“Again, I’m going to say I didn’t agree to this,” King grumbled as he walked by carrying a box of decorations, his scowl telling everyone who his Secret Santa was. Actually, his Christmas sweater sporting the giant head of Nicolas Cage wearing a Santa hat made it clear who was behind the gift. Ace laughed and hurried after King, undoubtedly to bestow more Nicholas Cage impressions upon his disgruntled brother.
Gio leaned into Sacha. “Why do I get the feeling Ace is somehow skewing the odds in his favor?”
“Oh, you know Ace cheats his ass off,” Sacha replied. He dropped his gaze to his own Christmas sweater. “I think I lucked out with Keanu Reeves Jesus.”
Gio chuckled. “Well, Keanu does seem like a pretty great guy.”
“I could have gotten Lucky’s pink candy cane flamingos. Though he looks like he’s embraced it. You never know with him.”
Lucky didn’t seem bothered by his festive flamingos as he handed Mason another section of garland for the pillar they were decorating. The two were often off on their own, and it was sweet. Gio had seen them tucked away, kissing on more than one occasion. Anyone who saw the way they looked at each other could immediately see how in love they were. Gio hadn’t been around when the two had gotten together, but Sacha said it had been explosive.
“Colton was obviously Ace’s Secret Santa,” Sacha said with a snicker. “Who else would get Ace an ‘It’s not Christmas until Hans Gruber falls from Nakatomi Plaza’ Christmas sweater?”
Gio wasn’t sure who drew his name, but he was pretty pleased with his Elf “Son of a Nutcracker” sweater.
“Leo got the coolest one,” Sacha added, nodding toward Leo. “That Spidey Christmas sweater is pretty badass.”
“Agreed.”
Last year, the week before Christmas, they all got together to exchange their Secret Santa gifts. So, this morning after breakfast, they’d gathered in the cabin’s living room where Leo and Fitz had handed out the wrapped sweaters.
For all of the griping and groaning, everyone had fun unwrapping their gifts. Well, maybefunwas too strong a word where King was concerned, but the rest of them had had a good laugh.
They joined Colton in the middle of the room where he stood with a tablet. King was usually the one who gave the orders where his brothers-in-arms were concerned, but when it came to wranglingeveryone, including the Boyfriends, King handed the reins to Colton and stepped away, far far away. As the CEO of a worldwide shipping company, no one was better at wrangling cats than Colton.
“The lights outside are done,” Sacha told Colton. “We’re at Griswold level out there, thanks to your husband.”
Colton chuckled. “I’m sure if you’d let him, he’d have found a way to add more, so thanks for reigning him in.”
“My pleasure. So, what’s next?”
“Mason and Lucky are working on adding garland to those pillars,” he said, pointing behind him. “Can you and Gio start on the ones on the other side? Each pillar has a box next to it with everything you’ll need. The garland is pre-lit.”
“Awesome.” Sacha headed for the pillar, and Gio followed. Festive holiday music filled the ballroom, the scents of Christmas in the air. Gio couldn’t help but grab Sacha’s hand and pull him behind the large pillar.
“You know everyone can still see us,” Sacha said, one thick brow arched, but his big blue-gray eyes sparkled with mischief. Oh, how Gio loved this side of him.
“I know.” It didn’t stop Gio from pulling Sacha into his arms and kissing him deeply and thoroughly. He loved how Sacha’s more petite frame fit against him and how he gave himself over completely. Trust was something Sacha didn’t give freely. Knowing he had Sacha’s trust and his heart was everything to Gio.
Sacha hummed and melted against Gio, the same as he always did. “You’re evil.” He sounded breathless, his gaze on Gio’s mouth.
“Me?”
“Yep. Because all I want to do is climb you like a tree, and instead, I have to climbthat.” He motioned to the pillar behind them.
Gio chuckled. He brushed his lips over Sacha’s and slid his hands down to Sacha’s ass, squeezing it. “More to look forward to later then.” It had been almost two years since they’d started dating, and sometimes Gio still couldn’t believe Sacha was his. After everything they’d been through….
For years, Gio had been curious about Sacha, enthralled by his sexy voice. While Gio was abroad, he’d call his brother, Laz, and ask to be placed on speaker when he knew Sacha was there. He’d flirted and pushed Sacha’s buttons, knowing there had to be a reason for the man’s explosive reactions. Each phone call seemed to build on whatever was happening between them until Gio’s return ignited the powder keg of attraction they had for each other.
“Like I said. Evil.” Sacha kissed him, a quick but passionate kiss, before playfully shoving him away, making Gio laugh. He helped Sacha set up the ladder, and then searched for the end of the long, thick garland. Thankfully, the pillar was already equipped to hold each end of the garland that would be wrapped around it.
Sacha climbed up, and Gio handed him the looped metal end. He held the ladder while Sacha tried to secure it. “Damn it. It looks like the hook got bent while in storage. Can you find me a pair of pliers?”
Gio scanned the area and spotted a toolbox on the table across the room. “Sure. Hang on. I’ll be right back.” He walked to the table and opened the toolbox. There was a pair of pliers right on top. Perfect. Maybe when they got back to the cabin, they could take a nice warm shower together, he could get Sacha on his knees and—
“What the hell is this caught on?”
Gio turned around to see Ace tugging on an extension cord. What on earth was his friend doing? With a frown, Gio ran his gaze along the cord, following it the length of the floor, where it disappeared behind one of the Christmas trees between a set of pillars. It poked out the other side and continued to…. He gasped.
