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Evernight Publishing ®
www.evernightpublishing.com
Copyright© 2014 Erin M. Leaf
ISBN: 978-1-77233-147-9
Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs
Editor: JS Cook
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No
part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission,
except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual
events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
DEDICATION
This one is for all my lovely readers thank you!
THE BLIZZARD
The Billionaire s Bodyguard, 2
Erin M. Leaf
Copyright © 2014
Alex stared out at the storm, completely disgusted with himself, the horrible weather, and the
tepid drink sitting in front of him. Icy snow scoured the window and he sighed, swallowing another
mouthful of the vile liquid they called tea in this place.
 You just had to go to that meeting in the city, didn t you? he muttered, glancing around the
restaurant. He picked up his chopsticks and scooped up the last chunk of pineapple in the delicate
little bowl set in the middle of the table. He d taken the Audi to the city, reasoning that the all-wheel
drive would get him back home even if the snow worsened. He d been wrong. He d only made it
halfway back before they d closed the interstate. Black ice coated the asphalt and the plows couldn t
keep up with the amount of snow piling up on top of it. The roads were slick and dangerous, and he
was stuck in some little town in the middle of nowhere, eating bad Chinese food. He sighed, thinking
about his boyfriend waiting for him at the mansion. Jesse is going to kill you.
 Can I get you anything else? the server asked, startling him out of his grumpy reverie.
Alex grimaced.  No thanks. He rubbed his eyes.  What time do you close?
The girl shrugged.  We usually close at ten, but since it s Christmas Eve&  She trailed off,
glancing around the empty restaurant. Her sleek hair shifted over her shoulders as she gave him a
half-smile.  And the weather is getting worse. We ll probably shut our doors as soon as you leave.
It s already dark out.
Alex understood. He was the only customer left and he couldn t camp out in a hole-in-the-wall
restaurant all night. Especially not this night. He set down his chopsticks.  Do you know if there s a
hotel anywhere close?
She laughed.  You must be joking. We re in the middle of nowhere.
Frustrated, he stared at her until her smile faded. Don t yell at the nice waitress, Alex, he told
himself, clenching his teeth. Jesse was probably worried. And angry.
 Uh, I m sorry, sir, but you re kind of between towns here, she finally said.
Alex bit back a curse.  There s nothing? Not even a motel?
She frowned.  Well, there s the old Motel Kringle down highway twenty-four, but I think it
might be closed.
 Motel Kringle? Seriously? He snorted.  Please tell me you re joking.
She flushed.  No, I m serious. That s what it s called.
 Motel Kringle on Christmas Eve. He couldn t even say it out loud without snickering.
The server shrugged, smiling faintly.  The pole with the sign out in front of the place looks like
a candy cane. It s striped red and white.
 That s& awful, actually, he replied, shaking his head. His short burst of amusement faded as
he thought about Jesse waiting for him at home. Alone. Dammit.
The waitress shrugged again.
 Give me directions, he said abruptly. He didn t have any choice. He could sleep in his car, or
he could try the motel. Even a crappy motel is better than shivering all night in the back seat of the
Audi.
 Pull out of the parking lot and turn right. Go about ten miles. It s on the right. She put his
check down on the table and beat a hasty retreat before he could quiz her for more details.
 Shit, he said, staring at the scrap of paper. He wished he d listened to Jesse and just stayed
the hell home. He couldn t believe he was going to miss Christmas with his lover. He d tried texting
Jesse an hour ago, but the service here was crap and it didn t go through. He d called right after the
meeting ended at the office and left a voicemail that he was heading out. His boyfriend hadn t picked
up, and Alex had no idea if Jesse had got the message. That had been hours ago. He tried one more
time and texted directions to the motel, then powered down his phone and tucked it into his pocket.
 He is going to kick your ass tomorrow when you finally get back, he muttered as he glanced
towards the kitchen. His waitress was standing in the doorway with the cook. Both of them stared
balefully at him. Alex rubbed his eyes again. God, he was tired. He tried to smile, but the older man
scowled.
That s got to be her father, he thought, looking away. They probably wanted to go home to the
apartment above the restaurant. Alex wasn t so lucky. He glanced outside. The snow hadn t let up at
all. He cursed under his breath and threw a hundred down on top of the check. His dinner only cost
twelve bucks, but over tipping was the least he could do at this point. He d staggered in two hours
ago and camped out at this table until all the other customers had gone on their way.
