12 Dates of Christmas (Christmas Falls: Season 2)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Leo was in a fantastic mood as he crunched through the snow on the way to Nick’s house on Tuesday night.

Christmas Eve was in a week and Leo was done with work until after the holiday. He had a hot boyfriend, his family was eager to meet said hot boyfriend when they came to visit soon, and tonight, he and Nick were definitely having sex.

He patted the messenger bag slung over his shoulder. It contained his toothbrush, condoms, and other overnight supplies.

He whistled as he walked down the sidewalk, cheerfully greeting familiar faces.

“Oooh, I like your lights!” he exclaimed as he passed one house, where a mom and kids were getting out of their SUV. “They’re so pretty!”

“Thanks, Leo!” Stephanie called back.

He practically skipped the rest of the block to Nick’s house. It glowed with lights too and when Nick opened the door, Leo said, “Hi! Your place looks amazing. The lights make it look like a gingerbread house!”

“Hi. Thank you.” Nick leaned in and kissed his cheek. “You look great too. Come in.”

“Thanks!” Leo stepped inside and sniffed the air. “Ooh, something smells fantastic.”

“Well,” Nick said, settling a hand low on Leo’s back. “I hope this wasn’t too presumptuous of me but it’s baked spaghetti. Your mom’s baked spaghetti.”

“You contacted my mom?” Leo asked, flabbergasted as Nick helped him off with his bag and coat. How? Maybe Nick had used the contact form on the dairy’s website? But if he had, it would have gone to one of Leo’s brothers, who would totally have teased Leo for it. His mom never checked the company’s email. Hell, she barely checked her own email.

“No. But Hayden had the recipe.”

“Oh. Clever .”

“I asked him what you’d like for dinner and he suggested it,” Nick admitted. “We had a good long talk. He was pretty wary about me, given the way I bailed on you there, but I think he understands now what happened and why I messed up. It was about more than just getting the recipe, you know?”

Leo kissed his cheek again, touched that Nick wanted to make sure his friend understood. “Well, that was thoughtful of you to reach out to him.”

“That’s my middle name.”

Leo grinned, kicking off his boots and lining them up on the tray to drip dry. “Nicholas Thoughtful Morgan. That has a ring to it.”

Nick laughed. “It’s Theodore, so same initials.”

Leo made a face. “My name is ridiculous.”

“Yeah?”

“Leopold Hausch Fenner. If you can’t tell, the first two come from my mom’s side. Her father was German and she named me after him.”

“Ahh. There are a lot of Germans in Wisconsin, aren’t there?”

“Yes. Hence the hot dish we made the other night.”

“Well, you’ll have to settle for the baked spaghetti tonight.”

“I can handle that.” Leo smiled, touched by the gesture. Besides, maybe this was his Upper Midwest talking, but how could anyone not love a cozy casserole in the winter?

Comfort food was the bomb.

“Want the five-cent tour of the place?” Nick asked, holding out a hand.

“Sure!” All he’d ever seen before was the office and he’d entered through the back door.

Hand-in-hand Nick gave Leo a tour around the modest but beautiful bungalow. There were original wood floors and trim throughout. It looked like the kitchen had been updated recently but the soft, buttery-yellow cabinets and retro-style appliances made it blend seamlessly into the old home.

“These are the stairs down to the basement,” Nick said when they were back in the hallway, opening the door halfway, then abruptly shutting it. “But it’s not that exciting. Just an unfinished space with laundry and utility stuff. Not worth seeing. Lots of spiders.”

Leo shrugged, letting Nick drag him down the hall to a small guest room he used as a home gym. Leo smiled when they passed through the dining room and spotted the table laid out for two with flowers and candles.

“Romantic,” he commented and Nick smiled too.

“This is my bedroom,” Nick said, when they were upstairs, standing in the doorway. “I, uh, repainted it this summer and got a new bed. A … refresh for my life, I guess. I didn’t do it thinking about bringing a new partner in but …” He shrugged, smiling at Leo bashfully. “Now I’m glad I did.”

“It’s beautiful,” Leo assured him, pressing their shoulders together.

Curled up in the middle of the bed was a cat. “Ohh, is that Jelly?” he asked, delighted to finally meet her.

