Garnet's ear with his nose, and Garnet shivered again. Hard. Wes allowed himself a small smile before brushing his lips over that dainty point. Garnet released a shuddery moan, his head tilting back.
"Does that feel good?" Wes asked.
Garnet nodded. "Will you…?"
"Will I what?"
"Kiss me?"
"Turn over."
Garnet wiggled around until he was facing Wes. This close, Wes saw that his eyes truly were the color of emeralds. He'd never met a human with eyes so vivid. Wes felt as if he was falling into them as he pressed a light kiss to Garnet's mouth.
Garnet's lips parted in silent invitation, which Wes readily accepted. He explored Garnet's mouth with eager thoroughness, learning the way Garnet liked to be kissed, tasting cinnamon from the cider and tart cherry pie. Warmth spread through him as the kisses went on. Garnet's fingers were gentle on his jaw, his mouth so giving and sweet.
Wes lost himself in the myriad of sensations. He cupped Garnet's nape, keeping him close, the soft, downy hair there tickling his palm. It felt so wonderful, achingly right, as if something inside him had clicked into place with the touch of their lips.
Only the need for air and whining from the dogs could drag them apart. Wes panted, his forehead pressed to Garnet's as he tried to reorient himself to a world that didn't include Garnet's mouth on his own.
"That was nice," Garnet whispered.
Wes chuckled. "Nice doesn't come anywhere close."
Garnet smiled and nodded a few times. "How about phenomenal?"
"That's better." Wes glanced over Garnet's shoulder to find four plaintive sets of eyes turned their way. Micah whined and danced in place. "I think they need to go outside."
"I'll let them out."
Before Wes could protest, Garnet was halfway across the room with the dogs at his heels. Laughing, his heart lighter than it had been in ages, Wes got to his feet and switched everything off. He took their empty plates and mugs to the kitchen and washed them quickly, not wanting to deal with emptying the dishwasher until morning.
A few minutes later, Garnet and the dogs were back. Wes walked Garnet to the guest bedroom and paused in front of the door. "Thank you for today. This was the best Christmas I've had in years."
Garnet gave him a rueful smile. "I wish I could have done more, but it was for me too. The best."
Wes hesitated, then dropped a brief kiss on the corner of Garnet's mouth. "Good night." He turned to go to his own room.
"Wes?" Garnet's voice made him pause.
He glanced over his shoulder. "Yes?"
Garnet's gaze darted to the guest bedroom, then back to Wes. "I… I have something—" He broke off and bit his lip.
Wes turned to face him fully. "You have something?"
After a moment, Garnet shook his head. "Never mind. I just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas again."
"Merry Christmas, Garnet."
*~*~*
The next week passed in a joyful blur. Days were filled with fun and laughter, cooking together, and sledding with the dogs. Nights with movies and board games and kisses. Lots and lots of kisses. They brought in the New Year so wrapped up in one another they completely missed the Times Square ball drop and the local countdown afterward.
Wes had never been happier—which was why a big part of him kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Garnet was everything he could want. Sunny and generous and respectful of Wes's occasional need for space and privacy. Even the dogs liked him, especially Micah, who'd become Garnet's shadow over the past seven days.
Garnet hadn't brought up the subject of returning to the North Pole, and Wes was carefully avoiding the topic himself. He wondered if Garnet really meant it when he'd said he wanted to stay with Wes—wherever he was and for however long Wes would allow. Wes hoped so. The mere thought of Garnet leaving sent a sharp jolt through his chest. At the same time, it all felt so sudden. Wes wasn't the type to believe in things like love at first sight or that whirlwind romances could endure once
"Does that feel good?" Wes asked.
Garnet nodded. "Will you…?"
"Will I what?"
"Kiss me?"
"Turn over."
Garnet wiggled around until he was facing Wes. This close, Wes saw that his eyes truly were the color of emeralds. He'd never met a human with eyes so vivid. Wes felt as if he was falling into them as he pressed a light kiss to Garnet's mouth.
Garnet's lips parted in silent invitation, which Wes readily accepted. He explored Garnet's mouth with eager thoroughness, learning the way Garnet liked to be kissed, tasting cinnamon from the cider and tart cherry pie. Warmth spread through him as the kisses went on. Garnet's fingers were gentle on his jaw, his mouth so giving and sweet.
Wes lost himself in the myriad of sensations. He cupped Garnet's nape, keeping him close, the soft, downy hair there tickling his palm. It felt so wonderful, achingly right, as if something inside him had clicked into place with the touch of their lips.
Only the need for air and whining from the dogs could drag them apart. Wes panted, his forehead pressed to Garnet's as he tried to reorient himself to a world that didn't include Garnet's mouth on his own.
"That was nice," Garnet whispered.
Wes chuckled. "Nice doesn't come anywhere close."
Garnet smiled and nodded a few times. "How about phenomenal?"
"That's better." Wes glanced over Garnet's shoulder to find four plaintive sets of eyes turned their way. Micah whined and danced in place. "I think they need to go outside."
"I'll let them out."
Before Wes could protest, Garnet was halfway across the room with the dogs at his heels. Laughing, his heart lighter than it had been in ages, Wes got to his feet and switched everything off. He took their empty plates and mugs to the kitchen and washed them quickly, not wanting to deal with emptying the dishwasher until morning.
A few minutes later, Garnet and the dogs were back. Wes walked Garnet to the guest bedroom and paused in front of the door. "Thank you for today. This was the best Christmas I've had in years."
Garnet gave him a rueful smile. "I wish I could have done more, but it was for me too. The best."
Wes hesitated, then dropped a brief kiss on the corner of Garnet's mouth. "Good night." He turned to go to his own room.
"Wes?" Garnet's voice made him pause.
He glanced over his shoulder. "Yes?"
Garnet's gaze darted to the guest bedroom, then back to Wes. "I… I have something—" He broke off and bit his lip.
Wes turned to face him fully. "You have something?"
After a moment, Garnet shook his head. "Never mind. I just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas again."
"Merry Christmas, Garnet."
*~*~*
The next week passed in a joyful blur. Days were filled with fun and laughter, cooking together, and sledding with the dogs. Nights with movies and board games and kisses. Lots and lots of kisses. They brought in the New Year so wrapped up in one another they completely missed the Times Square ball drop and the local countdown afterward.
Wes had never been happier—which was why a big part of him kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Garnet was everything he could want. Sunny and generous and respectful of Wes's occasional need for space and privacy. Even the dogs liked him, especially Micah, who'd become Garnet's shadow over the past seven days.
Garnet hadn't brought up the subject of returning to the North Pole, and Wes was carefully avoiding the topic himself. He wondered if Garnet really meant it when he'd said he wanted to stay with Wes—wherever he was and for however long Wes would allow. Wes hoped so. The mere thought of Garnet leaving sent a sharp jolt through his chest. At the same time, it all felt so sudden. Wes wasn't the type to believe in things like love at first sight or that whirlwind romances could endure once
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