A Special Christmas Gift - A Christmas visit with our boys from A Deal's a Deal
Lure Yule Challenge 2013
Title: A Special Christmas Gift - A Christmas visit with our boys from A Deal’s a Deal.
Author: sajaal
Disclaimers: Not mine wish they wereJ
Rating: G - R; (language and “sexy-times”)
A/N: Always so many to thank, LureGroupie and Tldreamer as my beta’s, and all of you who always want more LURE…well here you go! Btw…I know that the documents haven’t been signed yet to make it official but I couldn’t help but write this story nowJ
A/N: Well everyone I didn't have time to write my three gifts soooo I decided to lengthen the first gift to make up for it. This surrounds characters that I created in A Deal's a Deal which you don't need to read to understand this story...I made it just under the January 2nd., deadline and now I can read all of the other wonderful Lure Yule Challenge 2013 Stories..oh yes and Happy New Year to all of you:-))
A Special Christmas Gift
“It looks beautiful, doesn’t it?” Luke said in awe, his breath a puff of smoke in the cold, frigid air. The pine trees were filled with ornaments of red, gold and green and wrapped with a myriad of lights of blue, green, red and white, twinkling. It was breathtaking.
“Whatever you say Snyder, my fingers have been numb for the last hour, and we need them for our livelihood,” snorted a very cold, red-nosed Reid Oliver, as he busily blew on his frozen fingers.
Luke chuckled and grabbed Reid’s cold hands. “I’ll keep you warm, Dr. Oliver and I can afford to have you as my kept man,” he added, as he pulled the hands to his chest and kissed Reid’s adorable red nose. “You’d never have to work again, just cater to my every whim,” he grinned lasciviously.
“I do that already Snyder,” Reid harrumphed. “That’s why I’m out here with you the day before Christmas Eve, freezing my balls off!”
“You’re not doing it just for me, we’re doing it for Ken and Jessy, so don’t make it sound like I dragged you out here,” Luke scolded, knowing full well that Reid was excited for Ken and Jessy as much as he was.
Reid gave an exaggerated sigh, “Yeah, yeah Snyder, you always say that when you know you’ve manipulated me with your promises of hot, awesome sex.”
Luke smiled as he leaned in to capture those amazing lips of Dr. Reid Oliver. “We always have hot awesome sex,” he whispered against those cold, soft lips.
“Brat,” Reid whispered back, while he pulled Luke in closer and deepened the kiss. Suddenly he wasn’t feeling so cold anymore. He thought, “Yeah, Ken and Jessy are going to love this.”
It was about five weeks ago when all of this started. November 21, 2013 was a historical night in the state of Illinois. For most people it wasn’t that big of a deal, but for some it was a day that would fundamentally change their lives and give them a chance to pronounce their love as same-sex partners through marriage. Luke and Reid had been watching T.V. in their beautiful new house when the doorbell rang about a half-hour after the announcement.
Reid and Luke had already started their own celebration, so a very flushed and disheveled Luke opened the door to find Ken and Jessy standing on the doorstep with huge smiles on their faces.
“Tell whoever it is to go away,” a disgruntled voice called from the other room, and Luke blushed deeper.
“Hey guys, great news tonight,” Luke chirped happily as he pulled Jessy into a hug and then Ken.
“Yeah, it’s finally happened. We can't believe it since Ken and I have been planning to get married for years,” Jessy said as he clapped Luke on the back.
“Yep. In anticipation of the outcome of tonight’s vote, we had these made up.” Ken grinned at Luke and handed him an envelope.
Luke looked down at the envelope and said, “Come on in guys,” just as Reid finally showed up, buttoning his shirt, his hair adorably rumpled while glaring at the two men who returned his stare with evil grins.
“Uhm, did we interrupt something?” Jessy asked with a look of innocence on his handsome face.
Ken just smiled, “Don’t worry, Oliver, you’ll get better with time.” He glanced over at Jessy, who gave him a heated look. Ken had successfully satisfied a very horny Jessy in the car on the way over.
“You’re the best, baby,” Jessy purred and leaned down to give his man a quick kiss of thanks.
“Okay, you two, first of all TMI, secondly no PDAs and most importantly, yes, you did interrupt! Ow, Luke!” Reid yelped as Luke punched him in the arm. “That hurt,” he pouted while rubbing his shoulder.
Luke gave Reid his “Don’t fuck with me stare," so Reid just sighed and turned to Ken and Jessy. “Come on in, guys. Do you want anything to drink?” He led them into the huge family room.
The room was spacious, but cozy, with a large floor-to-ceiling fieldstone fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows that looked down on Snyder’s Pond and the farm. Luke’s grandma Emma had given Luke the parcel of land for his 25th birthday. He and Reid had designed their dream house to be built there, and had moved in that October. Three years later, they were still going strong, in spite of a few bumps in the road that was typical of any relationship.
Luke had finally finished his degree in Creative Writing and Business Administration. He balanced his love of writing with his love of running the foundation that had donated substantial time and money to support the legalization of same-sex marriage in Illinois. Once Ken and Jessy were settled on the couch in front of a cheery wood fire, Luke opened the envelope and pulled out a single sheet of embossed paper and gasped.
We request the honor of your presence
to share with
Kenneth James Chapal
&
Shannon Jessy Duncan
As they
Exchange the vows of marriage
On the 24th of December 2013.
The invitation was a simple white card with black writing and gold inlaid on the borders.
“Oh my god, you guys, this is great.” Luke got up and handed the card to Reid before he pulled Ken and Jessy each in for a congratulatory hug.
Reid held the card in his hands thoughtfully reading the words. Although he knew Luke's romanticized idea of marriage, he'd never seriously considered it. Not because they lived in Illinois they could've gone to a number of other states or Canada to get married. But he thought they didn't need it, they were more than those couples who said "I do" and then divorced a year later, so it wasn't something he thought about, and it wasn't something they had discussed. The were happy, more than happy. They'd recently celebrated three years together, which wasn't bad for a guy who'd never been in a relationship before while the other's only relationship had been with a selfish bastard.
Yeah, they were happy. So why did the card in Reid’s hand make his hands tremble a bit as a tightening started in his chest. He looked up and saw the incredible joy on his boyfriend’s face, so happy for their friends. As Luke turned, Reid could see the sheen of happy tears in Luke’s beautiful brown eyes.
“Isn’t it great, Reid, that they’re getting married here in Illinois?” Luke gushed and then turned to Ken and Jessy. “So where are you having it, in a church, the Lakeview? Who’s performing the ceremony? Do you have a wedding planner?” he babbled as Ken and Jessy laughed at his youthful enthusiasm.
“One question at a time, Luke,” Ken chuckled. “We don’t know where, but we’ve had Henry on stand-by for months as soon as we knew when the vote was going to be, just in case. It’s not going to be big and fancy, just family and a few close friends, so Al’s will provide the food and maybe we’ll just get a big tent for dancing.”
