Page 28 of Havoc for the Holidays

“Oh, God.” He melted into my arms with a shaky exhale and brought his lips to mine. “Just kiss me.”

And kiss him I did. I kissed him with every fear, every uncertainty, and every reckless wish for us I possessed in a tiny hallway cluttered with holiday decorations, presents, treats, and trinkets. I kissed him as if it were the last kiss I would ever experience and I kissed him with all the hope and fervor of needing it to be the first of countless more. He returned the kiss with just as much earnestness and as he shifted our bodies until I was pressed against the door jamb, everything fell into place. The way we fit together, the way our mouths moved together, the way our tongues spoke soundless words of understanding as they tangled together all felt so profoundly like coming home.

Ollie pulled away with a gasp and searched my face with a mixture of awe and uncertainty. His tongue slipped out to run over the kiss-swollen sweep of his lower lip before a shy smile broke out over his face. God, I wanted to taste it, to savor the flavor of every smile he possessed.

“Is that a yes, Ollie? Do we have a chance?”

“Yes. I'm so sorry—”

“No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I pushed too hard with the showcase or made your life harder here in—”

“Stop. It's me. Can we just… can we just go inside?” His eyes darted over my face as his shy smile turned into a wicked thing. “Please?”

My smile turned into a grin that mirrored his own as I nodded. “Yes, Mr. Branson. I'd very much like you to take me inside.”

His flirtatious demeanor shifted into nervous laughter and a flustered expression as he stepped back and glanced toward the bags and boxes around us. “Um, what is all this?”

“I brought Christmas to you.”

“Oh…” He exhaled a shaky breath. “No one’s ever—”

“I know. That’s why I did it.” I jerked my chin toward the interior of his apartment. “Go on. I'll bring this in.”

Of all the smiles I had seen on his face, this one was the most beautiful. It was pure joy. Perhaps it was far too early, perhaps it was too fast, but I knew in my heart that my earlier declaration was the most honest thing I'd ever uttered. Somehow, I'd gone and fallen head over heels for him. My holiday miracle had come true. Now, to give him his.

Chapter seventeen

Ollie

By the time Ez was done bringing everything in the apartment, I was utterly overwhelmed in the best way possible. There were packages galore under our tiny Christmas tree, all of them done up in ribbons and bows. My kitchen was filled with all my favorite things from the bakery surrounding the Christmas bouquet he’d given me. There were half a dozen candles scattered around, each of them putting out the quintessential aromas of the holidays until I thought I would drown in pine and cinnamon and peppermint and vanilla.

Perhaps the most memorable thing he unpackaged was the stack of cards. I sifted through the pile and had to fight back tears as I read well wishes and holiday greetings from two dozen different people in town. I'd been working so hard to keep my head down and stay out of the public scrutiny, it boggled my mind to realize just how many truly cared, let alone noticed me in the first place.

“Ez, this is…”

“You needed to know. You matter a lot more than you think. Don't let the stupid comments and gossip fool you, Olls. You love this town so much, and it loves you back.” He crossed the kitchen and gathered my cheeks in his hands. “And I meant what I said, too. You made me fall in love with this place, and in the process, you made me fall in love with you.”

“Oh… oh, God.” I tossed the stack of cards on the counter and grabbed his hips to tug him closer as my heart beat too fast in my chest. I couldn't think clearly enough to formulate words, but God, did I feel like the king of the world as he said those words. In lieu of responding aloud, I crushed his lips with mine and hoped my actions would convey my feelings in return.

My desperation to communicate how intensely I felt for him turned me nearly feral as I ravished his mouth and maneuvered him through my apartment. Clamoring hands and stumbling steps followed our movements as we crashed into walls and door frames. Once I was confident we were clear of the majority of the tripping hazards, I pushed him toward my bed and inhaled a shaky breath to try and regain some control over myself.

“No. Don't do that.” Ez shifted into a seated position long enough to tear his shirt off and send it flying. “Don't hold back. Don't put up shields. Get the hell over here and fuck me.”

“Oh… oh!” A small laugh slipped from my lips as I followed suit, shedding my shirt and advancing toward him. “God, I don't know what you do to me—”

“Don't overthink it,” he murmured, capturing my face in his hands and sealing our mouths together again.

My body was on fire with his touch. I needed more. I needed everything. Only with him had I ever experienced such uninhibited desire and wanton lust. I barely recognized myself, but for once, I didn't care. I simply went with it. As I crawled over his body, he melted into the mattress and our hips met, instantly becoming an undulating dance of push and pull as we sought friction.

Ez turned his head to the side, breaking our kiss with a gasp. “Supplies?”

“Oh, right. Shit,” I stammered. It took entirely too long to find what I was looking for in the nightstand. So much so, he was already free of his delightful dance tights by the time I returned to the bedside.

“Gimme that.” He snatched the bottle of lube from my hand so fast, I boggled. “I swear on everything holy in this world, if you aren't inside of me in the next thirty seconds, I will scream.”

“Good God, if you keep talking like that, this won't last long.” I fumbled my pants down until I could step out of them, stumbling across the floor with a shaky laugh.

“Good thing we have all night.” The lube clicked open and closed. When I glanced up, he was propped up on one elbow and sliding his fingers into his ass. I whimpered and clamped a hand around the base of my dick as it twitched at the sight.

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