. Does he seriously still think of our lives as that separate?
We’ve been married for months. I added him to all my accounts, but to be honest, I haven’t looked all that closely at whether he was using them.
I just pay off whatever’s due at the end of the month since Jace taking advantage and overspending has never been a concern of mine.
“Babe, we’re married. That’s our money. I told you that when I added you to my bank accounts. Have you not been spending any of it?”
He bites the corner of his thumb nail as his cheeks darken.
“Well, I do use those cards when I get stuff for the house and groceries. But I still have savings from all the overtime I used to do, and it’s not like I contribute to rent.
I don’t like feeling like I’m taking advantage of you by buying things I don’t need. ”
I reach up to pull his hand away from his mouth, gently squeezing it and placing it on his thigh between us.
“Jace, when I said I wanted to marry you for real, I meant it. All of it. I know you’re not with me because of my money, and I know you’d still want to be with me if I didn’t have it. You’re my partner, equally.”
“So what’s yours is really mine?” he asks lightly, like he’s going for a teasing tone, but there’s a vulnerability in his expression that I haven’t seen in a while.
I arch a brow. “Of course. I love you. I know you don’t need my money, but if there’s something that can make you as happy as you looked when we got on this plane, I want to be the one giving it to you. Anything you want.”
“I love you too, baby.” He squeezes my hand back, not letting go of that connection as he reaches for his glass with his other hand.
“Also, is this really only the third time you’ve been in a plane?”
Jace takes a small sip of his champagne and nods at me. “Yeah, I worked so much I never really went anywhere. Joey and Patrick took me with them on their vacation once to Mexico, though, so I do have a passport.”
I nod, already thinking of all the places I want to take him. When we get back, I want to start planning the trip of a lifetime, to take Jace anywhere he wants to go, everywhere.
“I still can’t believe they’ll also be in Vegas this weekend,” I comment.
“Right? What are the odds Blake would pick the same time and place as the anniversary trip they already had planned.”
“Small world,” I agree.
“Blake and Chad loved hanging out with them at my birthday thing, so I told them Joey and Patrick would also be in Vegas this weekend, and they begged me to invite them out with us. It sounds like they have a lot planned though, so I’m not sure it’ll work out,” Jace adds.
“I hope it does. You know I love spending time with them.”
“Me too.” Jace smiles warmly at me for a moment before looking around. “Do they give you snacks up here?”
I can’t help but chuckle. “Yes, don’t worry. I’m sure she’ll be back soon with some snacks.”
He smiles and leans in for a kiss.
God, I love this man. Sometimes it’s hard to remember how close I was to missing out on all of this when I was so hung up on the past. I’m so glad we made it here eventually.
“I was thinking. We never did go on a honeymoon. After the show, we were so wrapped up in moving you in and adjusting to our new life together. Now that you quit your job…” I give his thigh a squeeze. “Let’s fix it.”
He blinks. “Huh?”
“The no-honeymoon thing. Pick somewhere, literally anywhere, and we’ll go this year.”
Jace turns in his seat as much as the belt will allow and just stares at me for a few seconds, eyes shining.
“Are you serious?”
“Of course.”
“There’s no way you can take that much time off work,” he hedges, already half-talking himself out of it.
“I can work from anywhere if we need to. But work will still be there when we get back, and Olivia totally proved she can handle running things while I’m gone. I’ll treat her to all the Botox and massages she wants, as long as we can get some time to ourselves. Come on, babe, it’ll be fun!”
His lips slowly curve into a smile. “Okay. Let me think about where we should go.”
“Yeah, we don’t have to decide right away.” I brush my thumb over his knuckles. “For now, we’re doing a mini pre-honeymoon in Vegas. Let’s hope we survive this first with Blake and Chad in charge.”
His grin turns downright mischievous. “Do I get honeymoon-level sex or is this, like, bachelor-party-level sex?”
“I’m gonna need you to explain the difference,” I say with a laugh. “Either way, it absolutely involves a flip fuck.”
