Page 35 of The Christmas Keeper

“My that was quite the honest answer. I’m glad for it. It shows me that you’re coming to terms with your shortcomings.” I rolled my eyes. “Don’t take offense. We all have faults. I’m too direct. Your father is too easy. Your sister is always trying to make life perfect, even though she knows full well that life is never perfect or easy, and you build walls that a bull elephant couldn’t knock down. Antoine, well, he’s a bit too Canadian at times, and Kenan—”

“Wait, roll that bus back. What the hell is too Canadian?”

This I had to hear.

“You know. Polite. Kind. Courteous.”

“Oh yeah, those are terrible qualities.”

“I never said they were terrible, just…annoying. How can one person be so damn mannerly?” She sighed as if that were a mighty weight. I couldn’t help but snicker.

“I won’t need you to list Kenan’s shortcomings. All it would do is make me defensive,” I tossed out.

She studied me closely, her long nails now tapping on the side of her coffee cup. “You like him a great deal, don’t you?”

“I do, yes.”

“Hmm, I thought so. The way you look at him says a lot. Brann, I just want you to be careful with your heart. This man, though he does seem earnest and quite charming, does work for you.”

“Mom, please…”

She huffed out a short breath. “Fine, make your bed and lie in it.”

“I plan to do just that.” We sat there watching each other while “Happy Holidays” filled the air.

“I would have appreciated knowing, though. Do you know I spent the afternoon scouring every small shop on Main Street for a gift for Kenan?”

“Did you know I didn’t have time to even do that and so your gifts are probably being stolen off your front porch as we speak?”

“That’s your sister’s fault. She was gung-ho about flying in to surprise you. She misses you, Brann, we all do. I hope Kenan can help you see that there is more to life than work and darts.”

I picked up a spoon just for something to do with my hands. “He’s doing a lot of good things for me.” I tapped the handle on the table as the band broke into a smooth rendition of “Merry Christmas, Darling” that got a few more couples out of their seats to dance in front of the small stage. “So, what did you get him?”

“You’ll see tomorrow. I don’t trust you not to tell him. Remember that Christmas when you saw me wrapping the denim jacket that Nora had asked for and you ran to tell her?”

I chuckled. “Yeah, I’m not good with secrets. Or lies.”

“No, you are not, but neither am I. Oh, here they are.” Dad and Kenan arrived at our table. “Did you get your requests in?” Mom asked as Dad bent down to kiss her cheek.

“We did. Would you like to dance, milady?” Dad asked with a regal bow. Mom giggled like a teen, rose, and let my father lead her out to sway next to Nora and Antoine.

Kenan extended his hand to me. I glanced up into eyes as warm and sweet as the lava cake I’d just eaten.

I slid my fingers over his. We made our way around tables, some people giving us nods and smiles, a few glancing away. I let him lead. It seemed fitting since he was guiding me from a darkplace into a world of glitter, candles, and renewed faith in the possibility of love and trust.

Chapter Nine

Christmas Day dawned bright and cold.

I moved closer to the toasty man lying in my bed.

See, I was a good boy and always did what my mother told me. I’d made and unmade my bed and was now lying all over it. Kenan mumbled something into his pillow as I wiggled tight to his side, my hand slipping down over his bare back to fondle a small but tasty rump.

“What was that?” I asked, licking a line down over his shoulder to the middle of his back as my fingers delved into the crack of his ass. “You want my dick?”

He chortled into the pillow before craning his head to the side to look at me. Early morning sun shone across the bed. I’d never seen a more beautiful sight.

“I said Merry Christmas. Not sure how you got give me your dick from a friendly holiday greeting.”

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