“That’s…” Caleb scratches the back of his neck. “That’s actually why I’ve been on the phone so much.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your old man. He’s been asking me every day since we got here if I’d proposed yet.” Caleb fingers the ring, circling the blue stone. “I was so nervous, I kept putting it off, that damn ring burning a hole in my backpack. So today your dad gave me the pep talk of all pep talks.”
“He did?Dad?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s so sweet. Dad all invested.” It means so much to me that Caleb asked Dad for his blessing, and that Dad gave it. “Let’s call them! Let’sFaceTimethem, so Mom can see the ring.”
“Okay, baby.” Caleb kisses me lightly, then rests his forehead against mine. We sway in each other’s arms, the Mexican moon shining down on us from above, the distant rushing sound of the waves breaking against the shore surrounding us. I’m thousands of miles away from Barnacle Cove, and I’m still home. Wherever I go, wherever I am, I’m home when I’m in Caleb’s arms. I’ll never feel lost or adrift again. Caleb will always be there, a constant in my life, just like he’s always been, from the moment I was born, to when I was reborn as Kayden, and now, with his ring on my finger, and the promise of forever in his eyes.
Epilogue
Caleb
Two years later
His name is Kayden Somner-Morgan, and he’s my husband, my best friend, my heart. The nameKaydenmeansfighter, it meansstrength, but above all, Kayden meanslove. Before him, I always saw commitment as something restrictive, something that would limit my freedom, but now I know it couldn’t be further from the truth. Kayden’s love has set me free in more ways than I can count. My love for him has given me purpose and indescribable happiness. The home we’ve built together is my small piece of heaven, a place where I can just rest and know I’m loved.
My husband is fucking striking, and I still get an acute case ofhard-onwhenever he’s close. Like right now, when he’s gesturing excitedly, chatting away with one of the food vendors. It’s the second year we’re turning the shipyard atBarnacle Cove Boatworksinto theBarnacle Cove Market.It started out as a summer event, every Saturday in July, but this year we decided to branch out and do a music and food festival during the entire last week of the month. It’s not just local businesses and vendors from Barnacle Cove; it’s people from all over Massachusetts, a few even from Boston, who Emily recruited for us. The festival ends with a concert by Kayden’s favorite band,The Emberline, who’ve also become close friends of ours, especially Silas and Jonah, who stay with us when they come.
During the tourist season, the festival takes up most of our free time, but it doesn’t really matter because it’s something Kayden and I do together that we’re passionate about. Sal and Vivian help out, and a handful of our employees lend a hand, too. Emily usually comes down a few weekends over the summer, bringing Derek with her, who has now been upgraded fromlacrosse guyto boyfriend. What started out as a passion project has become a small success in its own right, and it’sall thanks to my husband, who never stops dreaming or wanting things from life.
Kayden looks up, his eyes locking onto mine, a broad smile plastered across his face, his blond curls tucked under his light blue cap, the color clashing with his eyes. As always, when Kayden looks at me like that, my stomach does this weird swoopy thing, and warmth pools in my chest. It’s his ‘my husband is my entire world’look, and I’ll never get tired of it. I love him so fucking much. He’s the brightest, most positive, and genuine person I know. He’s so generous with his love and his smiles, and I still have to pinch myself sometimes, making sure I’m not in a coma somewhere, dreaming this amazing life up.
Kayden waves me over, and I move past the various food vendors and arts-and-crafts stands, greeting people on the way, shaking a few hands, and introducing myself to unfamiliar faces. “Hi, good to meet you. Welcome to Barnacle Cove. I’m Caleb Somner-Morgan. Yeah, that’s right, Kayden’s husband.”
Pride swells in my chest whenever I refer to myself as Kayden’s husband or to him as mine. We were married last December in Yelapa. When Camila and Santiago found out I’d proposed to Kayden, they insisted on throwing us areal Mexican wedding,and how could we say no? At that point, Camila had pretty much adopted Kayden, fondly referring to him asmi hijo,a wet glimmer in her eyes. The phraseit takes a villagegot an entirely new meaning because the entire town of Yelapa pretty much attended our wedding. Sal gave Kayden away while Vivian, Camila, and Emily bawled their eyes out, and Santiago took his place next to me at the end of the aisle on the beach as my proudpadrino. It was the best day of my life.
When I reach Kayden, he’s deeply engulfed in a conversation about music with two guys I haven’t seen before. He wraps his arm around my waist and gives my cheek a soft peck. He’s wearing one of my hoodies; his slender body almost drowning in it. Immediately, the caveman in me comes out as the urge to throw him over my shoulder and take him somewhere private and do dirty, dirty things to him overwhelms me. Looking into Kayden’s eyes, I see the same heat lingering, and his hand scoots a little further down my back, a silent promise oflaterin his touch. Goosebumps scatter down my back as remnants of last night invade my mind. Kayden underneath me, shaking, his lips shaped into a silentOas he came on my cock. Kayden behind me, stroking my length while he took my ass. While I’m usually on top, doing the fucking, we do sometimes shake things up a little, and Kayden fucks me with one of his strap-ons. I’ve never bottomed for anyone else, but with Kayden, itfeels right. There isn’t a single way I won’t give myself to him. He owns me entirely, just like I own him.
Kayden bounces with excitement as he introduces me. “This is my husband, Caleb. He owns the shipyard with my dad. Babe, this is Avery and his husband, Ethan.” He gestures at the young couple in front of us. “They came down from Boston. They heard about our small market at a café in Boston, can you believe that, babe? The owner visited us last year and hung up one of our flyers in his cafe.”
I shake hands with the couple, and then we proceed to show them around, Kayden and Avery in the front, striking up a conversation about Mexico, while I take Ethan into the workshop to show him our current building projects.
“Wow, this is amazing,” Ethan beams, his fingers trailing along the side of the boat, the wood still raw and paintless. “Your husband mentioned that you sell your boats in Canada, too.”
I nod, pride swelling in my chest. “We do.”
“That’s so cool.” There’s a barely noticeable twang to the younger man’s voice, a Southern note.
“Where are you from?” I ask, leading Ethan past the sanding machine and down to a larger sailboat. “Originally, I mean.”
“Texas,” he smiles. “Met Avery on a road trip a few years ago. He’s from Boston.” His eyes soften as he takes in the boat. “One day, he came to Eden, Texas, to get me, and that was it.” Ethan shrugs, then turns to look at me. “Never looked back.”
“Yeah, I know that feeling,” I say, looking back toward the market, my eyes searching the crowded space for Kayden until I find him with his dad and Avery in front of a wine tasting stand. As if he can feel my eyes on him, he looks up, his gaze connecting with mine. Digging his hand into his jeans pocket, he pulls out his phone, a cute frown between his eyebrows as he taps away on it, and seconds later, my phone pings in my pocket with a notification. I pull it out and see it’s not a text, but a new message onPulse. My chest tightens, heat licking through my body. We kept our profiles, but they’re set to private, and we only use them together. I quickly look over my shoulder, but Ethan is preoccupied on the other side of the boat. I open the app, and Kayden’s obscene message jumps in my face.
dicKmedown:I forgot to measure your cock with my tongue last night. I’m such a bad husband. I think you need to punish me later.
Fuck! That little shit. He does this all the time, riling me up in public, getting me all worked up when it’s hours until I can be inside him again.Comeinside him again.
I quickly type back, my fingers shaking.
BigOnBacks:Baby, what do you think you’re doing?
My warning tone is all part of our game. Kayden looks up from his phone, tipping his chin in quiet challenge.