Gay Romance Holiday Collection

by Keira Andrews

  And that was impossible.

  He croaked, “Are you okay?” Daniel was probably just freaking out after revealing so many truths about Trevor and everything.

  Backing up, Daniel nodded. He folded the sweatshirt and placed it on the counter, his gaze skittering away. “You good now?”

  “Uh-huh. Thanks.” He’d become adept already at tugging his PJ bottoms up and down. Yep, he was great.

  When Daniel closed the door behind him, Cole sagged against the counter. It was decidedly less great that Cole was falling hopelessly in love, especially since—barring some kind of Christmas miracle—there was zero chance of his feelings being returned.

  Chapter Seven

  The minivan’s taillights glowed red, sunlight glinting off the metal roof before it disappeared around the bend. Cole joined Daniel at the windows, and they sighed in unison, then laughed. Daniel’s belly somersaulted. They were alone.

  “Hallelujah,” Cole said. He was still shirtless, his PJs hanging low on his hips. Daniel stared at the hair under his navel, leading down below the waistband.

  Forcing his gaze up, he asked, “How are you feeling?”

  After yawning and arching his back, Cole nodded. “Pretty good. I slept way better without you waking me up every two hours.”

  Daniel smiled. “You know what? I slept way better not having to wake you up.”

  “Huh. What are the odds?” Cole scratched his stubbly cheeks, smiling. While Daniel usually shaved religiously, he’d decided to let it go too. CYC and all that.

  They stood in blissful silence, taking in the snow-capped trees soaring toward the blue sky, the Laurentians rising across the lake to the right.

  Daniel had woken to find he’d drawn close to Cole in the night, only a few inches between them on the big bed. Those same inches were all that separated them now, their shoulders almost brushing.

  He still couldn’t believe he’d confessed the truth about Trevor—about himself—to Cole. Maybe he should have been embarrassed to tell those things, but he’d felt…safe. Something about Cole comforted him in a way he didn’t understand. His instincts told him Cole had his back.

  Maybe it was because they’d known each other before, but Daniel had never met anyone he trusted so quickly—not even Trevor. Cole hadn’t judged or ridiculed him. He’d stood by his side for the whole ugly retelling of it. Now the tug toward Cole grew stronger by the minute. Did Cole feel it too, or was he simply being a good friend? Brotherly, even?

  Daniel wished he could text Pam: After being cold and dead inside for six years, I might be coming back to life. Send help.

  He thought about what Cole had said about it being okay to come undone sometimes. That was what it felt like—an unraveling, all his tightly coiled and controlled emotions spilling out in a hot mess. Apparently he was CYCing all over the damn place, whether he liked it or not.

  “What do you want to do first?” Cole asked.

  Daniel took a breath and forced away his crazy thoughts. I’m good. Everything’s fine. I’m still me. I’m in control. He kept his tone light. “Honestly? I know it’s a waste of water, but drain and refill that hot tub.”

  Needing something to do with his hands, he rolled up the sleeves of his black Henley. Before he’d dressed, he’d ridiculously debated between his shirts and which went better with his jeans, as if he was going on some kind of date.

  “After Justin, that water is a biohazard. I’ll allow it. You do that, and I’ll see if I can make some one-handed breakfast. Oh. Maybe we should call Claudia? She’s probably worried if she’s texted with no replies.”

  “Shit! You’re right.” He grabbed the cordless, then paused, looking at the number pad. “I’ll have to get her number from my cell. The only one I know by heart now is my own. And 911.”

  Cole laughed. “Same.”

  Once Daniel had the number, he waited for his mom to pick up. It went to voicemail. “Hey, Mom. It’s me and Cole. We’re calling from the chalet’s landline since we’re not getting any wifi or cell service. We’re good. Cole’s feeling a lot better. Enjoy Mexico. Love you.” He hung up and said to Cole, “Okay, hopefully that’ll hold her and she won’t call back every day to check on us.”

  “I have my doubts, to be honest.”

  Daniel laughed. “Same.”

  Once the hot tub was refilled with the cover back on, the water slowly heating, Daniel joined Cole in the kitchen, the wood cold beneath his bare feet. “What have we got?”

