Epilogue James
One Month Later
“You… You got a tree!” I gasped the moment I stepped into the living room, my arms laden with grocery bags. “Is it real?!”
Kent furrowed his brow. “Of course it’s real. You think I’d buy a fake tree for our first Christmas?”
I abandoned the grocery bags on the floor and rushed over to the tree, inhaling the rich pine scent that now filled our living room. It was perfect. Tall and full and vibrant green. Only white lights adorned it so far, twinkling like stars against the deep emerald needles.
“When did you even have time to do this?” I asked, running my fingers over the soft branches. “I was only gone for an hour.”
Kent moved behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin on my shoulder. “I may have planned it while you were at that client meeting this morning. Derek helped me get it up here.”
I turned in his arms, facing him. His eyes were bright with excitement, a smile playing at his lips. In the glow of the Christmas lights, he looked younger somehow, almost boyish in his enthusiasm.
“You did this for me?” My voice caught in my throat.
“I remember you talking about how much you missed having real trees after you moved out of your mom’s place,” he said, brushing a strand of hair from my forehead. “You said your apartment was too small, but now...”
“Now we have room,” I finished for him, emotion welling up inside me.
It was such a simple thing, a Christmas tree, but it represented so much more. This was our first home together, our first Christmas. After everything we’d been through, all the pain and misunderstandings, we were finally building something real. Something that was just ours.
“I thought we could decorate it together,” Kent said, gesturing toward a few boxes stacked in the corner. “I found some ornaments at that vintage shop you like downtown. And I got these...”
He led me to one of the boxes and pulled out two ornaments, still in their packaging. They were handcrafted glass balls, one with my name etched in elegant script, the other with his.
“Our first ornaments,” I said, taking mine from his hand. The glass caught the light, sending prisms dancing across the walls. “Kent, this is... perfect.”
He looked pleased with himself, that little half-smile I’d grown to love tugging at his lips. “I thought maybe we could start a tradition. Get a new ornament every year.”
Every year. The casual way he talked about our future still caught me off guard sometimes. Not because I didn’t want it. God, I wanted it more than anything. But because it still felt miraculous that we’d found our way here at all.
“I love that idea,” I said, setting the ornament carefully on the coffee table. “But first...”
I grabbed his shirt and pulled him toward me, kissing him deeply. His arms immediately wrapped around me, strong and sure, as he backed me toward the tree. The scent of pine intensified as we brushed against the branches, needles gently scratching my arms.
“What about the groceries?” Kent murmured against my lips, his hands already sliding under my shirt.
“They can wait,” I breathed, feeling the familiar heat building between us. “Turn off the lights.”
“The tree lights too?” he asked, his fingers teasing along my spine.
“No,” I said, already working on the buttons of his shirt. “Just the regular ones. I want to see you in the glow of the tree.”
Kent grinned and quickly moved to hit the light switch, plunging the room into semi-darkness, illuminated only by the soft white lights of the Christmas tree. When he returned to me, his eyes were dark with desire, his shirt lost somewhere near the light switch.
“You know,” he said, his voice low as he pulled my sweater over my head, “I’ve never fucked under a Christmas tree before.”
I laughed, the sound turning into a gasp as his mouth found my neck. “Well, there’s a first time for everything.”
“First time for us, at least,” I replied, my hands already working on his belt buckle. “I bet you’ve done plenty of things under Christmas trees before.”
“Not the things I want to do with you,” he murmured, his breath hot against my skin.
We sank to the floor together, the plush rug beneath us a welcome cushion.
Kent’s weight pressed me down as his mouth found mine again, hungrier this time, more insistent.
The white lights twinkled above us, casting shadows across his perfect face and muscled chest. I couldn’t believe how beautiful he looked like this, illuminated only by Christmas lights, his eyes dark with lust, wanting me.
“God, I love you,” I whispered, running my hands over his shoulders, down his back, feeling the familiar contours of his body.
“Then show me,” he challenged, his voice husky as he worked my jeans down my hips.
Soon we were both naked, skin against skin, the cool air of the room making me shiver. Or maybe that was just Kent’s touch, the way his fingers traced patterns down my chest, circling lower with deliberate slowness.
“The tree was supposed to be romantic,” he said with a grin, hovering above me. “But all I can think about is watching you ride my cock under it.”
“That’s plenty romantic to me,” I gasped as his hand wrapped around my dick, stroking slowly.
The scent of pine surrounded us, fresh and clean, mixing with the familiar smell of Kent’s skin.
It was intoxicating. I pulled him down for another kiss, tasting chocolate and mint.
He’d been into the peppermint patties while I was gone too.
Our tongues tangled together as his hand continued its maddening rhythm between us.
“Where’s the lube?” I managed to ask between kisses.
“Shit,” Kent laughed. “Didn’t exactly plan this part.”
I grinned up at him. “Bedroom’s too far.”
“Wait,” he said, reaching for his discarded jeans. He fumbled in the pocket and triumphantly pulled out a small travel packet. “Always prepared.”
“Are you a Boy Scout or something?” I teased.
“Nah. I just know how insatiable you are.”
He tore open the packet with his teeth, his eyes never leaving mine as he slicked his fingers.
When he pressed the first one inside me, I arched against him, the familiar stretch sending pleasure coursing through me.
