by Ari McKay
“I hope so too.” Kevin nodded firmly, trying to reassure Erik as much as he could without giving anything away. “Just hang in there. And if you need to talk, you have my number.”
“If it doesn’t go well for whatever reason, yours will be the first shoulder I cry on.” Erik drew a cross over his heart as he regarded Kevin somberly.
Kevin smiled and nodded. “I’m always here for you, Erik, whenever you need me. But now, I probably need to get back to work. Let me know if you want to watch a movie this weekend. I have It’s a Wonderful Life and plenty of popcorn!”
“Sure, that sounds good. Tomorrow night? I’ll bring beer and A Christmas Story. We can make it a double feature.”
“Perfect! See you at six,” he replied, pleased that Erik was willing to come. With a small wave he took himself back to his office. He had a lot to look forward to, it seemed. Now if he could just keep from pouncing on Erik tomorrow night, maybe he’d be the one getting pounced on Christmas Eve.
ON CHRISTMAS Eve, Erik stood outside the restaurant, drawing his coat more closely around himself as he waged an inner battle. His last gift had been a certificate to Aphrodisia, a seafood restaurant that specialized in preparing oysters from the standard fried and stewed dishes to more unique presentations thought up by the imaginative chefs. The casual, welcoming atmosphere of the restaurant made it a favorite among gay and straight couples alike, and this wasn’t the first time Erik had been here on a date.
The certificate had been accompanied by an invitation to meet his admirer at last. Erik had arrived at the appointed time, but now he was having second thoughts. Did he really want to meet his secret admirer? What if it was Jake from accounting? He’d rather spend his Christmas Eve at home alone than endure an evening of the young man’s self-absorbed chatter.
If he were honest with himself, he had to admit he wanted to spend his holidays with Kevin. Their discussions of his last few gifts had unearthed feelings he’d never been consciously aware of before, but now that he was, he couldn’t ignore them. Somewhere along the way, he’d fallen for his best friend, but Kevin didn’t seem to feel the same way about him. He’d tried to provoke Kevin with the naughty gift box in hopes of making him jealous, but Kevin hadn’t shown any sign of dismay or indignation over the thought of Erik taking another man to bed. Erik supposed that meant he might as well give up on Kevin and see what happened with his secret admirer, so he squared his shoulders and entered the restaurant, approaching the maître d’.
“Hi, I’m here to meet Mr. Kringle,” he said smoothly, as if he went on dates with men named after Santa Claus all the time.
The maître d’ smiled and nodded. “Of course, sir. He’s waiting for you. Right this way.”
The front part of the restaurant was fairly crowded, but Erik was led toward the back of the building, where high, semiprivate booths dominated one wall. The maître d’ stopped next to one, leaning over to say something quietly to an occupant Erik couldn’t see. There was a pause, and then a man with a head of sandy blond hair rose from the booth and slowly turned around to face him.
“Hello, Erik.” Kevin greeted him with a somewhat pensive smile. “Merry Christmas.”
Erik felt his jaw drop as he gaped at Kevin, scarcely able to process what was going on. “Kevin? What…? Are you…?”
“Am I your secret admirer? Yes.” Kevin glanced at the maître d’, who smiled and discreetly withdrew. Kevin waited until the man was out of sight before speaking quietly. “I hope you aren’t disappointed that it’s just me. If you want to leave now, I understand.”
“Just you?”
For all his eloquence in the courtroom, Erik couldn’t find the words to convey exactly how happy he was to learn his clever, playful secret admirer was actually his best friend with whom he had so much in common, both personally and professionally. He felt as if he’d been handed the best of both worlds, and he wanted nothing more than to convince Kevin that he wasn’t disappointed in the least.
He decided this was the time for actions to speak louder than words, so he closed the distance between them, framed Kevin’s face between his hands, and claimed Kevin’s lips as his own at last.
Kevin gasped in surprise, but then he wrapped his arms around Erik’s waist and pressed closer, parting his lips in invitation. Erik didn’t hesitate to deepen the kiss, wanting to explore Kevin’s mouth and familiarize himself with the taste and feel until he couldn’t possibly forget it ever again. He slid one hand to cradle the back of Kevin’s head so he could angle Kevin just right and take control of the kiss completely.
