Stockings and Sugarplums (Hearts of Snow Lake) Read online

  Brandon makes a face, and I don’t think any of us need him to tell us why he struggles to believe in the goodwill of mankind, but Meryl pats him on the arm.

  “Don’t worry, honey. I’ll teach you everything you need to know.” Then she looks at me, a little pitying smile with her shrug. “You tried your best.”

  Liam snorts, immensely amused with all of it.

  I have to admit, I am too.

  When he invited me over for dinner, I was expecting awkward, stiff, getting-to-know-you type stuff. Instead, Meryl immediately treated me like I was part of the family, dragging me into their silly little debates, erasing all the lines between us. No wonder Brandon’s so excited to stay here. I feel it too. The warmth of this little domestic bliss, the acceptance and love pouring out of these amazing people.

  I could get used to this.

  I think I could get really used to this.

  Chapter 8

  Liam

  “Dinner was amazing, Mom, thanks so much for taking care of all that,” I say, leaning down to give her a kiss on the top of her head on my way to the sink with the dishes.

  “My pleasure. You know I like taking care of my people,” she says, smiling around the table. No doubt she’s counting Brandon and Phineas in among with “her people.” I hope Phineas is okay with that. He kind of got adopted without consent.

  “Brandon, do you like board games?” I ask. “There are a few in the linen closet if you want to pick something out. You’ll stay to play, won’t you, Phineas?” I ask, arching a brow, wondering if I should temper my hope. He’s had a lot piled on him today between Brandon and my mom, and I know it’s probably a lot more than he bargained for when he started getting involved with me.

  I wouldn’t blame him for deciding it’s too much now.

  I’d be disappointed, but I couldn’t blame him.

  “Yeah, of course,” Phineas answers brightly, erasing my worries.

  By the time I’m done with the dishes, they’ve all got a game of Monopoly set up.

  “I want to be the thimble,” I say, drying my hands before rejoining them.

  Phineas snorts. “Who wants to be the thimble?”

  “Me,” I say, matter-of-fact. “It’s the only token that’s a working model of what it is,” I say, balancing the thimble on the tip of my pinkie finger. “Your car can’t do that.”

  “I don’t want my car to do that,” he teases back, sticking his tongue out.

  Brandon takes the dog, Mom’s the wheelbarrow, and it’s pretty obvious within one trip around the board that I don’t have a prayer of winning. I managed to buy two things on my whole go-round, and everyone else has stacks of properties already. Brandon’s managed three railroads somehow, and it seems pretty likely he’s going to run away with the whole thing.

  An hour into the game, I’m in big trouble. Phineas’s Pennsylvania Avenue with four houses is going to bankrupt me, and I rolled doubles to get here.

  “Eleven-fifty… five, uh… sixty… I don’t think I have twelve-hundred.”

  “You’ll have to mortgage your utility,” Mom says gleefully. It’s the only property I’ve got that’s not mortgaged—though I only ever managed to get four to begin with.

  “Yeah, fine, okay. I’ll mortgage that, here’s your twelve-hundred dollars, and I’ve got a whopping thirty dollars left. Come on, Go!” I say, picking up the dice. I need six or more to get my two-hundred dollars and have a fighting chance. In between me and freedom are Mom’s Boardwalk and Park Place.

  I drop the dice, holding my breath. There’s a three and a two.

  Crap.

  “Well, that’s it for me. I’m going to go make up my room so you don’t have to sleep on the couch again,” I tell Brandon, pushing back from the table.

  He frowns. “Where will you sleep?”

  I shrug. “I’ll take the couch. We’ll hit up the thrift shop tomorrow and see if we can find a bed and some clothes for you, okay?”

  He’s still frowning. “I don’t mind sleeping on the couch,” he says.

  “Don’t listen to him,” Meryl says, smirking at Brandon. “He’s always been in love with Christmas lights. He probably just wants to sleep in the glow of the tree. He used to sneak out of bed all the time when he was younger, and I’d find him curled up fast asleep with the lights blinking.”

