Chapter 1 #2
“What do you want?” Noah asked, ghosting his lips over Adam’s jaw, holding their awkward position.
“You in nothing but antlers and a reindeer tail?” Adam said, biting his bottom lip. “Maybe some red paint on your adorable button nose.”
Noah snorted through a laugh. “You want to fuck me while I’m dressed as a reindeer?”
“Is that somehow weirder than me bending you over in that elf costume two years ago?” Adam asked.
“Weirdly, yes, but I can’t quite put my finger on why,” Noah admitted. “But fine. If you make me happy, then I’ll let you dress me up any way you want and I’ll even let you do anything you want…but you have to wear the sexy Santa suit again.”
Adam grinned. “I’m starting to think you have a fetish for old men with silver hair.”
“I mean…”
“If you say one thing about how hot my dad is I’m throwing away your surprise right now,” Adam warned, glowering at him.
“I didn’t say anything,” Noah said, words dripping with mock innocence. He finally turned, getting up on his knees, letting Adam lift him until he straddled his hips. “So, where’s my present?”
“Hang on tight,” Adam said.
Noah had only a second to wrap his arms and legs around him before Adam was on his feet, stepping over boxes and bows. He walked to the kitchen counter, then deposited Noah onto the top, before walking to the junk drawer that Noah always forgot existed until he needed batteries or a paperclip.
He watched curiously as Adam took something out, hiding it with his body. What the hell could he be getting out of the junk drawer that he thought was worth Noah wearing a reindeer tail butt plug?
Adam returned with both hands behind his back, then handed Noah the contents of his left hand.
A scrap of paper with five numbers on it.
The numbers were familiar. It was the date Adam had killed Holt.
The day their lives had intersected for the first time, even if neither of them knew it. “What is this?”
“It's your lock code.”
“Our door lock is only four numbers and it's generated by the building. Are you feeling okay?”
“Its not the lock to the loft,” Adam said.
When Noah frowned he handed him a flyer.
Not just any flyer, but the flyer to the house they’d toured a few months ago that Noah had absolutely fallen in love with but that Adam had rejected outright the moment he’d learned there was a Homeowners Association.
He’d claimed he’d end up killing the first geriatric power hungry neighbor who tried to measure the length of their lawn.
Noah had been heartbroken, but agreed anyway.
“What is this?”
“It’s your Christmas gift,” Adam said.
“A lock code and a flyer?” Noah asked, unwilling to get his hopes up until Adam stated explicitly what he was implying.
“We close on January fifth.”
“Close?” Noah parroted. “As in, we will have a house? With a yard? A real house? It’s really ours?”
“I mean, we can still back out but considering I had to put down a seven figure down payment, it’s gonna be a real pain in the ass if you’ve changed your mind.”
Noah launched himself into Adam’s arms, wrapping himself around him like a koala bear. “But you said you hated HOA’s.”
“Who likes HOA’s? I just didn’t want to get your hopes up because I know how competitive the real estate market is here.
There was a bidding war. It was bloody. I thought I might actually have to start picking off the competition.
In the end, nobody could match my offer.
So, congratulations, baby. We now own a house that we paid half a million dollars more for than it was worth.
I hope you like it because we can never leave. ”
“I love it. I love it. I love it,” Noah chanted, squeezing Adam until he grunted in pain. When he finally pulled back he was crying. “I love you. You can dress me up as whatever you want for the whole year. I don’t care.”
Adam blinked at him. “Shit. Is that my Christmas present?”
“I also got you really expensive socks,” Noah sniffled.
Adam chuckled. “I’ll take playing dress up with you over socks any day.”
Noah kissed him again and again and again until he grew dizzy with it. “This is the best gift ever.”
“If you think this is the best gift ever, you’re gonna really love your other gift. But I’m saving that one for Christmas morning.”
Noah buried his face in Adam’s neck, voice muffled as he said, “Deal.”
“Do you still want to go to Bed?” Adam asked. “The one at the movies I mean?”
Noah nodded. “Yeah. I hope it’s a bed in the back so nobody can see my thank you present for the house.”
Adam grinned. “I hear butter makes great lube.”
“Oh, God. Which of the boys got a butter flavored handjob?” Adam asked. “You know what? Never mind. I don’t want to know. Let's go shower before the movies. I’ll let you do dirty things to me before you wash me.”
Noah shrieked as Adam swept him off his feet bridal style, heading for the bathroom. “Fuck, yeah. I love Christmas.”
Noah’s heart swelled so big his chest hurt.
“Me, too,” he said. “I can’t believe we own a house. I’m going to buy so many dogs.” Adam groaned. Noah grinned. “Come on, you had to know that was coming.”
“Oh, I did. I definitely did.”
As they started undressing each other, Noah said, “I really do love you. Thank you for my house.”
Adam side-eyed him as he switched the water on full-blast. “You can thank me by promising to adopt no more than two more pets.”
Noah scrunched his face into a look of confusion. “What was that? I can’t hear you over the water. It’s too loud.”
“Noah!” Adam said, chasing after him and cornering him in the oversized shower, wrapping a hand around his throat. His voice a menacing growl as he said, “Promise me.”
Noah leaned into the dangerous press of his palm. “I make no such promises.”
“Don’t make me punish you.”
Noah grinned. “Do your worst.”
Adam dropped his mask, crowding up against him, hand tightening. “Just remember, baby, you asked for this.”
How could Noah forget?
Fuck, he loved his life.