by Sue Brown
“You feel so good,” he muttered as they drew back for breath.
“It’s all you,” Angel told him, and yes, that did a lot to restore his ego after the mauling Adam had inflicted on it.
“Take me to bed,” Noel said, desperate to push away any sad thoughts.
Angel narrowed his eyes. “Are you all right?”
“Adam once told me I couldn’t kiss and I was crap in bed,” Noel confessed. “He apologized afterward, but I’ve never forgotten it.”
“He wanted to hurt you,” Angel said softly as he cupped Noel’s cheek. Noel leaned into the touch. “He was cruel and mean, but you don’t have to believe him.”
Noel sighed. “What if he was right? I don’t want to disappoint you.”
That growl again, and Angel fixed him with his gold-green gaze. “I don’t know why Adam walked away, but it has nothing to do with you, Noel. What’s going on in Adam’s head is down to him, no one else.” He pulled Noel closer. “Sweetheart, you must believe me.”
Noel dropped his head on Angel’s shoulder, breathed deeply, and tried to calm his nerves. He hated that Adam had done such a number on him that it interfered with his precious time with Angel.
“Let me show you?” Angel pleaded.
Noel raised his head and stared into Angel’s eyes. He saw only honesty there. “You’ll tell me, right?”
No guy wanted to know he was lousy in the sack, but honesty had become more important than ego boosting.
Angel gave him a wry smile. “I’ll tell you. When you’re buried deep inside me. I’ll tell you what an amazing man you are, in and out of bed.”
Noel shivered. He wanted to be balls deep inside Angel right away. He maneuvered them both until Angel was against the bed, and then he pushed Angel down. Angel fell back onto the mattress with an “Oof,” and Noel studied him from head to toe. Angel shivered.
“You like me looking at you.”
Angel propped himself up on his elbows. “I do.”
“I like looking at you.”
“Now quit looking and come fuck me.”
It was an order Noel couldn’t refuse.
He leaned over Angel and was about to climb on the bed when he remembered something. “Lube and condoms.”
“I put them on the nightstand,” Angel said.
Noel looked up, and sure enough, they were there. He’d been so busy looking at Angel, he hadn’t noticed. “I love you so much.”
There was a sudden hush between them, and Noel chewed on his bottom lip as he realized what he’d said.
Angel licked his lips. Then he lunged up to pull Noel down on top of him. “Do you mean it?”
Noel knew Angel wasn’t asking about being prepared. “I mean it.”
“Good. Because I love you and I intend to keep you.” Angel grabbed his face roughly and kissed him until Noel’s lungs were burning.
Their cocks rubbed together in a delicious dance that sent shock waves through Noel’s body. He tangled one hand in Angel’s soft curls and with the other hand stroked down Angel’s lean body, bypassing his hard, leaking dick to stroke along the sensitive skin behind his balls. Angel arched his back and pressed into Noel’s touch. Noel brushed his lips over Angel’s and then reached over Angel to grab the lube and condoms.
Angel sighed as Noel rimmed his hole with a slick finger. “Feels good,” he murmured.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” Angel breathed out.
Noel pressed in a fingertip. “You feel good too.”
He took his time to prepare Angel, despite Angel’s protestations that he didn’t need to be treated like a virgin. Noel kissed him to shut him up and carried on. By the time Noel rolled the condom down his shaft, Angel was a sweaty, languorous mess, his hands crossed above his head. Noel lifted Angel’s legs over his shoulders and kissed Angel’s hole with the tip of his cock. He pressed in slowly, stretching Angel despite the preparation. Angel breathed out, and then Noel was seated, his cock enveloped root to tip by Angel’s tight channel.
“He was wrong,” Angel whispered. “Silly man.”
Noel smiled at him. “Yes, he is.” His heart filled with an emotion only Angel provoked in him—happiness. In the midst of their lovemaking, Noel realized how happy he was.