  “Caught me,” I say, holding up my hands in surrender, thankful for Mom’s little fib. I did sneak out to sleep by the tree when I was a kid, but I haven’t done that since I was in elementary school.

  Brandon’s clearly struggling with whether or not to believe us, but finally he nods.

  “Okay, I guess we can switch.”

  “Have fun counting your stacks of money,” I say to Phineas before I head off down the hall to change my sheets and tidy up my room.

  There’s a groan from the kitchen, laughter following, and my heart is so swollen with wholesomeness I feel like it could explode.

  Never in all my wildest dreams could I have imagined all these blessings coming to me at once. Mom retiring and moving back into my life, Phineas and the promise of our romance, his acceptance of me and my mission, and Brandon, the most surprising blessing of all.

  All at once I’ve found myself with a full family, a full house, and an even fuller heart.

  The most wonderful part of it all is how seamlessly they’re coming together, with no friction between any of them.

  There’s another dual groan, one triumphant cry cutting through. I pat the quilt on the bed one last time before rejoining them.

  “What’s going on out here?”

  “Your boyfriend wiped the floor with us,” Mom says.

  “We even tried teaming up,” Brandon says, defeated.

  “Good game, everyone,” says Phineas, already tidying up the board. “We should play again sometime.”

  Mom grins. “Oh, you can count on it, honey. I need to redeem myself.” She stands from the table and stretches.

  “I think it’s about time for bed for me,” she says. I glance over at the clock on the stove. It’s just after nine thirty. I have no idea what kind of bedtime I should implement for Brandon, but I’m sure there should be one.

  “Me too,” he says, saving me the trouble for at least one night. He adds a yawn, staggering off his chair. He’s had a hell of a couple days and it’s definitely showing. The roller coaster of emotions he’s been on is finally settling down, and knowing he’s safe and secure here and no one’s taking him away has to do wonders for his peace of mind.

  I hope he gets the best night’s sleep of his damn life. He deserves it.

  “Do you… want me to tuck you in or something?” I ask, feeling silly. He’s twelve, not two.

  Brandon snorts, giving me a big smile. “Nah, I figured out how blankets work a few years ago,” he says, eyes sparkling.

  “All right, smarty pants, get to bed then,” I tease, hardly able to keep my own grin at bay.

  It’s amazing to see him starting to come out of his shell. From the kid that was practically too scared to talk yesterday to the one being a smartass now, it’s quite the transformation.

  Before he leaves, he gives me a quick hug.

  “Good night,” he says before letting out a big yawn.

  “Sweet dreams,” I respond, heart in my throat as he heads down the hallway.

  “You gonna be all right?” Phineas asks, looking up from stashing all the property cards in the box.

  “I just don’t understand how anyone could be cruel to that sweet, smart, amazing boy, Phineas. I don’t know if I’m more sad or angry…”

  He stands up, putting his hands on my arms. “You don’t need to be either,” he says. “It’s sad what he’s been through, but he’s here now, and he’s going to have the best life a kid could hope for from here on out. That’s not sad. As far as being angry… Aren’t you supposed to leave the wrath to someone else?” he says, hands sliding down toward my elbows, then back up to my shoulders.

  “You h
eard Lonny. They’re going to face criminal charges for this. They’re going to get what they deserve in this life and the next,” he says, squeezing.

  I blow out a long breath, feeling the tension leave all at once.

  “Thank you… How’d you know just what I needed to hear?”

  Phineas smirks, gives me a one-shoulder shrug. “I’m starting to know you a little bit,” he says.

  “Just a little?”

  “Maybe,” he says, still smirking.

  “You have any interest hanging around a little while?” I ask, definitely not ready for him to go anywhere yet.

  He looks back at the table. “Well, I should probably finish packing the game up at least.”

  “I’ll do it later, come on,” I say, dragging him to the couch. The only light in the room is the warm reddish glow of the lights on the tree, flashing in time to a Christmas carol that’s on mute.

  We sink into the couch cushions together, and Phineas slides his arm around my shoulders. I lean into him, watching the lights flicker.

