Nine

Andy

W e'd gone to bed early, and Link made sure he paid me back just as good as I'd given. We were both asleep soon after and slept through the night, which surprised me knowing tomorrow we'd be married. Fall was definitely in the air and the cool nights, and our warm bed made for the perfect sleeping conditions. I awoke as the sun was rising, and my mind was racing with so many thoughts about today. Link pulled me close to him and nuzzled into my neck while his hand found mine and wove our fingers together.

Everything was so easy with him. Once he admitted how he felt, my heart was all in, and not once had I ever looked back and thought we were not right together. He made me happy, and I hoped I would make him feel just a tenth of what I felt because it was immeasurable, and I never wanted it to end. I loved my best friend, and he loved me back just as much, and I was the lucky one who got to marry him today. That thought made me grin as all hopes of more sleep faded.

"I can tell you're awake," he said against my ear. "I get to marry my best friend today," he said, echoing my thoughts.

I tried to hold back my grin but failed in a spectacular manner. "What a coincidence, so do I." Twisting around so we were facing each other, he held both my hands in his against his chest. "You mentioned the wedding is at three, is there anything left to do before we meet at the aisle?"

He cracked one eye open still fighting the urge to completely wake up. "Nope, I made sure there's not one thing to be done that won't be finished before we get there."

"Are we driving together?"

"You're kidding right? Just because they let us get away with sleeping in the same house last night doesn't mean they'll allow us to drive to our own wedding together."

"Who is this ‘they'?" I asked and leaned up on my elbow.

"Oh, the usual suspects. Every one of our stupid friends." Link glided his fingers over the hair above my ear as he talked. "Do you think I need a haircut?"

I gave him a critical eye and thought about the pictures that would be taken today and decided a little cleaning up couldn't hurt. "Our friends aren't stupid, but some of them are a little pushy. And I do think you need a haircut." I kissed him and slid out of bed before I was tempted to stay and let things happen the same as they did most mornings when we woke up together. Walking into the bathroom I took out the kit I had at home since lately more of our friends had been having me cut their hair. I walked back into the bedroom to find Link sitting on the side of the bed staring at me. "What?" I asked and looked down at myself. I was naked, but it was nothing new.

"I am the luckiest fucker in this town." His lips pulled tight in a line, and he shook his head slowly and somehow it was so fucking sexy my dick threatened to take notice.

"Down, boy, we've got a wedding to get to." I slid on a pair of boxers and tried to ignore him while he did the same. "Let's get you cleaned up then you can shower the hair off. Do we have plans this morning?" I asked again. The two of us walked into the kitchen where I moved one of the chairs to the middle of the floor.

"No, everything will be ready. I made sure to put Toni and Blair in charge and you know they're not going to let anything go wrong. This is our day, baby. We're finally getting hitched," he said as he shook the tops of my arms making me laugh.

"Sit down and I'll make sure we both look decent for everyone."

"And for pictures," Link said as he sat down.

"And for pictures," I repeated back to him. Link loved pictures, something I never realized until we were together. He had a few pictures of the two of us when we were kids framed and on the wall, and many more since we'd been together. The way he looked at me in every one of them told me how he felt, and I once again questioned why I hadn't realized he loved me years ago.

I guided him to the chair and fastened the drape around his neck. "Your hair has really grown," I mumbled more to myself than him. It was something I said more than once every day that I worked, but he chuckled and smiled while I wet his hair with a water bottle. He closed his eyes and didn't say a word while I worked. Ever since that first haircut when he'd driven to Sacramento to surprise me, he hadn't had anyone else cut his hair for him.

"Too bad the barber downtown retired, I could have gotten an appointment there," he finally said. I pulled his head back so he could meet my eyes. His were full of laughter and the same promise of trouble he had as a kid, while mine were narrowed for effect. "Don't worry, babe, you know I'll never let anyone else touch my hair."

"Good," I said and cleaned up the hair around his ears before taking out the trimmers and cleaning up his hairline. I cut his hair nearly every other week whether he thought he needed it or not. I told him I wanted him to always look nice but there was a connection to him when I trimmed his hair that blurred the lines of my work and my home. He was my home and always would be, but I loved cutting his hair and I hoped he thought of me when he glanced in the mirror. That thought almost made me laugh at how corny it sounded, but I couldn't even be embarrassed, it was true. "You look so handsome. I can't wait to see how you look in your tux." I wiped off the back of his neck with the towel and took off the cape.

"Thanks, Andy, and I can't wait to see how you look either."

"So, we're really doing this huh?" I pulled him close and pressed my forehead against his.

"Looks like," he said, and grinned.

"I guess we'd better shower then," I said. "Separately."

"Hey, that's not fair," he pouted.

"Yeah, but I know where every shower with you ends up."

"Later you're all mine," Link said as I walked toward the shower.

"You may do with me as you wish," I said before shutting the door behind me. I sagged against it and was so filled with happiness I couldn't imagine things being any better than they were. Then I remembered in a few hours we'd be married.