“I know some guys who have a band and usually they don’t work Christmas Eve, but they will for Ken and me,” Jessy told them.
Luke’s eyes were shining. Reid could almost see the wheels turning in Luke's head to he wasn't surprised with what came out of Luke’s mouth. “We can have the ceremony down by the pond and set up benches. It’ll be beautiful, especially if it snows.”
“Wow, Luke, that sounds amazing, but you should ask your dad and grandma first,” Jessy told Luke, was so excited by the thought of an evening wedding under the lights of Christmas trees.
“Grandma will love it, and now that dad’s built a bigger stable at mom’s house, the smaller barn is empty and we could clean it up for the reception. It can be heated easily for the night, then you wouldn’t need a tent,” Luke offered, his excitement evident as he mentally prepared lists of what needed to be done.
“Luke, thank you, we appreciate the offers and if it’s okay with Emma and Holden, I’d love to get married out at the farm. What do you think, Jess?” Ken asked Jessy who smiled and nodded in agreement.
“Oh yeah, if you can do that for us Luke, that would be great. With your organization skills and creativity, we wouldn't even need to get a wedding planner,” Jessy added surprised and touched by Luke's offering.
Ken and Jessy left after discussing some of the details and Luke started to make lists on a notepad. His mind was awhirl with all of the things that needed to be done in a few short weeks.
“You, Mr. Snyder, are such a pushover,” Reid told Luke as he climbed into bed that night.
“What do you mean?” Luke frowned in confusion, his hair tousled from pulling on his t-shirt while his sleep pants hung low on his hipbones.
Reid peered over his glasses to admire his hot, young boyfriend with a heart of gold.
“What do I mean? Oh Ken, have the ceremony at the pond. Oh Jessy, you can have the reception in the barn at the farm,’” Reid mimicked Luke's voice.
Luke growled as he crawled over the bed. “Quit it, Oliver. What's wrong with being happy for them? Besides, we’ve had so many weddings at the farm, and now we’ll have one for our good friends who've wanted to get married for years,” said Luke, who became more serious. “I never thought this day would come for Illinois." Then he snorted, “Do you remember what you said to me when we were first going out together? You told me it would either be a cold day in hell or when Illinois allowed same-sex marriage that you’d ever consider getting married. Well, one of them has actually happened.”
Reid watched Luke’s face as the tightening started in his chest again at the thought of a wedding ceremony, “Could he do it?" he thought. He wasn’t sure. Was it enough for Luke to know that Reid was in if for life, and that Luke was it for him because he didn't want anyone else? He wasn't sure. But the tightness left as Luke turned to him with a smile, even though it didn't quite reach his eyes.
“Don’t worry. I won’t hold you to it,” Luke said as he pulled Reid’s glasses off and took the journal from his hands and placed them on the side table, then straddled Reid and ran his fingers through Reid’s auburn curls and pulled him forward. Reid’s breath hitched as Luke leaned in. It was always like this, “Now where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?” he teased seductively.
“Luke,” Reid whispered as their lips and tongues met.
Luke felt a little out of control, being, so happy for his friends yet knowing that Reid didn’t believe in the institution of marriage, which made his insides churn. But here in bed he could be in control and he wanted to blow Reid’s mind. He needed to lose himself in the feeling of making love to the man he loved to ease his swirling thoughts.
“Good Reid, always so good,” Luke mumbled as he peeled Reid’s t-shirt off and attacked Reid’s sensitive nipples with his tongue and teeth. Reid moaned as he let Luke push him down on the bed. He loved when Luke took control so he could lose himself in his hot, sexy boyfriend. Luke had practically been a virgin when he and Reid got together, and Reid thoroughly enjoyed teaching his young, innocent boyfriend about the joys of giving and receiving.
When Luke had given it to Reid for the first time, he’d collapsed beside him and panted, “Fuck, I never knew,” and then with his signature Luke Snyder grin added shyly, “So when can I do that to you again?”
Reid had groaned his ass was aching from Luke’s thorough virgin fuck but Luke wanted to know when he could do it again, “That’s what you get for offering, Oliver,"
Reid had chastised himself, but when he but saw that amazing smile on Luke’s face, he turned to kiss Luke and started round two, although it was just a little less vigorous than the first.
That was three years ago. Since then, Luke had perfected his technique and Reid loved every minute of Toppy Luke.
At this moment, Luke had made his way down Reid’s stomach and was slowly pushing Reid’s sleep pants down, kissing and sucking on his hip bones and inhaling the scent that was distinctly Reid’s. Reid’s hands were in Luke’s hair, massaging and pulling on the blonde locks, making sexy groans and the odd gasp as Luke finally made his way to Reid’s weeping cock that was peeking out from the waistband of his pants.
Luke stuck his tongue in the slit and then pulled it back. “Do you want to come out and play?” he teased and then chuckled with Reid’s muttered curse. Luke knew how much Reid loved being teased by him, no matter how much he moaned about it. Or maybe because of the way he moaned about it.
“Fuck Luke, come on sweetheart, I need to feel your mouth,” he grumbled as he thrust his hardened cock towards Luke’s mouth.
“Uh, uh, uh,” Luke laughed shaking his head. “Patience, my good man, patience.” Reid lay back with an exaggerated sigh and then whimpered as Luke shoved his pants down and engulfed Reid’s cock with a warm, wet mouth.
Reid loved it, loved Luke’s mouth as he sucked, licked and even nibbled once in awhile just to drive Reid even more insane. Reid sank back down into the pillows as Luke concentrated on giving him pleasure, his hands busily stroking Reid’s body. Reid moaned in anticipation as Luke let his cock go while he reached over for a bottle of lube. Luke liberally coated his fingers, then picked up where he left off and engulfed Reid’s cock again as he pushed two fingers against Reid’s hole.
They slipped in effortlessly and Reid chanted, “Fuck, fuck, fuck, Luke. You’re killing me, baby, please,” he whined and felt the unmistakable smile of a determined Luke Snyder.
The fingers went deeper, found his gland and massaged it with precision. Reid arched off the bed, driving his cock deeper into Luke’s mouth and Luke just opened wider, letting the saliva drip down his chin and onto Reid’s balls. He sucked for a few more seconds and then finally released Reid’s cock, knowing that Reid wouldn’t last much longer with such attention.
“Ready?” Luke teasing with the head of his cock that now pushed at Reid’s very well prepared entrance.
“Come on, Snyder, fuck me!” Reid growled. He was on the edge and so needed to have Luke buried deep within him.
Luke teased by swirling his hips and rubbing the tip of his cock at Reid’s entrance, but he didn’t push in. “Uh-uh. Ask me again, Reid.” He smiled seductively.