Her ear flicked, like she’d heard her name, but she snoozed on.

“Yep.” Nick let go of his hand. “You can pet her.”

“Nah, I’ll let her sleep,” Leo said. “I’m sure we’ll have plenty more opportunities to meet.”

Nick leaned in, pressing a kiss to Leo’s lips. It was soft and gentle, the type of kiss that was merely a sweet touch, not a prelude to anything else. There would be plenty of time for that later too.

They returned to the first floor and Nick grabbed a bottle of red wine from the built-in wooden sideboard and held it out. “Would you like some with dinner?”

“Sure!” Leo inspected the bottle. “Hey, this red blend is from the wine tasting. Good memory. Uh, yours for remembering the wine I mentioned I liked best, that is. Not my memory of that awful date with Twinkle Toes.”

Nick snorted and handed him a wine key. “Did I tell you I let Andrew go as a client?”

“Nooo,” Leo said, peeling away the foil on the bottle. “Why?”

“Because I gave him a warning after his date with you. I told him if behaved that way again and touched anyone who didn’t want it, he’d be out on his ass.”

Leo wrinkled his nose. “And he did it again?”

Nick sighed. “He did.”

“Gross.” Leo twisted the wine key into the cork.

“Yeah, some guys never learn.”

“Nick?” Leo said, the cork popping as he pulled it free of the bottle. “Did you deliberately set me up with bad dates?”

Nick sighed, leaning against the nearby wall. “I don’t know. I mean, consciously? Absolutely not. Without realizing it? Maybe? Clearly it was a conflict of interest for me. I’ve absolutely never dated a client or even wanted to before.”

“Until me,” Leo said happily. That made him feel very special.

“Until you.” Nick stepped forward, brushing his lips across Leo’s. “Now, I’m going to get dinner on the table. It should be ready to come out of the oven any minute.”

“Need help with anything?” Leo asked.

“You could pour the wine and light the candles. There are matches in the drawer there.” He pointed to the sideboard.

“I can do that!”

A short while later, they sat down to enjoy their dinner.

It turned out, there was more than spaghetti and red wine for dinner. There was a salad and a chai spice streusel-topped apple pie too.

“From Ginger’s Breads,” Nick explained as he brought out the plates with little dollops of vanilla ice cream melting on top. “I wasn’t going to try to compete with Joel on pie baking. I know I’d lose.”

“I am in love with his baked goods,” Leo admitted.

Nick shot him a look. “As long as it’s just his baked goods.”

Leo shrugged, licking off his fork. “Well, he has a pretty nice ass …”

Nick’s look of outrage made Leo giggle. “Excuse me. I think mine is every bit as good,” he sputtered.

“Well, I guess I’ll have to do a long, thorough examination later,” he teased.

“Of my ass, or Joel’s?” Nick scowled.

Leo snorted. “ Yours of course.”

“Better be.”

By the end of dessert, Leo was pleasantly full, relaxed from the wine, and totally falling in love with the guy who’d made it all happen.

“This was perfect,” Leo said, sighing a little dreamily. “Everything. Including the pie. How’d you know apple was my favorite?”

Nick shrugged. “Hayden helped there too.”

“Now, I’m not complaining about the ice cream,” Leo said. “But some time I want to introduce you to the way my family eats pie.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. We do a few slices of cheddar with it. On top, if the pie is still warm so it melts. My grandpa loved that.”

“Any excuse for cheese, huh?”

“Pretty much,” Leo agreed, smiling. You could take the guy out of Wisconsin but you couldn’t take the cheese out of him. Or something.

“I’d love to try cheddar on apple pie sometime.” Nick’s eyes glowed warmly in the candlelight.

Leo tried not to swoon. This man was … everything good in the world.

Leo got up and coaxed Nick to scoot back so he could sit on his lap. “I teased earlier but I hope you know you’re the one I want to be with,” he said huskily. “No one else.”

Nick smiled. “That goes both ways.” He patted Leo’s hip. “But we should get up. These chairs are vintage and I’m not sure how much weight they can hold.”

“I did eat a lot of spaghetti,” Leo agreed, standing. “They might be in real danger.”

