Chapter 17
CHRISTMAS EVE in Arizona felt kind of weird. Houses were lit up, just like back home, but so were the cactus and palm trees. Add to that the fact that it was warm and sunny, and it just didn’t feel right to Harm. Though Joe and Larry seemed happy and pleased to have him and Derek there.
“Breakfast is going to be out on the terrace in ten minutes,” Joe said from outside the door. Harm smiled and pushed back the covers slightly, baring Derek’s back. He snuffled and pulled the covers back up before rolling away. “Still tired,” he whispered.
Harm leaned closer, kissing Derek’s shoulder. He knew there was no way Derek was going to want to miss Larry’s praline french toast. That was just too good to pass up. He nuzzled Derek’s skin, kissing gently until he rolled over. Then Harm shifted, straddling Derek and kissing him hard.
“Do we have time?” Derek asked, his hands sliding down Harm’s back and over his ass, gripping him.
Harm groaned and kissed Derek again before pushing the covers off to expose him fully.
Damn, Derek grew sexier every time he looked at him.
“Harm, he said that breakfast….” Derek whimpered as Harm sucked Derek’s rod in one motion, taking him deep.
Instantly the room filled with whimpers and moans.
If either Joe or Larry heard them, they said nothing. “This is the very best way to wake up.”
Harm pulled back, shaking his head as he grabbed a condom off the side table, rolled it on, and after using plenty of slick, slipped into Derek’s tight heat, holding back the world’s deepest groan because damn… this was just damn.
“I love you, Harm,” Derek whispered as he held Harm tightly, then slowly began to rock. This was heaven, and Harm was right with him, rolling his hips a few times before going deep and staying still, his cock filling Derek.
He could almost feel his heart beat. There was something sublime about the idea of the two of them being connected this way.
Derek’s eyes were deep and dark, his breathing shallow and excited.
He wanted to tell Derek that he loved him too.
That Derek had touched his heart and his life in ways he couldn’t begin to say.
Instead, he snapped his hips, and Derek shuddered under him.
This was one of the times he wished he could speak most of all.
He wanted to be able to tell Derek how he felt, but all he could do was show him, so Harm pushed Derek to the brink, pulled him back, and then pushed him again and again until Derek’s eyes seemed to go in circles and his breathing became ragged.
Only then did he take them to the edge before tumbling them over into a mind-blowing release.
Harm stilled and waited as Derek breathed softly under him. Then he opened his beautiful eyes before rolling them. “You didn’t hurt me.”
He nodded and shivered as their bodies disconnected.
“Okay, you two.” Joe knocked on the door. “That’s enough of that. Some of us are too old for athletic sex, so don’t rub it in. Now come on down and eat before Larry goes apoplectic that his breakfast is getting cold.”
Derek snickered, and Harm rolled over, rolling his eyes at his dads.
Derek kissed him and then bounded out of bed and into the bathroom.
“I called it first.” He closed the door, and Harm took care of the condom and then got up and pulled out his clothes, dressing quickly.
The bathroom door opened, and Derek bounded out once more and pulled on briefs and shorts before shrugging on a t-shirt. “Let’s go face the music.”
Harm snickered, pointed to the door, and made the sign for “jealous”.
“Huh?”
“Joe and Larry are noisy. Joe is a screamer.” Harm covered his ears, and Derek couldn’t help laughing.
“Okay. So next time I can be less quiet.” Harm took Derek’s hand, and they left the room. Larry had already set the table and put the breakfast casserole on hot pads. There was fresh fruit and juice on the table.
“Did you two sleep all right?” Larry asked.
Joe rolled his eyes. “We don’t need to pretend. These two are not quiet.”
Larry patted Joe’s hand. “Neither are you. Remember that.”
Harm put his hands over his ears. He didn’t need to hear that sort of thing. Growing up, he had heard enough of their bedroom antics.
“Now, enough of that.” Larry dished up praline french toast and passed the fruit around. He knew this was one of Harm’s favorite dishes, so he always made it for him when he visited.
“This is really wonderful.” Derek ate slowly and seemed to shift in his chair to get comfortable. Harm bit his lower lip, wondering if he had maybe hurt Derek.
“Stop,” Derek said softly, patting his hand.
