Page 53 of The Mission

“I’m wondering how many more dreams can come true.”

“Sachertorte!” Arlo’s father bought a huge version of the chocolate dessert to the table.

“And there’s another one,” Conrad said.

Arlo chuckled.

Conrad had eaten all of his before Arlo had time to tell him that the first to finish had to help with the washing up. But when he did tell him, Conrad just shrugged.

“I ate your carp. You can help me wash up.”

Arlo and Conrad did it together. The kids had put out oats for the reindeer, a mince pie and a drink of sherry for Santa—not an Austrian tradition—and finally the last child had been persuaded into bed by Rurik. Arlo’s parents had already retired, but his brothers and their wives were sprawled on the couches waiting for the children to fall asleep so they could put the presents under the tree.

“You two don’t need to stay up,” Rurik told them. “Just don’t wake the kids who’ve fallen asleep.” He raised his eyebrows.

Arlo didn’t think he’d seen Conrad blush like that before. He took Conrad’s hand and tugged him to his room.

“Still no inflatable mattress!” Arlo said in delight.

“Can you be really quiet?” Conrad began to get undressed.

“Yes.”Maybe.

Conrad smiled. “Why don’t I believe you?”

“I’ll try. I promise.”

Arlo was hard before he’d finished taking his clothes off.

“The shower is on an outside wall,” Arlo whispered.

“What—? Oh.” Conrad’s eyes widened.

Within moments, they were in the shower, Conrad soaping Arlo’s body and Arlo trying his hardest not to groan as Conrad squeezed and teased his cock. Arlo leaned back against the tiles and pressed his arm across his mouth as Conrad continued to play with him. Conrad turned Arlo round and leaned against his back, nipping the place where Arlo’s neck met his shoulder before he nuzzled his way down his spine, and all the time running his hand up and down the length of Arlo’s cock.

Conrad traced every bump in Arlo’s spine with his fingers and tongue as he slowly sank to his knees. Arlo put his arm back against his mouth. Conrad had one finger in the seam of Arlo’s backside, pressing along the strip of flesh between the entrance to his body and his balls, and Arlo’s legs trembled. When Conrad’s finger slid a little way inside, Arlo humped the shower wall, his cock saved from collision with the tiles by Conrad’s hand.

“Ouch,” Conrad said.

“Sorry. My ouch would have been louder, so thank you.”

Conrad pushed to his feet, spun Arlo round and kissed him. Arlo wrapped his hand around Conrad’s cock, and they caressed each other, mouths together, hips rocking as water poured over them. Arlo was swamped with lust. He had one hand on Conrad’s arse, pulling him in, matching the action of his hand with the thrust of his hips.

They came almost at the same time, moaning into each other’s mouths as their hands filled with come. Arlo’s cock seemed to pulse long after he’d thought it would stop, and he wondered if something was wrong, only it felt so good, so right. They washed each other, still kissing and finally Arlo turned off the water.

Back in bed, they lay in each other’s arms. Conrad kissed the bite marks on Arlo’s forearm.

“How are you going to explain those?” Conrad asked.

“I’ll say you’re a werewolf.”

Conrad was still laughing when Arlo turned out the light.

The following morning, Conrad almost reeled when they walked into the main room. It looked as if a wrapping paper bomb had exploded—was still exploding— balls of paper flying across the room lobbed at one brother by another. Julian was covered in bows of every colour, and the kids were fighting to stick more on him. Conrad had heard the excited chatter from the bedroom but in here, it seemed overwhelming—Christmas music blaring out along with the sounds of children playing with their toys, and in one case crying. The return of a plastic robot seemed to sort that. Conrad and Arlo put their gifts under the tree.

“They are not yours,” Rurik called to an encroaching child. “Grown-ups only now.”

Conrad had never been part of anything like this…chaos. His Christmases had been quiet, sedate affairs. His parents put one present under the tree for him. Usually something fairly expensive. He always knew what he was getting because they asked him what he wanted. Cello, games console, phone…He guessed some people just weren’t good at parenting. Christmas had never been fun. This was.

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