  “Oh man, this feels nice. To just sit and catch my breath.”

  Phineas chuckles. “Yeah, you probably haven’t done that since last night, have you?”

  “Not really,” I admit. “How could I?”

  “Well, now you can,” he says rubbing my shoulder gently. “You’ve certainly earned it.”

  For a long while we sit there in contented quiet, the cold outside safely kept away, the two of us wrapped in a cocoon of each other’s warmth.

  “You don’t think I’m crazy, do you?” I ask, turning to face him.

  “For spending so much time with me? A little, yeah. I didn’t wanna say something and jinx it though.”

  I roll my eyes, shoving his shoulder. He cracks into a grin. “For Brandon,” I clarify.

  “No, I don’t think you’re crazy. I thought you were a little hasty at first, but even I can’t be cynical about this. He’s made for this family.”

  “I don’t think he’s the only one,” I say, voice lowering of its own accord as I lean in. “I’m so glad you’ve come into my life when you have, Phineas.”

  “Me too,” he says, his hand caressing the side of my face, pulling me fully into a kiss.

  It’s not the normal quick peck I give him now and then, and it’s not the totally innocent affair our first kiss was. This time, Phineas slides his hand back into my hair and teases the tip of his tongue along the seam of my lips, asking to come in. I let him in eagerly, greeting his tongue with mine, my hand sliding around the back of his head, until we’re locked in a fierce kiss neither one of us is trying to escape from.

  Before I know it, I’m leaning into him more and more until I’m practically in his lap. I can’t seem to get close enough to him, but he gives as good as he gets. He’s pressing back into me, the contact of our bodies making my blood turn to lava, my skin overheating, my clothes suddenly tight and stifling.

  Phineas’s hand slides down my front, over the ridge of my swollen erection. His fingers are electric, and his touch makes me gasp, too afraid to breathe and ruin the moment.

  “Is this okay?” he asks, palm flattened against my bulge, my pulse throbbing against his hand.

  “It’s great,” I whisper, aching for more.

  “I mean… with… you know?” he asks, looking toward the ceiling.

  With all the blood in my body currently below my waist, it takes me too long to catch on to what he’s saying.

  “Sexuality is a God-given gift,” I answer, leaning forward to kiss him again, arching my hips up to meet his hand more fully. It feels so good I groan and my toes curl in my socks.

  “Is that the official position on things?” he asks, smiling when he kisses me back, his hand starting to travel up and down my length.

  “It is, yeah,” I answer, breathless.

  “I like that,” he says, dragging my zipper down, fishing my cock free.

  “Me too,” I whisper. “This too. I like this a lot.”

  Phineas chuckles, his hand working up and down, lighting sparks behind my eyes with every stroke, my body aching for more.

  I can’t believe how I’ve lucked out with this guy. Not only is he accepting of my ministry and mission, but he’s respectful of it. He’s worried about pushing me, about making me compromise my beliefs.

  Luckily, my church understands the purpose of sexuality is more than just bringing new life into the world. It’s to enhance our fulfillment as human beings, and it’s one way we’re able to express love and commitment.

  Not to mention pleasure. There’s nothing wrong with finding pleasure in the company of another.

  Without thinking, I reach for Phineas, finding his own bulge, fingers curling around him.

  “Oh, God,” he groans, forehead dropping to my shoulder. “Liam, that feels so good.”

  Before long, I’ve freed his erection too, needing to feel the warmth of his skin under my fingers. His hot steely length doesn’t disappoint, and soon we’re in a kind of see-saw. My hips follow his hand when he strokes up, and I follow through with a stroke down on him. The rhythm happens naturally, the kissing only enhancing everything, my head completely empty of all thought other than him and this moment, this amazing feeling.

  “Phin… I’m… You’re gonna make me—” Before I can get the words out, he’s kissing me again, his kiss deep and intense, flooding straight to my balls. My whole body tenses, and I moan, but the kiss thankfully muffles it, Phineas never breaking away. I tighten my grip on him, my body buzzing, and it doesn’t take long for him to join me. He’s tensing and convulsing, a deep groan swallowed into the kiss that only now ends long enough for us to catch our breath.

