Chapter 14

Surprise hasmy mouth gaping like a fish struggling for oxygen. Between the genuine need to take a breath and the loud, fast pumping of my heart, it’s a struggle to think, let alone function like a normal adult.

“What?”

I can’t have heard him right.

That Sammy, the man who’s been burying his head in the proverbial sand about his feelings for me, feels what now?

He parts his lips to speak, but I rush out first with “You love me that much?”

And it’s fucking crazy that I’m asking that after everything he shared with me. Plus, I told him the same thing literal minutes ago. But still, those are the words that decided to spill out.

Emotion slams into me for a second time. Everything looks hazy through my eyes. Shit, I’m going to cry. The fuck is that about? I’ve only just wiped away his tears, yet it looks like it’s my turn.

His “More than anything” hits the mark, and fuck it all to hell, I feel dampness on my cheeks.

The last time I cried was when I was legit devastated by loss when my grammy died. But crying from happiness? Is that even a thing? Hell, when we won the championship, I’d been so ecstatic, though not tears-of-joy happy.

But he loves me more than anything.

Nerves dance across his features, but Sammy, my Sammy who can be a dick and a fool, has never looked more earnest. And with his story, his pain between us, fresh in the air, my heart feels full to the point of needing to spill over.

He touches my cheeks, wiping away my tears with a tenderness that doesn’t help my emotions one damn bit.

A fresh one rolls down my cheek even as he swipes them away.

Fuck me dead. Fuck me more that I can’t find my words.

He loves me. Like really fucking loves me. Loves me enough that he wants to marry me.

Like, holy fucking marriage with rings and vows and a promise of forever.

“Marry me, Bentley.”

Holy fucking Jesus and all the big-dicked unicorns.

It’s real. He’s really asking.

Words lodge in my throat, even though my heart is trying its hardest to force them out.

The click of his swallow catches my attention, piercing the overwhelming reaction of my emotions.

“I just….”

For the first time, he loses the shine from his eyes, his certainty wavering at my hesitation.

I match his swallow, clearing the emotions tightening my throat, and finally say, “I love you too. More than anything.”

Of course I do. Fuck, before we even kissed all those months ago, how I felt had come close to unraveling me. That’ll happen to a guy who’s thrown a double whammy of “what the fuck” when he starts wanting things not only with another man for the first time ever but also with his best friend.

“Oh thank fuck.”

His relief is so visceral that it pulls a laugh from me. Hell, maybe the first time I said it, the words never registered. Not that I blame him, since he was in the middle of pouring his heart out.

He matches my grin, happiness shining brightly in his gaze. It’s instant and looks so perfect on him.

My brows shoot high when he all but launches himself at me, sweeping me up in a spine-tingling kiss.

I close my eyes, sinking into the connection.

All I focus on is Sammy’s touch, the warmth and honesty of his promise.

“Yes,” I gasp, pulling away from him. Fucking hell…. “Yes,” I repeat. “Let’s get married.”

An honest-to-god gasp escapes Sammy. My heart is galloping. A buzz vibrates in my brain, nudging at me, quite possibly urging me to think more clearly about this, but screw being sensible or overthinking.

“I want to marry you.”

I don’t think I’ve spoken more genuine words. Before this moment, I may have had fleeting thoughts about marriage, but it seemed so far in the future—if it ever happened at all.

“You do?” Sammy’s wide-eyed and smiling so big, and his voice… it’s full of tenderness and a hint of disbelief.

I nod, even as my stomach does somersaults.

“And we’ll tell people once my old man doesn’t make parole, yeah, and once we’ve moved?”

The ache for Sammy and all the crap that must be regularly bouncing around in his head hits me hard and squeezes my chest.

I don’t want to know the answer to the possibility of what his bio dad making parole and being released early will mean for us. How can I when Sammy’s staring at me with such openness that’s all hope and love?

I’m nodding, ignoring everything but the adrenaline pumping through my veins and how fucking crazy and amazing this is.

“Let’s do it.” My words are breathy but so certain. This is madness. But when have Sammy and I ever played by the rules or done anything that would make sense to anyone else?

“Fuck yeah.” He unbuckles his seat belt and hauls me to him.

Our mouths connect with a softness that leaves me breathless. It’s at complete odds with the speed of my racing pulse and the nervous excitement swirling in my gut.

When Sammy pulls away, he opens his eyes, and our gazes collide with an intensity that I hope will always be between us. “Find the address of the closest probate court so we can get a license.”

