Page 12 of A Kiss For The Holidays

Before I can respond, the wind howls, rattling the windows and the lights flicker once, then twice, before cutting off completely, leaving us with only the burning embers of the fire for light.

Beate howls and dives onto Asher's lap. “She’s shaking, she must be scared of the storm, or the dark,” Ash says, rubbing the dog’s back to soothe its trembling. And just like that, everything else is forgotten - at least that’s how it seems with the way Asher relaxes back into the sofa, his head thrown back and his eyes closed - while my mind is still circling around the fact that he’s in love with me.

We sit and watch the fire for a while longer, chatting about Christmas and what our family might be doing, while listening to the wind battering against the cabin. Neither of us has brought up the topic again and though the words sit heavy on my tongue, exhaustion creeps up around me and I know the conversation is better left for another time. Next to me, Asher yawns, setting off the domino effect that has me doing the same. Lifting my arms, my muscles ache as they pull before I drop one arm to my lap and rub a hand over the back of my neck.

“Should we go to bed? I don’t think the electricity is coming back on any timesoon, and I’m exhausted after the day we’ve had,” I suggest and Asher wipes at his eyes, before lifting the dog and gently placing her back on the sofa. I’ve kept the fire going so the room is bathed in a fiery glow as he stretches then nods at my suggestion. Checking that the grate over the fire is secured, we head to the one and only bedroom.

“Fuck, it’s cold in here,” Asher exclaims as we enter the room and are hit by a cold that quickly penetrates our minimal layers. He wraps his arms around himself in an attempt to warm up. The room is freezing and so dark that I can barely make out anything but the outline of a small double bed. I dash back into the living room where I’d seen a torch on the side table, returning a moment later to scan the room. The radiators in the main living space did an okay job of battling away the cold until the fire took over, but the one in this room is tiny and now that the electricity is off, it won’t be doing much good.

“There’s only an electric heater in here,” I point to an old heater in one corner then turn to look at Asher. “Let’s pull the mattress off and put it in the living room near the fire. That should keep us warm.”

Asher nods, dropping his arms and we move to the bed, awkwardly lugging the mattress off and dragging and pushing until we have it laid out not too close to the flames but close enough. Asher rights the comforter and pillows then flops down nearest the fire.

“You planning to sleep in your clothes?” I gesture to his jeans while I unzip and remove my own, then pull off my cardigan and t-shirt, leaving me in only a pair of black boxers. It’s plenty warm near the fire and once I’m under the blankets, I’m certain I won’t need the added layers.

Asher scans my body, my lips tipping up on one side when our eyes meet and he quickly dips his head and fumbles with removing his own jeans. We’ve seen each other in underwear before but I am momentarily left floundering when I catch sight of the red panties with Christmas baubles scattered over them, covering my best friend's lower half. Asher coughs when he sees me staring, then moves quickly to dive beneath the blanket, pulling it up to his chin. He’s been self-conscious of his naked chest for the last few years so I don’t suggest that he removes any of his layers, even if I think he will be too warm in his cardigan.

He watches me cautiously from the safety of his blanket taco as I get into position next to him, then turns so his back is towards me, facing the burning fire.

Turning onto my side, I stare at the huddled mass of body next to me and the cold space between us. Like a moth to a flame, I inch a little closer to Asher’s warm body and breathe out a sigh when our bodies meet. My breath ghosts over the back of hisneck and he wriggles slightly in response but remains silent.

Trying not to overthink, I wrap an arm over him, taking note of the way his breath hitches at my proximity. He smells like a mixture of the fire, and snow and the same old Asher I have always known.

It’s a comforting feeling, having him this close to me, feeling the weight of him in my arms. It’s the way I always presumed everyone felt about their best friend, but it’s possible I misunderstood it all along.

Maybe, when you hold someone and they feel like home, maybe that’s love on a whole different level.

“What are you doing?” Asher asks in a quiet voice.

“Keeping you warm,” I reply, squeezing him tighter.

Asher nuzzles his head into the pillow and breathes out an ‘okay’ before I feel his body relax.

“Ash?” I say into the quiet.

“Yeah?”

“I don't want to need you less. I can't even picture what that looks like.”

His voice is a whisper when he says ‘okay’ again and I lie silently until I feel the rhythm of his breathing change.

It takes all the willpower I have to not kiss the back of his neck, the thin expanse of pale flesh peeking out between his collar and his hair, but I don’t. Instead, I close my eyes and fall asleep with the wind rattling the windows, the fire crackling, and my best friend in my arms.

Chapter 10

Dalton

Heat of a body moving against mine and whimpering wakes me and it takes my eyes a few moments to adjust in the dark room, my dick catching on long before my mind does.

Asher, still asleep, has thrown off the blankets and is rubbing his very hard erection on my thigh. His face is buried in my neck and I can make out the feel of his lips dragging against my skin as he groans and ruts against me. On instinct, I place one hand on his lower back while I run my other hand through his hair, gripping onto the messy brown strands. My heart races and my breath stutters as my cock grows incredibly hard, trapped in slightly damp boxers. Asher lost his cardigan and t-shirt at some point in the night and his skin is sweat slick and clammy. I run my hand along his back, marvelling at how soft he is. This tingly feeling starts in my chest and mixes with the ache that’s throbbing between my legs and suddenly, even having felt Asher’s skin before, it suddenly feels like the first time. It’s new and wonderful, and I unexpectedly burn with this desire to feel more of his bare skin against more than just my hand.

Fuck. Me.

I’ve never felt so aroused but I’m too afraid to move, afraid that if I do, he’ll stop and whatever this is, whatever it is he’s dreaming about will all be over. And while I don’t exactly know what any of this means for him, forus, I know I don’t want this moment to be over. Remaining on my back though leaves me with very little chance of any form of release and my body is positively humming with need at this point. Withmy hand resting on Asher's back, I slowly turn onto my side, keeping his leg over me, until we’re chest to chest and our hard cocks are flush against each other separated only by the fabric of our underwear.

Because of our height difference, his head is near my jaw, so I push my upper body back a little so I can see his face and then, I drink him in, looking at him in a way I never have before, seeing him as so much more than just my friend. He’s stunning like this - chasing his pleasure, acting on feeling alone - his eyes closed, his eyelashes fluttering lightly and his pretty lips parted as his breathing grows ragged.

He thrusts again, sending glorious bolts of pleasure through me and I’m unable to hold back my groan. The sound vibrates out of my chest, loud in the quiet of the cabin and Asher’s eyes shoot open. Forest greens, highlighted by the dying firelight crash with my blues and he freezes. My hand is still resting on his lower back and I feel him tense. Quickly, before he can pull away, I grip his hip tightly and gently move my lower body with his. The friction is incredible but it’s not enough.

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