“Once, when we were around five or six, the neighbor’s house caught fire in the middle of the night. Several fire trucks and police cars showed up, sirens blaring, and my parents and I watched out the window. But Sleeping Beauty back there slept through the whole thing.” Kris chuckled. “She’s always been like that. She’ll sleep the whole car ride if we let her.”
“Guess it’s just you and me then.”
“I’m okay with that.” A slow grin spread across Kris’s face. “Are you okay with that?” he asked, his voice dropping to a near whisper.
Heat spread through Joe as he swallowed hard, trying to focus on his driving rather than his hardening dick. The car suddenly felt smaller and Joe shifted uncomfortably. He gave a sideways glance at Kris, and his breath caught at the intensity in those hazel eyes staring back. There was no way he was imagining the strong mutual attraction.
“Yeah, Kris,” he finally answered, his voice thick. “I’m really good with that.”
Kris grabbed his charger from his pocket. “My phone’s almost dead. Do you mind?” he asked, gesturing.
“No, not at all.” Joe unplugged his own phone. The music switched to the radio as soon as he pulled out the cord.
“I’ll put on some music,” Kris promised as he plugged in.
Soon, Walk the Moon started playing again.
Joe turned onto the highway. “Okay, here we go. Almost six hours of highway.”
“We’ll make it fun,” Kris promised as he carded his fingers through his blond hair.
“Yeah? Got any ideas?”
Kris glanced away for a minute before turning back and pinning Joe with his gaze. “I’ve got lots of ideas, but not many that can be done with an audience.”
Joe almost moaned out loud, heat spreading across his face. “You teasing me?”
Kris shifted closer in his seat and squeezed Joe’s thigh. “Now, why would I tease you?”
Joe’s thigh burned from Kris’s touch, and he unconsciously canted his hips. His mouth felt dry and he wasn’t sure how much farther he should let Kris go with this.
But Kris pulled back and smiled. “So, my uncle married your mom?”
Joe’s head spun at the sudden change of topic, but at least it gave him a chance to cool off. “Right after Thanksgiving,” he muttered, still irritated about the whole thing.
“Whoa. I take it you aren’t happy about it?”
Damn. Now he was screwed. Kris would tell his uncle that Joe was less than thrilled, who in turn would tell his mom, then he’d get the lecture of his life. He pressed his lips together, trying to come up with an answer that didn’t make him sound like an ass.
Kris quietly watched out the window.
A moment later, Joe finally sighed, giving up. “Look, it’s not that I don’t like your uncle. I just don’t think my mom is thinking rationally. She never dates, and then pow—she’s married? Just like that. It’s weird.”
Kris leveled his gaze at Joe, his mouth twisting. “Hey, I get it.” He turned back to the window, watching the snow-covered plains pass by. “Why do you think my sister and I were going to be stuck at school for break?”
“My mom said your dad had to be out of town. Is it work?”
Kris chuckled. “Unless you count taking a woman half his age on a two-week cruise ‘work.’”
“Shit. That’s…well, that sucks. He didn’t ask you guys?”
Kris snorted. “Ask us? He never asks us. This is pretty much par for the course.” He shrugged. “Ever since our mom died almost six years ago, he’s dated one slut after another.”
Joe choked back a gasp.
“Sorry. Shouldn’t call them all sluts. There’ve been a few nice ones. But all of them, seriously—all of them—have been thin, blonde, and young. Actually, they keep getting younger and younger. And every Christmas, he takes a new one on a cruise.”
“Fuck. That’s tough.”
“It is what it is. Then when I came out to him a couple of years ago, he suddenly started having ‘something else to do’ on spring break, too.”
Ouch. That had to hurt. “How does Karen get along with him?”
“She feels the same as I do. We watched him cheat on our mom, over and over. When she left him, we were so happy for her. Happy for our whole family.”
Joe drove in silence for a few minutes, his eyes trained on the road. He wasn’t sure what to say.
“Hey, I don’t want you to feel sorry for me, Joe,” Kris said, breaking the silence. “My uncle is awesome, though. Hard to believe he and my dad are brothers.”