Fuck, we’re doing this.

With my heart in my throat, I tug out my phone. My hands tremble. I want this so badly, I want to be there right now. I don’t care about anything but making this happen. It’ll make the secrecy, the longing, the painful months worth it because Sammy is worth everything.

The next threehours are a blur.

It only took a couple of hours to fill in the wedding license paperwork and for us to leave the probate court with shaky hands, matching grins, and a license. We headed straight to the closest courthouse, relieved it’s not a public holiday until tomorrow for the long weekend.

It’s been just thirty minutes of sitting here, shooting the shit while Sammy hasn’t removed his hand from mine. It’s distracting in the best way. Our joined palms and the gentle stroke of his thumb over my skin keep me grounded and stop me from freaking out.

“Seventeen.”

It’s our number.

Hand in hand, we stand and peer over at the man dressed in a cheap suit who’s clutching a pile of paperwork. His attention flicks to us, and I see it, the recognition in his gaze.

The slight widening of his eyes makes my heart stumble, and I tense. Is Sammy going to realize and freak the fuck out? This whole thing needs to be kept secret.

“Come on.” Sammy tugs my hand, and I exhale, matching his stride as we make our way toward the man who I assume is the judge’s clerk or something.

“Do you have your paperwork?” The clerk holds out his hand and offers us a friendly smile. It relaxes me immediately.

“We sure do.” Sammy hasn’t let the paper go since we picked it up. It’s hella sweet. He grins widely as he passes it over, squeezing my hand as he does so.

“Great.” The man takes it. “Do you have witnesses with you?”

I shake my head. “No.”

“Not a problem. If you’ll follow me.” We do as he says. “I’m Carlos, and I’ll act as one of your witnesses today. Mary, another court administrator, will join us. Once we’ve completed a little more paperwork, I’ll take you in to meet Judge Jeffries. She’ll officiate the ceremony.”

We nod in the right places as he leads us into a small office.

After making copies of our IDs and completing some paperwork, he hands everything back to us.

“Ready?” Carlos’s eyes are bright, his smile even more so. His enthusiasm settles me that much more.

For a fact, I know my parents are going to kick my ass when it comes time to tell them about this. Not that they know Sammy and I are a thing, obviously. As far as they’re aware, I’m straight as an arrow. But since Sammy and I are attached at the hip, it won’t be that much of a shock, right?

I’m likely kidding myself about the shock factor, but what I’m certain about is their acceptance.

My uncle John married his longtime boyfriend as soon as same-sex marriage was legalized in San Francisco. Mom stood by his side as a witness, and I’m pretty sure if given the opportunity, she’ll become the president of her local PFLAG chapter.

Sammy angles toward me, capturing my gaze. “So fucking ready.”

My heart is getting a serious workout as, once again, it somersaults. But it’s when he leans in and presses his lips to mine, here, in front of someone, that I know I’m where I should be—marrying my best friend.

Breathless, I pull away and eagerly follow Carlos into the judge’s chambers.

It reminds me a little of Dean Cartwright’s office at school with the oak paneling and almost regal look to it. But unlike Dean Cartwright, who comes across as a surly asshole at times, Judge Jeffries is nothing but smiles.

She stands from her large desk, her teeth gleaming against her dark skin. “Mr. Hardy,” she says, shaking Sammy’s hand. “And Mr. Sandford,” she follows up and shakes my hand, her gaze assessing though her pleasantness doesn’t dim.

“Judge Jeffries,” we both greet.

“I have to admit, your names on the paperwork made me do a double take.”

It’s probably a good thing she’s just come right out and said something. Our faces are on sports channels often enough that college basketball fans will know who we are.

What I also know and had read out to Sammy en route here was their privacy disclaimer. Unless we’re unfortunate enough to get photographed on the way out of here, we should be safe. It’s not like we have paps following us around or anything. We’re not League players, but still, news of what’s happening here would definitely blow up social media pages, at least.

Sammy, his hand still in mine, finally answers, his small smile still present. “When you know, you know.”

My gaze is immediately on him. Not hearing an ounce of bullshit, I want to see his expression.

As the judge says, “Well, that’s definitely how love works for some people,” Sammy turns his head.

His intense green eyes connect with mine. He lets me see his nerves. But that’s not the only emotion playing out on his face.

Excitement and determination are front and center.

“It’s how love works for us.” Sammy squeezes my hand, and I’m close to dropping to my knees to ask him to marry me. Pointless and ridiculous maybe, but it doesn’t stop the rush of emotions from overwhelming me. It does make me wish I could have asked him first so he knows just how much I want him to be mine forever.

