Anderson Andi His Christmas Wish(Contemporary)

Published by Silver Publishing

Publisher of Erotic Romance

His Christmas Wish

Men of Charlestown, Book One

Andi Anderson

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ISBN # 978-1-920484-21-7

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Dedication

To the love of my life,

always.

To Mom,

thank you for being my biggest cheerleader and always

believing in me.

To Linda,

thank you for everything you've done for me and being a

good friend.

Trademarks Acknowledgement

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and

trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned

in this work of fiction:

Uno: Mattel

"The Christmas Song", written by Mel Tormé and Bob

Wells

His Christmas Wish

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Prologue

Daniel looked at his sleeping Uncle and felt sad. His

sight became blurry and tears welled up in his eyes then

slowly ran down his cheeks. He sniffled and wiped quickly

at his face and blinked furiously to keep more from falling.

He didn't want his Uncle Josh to wake up and notice him

crying and being a big baby. The past year had been a

difficult one for both of them. Ever since his parents went

to Heaven, he'd been living with his uncle, and things had

never been the same again.

This was their second Thanksgiving together. His

uncle tried his best to make their holidays good, but things

always seemed to go wrong. Even today, when Uncle Josh

tried to cook a delicious meal, nothing went like they

wanted them to. The turkey was dry and the stuffing so bad

they ended up eating TV dinners while watching the

Thanksgiving parade on television. Uncle Josh tried to keep

conversation fun but it fell short somehow, and the holiday

ended up being filled with a lot of silence and awkward

moments.

Not like life before his parents went to heaven.

Daniel missed the bedtime stories and the loving

hugs his mother gave him. He didn't get to toss the ball in

the front yard or go on Saturday fishing trips with his dad.

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The laughter and happiness he remembered having every

day of his life were gone. In their place were lots of quiet

nights eating supper with his uncle while they watched

television; or he was alone in his room, reliving every

joyful memory he had with his parents.

He got used to being alone. He knew Uncle Josh

loved him, but for some reason they just couldn't bridge the

gap between them. So many times it looked like Uncle Josh

wanted to say something, but for some reason or another a

sad look would gleam in his uncle's eyes, and the moment

would be lost.

Daniel so wanted to know what Uncle Josh had to

say.

Daniel gently eased off of the couch and silently

made his way over to the front door. He quietly opened it

and stepped out onto the front porch. The cold November

wind blew right through him and Daniel wrapped his arms

around himself to try to keep warm. Even though it was

past ten at night, he could see the heavy snowfall on the

ground, covering it with a sparkling pureness that

glimmered like diamonds in the darkness.

Daniel knew he should be excited. After all, it was

the first snow of the season. Uncle Josh had even

mentioned it was rare for Charlestown to get snowfall this

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early in the year. Daniel couldn't ever remember it snowing

this early before. In his mind's eye he could remember his

parents making snow angels and building a lopsided

snowman with him in the few weeks before they went to

Heaven. They had laughed and played together, and after

they all felt frozen, his mother warmed him up with

homemade chicken noodle soup and wrapped warm

blankets around him until he was snug and content.

He'd felt happy. He'd felt loved.

He figured Uncle Josh would be too busy to play

with him in the snow. His uncle always worked, and when

he didn't, a lot of the time he was tired. Daniel missed how

safe and loved he had when his parents were alive. His

heart craved the closeness of having a happy family again.

Daniel understood his parents were gone and would

never be back. But in his heart, he knew they still watched

over him and did their best to take care of him, even though

they were in Heaven. He smiled, visualizing them popping

popcorn, singing songs, and playing games like freeze tag

and hide and go seek with God and all of the other guardian

angels. He'd bet that when God was 'it' he'd easily find

wherever his parents and all of the other angels were

hidden. It was probably one of the advantages of seeing all

and knowing everything that was going on with everyone.

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Lucky God.

He hoped that his parents and God were looking

down at him now.

As Daniel gazed out into the shimmering snow, he

took a deep breath, closed his eyes and began to pray.

"Hi, God, it's me. I know you're taking good care of

my parents and you're probably in the middle of playing a

game or something, but I wanted to ask you a favor. I know

you missed Mom and Dad and you had to have them with

you instead of them being down here with me, and I

understand that. After all, Mom and Dad are fun to be

around. But, I wondered if there was any way you could

send someone here with Uncle Josh and me. Uncle Josh

works hard and he's a good guy, but it would be really cool

if we had someone here that could take care of us.

Sometimes Uncle Josh forgets things. He can't help it, and I

know he's busy, so I'm not complaining. I just wish we had

someone here to take care of us, love us and make us both

happy again."

Daniel looked out into the cold, snowy night and

suddenly saw a bright star flicker in the winter sky. His

cold body became warm and it reminded him of when his

parents would sandwich him between them so they all

could have a three-way hug.

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Knowing God and his parents would grant his

Christmas wish, he suddenly felt a peace within his heart

and big smile formed on his face.

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Chapter One

Joshua Thomas tossed the latest application into the

nearby trashcan. So far, today's interviews had been a huge

waste of time. He certainly didn't expect that it would be so

difficult to find someone to watch over his young nephew,

Daniel. He'd mistakenly assumed finding the perfect nanny

would be a breeze. Who knew there were so many strange

people living in Charlestown? He'd seen everything from a

young, bubblegum-popping eighteen year old girl, to an old

man who could barely walk without assistance out of house

and into his car.

Some of them had seemed like nice people, but his

nephew was special and needed someone who would not

only take care of him while Josh worked his shift at the

hospital, but who would hopefully love Daniel as well.

Josh walked over to the coffeepot and poured

himself another cup. He blew lightly on it a few moments

before he sipped the warm goodness. If Josh could do

anything, it was make a damn good cup of coffee.

He smiled and remembered the all night study

sessions he used to have with his twin sister, Jolene. They

had both decided to become registered nurses, and entered

nursing school at the same time. They'd intended to help

each other through the difficult two year course and it had

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worked like a charm. They had studied hard, labored

together, and before they knew it, had their degrees with

high honors.

Josh gazed out the window above the kitchen sink

and watched his seven year old nephew, romp in the snow

with their basset hound, Fred. Daniel chased Fred around

the snow filled yard and the dog was apparently having the

time of his life. He ran and barked, delightedly, while his

big floppy ears bounced and his squatty body tried to

outrun his determined nephew.

Josh's eyes fell upon Daniel and a wave of

melancholy almost overwhelmed him. All bundled up in a

bulky red jacket and with a blue cap hiding carrot colored

hair, Daniel's sweet plump cheeks were rosy from the cold

winter air. A scarf hid the mask of freckles across his pert

nose and rounded face. Daniel's joyful laughter rang out

when he finally let Fred catch up, grabbing the dog in a big

bear hug. Fred showered his face with doggy kisses and

Daniel enthusiastically petted his beloved friend.

The past year had been hell for both of them. Josh

had felt like someone amputated half of his heart the

dreadful night Jolene and Roger lost their lives to a stupid

drunk driver. He and Jolene had been extremely close their

entire lives, and she'd been his best friend as well.

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Right after high school their Dad's job transferred

their parents out of state. Josh and Jolene knew they would

miss their parents, but they opted to stay in Arkansas.

About to start nursing school in Fort Smith, both felt that as

long as they had each other, everything would be alright.

When Jolene met Roger eight years ago, Josh

thought everything would change between them. Most

people in Charlestown still didn't accept Josh's sexual

orientation as a gay man. Even though he didn't flaunt it, he

believed in being honest about who he was.

Roger came from a blue-collar family and worked

as a mechanic at the local gas station. He'd been unlike

anyone Jolene had ever dated before, and once they went

out they'd almost immediately fallen in love. To Josh's

surprise, Roger quickly became an extension of Jolene and

Josh's inner circle. Roger never judged Josh for being

attracted to other men; instead he encouraged Josh to seek

out the happiness that he and Jolene had found within each

other's arms.

Josh always dreamed of finding Mr Right. Instead,

he'd found a few Mr Right-Nows, and both his sister and

brother-in-law had told him to never give up on true love.

He used to wish for that special person, but he never came.

Now that he had Daniel under his care, Josh knew he'd

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have to find an extra special man who would not only love

him, but embrace Daniel in his life, too. After living the

past year alone with Daniel, Josh began to think it would

never happen. The most he could hope for would be to get

his own shit straightened out and try to give Daniel a happy

and content family life.

Josh had failed miserably, so far, and he couldn't

figure out why.

With the weight of the world on his shoulders, he

continued to watch Daniel and Fred play together in the

snow. He'd have to make Daniel come in soon. The boy

would be cold and wet from the snow, but Josh decided to

give him a little more time to enjoy himself.

Maybe he'd make some cocoa for them to drink

when Daniel came in and they could watch one of his

favorite movies. But first, he had one more interview to

conduct for a live-in nanny. The agency he had gone

through didn't impress him very much. None of the

candidates really inquired about Daniel, nor did they ask to

meet him. They seemed to be more interested in how much

they'd be paid, or what days they'd have off. He might have

to call another company and see if they could send more

qualified applicants.

Just about to take another sip of his rapidly cooling

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coffee, he heard the doorbell ring. He set the mug on the

granite countertop and walked to the front door. Taking a

deep breath, he readied himself for another reject from the

agency.

When Josh opened the door it felt like the floor fell

out from beneath him. Instead of a decrepit old man or

older teenager popping her gum, the most beautiful man

he'd ever seen stood there.

At five-ten, Josh had to look up several inches into

sparkling blue eyes. He suddenly wished he'd paid more

attention to the application and resume he'd received. After

seeing so many inappropriate candidates, he'd barely

glanced at the information. All he remembered was the

young man's name; Nicholas.

Nicholas looked to be in his early twenties. His

perfectly oval face shone with health. His clean shaven

cheeks were flushed from the cold. Even though it was

winter, his complexion held a nice golden tan color that

accented gorgeous indigo eyes and sun-streaked tousled

hair. He wore a sleek, black leather jacket and tight, faded

jeans that molded his slim form. Straight, pearly white teeth

were enhanced by nice full, kissable lips.

Where have you been all of my life, gorgeous?

"Mr Thomas? The agency sent me here. I'm Nick

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Kirkland."

Josh broke contact with those stunning blue eyes

and glanced down at the long, ungloved hand extended out

for him to shake.

Stop gazing at him like a lovesick fool and shake the

man's hand.

Josh cleared his throat and slowly grasped Nick's

slightly callused hand against his own.

"Hi, Nick, I'm Joshua Thomas. Please come in."