Reid groaned at the sight of his hot, naked boyfriend with messy hair and a heaving chest that featured his dark, dusky nipples, which stood at attention. But it was the smile on Luke’s handsome face and the look in those beautiful brown eyes that were Reid’s undoing.
“Please, Luke, make love to me, please,” Reid managed to breathe out. He was rewarded with a bigger smile. One push sent Luke’s hard cock deep inside Reid, and he groaned with the feeling of exquisite pleasure. He felt it intensify as Luke began to move with practiced ease.
“Reid!” Luke cried out after he sank into Reid’s warmth and let the sensations of being this close to the man he loved wash over him.
Luke moved in a steady rhythm. The feeling of moving in and out of Reid was amazing as always, and as he felt Reid fall apart, he reached between them and started to stroke Reid’s hot and smooth cock.
“Luke!” Reid shouted as his orgasm hit and covered Luke’s hand and his belly.
Luke shuddered and a tingle went down his spine as he emptied himself deep into Reid’s body. This was heaven as far as Luke was concerned, and he never wanted to leave.
The following weeks were a whirlwind of activity, first Thanksgiving and Christmas. Reid kept grumbling at Luke for pushing too hard, and not eating or sleeping. Luke would give Reid a tolerant smile and say the same words over and over, “I’m fine, Reid. I’m having a great time planning the wedding for Ken and Jessy.”
“Hey, Reid, what’s wrong?” Amy McIntosh asked when she came up to Reid’s floor in the hospital to drop off something for Gretchen.
Amy worked in the ER and was just leaving for the day, but she and Reid were friends after working together on certain cases the past few years.
“You could’ve been a great doctor, Ames,” he would tell her. She would shake her head and reply, “No, this is where I want to be, Reid.”
“Hey, Amy.” Reid pinched his nose and sighed, “It’s this fucking wedding and Christmas and then the crazy Snyder Thanksgiving. Luke is exhausted and won’t slow down.”
Amy watched the emotions flicker over Reid’s face and saw the worried frown creasing his brow. “You know that Luke loves this stuff and he’s been at loose ends since graduating Reid. Remember, this is the guy who ran a foundation, a shipping company and went to school at the same time.”
“I know, and here I thought he was some entitled, rich brat, who just sat back and did nothing when we first met, but he’s worse than me,” Reid said seriously.
Amy chuckled at Reid’s realization, but she knew that the COS in training had his slate full as well. Reid ran the neurology department smoothly with a very competent staff hand-picked by him. They were both busy and ambitious men, but with well-trained staff, they could do their work, knowing that other tasks were being well handled.
Carrie Fleming, Amy’s partner, worked for Luke’s grandmother Lucinda Walsh, and she saw first-hand the way Luke could manage people and projects. Amy wished they’d slow down a bit and enjoy spending time together as a couple. But she and Carrie had been the same as Luke and Reid in the early years until they realized that life can be short and time together as a couple is important.
“So why don’t you guys go away for a few days after the wedding, then you can relax and spend some quality time together?” Amy suggested as Reid grimaced at the thought of a vacation. “Come on, you’re worried about Luke’s health, so why not surprise him on Christmas with a vacation? It doesn’t have to be weeks, but you could go somewhere warm and enjoy the rest of the holidays alone together.”
Reid rubbed the back of his neck and nodded, “Yeah, you might be right Ames. I’ve hardly seen Luke for the past three weeks. I worked Thanksgiving and Luke barely noticed I was missing because he was so caught up with the plans for Ken and Jessy.”
As the weeks passed Reid and Luke continued on hectic schedules but Reid did manage to find a place for the two of them to go after Christmas and now he just wanted the day to come so he could surprise Luke and take him away.
Now it was the evening before the big day and Reid had spent the past few hours in the cold helping Luke decorate the trees of the makeshift altar. He dug his mitten-covered hands under Luke’s coat and pulled him closer, enjoying the soft lips and delicious taste of Luke Snyder’s sweetness and peppermint from the candy canes he’d been munching on.
“Let’s go home,” he whispered as he pulled away, holding his hand out to Luke, who took it with a smile. They trudged back up the hill toward the farm.
“Oh, I just need to check on one thing in the barn,” Luke said as he let go of Reid’s hand and jogged up to the barn, his snow-boots clumping loudly.
Reid sighed and followed. “One more day, Oliver. Just one more day and he’ll be mine again,” he muttered to himself.
Reid walked into the barn. It was beautifully decorated; hurricane lamps lined the walls and sat on round tables that were covered with white clothes. Around the lamps were Christmas wreathes of holly with red and white berries and gold ribbon. The tables were set and the barn smelled of pine. A twenty-five foot Fraser Fir stood off in one of the corners, decorated with Christmas ornaments and gold boxes with name tags for all of the guests. It was a wonderful idea that all of the guests would receive special Christmas presents picked out by the grooms.
Luke was over at the makeshift stage, making sure that the power lines and connections were ready. An electrician had been there earlier in the day to set up any extra power supplies and to get the trees outside ready. Luke smiled. The room was rustic with the wooden beams, but the hay that had been strewn across the floor had been cleaned up with only a few bales placed in discreet areas for decoration. It had been a labor of love for Luke and he had treated it as if he was planning his own wedding since Luke had not illusions that he might have one of his own. Luke knew Reid’s feelings about marriage since Reid didn’t think it was necessary to tell the world that they loved each other and have an official legal document to prove it.
“Ready?” Reid asked. He leaned against the doorjamb with his arms crossed as he tried not to be impatient, but, of course, was not successful.
“Uh-huh, I am. Do you think they’ll like it?” Luke asked as he turned to Reid, who gave him the ‘Are you out of your mind, Luke?’ look.
Reid snorted as he replied, “Of course they will, Snyder. As usual, you’ve outdone yourself. Now let’s get home and warm up. I’m fucking freezing.”
Reid was still feeling half-frozen when they got back to the house and climbed into a steaming hot shower. He waggled his eyebrows at Luke. “Care to join me so we can warm each other up, Snyder?”
Luke shook his head and kissed Reid distractedly. “I want to send a quick note to Ken and Jessy, then I’ll be in.”
As Reid toweled off, he sighed. Luke hadn’t come in but as he stepped into the bedroom, he had to smile. Luke must’ve come back up to wait for a call, since Reid found him curled up on his side with his phone held in his hand He was fast asleep and Reid took the phone, removed Luke’s socks and whispered in his ear to sit up.
“Huh?” Luke mumbled groggily as Reid pulled him up, removing his jeans and pushing the covers back down on the bed before sitting him back down on the edge. Next he removed Luke’s sweater and t-shirt then grabbed his sleep shirt and pants. Reid pulled the shirt over Luke’s head and slipped the pants over his feet. Lifting Luke up once more, Reid pulled the sleep pants up. Luke opened his eyes and blinked sleepily. “Love you Reid,” he mumbled as Reid pushed him gently back down. Luke tucked his legs under the blankets that Reid had turned back. Luke grabbed the covers, burrowing deep under the goose down duvet, and with one heavy sigh, he was back asleep.
