The hotel wasn’t the best on the island. It wasn’t the worst either. It was the only hotel within walking distance of both the courthouse and the beach. It was small and clean with white sheets and white walls and white everything. Their balcony wasn’t wide enough to fit a chair. It barely held two grown men standing side by side. There was no bucket of champagne or gift basket full of expensive food. There were no calypso bands and fireworks. It was quiet and secluded and more importantly, it was available.

Brian twirled the silver band around his finger. It fit. Too well. They’d gone straight to the courthouse after checking in. They’d worn khaki shorts and surfing t-shirts. Zack wore a mint green oxford shirt over his t-shirt, unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled up, and flip flops. He’d gotten married in flip flops. His mother would have a conniption when she found out. They had pictures. Official pictures. The courthouse offered the service. The prints had been waiting for them when they got back to the hotel after a day of walking hand in hand on the beach and ending up at several of the local drinking spots, and Sloppy Joes… because he wasn’t going to miss Sloppy Joes on his first trip to the Keys.

The sun was just starting to set when Zack came out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, his skin glowing from the last week and a half in the sun, the smile gleaming in his eyes brighter than anything Brian had ever seen.

Brian reclined on the white draped bed watching the sun set, and his lover… husband walk toward him. Water dappled Zack’s shoulders. The towel dropped. He placed a knee on the bed and walked to Brian on his knees. He didn’t crawl. His dick grew harder and more rigid with each step he made. He stopped midway up Brian’s legs and cocked his head to the side. He didn’t seem to be in any hurry to bring his fine body to Brian. Brian’s heart thudded in his chest, and in his ears. His thoughts seemed to slow as all the blood in his body rushed to his dick.

“How long do you think it will take to drive to Atlanta from here?” Zack asked out of the blue. He sat on his haunches, hands resting on his thighs as if sitting straddling another man’s knees with an erection was something he did every day. He’d never straddled Brian’s legs, that’s for damned sure.

“Uh, I don’t know. Maybe a day, two if we stop to sleep,” he said, trying to remember how long it took to get from Atlanta to Orlando the few times his family had driven down to Disney. Long damned time to be stuck in a Suburban with three sisters… and Zack that one summer when they’d had their own room for the weeklong trip. “Why? Are you thinking about taking the scenic route home?”

Zack blushed, a half-smile forming on his perfect face. “Maybe. I have three days left. We can stay here and fly home on Thursday. Or we can rent a car and drive back.” He blushed even more, his smile turning almost wistful. “Remember that one time your parents took us to Disney? We slept in the same bed in the adjoining room. That was the first time we jacked each other. What were we? Twelve, or thirteen?”

“Something like that,” Brian said, the memory of the nights with Zack when it was just them and not his family were the only fond memories of that or any trip. “You jizzed in my hand as soon as I touched you.”

“You weren’t any better. And the sounds you made brought your dad in to see why we weren’t asleep. We played possum with our hands in each other’s briefs until he left. His smile faded. “I don’t remember your family taking any more family trips after that summer.”

Brian’s erection died a silent death. Life in his family wasn’t always the best, but he’d never told Zack just how bad it could be at times. “Mom and Dad split up after that summer. I mean, they didn’t get divorced. Dad moved into the guest room. They fought all the time. Money was a problem for a few years. The twins graduated high school and it got even tighter. There wasn’t much left for me to go to school and… it wasn’t Leave it to Beaver at our house, you know.”

Zack went soft while Brian was looking away. He could feel sadness coming from him. “I’m sorry I didn’t notice.”

“Why should you notice? You had your own problems. We carried on as if everything was fine. Especially when we had company. No one noticed. We weren’t abused or anything. We had clothes and food. We did okay in school. The twins did better than me and Ronnie. It was all normal except for the money and the fact that my parents couldn’t stand each other for a few years.”

Zack rubbed his thighs as if he were worried. Brian sat up and took his hands and held them. “That was more than ten years ago, Zack. They’re still married. Money got better. It’s nothing to be upset about.”

Zack clasped their fingers together and leaned over to touch his forehead to Brian’s. “They threw you out because you’re gay, and you never told me.”

