Page 69 of The History Between Us

My nose stings, a lump forming in my throat. “You’re welcome.”

Gently resting the picture frame against the table, he wraps a hand around the back of my neck, pulling me into him, his soft lips crushing mine. So much is poured into this one bruising kiss. Like he’s trying to convey to me without words how much this means to him. How muchImean to him. This kiss gives me goosebumps. It has my heart pitter-pattering. My skin tingling. It’s a kiss I’ll feel for the rest of my life. A kiss they make movies about.

By the time we pull apart, we’re both a little breathless and a lot turned on, but we don’t take it any further. This morning isn’t about that. It’s about so much more. William’s hand stays anchored around the back of my neck as his eyes meet mine, a smile curling his swollen lips.

The timer goes off, signaling the cinnamon rolls are done, and it’s not until right then that I realize how incredible the house smells. I’ve been so caught up with William that everything else was muted. I grab them out of the oven, then the homemade icing out of the fridge. While I work on frosting them, William whips us up some hot cocoa… the real fancy kind—from a packet. He even tops them with miniature marshmallows and drizzles some caramel on top.

Both of us at the dining room table, that I literally never use, we dig in.

William groans sexily as he takes his first bite. “Christ, Colt. These are amazing.”

“They really are,” I say, kind of surprised by myself. I mean, I know my mom made the dough, but I didn’t burn them or anything. “Maybe if I can’t make it back out on the circuit, I can moonlight as a baker.”

Once we finish, William helps me clean up the kitchen. It all has me wondering what it would be like to do this on a regular basis with him… like every day. Six months ago, an idea like that would’ve probably freaked me out. But now? It sounds pretty fucking incredible.

“As much as I don’t want to, I should get home,” he murmurs with a sigh while drying his hands on a dish towel. “I have to pick my dad up before we go to your parents’ house, and we probably shouldn’t show up together anyway.”

Joking, I say, “Maybe we tell ’em today. Merry Christmas, Mom and Dad! Meet my new boyfriend.”

“Oh yeah, that’ll go over well.” William chuckles. “Maybe let’s not tell them on Christmas.”

“That’s probably smart. Can’t have my dad losing his cool over the honey-glazed ham,” I tease.

“After the new year?”

“You’re sure?” I ask. “What if he doesn’t forgive us?”

Something in William’s features softens. “He will. First of all, he’s your dad, and I don’t think there’s anything you could do that would be unforgivable in his eyes and, secondly, we’ve been friends for nearly as long as I’ve been on this earth. It may take some getting used to, but I can’t see this being the one thing that breaks a nearly four-decade-long friendship. I’m more than sure about you, Colt.”

That one sentence settles so much inside of me.I’m more than sure about you, Colt.

With one last long kiss, William leaves. Grabbing a towelfrom the closet, I hop in the shower and get ready, taking my time since I still have a couple of hours until I have to leave. I decide to wear the hat he got me, smirking to myself, knowing that it’ll be our little secret tonight.

I get to my parents’ place around two, and I’m the first one there. Conrad, William, and Roger should be the only other people coming over. Conrad spends every Christmas with us, and he has for years. Helping my mom in the kitchen to kill some time, I prep the ham for her before sticking it in the oven, then peel a ridiculous amount of potatoes while she gets the sauce ready for her famous scalloped potatoes. By the time we’re finished, I’ve worked up a sweat.

“Thanks for your help, honey.” My mom smiles wide at me, and I return it.

“Anytime, Mom.”

With a beer in hand, I head out to the living room where I can hear everyone has arrived. My gaze connects with William’s right away, and we share a small smirk before I say hi to everybody. My family always does a white elephant gift exchange, and this year is no different. The afternoon passes quickly; lots of laughter and joking, drinking beer, and watching the game until it’s time to eat.

At the table, William and I sit directly across from each other, and this time, it’s his foot that finds mine under the table.Oh, how the tables have turned.I wonder how next Christmas will go. Will we still be together? Is William right? Will my dad learn to accept it whenever we tell him? I sure as hell hope so. I don’t think I’d forgive myself if their friendship was ruined, even if I’m starting to think my feelings for William go much deeper than justlike. As I’m watching him from across the table, eat his food and mingle, I have a gnawing suspicionthat I might, in fact, be in love with him. Despite telling myself just this morning that that’s impossible. That it’s too early.

It may be, but that doesn’t make it any less true.

After dinner, I spot William coming out of the bathroom, and I smirk as I approach him. My dad’s in the kitchen, doing the dishes, and my mom and everybody else are outside. She wanted to show them her new garden that she and dad are going to plant after winter is over. So, it’s just him and me in this hallway.

“Fancy running into you here, Doc,” I drawl, loving the smile on his face.

“Seems we have a tendency of meeting outside of bathrooms in houses we really shouldn’t be.”

Our first kiss comes back to me. Well, our first kiss after he moved home. I can’t even hide my grin as I glance up, pointing innocently at the mistletoe hanging in the hallway. My mom has always been a sucker for mistletoe. She hangs it all around the house every year.

William breathes out a laugh. “You’re going to get us in trouble, aren’t you?”

Holding up my hands innocently, I say, “I don’t have a clue what you mean, but it is bad luck to not kiss somebody when you’re under the mistletoe.”

“It is not bad luck.”

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