The sound of cheers and clapping finally broke through the sensual fog, and Kevin broke away from the kiss, blushing crimson. “I suppose we should sit down,” he murmured, looking up at Erik with a smile. “I probably owe you a few explanations.”
Erik felt as if he was in a daze, but he shook it off, reminding himself they were in public and had an audience. He waved to the other patrons before he slid into the booth and waited for Kevin to join him.
“Yes, I think you do,” he agreed. “Why the elaborate game, Kev? Why didn’t you just tell me?”
For a moment Kevin was silent, and then he gave Erik a rueful smile. “Because we work so well together, and you’re totally out of my league. I knew you’d probably let me down gently, but it would change things between us, and I didn’t want to lose the part of you I had.”
Erik understood that line of reasoning. “So you thought this secret-admirer game would let you test the waters?”
“In a way. I thought perhaps it would either make you look around and notice me, or it would give me the courage to tell you how I felt.” Kevin’s expression turned pensive again. “I want you to know I don’t expect anything from you in return. It made me happy to see the game made you happy.”
“Kevin.” Erik gave him a long, measured look across the table. “Use your research skills. I’m sitting here with you. I didn’t yell at you or storm out. I grabbed you and kissed you. What do you think would make me happy at this point?”
Kevin smiled sheepishly. “I hope taking me to bed, with or without the toys, would do it. But a good attorney doesn’t make assumptions. I just don’t want you to feel obligated.”
Erik shook his head vehemently. “I didn’t stay out of obligation. I sure as hell didn’t kiss you out of obligation! If I take you to bed, it won’t be my way of saying ‘thanks for the gifts.’ It’ll be because I want to see you writhing and begging under me, out of your head with need.”
Kevin’s eyes widened, and Erik could see he was breathing faster. “If that’s what you want to see, I doubt it will be a problem. I’ve been longing to give you exactly that for years.”
“I’ve been a little slower on the uptake,” Erik said, reaching across the table to squeeze Kevin’s hand. “But this game of yours opened my eyes and made me see what I really want, and that’s you. In and out of the office.”
Kevin turned his hand over and laced their fingers together, his blue eyes alight with happiness. “Then you’ve given me the best Christmas present I’ve ever had.”
“It’s mutual, believe me.” Erik smiled to see Kevin’s happiness, and he silently vowed to do everything possible to make it last for the rest of their lives. “At least this explains why I wasn’t able to make you jealous over the naughty gifts,” he added, laughing.
“You were trying to make me jealous?” Kevin seemed surprised by the notion, but then he chuckled. “Actually, what gave me real hope was when you seemed to be jealous when I mentioned I was interested in someone. I almost gave myself away completely.”
“I was jealous.” Erik didn’t mind admitting how he’d felt if it helped bolster Kevin’s self-confidence. “I think that was the turning point, actually. I realized I didn’t like thinking about you with someone who isn’t me, and I started having second thoughts about getting involved with my secret admirer. But you didn’t seem to mind when I talked about what I might do with those toys, so I figured y
ou didn’t share my interest.”
“I could hardly be jealous. I was too busy being turned on!” Kevin squeezed Erik’s hand again. “Our little game did a lot for me too. When you said you liked your admirer’s style and thought you had a lot in common, it helped to spur me on to things I would never have imagined myself doing. You bring out the best in me, you know. No one has ever made me feel as good about myself as you have. At first, I wasn’t certain I could go through with telling you how I feel, but by the end of last week, I knew I had to do it. Because if there was any chance of us being together, it was worth any risk I had to take.”
“I’m glad you did,” Erik replied, smiling warmly. “I’m glad you started the secret-admirer game and that it helped you push your own envelope. It’s a gamble that paid off for both of us.”
“Oh, yes.” Kevin licked his lips. “Speaking of payoff, I asked the waitress to hold off until I called her over so we could talk. Do you want dinner, or could I entice you into letting me give you your twelfth gift?”