Reid looked down at his sleeping man and pushed a wayward lock of blonde crazy hair from his forehead. “You’re lucky I’m so in love with you, Snyder,” he muttered. Reid climbed in his side, but immediately wrapped arms and spooned around Luke, who scooted his backside into the warmth of Reid.
The next morning Reid left early letting Luke sleep. He needed to tie up some loose ends at the hospital and check in with Carrie to confirm that Luke’s schedule was clear for the week following Christmas. Luckily with Luke being so busy with wedding plans, he didn’t realize that his schedule was being cleared and that meetings were re-scheduled for the first of week of January. Lucinda had been more than happy to look after Luke’s workload while he was away. “You, Dr. Oliver, are very good for my grandson. You make him very happy and if I can help in any way to make sure that it continues, I will,” she had told Reid. They were wonderful allies and had a good friendship of their own, even if it was largely spent trying to outdo the other with sarcastic comments aimed at friends and family members alike.
It wasn’t until late afternoon that Reid finally met up with Luke at the house, and they had just an hour to get ready for the six o’clock ceremony. A buffet dinner was to be served at the reception after the photos were taken, with dancing until Christmas day arrived. The dress was black and white, but no tuxedos, Ken and Jessy wanted classic black trousers with white shirts, black skinny ties and white dinner jackets reminiscent of the Sixties Rat Pack.
“You look amazing, Dr. Oliver,” Luke smiled as Reid slipped on his dinner jacket.
“You’re not looking too bad yourself, Mr. Snyder,” Reid replied. He gave Luke a thorough head to toe once over.
Although he could see the dark circles under Luke’s eyes, the brightness and excitement in those brown eyes was unmistakable. They slipped on their heavy overcoats and dark leather gloves then pulled on rubber soles over their patent leather shoes before making their way down to the pond.
Holden had been busy earlier, making paths through the snow and covering them with wood chips so people wouldn’t slip and fall. Benches were lined up and covered with freshly washed horse blankets to provide some warmth and padding on the cold winter night. Wood chips were also laid out in front of the benches and along the main aisle, which led up to an open area where two large pine trees covered with ornaments and lights created the makeshift altar.
Ken and Jessy’s families sat on either side. Ken’s father had passed away many years earlier, but his mother and stepfather were there along with his younger brother. Jessy’s mom and dad attended with his two sisters and their families. The Snyder clan was there as well as Katie and her new beau Howard Elliot, who had taken over as head producer at WOAK now that Kim Hughes had retired. Ken and Jessy’s friends were there, Mitch and Lynn, Jen and Carl along with Carrie and Amy. Although cold it was still a lovely night with a very light snow falling as everyone sat on the benches waiting quietly and commenting on the beauty of the setting.
A cellist sat on the edge of the makeshift altar. She began to play after everyone was seated. Ken and Jessy met at the bottom of the aisle. They wore opened long black overcoats to reveal their black trousers and white dinner jackets. A small white rose was pinned to the lapel of each overcoat. They smiled warmly at each other, walked hand in hand up the aisle and stopped in front of a smiling Henry Coleman.
Luke watched in silence as Henry spoke, “To have and to hold from this day forward.” He felt a lump forming in the back of his throat and tears filling his eyes. It was amazing to see his friends claim their love in front of all these people who loved and supported them. Despite the cold, it made him feel warm inside like his heart was growing. He shook his head as he remembered the Grinch whose heart grew four times that day when the true meaning of Christmas came to him, love. Luke smiled to himself, knowing Reid would probably snort at the analogy, but he felt the same way. That now he could do anything - the proverbial walls had finally been broken around his heart and now he could love whomever he wanted and show everyone.
Luke glanced over at Reid and wondered what was going on in that brilliant mind. He knew of Reid’s thoughts surrounding marriage, but he wondered if watching Ken and Jessy had made Reid rethink his long-held stance. Luke would love nothing more than to stand in front of his family and friends and become Luke Oliver-Snyder or Snyder-Oliver. But he had to admit that he was also satisfied being Luke Snyder, the boyfriend/partner of Dr. Reid Oliver without the wedding ceremony.
Luke knew he’d been neglecting Reid the past few weeks while he tried to get everything ready for Ken and Jessy. He sighed, remembering he’d only managed to pick out one Christmas present for Reid. He promised to make it up to Reid next week. He lifted Reid’s hand, brought the knuckles up to his lips and kissed them. Reid gave him a quick grin.
Reid had been in his own world, watching Ken and Jessy say their vows. For once he didn’t roll his eyes at the “To have and to hold until death do us part.” He had looked over at Luke, who had tears rolling down his cheeks and a huge smile. He knew that Luke was very happy for their friends and so was he, but he also knew Luke wanted this for them as well. This was the first time that Reid could say that he wasn’t bored by the ceremony. He wasn’t sure if it was because it was Ken and Jessy or if he finally had a reason to consider it himself.
It was easy to scoff at the institution of marriage when you thought you’d never be part of it, but now that had changed. He and Luke could get married in the state of Illinois and it would be legal and binding. Reid grinned at Luke, who had picked up their entwined hands and kissed his knuckles. It was almost time for dinner, dancing and Luke Snyder all to himself.
Henry made the final announcement and introduced Ken Chapal-Duncan and Jessy Chapal-Duncan to the congregation as the two embraced and shared a soft kiss. Their last names were linked alphabetically. Neither Ken nor Jessy cared which way their names were written and alphabetically seemed to make the most sense.
Hours later, after a copious amount of food was consumed and numerous kisses were getting longer and a little out of hand, the party began to wind down. The band was playing “Have I told you lately that I love you?” by Van Morrison as Ken and Jessy took the final dance of the night. The rest of the guests joined them on the dance floor as it was just a few minutes before midnight and Christmas day.
Reid and Luke swayed to the song and Reid’s gravelly voice sang the words softly in Luke’s ear, “I’d want this to be the first song at our wedding,” Luke blurted out suddenly and looked up with panicked eyes into Reid’s amused blue-eyed gaze.
“Really, so who will propose to who, and will the other one say yes?” Reid teased and Luke’s mouth opened in surprise at his words.
“Reid,” he started softly, “What are you saying? Would you really consider getting married?”
“Hmm, I don’t know, I’ve never been asked,” he responded with a grin.
“You’re a bastard,” Luke scolded and Reid just smiled wider.
He would wait just a few days when they were having a romantic dinner on New Year’s Eve in St. Maarten. As usual, he’d had some help picking out the rings, which had been packed and shipped ahead along with their clothes to an exclusive hotel and resort on the Dutch side of St. Maarten. Reid had decided to make it official and ask Luke to marry him, and the date he had in mind was the first weekend in September 2014, four years after he’d first told Luke those three special words, “I love you…there I said it.”
