Max’s heart thudded harder. “Where were we?” he asked, leaning closer.
“Uncle Max! We found it! It’s perfect.” Trina pushed her way between them and tugged on his hand. “Come and see!”
Not now! As much as he loved his niece he wished she was anywhere but here. He exchanged a glance with Liam who shook his head with a wry smile, and indicated for him to follow Trina.
He sighed. “All right then. Show me.”
Liam grabbed his other hand and squeezed it. Suddenly, everything was that much better.
They walked hand in hand to the perfect tree.
The kiss could wait.
Chapter 6
Liam stared out of the window of the car on the endless drive back to Joette’s place.
There was a giddiness in his chest that he hadn’t felt in ages. Max did like him. The anticipation of being alone with him added to the thrill.
Finally, they arrived and he got out of the car, unstrapped Shiona and passed her to Joette as the other car pulled in. Trying not to appear over-eager, he stared at the white carpet of snow over the front yard. It looked so soft he longed to flop into it and make snow angels, though it seemed a shame to disturb its perfection. Or perhaps a snowball fight would give him the opportunity to get his hands all over Max.
“Hey, Liam,” Max called.
His heart leapt as he turned and something cold and rough splatted his face.
Snowball.
He wiped his cheeks. Great minds think alike.
Max grinned wickedly.
Liam scooped up a handful of snow, shaped it into something resembling a ball, and flung it at Max, who whooped and dodged it, running on to the lawn as fast as the snow would allow.
The kids shrieked and joined in, but Liam only had eyes for Max who took shelter behind a tree.
Liam collected another ball of snow as he stalked after him. Wrestling with Max had become his number one priority.
“Girls, protect me!” Max called and the three young girls fell into formation with their hands on their hips, feet spread.
“If you want to get to Max, you’re going to have to go through us,” Jessica said.
Liam glanced over their heads at Max who gave him a bring it motion with his hand.
Oh, he would. Max didn’t stand a chance.
A movement out of the corner of his eye revealed Joette creeping around the edge of the garden, heading for her brother. Liam swallowed his smile, tried to look serious. “Game on.”
He threw the snowball at Jessica. Lizzy and Trina shrieked and ran, Trina shouting, “Daddy, help!”
Before Liam grabbed more snow, several balls pelted him. Noel advanced on him and Rory prepared snowballs behind Noel. Whose side was he on?
The answer came as he stood and launched the balls at Liam.
He was outnumbered and out-experienced. Liam ran through the snow away from them, checking where Joette was. It was two on to six — not the greatest odds.
“You owe me a snowball fight,” Max called, too busy watching Liam to notice his sister sneaking up on him.
Liam raised his eyebrows as Joette shoved a handful of snow down Max’s jacket. He shrieked and ran out into the yard, taking cover behind Rory.
Liam needed backup. He ran for Joette as snowballs pelted him. “Any plan?”
She chuckled. “Pick up Trina. Throw her at Noel. I’ll distract the girls — then you get past Rory.”
“What?” Throw her child?
“Don’t worry, Noel will catch her.”
Not certain it was the best idea, he gathered up some snow to throw as he ran.
“On three,” Joette said. “One, two, three!”
He ran, throwing the balls at Noel before picking up Trina in his arms. She shrieked.
“I’ll save you, baby,” Noel called as he ran toward them, arms outstretched.
“Catch, Noel,” Liam yelled and gently threw Trina to him. She squealed as Noel caught her. Liam ran toward Rory, getting pummeled with snowball after snowball. As he got closer, Max broke out from behind Rory, making a beeline for the house.
No way was Max going to make it. He changed direction and charged after him. The snow was deeper here and Max’s legs were shorter than his.
He reached out and snagged Max around the waist, pulling him close. The momentum caused him to lose his balance and he let go of Max, flailing his arms in order not to fall and squash Max who had hit the soft snow. It wasn’t going to work. Gravity was dragging him in. Liam threw out his hands either side of Max’s body and braced himself as he landed on top of him.