Brian winced. He wished he could take that back. “Jimmy wasn’t the easiest person to get along with. Never was. We fought pretty much all my life. I wasn’t the son… he wanted me to be. It had very little to do with my choice of sexual partners. We just decided I shouldn’t live there anymore for both our sakes. We don’t speak much anymore. Mama tries, but, she sides with him. I made a choice. They didn’t like it. It is what it is.”

Zack sighed and rolled off Brian to lay on his side beside him on the bed. Still completely naked but the sexy thoughts were gone now. “We were nineteen.”

“Seven years ago, nearly eight now. This fall. I still only have that one year of college.”

“Do you ever think about going back?” Zack grabbed one of the pillows at the headboard and tucked it against his chest. Brian rolled to face him and did the same. He should really take his clothes off. He should get naked and stop talking and get back to the honeymooning.

He reached out for Zack’s left hand to finger the silver band he’d put there a few hours ago. “One day. I could use a basic business course somewhere. My partner doesn’t like to keep the books. I should learn that side of it if I want to keep the place.”

Zack closed his eyes again. He didn’t make a sound. “You should do that.”

“Can’t afford it right now. Later, soon. Maybe. I don’t know.” God, they were talking about his life in California as if they were just going to pick up and go there and be husbands and… it wasn’t going to happen. “Did we make a mistake?”

Zack opened his eyes, and Brian could read the fear and pain he tried to hide. “We should have talked more first. About the future. A long-distance marriage…” he shrugged one shoulder and twisted his hand to be the one holding Brian’s and turning his ring. “For four years, or more. It’s not fair to you.”

Brian fell onto his back and stared at the ceiling. “I don’t sleep around when I’m involved with someone if that’s what you mean. I haven’t had many partners. Not really. A few. Five. Maybe six. I’m not… I’m not adventurous when it comes to sex.”

Zack rested his hand on Brian’s chest. His fingers were cold. He held it over Brian’s heart. “That’s not what I meant.”

“I’m not going to find someone I’d rather be with, Zack, if that’s what you mean. I can wait it out. Or I can sell my half and come to you, where ever you end up.”

“And hate me for taking you away from the life you love? No.”

“So, now you want to get a divorce? We haven’t even been married six hours. Britney lasted nearly a day.”

“Oh. Dear. God. Shut. Up. Okay… Just… shut up and fucking consummate me,” Zack shouted at him. Zack never shouted.

Brian shot up onto his elbow and leaned over his husband. “Consummate you? What does that mean… oh… Ooohhh,” he trailed off as understanding hit him upside the head hard enough to hurt. “You want me to… are you sure?”

Zack looked up at him and smiled that same almost shy smile he’d had when he first came out of the bathroom all showered and fresh and wet and hard and Brian’s dick decided fucking was better than fighting, and god, Zack smelled so good, and clean and… he rolled over on to Zack and pinned him to the bed. Zack stared up at him, wearing his heart in his eyes. “It’s our wedding night. I want you to… I want to be with you, the way… I want to…” he gave up trying to find the right words and swallowed hard as he stared at Brian with so much uncertainty on his face, and love. “I want to be yours. Like I was meant to be… We were meant to be together? Weren’t we?”

Brian nodded. His heart breaking in his chest. He’d wanted to be with Zack for as long as he could remember. “Being with you was always my greatest wish. I’d wait for you, forever, if I have to, Zack. I want you to know that.”

Zack nodded, “I’ll wait for you too. We’ll make it work. Whatever happens. We’ll make it work.”

It was Brian’s turn to nod. He leaned over to capture Zack’s lips, there was nothing left to say. Nothing that mattered, anyway. They had three days left. Three days to last them the next four years. He eased his knee between Zack’s legs, Zack opening for him, letting his knees fall back on the bed for Brian to slide between. He groaned and let Zack’s wrists go. “I have on too many clothes. And we need lube. Lots of lube. The first time can hurt.” Zack slid his hand under the pillow he lay on and pulled out the half-used bottle Brian had bought that day after they’d toured the pyramids in Mexico. “We’re going to need a bigger bottle to get through the next few days.”