Title: A Special Christmas Gift - A Christmas visit with our boys from A Deal’s a Deal.
Author: sajaal
Disclaimers: Not mine wish they wereJ
Rating: G - R; (language and “sexy-times”)
A/N: Always so many to thank, LureGroupie and Tldreamer as my beta’s, and all of you who always want more LURE…well here you go! Btw…I know that the documents haven’t been signed yet to make it official but I couldn’t help but write this story nowJ
A/N: Well everyone I didn't have time to write my three gifts soooo I decided to lengthen the first gift to make up for it. This surrounds characters that I created in A Deal's a Deal which you don't need to read to understand this story...I made it just under the January 2nd., deadline and now I can read all of the other wonderful Lure Yule Challenge 2013 Stories..oh yes and Happy New Year to all of you:-))
A Special Christmas Gift
“It looks beautiful, doesn’t it?” Luke said in awe, his breath a puff of smoke in the cold, frigid air. The pine trees were filled with ornaments of red, gold and green and wrapped with a myriad of lights of blue, green, red and white, twinkling. It was breathtaking.
“Whatever you say Snyder, my fingers have been numb for the last hour, and we need them for our livelihood,” snorted a very cold, red-nosed Reid Oliver, as he busily blew on his frozen fingers.
Luke chuckled and grabbed Reid’s cold hands. “I’ll keep you warm, Dr. Oliver and I can afford to have you as my kept man,” he added, as he pulled the hands to his chest and kissed Reid’s adorable red nose. “You’d never have to work again, just cater to my every whim,” he grinned lasciviously.
“I do that already Snyder,” Reid harrumphed. “That’s why I’m out here with you the day before Christmas Eve, freezing my balls off!”
“You’re not doing it just for me, we’re doing it for Ken and Jessy, so don’t make it sound like I dragged you out here,” Luke scolded, knowing full well that Reid was excited for Ken and Jessy as much as he was.
Reid gave an exaggerated sigh, “Yeah, yeah Snyder, you always say that when you know you’ve manipulated me with your promises of hot, awesome sex.”
Luke smiled as he leaned in to capture those amazing lips of Dr. Reid Oliver. “We always have hot awesome sex,” he whispered against those cold, soft lips.
“Brat,” Reid whispered back, while he pulled Luke in closer and deepened the kiss. Suddenly he wasn’t feeling so cold anymore. He thought, “Yeah, Ken and Jessy are going to love this.”
It was about five weeks ago when all of this started. November 21, 2013 was a historical night in the state of Illinois. For most people it wasn’t that big of a deal, but for some it was a day that would fundamentally change their lives and give them a chance to pronounce their love as same-sex partners through marriage. Luke and Reid had been watching T.V. in their beautiful new house when the doorbell rang about a half-hour after the announcement.
Reid and Luke had already started their own celebration, so a very flushed and disheveled Luke opened the door to find Ken and Jessy standing on the doorstep with huge smiles on their faces.
“Tell whoever it is to go away,” a disgruntled voice called from the other room, and Luke blushed deeper.
“Hey guys, great news tonight,” Luke chirped happily as he pulled Jessy into a hug and then Ken.
“Yeah, it’s finally happened. We can't believe it since Ken and I have been planning to get married for years,” Jessy said as he clapped Luke on the back.
“Yep. In anticipation of the outcome of tonight’s vote, we had these made up.” Ken grinned at Luke and handed him an envelope.
Luke looked down at the envelope and said, “Come on in guys,” just as Reid finally showed up, buttoning his shirt, his hair adorably rumpled while glaring at the two men who returned his stare with evil grins.
“Uhm, did we interrupt something?” Jessy asked with a look of innocence on his handsome face.
Ken just smiled, “Don’t worry, Oliver, you’ll get better with time.” He glanced over at Jessy, who gave him a heated look. Ken had successfully satisfied a very horny Jessy in the car on the way over.
“You’re the best, baby,” Jessy purred and leaned down to give his man a quick kiss of thanks.
“Okay, you two, first of all TMI, secondly no PDAs and most importantly, yes, you did interrupt! Ow, Luke!” Reid yelped as Luke punched him in the arm. “That hurt,” he pouted while rubbing his shoulder.
Luke gave Reid his “Don’t fuck with me stare," so Reid just sighed and turned to Ken and Jessy. “Come on in, guys. Do you want anything to drink?” He led them into the huge family room.
The room was spacious, but cozy, with a large floor-to-ceiling fieldstone fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows that looked down on Snyder’s Pond and the farm. Luke’s grandma Emma had given Luke the parcel of land for his 25th birthday. He and Reid had designed their dream house to be built there, and had moved in that October. Three years later, they were still going strong, in spite of a few bumps in the road that was typical of any relationship.
Luke had finally finished his degree in Creative Writing and Business Administration. He balanced his love of writing with his love of running the foundation that had donated substantial time and money to support the legalization of same-sex marriage in Illinois. Once Ken and Jessy were settled on the couch in front of a cheery wood fire, Luke opened the envelope and pulled out a single sheet of embossed paper and gasped.
We request the honor of your presence
to share with
Kenneth James Chapal
&
Shannon Jessy Duncan
As they
Exchange the vows of marriage
On the 24th of December 2013.
The invitation was a simple white card with black writing and gold inlaid on the borders.
“Oh my god, you guys, this is great.” Luke got up and handed the card to Reid before he pulled Ken and Jessy each in for a congratulatory hug.
Reid held the card in his hands thoughtfully reading the words. Although he knew Luke's romanticized idea of marriage, he'd never seriously considered it. Not because they lived in Illinois they could've gone to a number of other states or Canada to get married. But he thought they didn't need it, they were more than those couples who said "I do" and then divorced a year later, so it wasn't something he thought about, and it wasn't something they had discussed. The were happy, more than happy. They'd recently celebrated three years together, which wasn't bad for a guy who'd never been in a relationship before while the other's only relationship had been with a selfish bastard.
Yeah, they were happy. So why did the card in Reid’s hand make his hands tremble a bit as a tightening started in his chest. He looked up and saw the incredible joy on his boyfriend’s face, so happy for their friends. As Luke turned, Reid could see the sheen of happy tears in Luke’s beautiful brown eyes.
“Isn’t it great, Reid, that they’re getting married here in Illinois?” Luke gushed and then turned to Ken and Jessy. “So where are you having it, in a church, the Lakeview? Who’s performing the ceremony? Do you have a wedding planner?” he babbled as Ken and Jessy laughed at his youthful enthusiasm.
“One question at a time, Luke,” Ken chuckled. “We don’t know where, but we’ve had Henry on stand-by for months as soon as we knew when the vote was going to be, just in case. It’s not going to be big and fancy, just family and a few close friends, so Al’s will provide the food and maybe we’ll just get a big tent for dancing.”
