Chapter 5
Christmas shopping was done, and Sky swore he ached all the way to the bottom of his soul.
In past years, he’d completed most of his shopping online and simply waited for things to be delivered.
This year, after the insanity created by the fae, he’d decided he would focus on shopping as much as possible in the local small shops and businesses in the hope of helping his community get on its feet again.
But that meant a lot of walking. A lot of driving. And a lot of actually dealing with people in person.
He was exhausted.
Of course, his sweet, precious boyfriend was the hardest to buy for. It didn’t matter that Nolan claimed he was the easiest and had even supplied Sky with a Christmas list. Sky refused to spend his entire budget for Nolan on books and socks.
Nolan was worth the effort, though.
Especially when his big hands gripped Sky’s shoulders and squeezed the tight muscles, massaging away the day’s tension. A low moan escaped Sky, and he melted right there in the middle of the bedroom.
“Just think—you’re done. All done,” Nolan whispered as he continued to massage his shoulders.
“Yeah, but I’ve gotta finish wrapping.”
“You’ve got more than a week to do that. There’s no rush. And you don’t even have to wrap what you bought me.”
Sky gasped and turned to face his insane boyfriend. “Of course I have to wrap everything, you heathen!”
Nolan grinned at him, but Sky’s heart still ached for him.
Nolan didn’t have a warm, loving family.
His older brother was a total douchebag and was now permanently out of Nolan’s life.
Sky might not have had his parents, but he’d had a grandmother who’d loved and doted on him for most of his life.
Hell, she was still around after death to check on him and coddle him with more love.
As an introvert, Nolan had only one close friend—Jennifer. Nolan’s life wasn’t filled with the usual Christmas traditions and cheery memories, so Sky was determined to give him all those things now. Especially beautifully wrapped, thoughtfully purchased gifts.
Aside from all the Christmas gifts, there were still the parties to consider.
There had been his witch coven pre-Christmas BL holiday show-watching party that had involved a lot of mulled wine and desserts.
It had been even earlier this year so they could include Moon before his big move to China with his vampire boyfriend and his new clan.
There had been a few visits from the underworld minions as well.
There was one big pre-Christmas event left—the winter solstice party at Maddox’s house. After that, he just had to plan for Christmas Day cuddles, gifts, and food with his adorable boyfriend.
Of course, that plan now included a creepy tree. That thing was keeping life interesting.
Sky wrapped his arms behind Nolan’s neck and stepped into him.
He only had to tip his head up toward Nolan, and his lover was bending to meet him for a sweet kiss.
Sky immediately tightened his hold on Nolan and rose on his toes, deepening the kiss to something hotter and needier.
Nolan’s hand slipped down his back, molding Sky to his longer body and moving to cup his ass.
That was one of the things that he loved about Nolan. While the man didn’t have a single scrap of magic to call his own, he was practically a psychic at reading Sky. With a tiny nudge, they were on the same page.
Of course, that page usually looked like something pulled out of an erotica novel, but they were healthy young men. It was natural that Sky was horny for his boyfriend all the fucking time.
“I thought you were tired,” Nolan murmured as he lifted his lips to nibble along Sky’s neck.
“Kissing you has miraculous, rejuvenating powers,” Sky groaned. God, Nolan always went for that spot right behind his ear that curled his damn toes and scrambled his brain.
“You mean you’re horny, and you want to get railed,” Nolan whispered.
“Yes, that too.”
Nolan chuckled low and dark in Sky’s ear, further short-circuiting his brain. “Then finish undressing and get in the bed,” he ordered as he swatted Sky’s ass.
Sky jumped into action, flinging his clothes off.
Okay, so maybe he managed to put them all in a pile next to the bed so he could easily toss them into the hamper later, but still…he shed his clothes quickly and pulled aside the covers so he could climb into the bed.
Nolan joined him a few seconds later after turning off the light, allowing them to meet in the middle for more kisses and wandering hands.
Sky’s fingers were slipping across Nolan’s waist to toy with the waistband of his briefs when there was a soft creaking noise. That wasn’t too odd. It was an old house, and old houses always made settling noises.
But it was enough to tear Nolan’s mouth from his.
“You hear that?”
“Just the house,” Sky mumbled as he ran his fingers along Nolan’s hard shaft through his underwear.
Nolan grunted, and his mouth returned to Sky’s in earnest, only for another creaking noise to invade the room, louder this time.
