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I straddled Graham and rained down kisses on his face. His hands landed on my hips and he laughed as I continued showering him with affection.

“Tomorrow can’t come soon enough.”

Chapter 12

Graham

Two Years Later

Neko cockedhis hip against the kitchen counter, a cup of coffee clutched in his right hand, a smirk on his face as he looked me up and down as I stumbled for the mug of steaming hot coffee he’d poured for me. His look, awake and delightfully rumpled, worked for him. With his longer than normal hair sticking up in different directions, his hoodie, this one with the phrase, ‘I’m a fucking delightful unicorn,’ along with his wrinkled sweats, completed his sexy-as-sin look.

But then again, Neko was the epitome of beautiful.

“Do you, the love of my life, the man I want above all others, along with your wicked, muscular, sexy form and your sheer talent at making me scream out in ecstasy with a casual touch or an intense kiss, know what day today is?”

Without saying a word, I snagged his cup and set it aside before I slid my hands to his face. “Happy Anniversary, the love of my life, my husband, and my all,” I murmured as I tilted my head and kissed him.

As with every other time we touched with intent, the kiss grew out of control. I backed my husband against the counter, spanning his waist with my hands, and lifted him onto it. Our connection never broke, and for several minutes afterward, I devoured him.

Although we’d planned on committing ourselves to each other the day after our brush with death, we waited a month after the Halloween stream and subsequent home invasion for the civil ceremony. We’d slept in that Monday and by the time we’d drank enough caffeine to stay upright, Neko learned there weren’t tuxes available the same day and he refused to marry in casual wear.

On the day of our wedding, Neko dressed me in a tailored black shawl collared tux jacket with dark orchid accents, matching black pants, and completed the outfit with black patent leather shoes. His outfit matched my own, except his jacket included a textured floral pattern in purple with black accents.

After adorning the rather comfortable formal wear, I gathered downstairs with his parents, the twins, Echo, and Hensley.

Although I started a tentative truce with my parents in the weeks leading up to the wedding, they weren’t comfortable enough attending, even at Neko and Hensley’s insistence. My mom, Holly, assured me it wasn’t because of my bisexuality, and dad mentioned it was because we’d lost a lot of time and we’re getting to know each other again.

In the convening years since my and Neko’s relationship started, mom and dad visited several times and became close to George and Reo. While our trips to California were infrequent because of Neko’s career, we spoke several times a month and for the most part, let past hurts go and worked on repairing our relationship.

The nerves mixed with the urgency to marry the love of my life before he changed his mind, had me pacing the foyer, much to the amusement of the twins and Hensley.

“He won’t back out, you idiot. We’ve all seen the way he looks at you, and you him. There’s no way we won’t witness you two pledge your undying love for each other,” Echo said, emphasizing her point with a punch to my arm.

All thoughts, worries, and fears fled the moment Neko’s head popped out from the top of the stairs, the rest of his body hidden by the wall. His smile settled the riot in my chest and allowed me to breathe for the first time that morning. Neko, in all his fabulous and gorgeous glory, loved me and the last thing I would do was to dissuade him from that notion.

“Ready?”

With a stupid grin on my face and my head nodding up and down, he emerged from his hiding place and strolled down the stairs.

I stilled and sucked in a sharp breath. “Wow.”

It croaked out of my throat as my gaze roamed over him. The jacket and white shirt underneath were dazzling on his thin frame, tapering at his slim waist and displaying the broadness of his shoulders. The slacks emphasized his long legs, and when I spotted the flash of his engagement ring as he lifted his sleeve to adjust a cufflink, pride swelled in my chest. I reiterated a vow that Neko’s happiness was my lone priority.

I’d love to say each minute of our wedding day was crystal clear in my memory because I married the love of my life that day. But in all honesty, while it was momentous, I blubbered during the entire ceremony. And… okay, I won’t lie, I continued off and on the entire day. The magnitude of bonding myself to my perfect man struck me whenever I laid eyes on him.

Neko came prepared for the emotion of the day, pulling out a handkerchief. As he wiped my cheeks, the soft smile lived on his face, the one meant for me alone, as we said the words and the official pronounced us the Norris-Ellisons.

And after the ceremony, I clung to Neko.

Echo threw a party to celebrate, using our house since according to her, ‘People get drunk, then they get clumsy, and if anyone is going to spill something on the furniture or throw up in my presence, then I’d rather it be at your place.’ Neko shrugged, and I planned on locking all the upstairs doors, not wanting anyone in our bedroom or his studio.

But what surprised both of us, Echo brought a date. She introduced him as Hugo and explained he was the same guy she’d met at the bar the night before Neko and Hensley’s Halloween stream. He matched Echo’s height, but their personalities were… well, I would say Hugo was the antithesis of Echo. I found him thoughtful with manners seldom seen, shy, and his actions exhibited a devotion to Neko’s best friend.

Hugo had asked Neko his advice about how he should go about proposing to her so she wouldn’t give him an automatic no. My husband, knowing Echo had talked, incessantly, about taking the next steps with Hugo, gave him the advice of a romantic dinner at home, without an audience. They are planning their ceremony for next spring.

Although before we met, commitment seemed both distant and impossible, we settled into marriage with ease. Our day-to-day lives changed little, but our relationship strengthened with every conversation, touch, or expression of love. We didn’t fight, but my husband had moments of stubborn resistance where he wouldn’t take care of himself, and I stepped in. His happiness still mattered to me above all else.

Neko continued with his career, and I became his manager. All it meant in the long run was I invested our money and built our wealth while financing several charities for domestic violence awareness and supporting the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth. I also dropped in once a month for a Q&A on his stream. His chat loved to know about our rather mundane lives, and I enjoyed time with my husband.