 Time to get moving, Alex. He stood up and put on his trench coat. It wasn t nearly warm
enough for the freak snowstorm. His shoes were already ruined and his feet were damp and cold and
would likely freeze on the way to the car.  Here goes nothing, he said, heading into the blizzard.
Twenty minutes later, he cursed the snow, the spotty cell reception in this Godforsaken place,
and his own stupidity. He could barely see in the darkness. The snow dived toward his windshield in
a constantly shifting and disorienting pattern. His headlights lit a thin path right in front of his car,
creating a hellish tunnel with zero visibility. At this point, the only reason he was still on the road
was because the trees on either side of the highway kept him from going off course too badly. He
hadn t seen a plow or another car in the past hour.
 How long does it take to get to a motel ten miles away? he asked himself, gripping the
steering wheel tightly as he inched forward. The car swerved yet again, for no apparent reason, and
he ground his teeth as he brought it back under control. This is the kind of weather that kills people,
he reminded himself. He would know. His grandfather had died in a blizzard just like this one along
with Jesse s father, many years ago.
 Damn it! He hit the steering wheel. He d give it one more minute and then he d park under a
tree and try to wait out the night in the car. He didn t want to die in a ditch. Not after he finally had so
much to live for. He gritted his teeth, keeping a steady foot on the gas as he watched the clock on the
dashboard. When the minute changed, he pulled the car to the side. It wasn t until he killed the
headlights that he realized he d parked right next to a signpost painted like a candy-cane.
 Are you fucking kidding me? He laughed, then looked up. Despite the swirling snow, he
could just make out the words Motel Kringle painted onto a wooden placard that swung from the top
of the pole. He squinted, trying to see the building, but the snow obscured everything. He sighed.
Going out in that mess was going to suck. He started the car again and slowly began to drive up the
unplowed path.
By the time Alex staggered beneath the awning of the main building, he could no longer feel his
feet. Thankfully, lights flickered cheerfully through the windows. Even if the motel wasn t doing
business any more, someone was home. He shoved the door open and pushed inside, desperate to
thaw out his frozen fingers and toes. He looked around, then stopped and stared. An enormous plastic
Christmas tree took up most of the space, sprawling out over the scarred wooden desk set against the
wall. There were so many glass balls on the branches that Alex wondered how the hell it stayed
standing upright. The lights were old school: big, brightly colored bulbs dangled from thick green
wires. His eyeballs hurt just looking at it.
 Can I help you? a gruff voice asked him.
Alex wrenched his gaze away from the tree and blinked. An old man with a flowing white
beard stood behind the desk. He wore red corduroy pants with black suspenders stretched over top of
his round belly. His white shirt had seen better days.
Okay, this is Christmas gone a bit too far, he thought, wondering if he should pinch himself.
Or maybe I m hallucinating. I ve heard that hypothermia does that. The old man looked like every
kid s vision of Santa Claus, minus the holes in the fabric at his elbows.
 You look a bit worse for wear, son, the old man said kindly.  Here, have a snack. He
pushed a plate piled high with chocolate chip cookies across the desk.
Alex shook his head.  Uh, no thanks. He glanced around and steeled himself. The place looked
like Motel Scary, but he had little choice. It was this or freeze to death.  Do you have a room
available?
The old man nodded.  Sure do. He turned and grabbed a key from the pegboard on the wall.
 This is our busy season, but you re in luck. We have one room left. He shrugged on a red woolen
coat.
Bemused, Alex watched the old man button the coat and cram a battered Santa hat onto his
head.  How much for the night?
The old man chuckled.  Oh, you can pay in the morning. No rush.
Alex was too tired and cold to argue.  Okay. Fine.
 You ll be in cottage twenty-five. He headed toward the front door.
Alex followed him, not looking forward to heading back out into the wind.  I m sorry, I didn t
get your name.
The old man glanced at him as he opened the door. Snow swirled, glittering where it landed on
his beard and the Santa hat.  Oh, you can call me Nick.
Old Nick. Huh, Alex thought faintly. He pulled up his sleeve and pinched the flesh of his
forearm, hard. The pain didn t help one bit.