“Yeah, he seemed nice.”
“But?”
Joe sighed. “Again, it just seemed quick. I mean, they’d only dated about six weeks.”
Kris smiled. “My uncle never married. At least until now. It must really be love.”
Joe wondered about that. Maybe he was being unfair. After all, his mother had given him everything. Who was he to tell her she didn’t deserve a shot at happiness? Fuck. Now he really felt like an ass.
“You okay?”
“Yeah,” he whispered, exhaling. “Just realizing I haven’t been fair to my mom.” Kris patted his leg again. “We all make mistakes,” he said, his hand trailing up Joe’s thigh.
Joe tensed, and his cock pressed against his zipper. Only when Kris pulled away and leaned back into his seat did Joe let himself breathe again. He turned up the stereo, wanting to get lost in the music and the road ahead for a little while. Kris didn’t protest, so Joe turned it up another notch and put more pressure on the gas pedal.
Silence blanketed them, but it didn’t feel awkward or uncomfortable. Joe kept his eyes on the road, and for the first time since Thanksgiving, felt better about his mom and Michael.
Chapter 3
The next couple of hours flew by as Joe and Kris made small talk, getting to know each other. Conversation flowed easily and it turned out they had a lot more in common than liking the same band. Both were into football, shared a love of Mexican food, and they even knew some of the same people at school.
Joe shook his head. His mom had been right—he was surprised they hadn’t run into each other before.
“Maybe we’ve seen each other on campus or at a party and we just don’t remember,” Kris posed.
“There’s no way I would forget you.” When he realized what he’d said, his face heated, the warmth spreading down his neck. His shyness overcame him and he couldn’t bring himself to look at Kris.
He stared out the windshield as a moment of silence stretched between them. The last remnants of sunshine disappeared behind the horizon and the darkened sky seemed to open up in front of him. The number of twinkling stars amazed him.
“That was the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me,” Kris whispered, touching Joe’s shoulder.
Joe glanced at Kris, the corners of his mouth turning up in a small smile.
Kris squeezed his shoulder. “I wouldn’t forget you, either.”
Joe bit back a grin as he spied a sign for a restaurant. “You hungry?”
“Starving.” Kris pulled away his hand and rubbed it in large circles on his belly.
Joe laughed. “Well, then, we’d better get you fed. Let’s grab something at the next exit.”
“Great idea. Karen’ll sleep through it, but she’ll be pissed if I don’t wake her and check.”
* * * *
A few minutes later, Joe pulled into the parking lot of a large diner that had definitely seen better days. The dilapidated building had siding panels that looked to be haphazardly nailed up, with some completely missing. He parked and turned off the engine before stepping out and stretching his legs. Kris woke Karen, who joined them.
The smell of greasy burgers rolled over Joe as he stepped inside, and his stomach growled. He was hungrier than he’d thought.
They decided to first take a bathroom break, finding the lone unisex bathroom currently occupied. Kris offered to grab a booth and order them sodas.
“So,”
Karen said, leaning against the wall, “you like my brother?”
Joe froze, not expecting the question. He pasted a smile on his face. “He seems like a really great guy.”
Karen smirked. “No, I mean do you like my brother?”
He felt the damn heat return to his cheeks and also leaned against the wall.
Karen laughed. “I could see it the minute you guys looked at each other. Be nice to him. He’s had his heart broken.”
Joe nodded, understanding more than he was willing to admit at that moment.
A young woman stepped out of the bathroom and made her way to the front of the diner.
Just before Karen entered the bathroom, she placed her hand over Joe’s heart. “I have a feeling you’ve been through something, too. Kris is a good man with a good heart.”
Joe smiled. “I can tell that already.”
She smiled in reply.
A few minutes later, once Joe had also taken his turn, he exited the restroom and met Kris in the hallway.
Joe squeezed his arm. “You’ve turned a really shitty day into a great one.”
Kris beamed. “Glad I could help. I’ll see you at the booth in a minute.”
Joe strode to the table, wondering at the tingling in his belly. Yes, he definitely felt the heat between him and Kris. But also something else. Something different that he couldn’t identify. Something he had never felt for Danny.