Erik raised his eyebrows questioningly, thinking that sounded rather promising. “Does the twelfth gift involve you being naked in my bed while I experiment with some of the gifts you gave me?”
“Your bed, or my bed, or I even reserved a hotel room, if you want something completely different.” Kevin’s voice was husky. “I don’t care where we go as long as I’m with you and I can finally show you exactly how I feel about you.”
“You really did think of everything.” Erik shook his head, feeling a newfound respect for Kevin’s meticulous attention to detail. “Let’s go back to my place. I’ve got all the toys ready and waiting, and there’s beer in the fridge. I’ve also got a small turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy—the whole holiday works. I was saving it for tomorrow, but nothing says we can’t dig in tonight if we work up an appetite.”
“The only thing I’m hungry for at the moment is you.” Kevin rose eagerly from the booth. “Let me leave a tip for our long-suffering waitress.” He grinned as he pulled out his wallet. “Although, to be honest, I told her I’d hoped this would happen.”
Erik laughed as he slid out of the booth and stood up, and he pitched in a twenty toward Kevin’s generous tip. It was Christmas, after all, and he wanted everyone to share in his holiday cheer this year. “Then she should understand why we aren’t staying for the food, as wonderful as it is.”
“Oh, yes.” Kevin took Erik’s hand. “We’ll be back, after we sate certain other appetites.”
Twining their fingers, Erik led Kevin to the exit amid more cheers from the other patrons, but he was focused on the man by his side. He couldn’t wait to get home and unwrap his last—and best—gift, one that would keep on giving the whole year through.
BY THE time they reached Erik’s apartment, Kevin was convinced he’d died and gone to heaven.
The taxi ride hadn’t taken long, but it had been sufficient time for Erik to kiss him into a state of mindless pleasure. Kevin was addicted to Erik’s lips already, to the way Erik plundered his mouth and made him weak with need. Kevin was no blushing virgin, but no one he’d been with before had aroused him as quickly and easily as Erik did. He hoped he was giving Erik as much pleasure as Erik was giving him.
The taxi driver saw them out with a knowing smirk, but Kevin didn’t care enough to be embarrassed. After years of longing, he was finally getting his fondest wish, and he was determined to enjoy every moment of it.
As they rode up in the elevator, Kevin pressed against Erik, smiling up at him. “You know, I’ve had more than a couple of fantasies about your bedroom. And I don’t even know what it looks like.”
Erik slid his arm around Kevin’s waist and held him close. “As much as I might be tempted to claim it’s like something out of a sultan’s seraglio or a fetish playroom, it’s pretty much like the rest of the place: IKEA furniture and dark colors.”
They got off on the twelfth floor, and Erik had his key out and ready to let them in when they reached his door. Once they were inside, he grabbed Kevin’s hand and hustled him to the bedroom without hesitation, pausing just long enough to make a sweeping gesture around the room, which was neat and uncluttered. The furniture had clean lines, and there was minimal decoration beyond photos of family and friends and what looked like a few personal mementos from various trips.
“See?” Erik’s grin turned playful as he led Kevin over to the nightstand and showed him the massage oil, body paint, cuffs, condoms, lube, and even the dildo neatly arranged on top. “But I guarantee you won’t be bored in here.”
“I couldn’t be bored even if the only things in here were you, me, and the floor.” Wrapping his arms around Erik, Kevin gave him a questioning look. “Are you really as much of a top as you were leading me to believe? Because I assure you I’m more than willing for you to take charge and have your wicked way with me. With or without the toys.”
“Yes, I am,” Erik replied, sliding his hands beneath Kevin’s red cabled sweater and easing it up. “I’m also happy to enact the plan I told you about or leave the toys for round two. This is your Christmas present as much as it is mine.”
“This is the best Christmas ever.” Kevin lifted his arms as Erik stripped off his sweater, and then he stepped out of his shoes and kicked them away, more than eager for Erik’s touch on his bare skin. He tugged at Erik’s sweater. “So do I get to unwrap my present too?”
Erik pulled off his shoes and socks and tossed them aside as well. Then he held up his arms, smiling invitingly at Kevin. “Unwrap whatever you want! I promise there’s a nice package waiting just for you.”
