Got Mistletoe? (Mistletoe Madness) (6 page)

Ryan felt a wave of happiness flow over him as he reached out and grabbed Blake’s warm hand. “I missed you too. It seemed like the day was never going to end! I’m so excited about spending the holidays with you and your family. Do you really think they’re going to like me?” He worried his bottom lip with his top teeth.

“Are you kidding me? They’re going to love you, so no more worrying about it, okay?” Blake reached over and rubbed his finger over the tip of Ryan’s nose affectionately, before he faced forward and drove the truck out of the parking lot.

Ryan was a whirlwind of movement. He bounced on the seat, pointed at interesting lights, and sang loudly along with the radio. Blake couldn’t help but chuckle at his adorable elf’s obvious excitement over their spending the next couple of days together. Blake himself was every bit as thrilled as Ryan at the prospect. He really had to remind himself that he had just met this man two days ago; even though it was a short time to know someone, Blake knew that what they had was special. He couldn’t wait to introduce Ryan to his family and celebrate the holidays—and more—with him. Things had definitely improved over the past few days.

They chatted companionably until they reached Blake’s house. Once the truck was shut off and Ryan was once again escorted out of the truck, Blake grabbed Ryan’s duffle bag with one hand and Ryan with the other. Soon they were in Blake’s warm, cinnamon-smelling house, and in each other’s arms.

“I really, really missed you,” Blake said, lifting him off of the floor for a sweet kiss. Ryan wrapped his legs around his man and held onto Blake tightly.

“I really, really missed you too,” he whispered in Blake’s ear, just holding onto Blake like he was his life’s blood. They were like this for several moments, just holding each other, happy to be in each other’s company again. It felt good. It felt right. It was perfect.

“We have a Christmas tree to decorate, big guy. Then I have a gift for you to open,” Ryan whispered, rubbing his hands up and down Blake’s back softly. He just couldn’t get enough of touching this man.

Blake sighed, put Ryan back on his feet, and then grinned at him. “The quicker we decorate the tree, the quicker you can open my gift to you too.” He grabbed Ryan’s hand and led him over to the tree in the living room.

Beside the tree lay boxes full of garlands, lights, and shining ornaments for the tree. Ryan practically clapped his hands together with excitement as he bounced over to the boxes and started taking things out of them. Blake could’ve watched Ryan go through the boxes and unravel twinkling lights all day long. The man was a big ball of excitement, and Blake loved seeing his sweet elf so happy and so obviously within his element.

Before long, both Ryan and Blake were putting lights upon the tree, but the twinkling lights were nothing compared to the light in their eyes as they gazed and laughed with each other. Ryan had wrapped some red garland around his neck, and he had found an old velvet bow and put it directly on top of his head, making Blake laugh with delight. His elf really was adorable.

“Hmm, since you’re all wrapped up like a pretty present with a bow on top, does that mean I get to unwrap you later?” Blake teased, leaning over and pecking Ryan’s soft lips. Ryan giggled and nodded enthusiastically.

It was at that moment Blake knew he was in love with this man. It was something that should have scared the hell out of him, but instead he just felt the wave of love overwhelm him. He knew he would do everything within his power to make this sweet man love him and share his life with him forever. Instead of blurting out his feelings like he wanted, he allowed them to shine through his eyes as he smiled down at him.

Ryan stopped and stared at the sight before him. Blake’s eyes were alight with a raw emotion that he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

Both men stood there and stared at each other with love in their eyes and hope in their hearts. When Blake’s stomach rumbled loudly it broke the spell, but it had them laughing anyway. While Blake called in to have a pizza delivered, Ryan continued to decorate their first tree together.

By the time the pizza arrived, they were done. They sat in front of the cozy fire near the tree and its twinkling lights and ate as they listened to Christmas music on the stereo. They sang along to “Jingle Bells” and other favorites and ate, laughed and talked until they were both stuffed with pizza. Both men were practically vibrating with excitement as after they put the remaining pizza away and settled down to open up the gifts they had gotten for each other. They sat across from each other on the infamous quilt in the light of the glowing fireplace and soft lights of the Christmas tree they had decorated together.

Blake handed Ryan a small box wrapped in green foil paper with a shiny red bow on top. “Merry Christmas, Ryan,” he softly said as he watched Ryan practically hug the box before he unwrapping it.

Ryan tore into the present like a little kid. Paper flew everywhere from his excitement to get it open. Blake loved to see his delight, enthusiasm, and zest for life.

When Ryan opened up the box, he looked at Blake with stunned eyes.

“It’s a cell phone. I went down today and put you on my plan. I can’t bear the thought of you not being safe, or me not being able to reach you in some way.”

Ryan took out the flashy red phone, and held it in his hand almost reverently. “I can’t believe you did this! Are you sure? Oh my God, I love it!” He threw his arms around Blake and kissed him soundly on the lips. Blake nodded, and felt relief that Ryan had liked his gift. He knew it wasn’t the most romantic, but it was practical and Ryan needed it.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, Blake! You couldn’t have done better if you tried!” he said as he showered Blake’s face with sweet kisses, making Blake laugh with delight.

After a few moments of oohing and ahhing over his new phone, Ryan reached for his duffle bag and pulled out a long narrow box, wrapped in red foil paper and topped with a gold bow. He sat something small that Blake couldn’t see behind him, and he handed the shiny box to him, his body was vibrating with anticipation.

Unlike Ryan, who had torn into his paper with such gusto, Blake unwrapped his present carefully. He didn’t tear the paper or damage it in any way. By the time he was finished, the red paper was almost as in the same condition as it had been when Ryan had wrapped the gift during his break today at work. Blake carefully opened the box, looked at the contents, and beamed at Ryan. Inside was a dark green shirt that read “Got Mistletoe?” in big bold letters. It was an exact replica of the one that Ryan was wearing the day they had met.

Blake laughed delightedly and held the shirt up to himself. Ryan brought out the kid inside of him that had been missing from his life for a long time. He couldn’t have picked out a better gift.

“I love it! Now I know exactly what to I’m going to wear tomorrow,” he said, hugging the shirt to him with a beautiful smile on his handsome face. Ryan’s heart beat with happiness inside his chest as he pulled the small twig of mistletoe off from behind him and held it over their heads between them.

Blake looked up at the mistletoe and into those green, sparkling eyes. As he was leaning over to give his elf a kiss he knew that this was going to be a very Merry Christmas indeed.

Got
Mistletoe Madness?

The Dreamspinner Press 2009 Advent Calendar is available at
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
.

About the Author

Andi Anderson
happily lives with her husband and their three dogs. While her head is often in the clouds dreaming of true love and romance, her own Prince Charming keeps her well-grounded with the real thing.

When she is not being dragged to multiple car shows with her husband or spoiling her precious niece rotten, she is found on the computer reading homoerotic romances or writing her own. 

You can e-mail Andi at [email protected].

Copyright

Got Mistletoe? ©Copyright Andi Anderson, 2009

Published by

Dreamspinner Press

4760 Preston Road

Suite 244-149

Frisco, TX 75034

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the authors’ imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Cover Design by Mara McKennen

This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines and/or imprisonment. This eBook cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this eBook can be shared or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press at: 4760 Preston Road, Suite 244-149, Frisco, TX 75034 http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

Released in the United States of America

December 2009

eBook Edition

eBook ISBN: 978-1-61581-339-1