Josh reluctantly let go of Nick's hand, stepped back

from the doorway, and motioned for Nick to enter his warm

house.

"Thanks, man. I can't believe this weather! It's

freakin' cold out here." Nick smiled gratefully and walked

with masculine grace past Josh into the foyer of the house.

"Can I take your coat?"

Nick nodded almost absently as he appeared took in

the interior of the house. He unbuttoned his jacket and

shucked it off. He wore a pure white, thick cable-knit

sweater that highlighted his golden skin. The tight, faded

blue jeans nicely accentuated his firm ass. He had that boy-

next-door look about him and Josh found it very appealing.

Josh took the jacket, opened up the foyer closet and hung it

neatly on a sturdy hanger, closing the door quietly.

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"You've got a nice place here, Mr Thomas," Nick

said, as he continued to check out the entry area and

glanced into the living room.

Josh knew he had a nice home. He'd put in many

hours at the hospital and worked hard to make his house a

comfortable sanctuary. The walls were painted with warm

beiges and he had decorated with fall colors, giving it a

nice, masculine, lived-in look. He believed in comfort more

than style, so all his furniture was oversized and plush.

He'd spent many a night enjoying the creature comforts of

home, and he guessed it was obvious to those who came

into his house.

"Thanks, Nick. Would you like some coffee or

cocoa? I'm about to make some for Daniel to warm him up

when he comes in from playing outside."

Josh walked past Nick into the living room and

heard Nick follow close behind him.

"I hate to put you out, Mr Thomas."

"It's no imposition."

"Cocoa would be great, thanks."

Josh walked through the living area and into the

kitchen. He went over to the pantry and grabbed the

ingredients to make hot cocoa. He busied himself making

the chocolate drink, and saw Nick walk over to the big

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kitchen window and look out into the backyard at Daniel

and Fred playing in the snow.

"Is that Daniel?"

Josh nodded and opened the cabinet door to grab a

dark green mug.

"Who's his friend?"

"That's our dog, Fred. They're practically joined at

the hip. Daniel would probably take Fred everywhere if I'd

allow it." Josh leaned against the kitchen countertop and

watched the young man continue to gaze outside at Daniel

and their pet.

Nick turned away from the window and grinned. "I

can relate to that. When I was a kid my dog was my best

friend, too."

"Marshmallows?"

"Yes, that'd be great, thanks."

Josh put a few marshmallows in the steaming drink,

topped his own coffee off, grabbed their mugs, and walked

over to the kitchen table. He handed Nick his drink and

pulled out a chair and sat. Nick took a hesitant sip of his

drink, hummed a little, and sat across from him.

"So, Nick, tell me a little about yourself."

Nick gently placed his mug on the table. "Well, I'm

twenty-two and my family originates from Fort Smith. I

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went to Northside High School, and when I was a senior,

started working at a local daycare part-time. I soon realized

I loved working with children, so I've taken a few childcare

and psychology courses at the University of Fort Smith. I'm

certified in first aid and CPR and I hope to open my own

daycare center one day." Nick paused and took a sip of his

cocoa before he continued. "Unfortunately, the daycare

center I worked with closed down, and I'm not financially

able to start my own yet. I called the agency and they said

there were a few childcare slots open and they thought I

would be an excellent candidate to work as a nanny. Since I

have a tendency to get attached to the children I work with,

I thought that being a full-time caregiver would be the

perfect solution for me. I can do what I love and save

money to open up my own daycare one day."

Josh looked into Nick's earnest blue eyes and

nodded. He glanced out the window and watched his

nephew make snow angels. Fred happily stood over him,

barking his approval.

"Daniel's a sweet boy. He's been through a lot since

my sister and brother-in-law passed away. I work varying

full-time shifts at St Edward's Hospital. It's hard to give

him the attention he needs right now." Josh sighed, and a

wistful smile formed on his face as continued to watch his

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nephew romp in the snow with his beloved companion. "I

need someone to take care of him; especially while I'm at

work. The holidays are always a hectic time at the hospital.

They'll expect me to work odd shifts and we have an 'on

call' rotation. I would need you to stay with us. I'll provide

bed and board for free. You'd eat meals with us and

basically be around six days a week. I don't work on

Sundays, most of the time, so that would be your day off. If

you need a different day, or you want to take an occasional

weekend, we can work that out. I'd need a decent notice,

though."

Josh looked back at Nick, who watched Daniel play

outside. He seemed to be mulling over the job

requirements, because he worried his full bottom lip with

his top teeth. They sat in silence for a few moments before

Nick's gaze broke away from Daniel's antics, and those

jeweled eyes lit up. Nick grinned.

That sweet smile made Josh's stomach flutter.

"He's adorable. No wonder you only want what's

best for him."

"I do. He's had a hellacious year and a half, but he's

strong willed for a little guy, just like my sister used to be."

Josh broke contact with Nick's all-knowing eyes and

looked down at his coffee cup.

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"He's not the only one, is he? I'm very sorry for

your loss."

Josh's eyes almost unwillingly met Nick's

compassionate expression. Those blue eyes seemed to gaze

into Josh's lonely soul.

He squirmed a little in his seat, cleared his throat,

and tried to shake off the unnerving feeling of loneliness

trying to overwhelm him.

"It's been hard for both of us, but it's been especially

tough for Daniel. Our parents moved to Arizona before

Daniel was born and Roger's parents are in poor health. We

try to visit them when we can, but basically it's just us."

Nick nodded and gave him a half smile.

"I can't imagine what both of you have gone

through, and I'm sorry. If you hire me, I hope to be able to

lift some of the burden off of your shoulders. Become a

good friend to Daniel. I think this would be an excellent

arrangement, for both of us. I know you've probably got

several more interviews to go through, but I'd really love to

meet Daniel if I could. If he doesn't like me, then it would

be worthless to go any further. But, I need to let you know

something about me. This shouldn't matter, but it might

make a difference to you. I'm gay. I want you to know that

whatever goes on with my personal life, it will never touch

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Daniel. He doesn't even have to know, unless you feel the

need to tell him."

Josh could hardly believe what he'd just heard. Not

only was this handsome man intelligent with a strong

caring side, he was also gay. No, Nick's sexual orientation

shouldn't make a difference. But in a way, it did. Josh was

attracted to the young man sitting before him, and knowing

Nick was also gay somehow made his heart beat faster.

Being drawn to his nephew's nanny wasn't high on Josh's

priority list. But his nephew came first. If Daniel liked him

and all of Nick's references and his background checked

out okay, Josh knew he could tamp down the physical

attraction he had for Nick. After all, Daniel didn't need the

drama of Josh dating his nanny. And Nick probably didn't

go out with boring nurses who really didn't have a life.

"Your sexual orientation doesn't matter to me one

way or the other. If you want to go grab your coat, I'll take

you outside and introduce you to him." Josh hoped he wore

a nonchalant look on his face.

"That'd be great! I'm looking forward to meeting

him." Nick's half smile turned into a full one, making his

boyishly handsome face a radiantly beautiful one. His eyes

sparkled with happiness, and a small dimple in his left

cheek made him look even more attractive. Josh managed

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to smile back as Nick stood up and walked toward the foyer

closet for his coat.

What have I gotten myself into?

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Chapter Two

Nick followed Josh out the back door and walked

over to the young boy and his loyal dog. When he'd agreed

to go to this interview, he had no idea of the emotional

impact Josh and Daniel's situation would have on him. He

knew they were alone, but the agent didn't bother telling

him any details of the job itself. Now, after meeting and

talking with Josh, he hoped he and Daniel would hit it off.

He got a good vibe talking to the somewhat reserved Josh.

It was obvious to Nick that not only did Daniel hurt from

the untimely loss of his parents; Josh still grieved too. He

had a feeling that Josh and Daniel needed him almost as

badly as he needed them.

Nick missed working with kids. He'd been

devastated when the daycare had closed down. His parents

tried to pressure him into teaching, but Nick didn't want

that. He knew good daycares were hard to come by, and he

wanted to make a difference. He was anxious to open his

own place, but right now it just wasn't financially feasible.

He had so many plans and ideas to make his daycare the

best in the state; he just had to save up the funds to do it.

As they approached Daniel, Nick had a warm

feeling of affection flow over him. Strange, since he hadn't

met the boy yet. Something about being here made him feel

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like this was the place he needed to be, and the right thing

to do.

Please let the little guy like me.

Daniel's high-pitched giggle echoed around them as

the overweight basset hound barked at him while they

played in the snow. Nick walked over and stood several

inches from his feet. He watched Daniel continue to move

his arms and legs in a flapping motion so he could make a

snow angel. The kid did a pretty good job of it.

Josh didn't interrupt. He waited a few minutes until

Daniel and the dog noticed their presence. Daniel jumped

up and gazed at them, a surprised look on his freckled face.

"Daniel, I want you to meet someone. This is Nick.

He's one of the people I'm interviewing to be your sitter."

Nick crouched down so he could get eye level with

Daniel.

"Hi, Daniel. I just met your Uncle Josh and I

wanted to meet you, too." He extended his hand to the boy

and wondered if he would shake it.

Daniel's face lit up with a big smile. His two front

teeth were missing, giving him an adorable gap-toothed

grin. Nick was caught off guard when Daniel practically

threw himself into his arms and gave him a big bear hug.

"You're here! I knew you would come!"

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Did he just say he knew I was coming?

Nick looked over at Josh, who had his own startled

look on his face at the young boy's words. But the

expression quickly disappeared. "I'll just leave you two

here so you can get to know each other better. Y'all need to

come in soon and warm up, okay Daniel?"

Daniel nodded and clung to Nick without saying a

word.

Nick noticed the quick look of longing that flashed

over Josh's face before he nodded and walked back to the

house.

After a short moment of being startled by the young

boy's greeting, Nick managed to shake himself out of his

stunned stupor and return the bear hug. Daniel pulled away

from him and grabbed his elbow, tugging him toward a

small snowman he had built.

"Do you like Frosty? I'm going to see if Uncle Josh

will let me have a scarf to put around his neck so he can

keep warm. Do you like his pinecone nose? I didn't have

any carrots…"

The boy rambled on, and Nick knew at that moment

this was the place he should be. Something about Daniel

and Josh pulled at his heartstrings. He only hoped Josh

would feel the same and give him the job he was beginning

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to believe they all desperately needed for him to have.

Nick snapped out of his own thoughts when Daniel

stopped talking and looked at him expectantly.

Nick knelt down and gave the snowman a good

once over. "You know, Daniel, I think Frosty is a very nice

looking snowman indeed. I bet if you asked your Uncle

Josh if he had an extra scarf, he would let you put it on

him."

