Epilogue
“I now pronounce you married,” the wedding officiant proclaimed. “You may kiss the heck out of each other.”
Everyone laughed and cheered as Scott and Kip did exactly that. Eric’s heart swelled, watching them. He caught Kyle’s gaze where he stood opposite him, next to Kip. Kyle’s eyes were wet, and he smiled at Eric.
It had been a perfect July day that had turned into a perfect evening, with a cool breeze coming off the ocean.
The ceremony was happening outside, just as the sun was setting, on a grassy hill that overlooked the Great South Bay.
Scott had done a good job making sure the wedding would be a very private event.
He had booked the entire resort, and there was no press allowed.
This day was just for friends and family.
There were a lot of friends and family, though; over two hundred guests were in attendance, but Eric only had eyes for Kyle. He was unbearably handsome in his tuxedo. Especially with his glasses on.
Scott turned and hugged Eric. “Thank you for being here.”
“Wouldn’t have missed it. I’m happy for you.” Eric meant that wholeheartedly. He was thrilled for his closest friend. And it was nice to be at the wedding of two people who were truly in love with each other. He hoped to have one of those weddings himself someday.
“I’m happy for you too,” Scott said. He nodded in Kyle’s direction. “He’s good for you. You should keep him.”
“I hope to.”
Scott gave him a final squeeze, then turned to grab his new husband’s hand. The guests had all been standing for the short ceremony, and the large crowd swallowed the newlyweds up in a sea of hugs and backslaps.
Kyle stepped toward Eric. “That wasn’t too disgusting.”
“Not bad at all,” Eric agreed.
Kyle leaned in and kissed him, which was a relief after looking at him for so long without being able to touch him. His lips were soft, and a bit cold from standing outside by the ocean, and Eric melted against him.
“Walk with me a bit?” Kyle asked.
Eric took his hand and squeezed it. “Of course.”
The inn had a path that led down to the beach.
When they reached the sand, Eric slipped his shoes off, then bent to remove his socks.
Kyle grinned and did the same. Being with Kyle had made Eric looser.
He still liked routine—still exercised, still kept to a healthy diet—but he was more impulsive, and less concerned with what other people thought of him.
He didn’t feel the need to be perfect, and obviously the weight of having to perform on the ice had been lifted.
Retirement, so far, had been pretty excellent.
He and Scott had officially become the new owners of the Kingfisher a month ago.
The renovations were still a work in progress, but they were planning a grand re-opening party for when Scott and Kip returned in August from their month-long European honeymoon.
Eric had recommended some spots in Greece that he and Kyle had particularly loved during their own trip at the end of May.
“It’s not Crete, but it’s not bad,” Kyle said now, as they gazed at the Bay together, toes buried in the sand.
On the beach in Crete, Kyle had been exquisite.
His damp skin had glistened in the sun, exposed other than where it had been covered by his short swimsuit.
Eric had snapped a photo of him peeking back over his shoulder, his long bare legs outstretched on the sand.
That photo was now in a frame in Eric’s bedroom.
He thought, if he’d had his camera with him now, he could take an equally stunning photo of Kyle in his tuxedo in the purple early evening light.
They still lived apart, but Kyle spent most nights at Eric’s.
Eric hoped he would move in with him eventually, but he knew moving out would complicate things for Maria, unless Kyle just never bothered telling his parents he wasn’t living there anymore.
It was a very real option Kyle had been considering.
Why not let his shitty, rich parents pay for an apartment for his friend?
“We should go back to Greece,” Eric said. “Soon.”
“We just got back!”
“I know, but...” Kyle was always a delight, but in Greece he had truly come alive.
Besides enjoying how great he’d looked in a bathing suit, Eric had been constantly impressed by Kyle’s knowledge when they’d toured historic sites and museums, and by how easily he had translated Greek for him.
He’d loved hearing him speak the language to the locals.
After full days of being turned on by Kyle’s brain, Eric had been eager to ravish his body at night.
“We should go somewhere else. Italy, maybe.” Kyle clapped his hands together. “Sicily!”
“Anywhere you like,” Eric said. It was true. Kyle could suggest the city dump and Eric would follow him happily.
“For now we should probably go back inside. The important part of the reception is probably about to start.”
“Probably.” Eric stole another kiss, and then they walked back up to the inn to celebrate the marriage of the friends who had inadvertently brought them together.
“What if I just asked him to dance?”
Kyle grinned at Maria, who was staring at Matti Jalo’s back across the room. “Then he’d be the luckiest man in the world.”
Maria straightened her shoulders, which made her breasts look even more incredible. “I’m going to do it.”
“Maybe wait for a slow song?” Kyle gestured toward the DJ, who was, at the moment, playing a Pitbull party anthem.
“Right. Okay. Good. Time for another glass of wine then.”
Kyle laughed as she marched toward a server with a tray of full wineglasses. A moment later, strong, familiar arms wrapped around him from behind.
“Having fun?” Eric asked.
“So much fun.” Kyle turned to face him. “Where were you?”
“Talking to some of the guys. You know.”
“Miss them already?”
Eric scrunched his nose. “Almost.”
“You want to dance to Pitbull?”
“No.”
Kyle kissed him. The music changed to a slow song, and Eric said, “I could maybe handle this one.”
They held hands as they walked together onto the dance floor. The song was a wedding staple—Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love”—but wrapped in the arms of the man he loved, Kyle felt like the first time he had ever heard it.
He brushed his lips against Eric’s ear and murmured, “Do you remember when this song came out?”
Eric snorted. “Fuck you.”
Kyle laughed against Eric’s neck. He’d made a lot of jokes about Eric’s age when they’d been in Greece, exploring ancient temples.
“Hey,” Eric whispered. “Maria is dancing with Matti.”
Kyle whipped his head around in a completely nonsubtle way.
He quickly spotted Matti, since he was the tallest one in the room, and sure enough, Maria had her arms stretched all the way out to circle his neck.
They were gazing at each other and smiling, and Kyle really hoped tonight would be the night they hooked up because it had become increasingly clear that Matti was into her.
“Look at how hard he’s crushing on her,” Kyle said, grinning.
“He’d be a fool not to make his move tonight.”
“Well, some people just need a little time, y’know?”
“Not everyone is as sexually confident as I am,” Eric agreed.
The road to becoming a real couple had been a strange one for Eric and Kyle, but Kyle couldn’t be happier with where it had led them.
He loved that they were building a business together at the same time as they were deepening their relationship.
Everything in Kyle’s life was so perfect right now that he was worried about the other shoe dropping.
But there was no reason to think about that now. Not while he was dancing with his wonderful boyfriend in a room full of their friends.
“I love you,” he said. They said it to each other all the time, but it hadn’t gotten old yet.
Eric kissed him, pausing their rotations on the dance floor. Kyle melted into it, lightheaded despite only having drunk one glass of wine.
“I love you too,” Eric said when they finally broke the kiss. And then he yawned.
“Past your bedtime?” Kyle teased.
“I have been looking forward to being in a bed with you for a few hours now.” Eric’s eyes sparkled with mischief.
“God, I’ve created a monster.”
“Your monster,” Eric growled. Then he nipped Kyle’s earlobe.
The song ended, and Eric squeezed Kyle tight against him. “I’m so glad you’re in my life. I’m sorry it wasn’t sooner.”
Kyle placed a hand on Eric’s cheek and gazed at the man who had finally been worthy of his heart. “You saved your best years for me, gorgeous.”
Reviews are an invaluable tool when it comes to spreading the word about great reads.