He began to move without taking his eyes off Angel, and Angel fixed his gaze and smile on Noel. Their rhythm rose and fell, rose and fell, until Noel needed more. He wrapped a hand around Angel’s cock and jacked him until Angel arched, yelled out, and spurted his release over his belly and Noel’s fingers. Then Noel’s need took over and he fucked Angel until his own climax arrived like taking a high dive into an ice-cold lake. He shuddered through the aftershocks until he lay sated and content over Angel.
“You’re heavy,” Angel grumbled as he heaved Noel onto his back.
“You’ve killed me,” Noel gasped.
Angel grinned at him. “You’re welcome.”
He rolled out of bed and padded into the bathroom while Noel sprawled out, panting, and stared wide-eyed at the ceiling. Angel returned and gently cleaned Noel with a washcloth. Then he climbed into bed and wrapped himself around Noel.
Noel managed a satisfied noise before he enclosed his lover in an embrace. Angel’s leg slipped between his, and his hand rested over Noel’s heart.
“We should shower,” Noel murmured. They were both a little rank, but he didn’t want to move.
“We should sleep,” Angel said sleepily. “I just want to sleep in your arms.”
Angel was right. Showering could wait. He closed his eyes, kissed the top of Angel’s head, and fell asleep to the soft snores and little puffs of air across his chest.
Chapter 17—Day 7
home day morning
NOEL NEEDED to use the bathroom. He tried to ignore it and go back to sleep, but it was no use. His bladder was making its presence known. He sighed and went to roll out of bed. At least, that’s what he tried to do. But something solid stopped him. He was pinned to the bed by something heavy and also tickling his nose. That was odd. He opened one eye to see blond hair across his face. Who was—? Oh. Angel was still sprawled across him in much the same position they’d been in when they went to sleep, only now his face was buried in the crook of Noel’s neck and his hair spread across Noel’s face. Noel wriggled his nose and tried to get away from the blond curls, but they were determined to attack him. If he didn’t move soon, he was going to sneeze. He pushed the hair to one side and wriggled from underneath Angel, who grumbled and tried to hold on to him. It was cute, and Noel grinned at him, but nature called.
Angel grabbed Noel’s pillow, cuddled it, and fell back to sleep with a contented sigh. Noel got out of bed, stretched, and grimaced as the matted hairs on his belly tugged painfully. He should have had that shower. He was going to have to scrub his belly to get rid of the dried-on semen. Perhaps Angel would offer to do it for him. Noel spent a few minutes thinking how much he’d like that, but Angel was asleep and Noel was itchy. He sniffed his armpit and wrinkled his nose. And rank. Seriously rank. That made up his mind. A minute later he was under the shower, sighing with pleasure when the hot stream of water gushed over him.
“You should’ve woken me,” Angel said as he slipped in beside him.
“You were asleep,” Noel said. He couldn’t resist wrapping his arms around Angel and pulling him closer.
Angel hummed, closed his eyes, and tilted his head to let the water stream over his face. Noel couldn’t take his eyes off him.
“You’re staring,” Angel murmured.
“I am,” Noel agreed. “Have you seen you? I can’t look away.”
It was worth the sappy comment to see the smile on Angel’s face as Angel pressed into him and sighed. “I never thought Christmas would turn out like this.”
Noel reached over and picked up the shampoo while he thought of what to say. He squirted some into his hands and massaged it into Angel’s hair. Angel pressed into the touch. “I… had different expectations,” Noel final
ly managed.
“I know you did.” Angel’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“But you make me happier than I ever expected.”
Angel looked up to catch his gaze. “You mean that?”
“I mean it,” Noel agreed.
He wasn’t sure who was first to move, but their arms were around each other and they kissed, tongues dueling, until oxygen was essential and not just an afterthought.
“Let’s go back to bed,” Angel suggested.
“After a wash.” Noel pointed at his encrusted belly hair. “Between this and my pits, I need scrubbing down.”
“Good point.”
Noel got what he’d originally wanted. They washed each other, and Angel spent extra time on Noel because, as Angel said, he was hairier. Noel agreed because grumbling about Angel’s hands over him was just stupid.
