Forever & Ever Read online

“Perfect. And I hid a bottle of champagne behind the basement freezer.” He somehow made that sound dirty. Evan’s body responded in a borderline embarrassing way.

  Made more embarrassing when Abe Klein coughed like he’d caught the plague.

  “I am an open-minded person, but if you start making out on this street corner, I’m going to hit you with my cane,” he announced, just loud enough to make Evan jump back. “Call me old-fashioned.”

  “Maybe if you’d kissed your wives in public you’d still be married, twice,” Matt deadpanned as he kissed Evan on the cheek before letting him go.

  “I’ll have you know there were no complaints in that department.” Abe drew himself up to full height. “If you need some pointers for your wedding night, I have some moves that’ll blow your—”

  “And I’m going to my car now,” Evan interrupted. “Walking away quickly, pretending I don’t know you people.” He gave Abe a salute. “Thank you again.”

  “I’d say anytime, but you two better not split up.” He gave a serious scowl in Evan’s direction. “You hear me?”

  “This is it,” Evan said, finding Matt’s gaze in the dimming light. Even if, God forbid, he found himself alone again….

  “Good. Now take me home, Matthew. I have some Johnnie Walker Double Black to enjoy.”

  “I MEANT it,” Abe said as Matt pulled down his block, looking for a spot to double-park so he could let his friend out. “Don’t let me down.”

  Matt laughed, finding a partially open space near a fire hydrant. “Abe, this was just a thing… a wonderful thing, it turns out, but it doesn’t change a thing. I’m not going anywhere. If he kicks me out, I’ll camp out in the backyard until I can charm my way back through the front door.”

  “Don’t let it come to that.” Abe was being disturbingly serious, and Matt put the car into Park when he angled into the spot. He hit the flashers just in case.

  “Why are you worried all of a sudden? I thought you were happy for us.”

  Abe looked out the passenger window, his face obscured by the shadows and his hat. “I just want what’s best for you, Matty,” he said, calling up his old nickname. “You haven’t had it easy.”

  Matt reached out to touch Abe’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze until his friend turned to face him. “I appreciate that. Hasn’t been a smooth ride, but the last few years… I don’t know. Maybe it makes up for all that shit.”

  Truth was, he almost never thought about it. The job, the disgrace, the unfair decisions made by people in power. When he lost his badge, he thought his life was over, but in retrospect, it was gearing up to begin.

  “I’m proof positive when it comes to second chances. So don’t worry, okay?”

  Abe nodded, then patted Matt’s hand. “I’ll drink my worries away.”

  “That’s the spirit.”

  MATT GOT Abe into his apartment with his cane and his fancy hat and his bottle of scotch. “I’ll call you in a few days. We’ll have lunch.”

  “You know where to find me.” Abe shrugged out of his suit jacket as he waved Matt away. “Don’t forget to take your flower off.”

  “Damn.” Matt put his hand on his lapel. “You really earned that liquor.”

  Another quick hug and then Matt was running for the front door of the building, pressing the key fob to open the doors of his car. If he blessedly missed some traffic, he might be home in time to enjoy both the champagne and his new husband.

  EVAN CALLED the precinct from the car as he drove home. Everything was fine, no need for him to come in, but he should be advised that his meeting calendar for tomorrow had filled in his absence. Of course.

  “See you tomorrow,” he said, ending the call with a shrug. And he would be worrying about it tomorrow, because right now, he had plans. Sexual plans, which made his face burn. He expected to feel a little emotional today, but horny? So not his usual style.

  If things went the way he wanted, Matt was going to insist they get married every other month.

  He removed the boutonnière at a traffic light a few blocks from home and dropped it into his jacket pocket.

  EVAN FOUND the ice bucket in the bottom of the china closet, filled with New Year’s Eve themed napkins and a handful of blackout candles. He dumped everything out, then walked to the kitchen. Ice, check. Champagne he’d brought up from the basement, check. Other supplies necessary—already in the bedroom. Evan himself?

  Thoroughly and completely ready to go.