****
Jesse cursed as he wrestled the Range Rover down the road.  Of all the stupid, stupid,
goddamn, stupid things to do. He jammed the transmission into first gear and crawled up the hill.
 I m going to wring his neck when I find him, he muttered.
He hated snow. Hated it. Ever since his father and Alex s grandfather had died in a car crash in
a blizzard seven years ago, he d hated this kind of weather.  And stupid Alex couldn t miss his stupid
meeting so he s stuck in this stupid, stupid weather. He peered into the dark, trying to see past the
swirling white crap.  And who stays at a motel called Kringle? Talk about ridiculous.
The last text he d received from Alex had been an hour ago. He d told Jesse he was going to
spend the night in someplace called the Motel Kringle. Jesse had done a search on the internet. The
motel looked like someone had barfed up a cartoon version of Santa s house. It was listed on a
website detailing spooky places to visit. It hadn t been open since the seventies. Why, for the love of
God, would Alex, the richest man in the world, decide to stay there?
 Because he took his stupid Audi instead of the Range Rover and got himself stuck in the
middle of nowhere, that s why, he told himself.  He could ve stayed in the Hilton. The Mandarin
Oriental in Manhattan. But no, he had to try and make it home. Because it s Christmas Eve. The
idiot. He shifted into third gear and sped up a little as he crested the hill.
Truthfully, he would have much preferred that Alex play it safe than try to make it home in the
middle of a freak nor easter. He didn t care if it was a holiday. Blizzards were dangerous. The Range
Rover slid down the hill and Jesse yanked on the wheel, trying to control the descent. The car went
sideways, just missing a tree.
 Fuck! He shifted back down to first and let the transmission slow the engine. As soon as the
vehicle regained traction, he gently eased it back onto the road.  Fuck, he swore more softly, not
daring to let go of the wheel even to wipe his stupid, sweaty forehead. He swallowed and began to
pray.
An hour and a half later, he was forced to admit that he was lost. His GPS had dropped out a
half-hour ago, and now Jesse wasn t even sure if he was still on the right road. He sighed and kept
driving. By now, the snow was piled over eighteen inches high and showed no signs of stopping.
They d be covered in several feet of this shit by tomorrow morning. The plows couldn t keep up
when a storm like this hit. He began to look for somewhere to pull over. Sleeping in the truck
wouldn t be comfortable, but it would be better than running into a tree and freezing to death.
 So much for being the hero and finding Alex, he muttered under his breath. He glanced at the
gifts on the front seat. They d put them under the tree at home a few days ago. When he d gone into the
storm to go fetch Alex, he d scooped them up, thinking that if they got stuck somewhere, they d at
least have their gifts to open.  And you re stuck all right, except without your boyfriend. Way to go,
asshole. He shook his head and kept driving.
When he saw a slight break in the trees, he turned left and pulled into what looked like a long
driveway. The snow obscured everything but the trees, so he drove in further, then frowned. Was that
the Audi? He slowed down, squinting. He thought he saw lights, too. He inched forward, praying that
he wouldn t get stuck. When a motel materialized out of the darkness, he stopped the vehicle and
stared. The place looked like someone had tried to recreate Santa s house and then abandoned the
effort before finishing. The awning sagged and the front door was peeling red paint in long strips.
What he d thought were lights were nothing more than the reflection of his headlights on the old glass.
However, a snow-covered lump that looked like it might be Alex s Audi sat in front of the building.
 Well, at least it has a roof, he said hopefully. He shrugged into his coat and jammed his hat
down over his ears.  Here goes nothing.
****
Alex sat on the bed and stared at the fire in the fireplace. When the old man had shown him in,
he d explained that the baseboard heat didn t work anymore. While Alex had watched, the old man
had crouched down and lit a fire in the ancient fireplace, then handed him a poker.
 Just shove a few more logs in later on and you ll be good to go for the night, Nick had said,
gesturing to the woodpile to the right of the hearth.
Alex had nodded, but before he could ask about using the phone, the old man had hurried out.
Since his feet had already begun to thaw, Alex hadn t felt like going back out in the cold, so he d
shrugged and settled onto the bed. It wasn t until he d woken up a short time later that he realized that
not only had he fallen asleep when he hadn t meant to, but there wasn t any electricity in the room,
either. He figured the power had gone out because of the storm, but since the fire was keeping the
place warm, he didn t care.