They were dry-ish as they made their way to the bed, and Noel guided Angel as they kissed each other. Angel really liked kissing. Noel was just ready to tumble Angel down onto the bed when there was a knock at the door.
They stared at each other, eyes widening, and then Noel called, “Yes?”
It probably sounded more whiny than he intended, because dammit, he wanted to fuck.
“Noel?”
Noel rolled his eyes at Angel, who giggled. Who did Charlie expect it to be?
“Yes,” he said.
“Uh…. Maria’s here with the baby. She’d like to say hello to you before they leave.”
Angel shot up and smacked his head against Noel’s shoulder.
“Ow,” Noel yelled.
“Fuck!” Angel held his head in his hands and breathed deeply.
“Are you guys all right?”
The handle jiggled, but Noel had locked it the night before.
“We’re fine,” Noel managed as he clutched his shoulder. “We’ll be out in five minutes.”
“Okay, then.” Charlie sounded amused but he moved away.
Noel waited for the footsteps to die away, and then he kneeled at Angel’s feet. “Are you okay? Do you think you’re concussed? Do you need a doctor?”
Angel raised his head and, apart from a red mark on his forehead that corresponded to the red mark on Noel’s shoulder, he looked okay. “I’m fine. Damn, you’ve got a hard shoulder.”
“Likewise your head, Mr. Marinelli.”
Angel reached up and kissed the sore spot on Noel’s shoulder, and Noel did the same to Angel’s head. Ouchies dealt with, they grinned at each other and looked around for clothes.
Noel didn’t have much in the way of clean clothes left, but he only had one more day, so he didn’t care. He slipped on the sweater and jeans from yesterday, and as he zippered up the jeans, he noticed Angel watching him out of the corner of his eye.
“Is something wrong?” he asked.
“You’re going commando again.”
“Uh… yeah.”
Angel walked over, flattened his palm against the bulge in Noel’s jeans, and smiled up at him. “That’s cool. Just remember every time you look at me, I’ll be thinking of you bare under here.”
Noel groaned, because of course his dick was going to rise in the face of obvious provocation. “That’s just mean.”
Angel patted his stiffening cock. “You’re welcome.”
THEY MADE it out of the bedroom in ten minutes because they brushed their teeth… and there may have been more groping involved. Noel couldn’t keep his hands off Angel. They followed the sound of a baby crying and discovered everyone in the main room. It was hard to ignore the knowing looks they received.
“This is the walk of shame,” Angel muttered.
Noel nodded. “Yup.”
But once Maria spotted them and a broad smile lightened her weary face, Noel forgot his embarrassment.
“Hi there, Mama. How are you?”
He bent to kiss her on her cheek. “How’s our boy?”
Noel stroked the baby’s tiny cheek, and he turned as though he were trying to suckle.
“Angelo Noel is doing just fine,” she said.
“That’s… that’s….” He trailed off. From the stunned look on Angel’s face, he’d heard her right. “Angelo Noel?”
She grinned at him, and Joe said, “You guys did the work. It’s only right we remember you.”
Joe was a handsome man with glossy black hair and deep olive skin. He had warm brown eyes and a broad smile. Though he looked as tired as Maria after his mad dash from home, his pride in his wife and baby son stood out.
“They did the work?” Maria gaped at him. “What about me?”
“You did just fine,” Joe said patronizingly, and then he smirked at her.
“Ooh.” She wagged her finger at him, but the sweet smile they shared after made Noel a little envious. Then he looked down at Angel, who smiled at him just like that, and Noel realized he had that relationship now and he’d be an idiot to throw it away.
Maria held out the baby. “Who’s going to hold him first?”
Noel took a step back. “I might drop him.”
Angel snickered. “You helped deliver the baby and you’re worried about dropping him? Give him to me.” He carefully took the baby from Maria and tucked him into the crook of his arm.