“Oof,” Max said, his beanie askew and snow sliding on to his face.
“Are you all right?” Liam asked, his heart racing. He tried to brush the snow clear, but just succeeded in covering his face further.
“I don’t know. I might need mouth-to-mouth.” Max winked.
Oh, yeah. Liam hardened as he forgot about the snowball fight and the others in the yard. Slowly, his gaze fixed on Max’s warm chocolate eyes, he lowered his head.
“Stacks on!” Jessica yelled.
It was all the warning he got before her body landed on him, followed by another and another. His head fell forward, head-butting Max and Max groaned.
Liam protected him the best he could while the girls squashed them and used their hands and feet to fling more snow around.
“Uncle,” Max yelled.
“Girls, that’s enough,” Joette called. “Let’s go trim the tree.”
“Yay, tree trimming,” Jessica called and the pressure disappeared as the girls ran inside.
Liam lifted his head to check there were no other attacks coming. Joette smiled at him. “Take your time coming in.” She closed the door behind her.
The front yard was empty. Liam shifted on to his elbows. “How’s your head?” He ran his hand gently over the fresh red mark on Max’s forehead.
“Sore.”
Liam grinned at the anticipation in Max’s eyes. “Let me kiss it better for you.” He brushed his lips against the spot. “Better?”
Max shook his head, his lips quirking upward. “My lips hurt too.”
Liam bit back a smile and kissed him. He’d meant to keep it light, but one taste wasn’t enough. He deepened the kiss and Max wrapped his hands around Liam’s back, dragging him closer.
There were too many clothes between them.
He wanted to run his hands all over Max, feel his body against his. “Inside,” he demanded. He stood and pulled Max up in one smooth motion.
“Yes, please.” Max wrapped his arms around Liam and kissed him again.
It wasn’t enough. He needed more. Grabbing Max’s hand, he dragged him toward the house.
Chapter 7
Max’s body sang as he followed Liam, loving the way he was being manhandled. Finally they had kissed. He wanted more, so much more.
Once inside, he stripped off his jacket, boots and socks. His jeans clung to his legs, damp and cold. He shivered. There had to be a towel somewhere he could dry himself with. He wasn’t going to let a potential case of hypothermia stop him from kissing Liam again.
“Geez, it’s cold.” Liam swiped at his legs. He glanced at Max. “You’re trembling. We’d better get you out of those pants.” He winked.
Suddenly, Max wasn’t so cold. “You’re so right.”
They passed through the living room where the tree trimming was already in progress. Joette was passing around hot coffee to go with the shortbread cookies on the table and Noel sang along to the Christmas carols, while the girls were diving into the bag of decorations. Max’s footsteps slowed. He loved decorating the tree and it was a once a year opportunity. But then again, getting Liam naked was a very good idea as well.
“Uncle Max, come and help,” Trina said, stretching her hand toward him in supplication. It hit him right in the gut.
“Liam and I need to get changed first,” he said. “Our jeans are wet from the snow.”
“Hurry,” Trin
a said. “You don’t want to miss out.”
He didn’t, but Liam was waiting for him. Hell, what a stupid situation to be in. He had finally progressed with Liam, but this was the only time of the year he got to be with his family. Maybe he could sneak a few kisses with Liam and then convince him to go back downstairs. He hurried up the stairs to their room.
Despite the central heating, his legs were so cold and starting to shake.
Liam closed the bedroom door behind them and pulled Max into his arms. “You need to get out of those pants before you freeze to death.” His fingers worked on the button and zipper and in no time he was pushing Max’s jeans down.
Holy hot tamale. Max hardened and stepped out of his jeans, reaching for Liam, but he wasn’t there. He’d grabbed a towel from where it was hanging over the cupboard and used it to gently rub warmth into Max’s legs.
Max stood there, not sure what to do. He’d never had someone take care of him like this. It was sensual and comforting and his heart swelled uncomfortably in his chest. Liam got to his feet and pulled Max close. “Just to be clear, there is nothing I want more than to go down on you right now.” A kiss brushed his lips. “But you shouldn’t miss out on decorating the tree.” He took off his own wet pants.