He d used the bathroom, shivering in the slightly colder tiled room, then set about exploring the
rest of the space. What he d found wasn t particularly reassuring. The room was decorated like a
cross between a hunting lodge and a Christmas craft shop. Embroidered reindeer heads danced down
the side of the blankets on the double bed and frayed red tassels hung from the lampshades. The
pictures on the wall were of bucolic snow-scenes: lit cottages with sleds out front and tame deer
frolicking in the snow.
He snorted to himself. If he wanted to look at snow, all he had to do was pull the drapes apart a
little bit more. At least the bed s comfortable, he thought, opening the nightstand drawers. Inside the
one on the right, he found a picture book of Christmas stories. The other nightstand was empty. The
space in front of the fireplace was covered with a plush throw rug and the desk under the window had
seen better days. All in all, he couldn t complain. He had running water and shelter. It could be
worse. Much, much worse.
Except what I really want is to be home with Jesse. He sighed and ran his hands over his face.
It was too quiet here. The only sound was the hiss of the snow hitting the glass outside and the fire
crackling as the logs burned. He lay back down on the bed and tried to go to sleep again, but couldn t
settle his mind. He and Jesse had made plans for Christmas Eve. Plans that are now ruined because
I m an arrogant jerk.
When someone banged on the door, the sound almost startled him into falling off the bed.
 Hang on! he called, figuring it must be Nick, come to let him know about the power outage.
The door opened before he could get there, though, and the man standing on the threshold wasn t
Santa.
 Huh. You re alive, Jesse said, looking pissed as hell.  Are you just going to stand there
staring at me? He lifted an eyebrow.  It s fucking freezing out here, in case you didn t notice.
Alex grabbed him and yanked him inside.  Jesse!
 Yeah, in the flesh, asshole, his boyfriend said, pulling off his hat. His dark brown hair stood
up in all directions as he kicked the door shut behind him.  You are a lucky fucker. I followed your
footprints from the main building out to this shack.
Alex nodded dumbly. Was he dreaming?
 And no, you re not dreaming. I got your stupid text about some stupid place called the Motel
Kringle a few hours ago. Jesse shrugged off his coat and draped it over the battered chair next to the
desk, then kicked off his boots.  I got in the Range Rover and came out here to rescue your stupid
ass. His blue eyes sparked angrily as he delivered his little monologue.
Alex nodded vaguely, eyes caught by the stubble along Jesse s strong jaw. Christ, his boyfriend
was really ridiculously handsome.  You shouldn t have come out in this weather. He glanced out the
window, trying to hide how turned on he was. If Jesse noticed, it would just make him angrier.
 Yeah, no. You think I m going to let you drive around in a blizzard in the Audi? his boyfriend
growled.
Alex sighed.  You should have stayed home, where it s safe.
 Jesus, you re an ass. Jesse grabbed him by the front of his shirt and shook him.  After what
happened to my dad and your grandfather, you think I m going to sit at home? While you freeze to
death in the snow? We never did figure out why they left in the middle of the night, remember?
Alex pulled away, anger boiling up out of nowhere.  Fuck you, Jesse. He walked over to the
fireplace.  I know they died in a blizzard. That doesn t mean you have to.
 You shouldn t have left in the first place! You didn t need to go into the city on Christmas Eve,
Alex, Jesse yelled, starting to pace.  It was stupid and dangerous.
Alex watched him, trying to control his temper. A small part of him admired the way Jesse s
strong shoulders moved in his black sweater. Anger did not in any way detract from Jesse s overall
hotness. His more impatient side, however, wanted nothing more than to lash out at his boyfriend. He
hadn t needed the reminder about his grandfather s death. He d already thought about it.  I needed to
close this deal, you know that, Alex. If I hadn t met with them today, it would ve fallen through. Mr.
Jikomoto is flying back to Tokyo tomorrow.
Jesse stopped and glared.  You re richer than God. You didn t need this deal. You could take
off for twenty years and still not blow through all the money you have sitting in the bank.
Alex strode over to him and got in his face.  I don t tell you how to take care of security or how
to fucking clean your gun. Don t tell me how to run my business. He was close enough to smell
Jesse s skin. His face went hot, with anger or arousal he wasn t sure which. Maybe both, he thought
as he curled his fingers into fists. His cock swelled, but he ignored it.
