Joker blinked. “I might have also been dropping peanuts since we left the SUV by the tree lot. You know, where the squirrel feeders are.”
“You asshole,” Ace shouted. “This is your doing? If I wasn’t tied up, I would be over there kicking your ass!”
Joker snorted. “I’m so scared. Oh, wait. No, I’m not. Because, unlike you, I’ve never been bested by a small woodland creature.”
“Okay, it’s freezing out here,” King said. “Let’s get this finished. I want to take my fiancé for some hot cocoa and cookies at the café. Go untie him.”
“Ooh, that sounds perfect!” Leo joined a grumbling Joker in freeing Ace. He also removed all the nuts from Ace’s pockets and dropped them into the snow for the squirrel.
Ace scrambled to his feet and glared at Joker. “Next time, I’m going to tieyouup in lights and put you out on the curb with a sign that says, ‘free Christmas tree topper.’ I hear gnomes are very popular this Christmas.”
As Joker and Ace did whatever it was they did, King and Leo finished the last of the wreaths. Not long after they’d finished, Jack texted to let them know the power had been restored to the Ice Castle.
“That’s great news,” Leo said excitedly. “That means once the interior is done, the town can have its festivities as planned. I bet Clara will want to get started right away. We’re so close to being done! I can’t believe how amazing everything looks.”
Red was heading back to the cabin, so he took the empty bins with him while Joker and Ace went off to find their men. King walked down the street toward Mugs and Kisses, Leo’s mittened hand in his. It might be cold as hell, but Leo was right. Everything looked beautiful. The sky was blue, the sound of faint Christmas music filled the air, and all around them, the town was bursting with Christmas decorations.
“I’m glad you wanted to come here,” King said. “You know, I was thinking that with all the guys pulling back on their hours, maybe I should do the same.”
Leo stopped walking and blinked up at him. “You’re serious?”
“Yeah. I mean, being here with you, with our family, it’s been memorable. I’m sorry we haven’t taken more trips together. Maybe Jack isn’t the only one who had his head where the sun doesn’t shine.”
Leo started walking again. “The thing about us and the kind of work we do is that we can use it as a means to escape, a way to avoid facing the hard stuff.”
“How so?” He knew how easy it was for Leo and Jack to get lost in their programming, but the rest of them? They were usually out in the field.
“I think when you first opened Four Kings Security, you used it as a way to avoid the pain you felt from having lost your brothers-in-arms and your parents.”
This time, King was the one who stopped walking. “What?”
Leo turned to him, his eyes filled with heartache for King. “You all were still healing when you started the company, and on top of having lost your brothers, you had lost your parents as well. I know you got help, just like the rest of the guys, but I think throwing yourself into your work made it easier to deal with the hurt. But things are different now. You smile when you talk about them. And since we’ve been living together, you try really hard not to work too many hours if you can help it.”
“Because I want to be home with you. I had no idea you’d been thinking about this.”
“I spend most of my time thinking,” Leo said, smiling warmly at King.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” King asked as they started walking again.
“Because I’m not going to tell you how to do your job, Ward. If I miss you, I tell you, don’t I?”
“True.” And he had on several occasions. “I guess I never thought about it like that. Before I met you, I didn’t really have a reason not to work extra hours. I enjoy what I do, and there’s always work to be done. I’ve always liked to keep busy. Now, I like to be busy with you.” He smiled and kissed the back of Leo’s mitten, making him chuckle.
“I like this idea,” Leo said. “I’d like to come back to Winterhaven at some point.”
“You really like it here, don’t you?”
“Everyone’s been so welcoming.”
“Like Santa?” King teased.
Leo playfully pushed King. “No need to be jealous. You’re the only daddy for me.”
King gasped. “You little shit! I can’t believe you just called me that.”
Leo laughed so hard he had tears in his eyes. The sound was music to King’s ears. He took hold of Leo’s arm and pulled him close.
“You know you’re the only one who can get away with that.”
