Page 32 of One More Yule Log
“You’re kind of amazing, babe. You really are.” He squeezed what he was holding now, which happened to be Ben’s butt. He must have needed the balance. Cocks didn’t actually make good handles.
“Let’s clean up and eat. Would…I have an extra robe…”
“That would be fab.” They were a little sticky. “As long as I can drip red sauce on it. I can be messy.”
“Everything washes. I keep them in the laundry room so I can heat them in the dryer, you know?”
“That sounds decadent.” He had a little stackable washer and dryer, and it had never occurred to him to heat up his robe.
“Liv thinks it’s the neatest thing ever. We keep a dozen robes in different sizes for our guests that come to ski.”
“That’s too cool.” He grabbed a couple of napkins from a stand behind Ben. “I like the way you think.”
“I’ll grab you one.” Ben took a napkin, too, and headed through the kitchen and into the laundry room. In a couple of seconds, he heard a dryer start. He cleaned himself up and then wandered toward the laundry room, which was a wonder—washer, dryer, sink, table, drying rack.
“This is amazing.”
“Hand me your jeans. Thanks. Some of it came with the house, but Liv and I both wear a lot of hang-to-dry stuff, and I hate having to send out laundry.”
Ben was naked, beautiful, ink scrawled over his chest.
Gray lost his train of thought and damn near killed himself tripping over his jeans when he stepped forward to get a better look. “Whoops!”
“I got you.” Oh. Strong. Really strong. Ben’s arms didn’t even tremble.
“Thanks. Your tattoos caught my eye and I forgot pants.”
Ben grinned and righted him, letting him get his balance. “Get the jeans off and you can look your fill.”
“Yep.” He skinned out of all the cloth covering him, since Ben had gone full-on naked, and stood there, admiring.
Ben took his jeans to air out and fetched two robes out of the dryer. “Blue or red?”
“Um, red. So what was your first tattoo?”
“This one.” Low on Ben’s hip was a tiny fleur-de-lys. “The rest of the piece grew through college. My roommate was a tattoo artist.”
“Ah.” He had more than one, but not like the intricate, amazing ones Ben had. “My first one was the rolling pin.” He pointed to his upper right arm.
“I like that.” Ben traced the ink. “I love the way the fish dance in the river.”
“Yeah? What else do you love? Besides Christmas lights,” Gray teased.
“Good coffee, great sex, snuggling. You?”
“Cake.” He laughed when Ben snorted. “Early-morning hikes, fresh sheets, and just hanging out naked.”
“I like your nakedness.”
“I like yours too. Let’s take the robes in case we get cold, but be all naughty.”
“Fair enough.” Ben led him back into the living room, grabbing the wine on the way while he carried the food, robes tucked under his arm.
“How long has it been since you got to have alone adult time?” Gray asked.
“I…Six years? Maybe?”
“Wow.” They sat, immediately leaning together. He tossed the warm robes beside them to stay warm against his body heat.
