Page 35 of A Man for the Holidays

I lean down and press a soft kiss on the back of his palm, then angle my head back up at him and our eyes connect.

“Oh, Quinn. I––”

“Hey, even if it’s only for another two days. Spending those final days with you, is totally worth it.”

“Quinn. I… I wish––” but I cut him off again.

“I know, Spencer; it’s okay. I’m sorry but I’m really tired tonight, do you mind if I just go to bed, and we can do something tomorrow night when you finish work?”

“Of course,” he whispers, and I see a tear trickle down his cheek.

He leans forward, then presses a kiss to my lips. The kiss is deep and… salty from his tears, and when we pull apart, he looks deep into my eyes, and as I stare into his eyes, I see my reflection.

“Good night, Spencer,” I whisper.

“Good night, Quinn,” he answers, getting to his feet and makes his way to the door.

I watch as he pulls the door open and he takes a step forward, then as he’s about to walk through it, he turns around and says, “I love you, Quinn.”

“I love you too, Spencer,” I reply in a voice that’s barely audible, as he walks through the door, closing it behind him.

I get to my feet and quickly change into my boxer briefs, then head to the door and press my ear against it. I open it slightly and look down the foyer to see that his bedroom door is closed. I step out of my room and into the foyer, and when I poke my head into the living room and look through to the kitchen, I see the lights switched off. I then notice Paige’s bedroom door is closed, realizing that the repairmen must have left while Spencer and I were talking in the bedroom. I make my way back through the foyer and into the bathroom, closing the door behind me. I grab my toothbrush and squeeze some toothpaste on it, then after cleaning my teeth, I stare at my refection in the mirror for several long minutes. I notice my skin tone is darker than it was two weeks ago, and as I look down at my hands, I try and spread my fingers apart, but it’s almost impossible and takes some effort because of how hard they’re getting. As images of Spencer naked on the beach swirl in my mind, I take my hand and reach down to touch myself through the fabric of my boxer briefs, and my eyes widen when I realize just how hard I am. However, it’s not the hardness I was expecting.

I tug on the material of my briefs, pulling them away from my skin, and I lower my head to peer down the inside. While I’m sporting a massive hard-on right now, I notice that my cock has in fact shrunk in size, almost to the point of non-existence, and I feel my eyes fill with water. I release the fabric of my underwear, then turn on the tap and wash my hands under the faucet, being extra careful not to damage or break any part of me. I splash some water on my face, before turning the tap off, before I reach for the towel hanging on the towel rack. I dab at my hardening skin, then place the towel back on the rail and run a hand through my hair. When I lower my hand, I let out a soft gasp as I notice a tiny chunk of hair in the palm of my hand. Instead of the soft, smooth, silky feeling I’ve become used to, it’s replaced with a rustle, papery feel, and I know that it’s only a matter of time.

Christmas Eve is the busiest day of the year for the manager of a toy store. Thankfully, I managed to convince Liz to close the store this afternoon and give me the night off, so I could spend some much-needed quality time with Quinn. I grab my jacket and helmet from my locker, then walk out of the store and make my way toward the staff parking lot where I keep my motorcycle. I swing one leg over the bike, and maneuver myself forward, just as I’m about to place the helmet on my head, a thought washes over me. I get off the motorcycle, place the helmet under my arm then walk back through the mall and make my way toward the men’s clothing store that I’ve avoided since Quinn came to life. As I make my way inside, I look around for any signs of Olivia, but thankfully she’s nowhere to be seen, so I proceed farther along the aisle of clothing until I find John.

“John. I really need to talk to you,” I say.

“Spencer? What’s wrong?”

I look around the store, making sure there are no customers within earshot, then I grab John by the arm and take him to the corner of the store. “I want to keep Quinn. Not just for tonight, or the holidays, but forever.”

“What do you mean, forever?”

“I mean forever. An eternity. Please John, this can’t end now, I don’t want to lose him.”

His expression changes from serious to sadness, then he sits down on one of the display boxes as I tower over him.

“Spencer, I know you said you wanted Quinn for longer, but all I could grant you was for the holidays not for eternity.”

“I know. But this can’t be the end. We’re only just starting to become a family, him me and Paige, I can’t bear the thought of losing him.”

“But those are the rules, Spencer. You got your wish for two weeks.”

“And I’m grateful for that, really I am, but I love him.”

The words leave my mouth before I even have a chance to stop them, and I hold back the threatening tears as I stare at John. The one man who can alter everything and make a difference between a fairy-tale and a Happily Ever After.

“But how can you love him? He’s just a statue,” John says.

“No, he’s not. He’s more than that, he’s too real now, and I can’t let him go. He’s everything I’ve ever wanted, and more.”

“Spencer, what you’re asking for, it isn’t possible. This is real-life, it’s not some Cinderella fairy-tale where you get to put on a magic slipper and get to marry your Prince.”

“Why not? Why can’t I be happy? I deserve it just as much as everyone else does. Please, there has to be something that you can do.”

I feel my eyes well up with tears, and I hear a few voices from customers in the store as John gets to his feet, but when he notices a colleague go and assist them, he sits back down again.

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