Daniel bounced excitedly at Nick's assessment of

Frosty.

"Really? You think he would? Frosty would really

like that."

"I do. While I was talking with your Uncle Josh, I

noticed that you were making some really cool looking

snow angels. I don't know how to make them; will you

show me how to do it?"

Daniel's green eyes lit up with anticipation, and he

promptly lay down on his back in the snow. "Sure! All you

have to do is lie down on the snow and move your arms

and legs like this."

Nick grinned as he watched Daniel's small limbs

moving across the snow, effectively making a perfect

angel.

"That looks like fun! Let's see if I can do as good of

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a job as you can." Nick lay down beside Daniel on his

back. He ignored the cold, wet snow on his backside, and

started moving his arms and legs to make a snow angel.

"Wow, Nick! You're making a big one! Mine looks

really little next to yours." Daniel compared the two snow

angels they had just made.

Nick stood up and looked at their creations. "Mine

might be bigger, but your angel is much better." Nick

glanced over at Daniel and grinned.

Daniel looked up at him; his rosy cheeks flushed

even pinker with pleasure.

"You think so? I think your angel looks awesome,

too!"

Nick reached over and put his hand on Daniel's

shoulder. "Absolutely. You're definitely the best at angel

making. Maybe next time you can give me some pointers."

Daniel giggled and bounced happily on his toes.

"It's getting a bit nippy out here, how about we go

inside for a while? I had some of your Uncle Josh's hot

chocolate a few minutes ago and it was delicious. We can

warm up and get to know each other better, what do you

think?"

Daniel nodded and grabbed Nick's hand with his

own gloved one. "Have you ever played Uno? I've got it

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and it's a lot of fun. Wanna play with me? You'll have to

shuffle the cards because I can't do it that good. Is that

okay?"

"Uno sounds like fun."

Daniel looked up at Nick and gave him a brilliant

smile.

It was at that moment, a friendship was born.

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Chapter Three

Josh pulled into the semi-crowded parking lot and

shut off the ignition to his car. Five o'clock in the morning

and there were already several people at his favorite

bakery; Yummy Indulgences. Josh's co-workers had raved

about how delicious the cakes and pastries were, so Josh

decided to check it out for himself. He'd fallen in love with

all of the baked goods he'd sampled there, and he indulged

in some of its yummy goodness several times a month.

He opened the door, its chime tinkling behind him.

The owners of the bakery, Shiloh and Sheri, stood

behind the counter. The siblings often bickered back and

forth together, but it was always in good fun. Over the past

few months, Josh had become acquainted with them and

found he enjoyed being in their company.

"Hey, Josh! I was just talking about you yesterday."

Shiloh grinned from across the room. There were several

customers before him, so Josh waved, stood back, and

watched the smaller man wait on an older gentleman.

Shiloh Ballard was one big ball of energy. Not only

did the man never seem to slow down, he was friendly,

sexy and very out and proud to everyone who knew him.

Josh found himself envious of Shiloh's obvious comfort

being in his own skin. Shiloh's thick, dark, chin length hair

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was pulled back into a ponytail. As usual, several pieces in

the front fell across his face. His golden eyes often sparkled

with laughter and merriment, like now, as he joked around

with the older male customer. He wore a dark purple t-shirt

and his tight faded jeans were already dusted with

something that looked like flour.

Shiloh was very adorable, and Josh thought about

asking the younger man out, but once Nick moved in with

him and Daniel he couldn't get the tall, sexy employee off

his mind. He waited for his turn and his thoughts reflected

back on the past week. The moment Nick moved in, his

nephew somehow found his smile again. Nick was not only

fun and playful with Daniel, but he also had the ability to

easily coax his nephew out of the shell he'd been living in

for the past year and a half.

For the first time since his twin's death, Josh felt

like he could breathe a little. He'd been so busy trying to

care for Daniel and getting all of his sister and brother-in-

law's financial affairs in order that he hadn't really had time

to grieve and deal with them being gone. Now, with Nick

taking excellent care of Daniel, Josh had the time to think

about how much he missed them… and he didn't know if

that was a good thing.

"Josh?"

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Hearing his name jolted him out of his deep

thoughts.

He looked into concerned eyes and found himself

smiling to ease away the younger man's worried

expression.

"Hey Shiloh, how are things going?"

Shiloh cocked his head to the side and studied him

for a few moments, as if he was able to read Josh's most

inner thoughts. Finally, golden eyes smiled at him and the

younger man bounced lightly on his toes.

"We're doing fabulous, Josh. Business has really

picked up and we're already getting advance wedding

orders for the next two years."

"Well, everyone I know loves your pastries,

especially Daniel. I thought I'd pick up six glazed and six

chocolate covered donuts to take home for breakfast this

morning." Josh grinned at the shorter man across the glass

counter.

"How is your adorable nephew doing? Did you ever

find a nanny to help you out?" Shiloh carefully grabbed a

couple of glazed donuts and placed them lightly in a

lavender colored box.

"I did. His name is Nick, and he and Daniel have

really hit it off."

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"That's great, Josh! I'm glad to hear it."

"Yeah, Nick's really been helping me out, too. He

cooks supper every night and makes sure Daniel is well

taken care of. He's made a real difference in our lives."

One of Shiloh's perfectly groomed eyebrows rose,

and an impish grin appeared on his pretty face. "Really…

Nick's made a difference in both of your lives?"

Josh felt the warmth of a blush form up his chest to

his neck and face.

"Stop it, Shiloh. Can't you see you're embarrassing

him?" Sheri mumbled, walking behind him and nudging the

back of his head playfully along the way.

"Sher, this is an A to B conversation… so see your

way out of it," Shiloh griped good-naturedly, bunched up a

small piece of waxed paper and tossed it in her direction.

Sheri and Josh laughed at Shiloh's reaction. In many

ways, the siblings' affection for each other reminded him of

his own relationship with Jolene. They often teased and

were playful with one another, too. A lump formed in his

throat and Josh's eyes suddenly welled up with tears. He

cleared his throat and tried to get control of his wayward

emotions. Unfortunately, this time Shiloh and Sheri turned

their attention to him instead of each other.

Shiloh's golden eyes widened in alarm and he

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walked around the counter toward Josh. "Oh, sweetie, are

you alright? Sher, watch the counter for a few while I talk

with our favorite nurse."

For some reason Josh couldn't fathom, he allowed

Shiloh to escort him into a room he'd heard Shiloh once call

the tasting room. The moderate sized area had a black

lacquered round table with some comfortable black leather

chairs surrounding it. Shiloh made Josh sit down and he

promptly sat down in the chair next to him, a

compassionate look on his pretty face. "Talk to me, Josh."

"There's not much to say. I miss my sister and for

some crazy-assed reason, Daniel and I don't have a close

relationship like we should. I've tried, Shiloh, but there's

something that keeps us apart."

Shiloh put his much smaller hand on his, gave it a

small squeeze and said nothing.

"Did you know Jolene was my big sister? She was

born exactly two minutes before me, and believe me, she

made sure everyone knew that fact, too. She always made a

big deal out of it. I think it gave her an excuse to mother me

in a way. I miss her fussing over me… hell I just miss her

and I know it's worse for Daniel. He tries to be so strong,

but he's just a little boy. I'm thankful he has someone like

Nick he can look up too."

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"I'm sure he looks up to you, too."

Josh shrugged and leaned back in his chair. He

suddenly felt tired and much older than his thirty years.

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Every once in

a while, Shiloh would pat his hand as if to reassure him in

some way.

"I love him, but for some reason we can't connect

together like we should. It's like we have a brick wall

between us and we can't crawl over it or tear it down."

Shiloh pulled his soft hand away and leaned back in

his chair. Those strange, golden eyes gleamed in the

florescent light and a confident crossed his pretty face.

"I've got a feeling Nick will tear down that wall

between you."

Josh managed to smile back and thought, what if

you're wrong?

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Chapter Four

Nick sensed more than heard the front door open

and close. He glanced over at his alarm clock. It was just

after six a.m.

Josh was home.

God, being under the same roof as the handsome

and somewhat aloof man drove Nick out of his mind.

Everywhere he looked, it reminded him of Josh. Hell, even

Daniel's light green eyes reminded him of the man. It was

obvious the two were related, but the eyes were the only

feature they truly had in common.

By anyone's standards, Josh wouldn't be considered

a big man. He stood several inches shorter than Nick's own

six foot height. He was a slim, but not too skinny. His arms

were filled out nicely from hard work, and even though

Nick hadn't been privileged to see those shapely legs naked

he could tell by the way they fit snugly in his jeans that

Josh had some very sexy legs as well. His dark brown hair

was cropped short on the back and sides, but he wore it a

little longer on the top, giving him a youthful, handsome

look.

Nick figured Josh's cheeks and angular chin would

be slightly darker from the five o'clock shadow this

morning. Josh would probably stumble in from working an

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overnight shift at the ER, take a shower, and sleep for most

of the day today. Josh might be adamant about Daniel's

safety and well being, but to Nick's assessment Josh didn't

do such a hot job of taking care of himself.

Nick got out of bed and stretched. Since he only

wore his red and green checked flannel pants to sleep in, he

found his faded green t-shirt and put it on, sliding his feet

into his black house shoes. He walked out of his bedroom

and two doors down into the bathroom.

He splashed some water on his face, brushed his

teeth and took care of all of his other morning needs, then

tiptoed down the hall and checked in on Daniel. The boy's

superhero nightlight lit up his room with a soft glow,

making his small form easily recognizable on the bed. Fred

lifted his head up from the foot of Daniel's bed, a curious

look on his face. Sprawled out on the bed, Daniel had the

covers wrapped all around him like a cocoon. He snuffled a

little, but settled back down into a deep sleep.

Once Fred realized Nick wasn't approaching the

bed, he lay his head back down on the mattress and closed

his eyes. Nick grinned at the two sleeping friends and eased

the door halfway closed so that he could give Daniel some

more undisturbed sleep but still hear him if he called out

and needed him or Josh.

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He walked down the hallway and into the living

room. Josh sat on the couch, still in his dark blue scrubs.

He'd kicked off his shoes and had his white socked feet

propped up on the walnut coffee table. His head rested back

against the couch, his eyes closed.

Josh must've been too tired to go much further than

the living room.

He looked almost as adorable as his nephew had

just moments earlier.

Nick stood for several minutes and watched Josh

doze comfortably on the couch. Knowing that Josh would

rest easier in bed, he walked over and eased down on the

couch beside him. He reached out and put his hand on the

smaller man's shoulder, lightly shaking it.