  “Frozen blueberry waffles a previous guest left behind and a desperate need to go grocery shopping. Can you unscrew the maple syrup bottle? I tried, but it’s sticky.” He rubbed at his belly where he’d likely been trying to brace the bottle, then licked the pad of his index finger, his pink tongue darting out.

  When he met Daniel’s gaze, Daniel jerked, realizing he’d been staring.

  “Are you okay?” Cole asked.

  “Uh-huh. Here.” Heart thumping, he came around the island and opened the syrup, busying himself straightening up the kitchen as the waffles toasted.

  “Maybe we could decorate the tree.”

  “Huh? Oh, right.” Daniel had forgotten the fresh Christmas tree standing in the living room. “You want to?”

  “Sure. Why not?” Cole smiled crookedly, jumping a little as the waffles popped up, then blushing.

  Daniel cut Cole’s waffle for him, and they ate while two more toasted. It was all so strangely domestic and should have been uncomfortable and weird, but somehow…wasn’t.

  After breakfast, they opened the boxes of decorations—colorful balls and glittery ornaments of all shapes and sizes. The chalet owners had left a hand-scrawled note on the top box:

  You said you celebrated Christmas, so we thought you’d enjoy a tree with all the trimmings. Happy holidays!

  Cole pulled out strings of neatly stored, colored lights that were wrapped around plastic frames to keep them untangled. “These hosts really thought of everything, huh?”

  “They are getting a five-star review, that’s for sure. Well, aside from the wifi, but maybe that’s for the best.”

  He still experienced a bolt of panic when he thought of not being able to check his work email, but Martin had made it clear everyone was to take a break. Blah, blah, work-life balance.

  Look at me. Balancing like a mofo.

  As Cole attempted to unwrap the lights with his right hand, sticking out his tongue adorably in concentration, Daniel resisted the urge to offer help. Instead he went to the stereo, preemptively turning down the volume knob before pressing power so he didn’t blow the speakers. Fucking Justin. Daniel hadn’t been so glad to see the back of someone since…

  Well, no. Despite how it ended with Trevor, part of Daniel would always love him. He wasn’t sure he ever wanted to see him again, but he couldn’t hate Trevor. Justin, on the other hand… He thought about going back to work in January and groaned.

  “Hmm?” Cole was still intent on the lights, spreading them out on the pine floor.

  “Just thinking that I wish I didn’t have to see Justin again at work. We have an open concept, but at least the designers are on another floor.”

  “I’m just saying, I think a term meeting is in his future.”

  Daniel laughed and poked at the stereo. “He’s not in my group, so it’s not up to me. But yeah, not really looking forward to seeing him again ever.”

  “So, wait—you don’t have an office? It’s all open?”

  “Luckily for me, my VP insisted HR have enclosures since we have to have confidential meetings with staff. The offices are all glass-fronted, but I’ll take them over working in the ball pit.”

  “Ball pit? Like for kids?”

  “People literally sit in there with their laptops. I can’t even.” He pressed another button, and low music sounded. “Ah. The satellite radio works, at least. No cell network or wifi, but I’ll take Sirius.” After hunting around, he tuned it to a holiday station, where Elton John invited them to step into C
hristmas. “Is this too lame?” he asked Cole.

  “Two queers decorating a Christmas tree to Elton John? I think it’s perfect.”

  As they wrapped the lights and hung ornaments, Daniel did too.

  While Cole finished hanging silver foil icicles with painstaking precision, Daniel did a grocery run, and the day somehow passed by in a blink.

  They sprawled on the couch and watched the original X-Men that night by the light of their newly decorated Christmas tree, eating the macaroni and cheese with Panko topping that Daniel had made. He’d figured macaroni would be easy enough for Cole to manage on his own, and he was right.

  The Christmas lights outside matched the tree, glowing blue, green, yellow, red, pink, and orange. Fresh snow drifted down beyond the wide walls of windows, and Daniel stoked the wood fire, managing to keep it going all evening.

  Cole nodded off before the end of the movie, and Daniel considered leaving him on the huge couch with a blanket. But in the end, he gave him a shake, and they shuffled upstairs and into bed.