Max stared at him. Few men would have noticed his dilemma, and even fewer would have stopped. He stroked the side of Liam’s face. “You’re something else, you know that?” He kissed him slowly.
Liam made a noise which could have been agreement. “You keep that up and I might change my mind.” He grinned and moved away, taking another pair of pants out of his backpack.
Even Liam’s smile made Max’s heart dance. He dressed quickly. “Honey, tonight, I’ll show you how appreciative I am.”
Liam’s eyes darkened. “I’ll look forward to it.”
He wasn’t the only one.
***
Liam followed Max downstairs into the living room. He’d noticed the indecision on Max’s face when Trina had told him to hurry. Liam couldn’t blame him. It was such a cozy scene. All through December Max had sung along to the carols at work and had decorated his cubicle with tinsel. Liam was not going to let his libido spoil Max’s Christmas. He didn’t want Max to ever regret being with him.
Joette handed him a cup of coffee. “Help yourself to cookies.”
He sat as Max hung decorations with the girls, complimenting them on their bauble placement and picking up Trina so she could hang ornaments on the top of the tree. He was great with the kids, so patient. A couple of times Liam caught him reaching out to adjust a bauble one of the others had hung, and stopping himself with a sigh. He knew the design didn’t matter.
Joette sat next to him on the sofa and sipped her coffee. “He loves decorating the tree.”
“Yeah,” Liam said. “He loves Christmas.”
“Always has,” she said. “As kids he did all of the decorations around our house and we all bowed down to his superior design skills.” She sighed. “Christmas was never the same after Mom and Dad kicked him out.”
Liam’s heart jolted as he focused on Joette. “Kicked him out?”
She nodded. “When he came out. Though I don’t know how they missed he was gay. Perhaps they didn’t want to face it.”
How could any parent reject their child like that? His parents had been unfazed. “How old was he?”
“Fifteen.”
Geez. Still a kid. “What did he do?”
“He lived on the streets for a while, but he doesn’t talk about it.”
Max was the sweetest, most generous and fun man Liam knew. He never would have guessed Max had lived on the streets. How could something like that not make you jaded?
“You seem like a nice guy,” Joette continued. “So be gentle with him. He might appear to have it all together, but he’s fragile in some ways.”
Liam nodded, not denying he was interested in Max. Over the past day he’d really got to know Max, felt protective of him, wanted to discover all his hopes and fears.
He had the urge to pull Max into his arms and hold him, to tell him his parents were idiots to reject him. He wanted to curl up on the sofa and watch horror movies with him, or go outside and build snowmen. He didn’t care what they did, as long as Max was there.
His eyes widened as the enormity of the realization swept through him.
How had it happened?
They’d only really spent two days together.
But that didn’t matter.
Somehow he’d fallen hard.
All that mattered was Max.
Chapter 8
Max was hyper-aware of Liam throughout the rest of the day. It was impossible not to be. Liam was always there, offering the occasional suggestion for the tree, helping prepare lunch, going outside with the kids to build snowmen. He’d slotted in easily with Max’s family as if he fit.
And he did fit. He was kind, fun, generous and sexy. Though Max couldn’t wait to be alone with him, he was happy as long as Liam was by his side.
After dinner, when the kids were in bed, Joette said, “Ready to watch Love Actually?”
Max adored this tradition. Each couple curled up on a couch together to watch their favorite Christmas movie. Hopefully Liam wouldn’t feel uncomfortable. As soon as Max sat next to him, he put his arm around Max and pulled him close.
Max’s heart ached. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d dated someone with this easy affection. Often what he’d hoped would go further would be only a hook up. Sam had been the longest he’d been with anyone, and he’d hated any lovey-dovey stuff.
Max snuggled in and Liam pressed a kiss on to his head. And just like that, Max’s heart tripped over itself and fell.