“I know some guys who have a band and usually they don’t work Christmas Eve, but they will for Ken and me,” Jessy told them.
Luke’s eyes were shining. Reid could almost see the wheels turning in Luke's head to he wasn't surprised with what came out of Luke’s mouth. “We can have the ceremony down by the pond and set up benches. It’ll be beautiful, especially if it snows.”
“Wow, Luke, that sounds amazing, but you should ask your dad and grandma first,” Jessy told Luke, was so excited by the thought of an evening wedding under the lights of Christmas trees.
“Grandma will love it, and now that dad’s built a bigger stable at mom’s house, the smaller barn is empty and we could clean it up for the reception. It can be heated easily for the night, then you wouldn’t need a tent,” Luke offered, his excitement evident as he mentally prepared lists of what needed to be done.
“Luke, thank you, we appreciate the offers and if it’s okay with Emma and Holden, I’d love to get married out at the farm. What do you think, Jess?” Ken asked Jessy who smiled and nodded in agreement.
“Oh yeah, if you can do that for us Luke, that would be great. With your organization skills and creativity, we wouldn't even need to get a wedding planner,” Jessy added surprised and touched by Luke's offering.
Ken and Jessy left after discussing some of the details and Luke started to make lists on a notepad. His mind was awhirl with all of the things that needed to be done in a few short weeks.
“You, Mr. Snyder, are such a pushover,” Reid told Luke as he climbed into bed that night.
“What do you mean?” Luke frowned in confusion, his hair tousled from pulling on his t-shirt while his sleep pants hung low on his hipbones.
Reid peered over his glasses to admire his hot, young boyfriend with a heart of gold.
“What do I mean? Oh Ken, have the ceremony at the pond. Oh Jessy, you can have the reception in the barn at the farm,’” Reid mimicked Luke's voice.
Luke growled as he crawled over the bed. “Quit it, Oliver. What's wrong with being happy for them? Besides, we’ve had so many weddings at the farm, and now we’ll have one for our good friends who've wanted to get married for years,” said Luke, who became more serious. “I never thought this day would come for Illinois." Then he snorted, “Do you remember what you said to me when we were first going out together? You told me it would either be a cold day in hell or when Illinois allowed same-sex marriage that you’d ever consider getting married. Well, one of them has actually happened.”
Reid watched Luke’s face as the tightening started in his chest again at the thought of a wedding ceremony, “Could he do it?" he thought. He wasn’t sure. Was it enough for Luke to know that Reid was in if for life, and that Luke was it for him because he didn't want anyone else? He wasn't sure. But the tightness left as Luke turned to him with a smile, even though it didn't quite reach his eyes.
“Don’t worry. I won’t hold you to it,” Luke said as he pulled Reid’s glasses off and took the journal from his hands and placed them on the side table, then straddled Reid and ran his fingers through Reid’s auburn curls and pulled him forward. Reid’s breath hitched as Luke leaned in. It was always like this, “Now where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?” he teased seductively.
“Luke,” Reid whispered as their lips and tongues met.
Luke felt a little out of control, being, so happy for his friends yet knowing that Reid didn’t believe in the institution of marriage, which made his insides churn. But here in bed he could be in control and he wanted to blow Reid’s mind. He needed to lose himself in the feeling of making love to the man he loved to ease his swirling thoughts.
“Good Reid, always so good,” Luke mumbled as he peeled Reid’s t-shirt off and attacked Reid’s sensitive nipples with his tongue and teeth. Reid moaned as he let Luke push him down on the bed. He loved when Luke took control so he could lose himself in his hot, sexy boyfriend. Luke had practically been a virgin when he and Reid got together, and Reid thoroughly enjoyed teaching his young, innocent boyfriend about the joys of giving and receiving.
When Luke had given it to Reid for the first time, he’d collapsed beside him and panted, “Fuck, I never knew,” and then with his signature Luke Snyder grin added shyly, “So when can I do that to you again?”
Reid had groaned his ass was aching from Luke’s thorough virgin fuck but Luke wanted to know when he could do it again, “That’s what you get for offering, Oliver,"
Reid had chastised himself, but when he but saw that amazing smile on Luke’s face, he turned to kiss Luke and started round two, although it was just a little less vigorous than the first.
That was three years ago. Since then, Luke had perfected his technique and Reid loved every minute of Toppy Luke.
At this moment, Luke had made his way down Reid’s stomach and was slowly pushing Reid’s sleep pants down, kissing and sucking on his hip bones and inhaling the scent that was distinctly Reid’s. Reid’s hands were in Luke’s hair, massaging and pulling on the blonde locks, making sexy groans and the odd gasp as Luke finally made his way to Reid’s weeping cock that was peeking out from the waistband of his pants.
Luke stuck his tongue in the slit and then pulled it back. “Do you want to come out and play?” he teased and then chuckled with Reid’s muttered curse. Luke knew how much Reid loved being teased by him, no matter how much he moaned about it. Or maybe because of the way he moaned about it.
“Fuck Luke, come on sweetheart, I need to feel your mouth,” he grumbled as he thrust his hardened cock towards Luke’s mouth.
“Uh, uh, uh,” Luke laughed shaking his head. “Patience, my good man, patience.” Reid lay back with an exaggerated sigh and then whimpered as Luke shoved his pants down and engulfed Reid’s cock with a warm, wet mouth.
Reid loved it, loved Luke’s mouth as he sucked, licked and even nibbled once in awhile just to drive Reid even more insane. Reid sank back down into the pillows as Luke concentrated on giving him pleasure, his hands busily stroking Reid’s body. Reid moaned in anticipation as Luke let his cock go while he reached over for a bottle of lube. Luke liberally coated his fingers, then picked up where he left off and engulfed Reid’s cock again as he pushed two fingers against Reid’s hole.
They slipped in effortlessly and Reid chanted, “Fuck, fuck, fuck, Luke. You’re killing me, baby, please,” he whined and felt the unmistakable smile of a determined Luke Snyder.
The fingers went deeper, found his gland and massaged it with precision. Reid arched off the bed, driving his cock deeper into Luke’s mouth and Luke just opened wider, letting the saliva drip down his chin and onto Reid’s balls. He sucked for a few more seconds and then finally released Reid’s cock, knowing that Reid wouldn’t last much longer with such attention.
“Ready?” Luke teasing with the head of his cock that now pushed at Reid’s very well prepared entrance.
“Come on, Snyder, fuck me!” Reid growled. He was on the edge and so needed to have Luke buried deep within him.
Luke teased by swirling his hips and rubbing the tip of his cock at Reid’s entrance, but he didn’t push in. “Uh-uh. Ask me again, Reid.” He smiled seductively.
Reid groaned at the sight of his hot, naked boyfriend with messy hair and a heaving chest that featured his dark, dusky nipples, which stood at attention. But it was the smile on Luke’s handsome face and the look in those beautiful brown eyes that were Reid’s undoing.
