Wedding Fever

by Ryland Reynolds

  “Am I doing it right?” Ben asked.

  “Doing great!” Oliver replied through gritted teeth. He felt the tip of Ben’s fingers brush against his aching balls as his hands stroked him into his mouth. Oliver heard himself growling. He took short, sharp breaths.

  Oliver pressed his palms against the tiles to maintain balance while Ben’s hands were everywhere, his balls, chest, thighs and butt. Then he felt a wet finger slide around his anus.

  Instantly, Oliver writhed and cried out. His eyes shot open and he found himself caught in Ben’s sultry gaze.

  “Can I?” Ben asked.

  Oliver swallowed; he knew what Ben was asking. And it sent a thrill throughout his body. He loved having his ass fingered and played with.

  “You really want to?” Oliver asked. His heart began thundering inside his chest.

  “Oh yeah,” Ben said.

  Oliver turned around. He felt Ben’s strong hands caress his lower back and then move down to his butt. He held his breath, expecting Ben to go further, and he didn’t have to wait long. His ass cheeks were slowly opened, and he could feel Ben’s fingers massaging in between his cheeks, stroking his rim and prodding at it.

  What happened next took him by surprise. He felt Ben press his face into his ass, and next came a tongue between his cheeks. Ben’s stubble sanded Oliver’s skin as he sucked and licked his way inside Oliver. It was remarkable to see how far Ben would go to explore his body.

  Ben’s hungry tongue made Oliver beg and blubber until he knew he wouldn’t be able to take it anymore. He felt himself being stretched as Ben prodded and probed with his finger. It didn’t take long for Oliver’s whimpers and moans to turn into unrestrained cries of pleasure.

  Soon Oliver’s legs trembled from the force of his orgasm, and he clenched his ass. His body spasmed, and a spurt of cum shot from his body. He felt lightheaded.

  Then he felt Ben’s arms around him, and he flopped back into his arms. Oliver felt peaceful.

  They washed each other in the shower.

  21

  Ben

  The family visited the Cayman Crystal Caves. It was a great attraction, and Ben was excited to go there. It was said to be a great romantic spot, a place for couples to go and deepen their relationship.

  Ben had every reason to feel excited about going. He imagined taking Oliver there and finding a corner for them to share a kiss away from everyone. It wasn’t the danger or thrill that Ben thought of when he considered doing it, but his need to express his affection towards Oliver in public now that they’d had sex.

  Ben and Oliver sat together at the back of the tour bus, and they tried to pay attention to the beautiful scenery that was unfolding around them, but Ben’s mind kept on coming back to Oliver.

  Oliver turned and looked at him. Ben had been caught in the act of staring. He smiled, guilty, and turned away, trying to focus on what the tour guide was telling them. But then he felt a hand on his thigh.

  Oliver rubbed his leg, and a smile spread across his face, enhancing his gorgeous features and spreading warmth inside Ben’s chest. He wrapped his hand around Oliver’s and took a deep breath.

  He put his hand under Oliver’s shirt and began stroking his stomach, then he moved he moved his hand around to his back and felt the flesh there. Oliver had delicate flesh and it was great to touch it.

  They couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Ben was loving every moment of it. He was with his best friend, and they were doing something dangerous and daring and totally out of character for both of them. This made Ben’s heart race, and he grinned.

  “Do you want to make out inside the caves?” Oliver whispered into his ear.

  Ben swallowed. He wanted to do it more than ever. “Yes, I’m sure we can find a spot.”

  He hoped they would have the opportunity; there were so many people on the tour bus, and there were probably even more people inside the caves.

  They arrived at the entrance to the cave, and it appeared that he was right.

  The first thing that caught Ben off guard was that the entrance to the caves was packed with tourists. He wondered where all these people had come from, and how they were all going to fit inside the cave. Together? A group at a time?

  He saw himself being robbed of his moment to kiss Oliver simply because they would both be too nervous to do something so daring.