They broke apart, their heads snapping around to find that the bedroom door Sky had closed after he’d entered was now open by about two feet, and a small shape stood in the doorway.
Before Sky could react, Nolan rolled over and flicked on his bedside lamp. Through the narrow opening, they could see the creepy tree peeking into the room as if watching them.
“Oh, hell no!” Nolan roared. He pointed at the door. “Downstairs! Go to your pan!”
Loud thumping and scraping echoed through the hall as the tree seemed to realize it had been caught and was scurrying away.
Sky fell against his pillows, cackling.
“Don’t laugh! It’ll think it’s okay to be up here. The last time it wandered upstairs, we lost socks.”
“We got them back.” Sky ran his hand across Nolan’s chest and tweaked one nipple, getting his lover’s expression to soften. “Maybe it wanted to see what skills you had in bed.”
Nolan snorted. “Maybe it was prowling for another tree to destroy.”
“Hey! Low blow!”
Nolan flipped off the light and tackled Sky onto the mattress. “I’ll show you a low blow.”
Sky’s giggle turned into a squeal as Nolan shoved his hands into his briefs, pushing them off his ass while fondling him and nibbling on his chest. Dear God, Nolan was the king of multitasking. If he didn’t know better, he would have sworn his boyfriend was part octopus.
His underwear was lost somewhere in the depths of the bed when the creaking and thumping returned. Sky growled as Nolan pulled away from him. The bedroom door was open wider this time, and the tree had edged into the room.
“What the…” Nolan started, seeming to talk to himself.
“No! No! Out! Downstairs to your pan!” Nolan rolled out of the bed and stomped across the room in the dark.
Sky strained to see the tree, but he could hear the desperate scrambling as it hurried into the hall toward the stairs. Nolan closed the door behind it.
“Did you lock it?” Sky inquired.
“Yes. I can’t believe I had to lock the door to keep a Christmas tree out of our bedroom, but yeah, I did.” Nolan returned to the bed, the mattress bouncing under him as he crawled in.
Only this time, there wasn’t a chance for their mouths to meet or hands to find the fun parts. The doorknob rattled softly as the tree attempted to open the door, just as they expected.
Sky giggled, while Nolan groaned.
Unfortunately, the tree didn’t stop there.
It scratched on the other side of the door and made these pathetic chittering noises as if it were neglected, pulling at each one of Sky’s heartstrings.
After a minute of the door rattling and roots scraping the floor, Sky finally gave in and turned on his light.
They sat up to find that the tree had thrust its smallest and thinnest roots under the door as if it were reaching for them.
“Awww…” Sky cried.
“It’s not going to give up,” Nolan muttered.
“It misses us. Maybe we should let it sleep in here with us.”
“Are you shitting me? Are you going to let it in the bed? Maybe snuggle between us?” Nolan’s voice grew higher and higher in pitch with each question.
“No, you’re being ridiculous. It can sleep in the corner.”
Silence reigned on Nolan’s side of the room. He glanced over to find Nolan staring at him as if he’d lost his mind. So, he stuck out his tongue at his boyfriend before digging around under the sheets for his underwear. He slipped them on as he climbed out of the bed.
As soon as he opened the door, the little tree scuttled across the room. It moved to the far corner, where it was out of the way, and settled in the same way it did in the living room.
“Do you think I should bring up the pan of water?” Sky mused.
“No. If it wants a drink of water, it can go downstairs for it.”
That was probably true. Sky returned to the bed and flipped off the light. Yet, when he rolled toward Nolan, it was to find that his amorous boyfriend was now lying on his side, facing away from him while wrapped up in a blanket burrito.
“Hey, sexy pants,” Sky teased, trying to find a spot in the blankets to get at Nolan.
“Nope.”
“What?”
“Nope.”
Sky gasped and sat up. “You mean, nope to sex? Are you shitting me?”
Nolan twisted slightly so that Sky could make out his face in the darkness. “I’m not into having something watching us while we have sex. I’m happy to try a lot of kinky stuff with you, baby, but exhibitionism isn’t one of my things.”
“But it’s a tree!”
“A sentient tree. I’d be the same way if we had a cat or dog.”
“But it’s a tree!” Sky repeated.
Nolan said nothing as he rolled onto his side again, his blanket tight around him.
Sky glared at where the tree was now happily settled for the night. Did it know what it was doing to his sex life? Was this an evil tree?
Regardless, he wasn’t getting laid tonight. He couldn’t believe his luck.
Cockblocked by a fucking Christmas tree.