Madi
“Y’all,” I called as I squinted out the front window. “She’s back.”
“Goddamn it,” Dallas called from the other side of the house.
I tugged the curtain back, glowering as our greatest enemy, Ms. Carlson, plucked two romance books from our Little Free Library and started to shove scripture in their place.
“I’ve got it this time,” June said, yanking open the front door.
I stifled a laugh as all five feet two inches of my girlfriend launched down the sidewalk. A pair of hands slid over my hips and I gasped as Dallas pressed body against mine, leaning in.
“Look at her go,” he whispered. “Ms. Carlson stands no chance.”
Well now it was hard to focus. I pushed my ass back against him and smirked when he growled, our eyes on June as she wrestled two books from Ms. Carlson and chased her off.
“It’s really sexy when she does that,” I sighed.
“I almost think you like it when this happens.”
“Well, ever since I posted that animation about it online, I think at least a hundred thousand people are invested in the updates.”
Dallas chuckled and we both grinned as June sailed back inside.
“Victory!” she called.
“Victoryyyy!” I said with her, immediately meeting her in two easy strides.
She squealed as I lifted her up and threw her over my shoulder the way Dallas could do with both of us.
“Oh my god,” she laughed. “What are you doing?!”
“Taking you to our bed, right where you belong.”
“I have an idea.”
I raised my head from my sketchbook and squinted at June. We’d brought a picnic out to the park and I’d been drawing while she laid out in the sun eating grapes like my own personal sex goddess.
“Mm-hmm. And what idea is that?”
“For Dallas’s birthday, I think we should fly somewhere for some primal hunting at a cabin in the woods. I may have asked around and got info from some polyamorous folks in Austin.”
“Oh my god,” I said. “Where is the cabin?”
“Blue Ridge Mountains. I’ve never been.”
“Me neither.” I put my pen down. “We should conspire against him. In the name of love.”
June grinned. “For love. And for getting our backs blown out by our sexy mechanic husband.”
I smiled to myself. Recently, June had started calling us husband and wife. Our wife. Our husband. Every time she set it, a little shockwave of pleasure rolled up my spine. We weren’t married, but I still liked hearing it.
“I like conspiring against our husband,” I chuckled.
“It’s one of my favorite things to do. Just how far can we push Dallas Whynot?”
June was a gothic vision in all black.
Her wedding dress trailed behind her, her tattoos on display. It was sleeveless with a lace, high neck top.
“You can’t cry,” she immediately whispered, her eyes already watering.
It was too late for that. I wiped my eyes, thankful that Evie had put waterproof mascara on me.
“You’re stunning,” she said, her voice shaking. “Madi, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I love you.”
I looked down at myself, an ugly laugh bubbling up. She was in black, and I was in ivory white. We’d both been keeping our dresses a surprise for the other and while it had been torture not knowing what the other would pick, it had been so worth the wait.
“I love you. The dress is perfect,” I sniffled. “Dallas is going to cry like a baby.”
“That’s the goal. Then he’ll rip the dresses off later.”
I grinned as I pulled her close, gently cupping her face. “I love you, June. I can’t wait to be your wife.”
She smiled and leaned up on her tiptoes, kissing me hard. It was going to ruin the lipstick we’d just spent thirty minutes applying, but I didn’t care. Kissing June was always worth the mess we made.
“Happy anniversary,” June whispered in my ear. “Ten years.”
I groaned as I snuggled between her and Dallas. The sun wasn’t even up yet, but I’d been lying awake for at least an hour. Really, we’d just been waiting on Dallas to start stirring.
“Don’t remind me,” I joked. “We’re getting old. This means I really am officially in my forties.”
“I’m also forty,” Dallas grumbled, his arm tightening around me. “Age is just a number.”
“It is, but I also get to celebrate the fact that I’m once again living in a different age bracket than the two of you for a couple more years.”
I laughed as Dallas arm snaked further and he grabbed June, yanking her against us. I spooned her, he spooned me, and everything was right in our world.
“I can’t believe it’s been ten years,” I whispered, my eyes watering.
Ten years since my life had changed.
“A whole decade of loving you both and being loved,” June said.
“You know, I remember a time where you thought you were unlovable,” Dallas mumbled. I felt him smile against my shoulder. “I’m glad we won you over.”
“You didn’t just win me over, you loved me. You saw me. Just like you do every day.” Something wet dripped against my arm and I held her tighter. “I love you both so much.”
“I love you, junebug,” I whispered.
“You know,” Dallas murmured. “I had a speech prepared. I thought I’d get to give it while we had clothes on with caffeine in our system.”
I laughed as I wiggled free, rolling onto my back as June turned to look at him.
“Speech, speech, speech,” she chanted.
Dallas sat up slightly, his hair and beard a wild mess. Silver glinted in his side burns, and I was beyond grateful to June for convincing him to keep it. He was getting closer to his silver fox era, and I was here for it.
“Every day I wake up, and every day I am loved, and every day I get to love both of you. For ten years, I’ve been the luckiest man alive. I could not be more grateful to have you in my life. I love you both so much that I can’t imagine a world without you in it. I love you.”
June sniffled and I wiped my eyes. We had the rest of our lives ahead of us and I knew with June and Dallas, the best was yet to come.