“We’ll pick some up, tomorrow.” Zack dragged the tail of Brian’s shirt over his head and fumbled with his pants. Brian wasn’t much of a help, he shoved his shorts down without unbuttoning them as they grunted and writhed together to get the things off Brian. When he was naked, he pressed his body to Zack’s and kissed him. They had plenty of time to get to the deflowering portion of this wedding night. The sun hadn’t even set yet. But Zack wasn’t in the mood for long and slow. He wrapped his legs around Brian’s waist and clawed at Brian’s ass trying to get him to hurry. Maybe Brian’s first clue that Zack was growing impatient was when he growled, “Hurry the fuck up and fuck me.”

Brian popped the cap and filled his hand with cold gel. “Roll over,” he whispered, hating that he wouldn’t be able to gaze into Zack’s eyes this time.

Zack pulled his legs back further and shook his head, “I want to watch you.”

“I will be easier on your stomach,” Brian explained, but Zack shook his head again. Brian shivered as a breeze swept in from the open balcony. It wasn’t cold, at all, balmy and velvety. The sun sinking in the west, making a dazzling display far out over the horizon, right off their balcony. He heard seagulls calling out and people laughing. There was no sound of waves hitting the shore outside their balcony, which he found strange. He was so used to hearing the waves at night. “Okay,” he whispered, leaning over his husband for one more kiss. He swiped his lubed-up hand over Zack’s belly and lower to his groin, to stroke his hardening cock, while Zack watched him, his eyelids growing heavy as his eyes darkened behind his lashes. “Tell me to stop. If it hurts. Even if it’s the slightest little bit uncomfortable. I don’t want to hurt you.”

Zack’s eyes flew open wide when Brian trailed his fingers over his balls, massaging them gently before moving lower. Zack watched him and nodded, he also swallowed hard which told Brian he wasn’t exactly sure about this. “Don’t stop,” Zack said, sensing Brian was about to do just that. “Make love to me.”

Brian huffed out a long breath. His heart pounded in his chest. He felt flushed and chilled and excited and terrified at the same time. This was Zack. His Zack. He was going to finally be with the one man he loved. “Okay.” Brian rubbed his fingers over the puckered skin as he leaned over Zack, arm braced on the bed beside him, staring down into his eyes. “Get ready,” he warned and slipped his finger inside, slowly, watching Zack’s face for any sign of pain or fear. His nostrils flared and he clawed the bed sheets, but he didn’t look away from Brian. He adjusted his hips beneath Brian and spread himself wider. Brian slipped in further, his finger going into the first knuckle. “You okay, babe?”

Zack nodded and dragged in a deep breath. “Yeah, it’s okay. It’s okay.” He ran one hand up the arm Brian held himself up on and gripped his bicep, the other hand ghosted along Brian’s ribs, tickling him. “Hurry, Bri,” he whispered in the darkening room.

“Going as fast as I can.” Brian pushed his finger in all the way, reaching the spot deep inside Zack that made him arch his body and cry out. “Shh, it’s okay, babe, just ride it out,” Brian whispered, feeling Zack’s body tense, and not in a good way. He held completely still, letting Zack get used to him. His body relaxing slowly. “Okay?”

“Yeah,” Zack whispered back, his voice ragged. Lights came on outside as the sun faded from the sky. He could still see Zack’s face in shadow. “Just surprised me. Go slower.”

“Going slow now.” Brian flexed his finger inside his husband, swiping the prostate until Zack was whimpering and trying to fuck himself on Brian’s finger. “Shh, adding a second finger. Almost there, babe.”

“Okay.” Zack didn’t try to hurry him along this time. He accepted the second finger, digging his fingers into Brian’s arm and hip until he stretched wide enough to accommodate the extra invader. Brian never let up on the prostate. He didn’t finger fuck him. He didn’t ram him. He waited for Zack to relax completely and open for him. He waited for the pain and fear to leave his eyes. He waited for Zack to pass the point of no return because Brian was already there.

“I’m going to come, I think,” Zack whispered, almost in surprise. “Feels so good, Brian.”

“I know it does.” Brian eased his fingers out slowly listening to Zack’s sweet gasps of loss. He stroked himself with his lubed palm and eased closer to Zack, he leaned over him, his mouth only an inch from Zack’s. “Tell me to stop. Now. Tell me you changed your mind. Now. In another second, there will be no going back.”