Josh slowly opened his light green eyes and glanced

Nick's way. He blinked a few times and an endearing smile

formed on his handsome face. "Good morning." He opened

and closed his eyes as if trying to wake himself up more.

"Good morning. How was your night?" Nick asked,

and reluctantly removed his hand from Josh's shoulder and

placed it in his own lap.

"It was okay… busy… but we always are this time

of year. I brought some donuts home this morning. I

thought you and Daniel might like a sweet treat for

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breakfast. I'm surprised he isn't already up, even though it

is a Saturday morning." Josh chuckled and stretched his

arms over his head. The action raised his navy scrub top a

few inches above the waistline of his pants, showing off a

glimpse of his flat, smooth stomach.

Nick felt an urge to lean over and nip at that fine,

pale skin. He squirmed a little and tried to ignore the

budding arousal he felt in his groin. Even though Josh was

gorgeous, he was Nick's boss, and that made him off limits.

Very off limits.

Still, a man could dream.

Nick reluctantly dragged his eyes off the forbidden,

pale patch of skin and up to Josh's face. Josh still had his

arms stretched over his head, but stared at him

openmouthed, apparently stunned by Nick's attraction to

him.

Nick's heart beat faster and his face heated with

embarrassment. Damn, nothing like getting caught ogling

the boss. He cleared his clogged throat and stood up. "W-

would you like some j-juice? A-are you hungry?" Nick

managed to stammer. His face burned hotter as he walked

hurriedly out of the room.

Are you trying to get yourself fired?

Nick forced himself over to the refrigerator and

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pulled out a carton of orange juice. He closed the door, set

the carton on the countertop, and watched Josh walk into

the kitchen. The other man leaned against the counter and

crossed his arms over his chest. It gave Nick the impression

that Josh wanted to comfort or protect himself instead of

being the nonchalant look Josh was probably going for. He

looked vulnerable and lonely and he watched Nick with

green eyes that gleamed brightly in the early morning light.

What was it about the man that made Nick's heart

skip a beat?

Josh could be aloof and distant, but something

about him called to Nick's caretaking instincts. Josh

continued to grieve for the loss of his beloved sister and

brother-in-law. He'd taken on Daniel without second

thought. From what Nick heard from Daniel and by his

own observations, Josh was a loving uncle and a genuinely

likeable, very nice man.

He's still your employer and Daniel's uncle.

Deliberately ignoring his budding emotions for the

gorgeous man, Nick made himself look away from Josh's

unguarded expression and walked over to the cabinet for a

clear, small glass.

"Don't bother, Nick. I'm tired… worn out actually.

I'm going to go shower and lie down for a while and try to

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take a short nap. Thanks anyway."

Josh's voice sounded tired and almost raw. Nick set

the glass on the counter and looked over, but Josh was

already headed out of the kitchen. His back hunched over

slightly as he walked slowly from the room. It looked like

he had the weight of the entire world on his shoulders, and

Nick felt terrible.

He fought the urge to run up behind Josh and wrap

him up in his arms; to protect him from past and present

hurts. Instead, he made himself look away and started

making coffee.

* * * *

Josh yanked off his clothes and threw them in an

untidy heap on the floor. He pulled the sliding glass shower

door aside and carefully got into the hot, steaming water.

What the hell was the matter with him?

The last thing he should be thinking about was

having some sort of relationship with Nick. He was the

nanny for Christ's sake! What the fuck was he thinking?

Let it go, Romeo. Think of Daniel. Daniel doesn't

need you to complicate his life anymore than it already is.

You hook up and then break up with Nick, and Daniel will

be the one who loses. Stop thinking with your dick and

grow a brain, dumbass!

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But, the problem was… Josh wasn't thinking with

just his dick, he was thinking with his heart too, and that

made the attraction and budding feelings he felt for Nick

even worse.

He tried to clear his mind as he poured some of the

herbal smelling shampoo into his hand. He set the bottle

down and lathered his hair. No matter what he tried, his

thoughts returned to the handsome man he'd left standing in

his kitchen.

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Chapter Five

The sound of Daniel's laughter woke Josh from a

troubled dream. It had taken forever to settle down in his

lonely bed. He had tossed and turned, pretty much

miserable the entire time he lay awake there. His attraction

to his nephew's nanny weighed heavy on his mind. Then

there was the constant worry that he wouldn't do the right

thing with Daniel. He felt like he made one mistake after

another trying to raise him.

Once he had finally fallen asleep, Josh dreamed

about Jolene and Roger. They sat on the end of his bed and

informed him what a terrible job he had been doing with

Daniel since they had been gone. He tried to reason with

them and point out the things he and Daniel did together,

but they insisted he was a lousy uncle and they were

disappointed in him.

He wasn't upset about waking up to the sound of his

nephew's laughter at all. It was much better than being

bitched out by his sister and brother-in-law, any day.

Sometimes he was his own worst enemy.

Knowing he couldn't rest any more, he stumbled out

of bed and glanced at the clock. It was only a little past

noon. He should probably go back to bed for a few hours

and get some more rest, but he didn't think he would sleep

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well or, God forbid, he'd risk a continuation of the bitch out

session dream with Jolene and Roger. He grabbed his

favorite faded jeans, slipped on a black long sleeved t-shirt

and his socks and shoes.

He walked into the living room and stopped in his

tracks when he saw Daniel and Nick sitting in the middle of

the living room floor, playing what looked like Old Maid.

He stood unnoticed and watched the game being played.

Daniel presented his cards to Nick. He held one

card out in the front, a little away from the others, almost

begging for Nick to pick it.

Josh grinned, observing as Nick pretended he would

pick that card, then change his mind and act like he would

choose another. Just as he was about to pick the wrong

card, he would pull away and scratch his head, pretending

to really think about which card he would pull.

"Hurry up and pick, Nick!" Daniel practically

vibrated with excitement.

Nick tapped his chin thoughtfully for a few seconds

then hesitantly reached over and picked the card from

Daniel's hand.

"Oh… no!" Nick rolled his eyes and moaned

dramatically.

Daniel clapped his hands and squealed.

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"You got the Old Maid!"

Nick tossed the cards aside and grabbed Daniel and

started tickling his sides.

The cards in Daniel's hand flew across the room and

scattered in different directions. He laughed hysterically

and tried to squirm away from Nick's wriggling fingers.

Nick kept tickling Daniel and started laughing

himself.

Josh closed his eyes and allowed their laughter to

flow over him. The contentment he felt at hearing their

happiness made his heart lighter somehow. When the

laughter died down to giggles, Josh opened his eyes and

noticed Nick and Daniel sitting on the floor, smiling up at

him.

Welcoming him.

"Uncle Josh! You're awake. You wanna play Old

Maid with us? Right now, Nick is the Old Maid, but we can

start the game over if you wanna play." Daniel gave Nick a

quick hug then jumped up and ran over to Josh; practically

leaping into his arms.

So many things about Daniel reminded him of

Jolene. He had the same bubbly personality, zest for life,

and ability to find joy in little things. Josh realized his

sister's antics and memory would live through her beloved

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son, his adorable nephew. He held Daniel's small body and

hugged him tightly for a few minutes before he set him

back on his feet.

"Well, we could play Old Maid, but I thought we

might go pick out a Christmas tree and maybe grab a pizza

to eat while we decorate the tree this afternoon." Josh

gently pushed some of Daniel's wayward red hair out of his

eyes.

The boy definitely needed a haircut.

Daniel clapped his hands excitedly and bounced a

little on his toes. "Can we get pepperoni pizza with

pineapple on it? I want a big tree; can we get a big tree?

Can we put lots of lights on it? Will you let me decorate the

tree, too?"

Josh laughed. Daniel's excited chatter and

enthusiasm for their outing was definitely contagious.

"Of course, little man. Go get your jacket on and

we'll go pick out the biggest and prettiest tree we can find."

Daniel gave Josh another quick hug and darted out

of the room. The boy was obviously anxious to do some

tree shopping. Josh chuckled at his nephew's behavior and

looked over at Nick, who was snickering and picking up

the scattered Old Maid cards. Nick gathered up the last card

and then glanced up at Josh.

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"Will you come with us? I know you don't get a lot

of time to yourself, but we'd like it if you came along, too."

Josh watched Nick stand up with athletic grace. Long and

lean, Nick moved with deliberate ease and Josh could

easily watch all day long without getting bored.

Nick set the cards down on the coffee table and took

a couple of steps toward him.

"Are you sure, Josh? If you and Danny want some

family time alone together, it won't hurt my feelings to stay

behind."

Josh shook his head. "I'm positive, Nick. You're an

important part of our little family. I know Daniel would

love for you to be with us… and so would I."

Nick eyes held concern at first, but as soon as Josh

finished his sentence, they lit up and he smiled happily at

Josh.

Josh's heart beat faster at being the reason for the

beautiful smile. He returned it with one of his own and

Nick took a hesitant step toward him. Josh's feet seemed to

move of their own accord and before he knew it he stood

close to Nick. So close he could smell Nick's citrusy

aftershave and the faint cinnamon smell of his warm breath.

The man smelled delicious.

Deliberately pushing aside any negative thoughts,

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Josh placed a shaky hand on Nick's smoothly shaven cheek.

Nick closed his eyes and covered Josh's fingers, lightly

leaning into his touch.

"Uncle Josh, are we ready to go?"

Daniel's voice made both men jump away from

each other. Josh spun around and saw Daniel bundled up in

his red coat, a surprised look on his face. The boy stared at

Josh for a few moments, then up at Nick, and a happy grin

fell over his face.

Josh's face flushed— a combination of

embarrassment at getting caught touching his nephew's

nanny and from excitement due to Nick's positive reaction.

There were a hundred good reasons to not get involved

with Nick, but looking into Daniel's happy smile made him

forget every one of them.

Maybe he'd been wrong. Maybe they both needed

Nick after all.

"Just about, little man. We'll go put our coats on and

head out, okay?"

Daniel nodded and clapped his hands excitedly.

Josh and Nick laughed. Daniel's obvious excitement

about their outing became contagious, and both men

hurriedly put on their jackets. They all got buckled up in

Josh's older SUV and were off on their adventure.

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Chapter Six

Nick followed Josh and Daniel as they walked up

and down the aisles full of fresh cut trees at the garden

center. The smell of fresh pine reminded Nick of happy

Christmases he had as a child. Josh stood another tree up

for Daniel to inspect, and he hoped this Christmas would be

a very happy one, too.