He slid into the booth across from Karen.
“I’m ordering pancakes,” she announced. “Blueberry. Yum!”
He’d never really liked the whole breakfast-for-dinner thing, but to each his own. He perused a menu, his gaze landing on the daily special—grilled ham and Swiss.
Kris arrived and slid into the booth next to his sister, directly across from Joe.
“Hurry up and pick something,” she ordered. “We’ve already made up our minds.”
Kris opted for chocolate chip pancakes and sausage, and within a short time, they were all digging in.
Joe took a bite and flavor exploded on his tongue. Damn! This was the best sandwich of his life. How the hell could that happen at an old ramshackle diner?
Kris, as if he could read Joe’s mind, said, “Sometimes you can find the most delicious food at these out-of-the-way diners. A documentary on the Food Network showed someone hitting up all these unknown diners across the country and he said most of them had better food than in four-star restaurants.” He smiled as he cut up his pancakes. “Although, he admitted that almost none of it was healthy food.”
Joe laughed and had to agree. The toasted bread on his sandwich had probably been marinated in butter. The cheese was rich and thick and perfect. He grabbed a french fry and took a bite. Oh, yeah. Greasy and salty. Perfect again.
The food was great, and the conversation flowed, but they didn’t linger long, preferring to get back on the road. Joe grabbed cookies and another few sodas for the road at the check-out. He didn’t want to stop again.
Once they settled in the car, Karen put on her headphones and promptly resumed her position from earlier.
Joe chuckled. “You weren’t kidding, were you? She really can sleep anywhere.”
Kris laughed. “I told you.”
“Oh, crap.” Joe dug into his pocket. “I left my wallet inside. Be right back.”
“Okay.”
Thankfully, the waitress was on her way out the door to give him this wallet. When he backtracked to the car, he saw Kris outside, leaning against the driver’s door.
Desire unfurled in his belly, twisting and sliding through his body, until his dick grew rock-hard. He stepped closer to Kris, only inches away.
Kris looked up at him through long lashes and heavy-lidded eyes. He licked his lips and cupped Joe’s cheek. Joe leaned into the hand, the skin-to-skin contact overwhelming, and his body tingled.
He closed the gap between them, pressing his body against Kris’s. His lips crashed down, taking possession just as Kris gasped. Unable to control himself, Joe slid his hand up the man’s side, reveling in the tight body, then gripped the back of his neck and let his fingers stroke that silky hair.
Kris’s arms encircled his waist and he pressed closer, letting Joe feel just how much he wanted him. Kris rolled his hips into him. Soon, their tongues danced, swept up in the taste of each other.
Joe cupped Kris’s ass, eliciting a long moan from him. “You like that?” He moved his lips across Kris’s cheek, placing hot, wet kisses along his jawline and down his neck.
Kris moaned. God, he felt so good in Joe’s hands. He wanted to feel his bare skin.
“Fuck.” He pulled back and stared at Kris. Lips swollen, face flushed, hair messy. He was beautiful. “I bet you’re gorgeous when you come. I bet your skin gets flushed everywhere.” Joe kissed him softly. “I’d love to see you lose control in my arms.”
“I knew it would be like this with you,” Kris whispered, his breath floating in the cold, winter air.
“Like what?”
“Perfect.” He squeezed Joe’s biceps. “That was the best kiss of my life.” He scanned the nearly empty parking lot. “I want more.”
“Oh, God, so do I. So much more. I want…” He knew he was moving too fast.
“What, Joe? What do you want?”
He stared at the man in his arms. “I don’t know what I’m trying to say. It’s like you’re in my blood. I can feel the sizzle in my veins when I touch you.”
Kris’s eyes widened. “I feel it, too. I need to be with you.”
Something inside Joe shifted. Something primal. Possessive. “Shit! If you keep talking like this, I’ll take you right here.” He pulled away and tried to regain composure. Had he ever nearly fucked a guy in a parking lot before? “We need to get back on the road,” he said, his voice thick with passion.