  He kept one eye on the microwave clock as he gathered what he needed, then climbed the stairs. New ETAs for the twins put them in at nine, as per the flood of texts on his phone a few minutes ago, and he was loath to act out of character by telling them to stay out later on a school night.

  Come on, Evan, he thought to himself, you deserve to get laid tonight.

  “What’s gotten into me?” he asked aloud at the top of the stairs, then heard Matt’s voice answering.

  Blushing, he hurried into the bedroom.

  THE CLEAN sheets Evan left next to the bed because they’d probably need them afterward. He grabbed two towels he privately referred to as the sex towels from the closet, laying them on the nightstand. Candle ready to be lit—oh God, was that too cheesy? He checked his phone again.

  Five minutes. Matt’s last text put him about two minutes away, and Evan debated stripping out of his shorts and T-shirt for a full thirty seconds.

  Well, that would appear overanxious.

  He turned back the sheets when he heard the front door open, then lit the candle. What the hell, you only live once.

  MATT WAS halfway out of his suit jacket by the time he hit the stairs. His brain ran a nonstop blur of things he wanted to do when he made it to the bedroom, but he forced himself to slow down just a touch.

  Not a booty call—his wedding night. Evening. They had about ninety minutes, according to Evan’s last text.

  Breathing deeply, Matt got to the bedroom door and… knocked.

  “Idiot,” he said.

  The door opened, with a confused—and barely dressed—Evan on the other side. “Why did you knock?”

  Matt gestured with both hands. “I have literally no idea.”

  Evan smirked as he grabbed Matt’s tie. “You have been a revelation today.”

  “So have you.” Matt let himself be dragged into the bedroom, throwing his best sultry eyes. “I’m a sap and you’re a fucking horndog. If I’d known that, I’d have married you sooner.”

  “I knew you’d say that.”

  Matt tried to lean in for a kiss, but Evan dodged him, maneuvering Matt into the bedroom, then turned him around. “Come here,” Matt growled, but Evan surprised him by letting go of his tie, then shoving him onto the bed.

  Barely having time to react, Matt found himself with a lapful of Evan, who straddled him with a forcefulness that had him hard and panting in a split second. He ran his hands down to grab Evan’s ass, grinding up as he did.

  Matt’s eyes rolled back into his head with pleasure as Evan smirked down at him.

  “You still want that kiss?” he murmured, cupping his hands around the back of Matt’s head.

  “I can think of a few other places for your mouth,” Matt answered before yanking at the waistband of Evan’s boxers.

  “I was thinking the same thing.” Evan leaned down, teasing Matt by darting down, then pulling back before he could catch a kiss. He pushed his dick against Matt’s stomach, grinding down with a clear message.

  “Tell me we are ready to go,” Matt gasped, getting a little more focused on separating Evan from his shorts. “Because I can’t wait.”

  “You’re wearing too many clothes.” When Evan slid off his lap, Matt made a grab to keep him close.

  The tented boxers didn’t stay on Evan for very long—he stripped them off, then followed with his T-shirt. Matt put his hand on his dick with a laugh. “Killing me.”

  “We’ve got all night,” Evan murmured.

  “Ninety minutes.”

&nb
sp; “I have faith in you.”

  Matt attacked his shirt buttons as Evan walked around to the other side of the bed to stand behind him. He crawled behind him, hands stroking up his now bare arms to his shoulders.

  “Let me help you with that.” He reached down to grab the hem of Matt’s undershirt, pulling it over his head in one quick move. He backed away, giving Matt room to move. “Lie back.”

  In a hot second, Matt twisted slightly, falling back onto the bed, looking up at Evan with a smug expression. “Oh, perfect view,” he murmured, reaching over his head to wrap his arms around Evan’s hips. “Come here.”

  “I thought you were fucking me,” Evan said boldly, allowing himself to be positioned over Matt’s mouth.

  “Hmmm,” Matt responded, then lifted his head to slowly suck the head of Evan’s dick.

  EVAN BEGAN to shake. Matt teased him with licks, then drew him back in just shallow enough to drive Evan out of his mind. Sweat trickled down the back of his neck as he angled his body forward, balancing on one hand while the other attempted to unhook Matt’s belt.