“What is he stopping?” Larry asked.
Derek put down his fork. “Harm was asking himself a question, and I was telling him to stop. He does that all the time. Everything is just fine, and he can stop worrying. Okay?” He added the last part just to Harm. “Nothing to worry about.”
Still, Harm couldn’t help wondering until Derek hit him with one of his stern stares. Then he figured Derek knew what he wanted.
Derek leaned closer, his lips right next to Harm’s ear. “I’m fine. Just well and truly fucked, and it’s a great feeling. So you should feel nothing but pride. Okay?” Derek kissed his cheek and then went back to eating.
Joe and Larry did that silent communication thing they did, but Harm didn’t care. The only person he was truly interested in was Derek.
“What are the plans for today?” Derek asked.
“We didn’t make a lot of specific plans,” Joe said. “We could go to visit a few places, but mostly we spend Christmas here at the house.”
Larry cleared his throat. “I think you forgot that we committed to helping at the community center tonight. They have a meal for people who are finding it hard this time of year, and we offered to help serve. The center has also been collecting toys and other things that the families need.”
“We can help,” Harm signed and Derek nodded.
“Yes, we can help too if you need it.” Harm loved how Derek just dove right in. “What sort of help do they need?”
“Well….” Joe smirked. “We were hoping that Harm could play Santa. He would fit the suit.”
Harm shook his head and turned to Derek, signing as best he could. “How can I be Santa without being able to talk?”
“You be Santa, and I’ll do the talking. Okay? It will be good for people to see that anyone can do anything. Besides, I think you’d make a really hot Santa.” Derek’s eyes widened. “Though you are hot in anything.”
Larry cleared his throat. “Yeah, we already heard how hot he was this morning.”
Derek shrugged. “Yeah, I think we can make that happen. Does Santa give out the presents and things?”
“Yes. We have collected everything and wrapped it all. People and businesses sponsored families, and we got something for everyone who will be there. We even have extra gifts in case there are families who show up. That happens every year, and the community center is all about being inclusive.”
Harm figured that want and need came in all shapes and forms, regardless of background or sexual identification. He nodded before pointing to his watch.
“We need to leave here at about three so we can make sure everything is set up, and dinner is served starting at five. Santa makes an appearance at six, and then we have carols and games for an hour.”
“Sounds like fun,” Derek said and dug into the rest of his breakfast. “I still have a few things that I need to get.”
Larry handed Harm the keys. “Then go ahead and take the car. Just be back in time for us to get ready and go.”
“WHAT DO you need?” Harm asked as they walked through the shopping center.
“Actually, I wanted to find a store where I could get some Christmas treats.” He headed to a candy store and grinned.
“We need chocolate Santas, candy canes, and holiday M&Ms, because it isn’t Christmas without them.
” Derek grabbed two hand baskets and began filling them.
“If there are kids, then they need all the fun stuff we can give them.” He added bags of Christmas treats, filling both baskets before heading to the checkout.
Harm unpacked the purchases at the register while Derek went back for something and returned with tins of butter cookies that he added to the pile. Once the cashier had totaled the bill, Derek paid and they loaded the booty into the car, and Harm drove them back to the house to get ready.
“What is all this?” Larry asked when he saw all the bags in the back of the car.
“Plenty of Christmas cheer,” Derek answered as they loaded the rest of what needed to go, changed clothes, and were soon on their way.
Once they arrived at the center, they stepped into chaos. The turkeys weren’t getting done, and potato casseroles needed to go into the ovens.
“It’s okay,” Derek told the guys who all seemed lost. “The turkeys probably have half an hour left to cook. So let them finish, and then we can put half of these casseroles in the ovens. Once they’re done, put the rest in. All of it isn’t going to be needed all at once.”
“Oh, bless you,” one of the guys said. “And what’s all this?” he asked, pointing at the bags.
“Enough candy to put every kid who comes in a sugar coma,” Larry explained.
“We have those plastic bags left with balloons on them. We can make up candy bags for the kids.” Joe and Larry went off getting that organized.
Derek had the guys organized with the food, and Harm stood around wondering where he was needed.
Then Gary, a theater queen from way back, led him to a small closet and got him into the Santa suit, which fit fairly well, though it was a little tight in the shoulders.