Kris smiled. “Anything you want, Joe.”
Joe’s dick nearly burst. Did Kris know that what Joe really wanted was to bend the man over the hood and make him cry out his name? But they had several more hours on the highway. And, of course, they were in a public parking lot with Karen sleeping in the back seat. Not exactly the most romantic and private environment. How the hell would he make it through this drive, he wondered, as they settled into the car.
Soon, Joe returned to the highway and put the music on low in case Kris wanted to keep talking. He yearned to grab Kris’s hand, but something held him back. Was it because of Danny? Just this morning, he’d been upset to see Danny with Jamie and hear about their wedding plans. Hell, he’d been moping around all semester, sure his heart had broken and he’d never find love again.
He drove into the night, his mind on the day’s events. The darkness was comforting and he was happy to see they had the highway almost to themselves. He glanced at Kris, now focused on his phone.
God, he was beautiful. Joe knew that might not be the first term most people would use. Maybe “cute”? “Handsome”? He tested those in his mind, but kept coming back to “beautiful.” Kris had the kind of beauty that seemed to radiate from the inside. He had delicate features, but strength emanated from him, lighting his eyes when he spoke. Joe’s fingers itched to trace Kris’s skin, his sharp and angular jawline. Something about the guy made him want to wrap himself around him and not let go.
But were his desires toward Kris only a response to feeling rejected by Danny? His feelings swirled around, never touching on one thing. His thoughts felt scattered, but his body had no problem staying the course. It wanted Kris. His cock throbbed painfully against his zipper.
He adjusted himself in the seat, but swore he saw Kris’s mouth turn up in a small smile. He bit back his embarrassment and stared at the road ahead.
Kris continued messing with his phone and silence enveloped them. Once again, it felt comfortable, but Joe’s thoughts kept returning to that one hot kiss.
Sweetest kiss of his life. Hands down. Joe ran his tongue along his lips, searching for any lingering taste of Kris.
“How much
longer?”
Joe jumped a little in his seat.
“Whoa, sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you,” Kris said, clearly stifling a laugh.
“You didn’t…okay, you did, but it’s okay. I was sort of lost in my head.” He chuckled. “Um, I’d say we have about another hour at this pace.”
“Sounds good. Not to sound completely lame, but I’m exhausted.”
“I can turn down the music even more if you want. Go ahead and take a nap. I’ll wake you when we get there.”
“You sure? You don’t need me to keep you awake? A long drive can be hard.”
“No problem. Seriously, I’m fine. Wide awake.”
Kris grinned and fidgeted with his seat until he found a satisfying position.
“Sweet dreams,” Joe whispered.
“Oh, no worries there. I know exactly what I’m going to dream of.”
Heat washed over Joe. Just a few words and his body felt on fire, burning for the man next to him. He moaned, not caring if anyone heard.
Kris chuckled. Oh, yeah, he had definitely heard.
The rest of the drive would be difficult. A hot, sexy guy asleep in his car, just inches away—and that hot, sexy guy hadn’t held back about his mutual attraction. It almost seemed too much to handle.
Joe wanted to reach home quickly, and yet he didn’t. Of course, a litany of scenarios played out in his mind, all of which ended with his mother and Michael finding Joe naked with Kris. Yeah, that wasn’t going to happen.
Joe groaned inwardly and punched the gas pedal. He may not be sure what he wanted to happen, but he needed to get home and have some private time in a locked bathroom.
Chapter 4
“We’ll be there in about ten minutes,” he whispered into his phone. “No, everything is fine, Mom. Kris and Karen are sleeping. I just don’t want to wake them. Be there in a few. Love you.”
He slid his phone into his pocket and turned off the highway, into the small suburb where he’d grown up. Everywhere he looked, small white lights dotted the barren trees, creating an enchanting scene. The city always went all out for Christmas, and he loved it.
Joe took a left on Park, then a right on Madison. When his subdivision came in sight, he grinned, glad to be home. So what if he’d missed the party? And Danny be damned. Joe was home for the holidays and he had someone who he planned on getting to know very well.
Home for Christmas Page 2
