Chapter 2

Gus shivered. When he registered the words, he sighed and shook his head.

“You do!” the guy insisted. “But shorter and less hipstery.” He took a step closer, leaned in, and put his fabulous mouth next to Gus’s ear again.

Gus quivered, and his stomach jumped in anticipation for whatever came next.

“And you’re way hotter,” the guy rasped and pressed a butterfly-light kiss on Gus’s earlobe.

Gus moaned at the touch of luscious lips on his skin.

I’m never going to wash my ear again.

The guy took a step back and laughed. “Oh, honey, I’ll kiss you anytime,” he said. “You just have to ask.”

Gus’s eyes widened in horror. “Did I say that out loud?” He couldn’t believe his own behavior around this stranger. He was usually put together and efficient and eloquent. He was a doctor, for crying out loud, not some blushing idiot who spoke without thinking.

“You did.” The guy nodded and swept away his bangs with his free hand so Gus could see both his eyes for the first time. It was too dark to make out the color, but they were big and glittered with playfulness. “What’s your name?” The guy arched a perfect wide eyebrow. He still held Gus’s hand and played with his fingers.

Gus tightened his grip, afraid the guy would want to let go. “Gus,” he croaked out. He cleared his throat and tried again. “My name is Gus.”

“Nice to meet you, Gus. I’m Luca, and I want to kiss you.”

Gus’s breath hitched, and Luca waited for a second as if he were asking Gus’s permission. There was no way Gus would object, and he leaned in as if drawn into Luca’s personal space. Luca put his free hand on Gus’s neck and pulled him closer until they were just a hairsbreadth apart. He slid his hand along Gus’s cheek bone and gripped his chin, tilting it up.

Luca’s breath ghosted against Gus’s lips, and Gus whimpered. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been kissed, and he was sure he’d never met anyone as hot as Luca. His entire body tingled with anticipation.

Finally, Luca closed the distance and kissed him. It was only the briefest touch of lips—lips even softer than they looked—but enough to make Gus’s knees buckle. When Luca pulled away, Gus wanted to pull him back and never let go.

“Strawberry,” he whispered and licked his lips.

Luca chuckled, and Gus groaned and hid his face in the crook of Luca’s neck. Had he spoken out loud again?

But he wasn’t embarrassed. He felt like he belonged there. He inhaled Luca’s scent and enjoyed the fresh floweriness of it. It suited Luca. Gus licked his lips, savoring the taste, thinking strawberry lip gloss was his new favorite taste. Luca’s hand lingered on Gus’s neck, as unwilling to let go of Gus as Gus was to leave his new favorite place in the world.

“Oh, honey. You’re going to be mine.”

Gus trembled when Luca’s whisper made goosebumps appear all over his body. He didn’t object to Luca’s statement. He just nodded because Luca was right. Gus was already his. 2: Freak in a Veil

2015

What on earth are you wearing? What will Gus say when he sees you? What were you thinking? I can’t believe you’d embarrass me like this. You’re a freak.

Luca stood wide-eyed and frozen and stared at the door his mother had slammed when storming out of the hotel room. Her hateful words echoed in his mind. The ache in his chest made it hard to breathe, and he struggled to fill his lungs with air.

“Fuck,” he mumbled and clenched his hands into fists. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

This was supposed to be the happiest day of his life. The day he was going to marry the man of his dreams and finally get to call Gus his husband. But right now, all he could think about was the words his mother had spit out when she’d opened the door and seen him.

Freak

He turned his head to look at his reflection in the mirror. The modern white tuxedo showed off some skin and was provocative, but not slutty or improper. Unless someone thought bare collarbones were sleazy.

Pinned to the lapel was a pale pink calla lily wrapped in a white silk ribbon and decorated with a Swarovski crystal. His hair was long and curled at the ends as usual, but he’d styled it so it wouldn’t fall on his face. Much. He didn’t want it to cover his eyes when he said, “I do,”to the love of his life.

But none of those things had upset his mother. It was the soft white veil draped over his head that had set her off. The veil he’d seen in the window display of the bridal shop he passed on his way to work every day and had fallen in love with instantly.