Mistletoe Magic: A M/M Holiday Romance

by Tara Simon

  But now Kris and Lee were drunk and struggling to keep their hands off each other.

  The party in the function room of Haverford tower was in full swing, people drinking and laughing and dancing and just generally having a good time. Kris and Lee had forced themselves to the opposite ends of the large room, not close enough to even make eye contact. If they did make eye contact, they were both sure they’d give in to each other and ruin the surprise early. Neither of them could have that.

  Lee snagged another glass of champagne from a waiter, reminding himself to thank Eric Haverford for the free alcohol later… if he actually got the chance to meet him. The man had been flitting around the room, chatting and drinking and showing off like a proud peacock. He saw Samantha saunter over, and prepared himself for the endless questions he knew she was going to bombard him with. He’d avoided being alone with her successfully until now.

  “Stern,” she greeted, a small smirk twisting her lips. “You’ve been avoiding me.”

  There was no point in denying it, so Lee just nodded. “Yeah, and for good reason.”

  “You seemed to have no problem with kissing Kris for me as well as your family.” She took his drink and sipped at it, waiting for a response.

  Lee shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. “He’s my best friend and also apparently a great kisser, of course I took advantage.”

  “So, what? You guys just went straight back to normal once you got home?”

  “Well, yeah,” Lee lied, laughing nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean, it was a little weird. Still is, if I’m being perfectly honest.”

  She raised an eyebrow and glanced behind her for a moment. “Is that why you two have been keeping your distance tonight?”

  “A little, yeah, but we’d also been up close and personal with each other for a week, so it’s nice to have a little space from him.”

  It was most definitely not nice, but of course Lee couldn’t tell her that. Kris’s plan had started to really suck, and he wished he’d never agreed to it in the first place. The only plan of Kris’s that had ever turned out well was the one where he decided to be Lee’s pretend boyfriend.

  “Hmm…” Samantha averted her gaze as she mulled over what he said, when her eyes widened just the slightest fraction. “Excuse me, but I think my idiot is about to engage in a drinking contest with what appears to be a fucking viking.”

  She pushed the glass of champagne back into Lee’s hands, and stalked off to where he could see Pete and a giant blonde man chugging down jugs of… something. It most certainly wasn’t beer, that was for sure.

  Lee barked out a laugh, turning to see that the crowd had dispersed a little and he now had a full view of Kris. Kris, who was being shamelessly flirted with by some leggy blonde in figure-hugging dress and stilettos. He knew that he had no reason for the wave of jealously that suddenly overcame him, nor did he have reason for the urge to storm over there and claim Kris as his own. Because that was the thing - Kris was his just as much as he was Kris’s. The fact that nobody else at the damn party knew that didn’t change the fact.

  The blonde didn’t seem aware that she was making Kris uncomfortable. He knew that Kris was awkward when strangers flirted with him, only really enjoying it once he’d gotten to know them a little. His face was pink and he shuffled his feet a lot, unable to stand still, while he kept averting his eyes. And then it seemed as if Lee wasn’t the only one to notice his discomfort, as Sam swooped in to save the day. Lee watched the exchange with mild interest, Sam saying something to Kris, with the blonde soon growing irritated at being ignored and eventually spinning on her heel and storming away.

  Checking his watch, Lee saw that he still had just over five minutes until they could put their plan into action, and he suppressed a groan. He downed the last of his champagne and figured he could use a stronger drink, so with that in mind, he headed over to the open bar and ordered a bourbon.

  He’d just taken the first sip when he felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder. He turned to see a shorter brunette man with a goatee grinning up at him, and almost choked on his drink.

  “Holy shit,” Lee coughed, not believing that Eric fucking Haverford had approached him of all people.

  “That’s the type of reaction I like people to have in my presence,” Eric beamed, before waving down the bartender and ordering a bourbon of his own. “So, you’re Kris’s boy then?”

  “His what?” Lee would’ve choked again if he’d still had his drink in his mouth. Had Kris told his boss about them and somehow forgotten to inform Lee of it?

  Eric rolled his eyes at the theatrics. “Sorry, I mean his fake boy. He told me about your plan, using it as an excuse to get out of attending my awesome Christmas party. I’m a little bitter about that, just so you know. I thought Kris and I were really starting to become good pals, and then you steal him away from one of my parties like I don’t even exist. And worse, he actually lets you. The nerve of it!”

  “We’re here now, aren’t we?” Lee asked, quickly chugging down his bourbon in case Eric said or did something abrupt again.

  “That you are, and you even brought more guests! That’s always a plus in my book.” Eric flashed him a toothy grin, throwing his drink back much like Lee had. “Almost midnight now, and I’ve gotta find my darling Amber. I’ll be seeing you around, Stern.”

  And with that, the man was gone, leaving Lee feeling all kinds of overwhelmed. Not only could he talk someone’s ear off within a single minute of contact, but he actually knew Lee’s name… well, surname at least, but it was a step up from “Kris’s fake boy”.

  A familiar leggy blonde sidled up to Lee, taking the place Eric had just been in. Up close his nose itched at the cloying scent of her perfume, and noticed the slight glaze to her eyes from what must’ve been an excessive amount of alcohol. He wasn’t sure how she was still standing, especially in her heels, but he didn’t dwell on it.

  “Hey stranger,” she greeted, trying to be sultry and seductive but sounding a little slurred instead. Lee raised an eyebrow but didn’t move, deciding to humor her. “Hey.”

  “I saw you talking to Mr Haverford,” she grinned, reminding Lee of a shark. “Do you know him well?”

  “Oh, sure, yeah,” Lee lied, nodding his head seriously. “We go way back.”