  “We kinda made a mess,” he chuckles, sinking back into the couch with a satisfied sigh.

  “It’s mostly on our hands, I think,” I laugh, holding my hand far away from my body like it’s quarantined.

  “Are you going to have to ask for forgiveness for that?”

  I snort, laying my head on his shoulder. “Things aren’t as medieval as you think. I’m even allowed to have sex before marriage.”

  “Oh, now you tell me,” he teases, his clean hand around me, lightly stroking my arm. “I’m glad you’re not in any trouble because of me,” he says, sounding entirely sincere.

  I wonder how much this has been weighing on him. How much he’s been trying to be strong for my sake.

  It’s sweet.

  Unnecessary, but sweet.

  “I should probably get going before it gets even colder,” he says, a wary look toward the door.

  I sigh. “I’d invite you to stay, but…”

  “You’ve kind of got a full house here,” he says. “It’s okay.”

  “Hopefully the office will make a good enough room for Brandon until Mom finds her own place.”

  “Liam, you brought the kid in off the street. The office will be fine,” he says, gently teasing me with that tone suggesting my worries are overblown.

  “I guess you’re right,” I mutter, sighing.

  “I’m just going to clean off real quick,” he says, leaning over to kiss me once more before he hops off the couch and scurries to the bathroom.

  I really do wish he could stay, but maybe it’s too soon for that. Maybe that’s a bad precedent to set for Brandon. I don’t know. I just know I want Phineas around all the time.

  “I brought you a present,” he says, tossing a hand towel at me when he comes back.

  “My hero,” I fake-swoon, wiping the sticky half-dried mixture of our semen off my hand.

  “So I’ll see you tomorrow?” he asks, grabbing his coat.

  “There’s no rehearsal tomorrow,” I remind him.

  “I know. Maybe I just want to see my boyfriend.”

  “Your boyfriend, huh?” I ask, getting to my feet. I saunter over to him, probably a little loopy from lack of sleep at this point, but definitely silly and flirty. “Is that what I am?”

  Phineas shrugs, looking a little uncerta
in now. “Your mom said it earlier and I liked the sound of it. Had a nice ring, I thought.”

  “And you would know all about rings, isn’t that right, Mr. Jeweler?” I tease, definitely getting sillier by the minute. Every last bit of salient coherent energy I had went out with that all-encompassing orgasm.

  “You know it,” he says, chuckling when he pulls me into a warm kiss. “Get some sleep, okay?”

  “You too,” I say, holding onto the door as he leaves, even though I’m letting all the cold in. I want to watch him for as long as I can. It’s not long before he’s swallowed by the dark icy mist.

  I close the door, lock up, and put myself right to bed. Well, to couch. As soon as my head hits the pillow, I’m out, and I sleep like a baby the whole night through.

  Chapter 9

  Phineas

  The couple of weeks leading up to Christmas are a complete blur of trying to help Liam juggle everything he has going on, trying to spend time with him, and trying not to take too much advantage of my brother who has his own significant other he’d like to be spending time with.

  It’s that last part that’s proving the most difficult.

  “No, you can’t leave early again,” Paul protests. “Alton and I have plans to see The Nutcracker, and someone needs to be here. You’ve been MIA for the last week or more. I’m glad you’re enjoying your new relationship, but you have responsibilities.”

  I sigh, thinking about how disappointed Meryl and Brandon will be since we planned on a Monopoly night. But Paul’s right. Last-minute shoppers are big business, and I have been letting my paperwork pile up. I can’t just forget about the business because there are other things I’d rather be focusing on.

  “Fine. I’ll cancel. But tomorrow is the Nativity play. I can’t miss that.”

  Paul nods, wrapping his scarf around his neck. “I know, I know. You’ve hardly talked about anything other than that play and Liam lately.”

  “Enjoy your show,” I say, trying to keep my disappointment to myself. Paul’s entitled to a night out with his fiancé. I shouldn’t make him feel guilty about it.