“I had the best person to deliver the baby,” Maria said, a tender smile on her face as she studied her sleeping son. “You’re a natural.”
Angel gave a wry smile. “I have nieces and nephews. I’ve been the free babysitter since I was a teenager.”
“I’ve never held a baby before,” Noel admitted. He had one brother, who, as far as he could see, was never going to get married, because he spent his time traveling the world. Between a gay son and a wastrel, his mother had bitterly declared she would never be a grandmother. Noel had learned to keep his mouth shut.
Before he could object, Angel handed the infant over. Baby Angelo opened his eyes, and for a moment, Noel thought he was going to cry and was about to hand him back. But then the baby snuffled, yawned, and settled back down to sleep. Angel’s face was a study in joy as he watched them both.
“You look good together,” Maria said. “I’m glad you pulled your head out of your ass, Noel.”
Noel was about to protest, but Angel grinned at her. “He just needed the right persuasion.”
Noel grunted, but then he chuckled. “You were very persuasive.”
Angel waggled his eyebrows. “I can be when I want something bad enough.”
Noel coughed because he was thinking just how persuasive Angel had been the previous night.
“No naughty thoughts,” Maria said. “There are minors present.”
That was Baby Angelo’s cue to wake up, and Noel hastily handed him back to Maria before he could cry.
“Coward.” She smirked at him.
He shrugged. “Ya got me.”
Noel and Angel took a step back as Frankie and Marv came in, their hands full of parcels that they kind of threw at Maria because they were more interested in taking their turn to love on the baby.
Noel wasn’t sure what he felt about the three guys. On the one hand, damn, they were irritating, and on the other, he was impressed they managed a loving ménage with no one else being aware. He would have loved to have more time to talk to them.
Maria unwrapped the parcels one at a time.
“You got Christmas paper rather than baby paper,” Marv said. “But it is the baby’s first Christmas too.”
The baby was going to have the same problem Noel had faced his entire life—birthday and Christmas together.
Maria laughed at the tiny snowsuit with embroidered crossed skis. “He might be a bit young to start skiing.”
“The earlier the better,” Frankie assured her.
The next gift was a large, beautifully decorated box of creams and lotions. Noel didn’t know much about women’s skincare products, but he knew it was a top-of-the-range line.
“It’s for the new mama,” Marv said. “You gave us this life.”
“Oh wow. I’ve been wanting to try this forever.”
Joe groaned. “She’s never going to let me forget this.”
“You’d better start saving for next Christmas,” she told him with a wink at Marv.
Frankie handed the last parcel to Joe.
“Is this a cigar?” Joe asked hopefully.
“I told you we should have gotten him cigars,” Frankie said to Marv.
“Guys, this is too much,” Maria gasped as Joe held up a wedge of notes.
Noel didn’t know how much was there, but it was a generous gift.
“We can’t accept this,” Joe said.
“Yes, you can. Put it toward his college fund,” Marv said.
“Guys, I don’t know what to say.” Maria looked stunned.
“Nothing to be said,” Frankie told her. “You gave us the best Christmas present ever. A new life.”
“Oh no,” Goldie groaned from behind him. “Frankie’s going to be talking babies all the way home.”
Noel turned to see Goldie’s look of resignation. “He loves kids?”
“They both do.”
“But not you?”
Goldie shrugged. “I’ve got three already. Two girls and a boy.”
“You were married before?” Noel asked.
“Yeah, for twenty years. She died five years ago.”
Noel wasn’t sure what to say. Sorry seemed so inadequate. But Angel didn’t have any hesitation. He reached out and touched Goldie’s arm.
“I’m so sorry.”
Goldie patted his hand. “Thank you. It was a shock. But then I met these guys, and well, my life changed, you know?”
“You’re happy together?” Angel asked, still holding on to Goldie.
“I thank God for my second chance every day I wake up to see them sleeping next to me.” Goldie’s brown eyes gleamed, and for a moment, Noel thought Goldie was going to cry. But then he squared his shoulders and smiled at them both.
