Page 52 of All in December
“Nash!” the guy says, clapping him hard on the back. “Hey, man!” Then his eyes flick to me. “Hey, I’m Marshall,” he says, reaching to shake my hand.
“Caleb. Nice to meet you,” I respond, shaking his hand.
“You here with this guy?” he asks, clearly trying to place me.
“Guilty,” I say with a shy smile, unsure how this conversation will go.
But it’s… fine. Easy, even. We chat for a few minutes before even more people approach Nash, and introductions blur.
There’s a guy dressed like an elf who I’m told does HR. Emily, the support director, raises a brow and breaks into a big smile when Nash introduces me as his boyfriend. Nash is relaxed and charming around his coworkers, and it’s helping me be more comfortable too—especially since this is my first timeoutin public with a man. With myboyfriend.
Being at my boyfriend’s work holiday party feels overwhelming in a good way, because I still can’t believe this is my reality. It’s going to take some time for me to comprehend that this is real, and we’re actually dating.
Eventually, Nash pulls us toward a quieter corner with two flutes of champagne. “Surviving?”
“Yeah, just don’t expect me to remember anyone’s name,” I huff outwith a laugh.
“Of course not.” He chuckles, leaning in closer now with his hand on my tie. “You look good, by the way.”
I glance down at my dark green tie, then back up at him. “You just like that I’m wearing something you can tug on.”
He smirks. “You’re not wrong, baby.”
I roll my eyes, but I’m smiling.
He nudges his shoulder against mine. “Thanks again for coming. This was so much better with you here.”
“Thanks for inviting me,” I whisper, eagerly awaiting the part where we can go upstairs.
Before I can respond, someone calls out his name and waves him over. He groans quietly. “Ready?” he asks, lacing our fingers together.
“Lead the way.”
CHAPTER 22
Nash
The party winds down later than expected. A few of my coworkers are already plotting which bar to hit next, but I have a man who’s free for the night, and I intend to take full advantage of that.
“You ready to get out of here?” I ask, leaning into Caleb.
He nods, relief in his smile. “God, yes. Please.”
We trade goodbyes with a few people and make our way upstairs, hands linked as we walk through the fancy hotel lobby. When we get to the fifteenth floor and find our room, I slide the keycard into the door, and it clicks open with a soft beep.
We step into a room with a king-size bed, crisp white sheets, and a massive window wall overlooking the city, the lights glowing beneath us.
Caleb steps up toward the window in awe. “Wow. That’s a nice view.”
I step up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist and pulling him flush to me. “Not as nice as what I’m looking at.”
He leans back into my chest slightly, his head tipping to the side like he’s offering me his neck, and I press a kiss there.
“Now we get the night to ourselves.”
“Mmm, don’t get those often.”
“No, you don’t, so tonight’s all about you, Cay.”