The Christmas lights above blurred into streaks of white as my eyes fluttered closed.
Kent worked me open slowly, adding a second finger, then a third, hitting that perfect spot inside me that made my toes curl. All the while, his mouth left a trail of hot kisses down my neck, across my collarbone, pausing to suck at the sensitive skin just above my hip.
“Kent,” I moaned, my hands tangled in his hair. “Please fuck me already.”
“Don’t you worry,” he promised, withdrawing his fingers. They were quickly replaced by the blunt head of his cock, thick and throbbing against my entrance. “I’m gonna make you feel so good, baby.”
When he pushed inside, it felt like ascending to heaven. The fullness, the slight burn, the way he paused to let me adjust. It was all so familiar now, yet somehow still as thrilling as the first time. I wrapped my legs around his waist, urging him deeper.
Kent began to move, setting a slow aching rhythm that had us both gasping. The tree lights cast a kaleidoscope of shadows across his face as he moved above me, his expression a mixture of concentration and bliss. I reached up to touch his face, tracing the line of his jaw, the curve of his lips.
“You’re everything,” he whispered, turning his head to kiss my palm. “Everything I never knew I wanted.”
His words sent a shiver through me. I pulled him down for another kiss, deeper this time, desperate to convey everything I felt without words. The weight of him, the scent of pine, the soft glow of lights… it was almost too perfect.
“Harder,” I urged, digging my nails into his back. “I need more of you.”
Kent obliged, his hips snapping forward with renewed purpose. The angle shifted and suddenly he was hitting that spot inside me with every thrust, making stars explode behind my eyelids. I couldn’t hold back the sounds that escaped me, moans and pleas that echoed in our living room.
“That’s it,” Kent growled, his rhythm becoming more intense. “Let me hear how good I make you feel.”
I was beyond words, beyond thought. There was only sensation.
Kent inside me, around me, his hands gripping my hips hard enough to bruise, and his breath hot against my neck as he fucked me senseless.
The Christmas lights blurred above us, creating a halo effect that made everything seem dreamlike and surreal.
“You’re close,” he murmured, not a question but a statement. He knew my body so well now, could read every tremor, every change in my breathing. “Cum for me, James. I want to feel you.”
His hand wrapped around my cock, stroking in time with his thrusts, and that was all it took.
I came with his name on my lips, my body arching off the floor, pleasure crashing through me in waves.
Kent followed moments later, burying himself deep inside me as he reached his own release, his heat filling me perfectly.
After, we lay tangled together on the rug, the tree lights twinkling above us like stars. Kent traced lazy patterns on my chest, his head resting on my shoulder.
“Best tree ever,” I murmured, making him laugh.
“If I’d known this would be your reaction, I would have bought a tree the day we moved in.”
I smiled, running my fingers through his hair. “It never would’ve survived.”
“Then I’d get another,” he shrugged. “Anything to make you happy. Our first Christmas together should be extra special.”
The simple statement filled me with warmth. Our first Christmas. The first of many, if I had anything to say about it. Three months ago, I couldn’t have imagined being here, in this beautiful townhouse, with Kent looking at me like I was his entire world.
“What are you thinking about?” Kent asked, propping himself up on one elbow to look at me.
“Just how lucky I am,” I admitted. “How far we’ve come.”
His expression softened, and he leaned down to press a gentle kiss to my lips. “We’ve both come a long way.”
A cool draft reminded me that we were still naked on the living room floor. I shivered slightly, and Kent immediately pulled me closer.
“Cold?” he asked. “We should probably get dressed before the groceries spoil completely.”
I glanced toward the abandoned bags by the door and groaned. “I forgot all about them. Our ice cream is melting.”
“Worth it,” Kent grinned, pressing a kiss to my temple before reluctantly untangling himself from me. He stood and offered me his hand, pulling me to my feet.
As we dressed, I couldn’t stop looking at the tree, at the way the lights illuminated the room with a soft, warm glow. It wasn’t just a tree, it was a promise. A symbol of the life we were building together.
“So,” Kent said, buttoning his jeans. “What do you think? Should we finish decorating tonight? I’ve got ornaments, garland, the whole works.”
I smiled, pulling my sweater back over my head. “Definitely. But first, let’s put away the groceries and order some dinner. I don’t think I have the energy to cook after that.”
Kent laughed, the sound rich and warm. “Fair enough. Chinese?”
“Perfect.”
As we moved around the kitchen together, putting away groceries and bickering good-naturedly about what to order, I felt a contentment I’d never known before.
This was home. Not just the townhouse, but being with Kent.
The way we moved in sync, anticipating each other’s needs, sharing space so effortlessly.
Thirty minutes later, surrounded by takeout containers and ornament boxes, we decorated our first Christmas tree.
Each ornament had a story. Some Kent had found at local vintage shops and others had been brought over by my mom.
We saved our personalized ones for last, hanging them side by side near the center of the tree.
“What do you think?” Kent asked when we’d finished, standing back to admire our work.
I slipped my arm around his waist, leaning into him. “It’s perfect.”
And it was. Just like us, it wasn’t without its imperfections. It was a little lopsided in places, but beautiful all the same. A work in progress and getting better every day.
“I love you so much, Kent,” I said, leaning against him.
“I love you too, James,” he replied, his fingers digging into my hip. “Always.”
***
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