  But they were a couple, or at least pretending to be a couple, and he wondered if they should be worried about something so small as someone noticing them kissing. It was expected, and that was what they should be doing as a couple, so Ben tried to brush the thought from his mind.

  Another line of thought that had proved to be incessant and annoying was that Oliver had done most of this with his previous boyfriends. They had all taken Oliver out, most likely kissed him in public and shown him a good time. They had seen Oliver naked.

  Ben felt a pinch in his stomach. The guys Oliver usually went out with were the complete opposite of him. Most of them had high-powered careers; they were arrogant and loved to brag about what they had.

  Finally, it was their turn to enter the cave, and they were divided into small groups.

  The caved wormed its way around, and it wasn’t what Ben had expected when he thought about caves. It was bright and the walls were yellow. It had obviously been decorated for tourists because the walls were smooth and the place looked clean. There weren’t any animals in sight.

  In the group with them were Brendan and Erica, and they seemed to be deep in discussion about something.

  Ben hoped everything was working out between them. He wanted everyone to be as happy as he was with Oliver. It was one thing to find his best friend in a world that could be harsh and cruel, and it was another thing to have that same friend willing to give affection and pleasure beyond anything previously experienced.

  Ben also thought that if only he’d known Oliver sooner, he would have gladly been his boyfriend. He would have happily stood up to all of the abuse that Oliver must have faced for his sexuality through the years.

  But they were together now, and even if they weren’t actual boyfriends, they were at least friends with benefits.

  They didn’t need to hide or pretend not to be a couple, but it felt more exciting, and they weren't used to showing their affection in public.

  Their tour guide described his time in the caves, his experiences as a child when his friends would secretly come to the caves and play together. He explained that was what the caves meant to him, they were a kind of magic that brought friends together. It seemed too simple, but the magic was real. It also revealed the innermost parts of people who entered it.

  As Ben listened, he wondered if the tour guide was right.

  He wanted an answer; he wanted to know the next step with him and Oliver. Would they remain friends with benefits? Or would they become something more?

  The caves were pretty diverse, and they were taken through each of them. As Ben and Oliver followed behind the group, Ben felt the urge to steal a kiss from Oliver. Taking hold of Oliver’s hand, they stopped for a moment and watched as the rest of the group walked on.

  Ben kissed him, open-mouthed, and cupped the back of his neck. Oliver’s kiss was hungry; his tongue darted into Ben’s mouth, wiping the inside of his lower lip.

  Ben wasn’t sure if he pressed Oliver to the wall, or if he were being pulled into his chest. But he lavished the hardness of Oliver’s chest as they clung to each other.

  “I want us to be more,” Ben said.

  It was as if the caves had revealed everything to him. He wanted more than their fake relationship; he wanted Oliver.

  “Aren’t you an eager boy today.” Oliver leaned in and gave Ben another kiss, obviously misreading the declaration.

  When they parted, Ben smiled. “I mean, I want more than this. I want to wake up to you every morning, I want to hold you in my arms every day. I never want this to end. I know the risks, and I’ve been afraid to think of them, but don�
��t think I could go on without being with you. I don’t want to be an experiment or a fake boyfriend. I want the real thing.”

  Ben couldn’t believe he’d finally opened up and revealed what was in his heart. He never thought they’d arrive at the point when they would be able to express how they truly felt about each other.

  Oliver pressed his lips together and sunk back onto the wall. “I’m sorry, I can’t do it.”

  Ben couldn’t believe his ears. It was as if his world had been turned upside down. Rejection rolled through his stomach and threatened to turn it inside out.

  As impossible as it seemed in that moment, a noise was able to pull their attention away from each other. It was Jane rushing by them, crying.

  Ben reached out and touched her shoulder. He needed to feel something, as his body felt numb. He didn’t feel like Oliver was real, that he was a thing that could be touched, or that if he reached out and touched him he might disappear and prove to be one of the caves’ illusions.

  And he felt that he needed to touch something solid to find out if this were real and not a nightmare.

