CHAPTER 11
TAYLOR
The alarm on Taylor’s phone blared to life with a rendition of “Here Comes Santa Claus.” Taylor fumbled for the phone and turned the alarm off. Beside him, Damon snuggled closer, pulling Taylor back into his arms.
“Too early,” Damon grumbled, sleepily kissing the nape of Taylor’s neck.
“I have to get to the diner and get breakfast going,” Taylor whispered, but he didn’t try to move out of Damon’s embrace just yet. He was warm and comfortable and if there was any morning of the year that he deserved a little extra time in bed, it was Christmas morning.
“Mmm. Breakfast.” Damon’s hand slid over Taylor’s hip and reached for his dick. Taylor tried to turn away—not really—but Damon rolled him onto his back and before he could protest too much, Damon disappeared under the blanket. His warm, wet mouth enveloped Taylor’s cock, causing him to gasp.
Next to him, Nash groaned. “No rest for the wicked,” he muttered, popping an eye open. He squinted at Taylor, then his gaze traveled to the Damon-sized lump under the covers.
“Insatiable,” Nash said, but he shifted closer to Taylor. They’d long ago gotten past the whole morning breath is a bad idea and no longer cared about things like decorum. Even with sour breath, their kisses were still perfect. Taylor moaned into Nash’s mouth and trembled from the way Damon sucked him. Expertly. Efficiently. Enthusiastically.
Taylor’s head swam from the way Nash kissed him breathless. From the way Damon stole his ability to think straight. He felt light. Ethereal almost. The sun hadn’t come up yet and the room was still dark, and everything was quiet. It was as if the whole world was asleep—except for them. It made Taylor feel like time had stopped just for the three of them.
Nash’s hand trailed down Taylor’s body. Fingers plucked his nipples, making him arch up into Damon’s mouth. Then that hand slid further south, and Damon suddenly took Taylor deeper, gagging on his cock. Nash was holding him down, Taylor realized, and the idea of it was so hot he whimpered into Nash’s mouth.
The world went supernova, whiting out of existence as Taylor shattered, coming apart in Damon’s mouth. Nash smiled against Taylor’s cheek, listening to him pant and whimper as Damon continued to torture him with his mouth.
“Good morning, beautiful,” Nash said before sliding out of bed. He turned the lamp on and Taylor squinted in the sudden brightness.
“Where are you going?” Taylor asked, watching Nash slip into pajama pants.
Damon popped up above the covers, his hair sticking out in all directions. He loomed over Taylor and slanted their mouths together, making Taylor quickly forget that he’d asked anything at all.
They were still kissing, Damon shirking Taylor’s advances every time he tried to reach below Damon’s waist. Nash returned a few minutes later with three cups of coffee on a tray.
“We have to get going,” Taylor lamented as he scooted up the bed and took a cup from Nash.
“We have time for a coffee,” Nash said, perching on the edge of the bed. Taylor was sandwiched between his men, he realized. Damon on his other side, Nash on the edge of the bed. He couldn’t make a run for it, especially holding a cup of coffee.
“Okay, you’ve got me trapped. I suspect there’s a reason.” Taylor sipped at his coffee, which was perfectly made. Nash knew how to get it exactly right every time.
“He’s onto us,” Damon said to Nash, who reached over and opened the nightstand and pulled a book out.
“We don’t have time to read.” Taylor eyed the book suspiciously. There was definitely something going on.
Nash didn’t respond to Taylor’s statement. He opened the book and pulled an envelope out of it and handed it to Taylor.
“What’s this?”
“Another present from Damon and me. Well, it’s for the three of us.”
Taylor set his coffee down on the nightstand and opened the envelope. “It’s a vacation?”
“We cleared it with your dad. Everything is arranged. The time off has been scheduled. The flights and hotels are booked. All you have to do is pack.”
“When do we go?” Taylor looked at the tickets. “And where is Cherry Creek?”
“Cherry Creek is this little nowhere tourist town with a fancy lodge, hotel rooms with hot tubs, a majestic lake, and best of all, it’s not here.”
“Why Cherry Creek?” Taylor asked.
“I saw a reality TV show set there once. There’s this baker who’s an absolute asshole,” Damon said. “It looked like a fun place to go. Plus, we didn’t know if you had your passport, so we had to keep the vacation in the country.”
“It’s for four days, four nights. You won’t be away from the diner for long, but we thought you deserved a break.”
Taylor didn’t know what to say. “The two of you spoil me so much. The room. The trees we decorated. The gifts last night, and now this.” Taylor’s fingers trembled as he put the envelope on the nightstand. “What did I ever do to deserve the two of you?”
Nash caught Taylor’s chin and pulled him into a kiss. It was quick and chaste and ended too soon. “You were yourself. That’s it. That’s all we ever need you to be.”
“Do not make me cry on Christmas morning.” Taylor climbed out of bed and grabbed a pair of pants from the dresser. “If you two want to stay back for a bit, I’ll go to the diner now and get everything going. Just don’t be late for breakfast.”