Kevin needed no further invitation. He lifted Erik’s sweater up and off before getting to work on the buttons of Erik’s white shirt. He’d seen Erik’s bare chest before, since they worked out together, but now he was allowed to touch as well.
He unfastened the first two buttons and leaned in to press his lips to the tantalizingly exposed skin. Another button, and he bent his head to bestow another kiss. He made his way down Erik’s body and dropped to his knees when he reached the last button. He stroked lightly over the bulge in Erik’s trousers and glanced up, grinning wickedly. “My, this package is larger than I thought.”
“Well, why don’t you unwrap it and find out exactly how big?” Erik cocked his hip and leered playfully at him.
“I do believe I will.” While he was quiet and reserved most of the time, Kevin felt positively wanton thanks to Erik’s obvious desire for him. He unfastened Erik’s belt and the button of his trousers, and then he slid down the zipper before pushing the trousers down. Erik was wearing the green boxers, and Kevin chuckled. “How appropriate, since I’m about to jingle your bells.”
Erik laughed and stroked his fingers gently through Kevin’s hair. “Jingle away, but not too much if you want me pin you down and fuck you senseless.”
“I do want that. More than anything,” Kevin murmured, giving Erik a heated glance. But he also wanted to touch and taste what he’d dreamed about. He pushed down the silk boxers, allowing Erik’s cock to spring free. Entranced at the sight, he licked his lips. “Mmm… big and beautiful.”
He leaned in and pressed his lips to the flushed tip. Then he curled his fingers around the thick shaft and drew Erik’s cock into his mouth.
Erik gasped and tightened his fingers on the back of Kevin’s head, holding him securely. “Feels good, Kev. Now I’m thinking about you doing this to me under my desk!”
Kevin pulled back and grinned mischievously. “I’ve thought about that myself.” He slowly dragged his tongue along the underside of Erik’s cock. “Maybe now I’ll actually do it.”
“Yes.” Erik’s vehement groan made his enthusiasm for the idea clear.
Kevin took Erik’s cock into his mouth again, savoring the salty, musky taste, moaning deep in his throat as he thought about how wicked it would be to bring Erik off in the office. He’d never imagined he’d be able to make his naughty fantasy a reality, but now he was more than eager to try.
Erik echoed his moans and stroked the back of his head as if to encourage him, and he could feel Erik’s body growing tense as arousal and need built.
It was so tempting to drive Erik over the edge, to make him lose control, but Kevin wanted more. He wanted to feel Erik claiming his body and to hold Erik in his arms as they were both overcome, so he reluctantly stopped and released Erik’s cock with another affectionate kiss before grinning up at him. “You’re my new favorite flavor. Don’t be surprised at how hungry that makes me.”
“That’s fine with me,” Erik replied as he finished stripping off his trousers and boxers, standing unselfconsciously naked. “I’ll bet I can work up a pretty good appetite myself.”
Erik was beautiful, and Kevin feasted his eyes on every inch of Erik’s body as he rose to his feet. He trailed his fingers over Erik’s skin, savoring the silken warmth, and circled around Erik’s nipples to see if he liked it. “I’m starving,” he admitted. “And only you can fill me.”
Erik shivered at the touch, showing his pleasure without inhibition, and reached out to tug at the hem of Kevin’s white turtleneck. “I will, but you need to get undressed, and I want to watch you.”
With a grin, Erik backed away and climbed onto the bed. He reclined against the pillows with the air of a sultan. “You may begin,” he drawled, waving his hand imperiously. “If you please me, I’ll give you what you want.”
With more self-confidence than he’d ever felt before, Kevin began a slow striptease. He knew he wasn’t as gorgeous as Erik, but Erik wanted him, and it was an intoxicating feeling. He stripped off his turtleneck and unfastened his belt, rolling his hips with a wicked smile before lowering the zipper. He let the pleated trousers fall to the floor and stepped out of them, clad only in a pair of red silk boxers. He slowly turned and looked at Erik over his shoulder, letting Erik get a good look at the “Ho Ho Ho” emblazoned across the tail of the boxers.