  It wasn’t until Daniel was almost asleep, Cole breathing deeply beside him, that he realized neither of them had thought of Cole moving to one of the other bedrooms.

  The next morning, Cole was stir crazy and asked to see the village, so they joined the crowd along the main street, a pedestrian thoroughfare jammed with high-end boutiques, restaurants, and various shops. The ski hills rose in the distance, little people zigzagging their way down, the chair lifts ferrying skiers to the top in a constant loop.

  The colorful buildings sandwiched together in Mont-Tremblant were strung with golden Christmas lights that also ran over the street. Bells jingled, a Santa ho-ho-ho-ed and posed for photos with bouncy children, and a caroling group sang “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” dressed in matching red hats and gloves.

  The temperature was just below freezing and the wind calm, so it was perfect weather to stroll along and watch the holiday bustle under a cloudy sky. Daniel kept close to Cole just in case he felt dizzy suddenly.

  No other reason. Nope.

  He pointed at a patch of ice on the sidewalk. “Watch out for that.”

  Cole stepped carefully around it. “Thanks. You know, I probably shouldn’t remind you, but I’m shocked you’re not glued to your phone.”

  Daniel stopped. “Huh. I didn’t even think about it.” He realized he hadn’t the day before either when he’d come for groceries. The only thing on his mind had been getting back to Cole and making him dinner.

  Pulling out his phone, he checked the network. “Yeah, I have three dots.” He hesitated, staring at the screen, which was crowded with notifications. Then he turned it off and resolutely put it back in his pocket.

  Cole whistled softly. “Look at you CYCing.”

  They started walking again, and Daniel said, “Sergeant Becky would be proud.”

  “Sergeant Becky? Seriously? You have got to tell me all about that sometime.” He pointed. “Hey, there’s a little movie theater. And look what’s playing.”

  Daniel’s heart leapt as he spotted the poster in the window of the old-fashioned little cinema. “But you already saw the new Star Wars movie.”

  “I’ll totally see it again! If I doze off, no harm, no foul. Come on, let’s check the times.”

  “You sure you don’t mind?”

  Cole tugged on Daniel’s sleeve. “I’m sure.” He scanned the sign. “It’s on in French right now, but English is in forty-five minutes. Perfect. Let’s go to that chocolate store. We’ll have popcorn and candy for lunch because you know what? We can.”

  Half an hour later, Daniel juggled two large tubs of popcorn—butter layered in the middle as well as on top—and his cola. Cole held his own pop, with the bag from the chocolate shop hooked over his good arm.

  Cole asked, “Where do you like to sit?” They were the first ones in the theater, which only had eight rows, but a nice-sized screen.

  “The back? I hate people kicking my seat.”

  “Oh my God, same.”

  “And there are always too many people in the middle. People are so annoying.”

  “I’d high five you right now if either of us had a spare hand.”

  By the time the lights dimmed for the previews, the theater was only half full, most tourists in town likely still on the slopes. A thwack made Daniel jump, and Cole whispered, “Sorry. Terry’s Chocolate Orange?”

  He unwrapped the foil and passed Daniel a segment. Their fingers met, and Daniel’s breath stuttered before he reined in the wayward burst of want. He shoved the chocolate into his mouth.

  I really am having a nervous breakdown.

  Yet despite his confusion, peace filled him. As the John Williams theme played and the iconic yellow text crawled up the screen, bringing them up to speed on the galactic goings-on, he grinned to himself, happier than he could remember being since the early days with Trevor before it all went to hell.

  That life felt a blessedly long time ago and far, far away. Daniel was here with Cole now, and he didn’t want to be anywhere else.

  “That bitch has got to be hot enough by now,” Cole said. “It’s been more than twenty-four hours.”

  “A hundred degrees. Perfect, according to the guidelines.” Daniel straightened from his crouch by the control panel on the side of the tub. “We can change into our suits and—shit. I didn’t bring mine.” He slapped his forehead. “I’m such a moron. Who rents a house with a hot tub and doesn’t bring their trunks?”