  Not easy, particularly when Matt gripped his fingers into Evan’s hips, shoving him deeper into his mouth.

  “Unfair,” Evan choked, losing himself in the sensation of Matt’s mouth and Matt’s fingers holding him in place and Matt’s unerring ability to blow his freaking mind.

  Among other things.

  “Matt, Matt.” Panting, Evan got the belt and top button open; the zipper proved difficult when one of Matt’s palms came down hard on his ass. Stars—he saw actual stars, both elbows giving out as he collapsed on Matt’s body.

  “Two can play at that game,” he muttered, drawing the impressive hard-on currently under him into his hand.

  MATT’S THROAT burned as Evan sprawled over him, taking him deeper than he’d been expecting, but no complaints, not a one as he brought his hand down again on Evan’s ass. The feel of his husband—husband!—stroking broke the rhythm for a second; he choked a bit, then angled his hips up with encouragement.

  For a moment, at least. Until his self-control started to slip as Evan started to thrust and he started to thrust and the goal… mission started to fade.

  Matt pushed Evan’s hips up far enough to pull off with a loud slurp.

  “Easy, killer, I have plans,” he rasped.

  “You started it.” Evan licked the head of Matt’s dick in clear defiance.

  Laughing, Matt gave Evan a shove, knocking him over onto the mattress.

  “How much work do I have to do here?”

  Evan didn’t say anything, but the smirk was delightful. Delicious. He seemed to consider Matt’s question, then slowly rolled over onto his stomach.

  “Where’s the….” Matt didn’t get the whole question out because Evan’s hand was sliding under the pillow as soon as he opened his mouth. The bottle landed on his stomach a second later.

  “Damn.”

  “Ninety minutes,” Evan reminded, folding his arms and laying his head down.

  “Goddamn.” Matt sat up, stripping out of his pants and boxers so fast he heard a sonic boom. He shifted on the bed, moving until he could straddle Evan’s lower legs—a perfect view of the muscled back and supremely enjoyable ass Matt would be coming home to for the rest of his natural life.

  Yeah, there was a reason Evan didn’t let him write his own vows. He’d have absolutely included that ass.

  “Ninety—” Evan began, but Matt interrupted him with a sucking kiss at the middle of his shoulder blades.

  “Shut up, please.”

  He slid back a little more until he could push Evan’s legs apart just enough to reach his goal. A stretch of his hand got the lube, and he resumed his journey as he flicked the top open, licking down to the base of his spine, enjoying every moan and mutter from above.

  He smirked as Evan struggled to open his legs a bit wider—desperate, okay, yes, Matt thought as he swiped his tongue just enough to tease. At the loud groan, Matt sat up and squeezed the lube onto his fingers. The wedding ceremony had clearly been foreplay, because he couldn’t wait, and from the way Evan writhed underneath him, he wasn’t going to complain about fast and hard.

  “How much?” Matt asked, teasing gently before sliding a finger inside Evan.

  “Hurry up.” Evan squirmed, shoving back urgently. He pushed up on his knees, nearly knocking Matt off the bed, disengaging their bodies. “Don’t need… before you got here,” he huffed.

  Matt almost swallowed his tongue as he admired the gorgeous slope of Evan’s body, the way he opened himself up. Dizzy with want, Matt grabbed Evan’s hips again, lining up, almost breathless with how much he wanted this.

  When he pushed in—slowly, because otherwise he feared hurting Evan—Matt saw spots. His whole body burned with want.

  Evan moaned beneath him, part pain and part pleasure. The familiar soundtrack to their intimacy signaled Matt to press in, a little bit harder, a little bit faster. He thrust gently, pushing and then pulling, spurred on by each sound drawn out of Evan’s throat. Leaning down, Matt wrapped an arm around Evan’s neck, anchoring them together front to back, sweat slicking each movement.

  “Okay?” Matt muttered, trying to catch his breath as his hips began to shift sharply and Evan shoved backward.

  Evan didn’t say anything; he angled his elbows against the mattress, then began an almost relentless movement against Matt.