Damon got out of bed and crossed the room. He brushed his hand down Taylor’s back as he passed. “We’re going to help you with breakfast. We’re your sous chefs this morning.”
“Gah. Perfect. So perfect, the both of you. If I didn’t love it so much, I’d find it revolting.” Taylor pulled a shirt over his head and paused.
“What is it?” Nash asked. He’d always been observant and Taylor didn’t even think to hide his realization from him.
Taylor motioned to the shirt he’d put on, a lavender V-neck with sparkly fabric. “It’s just that I realized I don’t default to my old wardrobe choices anymore. I still have menswear—and I still wear it—but it’s not the first thing I reach for now. I never thought I’d get here, you know. To this place where I’m comfortable with who I am. But I’m here and I have the both of you.” Taylor’s emotions threatened to get the better of him, but then Nash moved in and kissed him.
Nash’s presence always managed to steady Taylor. When he wobbled or stumbled, or wasn’t sure of something, Nash was there for him. And Damon was his number one fan. His loudest cheerleader.
Taylor went to the diner feeling light on his feet. Every so often through his relationship, he still got that cloud nine, love-struck feeling, like he’d just been hit with Cupid’s arrow.
With his head in the clouds, it was a good thing he had help in the kitchen. Nash handled the scrambled eggs and pancakes while Taylor took care of the bacon and sausages. Damon brewed coffee and sliced fruit for the pancakes.
They had holiday music playing in the background and Taylor had brought different Christmas headbands for everyone to wear, a mixture of antlers and elf ears and Santa hats. Taylor had a pair of antlers on that had little jingle bells hanging off them.
The much larger bell above the front door also jingled and Taylor’s dad announced his presence with a booming “Merry Christmas” that he called out upon entry. Taylor left Nash in charge of the food, it was all basically done anyway, and slipped into the dining room to see his dad.
Ethan was already wearing a Santa hat, and even though he spotted the headbands, he left his hat on. He did, however, grab a set of antlers for Mickey and stuck them on his head.
God, they were cute together. Taylor couldn’t help but smile at how happy his dad looked.
“Merry Christmas.” Taylor hugged his dad. It made him feel like a kid again. His dad smelled of the same soap he’d always used. He still felt the same when Taylor hugged him, like he was larger than life. Like his shoulders were strong enough to take on anything.
Taylor pulled away and hugged Mickey next, wishing him a Merry Christmas too.
“What can we help with?” Mickey asked as Ethan was already rolling his sleeves up.
“Nothing, actually,” Taylor answered. “The two of you can sit and drink a coffee. Nash and Damon helped me with breakfast and as soon as everyone else gets here, we can eat.”
Ethan draped his arm around Mickey’s shoulders and steered him toward the tables they shoved together. He pulled out a chair for Mickey and kissed him when they sat down.
Taylor tore his gaze away and headed back into the kitchen to make sure everything was going okay.
Nash and Damon had everything under control, of course.
“Was that Dad?” Damon asked.
“Yeah, he and Mickey arrived.” Taylor loved that Nash and Damon were already part of the family. It made what they had even more special to him. They’d belonged with him even before they belonged to him.
Damon came up behind Taylor and wrapped his arms around him. He kissed the curve of Taylor’s neck.
“What was that for?” Taylor shivered when Damon kissed him again. His stupid dick tried to get hard until he reminded it that his entire family would be here soon.
“Because I can.” Damon kissed him again. “Do I need a reason to hug you and kiss you?”
“Mmm… no. No, you don’t. Carry on.” Taylor was so happy that he thought his face might crack in half from the way he couldn’t stop smiling.
In the distance, he heard more familiar voices and then Colby was in the kitchen, snow sticking to his dark hair. “Everyone is here. Did you need help back here?”
Colby gave Nash a clap on the back. “Merry Christmas, you filthy animal.”
Nash shoved Colby. “Takes one to know one.”
“Now, children, behave,” Damon chided.
Colby stuck his tongue out at them, then motioned to the mountain of food they’d cooked. “Jonah and Spencer are out there serving coffee and Milo sent me in here to help you guys with the food. Oh, and Dad said to tell you to set an extra place.” Colby stole a piece of bacon and crunched it.
“Did he say why?” Taylor asked. Not that it mattered. He’d made enough food to feed an army.
“It’s a surprise?” Colby shrugged. “I don’t know. I just know I’m starving.”
They loaded the trays up with food and Taylor set another place for a mystery guest. Everyone was just sitting down to eat and Milo was making the rounds with the coffee pot, making sure everyone got some when the front door opened. Everyone’s head turned.
“Sorry I’m late,” Mickey’s mom said.
Taylor didn’t know her well, but she and Mickey had made great strides in patching up their fractured relationship.
“You’re not late,” Taylor piped up. He stood and offered to take her coat for her before ushering her to the free spot he’d left by Mickey.
Mickey looked at Ethan, who shrugged and hid a smile with his coffee cup. Then he looked at his mom and offered her a shy, but happy smile of his own. “Merry Christmas, Mom. I’m glad you could come.”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
Taylor’s heart soared like he’d just witnessed a Christmas miracle.