He fought a grin when Daniel shook his head back

and forth and pointed to another tree. Josh put down the

one he held and stood the other one up. This had gone on

for a while now; it became comical watching Josh and

Daniel pick up and look at the same trees over and over,

never quite getting the right one.

It felt good, Josh and his nephew spending quality

time together. It was apparent they were having a good

time and that both of them loved each other. They looked

lighter and happier. Almost as if the weight of the world

didn't sit on their shoulders anymore. Nick hoped it was a

positive sign for things to come.

He glanced beside him and noticed a fairly large

tree in a crowd of much smaller ones. He carefully stood it

up and gave it a good once over. One side was full and

almost perfectly formed, but the other side had a huge gap

in it.

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Wasn't that they way Christmas trees were supposed

to be?

He looked up, and Josh and Daniel stared at him

with sparkling, pale green eyes and almost identical smiles

on their faces.

"What do y'all think of this one? One side is a little

bare, but we can fix it up with a bunch of lights and

ornaments." Nick asked.

Josh and Daniel exchanged a glance for a moment,

and then focused back on him. Daniel ran over and walked

around the tree, giving it a critical once over before he

looked up at Nick and nodded.

"I think it's a perfect tree, Nick! I can't wait to get it

home and decorate it. It's going to look so beautiful when

we're all done with it."

Nick smiled down at Daniel, then looked over at

Josh and winked.

An impish grin covered Josh's face. He walked up

behind Daniel and ruffled his hair. "I think the boss has

spoken, Nick. We'll get this one home and make it the

prettiest tree we've ever had."

They carried the tree over to the cashier and paid for

it, along with a shiny red and green tree stand. The men tied

the tree to the top of Josh's black SUV with some rope until

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they thought it would be secure enough for the trek to the

pizza parlor and back home.

Neither Nick nor Josh thought pineapple on their

pizza sounded very appealing, so Daniel got his very own

small pepperoni and pineapple pizza. Nick and Josh

decided to share a large meat lover's between the two of

them.

They went home and quickly took the tree inside

the house and placed it in its shiny new tree stand. They

shuffled the furniture around and made space for the large

tree in the corner of the living room, making a point to set

the bare side in the back.

They warmed up their pizza and sat down at the

table and ate. Daniel chatted about how he wanted the tree

decorated and about the presents he hoped to find under the

tree. Both men listened to him with contented smiles on

their faces. They finished their meal, brought the lights and

ornaments out of the basement, and started decorating the

tree.

It took a while to get everything on. Nick and Josh

strung the lights and watched Daniel put on the ornaments.

Josh made some of his delicious hot chocolate. The

combination of the faint Christmas music playing the

background, the twinkling, colorful lights, his full belly,

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and the warm drink had Nick so relaxed his eyes soon

became heavy. He reclined on the floor and fell asleep.

A light, warm touch on his lips woke him from his

comfortable slumber. He blinked a few times to get his

eyes to focus;, hazily remembering that he fell asleep

looking at the colorful lights of the tree. Josh knelt beside

him, eyes sparkling. Josh's light touch felt good against his

lips. Nick could smell the faint aroma of the spicy hand

soap they used on his hands, making them smell clean and

delicious.

"Hey, sleeping beauty. You looked so peaceful I

almost didn't wake you up." Josh smiled down at him and

reached up to brush a stray lock of hair out of Nick's face.

"It's after midnight, and I know you'll be more comfortable

sleeping in your own bed than on the floor." The deep tenor

of his voice smoothly flowed over the faint Christmas

music still playing in the background.

"Oh, Josh… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep

on you guys. You and Danny must think I'm terribly rude."

He reached up and placed his hand lightly on Josh's chest,

feeling the strong beat of Josh's heart.

Josh snorted. "Nick, don't worry about it. Daniel

conked out not long after you fell asleep. I put him to bed a

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few minutes ago and he never woke up. Although I think

that boy could sleep through World War III and never wake

up."

Nick grinned and nodded. "That's true. He is a

heavy sleeper." He absently rubbed Josh's chest, feeling his

nipple harden through the heavy black t-shirt he wore.

Nick's prick hardened and pushed against the zipper of his

jeans.

They hadn't even kissed yet, had barely touched

each other, but just being around Josh was enough to make

him crave the older man's affection. Nick hoped Josh felt

the same. He could feel the electric chemistry flowing

between them, but there was more to it. Nick knew this

would be much more than two people just being attracted to

one another. He felt the budding affection and possibly

other, stronger emotions between them.

Nick had a feeling this would lead to something

special. He'd never felt such a pull to be part of another

man's life before. He remembered praying that one day he'd

find his own 'once in a lifetime' love, and had a suspicion

he was looking at him right now.

Josh's heart beat faster under his palm. His green

eyes looked at Nick's mouth for a few moments before he

nervously licked his lips, leaned down and delicately

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pressed his warm, moist mouth against Nick's own in a

tender kiss. Nick slid his other hand up Josh's arm to the

nape of his neck and pulled the smaller man closer to him

to deepen the kiss.

Nick felt the vibrations of Josh's moan against his

mouth as it pressed harder against his own. Nick swept his

tongue across Josh's mouth and gently nipped at his bottom

lip. They were intoxicating and tasted a little like the hot

chocolate he had drank earlier. Josh opened his mouth and

met Nick's tongue with his own and Nick pulled him closer,

their tongues tangling around each other; exploring and

reveling in the taste.

Josh eased his body down until it rested fully

against Nick's. Nick relished the feel of Josh's body and

wrapped both arms around the smaller man, hugging him

tightly.

Nick slowly explored the moist recesses of Josh's

mouth and eased his legs apart as he cradled Josh's hips.

They moved their erections together in a lazy, deliberate

rhythm. Their hands gently ran over each other's bodies in a

slow, sultry exploration.

Josh's body felt so good rubbing against his own.

Even though both were aroused from the passion they had

for one another, neither seemed to be in a hurry to rush

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things along. They were content, putting their passionate

feelings aside to enjoy the intensity of getting used to the

way they felt in each other's arms.

* * * *

Josh pulled his mouth away from Nick's lips and

looked down at him with a gleam of lust. His peaches and

cream complexion, flushed with desire, highlighted the five

o'clock shadow on his cheeks and angular chin. His moist

lips were slightly swollen from their shared kisses, and his

dark hair stuck up in all directions from Nick running his

fingers through it. It gave Josh a sexy, disheveled look.

Josh had never looked more gorgeous than he did at

that moment. Nick's heart beat faster when he noticed a

flash of vulnerability that resonated from Josh's jeweled

colored eyes.

Nick couldn't believe his luck. This somewhat shy,

intelligent and amazing man looked at him like he had

something precious within his sight. Nick felt an overflow

of happiness throughout his body. Suddenly lighthearted,

he couldn't stop the huge smile that spread over his face.

He was happy and content in Josh's arms, and he wanted to

show it.

Josh's eyes widened slightly, but he returned Nick's

happy smile. His white teeth shone against his full lips and

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flushed face, making him look several years younger than

he had just moments before.

Happiness was a very sexy look on him.

"I tried to fight this overwhelming attraction I have

for you, but I can't. There is something about you that

makes me want to hold you and bring you fully into my

life." Josh murmured before he gave Nick a soft kiss on his

lips.

"Me, too. I've never felt this way before, Josh. I'll

admit this scares me a little, but I'd be even more afraid of

what I know I'd miss in my life if I didn't touch you, kiss

you, and hold you close to me." Nick ran his fingers over

Josh's shoulders to his face. He traced the slightly stubbled

curve of Josh's chin line and across his cheeks to his arched

eyebrows, trying to memorize every texture and different

shapes of his handsome face.

"I don't jump into things lightly, Nick. Even before

Jolene's death, I'd had very few relationships and even

fewer one night stands. I've always been a serious person

and never one to not to think things through. Now, I have

Daniel to think about, too. I don't want him hurt, Nick. It's

obvious he cares about you. You've brought joy back into

his life and you don't know how much that means to me."

Josh's voice became quieter and softer with each word he

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said. By the end of his statement, Nick had to practically

strain to hear the last few words spoken.

Nick's heart fluttered anxiously within his chest.

Did this mean Josh would try to pull away? That he didn't

want to take a chance on him?

"What are you saying, Josh?" He managed to croak

out.

A concerned look crossed Josh's face. He pressed a

gentle kiss against Nick's forehead before he reluctantly

pulled away and sat up to straddle Nick's hips. Normally,

Nick would have rejoiced from being in this particular

position, but Josh's words had him worried.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is… if you don't see

this going anywhere between us, we don't need to pursue it

any further. I have Daniel and his happiness to think about.

If taking a chance on me and possibly being a big part of

our family scares you too much, or isn't what you really

want, we need to stop now before we get too involved and

everyone gets hurt." Josh murmured.

Nick reached over and grabbed Josh's hand. He

lifted it up to his mouth, pressed a gentle kiss on his

knuckles and once again found his smile. "I love that

Danny's well-being and happiness is so important to you.

It's one of the reasons I'm so crazy about you, Mr Thomas."

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Josh's face flushed even rosier, and a small smile

formed on his kiss swollen mouth.

"You're crazy about me?" he asked almost shyly.

"Of course I am! How could I not be? The

dedication and love you have for Danny is amazing, Josh. I

know you've both been through hell since Jolene and

Roger's deaths. You didn't put the responsibility of raising

Danny on someone else's shoulders. You've stepped up to

the plate and have given him a chance to still have a

wonderful life. Danny is truly blessed to have someone

who loves him like you do. I'd be so lucky to have a chance

to be a part of both of your lives."

Josh stared with intense green eyes, weighing the

importance of Nick's words. Nick held his gaze for several

moments, knowing they'd come to a crossroads in their

budding relationship. Either they'd take a chance at the

happiness they might find within each other's arms or

they'd just remain friends and everything would stay the

same.

Suddenly it looked as if the burden had eased off of

Josh's shoulders. He smiled and leaned forward until their

faces were about an inch apart.

"I'm the lucky one to have met you, Nick. I'll never

forget that either." Josh once again pressed his mouth

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against Nick's welcoming one. Soft, sweet kisses followed

as they took pleasure in each other's arms.

Josh ran a trail of kisses down Nick's face and

lightly nibbled on his ear. The moist warmth of Josh's

breath gave Nick chills. Nick's hands made their way down

Josh's back and over the softly rounded curve of his ass.

Nick squeezed lightly and spread his legs to cradle Josh's

slim hips between them again.