He loved Liam.
Panic fluttered over his skin. He knew better than to let his emotions off the leash. He was always too quick to feel, too optimistic, too caught up in his fantasies of what life could be like together. And he was always disappointed.
There was no reason why this would be any different.
He closed his eyes. Please, let this be different.
He stared at the screen, not taking in the movie he’d watched a dozen times. When it finally ended, he squeezed Liam’s hand. “I’m going to bed. Are you coming?”
He nodded.
They said goodnight and went upstairs. Max shut the door firmly behind him. Even if this wasn’t going to last, he was going to make the most of it.
Liam pressed him against the door, his body molding against Max’s – possessive, but not demanding. He dipped his head, ever so slowly coming closer and then his lips were on Max’s.
He’d been expecting an explosion of lust, but it wasn’t. It was soft, exploring, tasting. Max drew him closer, meeting him kiss for kiss, letting his tongue taste the sweetness from the shortbread he’d eaten, and enjoying the sensations zinging through his body.
No kiss had ever been so luscious, so right.
His heart expanded as Liam slipped his hands under Max’s sweater, his hands warm, firm. Max trembled. He wanted Liam’s hands all over him, now, but Liam was in no hurry. His lips left Max’s and he trailed kisses along Max’s face, down to his neck where he nibbled on a sensitive spot under his chin.
Max groaned. This was sweet bliss. How could he protect himself from such tenderness?
“Do you like that?” He nibbled again.
“Yes.” So many yeses.
His chuckle was low and throaty, wrapping around Max’s heart like a comforter. His thumbs circled Max’s nipples as he turned his attention to the other side of Max’s neck.
Max was so hard, he ached. He ground himself against Liam, to relieve some of the ache.
“I’ll get to it,” he promised.
The slow exploration was beautiful torture. His skin was alive with so many feelings and he reveled in it. He dug his fingers into Liam’s hair, dragging his lips back to his and let all his frustrated need out.
“Bed,” Liam ordered and, before Max could obey, he
picked him up and dumped him on the mattress.
“Holy hell.”
Liam climbed on the bed after him, pushing Max’s sweater up and off. “You’re so sexy.”
Max gaped at him. He was cute, yes, but never sexy. Not like this man before him who’d pulled off his own sweater. Max’s eyes feasted on Liam’s perfect skin. He reached out to touch, but Liam bent over and kissed him deeply.
His kisses were a heady, addictive drug, Max wanted more and more. He went to pull Liam closer, but Liam had already moved, working his way down Max’s chest, leaving a path of kisses all over his skin.
Max’s body jerked as Liam sucked on his nipple. Holy mother of everything good. He was going insane. He fumbled for his zipper, needing Liam now. Liam brushed his hands away.
“Don’t rush,” he said. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this.”
“Me too.” All day he’d been waiting, anticipating.
Liam shook his head. “I’ve wanted you since the day we met,” he said. “But you were taken.”
Max stared at him. That long? He’d missed out on all that time with him. He was a fool.
Liam’s fingers ran over Max’s crotch and Max’s hips bucked upward.
Liam slid up the bed to cover Max’s body with his own and kiss him deeply.
Max moaned, wanting to get rid of both of their pants, wanting Liam inside him.
“You’re so fine, Max.” His voice was a little breathless.
“You think this is fine, you should check out my package.” He winked, thrusting his crotch against Liam’s.
“You’re right.” Liam moved fast, undoing Max’s jeans and pulling them down.
Finally. Max helped him, wriggling out of them, until he was naked.
Liam stared.
Was he too big for him? Had Liam changed his mind?
A slow smile spread over Liam’s face. “It’s more than fine,” he said. “And I’m sure it tastes even better.” He took Max into his mouth.
Red hot flashes of pleasure shot through Max and he gripped the sheets, fighting to hold on to some semblance of control. It was so damn good. The man knew how to use his tongue, licking and stroking until Max was going to explode. “Liam, stop.”
Take a Chance Page 4
