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“I more than approve,” he said. “Also, can you have fireworks at your wedding? I love fireworks.”
I chuckled, feeling a bit dazed, and took a swig of my wine.
It felt incredible to have that out of the way, but we weren’t done yet. It was too soon for a discussion about fireworks, which, regardless, would end with him pouting and calling the wedding boring.
“Before we start planning, Cam has to say yes,” I replied. “I also want your personal thoughts on marriage.”
It was comical how quickly he scrunched up his face.
Sweet boy.
He truly was a lot like KC.
“Um…can’t it be enough that I say I’m very, very, very happy for you and Cameron?” he asked, visibly hopeful I’d be satisfied with that.
I smirked faintly and shifted in my seat to face him a bit more. “I’m asking for a reason, pet.”
He eyed me with a pinch of wariness and crammed an entire slider into his mouth.
My God, it took all my effort not to laugh. He was just too adorable.
“It’ff unnetheffary in my world,” he said with his mouth full. He swallowed eventually. “Like, the whole thing…? I don’t care about it. It’s silly to me. But…” He wiped his hands on his legs this time. It seemed he’d wipe them anywhere but on the napkin. “It could be because I already have that extra thing that ties me to KC. We share a name. I love belonging to him that way—like I’m his.”
I smiled. Perfect explanation.
“We’re gonna get married one day,” he continued frankly. “We’ve talked about an adrenaline-induced spectacle. But the act itself is for legal reasons. Daddy says it’s a shortcut to better benefits and stuff, and I very much like shortcuts. And it’s not like I’m gonna complain. I don’t have any bad thoughts about marriage, just…” He shrugged.
I understood. Marriage simply didn’t exist in his world when it came to showing love and belonging.
“What about the meaning behind it?” I wondered. “It doesn’t have to be marriage, you know. It can be a collaring or…” Here goes. “An engagement? Wearing a ring that showcases a certain status?”
He pondered that for a moment.
“Daddy and I decided that if or when we get married, we’re gonna do tattoos,” he mentioned. “That’s probably mostly for my sake. I like cock rings, not wedding rings.”
Thank fuck I didn’t have food or wine in my mouth, because the couple at the table in front of us would’ve had to fish it out of their hair.
Jesus Christ.
Noa snickered, most likely in satisfaction at being able to shock me. I wasn’t that easy anymore.
“I mean it, though,” he chuckled. “I love being marked by my Owners, and a tattoo would definitely be permanent. Rings get in the way of primal fun.”
That was one way of looking at it.
No matter—it was time to move on. I’d gotten the gist anyway. Noa definitely liked the symbolism—even if it looked different—and that was what I was getting at.
“The reason I ask all this,” I said, gathering his hand in mine, “is because I would like to steal Colt and Lucas’s engagement idea and ask KC to be engaged to me forever.”
At long last, I’d stunned Noa. His mouth fell open, and his eyebrows crawled higher.
A ball of nerves tightened my stomach, and I felt the need to push forward.
“I have to add three things,” I told him. “One, this will not happen if you’re the slightest bit uncomfortable—and two, if it makes you feel left out. Which brings me to number three—I don’t want you to think I don’t want a special symbol for what you and I share.”
His expression changed a little, and I could tell he’d gotten stuck on the last thing I’d said.
“Are we keeping score or something?” he asked. “All this ritualistic stuff doesn’t make anything more or less special to me, Lucian. I won’t feel left out… What you and I have is already awesome.” He paused. “Now, if you’re willing to get a tattoo with me, let’s fucking go. Mister Sloan is a tattoo artist, you know.”