  “What’s wrong?” Ben said. His voice cracked under the weight of his emotion.

  “I’ve left Harry,” she said. “It was all fake, he never loved me! And I’m not going to live my life as a fake girlfriend. I’m going to sit in the tour bus. I’ve had enough of these caves,” Jane said.

  “You should go with her. I’m going to stay here for a while longer,” Oliver said. “I need to think about things.”

  Ben swallowed, emotion pulsing inside him. He wanted to stay and talk things through with Oliver, but they weren’t alone. After an uncertain hug and a goodbye, he found unease wriggle through him as he walked back with Jane.

  He left the caves, but the echo of Oliver’s words stayed with him. “I’m sorry, I can’t do it.” He really wanted to know what it was that Oliver couldn’t do. A relationship with his best friend? Or take a chance with the feelings that they both had for each other?

  Ben wondered if his words meant that he no longer wanted them to fake a relationship, that he was tired of pretending. He bit his lip so hard as he thought this over. But no matter how he turned this thought through his mind, he knew that it was the least likely of possibilities.

  It took a huge effort to pry his mind away from Oliver, but Jane needed his attention. She had begun to cry again, and he hugged her. He could only imagine how awkward things were going to be between her and Harry for the remainder of the vacation.

  “You know what?” Jane said. She had finished sobbing on Ben’s shoulder. “When I get back, I’m going to start a new life for myself. No more neglect, no more pain and no more Harry.”

  “That’s really great to hear,” Ben said. “I know you can find the happiness you deserve.”

  He couldn’t help wondering if this would ever apply to him. Would he ever find the happiness that he deserved? When he thought about happiness, there was only one person who flashed across his mind.

  Oliver.

  The equation for happiness was quite simple. Oliver plus him equaled happiness. But it was becoming apparent that Oliver might not believe that they could be together.

  And what did this mean for their friendship? Ben couldn’t picture a world where he and Oliver weren’t in each other’s lives anymore, where he wouldn’t turn up to Oliver’s place with a pizza, or listen to him rant about the latest asshole boyfriend who broke his heart. He couldn’t even imagine a scenario when Oliver wasn’t there to get him out of trouble in Halo.

  But as the tour buses took off back to the ship, Ben and Oliver sat apart. Consoling Jane was the most important thing at that moment; it never needed to be said. They just understood this to be the case.

  But Ben couldn’t help feeling the shuddering loneliness that came from being trapped inside his own head and wondering if his friendship with Oliver would ever be the same.

  22

  Oliver

  Oliver’s pocket vibrated as he sat on deck. One missed text. Erica.

  I can’t even remember

  why I was afraid.

  Love u

  xx

  Oliver’s eyes scanned over the text again like a scene stuck on repeat. Tears began to well up in his eyes. He didn’t care that he was in public; the news was so great that he felt himself being overwhelmed. He wanted to hug Erica and Brendan; he could only imagine the happiness that they must have been experiencing at that moment.

  Two best friends who found love in each other were getting married. It was enough to make Oliver want to get up and sing and dance and kiss the next person who walked into the lounge area.

  Just as the impulse arose inside him, the door to the lounge opened and Ben stood in the doorway. There was a slight hesitation as Ben seemed unsure whether to approach. As for Oliver, he was struggling to hold back the urge to kiss Ben. But when he sensed that Ben was tentative, the urge quickly disappeared.

  Ben sat across from Oliver. “I walked Jane back to her room. I’m not sure if she’ll be up for sticking around for the wedding. I told her that I hope she would and that she shouldn’t let Harry ruin her time here.”

  “I really hope she does stay for Erica’s wedding. It might do her good to see that two lovers can have a happily ever after,” Oliver said.

  Their eyes met. Oliver looked away. It seemed impossible to look into Ben’s eyes for anything longer than a nanosecond. He rubbed his hands on his thighs.

  “I agree. Although, she was pretty cut up,” Ben said. “She thought she loved Harry.”