Zack slid his hands up to cup Brian’s face. He leaned in until their lips touched. “Make me your husband.”

Brian kissed him, softly, flicking his tongue over Zack’s lips waiting for him to open for him. He eased his tongue into Zack’s mouth, as he eased into his body. Zack gasped at the intrusion, his eyes flying wide open, but he held on to Brian’s face and sucked his tongue deeper into his mouth. Brian had to catch his breath and calm down, or come right then. He held himself rigid over his husband, waiting for Zack’s body to accept him. He wasn’t going to last long. Later they could do this slow. They had three nights left to learn everything about each other. For now, he couldn’t go slow. He couldn’t make this last. He needed everything and he needed it now before Zack changed his mind.

He pushed inside, swallowing Zack’s cries as he sank deep. He wrapped his arms under Zack’s shoulders and pressed his body to the mattress. Zack wrapped him in his arms and legs and whispered Brian’s name as they moved together. Zack’s voice grew hoarse as he cried out his pleasure with each thrust of Brian’s hips. He clawed Brian’s back, raking his flat nails down until he grasped Brian’s ass and tried to force him to move faster, harder. Brian sweated through the need to come. He fought it off. He wanted to stretch this out a little longer. He wanted to make it good for Zack. Zack had other plans. He threw his head back, going rigid, he cried out as his body throbbed around Brian making him lose his battle. “I’m going to come, babe.”

“Oh, god, please, it feels so good, don’t stop,” Zack’s voice filled the room, his pleasure echoing in Brian’s ears as he spilled into Zack’s hot body, his orgasm dragging out until his voice joined Zack’s.

The breeze from the balcony carried a bit of a chill with it, and a hint of salt. Zack stroking his back made him shiver. He buried his face in Zack’s neck and fought back tears. “Shh,” it was Zack’s turn to comfort him. “It’s okay, baby, it’s okay.”

“Yeah,” he agreed. Everything was okay. “We have three more nights to get that right.”

Zack laughed and rolled him onto his side and lay there caressing Brian’s back with gentle fingers, his eyes seemed nearly black in the dim lighting, and afraid, even as he laughed. “Three more nights. And a lifetime.”

Brian squeezed his eyes closed and caught Zack’s hand in his. “A lifetime with you is all I’ve ever wanted.”

Zack stopped laughing and closed his eyes. He didn’t breathe. He didn’t move. When he opened his eyes, they glimmered in the light from the balcony. “Me too,” his voice broke as he choked back the words. “Thank you for stowing away on my honeymoon.”

“Our honeymoon.” Brian kissed away the glimmer that turned into tears. “Even if it was an accidental honeymoon.”

Zack smiled at him and kissed him back. “Our honeymoon starts tonight, we have three more nights to consummate the fuck out of each other.”

Brian rolled onto his back, dragging Zack on top of him. It was his turn to be consummated. And Zack was just the man for the job. “Starting now Doctor O’Daly.”

“Starting now, Mister Sorensen.”

Brian felt the name like a punch to the gut. He pushed Zack up, holding him while he caught his breath again. “I like that. On the ship. I thought I hated when they called me that. I…”

“You’re going to take my name?” It was Zack’s turn to sound breathless. “Are you… you don’t have to.”

“Doctor and Mister Sorensen. I want to be Mister Sorensen.” He couldn’t explain why he trembled. Not even to Zack. “Please.”

“Yeah,” Zack sounded unsure. “Does your stomach do this strange fluttering sensation when we talk about stuff like this… like being afraid, but in a strangely good way?”

“Yeah.” Brian nodded wishing he could see Zack’s face. “It’s doing it right now. And my heart is pounding and I can’t breathe, it's like I’m going to suffocate and die if you say no.”

“Yeah,” Zack said, dragging in a deep breath. He leaned his forehead onto Brian’s shoulder and sighed, his hot breath on Brian’s chest making him tremble even more. He sighed again, the motion more of a gasp, one that Brian echoed, as Zack pushed into him. He wrapped around his husband and no one spoke for a long time. His stomach fluttering turned to heated fire as Zack loved him into the night.