  “Oh. It never crossed my mind. I didn’t really know where you were bringing me, in my defense. And I was recently concussed.” Cole stood by the sliding door into the house. They hadn’t opened the glass doors around the hot tub yet. “I mean… We can just go naked, right?” Cole’s cheeks went rosy as though he’d gone back out in the cold. “It’s only the two of us. But if it’s too weird…”

  “No, it’s fine. Of course.” Yep, it’s fine! Not a problem at all! We’ll just get naked. No big. Pulse racing, Daniel scoffed. “We probably saw each other naked a bunch back in the day.”

  Cole smiled faintly. “A few times, I think.”

  “We need to cover your cast too. Just in case. There are a couple of bathrobes and slippers in the closet in our room that Justin fortunately didn’t find.” Daniel led the way, pausing to make sure Cole was okay on the stairs.

  Everything is fine. Nothing to see here. I am not going to lose it.

  He laid the robes on the bed and stripped down, keeping his gaze firmly on the floor. Belting the soft terrycloth robe around him, Daniel turned to find Cole still in his jeans.

  “I was just thinking we should cover my cast before I put on the robe.” Cole’s cheeks were still awfully red.

  “Good plan.” When Daniel had Cole’s arm encased in the plastic glove to his shoulder, he eased up an elastic band to hold it in place. “And just think, you could examine a cow after.”

  Cole’s laughter puffed across Daniel’s face. “I’ll pass.”

  “Should I get your jeans?”

  Adam’s apple bobbing, Cole nodded. “Thanks.”

  Daniel was only going to pop the button for him since he seemed able to manage the rest, but found himself on his knees, peeling down Cole’s jeans and helping him step out of them. He gazed up to find Cole’s chest rising and falling rapidly.

  Don’t look at his dick. Even though it’s right there, do not look.

  Pushing to his feet, Daniel busied himself while Cole worked down his boxer-briefs and wrapped the robe around his shoulders. Cole asked, “Ready?”

  Not at all sure of the answer, Daniel nodded regardless.

  In the kitchen, he grabbed two plastic wine glasses from a cupboard marked: For hot tub use. In his, he poured merlot; in Cole’s, OJ. He tucked both bottles under his arm in case they wanted refills.

  Cole waited by the sliding glass door. “Thanks. Sorry, I would have taken off the cover, but I don’t know if I can drag it with only one hand.”

  “It’s co
ol. It’s surprisingly heavy. You can get the door though.”

  Cole pulled it back with a flourish, and soon Daniel had stowed the cover, set their drinks in the cup holders, and slid away the far wall, giving them an unimpeded view of the white-capped mountain peaks beyond. The sinking sun glittered like diamonds on the snow of the lake, unbroken but for the odd snowshoe tracks. The wind remained calm.

  “Okay.” Cole eyed the tub. “Let me just…” He kicked off his slippers. “Cold, cold!” After whipping his robe off his shoulders and onto a wall hook, he went to the hot tub and threw a leg over it.

  Naked. Totally naked.

  Daniel really tried not to peek at Cole’s long, uncut dick hanging from a trimmed thatch of dark hair, his balls low.

  He really, really tried.

  Cole held out his good hand to Daniel. “Um, can you…”

  Spurred into action, Daniel took his hand, keeping him steady as he climbed onto the nearest seat, then down into the center of the hot tub.

  They were holding hands, and it was warm and slightly sweaty. Daniel almost didn’t let go when Cole reached the corner seat on the right side of the tub, where he could sit and rest his left arm along the back.

  But he did release Cole’s hand, and his voice was almost normal as he asked, “Okay?”

  “Yep. Think I’m settled.”

  Daniel hung up his own robe, kicked off his slippers, and climbed into the seat in the left corner, sinking under the hot water with an involuntary sigh.

  Cole grinned. “Feels great, huh?”

  “It does.”

  “The view is amazing too.”

  Daniel watched Cole. “It is.”

  As night fell, the Christmas lights around the porch automatically came on, the tree glowing from inside too. There was something absolutely perfect about being in steamy water while the air was frosty and crisp.

  Plus, now that Cole was covered in bubbling water to his chest, his pinkish nipples barely showing in the rhythm of the current, Daniel could relax and stop having inappropriate thoughts.

  In three, two, one…