  Oliver pressed his lips together and shook his head. There was silence. More silence. He didn’t have to look up at Ben to see that he too was wrestling with his thoughts. Should they talk about their future, their feelings or just ignore the whole fake boyfriend experience? Oliver didn’t want to lull his friend into thinking that what they had was real.

  It couldn’t be real.

  “Hey, I’ve got great news.”

  “Yeah?” Ben said, a bit too eagerly.

  “Erica told Brendan about her fears and things are better now,” Oliver said. Before he knew it, he found himself in Ben’s arms, and they were hugging.

  “That’s wonderful!” Ben was grinning when they let each other go. “It looks like there was nothing to be afraid of in the end. Brendan is a really good guy and her best friend.”

  “You couldn’t be more right. Brendan is sweet, all-around awesome, fun and loyal. And impossible as it seems, time will only bring them closer together. It will only solidify their love for each other.”

  Their eyes met, and Oliver knew they were moments away from kissing. He wondered if kissing Ben would wake his sorry ass from his misplaced fears. The kiss never came; instead, the doors to the lounge opened and in walked Oliver’s dad.

  “I’ve been looking for you guys. I was wondering if you were coming for a few drinks tonight?”

  “Sure,” Ben said.

  Oliver felt himself regain control. He followed Ben and his dad out into the lobby and to the cabin bar. The presence of his dad made it difficult for Oliver to talk to Ben about how he was feeling, about his fears that Ben’s newly discovered gayness might have owed itself to their romantic surroundings or even him fully immersing himself in the role of his boyfriend. And even if Ben were gay, Oliver failed to understand why his best friend would settle for him and not want to explore.

  Would Ben, who was ridiculously easy on the eyes, fun and boyfriend material in every way, want him? Oliver looked across the room and saw a few women’s eyes were glued to Ben, who stood at the bar with Oliver’s dad. Who was he kidding? Ben was a once in a lifetime guy.

  Oliver didn’t deserve him.

  The sand was warm beneath Oliver’s bare feet. His head wasn’t pounding too badly. This was pretty much due to his mom’s resourcefulness, as she’d supplied him, his dad and Ben with bottles of water, Red Bull and painkillers early that morning.

  The sound of the ocean spray was
strangely peaceful; it was a fitting background noise that somehow made Oliver’s mind return to a serene place whenever it began to wander to thoughts about him and Ben.

  This was Erica and Brendan’s day.

  Everybody stood in the ceremony area and waited for Erica. Brendan was at the front of the altar. Oliver and Ben wore their tuxes that just happened to match the groom and groomsmen.

  “Man, he looks like he’s gonna shit bricks,” Ben whispered.

  “We’ll it’s too late for him to back out now. If he tries running on my sister, we can try and tackle him,” Oliver said. He grinned.

  “Sounds good to me.”

  Oliver lifted his head towards the staircase slicing through the sand dunes and the tall beach grass. No one was coming.

  “What’s taking her so long? I should go and check,” he said.

  “No need. She’s already here,” Ben said. The music started to play, an acoustic of Frank Sinatra’s The Way You Look Tonight.

  Erica, in her stark white wedding dress, was take-your-breath-away beautiful. Just seeing her brought tears to Oliver’s eyes. Their dad looked like the proudest father on earth as his daughter hooked her arm in his and he walked with her down the aisle.

  Oliver was certainly the happiest brother on earth. He felt Ben’s hand clasp over his, and he welcomed the gesture. He was so happy to be sharing this moment with the people he loved. He gently squeezed Ben’s hand.

  Everyone stood from their white folded chairs and focused on Erica. She looked picture perfect, and the clicking of cameras followed by ohhs and ahhs affirmed it.

  “She looks gorgeous,” Oliver said.

  Her hair cascaded down her back, covered by a white veil. As she made her way to Brendan, he appeared to be holding back tears. It was obvious to everyone that if there were any two who were meant to be, it was these two.

  The ceremony went off without a hitch. The celebrant read out what they represented, vows were taken, rings exchanged and finally, the kiss.