Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 84985 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 425(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84985 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 425(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
“Ahh, Reed, thank you for saying yes. I love you so much,” Trevor said, releasing the anxious breath he held. Relief flooded his heart. He gathered Reed in his arms. His smile wouldn’t leave his lips, but the alert on his phone sounded. Knowing what that meant, Trevor quickly kissed Reed on the lips before pulling him up and spinning him around, pushing him to his bathroom. “You have twenty minutes before the car picks us up. Correction, nineteen minutes. You must hurry, baby, no primping today.”
The time passed quickly with Trevor pacing the front door. The driver pulled through the gate Reed installed after the dreaded night the reporter broke their story. The horde of reporters were still camping out in the front yard. Trevor had no idea why they continued to come day after day. On occasion, Reed would send cold water bottles or iced drinks when the late summer weather got too hot. Northern Virginia in August could be miserable, and this summer already set records due to an unprecedented heat wave. Reed hated the idea of anyone suffering while waiting for a story that never came.
“You look dashing, and we are barely late. Only by fifteen minutes. Let’s go!” Trevor pulled Reed to the garage door, and quickly pushed it open before stepping back to let Reed go first. His man was behind him, and their normal stalemate took place of who would open the door and who would walk through first. It became quite a game for them, but this morning, they were already late, so Trevor gave in this time. The driver jumped out, opening the Jaguar XJ door, effectively ruining their little game. Trevor came to a complete stop.
“I don’t even know what to say. It’s a Jaguar, Reed. Did you arrange this?” Trevor stood stockstill, looking over the car, wanting to see everything about it.
“No, babe, it’s customary. Come on, sexy, we’re late.” Trevor didn’t respond, but bent in the driver’s side door, looking inside, trying to see everything he could. Hell, if he could have figured out a way to drive it today, he would have jumped in the front seat. Reed chuckled at Trevor’s enthusiasm. Taking his hand, Reed pulled him inside the back seat.
The trip to the white house was a short one, but took well over an hour with traffic and all the protestors. They passed several picketing groups along the way; their causes were wide ranging and diverse, but the most of them were centered around the pros and cons of homosexuality. Men dressed as Jesus walked the streets, carrying big crosses, spouting loudly on bullhorns that Jesus didn’t die to promote a gay man’s sinful agenda. Just as loudly on the other side of the road, the gay rights group yelled back, reciting their own bible verses to support their views. Inside the car, Reed kept Trevor busy by kissing him behind the slightly tinted glass of the car windows, and showing off the wedding ring he now wore on his left hand as Trevor requested him to do. Trevor stayed so distracted with the kisses and the ring that he didn’t notice when Reed pulled a small black box from his pocket, placing it in his hands. Trevor pulled away, surprised.
“I planned for a proper proposal, handsome. Something grand and memorable, but I find I want this on your finger today as well. I do want the world to know they didn’t beat us and that you are truly mine. I love you, Trevor West. I want a proper wedding. I agree I would like for it to be soon, but my mother will never let us get away with a small affair. She’s too excited and proud to let this slide by without a large, eventful wedding. She made that clear when we went to pick this out together, the morning before you flew to me from Germany.”
“Reed...I...honey, you’re such a blessing to me. I just can’t believe how lucky I am to have found you. I love you.” Tears filled Trevor’s eyes causing his vision to blur. He pulled the stunning diamond band from the little black box. Trevor looked at it closely, reading the words engraved on the inside of the band. I love you, forever. A grin spread across his lips. His eyes darted up to Reed’s, excitement filling his heart.
“I know, baby. I saw it and wanted to say something, so badly. We engraved the same words and I do love you forever, my Trevor love.”
Epilogue
Security at the White House took extreme to a whole new level, but the process stayed efficient and reasonably easy to navigate. The horde of reporters became frustrated when they were left at the gate without so much as even a peek at either Reed or Trevor.
Reed stayed close by Trevor’s side as requested. They were escorted into the White House through a secure entrance, and greeted the way dignitaries were greeted. Reed knew his way around, having spent time there as a child with his father. Every once in a while, Reed would comment on some change, or point out something, giving Trevor a quick history of the object or area. They stayed together, holding hands the entire time. After three months of dating Reed, PDAs just became second nature to Trevor.
“Babe, come this way. We have a briefing to do. They’ll go over protocol with us before we meet the President. The Rose Garden is beautiful. It’s spectacular this time of year and I’m surprised they’ve allowed this award to be given there today. They must know the world will be watching you closely.”
Reed continued to make random small talk while Trevor became increasingly nervous, shutting down and not saying much at all. This also had become their way. Reed could always sense when Trevor might be nervous or unsure. Reed would begin talking, trying to distract and draw Trevor’s attention away from the uncertainty racing through his mind. When that didn’t work, Reed would whisper words about the sex they shared, or were going to share, into Trevor’s ear, promising Trevor his favorite position that night, or teasing him about finding a bathroom for a quick blow job. Every time, without question, those comments would effectively take Trevor’s mind off his worries to center them straight into the hope of their future. Today though, Reed didn’t take Trevor there. Probably because he didn’t want Trevor to have a raging hard-on while the world watched him and took his picture.