A few minutes turned into the best nine hours of sleep I remembered having, topped only by waking to the feel of Ezra’s morning wood pressing into my thigh and his body draped over mine. Even the drool on my chest couldn’t dampen how good it felt to wake up with him in my arms. The sun streamed through the curtains, casting a gentle glow over us. I closed my eyes and savored the moment. I imagined a future filled with lazy weekend mornings and relaxing evenings sharing dinner when we got home from work before tumbling into bed to burn up the sheets.
My cock stirred, remembering every second of last night and ready for a replay. But I needed to go easy on him. His ass was probably tender this morning, not that he’d admit it. And dammit, I really wanted to see him spread wide on my bed, fingering himself as he told me what he thought about when he got himself off.
I shifted slightly, making Ezra mumble in his sleep before snuggling even closer. His body was perfectly molded against mine, as though nothing could separate us. My arm crept around his shoulders, my strength just enough to secure him close. He let out an adorable snore before settling back against me. His breathing was slow and steady, contrasting with the slight twitching of his lips now and then as if he was fighting off a smile even in sleep.
My gaze trailed along that perfect face of his, following those full lips that had tasted just like the sweets that brought us together down to that sharp jawline—such an exquisite example of male beauty right there beside me—down to those broad shoulders and wide chest barely concealed by wrinkled sheets, and all I could think about was how much fun we’d had last night making each other beg for more. The memory alone sent shivers of delight coursing through every nerve ending in my body and made it difficult for me to suppress a gasp.
My determination to let him rest was saved by the sound of a phone buzzing somewhere on the floor. I eased myself out from under him, smiling when he reached for my pillow, burrowing his face into it as he rolled onto his stomach. The phone had stopped ringing by the time I found my pants from last night. I waited to call my brother back until coffee was brewing.
“Hey, what’s up?” I scrubbed a hand over my face, taking stock of the aches and twinges in my body that only came from a good, hard fuck. And that’s what last night’s love-making was. It hadn’t taken me long to realize Ezra didn’t need or want slow and sweet. I couldn’t wait to explore his newly revealed needy side.
“…and then we’re heading to the Tap.”
Shit. I’d completely missed what Anson had said. I let out a groan, praying he didn’t give me shit. I could play it off as both Ezra and me being exhausted from the party, right? I gave my head a quick shake to clear my mind. “Could you start at the beginning again? I just got up and haven’t even poured my first cup.”
“Fuck, man, you’re usually up at the crack of dawn. You’re not getting sick, are you?”
“No, just needed to catch up on sleep,” I admitted. That, and I didn’t go to bed until later than usual because of the party and the epic sex that followed. “So lunch at the Tap, but what comes before that?”
“Oh, I was going to say we’re headed over to the center now to finish breaking everything down,” he repeated. It seemed all of us had been infected by the holiday spirit because Anson wasn’t even being a dick about me not listening the first time. “But why don’t you and Ezra relax for the morning, and we’ll meet you for lunch.”
Typically, I’d protest. When I felt slender arms wrap around me from behind and a sleep-warmed cheek against my back, I made a mental note to buy Anson a kick-ass present this year. I curled my fingers around Ezra’s, giving them a quick squeeze. “Thanks, man. I owe you one. What time do you want us there?”
“I’ll text you when we’re headed out. If you’re…otherwise occupied, don’t feel too bad.” Anson laughed. The boy thought he was a fucking comedian. “Did Ezra decide if he’s coming to Christmas? I heard Mom invited him last night.”
My body stiffened. While I wasn’t opposed to the idea—wanted him there by me on Christmas morning, in fact—she shouldn’t have been the one to make the offer. Now, my invitation would feel like something I was doing because my mom had suggested it. “I’m hoping he’ll be there, but we haven’t talked about it yet. I’ll keep you posted. Are you bringing anyone this year?”
“Nope.” The way he popped thePwas like a door slamming. Apparently, whatever was going on with Anson and Kevin would remain the town’s worst-kept secret.
Anson and I quickly finished our call. I set the phone down and turned in Ezra’s embrace. I kissed the top of his head. “Good morning, beautiful. I could get used to this.”
“Me too.” When he tipped his head back to look at me, I was stunned by how damned good he looked with that shy hint of a smile and glasses that were slightly fogged from him pressing his face against my chest. He did that a lot, and I liked knowing I was his security blanket. He looked so happy, and I vowed to put that look on his face every damned day. ”So where are we going?”
“Huh?” I slipped a hand down his back until it rested on the swell of his tight little ass. Oh yeah, Anson. “Well, today we’re apparently going to the Tap for lunch with my brothers and whoever else tags along. But Anson mentioned that my mom invited you to Christmas, and he was wondering if you’re going to be there.”
Ezra glanced away, and my heart sank. An eternity seemed to pass before he looked back at me. Gone was the lust and adoration in his expression, replaced by uncertainty. “Do you want me there?”
“Baby, if I had my way, you’d be permanently attached to my hip at this point,” I told him. It surprised me to realize the truth of those words. “But since that’s not possible, yeah, I want to see you in goofy Christmas pajamas right along with the rest of us, eating my mom’s coffee cake and drinking cocoa.”
“See, totally the Hallmark family,” Ezra teased.
I laughed, and Ezra’s face softened. He leaned in for a gentle kiss that told me everything I needed to know without any words. I wanted him with me for the holiday more than anything else.
“So you’ll come?” I asked when he finally pulled away from the kiss.
“Yes,” he answered with a relieved smile. “I would love to be there with you and your family. I love you, and if it’s not too weird to say, I think I love your family too.”
The happiness that erupted inside me was unlike anything I’d ever felt. It was like a spark catching fire and burning through my veins until all my being seemed to be made of nothing but joy. Unable to contain it any longer, I pulled Ezra close and kissed him again, pouring all my feelings into it so he could understand how much he meant to me without having to say a single word.
“I love you too. Forever.”
EPILOGUE
CARSON
Christmas morning brokewith a kind of anticipation even my old Grinchy self couldn’t deny. The world outside was a still, frosty canvas, but inside, the house was alive with the heat of a roaring fire I knew Dad already had stoked in the living room, the scent of cinnamon wafting from the kitchen, and the sound of my family’s laughter. I rolled onto my side, not bitter about spending the night before in my childhood bedroom. It was a ridiculous tradition since we all lived in town, but it was something that made Mom happy, so we’d always humored her.
I woke up early, despite the late night, my body buzzing with an unfamiliar eagerness. Slipping out of bed, careful not to wake Ezra nestled in the sheets like a gift I was still unwrapping, I took a moment to watch him sleep. The rise and fall of his chest, the way his lashes cast tiny shadows on his cheeks—it was a sight I’d never tire of. It had only been a couple of weeks since that first night we spent together, but since then, we’d been in the same apartment every night. Sometimes his, most of the time mine, but the important thing was that we shared our space.