“Bachelor party seems dirtier, honeymoon sex seems romantic—”
“Wait, what’s a flip fuck?” Chad interrupts Jace’s explanation as he pops his head over the seat in front of us.
I close my eyes and whisper, “Oh, for fuck’s sake, Chad.”
As Jace mutters, “Oh my god.” Jace’s face is bright red in approximately half a second. “We… we were just joking—”
“No, don’t you dare rob me of this,” Chad says, gripping the top of our seat like he’s about to climb over. “I’ve only ever heard that phrase on, like, X and in TikTok thirst traps. I didn’t know it was something real people actually did.”
“Chad,” I beg. “Sit. Down. This is so not the place for this conversation.”
But I can already see his mind spinning with questions. John is right beside him on the aisle, staring straight ahead as he mutters something under his breath that sounds a lot like “How did I end up next to him?”
“So wait,” Chad continues, oblivious to the embarrassment he’s causing the rest of our group. “Does ‘flip fuck’ mean you flip each other mid-sex? Like gymnastics? Or, oh my god, do you do a somersault while you’re inside each other?”
John groans next to him. “Why am I here?”
Across the aisle, Blake perks up excitedly. “Flip fuck? With who? Chad! Why do you keep talking about dicks today?”
“Oh, for the love of—” Liam drops his forehead to the seat back in front of him.
Chad points dramatically at us before answering far too loudly. “They said they’re gonna flip fuck in Vegas!”
“Can you pipe down?” I borderline scold him. “We’re on an airplane, Chad! Filter yourself.”
“Fine. But you’re the one who said it,” Chad shoots back, huge smile on his face like maybe I’d forgotten and he was helping me, instead of drawing way too much attention to us before the plane has even taken off.
“We should flip fuck,” Blake says to Liam without bothering to lower his volume either, as if none of this is odd to him.
Chad nods enthusiastically. “Yes. It’s your bachelor party, bro, you should do whatever you want. Also, is flip effing hard physically?” He pats his stomach. “I’ve got good core muscles, though, so I bet I’d be fine.”
“Why would you be—?” I start to ask, because before today, I was fairly certain Blake had told us Chad was straight, but I bite the question back because it’s none of my business.
John turns his head with the slow, murderous precision of a man who’s dealt with more than enough. “Can we stop saying flip fuck on the goddamn plane?”
“I did! I said flip effing, Grumpy. And since no one is explaining it to me, I was just betting I could do it. Look how flexible I am already!” Chad tries to kick his leg up to fold into the small seat. We might be in first class, but we’re still on a plane, and he is not a small person.
Sometimes I think there’s no way anyone could be more unfiltered than Blake… then he brings Chad around.
Blake is laughing and complimenting Chad on his flexibility, and I am kicking myself for ever mentioning sex in a public place. Thank god we take up most of first class.
I look over at Ash who’s paying absolutely no attention to any of us with his headphones already over his ears.
He’d probably be so embarrassed if he could hear us.
I don’t know Blake’s other friend all that well, but he’s always blushing, so I can’t imagine how he’d react if he’d heard all of this.
“And you!” Chad says, whipping back toward John. “Stop acting like you’re above this conversation. You have a dick piercing. You don’t get to be a prude.”
That shuts everyone up real quick, except for Jace, who is shaking with silent laughter beside me, fully folded over now.
“Oh god, the first time I fly first class is going to be the last time I’m ever allowed on a plane,” he finally says through his laughter.
“So, why isn’t anyone answering my questions about flip f’ing?” Chad asks seriously.
“Stop talking,” John growls.
“Then at least explain!” Chad begs. “I want to support the community. I want to learn.”
“Chad, do you plan to have sex with a man?” I ask.
He takes a moment to think before speaking—for once. “No, I’m straight,” he says matter-of-factly.
“Okay, then it doesn’t matter,” I say.
“Fine,” he huffs and sits down in his seat. But for some reason, I have a feeling he’s not going to let this go and I can’t help but join Jace in laughing about what just happened.