“Please, Luke, make love to me, please,” Reid managed to breathe out. He was rewarded with a bigger smile. One push sent Luke’s hard cock deep inside Reid, and he groaned with the feeling of exquisite pleasure. He felt it intensify as Luke began to move with practiced ease.
“Reid!” Luke cried out after he sank into Reid’s warmth and let the sensations of being this close to the man he loved wash over him.
Luke moved in a steady rhythm. The feeling of moving in and out of Reid was amazing as always, and as he felt Reid fall apart, he reached between them and started to stroke Reid’s hot and smooth cock.
“Luke!” Reid shouted as his orgasm hit and covered Luke’s hand and his belly.
Luke shuddered and a tingle went down his spine as he emptied himself deep into Reid’s body. This was heaven as far as Luke was concerned, and he never wanted to leave.
The following weeks were a whirlwind of activity, first Thanksgiving and Christmas. Reid kept grumbling at Luke for pushing too hard, and not eating or sleeping. Luke would give Reid a tolerant smile and say the same words over and over, “I’m fine, Reid. I’m having a great time planning the wedding for Ken and Jessy.”
“Hey, Reid, what’s wrong?” Amy McIntosh asked when she came up to Reid’s floor in the hospital to drop off something for Gretchen.
Amy worked in the ER and was just leaving for the day, but she and Reid were friends after working together on certain cases the past few years.
“You could’ve been a great doctor, Ames,” he would tell her. She would shake her head and reply, “No, this is where I want to be, Reid.”
“Hey, Amy.” Reid pinched his nose and sighed, “It’s this fucking wedding and Christmas and then the crazy Snyder Thanksgiving. Luke is exhausted and won’t slow down.”
Amy watched the emotions flicker over Reid’s face and saw the worried frown creasing his brow. “You know that Luke loves this stuff and he’s been at loose ends since graduating Reid. Remember, this is the guy who ran a foundation, a shipping company and went to school at the same time.”
“I know, and here I thought he was some entitled, rich brat, who just sat back and did nothing when we first met, but he’s worse than me,” Reid said seriously.
Amy chuckled at Reid’s realization, but she knew that the COS in training had his slate full as well. Reid ran the neurology department smoothly with a very competent staff hand-picked by him. They were both busy and ambitious men, but with well-trained staff, they could do their work, knowing that other tasks were being well handled.
Carrie Fleming, Amy’s partner, worked for Luke’s grandmother Lucinda Walsh, and she saw first-hand the way Luke could manage people and projects. Amy wished they’d slow down a bit and enjoy spending time together as a couple. But she and Carrie had been the same as Luke and Reid in the early years until they realized that life can be short and time together as a couple is important.
“So why don’t you guys go away for a few days after the wedding, then you can relax and spend some quality time together?” Amy suggested as Reid grimaced at the thought of a vacation. “Come on, you’re worried about Luke’s health, so why not surprise him on Christmas with a vacation? It doesn’t have to be weeks, but you could go somewhere warm and enjoy the rest of the holidays alone together.”
Reid rubbed the back of his neck and nodded, “Yeah, you might be right Ames. I’ve hardly seen Luke for the past three weeks. I worked Thanksgiving and Luke barely noticed I was missing because he was so caught up with the plans for Ken and Jessy.”
As the weeks passed Reid and Luke continued on hectic schedules but Reid did manage to find a place for the two of them to go after Christmas and now he just wanted the day to come so he could surprise Luke and take him away.
Now it was the evening before the big day and Reid had spent the past few hours in the cold helping Luke decorate the trees of the makeshift altar. He dug his mitten-covered hands under Luke’s coat and pulled him closer, enjoying the soft lips and delicious taste of Luke Snyder’s sweetness and peppermint from the candy canes he’d been munching on.
“Let’s go home,” he whispered as he pulled away, holding his hand out to Luke, who took it with a smile. They trudged back up the hill toward the farm.
“Oh, I just need to check on one thing in the barn,” Luke said as he let go of Reid’s hand and jogged up to the barn, his snow-boots clumping loudly.
Reid sighed and followed. “One more day, Oliver. Just one more day and he’ll be mine again,” he muttered to himself.
Reid walked into the barn. It was beautifully decorated; hurricane lamps lined the walls and sat on round tables that were covered with white clothes. Around the lamps were Christmas wreathes of holly with red and white berries and gold ribbon. The tables were set and the barn smelled of pine. A twenty-five foot Fraser Fir stood off in one of the corners, decorated with Christmas ornaments and gold boxes with name tags for all of the guests. It was a wonderful idea that all of the guests would receive special Christmas presents picked out by the grooms.
Luke was over at the makeshift stage, making sure that the power lines and connections were ready. An electrician had been there earlier in the day to set up any extra power supplies and to get the trees outside ready. Luke smiled. The room was rustic with the wooden beams, but the hay that had been strewn across the floor had been cleaned up with only a few bales placed in discreet areas for decoration. It had been a labor of love for Luke and he had treated it as if he was planning his own wedding since Luke had not illusions that he might have one of his own. Luke knew Reid’s feelings about marriage since Reid didn’t think it was necessary to tell the world that they loved each other and have an official legal document to prove it.
“Ready?” Reid asked. He leaned against the doorjamb with his arms crossed as he tried not to be impatient, but, of course, was not successful.
“Uh-huh, I am. Do you think they’ll like it?” Luke asked as he turned to Reid, who gave him the ‘Are you out of your mind, Luke?’ look.
Reid snorted as he replied, “Of course they will, Snyder. As usual, you’ve outdone yourself. Now let’s get home and warm up. I’m fucking freezing.”
Reid was still feeling half-frozen when they got back to the house and climbed into a steaming hot shower. He waggled his eyebrows at Luke. “Care to join me so we can warm each other up, Snyder?”
Luke shook his head and kissed Reid distractedly. “I want to send a quick note to Ken and Jessy, then I’ll be in.”
As Reid toweled off, he sighed. Luke hadn’t come in but as he stepped into the bedroom, he had to smile. Luke must’ve come back up to wait for a call, since Reid found him curled up on his side with his phone held in his hand He was fast asleep and Reid took the phone, removed Luke’s socks and whispered in his ear to sit up.
“Huh?” Luke mumbled groggily as Reid pulled him up, removing his jeans and pushing the covers back down on the bed before sitting him back down on the edge. Next he removed Luke’s sweater and t-shirt then grabbed his sleep shirt and pants. Reid pulled the shirt over Luke’s head and slipped the pants over his feet. Lifting Luke up once more, Reid pulled the sleep pants up. Luke opened his eyes and blinked sleepily. “Love you Reid,” he mumbled as Reid pushed him gently back down. Luke tucked his legs under the blankets that Reid had turned back. Luke grabbed the covers, burrowing deep under the goose down duvet, and with one heavy sigh, he was back asleep.