  “Oh” was all Matt managed before responding in kind. The bed shook beneath them, rattling the nightstands and jerking the headboard into the wall. Matt thought the whole room was going to collapse around them as he held on for dear life while Evan went crazy beneath him.

  His orgasm began to rush up suddenly; one second he lost himself in every rough stroke, the next he felt everything seize up, his thrusts going frantic. Enough sense reminded him to reach around to hurry Evan up, but his fingers encountered proof Evan was taking care of that himself.

  “Holy shit,” Matt babbled as Evan’s free hand gripped the sheets.

  “Oh fuck,” Evan gasped. “Oh fuck.”

  Everything went nuclear after that; Matt’s orgasm couldn’t be denied as he tightened his forearm around Evan’s neck and let his body go. Everything stuttered, then stopped; then Evan frantically moved beneath him until he came with a shout.

  THE FIRST thing Evan heard as he came back from whatever sexual deviancy just occurred was Matt murmuring, “We still have forty minutes” against his ear.

  “It’s going to take me that long to clean up,” Evan said into the mattress, where his face was currently pressed.

  Matt pulled out gently, and Evan didn’t even flinch. Oh how he was going to pay for this tomorrow, during his full meeting schedule.

  He smiled as Matt began kissing his back and shoulders.

  “How about a shower?” Evan asked, turning his head to one side.

  Snickering, Matt pinched his ass.

  SHOWERED—AND with a slightly sore throat given his performance on his knees—Evan jogged downstairs in his boxers and T-shirt, leaving Matt snoring under the covers.

  “I did a lot of work tonight,” Matt said before he faded out.

  The lights were out, including the outside light, which meant the kids were home. In the kitchen, he found half a pizza in the fridge with a Post-it Note stuck on the box. A smiley face and two hearts meant Elizabeth.

  Evan put the note on the fridge under a magnet.

  Their wedding dinner would consist of half a sausage and mushroom pizza, a crumb cake they kept “in case of company,” and a box of cheese breadsticks he found in the cabinet. He tried to class it up a bit, put everything on a tray with a handful of napkins, all the while musing over the day.

  He’d spent most of his life as a married man—far longer than he hadn’t, between living with Matt and being with Sherri. Once again Evan Cerelli was someone’s husband. Wasn’t always good at it—sometimes he was fucking terrible. Sometimes he hadn’t a clue what he’d done to deserve both Sherri
and Matt in his life, to have them both be such amazing people who loved him despite his flaws.

  His hands paused as he arranged the plates. No ring on his finger, but a peace settled into every molecule of his body.

  WAKING FROM his catnap, Matt rolled over, arm hitting the empty pillow beside him.

  He registered every delicious burn in his body, then stretched with a smile. Oh hell yes, quite a kickoff to their night of nuptial celebration. Rounds one and two, impressive. Round three would be a stretch, because he wasn’t as young as he used to be….

  The door creaked open. Evan ducked in, hands full of a tray laden with food. Matt smelled pizza and sat up with interest. “How did you magic up sausage?”

  “Elizabeth loves us.” Evan kicked the door closed behind him.

  “Don’t tell Katie, but she’s my favorite tonight.”

  “Hey.”

  He laid the tray on the end of the bed, a look of suggestive indignation on his face.

  Matt plumped the pillows up behind him, then leaned over to grab the half bottle of champagne. “Favorite child. You’re my favorite… everything else,” he said, waving the bottle in Evan’s direction.

  “That’s better.” Evan handed him a plate of pizza.

  THEY SAT shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip, eating their pizza, then the breadsticks, then the cake, and sharing the bottle of champagne. Matt considered this the height of hedonistic behavior from Evan, and sighed with the pleasure of it. He knew Evan’s true nature would correct course at some point, but he was milking every last drop.

  “This isn’t the smartest thing I’ve ever done,” Evan said, indicating the bottle, then gesturing toward his ass. “I have about sixty-four meetings tomorrow.”

  “I’m sorry. You might want to bring a cushion to sit on. The only thing on my to-do list is I have to make fun of Jim impregnating Griffin’s sister and order groceries online.”