Nick chuckled, stacking the plates. Leo helped, and in no time, the table was clear.

“So.” Nick said, after they’d filled the dishwasher and tidied the kitchen. “How would you feel about a Christmas movie in front of the fire?”

“Yes please.” Come to think of it, Nick hadn’t shown him the living room yet.

When they stepped inside, Leo understood why. There was already a nest of cushy pillows and blankets on the floor and the Christmas tree glowed with lights.

“Get comfy,” Nick said. “I’ll light the fire.”

Leo took a seat, burrowing into the fluffy pile. “Oh my God, Nick, this is heaven .”

Smiling, Nick crouched in front of the brick fireplace and a moment later, the fire glowed as brightly as the tree. Nick lit a few candles around the room as well, then smiled down at Leo, flipping off the overhead light. “Be right back.”

“I’ll be here!” Leo promised. He pulled out his phone and took a few pictures of the fire and tree. He made sure his phone was on silent, then tossed it onto the couch so it wouldn’t interrupt anything.

A few moments later he heard a chirp and glanced over to see Jelly trotting toward him. “Oh, hi, sweetheart,” he crooned. “I’m Leo.”

The cat sniffed his hand, then butted against it, demanding pets. Leo laughed delightedly. “Oh aren’t you a friendly one?” he said, smiling. “I think I love you already.”

He dropped his voice. “And I am totally falling for your human. He is …”

Leo sighed, resting his cheek on a pillow as he petted the cat, still feeling the dreamy contentment from earlier. Nick had made the evening so perfect already. And the night had only begun.

“Well, don’t you both look cozy?” Nick said with a smile a few minutes later as he stepped into the living room. “Hope there’s some room for me.”

“Always,” Leo said, sitting up and patting the spot by his hip. Jelly made a disgruntled noise.

“Boozy peppermint hot chocolate and whipped cream,” Nick said, handing over a mug. “I have it on good authority you prefer whipped cream to marshmallows.”

Touched, Leo stared at the mug. “Oh, Nick. God, you thought of everything .”

“Well, I figured I’d let you pick out what movie you want to watch.” Nick shrugged, taking a seat beside him.

Leo kissed his cheek. “ The Holiday , obviously. It’s really old. I think it came out when I was like … in first or second grade or something, but it’s peak Christmas romance. You can’t go wrong with Nancy Meyers directing.”

“ Old .” Nick reached for a remote. “It came out when I was twenty. That makes me feel old.”

Leo chuckled. He didn’t think a lot about Nick being thirteen years older than him but he supposed this did highlight that. But as long as they could laugh about it, what did it matter?

“I like that you’re a bit older than me,” Leo admitted, taking a sip of the hot chocolate. “I think that was part of my problem finding someone who was looking for the same thing I was. The guys my age wanted to fuck around. They didn’t really get romance . Not the way I wanted, anyway. Not the way you show it.”

“Good.” Nick navigated to the movie and pressed Play . “Their loss is my gain.”

Smiling, Leo took another sip of cocoa and tipped his head to the side, resting it on Nick’s soft, burgundy sweater-covered shoulder. Yeah, he was done for.

He’d finally found the man of his dreams.

They talked about their favorite scenes and Leo glowed, enjoying that Nick seemed to revel in the small moments the way Leo did. He’d dated a guy for a while who hated talking during movies at all and refused to discuss it after.

Like, where was the fun in that?

But when it came to the part where Jude Law’s character, Graham, revealed he’d been widowed, Leo froze, scrambling for the remote to pause the movie. “Oh, shit, I forgot about that part. Are you sure you want to watch this?” he asked, glancing at Nick.

Nick gave him a soft smile. “Yeah. I appreciate you worrying about it but honestly, I feel like I’m in a great place right now.”

“Okay, good,” Leo said. “But you’ll tell me if that changes?”

“I’ll tell you,” Nick promised. He leaned over and pressed his lips to Leo’s cheek. “And thank you. I appreciate how thoughtful you are. And, you know what? It turns out I like nice guys too.”

Leo gave him a smile and hit Play again.

After Nick and Leo finished their hot cocoa, Nick threw a few more logs on the fire. They curled up together in the nest of pillows, resuming their commentary on their favorite parts of the movie as it played out in front of them.