Nick started breathing faster when Josh began to

grind his straining jean-covered erection against him. Josh's

hot mouth sucked gently on Nick's neck and he moaned,

rubbing his cock more firmly against the smaller man's

erection. Josh teased along his neck and his lips, slipping

his tongue into the deep recesses of Nick's mouth. Their

tongues passionately explored, and they continued to grind

their lower bodies together almost in a frenzied passion.

Between the taste and smell of Josh and the friction

they created between their bodies, Nick felt his balls tighten

up, pre-cum leaking into his boxers. Moments away from

orgasm, Nick wanted to make the passionate moment

between them last forever, but couldn't hold out much

longer.

He reluctantly dragged his mouth away from Josh's

heated kisses.

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"Baby, you're so hot… you're about to make me

come in my pants like some adolescent schoolboy," he

managed to pant out.

Josh looked down at him, his green eyes filled with

lust.

"I want you to come." He began to grind his cock

even harder against Nick's, amping up the heat. "I want to

see your face when you lose it for me." His voice had gone

deep and raspy.

The delicious friction and Josh's sexy, deep tone

pushed Nick over the edge. He latched his mouth over

Josh's in a hot kiss and his body shook, releasing spurt after

spurt of semen into his pants.

Josh groaned against his mouth and the smaller

man's hips jerked quickly against him as Josh reached his

own orgasm. Nick felt satisfied and content. Gently pulling

his mouth away from Nick's, Josh gazed down with

passion-hazed eyes. His dark hair stuck to some of the

sweat on his forehead, his face and neck flushed with

arousal.

"Oh god, baby, you're so sexy and that felt so

good." Josh practically collapsed on top of Nick. He laid

his head on Nick's shoulder and grabbed one of his hands.

Nick smiled and held him closer. "Can you imagine

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how it's going to be when we actually get naked?"

Josh snickered and then groaned. "You're going to

kill or at least maim me, baby."

Nick chuckled and squirmed against the wet

stickiness in his boxers. As much as he loved holding Josh,

the rapidly cooling cum in his jeans was getting

uncomfortable.

"How about we get out of these wet clothes and

take a shower? The munchkin will still be asleep, and that'll

give us some time to be together before he wakes up." Nick

rubbed his hands up and down Josh's back.

Josh lifted his head and gave him an impish smile.

"The last one naked and in the shower has to put

Christmas lights on the house." He jumped up and darted

out of the room before Nick had time to respond. Nick

blinked a few times and chuckled as he stood up and

walked quickly after him.

It would be worth putting lights on the house if he

got to see Josh's sexy body naked.

Oh yes, his life was definitely looking up, indeed.

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Chapter Seven

Josh stripped off his clothes as soon as he'd darted

into the bathroom and closed the door. He turned on the

light and wiggled out of his wet jeans and boxer shorts. He

stifled a chuckle and opened the shower door, turning on

the water. He felt happy and carefree; feelings he hadn't felt

in a long time.

He heard the bathroom door open as he hopped into

the shower. The water, still slightly cold against his heated

skin, hadn't quite had a chance to warm up. Josh didn't care.

He could take a little cold water if it meant he got out of

standing on a ladder and stringing countless Christmas

lights. Josh always had problems with heights and usually

white-knuckled his way through hanging lights on the

house. Now it looked like it he might get to watch Nick's

sexy body going up and down the ladder.

He could just visualize Nick's incredible ass in tight

fitted jeans as he bent over to hang the lights on the gutter

of the house.

Merry Christmas to me!

The shower door snicked open, and he felt a warm

body press against his ass and back. Lean, strong arms

wrapped around his middle and squeezed him in a light

hug.

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"Hmm… you being naked and waiting for me in the

shower makes me glad I took my time getting here. You're

gorgeous, Green Eyes. Simply and deliciously gorgeous."

Nick's southern voice deepened as he rubbed his awaking

erection against Josh's backside.

Josh moaned and pressed his ass back harder

against Nick's groin.

Nick's mouth kissed up the side of Josh's neck and

nipped on it gently. Josh reached his hand up and grabbed

the back of Nick's head. He angled around and pulled

Nick's mouth to his own, kissing him passionately. Nick's

right hand slid down his stomach to his hardening cock. He

wrapped his fingers around it and gave it an encouraging

squeeze while his left hand rubbed on Josh's chest.

Josh moaned into Nick's mouth and started to move

his hips back against Nick's fully erect shaft. The firm

grasp on Josh's cock stroked it, slowly. Every once in a

while Nick rubbed his thumb over the slit, just like Josh

liked, then slide his hand back down and continued his

solid, easy stroking.

Nick eased his mouth away from Josh's and pressed

their foreheads lightly together. At close range, Nick's

indigo eyes gleamed with lust.

"I want to make love to you, Green Eyes, but I

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didn't think to bring any protection with me. Do you have

any?" He continued to move his hips suggestively against

Josh's body.

Josh closed his eyes and groaned.

Fuck!

He opened his eyes and gazed into deep blue ones,

shaking his head.

Nick closed his eyes and whimpered.

Neither had been prepared for the budding feelings

and deep attraction they had for each other. Neither had

been in a relationship for a while or thought they'd have the

need for condoms, but it was always smart to play it safe

until they both were tested.

Josh gently disengaged himself from Nick's

embrace and turned around to face him. He felt safe as he

wrapped his arms around the taller man's waist and eased

into a light hug.

"Maybe it's not a terrible thing that we have to hold

off for a while. I really care a lot about you, baby, and I

know when we do make love it'll be spectacular. We could

slow down a little, get to really know each other and truly

make this thing between us work… what do you say?" Josh

gazed up into Nick's boyishly handsome face.

Nick held a thoughtful look on his face for a few

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moments and then grinned wickedly.

"Okay, gorgeous, but this slow down theory doesn't

include making out does it?"

"Oh, hell no! I might want to slow down a little but

I'm not crazy!" Josh laughed and stood a little on his tiptoes

to give Nick a small peck on the lips.

"Cool! You stand right here, I've got something to

take care of." Nick grinned, sliding slowly down Josh's

body until landing on his knees, facing directly in front of

Josh's aroused prick. Nick gently nipped Josh's stomach,

lifting his eyes, a playful expression on his face.

"You don't have to do this, Nick. We can wait."

Josh murmured, pushing his fingers through Nick's silky

wet hair.

"I want to. I want to taste you." Nick lightly

grabbed the shaft of Josh's cock and pumped it

suggestively.

Nick leaned over and gently swirled the tip with his

warm tongue, then closed his mouth completely over the

head and down the shaft. He hummed a little when he

sucked back up to the crown and back down again, making

Josh's cock vibrate in his tight, hot mouth. Working his

way slowly back up, Nick slid the tip of his tongue across

the slit of Josh's cock, then plunged back down the shaft.

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Nick used his hand to pump the base of his cock in tandem

with his mouth.

Josh had to move. Nick put one hand on his hip and

encouraged him, giving Josh control to fuck Nick's mouth.

Josh couldn't take his eyes off of Nick, watching his cock

slide in and out of Nick's hot, wet mouth.

His balls tightened up and he fought the desperate

need to come. Nick looked so sexy, and he wanted to

prolong his orgasm. When Nick's hand cupped and lightly

caressed his balls, he knew it was just a matter of time.

"Baby, gonna…" Panting, he found he couldn't

finish the sentence.

Nick moaned and sucked harder, bobbing his head

faster. Josh's body shook; he let out a low groan and

emptied his seed into Nick's waiting mouth. Nick hummed

and swallowed everything down, gently sucking on him

until his orgasm was complete.

Josh's hands and body trembled in the aftermath. He

gazed down into Nick's blue eyes and kiss-swollen lips,

then tugged the younger man up.

"Thank you, baby, that was amazing." He wrapped

his arms around him and gave him a firm hug.

"You don't have to thank me, I loved it. You were

so tasty and sexy you made me blow my load." Nick

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whispered into his ear before he nipped playfully at the

lobe.

"You did? You came from giving me a blow job?"

"Umm… hmm."

Josh leaned back and gazed at Nick's handsome

face. He smiled and kissed him gently on the lips.

"Come on baby, let's wash up and snuggle for a

while."

Nick grinned and handed him the shampoo.

* * * *

After they showered and dried off, they settled

down into Josh's bed. They'd reluctantly put on their

flannels to sleep in, just in case they got a surprise visit

from Daniel. They lay in each other's arms and talked. Nick

talked about his childhood and more about his dream of

owning his own daycare and working with kids. He was

excited that his parents had decided to treat themselves

with a month long European trip for Christmas, since they

hardly ever took a vacation for themselves.

Josh talked about his happy memories of being

raised as a twin, and told stories of some of the shenanigans

he and Jolene got themselves into while they were growing

up together.

For once, it felt good to talk about Jolene and

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Roger. He even shared the nightmares he had about them

telling him he did a bad job with Daniel. Nick held him

while he cried for the loss of his sister and spoke of his fear

of not raising his nephew with a happy home life. Nick

comforted him and pointed out the wonderful things Josh

had done for Daniel. He explained that Daniel was a very

well-balanced young boy and as time went by, things

would be easier for both of them because of the deep love

they had for each other.

Josh still felt the pain of losing his sister, but he felt

better after opening up to Nick. For the first time since

Jolene and Roger's passing, he had a positive outlook for

things to come for all of them.

Nick made the difference. His compassionate

demeanor and loving heart made it easy to open up and

trust him. Not only had he worked his magic on Daniel,

he'd worked it on him as well. Josh was eternally grateful

to have Nick in their lives.

Time moved very fast as they talked and really got

to know one another. Before they knew it, the dark night

had disappeared and the morning sun was shining in Josh's

room. They decided they would keep their relationship a

secret from Daniel for a little while. They wanted to be on

solid ground before they brought Daniel's hopes into their

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relationship. They snuck out of Josh's room and had a big

breakfast started when Daniel and Fred woke up. They had

breakfast together, and it ended up being filled with a lot of

teasing and laughter from all of them.

For the first time they felt like a family.

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Chapter Eight

Nick opened the oven and checked the rolls. He had

just taken the honey baked ham out a few moments earlier

and had already set it on a big platter in the middle of the

dining room table alongside the other dishes he and Danny

had made for their Christmas Eve dinner.

He glanced at the clock and told himself to check on

them again in a couple of minutes. He closed the oven door

and glanced over at Danny who was putting ice in some

plastic glasses. He walked over and put his arm around his

shoulder and peered into the half filled glasses.

"You're doing a great job, Danny! You've been such

a big help today. I don't know what I would have done

without you." He grinned down at the young boy.

"Thanks, Nick. Do ya think that Uncle Josh will like

what we made for supper? I hope he likes that pecan pie we

made. It's his favorite… did you know that?"