Reid looked down at his sleeping man and pushed a wayward lock of blonde crazy hair from his forehead. “You’re lucky I’m so in love with you, Snyder,” he muttered. Reid climbed in his side, but immediately wrapped arms and spooned around Luke, who scooted his backside into the warmth of Reid.
The next morning Reid left early letting Luke sleep. He needed to tie up some loose ends at the hospital and check in with Carrie to confirm that Luke’s schedule was clear for the week following Christmas. Luckily with Luke being so busy with wedding plans, he didn’t realize that his schedule was being cleared and that meetings were re-scheduled for the first of week of January. Lucinda had been more than happy to look after Luke’s workload while he was away. “You, Dr. Oliver, are very good for my grandson. You make him very happy and if I can help in any way to make sure that it continues, I will,” she had told Reid. They were wonderful allies and had a good friendship of their own, even if it was largely spent trying to outdo the other with sarcastic comments aimed at friends and family members alike.
It wasn’t until late afternoon that Reid finally met up with Luke at the house, and they had just an hour to get ready for the six o’clock ceremony. A buffet dinner was to be served at the reception after the photos were taken, with dancing until Christmas day arrived. The dress was black and white, but no tuxedos, Ken and Jessy wanted classic black trousers with white shirts, black skinny ties and white dinner jackets reminiscent of the Sixties Rat Pack.
“You look amazing, Dr. Oliver,” Luke smiled as Reid slipped on his dinner jacket.
“You’re not looking too bad yourself, Mr. Snyder,” Reid replied. He gave Luke a thorough head to toe once over.
Although he could see the dark circles under Luke’s eyes, the brightness and excitement in those brown eyes was unmistakable. They slipped on their heavy overcoats and dark leather gloves then pulled on rubber soles over their patent leather shoes before making their way down to the pond.
Holden had been busy earlier, making paths through the snow and covering them with wood chips so people wouldn’t slip and fall. Benches were lined up and covered with freshly washed horse blankets to provide some warmth and padding on the cold winter night. Wood chips were also laid out in front of the benches and along the main aisle, which led up to an open area where two large pine trees covered with ornaments and lights created the makeshift altar.
Ken and Jessy’s families sat on either side. Ken’s father had passed away many years earlier, but his mother and stepfather were there along with his younger brother. Jessy’s mom and dad attended with his two sisters and their families. The Snyder clan was there as well as Katie and her new beau Howard Elliot, who had taken over as head producer at WOAK now that Kim Hughes had retired. Ken and Jessy’s friends were there, Mitch and Lynn, Jen and Carl along with Carrie and Amy. Although cold it was still a lovely night with a very light snow falling as everyone sat on the benches waiting quietly and commenting on the beauty of the setting.
A cellist sat on the edge of the makeshift altar. She began to play after everyone was seated. Ken and Jessy met at the bottom of the aisle. They wore opened long black overcoats to reveal their black trousers and white dinner jackets. A small white rose was pinned to the lapel of each overcoat. They smiled warmly at each other, walked hand in hand up the aisle and stopped in front of a smiling Henry Coleman.
Luke watched in silence as Henry spoke, “To have and to hold from this day forward.” He felt a lump forming in the back of his throat and tears filling his eyes. It was amazing to see his friends claim their love in front of all these people who loved and supported them. Despite the cold, it made him feel warm inside like his heart was growing. He shook his head as he remembered the Grinch whose heart grew four times that day when the true meaning of Christmas came to him, love. Luke smiled to himself, knowing Reid would probably snort at the analogy, but he felt the same way. That now he could do anything - the proverbial walls had finally been broken around his heart and now he could love whomever he wanted and show everyone.
Luke glanced over at Reid and wondered what was going on in that brilliant mind. He knew of Reid’s thoughts surrounding marriage, but he wondered if watching Ken and Jessy had made Reid rethink his long-held stance. Luke would love nothing more than to stand in front of his family and friends and become Luke Oliver-Snyder or Snyder-Oliver. But he had to admit that he was also satisfied being Luke Snyder, the boyfriend/partner of Dr. Reid Oliver without the wedding ceremony.
Luke knew he’d been neglecting Reid the past few weeks while he tried to get everything ready for Ken and Jessy. He sighed, remembering he’d only managed to pick out one Christmas present for Reid. He promised to make it up to Reid next week. He lifted Reid’s hand, brought the knuckles up to his lips and kissed them. Reid gave him a quick grin.
Reid had been in his own world, watching Ken and Jessy say their vows. For once he didn’t roll his eyes at the “To have and to hold until death do us part.” He had looked over at Luke, who had tears rolling down his cheeks and a huge smile. He knew that Luke was very happy for their friends and so was he, but he also knew Luke wanted this for them as well. This was the first time that Reid could say that he wasn’t bored by the ceremony. He wasn’t sure if it was because it was Ken and Jessy or if he finally had a reason to consider it himself.
It was easy to scoff at the institution of marriage when you thought you’d never be part of it, but now that had changed. He and Luke could get married in the state of Illinois and it would be legal and binding. Reid grinned at Luke, who had picked up their entwined hands and kissed his knuckles. It was almost time for dinner, dancing and Luke Snyder all to himself.
Henry made the final announcement and introduced Ken Chapal-Duncan and Jessy Chapal-Duncan to the congregation as the two embraced and shared a soft kiss. Their last names were linked alphabetically. Neither Ken nor Jessy cared which way their names were written and alphabetically seemed to make the most sense.
Hours later, after a copious amount of food was consumed and numerous kisses were getting longer and a little out of hand, the party began to wind down. The band was playing “Have I told you lately that I love you?” by Van Morrison as Ken and Jessy took the final dance of the night. The rest of the guests joined them on the dance floor as it was just a few minutes before midnight and Christmas day.
Reid and Luke swayed to the song and Reid’s gravelly voice sang the words softly in Luke’s ear, “I’d want this to be the first song at our wedding,” Luke blurted out suddenly and looked up with panicked eyes into Reid’s amused blue-eyed gaze.
“Really, so who will propose to who, and will the other one say yes?” Reid teased and Luke’s mouth opened in surprise at his words.
“Reid,” he started softly, “What are you saying? Would you really consider getting married?”
“Hmm, I don’t know, I’ve never been asked,” he responded with a grin.
“You’re a bastard,” Luke scolded and Reid just smiled wider.
He would wait just a few days when they were having a romantic dinner on New Year’s Eve in St. Maarten. As usual, he’d had some help picking out the rings, which had been packed and shipped ahead along with their clothes to an exclusive hotel and resort on the Dutch side of St. Maarten. Reid had decided to make it official and ask Luke to marry him, and the date he had in mind was the first weekend in September 2014, four years after he’d first told Luke those three special words, “I love you…there I said it.”