Page 67 of The Return
“I’ve got Dennis coming shortly to perform the joining.”
“Matt asked me to be there.”
“As Alpha Mate, you should be.” I kissed Corey’s hair. It was soft and smelled faintly of vanilla shampoo. “That could be us one day.”
“No.”
I pulled back, maybe a little hurt. “You don’t want to marry me?”
He chuckled. “No, I’m saying itwillbe us one day. There’s nocouldabout it. When we were little, I used to fantasize about being married to you. This was before I knew about anyone in the town. You’d come home from work, all tired, and I would have you lay on the couch and rub your feet.”
“Got a thing for feet?” I teased.
“Only yours. It was weird. I could see us so clearly. Well, except you were still this skinny geek and not the hulking monster you are now.”
“Are you disappointed in the changes? Would you prefer me different?”
“Nope. It wasn’t your body I loved—it was the person you are. Good and kind, funny, considerate. That’s the Jonas I fell in love with. This? It’s window dressing. Really hot window dressing, but that’s neither here nor there.”
Before I could say anything else, Dennis’s party came down the hall. He smiled and waved, and I returned the gesture. Corey moved away from me, strode up to him, his hand extended, and was pulled into a hug. I winced, but had to trust in my pack. If I didn’t, we had no future.
“I’m so happy you’re okay, Alpha Mate.”
“Just Corey, please.”
“Okay, Corey.” Dennis seemed inordinately pleased to have been addressed in such familiar terms. “Where are my grooms?”
I pointed to Kinsey’s room, and we made our way there. When we entered, Matt was sitting at Kinsey’s bedside, stroking his hair.
He turned and smiled up at me. “He’s sleeping. He passed out a minute after you—”
“Resting my eyes, not sleeping” came the rumble.
“Liar,” Matt said, but his expressive face showed the delight that Kinsey was awake.
“Are you ready to be married?” Dennis asked, his grin infectious.
“Have been for years,” Kinsey replied. He tried to sit up, but Matt put a hand on his shoulder to hold him in place.
“Then let’s see what we can do about that, huh? I’m going to make this simple, because I don’t want Kinsey passing out again before we get to the good stuff.”
Kinsey’s lip curled. “I’ll be out of this bed soon, Dennis.”
“And I can still run faster than any other wolf here, so I’m not afraid.” He moved to the bed. “Matt, will you have Kinsey to be your husband? To love him, cherish him, and be one with him from now until we are all called home?”
“Yes, without question.”
“Kinsey? Will you take Matt—”
“Yes. Fuck, yes.” Tears leaked down Kinsey’s cheeks.
“Kinsey?” I called, not used to seeing emotions on the man.
“It’s real, right? He’s mine? Like, I’m not dreaming?”
“No, he’s yours.”
His gaze drifted back to his now-husband. “Matt, I—I love you so fucking much.”