Danny had told him at least a thousand times that

pecan pie was Josh's favorite, but he shook his head no.

"I didn't know that, Danny. That was a fabulous

idea of yours to make it. We make a great team, don't we?"

Danny beamed and bounced a little on his toes. His

red hair shone in the florescent lights of the kitchen and he

had a cute little blush on his freckled face. He looked

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adorable in his green Rudolph the reindeer sweatshirt and

dark blue jeans.

Nick had fallen in love with the young tike. Danny

was a happy child and a pleasure to be around. Oh, he

could be mischievous sometimes, but that spunky

personality made Nick adore him all the more.

He glanced at the clock and took the rolls out of the

oven. Josh should be home from work anytime, and they

were all excited about having a special Christmas Eve

dinner together.

The past couple of weeks had been the best of

Nick's life. He and Josh had become very close. It was hard

hiding their affection towards each other when Danny was

around. Josh smiled a lot more and had a spring in his step

that had been missing when they first met. He made it no

secret how happy he was with Nick being in their lives, and

how good it felt for them all to be together. He and Danny

were closer than ever, and every moment Nick was around

Josh, he fell a little more in love with him.

Even though they kissed and did some heavy

petting while Danny was asleep, they still hadn't made love.

Nick was glad that they took that part of their relationship

slow, but he craved Josh's body and wanted to make love to

him. He hoped they would soon.

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He heard the front door open and felt his heart beat

faster.

Josh was home.

"Hey guys, I'm home! It smells like heaven in here.

I've been looking forward to this all day long." He walked

into the kitchen with a big smile on his face.

Daniel ran up to Josh and threw his skinny arms

around him, and Josh returned his embrace with a big bear

hug, making Daniel laugh delightedly.

Nick watched them, a contented smile on his face.

In the past couple of weeks, he'd loved watching the

positive change in both of them and seeing them become

more open and affectionate with each other. He met Josh's

happy smile with one of his own and laughed when Josh

waggled his eyebrows playfully and winked at him.

"We've been cooking all day, Uncle Josh, and we

made your favorite dessert too!" Daniel practically vibrated

with excitement.

"You made a pecan pie for me? Thanks, little man."

Josh gave the young boy another quick hug. Daniel giggled

and bounced happily on his toes.

Watching the ongoing exchange between them,

Nick's eyes roamed hungrily over Josh's appearance. He

must have taken a shower before he left the hospital,

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because he didn't have his usual scrubs on and his hair

seemed a little damp.

He wore a thick, v-neck sweater with a white t-shirt

under it. Tight faded jeans encased his slim hips and firm

ass. His dark hair had that tousled, windblown look that

Nick loved. His cheeks were slightly flushed with pleasure,

and when he laughed there were little lines that crinkled

around his peridot colored eyes.

The man looked good enough to eat and Nick was

definitely hungry enough to ask for seconds.

"Daniel, will you put Fred outside while we eat?"

Josh asked.

Daniel nodded and ran out of the room with Fred

right under his feet.

Josh walked over to Nick and wrapped his arms

around his waist. He looked up with a mischievous grin on

his handsome face and angled his head, lightly brushing his

lips against Nick's in a quick, loving kiss.

"Merry Christmas, baby… everything looks

wonderful, and it smells delicious." He gave Nick a gentle

squeeze before he reluctantly pulled away.

"Thanks, Green Eyes. We were hoping you would

like it."

"I don't just like it… I love it." Josh stated with a

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happy smile.

I love you.

"Let's eat, Green Eyes."

* * * *

Nick knew when he'd look back on his life, he'd

remember Christmas Eve as the true beginning when all

three of them started their lives as a family together.

Everything had fallen perfectly into place. The dinner was

delicious, and Danny's excitement over Santa Claus leaving

presents and the gifts they would open the next morning

was contagious. The evening was filled with laughter and

happiness.

After dinner they played several board games

together, listening and singing along to Christmas music.

Josh's slightly off-tune tenor and Danny's high pitched

tone-deaf voice sounded perfect to Nick. As the night

progressed, Danny and Josh spoke of other happy

Christmases they had with Jolene and Roger. There were a

few melancholy moments, but they were remembered more

with smiles than tears.

Finally, at nine o'clock the men insisted Danny get

his pajamas on and get ready for bed so Santa Claus could

hurry up and come. They helped Danny load up a plate of

the homemade sugar cookies they'd made earlier in the

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afternoon and grab a bottle of water to leave out for Santa

to enjoy. Both men tucked Danny in his bed and made him

promise to wake them as soon as he got up the next

morning.

They took their time cleaning up the kitchen. It

would take the excited Danny forever to fall asleep, so

neither was in any hurry to get the work done. Josh brought

out a bottle of red wine they sipped on while they

continued to listen to Christmas music and complete their

chores together.

Nick had just finished putting the last plate in the

dishwasher when Josh returned from checking in on

Danny.

"He's asleep." Josh walked behind Nick and

wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him into a

warm hug.

"Hmmm… I'm not really surprised. He was

practically bouncing off the walls all day today because he

was excited about us all celebrating together tonight." Nick

leaned back into Josh's embrace and felt contentment flow

over him.

"I don't blame him. I felt the same way at the

hospital all day. The day seemed to drag on endlessly

because I couldn't wait to come home and be with both of

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you" Josh whispered and gave him a light kiss on his neck.

Chills ran up his body as Josh continued to nip and lightly

press warm kisses on his neck while he rubbed his hands

lightly over Nick's chest.

Nick shivered.

"Ohhhh… does Nicky have a sensitive neck?" Josh

teased; and slid his hands up under Nick's sweater to his

chest.

Nick slowly disengaged himself from Josh's arms

and turned around and faced him. They wrapped their arms

around each other and their lips met in a passionate kiss.

Josh pulled slightly away and nipped gently on Nick's

lower lip.

Nat King Cole's voice resonated through the radio,

The Christmas Song playing softly, the men swaying gently

along with the music. Josh slid his hands behind Nick's

neck and eased his head down, giving him a tender kiss.

His light green eyes shone with desire and happiness.

Nick's heart fluttered when he looked deeply into Josh's

adoring face. This man and his nephew had somehow

squirmed their way into his life and had become his whole

world.

"Let's go to bed, baby. We'll get up later and put

Santa's gifts out for Daniel. I want to make love and

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celebrate our first holiday together in each other's arms."

Josh whispered.

Nick nodded and leaned down, placing a small,

loving kiss on Josh's lips.

Josh grabbed Nick's hand and they walked quietly

down the hall and into Josh's bedroom. Josh eased the door

shut and locked it.

He pulled Nick into his arms, their lips meeting in a

heated kiss. Josh's mouth became more aggressive and he

undressed Nick between each hot kiss. Nick returned the

favor, rapidly divesting Josh of his clothes. They tumbled

onto the mattress, landing in the middle of Josh's big king

sized bed.

Nick rolled over on top of Josh and lay cradled

within his legs. Josh's soft and warm hands ran over his

back as they nipped and explored each other's mouths. Nick

ghosted his lips down Josh's smooth cheek then he kicked

the heat up and placed sucking kisses on his neck. The faint

smell of Josh's spicy cologne mixed with the clean salty

taste of his skin made a heady aphrodisiac for Nick's libido.

Determined to taste more of that gorgeous wealth of

skin, Nick slowed things down and kissed his way from

Josh's neck, down his chest to his light pink nipples. He ran

his tongue around the tip, teasing until it became hard

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against his tongue. He placed his lips around the nipple and

sucked on it while he flicked his fingernail against Josh's

other one.

Somebody loves to have their nipples worshipped.

Josh wrapped his fingers in Nick's hair and tugged

his head closer. Nick felt the vibration of Josh's quiet moan

against his lips. He licked his way over to the other side

and started nibbling and sucking on the other tip, sliding his

hand slowly down Josh's firm stomach. Smooth and soft,

Josh had delicious-tasting skin. Determined, Nick explored

the smaller man's body all over.

He pulled his mouth away from Josh's hardened

nipples and kissed his way down his body to his little 'innie'

belly button. He licked around it, teasingly plunged his

tongue into it and swirled it around. Josh sucked in a harsh

breath and chuckled, squirming under the onslaught. Nick

looked up and met happy green eyes.

"That tickles, Nicholas." He laughed, and smiled

merrily.

Nick returned Josh's grin with one of his own, and

gently rubbed each side of Josh's slight hips with his

fingertips.

"You'll survive, Joshua." He chuckled and gave him

a flirty wink.

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The wet tip of Josh's hard cock bobbed against his

chin. He propped himself up on his elbows and stared down

at his long, thick shaft. The tip glistened with pre-cum and

the head flushed a purplish red color. Nick licked around

and pressed his tongue into the slick wetness of Josh's slit.

He was rewarded with the slightly salty taste of Josh's pre-

cum. He loved the way Josh tasted and moaned with

pleasure, teasing the head of Josh's cock with a deep suck.

Reluctantly pulling his mouth away, Nick licked

down the shaft. Josh kept his soft, dark pubic hair neatly

trimmed, but the ends of it still tickled at his nose when he

reached Josh's large, heavy balls. He flicked his tongue

over them and gently cupped the sacs in one hand. His

other hand wrapped around the base of Josh's cock and

tugged it toward his stomach. Nick eased in between Josh's

spread thighs and tapped Josh's balls lightly with his

tongue. With each tap, he increased his intensity, then

opened his mouth and filled it with both of them. He

hummed and gently sucked on them, pulling a long, throaty

moan from Josh.

The other man took a strangled breath. "Holy shit,

Nick. That feels so fucking good!"

Nick eased Josh's balls from his mouth and gave

them a parting swirl with his tongue before he slid his

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hands up under Josh's thighs, lifting them up until they

nestled against his chest. Josh reached around, pulling his

legs tighter to him, freeing Nick's hands. Nick reached

down behind Josh's soft ass cheeks and lifted his lower

body up, spreading them in the process. That gorgeous pink

hole had been tantalizing Nick since they started getting

intimate together. He couldn't go another second without

tasting and exploring it further.

He leaned down, flicking his tongue around and

teasing at the opening. The clean and slightly musky taste

of Josh made Nick's hard cock twitch. His hips bucked

against the soft cotton comforter underneath him,

anticipating things to come. He lapped at Josh's opening

with his tongue before inserting the tip to probe the

entrance.

"Fuuuck…" Josh panted.

Nick worked his tongue further into Josh's entrance,

thoroughly enjoying the taste and feel against his tongue.

