Chapter 21
Noah opened his eyes. Eli lay in his arms, his head tucked in against Noah’s shoulder, an affectionate nuzzle that Noah could get used to. He had no idea what time it was, until he caught the joyous peal of church bells in the distance.
He smiled. I love that sound.
Eli stirred. “I have this ringing in my ears,” he muttered, his voice rough with sleep.
Noah tilted Eli’s head toward his. “Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas,” Eli said before cupping Noah’s cheek and stretching to kiss him. They lay there for a moment, wrapped up in each other and the quiet hush of Christmas morning. Eli stroked his fingers through Noah’s hair, and Noah closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation.
“You’re staring at me, aren’t you?”
“You’re imagining things,” Eli replied.
Noah smiled. “Liar.” His chest tightened in a way he now recognized, the startling ache that came from being loved and loving someone back.
He opened his eyes, drinking in the golden morning light that filled his bedroom.
“It wasn’t a dream. We really are engaged.”
Eli waggled his left hand in front of Noah’s face. “See? Proof.”
Noah rolled onto his side and leaned over to kiss him, a simple brush of lips that soon became deeper, Eli’s fingers warm on his neck, his shoulder.
“No regrets?”
“Not one.”
Noah couldn’t stop staring at him. “I’m finding it hard to believe that I’m allowed to have this. I’m allowed to have you.”
“You’re not the only one.”
Relief flooded through him and they kissed again, only this time, heat built between them, their kisses growing more urgent. And when at last Eli straddled his hips, reaching back to guide Noah’s slick shaft into him, Noah let himself go.
“Love you,” he gasped as he thrust into tight heat.
Eli leaned over to kiss him. “Love you too.”
They made love until both of them were breathless, sweat covering Eli’s chest in a glistening sheen as he rode Noah with abandon. And when Noah came, he called out Eli’s name.
Eli’s chest met his, Noah’s cock still inside him, and they kissed, unhurried, warm kisses that seemed to last for hours.
“Can we just stay here all day?” Eli murmured against Noah’s chest, when Noah had finally eased out of him.
“We could, but Aileen would kill us.”
Eli snorted. “Yeah, she would.”
Noah traced a finger along Eli’s jaw. “We should tell her our plan. About what happens next.”
Eli blinked. “We have a plan?”
Noah smiled. “Well, not yet, we don’t. But I think we should figure one out.”
Whatever navigating they had to do, they’d do it together.
Noah kissed him again. “We’ve got time. Today is for Christmas.”
Eli stilled. “And speaking of Christmas…” He threw back the sheets and dove out of the bed, heading for the door.
“Where are you going?”
A moment later, Eli returned, carrying a package wrapped in plain paper.
Its shape was familiar.
Noah grinned. “You didn’t need to wrap it. I know what it is.” He’d given the picture frame to Eli the previous evening.
Eli climbed back into the bed and handed it to him. “Merry Christmas.”
Chuckling, Noah tore off the paper—and froze.
It wasn’t Eli’s drawing of him from years ago.
“Oh, love.”
Eli had captured them both sitting on the couch, a blanket covering their laps, their arms around each other.
“When did you do this?”
“While you were making the frame.” Eli stared at him. “Do you like it?”
Noah’s throat seized. “I love it,” he croaked. He stood it on the nightstand, then pulled Eli back into his arms. “You couldn’t have given me anything more perfect.”
Eli lay with his head on Noah’s chest. “You’ve given me something too.
” He peered at Noah’s face. “For the first time in years, I don’t feel as if I’m missing something on Christmas morning.
” He smiled. “I feel whole.” Then Eli kissed him.
“And I want you to ask me to hold your hand forever, one more time, so I get to say yes all over again.”
Noah held him close. “So. The future. I know what I said, but there are so many thoughts colliding in my head that I need to get them out.”
Eli blinked. “The future sounds like an awfully big subject. Maybe we should aim for the small version.”
Noah laughed. “Okay, that works.” He stroked Eli’s arm. “I know you have a life in Boston. Work. Friends. Your apartment.”
“You forgot plants.” Eli grimaced. “Except they’re probably all dead. Let that be a warning to you—don’t let me be in charge of anything green.”
“Duly noted.” Noah stroked Eli’s arm. “I don’t want you to feel like saying yes to me means giving all that up.”
Eli expelled a breath. “I left Boston before I knew anything was changing. Before you. Before this.”
“Does it still feel like home?”
Eli frowned, as if it was a hard question, one he’d been avoiding.
“It used to,” he confessed. “But when I left for Thanksgiving, I didn’t realize I wasn’t planning to return.
But…I was lonely there. My work pattern is shifting.
AI is eating half the commissions. My apartment doesn’t feel like mine anymore.
Everything felt temporary, as though I was living around the edges of my life. ”
Noah’s breath caught in his throat. “Eli…”
“I’m not saying Boston’s gone,” he added quickly. “I just don’t know if it fits the same.”
Noah was quiet a moment. “And Mapleford?”
Eli’s voice grew warm. “Mapleford feels like breathing again.” He reached out and took Noah’s hand. “And you feel like home.”
Noah swallowed hard. “Okay. Wow.”
Eli laughed. “Articulate as ever, Carter.”
“Excuse me? My fiancé just told me I’m home. I deserve a moment here.”
Eli leaned in and kissed him, slow and reassuring.
Noah enfolded Eli in his arms. “If you stay, I want you to stay because it’s right for you, not just because of me.”
“It is because of me,” Eli said in a low voice. “The version of myself when I’m with you? I like him. I trust him. And I’m happy here.” He kissed Noah’s cheek. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll talk to clients, figure out remote work. And I can still drive to Boston when needed.”
Noah exhaled shakily, the tension bleeding out of him. “You’d really do that?”
Eli nodded. “Yeah. I want this to be our life. Mapleford. The bakery. The workshop. The festival. Your chaos. My chaos.” His eyes shone. “Us.”
Noah rested his forehead against Eli’s.
“I want that too,” he whispered. “More than anything.”
They kissed again, not with passion, but with promise.
When they broke apart, Eli murmured, “So we’re staying?”
“We’re staying,” Noah echoed. “And whatever the future throws at us?” He smiled. “I’ll be there to hold your hand.”
THE END