When the movie was over, Leo sighed happily, feeling drowsy and content in Nick’s arms. “That was great .”

“It was.” Spooned around him now, Nick kissed the back of his neck. “I guess sometimes going to a new place is the best way to find love.”

“Worked for me,” Leo said without thinking.

Nick drew in a sharp breath. “Leo?” he rose on one elbow.

“Oh shit,” Leo whispered, worried he’d gone too fast. “I …”

“Hey, look at me.” Nick coaxed Leo to roll over to face him. He cupped Leo’s cheek. “Do you mean it?”

“Yeah, I … I’m definitely falling in love with you.” He hadn’t thought about it that hard but what else could this be?

“Good,” Nick said firmly. “Because I’m falling in love with you too. I realized it the other day at Merry Memories. You were having so much fun and I was having fun and it just hit me.”

“Oh, Nick.” Leo leaned in, softly kissing him.

He didn’t know how to say everything he was feeling at the moment so he poured it into the kiss, letting it turn hotter and wetter. Deeper.

Nick responded, groaning against his mouth and he pulled Leo’s body tighter against his. “Hey, do you want to take this upstairs?” Nick asked roughly, sliding a hand down Leo’s side and gripping his hip.

Leo shook his head. “No, right here is perfect, if you want.”

Nick bit at his neck. “I just want you.”

“Oh God, I want you too, Nick.”

Nick flipped him onto his back and Leo stared, biting his lip when Nick eased the zipper down on his jeans and worked them off. Nick brushed soft kisses against his thighs, alternating them with nips and licks until Leo let out a groan. “Fuck. Nick …”

He shifted forward, brushing his lips over Leo’s cock, his breath warm, even through the stretchy fabric of Leo’s underwear. He did it again, mouthing and kissing him, until Leo twisted under him, seeking more.

“I want these gone,” Nick murmured, tugging at Leo’s underwear, and he lifted his hips, allowing Nick to slide the fabric down his legs and off.

Nick took Leo’s dick in his hand but for the first time, he looked apprehensive as he stroked lightly. “I’ve never done this,” he said quietly. “Uh, sucked cock before.”

“Hey, that’s okay,” Leo assured him, reaching out to touch his face. “You do whatever you feel comfortable with. I’m sure I’ll like it.”

“But I want you to enjoy it.”

The stubborn note in Nick’s voice made Leo smile. “You’ll be touching me. It’ll be perfect. And if it’s something you like having done to you, chances are I’ll enjoy it.” He shrugged, because really, although he understood why Nick might need a moment to adjust, it didn’t have to be complicated.

“Okay.”

Leo stroked Nick’s cheek again, then settled onto his back. “You can start with what you were doing to my thighs and over the fabric. That felt amazing .”

Nodding, Nick shifted onto his elbows. Leo closed his eyes at the first brush of Nick’s warm breath on his sensitive skin. He shivered at the sensation and a moment later he felt a soft peck, then a longer, broader lick.

At first, Nick was hesitant, halting sometimes like he was thinking hard about everything he did. When Leo let out a quiet moan, it seemed to ignite something in him. It wasn’t long before Nick wrapped his hand around the base of Leo’s cock and swiped his tongue across the head.

Leo gasped, reaching out to clutch Nick’s shoulder. “Yeah. That . Keep going,” he pleaded.

With a soft chuckle, Nick continued, growing bolder and more sure of himself. He took Leo in his mouth, sucking the tip and Leo let out a cry. “Fuck. Fuck. Yeah, that’s good.”

By the time Nick was bobbing shallowly over him, Leo was flushed and his balls ached. “Hang on, hang on,” he pleaded.

Nick froze, lifting off with a soft, wet pop. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, just need a sec,” he said with a breathless laugh. “Or this’ll be over before it gets started.”

Nick sat back and Leo wiggled out of his sweater, tossing it on the nearby couch. “I’m a little hot.” The fire was roaring now, the room warm and cozy.

Nick dragged a hand down his chest, gaze appreciative. “More than a little.”

Leo grinned, charmed by the cheesy joke and the look in Nick’s eyes. “Hey, lose your shirt and come here, mister,” he said huskily. “I want to touch you too.”