Josh's opening relaxed for him, and he reluctantly pulled

his mouth away to gaze into his lover's face.

Face and neck flushed bright pink from pleasure;

Josh had a fine sheen of sweat that glistened off of his

forehead and upper lip. The man looked even more

gorgeous when aroused, and it made Nick's extremely hard

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cock, throb with arousal.

"Lube and a condom?" Nick didn't think he was

capable of saying more.

Josh reached over and opened the bedside drawer

with shaking fingers. He grabbed a small bottle of lube and

a condom in a silver wrapper and handed them over. His

light green eyes gleamed with anticipation, and he

practically panted for breath.

Nick put the condom aside and snapped open the

top of the small bottle of lube. He poured a healthy amount

onto his fingers and warmed it up a little, rubbing his

fingertips together. Cold lube against a hot body could be

unpleasant and he was determined Josh wouldn't

experience anything but pleasure.

Thoroughly prepared by Nick rimming him, Josh let

out a contented sigh when Nick slid his finger into Josh's

tight and hot canal. Nick eased another finger inside and

delicately scissored them, working and spreading Josh even

further.

He grabbed the base of Josh's cock with one hand

and started sucking it, while he continued to work his

fingers within Josh's body. Josh twisted his fingers through

Nick's hair with one hand and yanked the bed sheets with

the other. Nick continued to glide his fingers in and out of

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Josh's opening, before turning them to find the round bulb

of the smaller man's prostate. Nick massaged his fingers

against it.

"Oh my god! Baby, I'm gonna come…"

Nick bobbed his head faster up and down on Josh's

cock and sucked harder. Josh groaned, long and low, and

rewarded Nick with his tasty semen. Nick quickly

swallowed it down and licked Josh clean.

He eased his fingers from Josh's relaxed opening

and got to his knees. His cock wept with pre-cum and he

gave it a couple of firm tugs; teasing himself and building

anticipation. Josh grabbed the condom and ripped open the

package with trembling fingers.

"Let me put it on you, baby." Josh murmured. He

removed the condom from the foil and grabbed Nick's cock

with a surprisingly firm, steady hand. He teased the

weeping slit gently with the edge of his thumbnail, and

Nick moaned. Josh rolled the rubber over Nick's length

while Nick put more lube on his fingers, and then coated

his condom-covered cock after it was securely on.

Josh grabbed the back of his knees and pulled his

legs back up to his chest, once again spreading himself to

Nick's desire filled gaze. Nick grabbed the base of his cock

and lined the tip up against the opening of Josh's hole. He

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gently pushed his way inside and groaned. Josh's body was

hot, and it cradled Nick's cock firmly as he worked to get

all the way in.

"That's it, baby. You feel so fucking good, Nick."

Josh panted.

Both men watched the arousing sight of Nick's cock

disappearing into Josh's opening. The erotic view always

turned Nick on. When the bottom of Josh's ass hit Nick's

balls, he was finally all the way in to the place he most

wanted to be.

He gazed down at Josh and smiled, content and

happy. Josh returned his smile with a small one of his own.

He reached up and pulled Nick's mouth down for a deep

and passionate kiss.

Nick moved his hips, slowly gliding his cock in and

out of Josh's tight body. Josh moaned into his mouth and

flexed his hips in tandem to Nick's movements. Nick

angled his thrust and felt the tip of his cock hit the nub of

Josh's prostate, making Josh jump slightly.

There you are.

He reached down and started pumping Josh's

quickly reawakening cock. Nick continued to piston in and

out of Josh's body faster and harder.

"That's it, baby, fuck me harder!"

His Christmas Wish

Andi Anderson

Nick increased the rhythm, giving them both what

they desired. Sweat rolled down the sides of his face and

fell onto Josh's forehead. He groaned at the sight of Josh's

reddened cheeks and chest. The urge to mark this man who

had wormed his way into his heart and life overwhelmed

him. He gave in and leaned down, sucking a mark between

Josh's neck and shoulder.

Josh cried out and his cock jerked in Nick's hand,

sticky semen spurting over his fingers and onto their

bodies. Some of it landed on Josh's cheek, and Nick

dropped his head to lick it off.

The taste and the tight grip of Josh's anal passage

drove Nick over the edge. He kissed Josh almost savagely

and moaned into the smaller man's mouth. Josh hummed,

returning the kiss with enthusiasm. Nick's body shook with

the intensity of his orgasm as he filled the condom with his

seed.

He tore his mouth away from Josh's and gazed

down at the man he loved more than anything else in the

world. Wrapped up in the amazing feeling of the intense

lovemaking they'd just shared together, Nick could no

longer keep his feelings to himself.

"I love you, Josh."

Josh's face lit up with a beautiful smile. "I love you,

His Christmas Wish

Andi Anderson

too."

With a happy heart, Nick lightly pressed his mouth

to Josh's passion swollen lips and gave them a gentle kiss.

He eased out of Josh's body and quickly took off the

condom. He tied it up and tossed it into the wastebasket on

the other side of the bed. He lay on his back and pulled

Josh to him. They were both sweaty and sticky from Josh's

cum but neither man cared. They held and worshipped each

other with loving kisses and touches.

* * * *

Josh lay with his head on Nick's chest and listened

to the steady sound of his beloved's heartbeat. Happiness

warmed him inside.

He couldn't believe his good luck. Not only did he

love the most giving and generous man in the world, he

was loved by him in return. He and Daniel were very

fortunate to have such a wonderful man in their lives.

Because of Nick, he and Daniel had grown even closer.

Nick had become the glue that would keep their little

family happily together.

He reluctantly sat up and left the comforting

warmth of Nick's strong arms. Nick's handsome boy-next-

door face made him smile. His sweaty hair stuck up in

every direction, giving him a thoroughly debauched

His Christmas Wish

Andi Anderson

appearance.

Nick looked damn good rumpled up and sexy, and

Josh was determined to keep him in his bed and in their

lives forever.

He leaned over to the bedside table and opened the

drawer. He pulled out a small, red cellophane wrapped box

and handed it over to Nick. Nick sat up with an inquiring

look on his face.

"Open it, baby." Josh coaxed.

As with everything else in life, Nick tore into the

present with gusto. He grinned happily as paper flew

everywhere in his haste to get it fully unwrapped. Josh

laughed at Nick's antics and when the little black velvet

box was revealed, Nick froze, a hopeful look on his face.

Nick's hands shook as he opened the box. Within it

lay two, thin, yellow gold bands. Nick's face a mask of

wonder; Josh grabbed his free hand and brought it up to his

mouth, grazing his knuckles.

"I love you, Nick. I know that others will say it's

probably too soon, but I don't care. Being with you feels

right and I believe we truly belong together. You've made

Daniel and I happier than I ever thought possible. You're

the glue that keeps us together, baby, and I want to spend

the rest of my life being with you, loving you and raising

His Christmas Wish

Andi Anderson

our Daniel together. Will you make me the happiest man in

the world and marry me?" Josh looked up at Nick with

hopeful eyes. "I know we can't do it legally right now, but

one day we will. Until then, I thought we could have a

commitment ceremony together."

Josh's heart beat nervously as Nick looked from the

rings to him with a stunned expression. Tears welled up in

those gorgeous blue eyes, and a dazzling smile formed on

his happy face.

"I love you so much, Josh. You and Daniel have

become the most important people to me. I would be

honored to be your husband and raise Danny with you… so

yes, Josh… I will marry you."

Josh whooped with joy, and Nick laughed with

sheer happiness. They kissed and held each other close,

basking in their love for each other. With shaking hands

and loving kisses, they exchanged rings and promised one

day soon they would have a small commitment ceremony

with their family and friends around them. The rings shone

on their fingers from the light of the room and they knew

their future would be bright and happy together, forever.

His Christmas Wish

Andi Anderson

Epilogue

Daniel was nestled in the warmth of his Uncle

Josh's embrace. Determined to have his say, he disengaged

himself from the arms of his sleeping uncle and looked

over at his other uncle, Nick. Nick was snug against Uncle

Josh, his head on Uncle Josh's shoulder. They looked

peaceful and happy.

Daniel's eyes roamed over the living room. The

Christmas tree lights blinked colorfully, and gifts were in

several piles on the floor. Between Santa, Josh, and Nick

he'd been given just about everything he'd asked for. He

looked back at the two men sleeping peacefully together on

the couch. He smiled and eased himself off of the cushions

and away from the pretty picture they made together.

Daniel's biggest dream came true when they told

him earlier they were going to get married and be a family

together. They had a fun and joyous day, and Daniel knew

this would be the first of many happy days they'd have for

years to come.

He tiptoed over to the front door and silently

opened it, stepping out into the dark night. Unlike before,

the midnight sky was full of twinkling stars. He stepped off

the front porch and walked to the middle of the lawn.

Nothing stirred around him. Daniel took a deep breath and

His Christmas Wish

Andi Anderson

basked in the happiness that filled his young body.

He looked up and found the one star that glittered

the brightest and smiled.

"Dear God, I wanted to come out and thank you for

giving me the one thing I needed the most. I know Mom

and Dad are with you and looking down at me right now,

and you're all the reason that we are a family and will be

one for the rest of our lives. I miss you, Mom and Dad, and

I will think about you and love you both forever. Now,

because of you, I have two uncles who will take care of me,

watch over me and love me until the day we'll all be

together again. Thank you, for giving me my Christmas

wish. I'll never forget what you've given me."

Happy tears slid down his face and the star

glimmered even brighter. His prayer of thanks had been

heard.

"Merry Christmas to all of you. I love you."

He blew the now shimmering star a kiss and walked

back into the warm and welcoming house;, knowing that

his life was now going to be filled with happy times ahead

of him and many joyous Christmases to come.

The End

About the Author

Andi Anderson not only loves to write homoerotic

romances, she's obsessed… er… a fan of reading them, too!

When she's not writing about two gorgeous men who fall in

love and find their Happily Ever After, she's hanging out

with her own Prince Charming, a menagerie of dogs and

fish, spoiling her beloved niece rotten and living a happy

life of her own.

Andi loves hearing from her readers!

You can contact her at

andianderson@live.com

Website:

http://www.wix.com/andianderson/andiandersonauthor

Blog:

http://andiandersonauthor.blogspot.com/

Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/profile.php?id=100

000661863990

Twitter:

http://twitter.com/AndiAnderson_

Also By Andi Anderson

Available at Silver Publishing

The Sweet One

MEN OF CHARLESTOWN

His Christmas Wish

Yummy Indulgences (coming soon)

Available at All Romance Ebooks

Got Mistletoe?

A Realistic Romance

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