Page 10 of Decorated

Maybe he’d do something with Blaine Hawthorne.

That idea brought a different sort of smile to his face as he got out of his car and headed up to Hawthorne House’s front door. He could think of a couple things he would like to do with Blaine.

“There you are,” Blaine greeted him with a shout of enthusiasm worthy of any of the kids who took classes at the arts center. Today’s sartorial confection was a lime green top with sequined Christmas designs, sleek, black jeans, and boots with thick heels that brought Blaine closer to Alfie’s eye level. “Hurry! We need to get into London in plenty of time to beat the crowds.”

Blaine blew towards him like a gale and grabbed his arm. He spun Alfie around and dragged him right back out into the December cold.

“London?” Alfie asked. “I thought we were going to pick up supplies for the party.”

“We are,” Blaine said, making a face at Alfie’s decidedly ordinary car as they reached the parking lot. “It just so happensthat these particular supplies can be found in some of the more high-end shops in Knightsbridge.”

Alfie smirked at him as he got back into his car. The seat was still warm. “Knightsbridge,” he said, staring at Blaine as he started the engine.

“I can’t help it if I have exquisite taste,” Blaine said in an airy voice.

Alfie chuckled. His insides felt lighter. Yeah, he was going to have the time of his life once he finally bent Blaine over the arm of his sofa and stuffed his stocking.

He chuckled again. Only a couple of days with Blaine Hawthorne and he was already using Christmas metaphors.

That still didn’t mean he liked Christmas, as was confirmed once they’d entered London, found a place to park, and hit the high streets to pick up Blaine’s so-called supplies.

“You need these Christmas baubles?” he asked in a deadpan voice, looking at the box of outrageously overpriced ornaments Blaine had handed him as they made their way through Harrod’s. “These specific ones?”

“Yes, of course,” Blaine said, adding another two boxes to the pile he was making in Alfie’s arms.

A salesperson a few displays over glanced Blaine up and down, curling her lip a little at Blaine’s shirt. Alfie stared straight at her until she noticed, jumped a little, and turned away.

“You know you can get the same ones at Asda for a fifth of the price,” he said to Blaine.

“They’re not the same ones,” Blaine insisted. “These ones are so much better.”

“Because of the price tag?”

Blaine turned to give him a withering look.

That look made Alfie smile. He decided then and there that he liked poking at Blaine.

“I’m not decorating a centuries-old estate house with cheap ornaments made in China,” Blaine said.

Alfie turned over the box he was still holding in one hand. “These are made in China.”

“What? No, they aren’t.”

Blaine hurried to check all the boxes he’d given Alfie to hold, a brand of outrage in his eyes that made Alfie laugh. Doing so brought them into close proximity. Alfie kind of liked the feeling of Blaine pawing all over him.

“You liar!” Blaine laughed a moment later as he pulled back. “They’re made in Italy.”

“Are you sure?” Alfie continued to tease him as Blaine checked a few more boxes that were part of a winter wonderland display. “They probably just say that so posh people like you pay extra for them.”

“They were made in Italy,” Blaine insisted, suddenly looking like the titled nob he probably was, what with his family’s legacy.

Oddly enough, that just made Alfie’s uniform trousers tighter.

“Maybe we should go to Italy to find out for sure,” he said.

It wasn’t exactly an invitation to run off to the Amalfi Coast with him for a mini-break. It wasn’t really teasing either. But Alfie enjoyed the look of surprise and hope that came into Blaine’s eyes for a moment as he entertained the idea. It was something more than the comic, scattered sort of humor he usually showed.

“Pardon me, sir, but there’s a limit of three per customer with those baubles you’re holding,” the snooty sales lady said, approaching Blaine.

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