Nick stripped the rest of his clothes off and settled on the nest of cushions beside Leo. “Did I do okay?” he asked, searching Leo’s face.

“Yeah.” Leo smiled. “You were amazing. I was getting too close, actually.”

“Good.” Nick rubbed his thumb across Leo’s hip. “Tell me what else you want.”

“Um,” Leo said, because this could be an awkward conversation. “I want you to fuck me but I am also very full of dinner so … not that right now.”

Understanding lit Nick’s eyes. “Sure. What would feel good?”

“It was hot getting off on you the other day,” Leo admitted. “But I’d like it even more if we got off together.”

“Show me?” Nick asked.

Leo bent his head, kissing Nick’s collarbone. “Lube?”

“Oh, one sec.” Nick flipped over, rummaging through the drawer in the coffee table. “Here.”

“Is this your usual stash or did you prepare for this?” Leo teased.

“I prepared.” Nick looked bashful. “Didn’t want to ruin the mood by having to run upstairs bare-assed to grab it if you were up for fooling around by the fire.”

God, could he get any more amazing? Leo let out a happy sigh and took the bottle from him. He slicked his hand and scooted closer.

Nick was getting hard too and Leo took them both in his hand, slicking their cocks.

Nick groaned. “Fuck, Leo …”

“Yeah, you like that?” Leo asked, rocking into his fist.

“Fuck. It’s amazing .”

It took a few moments for them to find their rhythm but when they did, Leo’s head swam. “Ooh fuck that’s good.”

“I know.” Nick pulled him closer, putting an arm around Leo’s waist.

Leo wrapped his leg around Nick’s hip, bending it at the knee, as they rocked their hips together.

Panting against each other’s mouths, Leo murmured. “You can play with my ass if you want. Just the outside and stuff.”

“Yeah, yeah I want,” Nick said fervently. “Anything to make you feel good.”

Leo smiled, groaning a moment later when Nick brushed slippery fingers between his cheeks. “Fuck yeah that’s perfect. Don’t stop!”

He stroked their cocks and Nick teased at his entrance. Leo let out a moan when his knuckles brushed Leo’s balls.

“Yeah, that’s good too,” he encouraged and Nick cupped them, his palm slick.

Leo tensed when Nick rolled them in his hand.

“You like that or no?” Nick asked, stilling.

“I like ,” Leo assured him and Nick’s eyes lit up and he did it again.

There was something powerfully intense having sex this way, looking deeply into Nick’s eyes.

The gentle roll and tug of Nick’s hand made Leo’s skin heat and he bucked into his fist, dragging his thumb across the head of Nick’s cock.

Nick made a desperate noise and then they were pressing together harder, fucking into Leo’s fist, pillows shifting under them. It was clumsy and a lot slippery and they both laughed when Leo lost his grip. But it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter when Nick looked all flushed and happy and full of need.

It was him and Nick and they were together and Nick wanted a future with him and … Leo came with a desperate, strangled shout, pressing his face to Nick’s throat as he came in his hand, wet heat coating his fingers and both their stomachs.

Nick pressed the side of his knuckles against Leo’s taint and he let out a strangled gasp, the orgasm going on and on until Leo was shaking and had to push Nick’s hand away before it became too much.

Leo had the wherewithal to let go of his own cock and focus on Nick’s, his grip snug, sliding his thumb over the opening on the head until Nick let out a strangled noise, body bowing as he came, panting against Leo’s shoulder.

He gripped Leo’s ass, fingers sliding across his skin, breath warm against Leo’s collarbone. “Leo,” he murmured and it sent a rush of warmth through Leo’s body.

After, when Leo was so wrung out his bones had melted into a puddle of bliss, he rubbed his nose against Nick’s. “Thank you,” he whispered.

“For what?” Nick drew a hand up Leo’s back but it was tacky with drying lube and they smiled at each other in amusement.

“For … everything ,” Leo said quietly. “For being my perfect match.”

Smiling, Nick pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Thanks for moving to town and building my website.”

“I knew I was going to find love here,” Leo said happily, smiling up at the ceiling, his future playing out in a dazzling array of happy possibilities before his eyes.