“If I can take that paperwork from you, we can get started.”

Her words snap me out of staring at Sammy, and for the next ten minutes, we go through the motions until we’re standing before Judge Jeffries, my left hand gripping Sammy’s right while she’s saying words I’ve heard hundreds of times on TV and in movies.

But this is so real, even though it feels like I’m in a dream. Everything is a little fuzzy around the edges of my vision, and my heart feels close to exploding. It’s surreal as fuck, but there’s nowhere I’d rather be.

Not now. Not ever.

The judge had previously asked if we’d prepared words. While we said no, Sammy is keen to say something, so we’re going to do so on the fly. Sammy was born with the gift of speaking his mind and having no qualms about anything that passes his lips.

Me not so much.

But for Sammy, I’ll do it.

“Sammy,” the judge says with a smile, “do you have words you’d like to share with Bentley?”

My stomach tumbles with relief that he’s going first. I still have no idea what to say.

“Yeah, thanks, Judge Jeffries.” Sammy’s smile is so damn wide as he turns toward me, taking both of my hands.

Jesus. Sincerity pours from him. I’ve never seen him look so intent and earnest.

“Bentley,” he begins, a sheen in his eyes that constricts my heart, “when this started, all I understood with certainty was that my best friend knew yet another part of me that no one else did or ever could.”

I squeeze his hands. At the tingling in my nose, I press my lips together. I hope I keep myself together.

“You’re patient and kind and a kick-ass center.” My lips twitch, and I hear our witnesses chuckle. “There’s no one else I want to go on this journey with. I know this is fast and that we keep making this sh—stuff up as we go, but you’re it for me, Bentley. We just work. It’s so easy with you, so right, and loving you is the easiest thing I’ve ever done.”

Damn this man.

A traitorous tear spills down my cheek. His palm is on my skin in the next second, and he wipes the tear away. I lean into his touch, finding strength in the heat and connection.

“Bentley.”

I flick my gaze to the judge, who smiles kindly at me and gives me a nod of encouragement.

I bob my head and swallow down the emotion clinging to my throat.

Keep your shit together.

“Sammy.” A fresh smirk appears on his handsome face as soon as I say his name. It does the trick of calming my galloping heart. “I’ve had a million firsts since we met.”

The asshole’s smile turns salacious, and it takes everything inside me to keep going and not snort out a laugh.

“There’s nothing I want more than to turn some of those into lasts… with you. Wherever we end up, whatever happens today, tomorrow, or twenty years from now, as long as you remain my always, then I know we’ll figure it out.”

By the time I’ve finished, Sammy’s gaze is soft.

We both know that acting rashly like this will possibly have consequences, but that we’re doing it anyway, fighting for our future together, means everything.

Have we half-assed it?

Of course.

But beyond basketball training, half-assing it rings pretty damn true about every other aspect of our lives. Admittedly, I have a career and a goal, but those weren’t my original plans when I started college.

I trusted my gut then—changed my major—and I trust Sammy implicitly.

We’ll work this out together.

Holy shit….

Sammy slips the cheap band that we picked up from a store a couple of blocks away onto my finger, and I do the same to him.

“By the power vested in me by the state of Georgia, I have great pleasure in announcing you married.”

We’re married.

As Judge Jeffries’s words echo around the room, disbelief washes over me. A swift rush of exhilaration mixed with absolute joy follows.

It’s real. We’re really married.

My heart pounds as I glance at Sammy, his eyes damn near sparkling with the same disbelief and happiness that’s zipping around me.

The weight of the moment hits me, and it’s impossible to keep these feelings down. A grin splits my lips as I pull Sammy close, unable to resist the urge any longer.

Our lips meet in a fiery kiss, igniting a spark that electrifies the air. Passion, gratitude, and a huge-ass promise pass between us as our lips glide against each other, and the tiniest touch of tongues has me holding him closer.

Breathless and flushed with emotion, we pull apart. I meet Sammy’s gaze. He’s feeling this too. I have no idea how we’re going to drive to his parents’, not with the need that’s burning with an intensity I’ve never experienced before between us.

I don’t even know how I’m going to let go of his hand.

This is wild. My emotions, the way I feel like I can’t be without him.

“Are you ready?” Sammy asks, his voice all gravel.

Wordlessly, I nod.

With Sammy by my side, I’ll be ready for anything.