Page 101 of Season of Gifts

“I’ll help with that, but you’re the big guns, stud.”

She did not, sadly, grip his groin and check out the big gun, which was starting to pay attention.

“We don’t need to go crazy with complicated games.”She took his other hand in hers and swayed closer, breathing softly against his neck.“Just remind him that we’re here for him, show him how we can take care of the stress and the weariness and the insomnia.”

The day had started off rough and gotten better and better.Relaxing Henry would be the ice cream bowl before bed.But Alice still had a checklist of Important Talk to cover.“He might fall asleep after.”

“That would be amazing, like ten out of ten.”Tilting back, she raised her face and gazed at him with big eyes, Christmas morning pouring out of speckled hazel wreaths.“If we need to wait until morning to talk because he lets go of enough stress to sleep through the night?Sweetheart, you can pick any room-check reward or Friday scene you want, and I will work to make it happen.”

His dick fully joined the conversation, thumping against his boxer-briefs.“The votes are in—”

Alice laid a gentle finger across his lips.“Hear that?”

The only sound in his ears was his heartbeat.“Hear what?”

“Exactly.”She worked her hands into his waistband and tugged out his henley.“The shower’s stopped.”

He folded forward, shivering with excitement but not cold as she pulled his shirt over his head.“Game time.”

“Go team,” Alice murmured, and kissed him deep, twining her arms around his neck.

He got all the best jobs.

Chapter fifty-two

Henry

SteambilloweduparoundHenry’s feet, but the softly whirring fan carried it away before it could transform the bathroom into a sauna.The shower spray misted his face.He adjusted the setting to battering ram and urged the water to pound through the exhaustion in every muscle.

Today had been a trial.His concerns had been realized, made manifest.A full day of attending to Mother’s health while incorporating Alice and Jay’s needs was beyond his skills.They would have a week yet, and for part of that time he would also need to account for Robert and his family.

Though not Natalie; Alice had at least spared him the overreach of inviting others without warning.

He shouldn’t be thinking such thoughts.

Lathering his hair, he dug his nails into his scalp and scrubbed roughly.His spouses had every right to add their own flair to the holiday celebrations they would create as a family from now on.His submissives would have approached him first.

He had not, in fact, been approachable of late.

So.He had revealed an uncountable number of faults in the past two weeks, and his loves had suffered for his lapses.That, in truth, was the reason his shower was not the relaxing end to the day but merely the brief break between rounds of caregiving—Alice and Jay were owed apology, appeasement, for the trials they’d endured.

The shampoo sluiced away, and he soaped up.His usual scent unexpectedly floated around him in a calming froth.Alice must have brought a full suite of toiletries from home; he’d reached for the bar without even noticing the change.His mind was continually absorbed in other tasks, which made missing signs far too easy.And too dangerous.

Once he’d showered, he would check on Mother to be certain she was resting comfortably.Perhaps ensure she would not be responding to phone messages when she needed healing sleep.Then he would steel himself for the conversation Alice had been agitating for all day.He’d repeatedly addressed her emotional upset with reassurances, but those had been insufficient.A surfeit of recriminations awaited him, a logical takedown of all the hurts and slights he’d caused and must now compassionately tend to, nurturing his neglected spouses.

The hot water could do nothing for that exhaustion.All day he had maintained his vigilance, ensuring the conversation remained light and pleasant, that Mother ate enough nutrients in quantity and quality, and that Alice and Jay were recognized for their contributions.The instant he sat, Jay claimed the space at his side, silently seeking attention and comfort.When he rose and kept his distance, Alice chased him down and asked how he was, what he knew of Mother’s condition, whether he’d been missing them as much as they had missed him.

He found no peace, no respite, from the obligations assailing him.How naïve he’d been to imagine himself up to the task.But if he toppled, the entire house would fall.

Drawing deep, heavy breaths, he exhaled a sour mélange of righteous frustration and abject fear.Tonight, he must be malleable to give Alice and Jay whatever they needed.His intuitive connection, like his love for them, lay swathed under layers of fog so thick he only occasionally stumbled upon it and accidentally managed to provide what he usually did with deliberation and intent.

He twisted the shower to off, admitting the impossibility of recapturing his equilibrium no matter how long he stood beneath the flow.Uninterrupted sleep, that would give him the rest he sought, if only he could achieve it.

The bath towel was too soft for the vigorous chafing that would get his blood flowing and make him alert enough to keep up with Alice’s logic and Jay’s need for comforting words.If he wound it tight and doubled it to act as a makeshift flogger, they would surely hear him from the bedroom.He pinched his skin.Not enough to bruise, but enough to revive his adrenal response until he was dry and panting.His cock hung limp, as it had for two weeks.But if it came to that, he could simply profess to wanting to watch Alice and Jay together instead of taking part himself.Successful deflection was based in truth.

He donned his pajama bottoms, a classical navy with white piping, and brushed his teeth before adding the matching top.The man facing him in the mirror looked far older than thirty-nine.A worn-out ghost of himself.

Pushing down the exhaustion and irritation, he raised his shoulders and resettled them, expanding his chest.Stared himself down until he’d reached the inscrutable neutrality Jay teasingly called dom face.His spouses deserved more than another day of sadness and regret.He would give them better, and lock away what it cost him.

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