Page 13 of Celebrating the Season

“So, what do you do when you’re not playing Santa or making killer pancakes?” I asked him.

Ellery’s eyes lit up, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I’m a woodworker. Mostly sculptures and figurines, but I dabble in furniture too.”

“No way!” I leaned forward, intrigued. “That’s so cool. Do you have any pieces here?”

He nodded, gesturing toward the living room. “That coffee table out there? Made it myself. And there are a few smaller pieces scattered around. But I have some bigger sculptures in my wood shed out back.”

I twisted in my chair, trying to get a better look at the coffee table. “That’s amazing. I’d love to see more of your work.”

“What about you?” Ellery asked, refilling his own coffee mug. “What keeps you busy?”

“I’m a digital artist,” I said, turning back to face him. “Mostly commissions. Fan art, character designs, that kind of thing.”

Ellery’s eyebrows raised, impressed. “Sounds interesting. How’d you get into that?”

I launched into an explanation, my words tumbling faster than I could control. “Oh man, it’s a long story. Basically, I’ve always loved drawing, right? But traditional media was a nightmare. I’d forget to clean my brushes, or I’d knock over paint water, or I’d lose half my pencils. Then I discovered digital art, and it was like, boom! Perfect fit. No mess, no supplies needed except my laptop or iPad. All I need to do now is remember to charge my iPad.”

As I rambled on about my latest projects, Ellery listened attentively. He asked thoughtful questions, interested in my work. It was…nice. Really nice.

Before I knew it, our plates were empty and the sun had climbed higher in the sky. Reality started to creep in, reminding me I couldn’t stay in this cozy bubble forever.

“I should probably get going,” I said reluctantly, even as every fiber of my being screamed to stay put. “I’m staying in Skykomish for one more night and then I’m heading back to LA.”

Ellery nodded, but I caught a flicker of something in his eyes. Disappointment? “You live in LA?”

“Yeah. I share an apartment with two other guys. It’s not ideal, but it’s all I can afford.”

I felt a pang in my chest. I didn’t want this to end. The thought of going back to my crappy apartment, to my messy life in LA, seemed unbearable. Here, in this warm kitchen with this fascinating man, I felt…seen. Understood.

I wasn’t ready to say goodbye yet. I wanted more time with Ellery, more of him. No, I couldn’t let it end like this. Not yet. My impulsive nature took over, and before I could overthink it, I was on my feet. In three quick strides, I closed the distance between us. Ellery’s eyes widened in surprise as I planted myself firmly on his lap, straddling him.

“Boaz, what are you?—”

I cut him off with a kiss, deep and hungry. “I’m not ready to leave just yet. Got a problem with that, big guy?”

Ellery’s hands found my hips, his grip firm and possessive. “Not a damn problem at all.”

I wiggled my hips, feeling him harden beneath me. “Good, because I’ve got a few more ideas I’d like to explore before I go.”

His blue eyes darkened with desire. “Is that so? Care to share these ideas of yours?”

My hands roamed under his shirt, over his broad chest, fingers tangling in the soft hair there. “Well, for starters, I was thinking about how good I’d look bent over this kitchen table…”

5

BOAZ

Iwinced as I shifted on the edge of the motel bed, my ass still deliciously sore from Ellery’s thorough attention. Every twinge sent a shiver of remembered pleasure through me. I closed my eyes, reliving the past twenty-four hours in vivid detail—Ellery’s strong hands gripping my hips, his gravelly voice in my ear, the exquisite fullness as he claimed me over and over.

“Holy shit,” I muttered, adjusting myself in my pants that suddenly felt about two sizes too small. My cock was half-hard from the memories.

It felt surreal, like some kind of fever dream. Had it only been last night that I first laid eyes on Ellery at my dad’s bachelor party? The moment was seared into my brain—the Santa suit stretched tight across his broad chest, that salt-and-pepper beard, those blue eyes that seemed to look right through me.

When he’d walked into the Double F, the whole energy of the room had shifted. Even in that ridiculous costume, he’d exuded a quiet power that made my mouth go dry.

The memory sent another jolt of arousal through me. I groaned, flopping back on the bed. What the hell was wrong with me? I never got this worked up over a hookup. But there was something different about Ellery, something that made me crave more than his body.

The silence in the motel room was deafening. Dad and Hawk had left for Texas an hour ago. They’d stopped by my motel on their way to the airport, and we’d hugged goodbye. Hawk, observant as he was, hadn’t missed my slight wince as I’d sat down, and he’d sent me a wink.

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