  The blonde’s eyes lit up at that, and she slid closer, resting a manicured hand on his arm. “That’s fascinating. Are you here alone?”

  “Maybe.” Lee shrugged. “Why do you wanna know?”

  “Well…” She smiled slowly, tracing a circle into Lee’s sleeve. “I’m here alone as well, and was hoping someone handsome like you could be my midnight kiss.”

  “Is that so?”

  “It is.” She moved closer still, invading Lee’s personal space. He was starting to feel uncomfortable, and couldn’t even comprehend how Kris could’ve put up with her for so long before.

  Lee glanced down at his watch again, and saw that he only had a minute until the plan took place. Shit. He had to hurry. Turning back to the woman, he plastered a very big and very fake smile on his face.

  “Too bad I’m gay.” Lee started backing away into the crowd. “Hope you find someone!”

  He turned and instantly began scanning the room for a sign of Kris, only to find that his boyfriend had completely disappeared. He checked the time and swore, only forty seconds remaining. He all but ran through the crowd as he continued his search, hoping that he’d find him in time. But it just didn’t seem to be happening. He checked the time again, thirty seconds left. He was gonna lose his shit.

  “Are you okay, son?” A voice called out, and Lee turned to see an old man in a WWII veterans cap, sitting down and nursing a drink.

  “Not really.” Lee let out a humorless laugh, trying not to freak out. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if he didn’t find Kris in time, but it really was the perfect way to come out to their friends and he didn’t want to be the one that ruined it. “You haven’t see
n a tall blonde man recently, have you? Handsome, wide shoulders, and a narrow waist?”

  “Body like a dorito?” The man asked.

  Lee sagged with relief. “Yes, that’s him!”

  “Yeah, sure, I saw him heading close to the stage not even a minute ago. He was with a gorgeous red-head.”

  “Oh, my God, thank you so much!” Lee grinned, turning and heading straight for the stage just as the countdown to midnight started.

  “TEN!”

  Eric was on the stage in front of the DJ deck with a microphone, leading the chant.

  “NINE!”

  Kris was with Samantha, Pete, and Sam near the front of the stage, chanting along with everyone else.

  “EIGHT!”

  Lee pushed through the crowd, finding it harder the closer he got to his destiSamion. Everyone was squeezing as close as the could get.

  “SEVEN!”

  Kris looked around, a small crease in his eyebrows as he undoubtedly searched the crowd for Lee.

  “SIX!”

  He was almost there, not even stopping to apologize and he pushed and shoved his way through the guests.

  “FIVE!”

  Making eye contact with Kris, finally, they both broke out into grins when they realized how close they were.

  “FOUR!”

  Lee finally broke through the last few feet of people, almost stumbling into Pete, him and Sam steadying him.

  “THREE!”

  He smiled in thanks, not having time to say much as he quickly faced Kris.

  “TWO!”

  Kris wrapped his arms around Lee’s waist, drawing him in close. The others didn’t even notice in their excitement.

  “ONE!”

  Lee wrapped his arms around Kris’s neck, drawing his face down closer, and just in time as well.

  “HAPPY NEW YEAR!”

  While everybody cheered, Kris and Lee drew together for a passioSame, open-mouthed kiss, with tongues and teeth and each other. They knew they weren’t the only couple kissing, but when the first firework went off, so did the first exclamation.

  “What the fuck?”

  “I knew it!”

  “Holy shit!”

  They eventually broke away and turned to their friends, arms still around each other, amused at the shocked faces. Well, shocked except for Samantha, who simply looked smug. Without even glancing at her, both Pete and Sam pulled twenty dollar notes out of their wallets and passed them her way.

  “When did it happen?” She asked, folding the notes and slipping them into her purse.

  “Pretty early in the week, honestly.” Lee laughed, kissing Kris’s jaw.

  “I mean, we both enjoyed kissing the entire time,” Kris explained. “But we, uh, started fooling around on the third night.”

  Lee nodded. “And we fucked on Christmas Eve.”

  “Lee!” Kris blushed dark red, hiding his face in Lee’s hair.

  Sam pulled a face. “Okay, gross.”

  “Yeah, TMI guys, you know how we feel about you talking about your sex lives.”

  “Not like you can’t stop talking about yours and Sam’s.” Lee rolled his eyes at Pete.

  “Touché.”

  Samantha’s smirk had faded into a genuine smile as she regarded Kris and Lee. “I’m happy for you two. Really. You go well together.”

  “Yeah,” Sam agreed. “It’s about damn time.”

  “So, what do you guys wanna do now?”

  Kris glanced down at Lee. “Get another drink?”

  “Yes, please.” Lee grinned, then eyed Kris up and down. “Maybe make out with you a bit more, as well. Avoiding you the whole damn night was hell.”

  Kris leaned in with a grin, nipping at Lee’s lip. “Sounds good to me.”

  The End

  Also by Tara Simon

  Holiday Passion

  ‘“Steady there,” Luther says, an undertone of amusement threaded into his voice. “You wouldn’t want to fall.”

  Martin cranes his head back so he can see Luther. He looks good. His hair is shorter than it was when Martin’s last saw him, his face is relaxed, and his smile, a slightly smug one with its sideways twist, plays upon his lips. “You idiot,” he says, “you startled me. I might have fallen right off the thing.”

  Luther tuts softly. “I was there to catch you.”’

  Delete Created with Sketch.

  With life setting them on different paths, Martin invites his dearest friends over for a last hurrah, a special Christmas reunion. They’re all going to stay together under the same roof, exchange gifts and shore up memories for the future. Some things go to plan; some develop in unforseen ways.