Abruptly, Jesse grabbed him again, dragging him and shoving him up against the rough stone of
the fireplace.  Fuck you, Alex. I know as much as you do about running your fucking business. I also
know that you could ve died out there tonight. He sucked in an angry breath.  Hell, maybe I
should ve stayed home. Left you to freeze to death. You certainly don t seem happy to see me.
Alex grabbed Jesse s arms and yanked him around. This time he was the one doing the shoving.
 Shut up, Jesse, he panted, enraged.  Before you say something you regret. His heart pounded as he
pushed his body into Jesse s. He was so angry, his head felt light, as if the top of his skull was about
to come off.
Jesse growled and wrapped his arms around Alex s neck, pulling him forward. When their
mouths collided, he bit Alex s lower lip, and not gently either.
Alex went rigid, then he kissed Jesse back. It felt more like a fight than a kiss, but he didn t
care. His skin was tight and hot and he didn t know what the fuck they were doing.
 Fuck, Alex. Fuck, Jesse muttered, then he bit down on Alex s neck, worrying at the skin with
his teeth.
Alex s cock went from half-hard to fully erect in less than a second. He sank his fingers into
Jesse s hair and squeezed. Jesse made a sound in the back of his throat, and then he was ripping at
Alex s shirt. Buttons went flying. Alex gasped as Jesse pulled his shirt down, trapping his hands
behind him.
 Don t fucking move, Alex, he said, then he went to his knees and undid Alex s pants.
 Jesus, what the fuck are you doing? Alex asked, trying to free his arms as his hard cock
sprang out. Jesse twisted the fabric around his wrists, holding him captive. He turned them again so
that Alex was back up against the fireplace. The rough stone cut into his shoulder blades.
 Shut up, Jesse said, then he took Alex in his mouth, sucking hard at the tip of his dick.
Alex s hips bucked and he pulled his hands apart, trying to get loose. A seam ripped, but he
was too busy trying not to shoot his load down Jesse s mouth to notice. He yanked harder on his
wrists, then all of sudden the fabric gave way and he was free. That s when Jesse deep-throated him.
Alex scrabbled at the wall as his knees buckled.  Oh God, he moaned, still angry, but so
fucking turned on he couldn t stop his hips from thrusting.
Jesse put an arm across Alex s abdomen and pushed, holding him against the stone. Alex
cursed, and then Jesse tilted his face up with Alex s cock still in his mouth. His eyes were dark.
Alex went still, staring at his lover. His cock jumped inside Jesse s mouth. He swallowed,
hard.  What are we doing?
Jesse moved back, sliding Alex out and licking his lips.  We re having a fight. He kissed the
side of Alex s prick.
Alex caught his breath.  Doesn t really feel like a fight. Suddenly, all the anger had drained
out of him.
Jesse stood up.  It is, trust me. He took off his sweater with one swift motion, then slowly
unbuckled his belt.
 Where s your Berretta? Alex asked him.
Jesse gave him a look, then shoved his pants down and off.  I didn t think I d need a gun in the
middle of a snowstorm.
Alex nodded, stepping out of his own pants.  You shouldn t have come after me, Jesse. I was
fine. He knew goading Jesse wasn t the most intelligent thing to do, but he couldn t seem to stop
himself.
Jesse crowded him up against the wall.  You think you know everything, Alex. He leaned in,
rubbing their cocks together.  You don t.
Alex licked his lips.  Neither do you.
 I know this, Jesse said, mouth at Alex s ear.  You re going to beg me to fuck you. Then he
bit Alex s earlobe even as his hand circled his cock and squeezed.
Alex shivered as his dick swelled against Jesse s palm.  Come on, Jesse.
 No. Jesse let go and walked backwards to the bed. When his legs touched the mattress, he sat
down, opening his thighs.
Alex stared. Jesse was incredibly well endowed, but it wasn t often he got to look his fill. They
were usually in too much of a hurry to spend time just looking. Jesse smirked at him, then deliberately
licked his palm and began to jack himself.
Alex pushed off from the wall, but Jesse shook his head.  No, Alex. You stay there.
Alex grimaced.  What are you playing at, Jesse?
 Touch yourself, Alex, Jesse said.  I want to watch.
Alex took a deep breath, then did as Jesse asked.  This is what you want? After driving for
hours in the snow, you want to watch me masturbate? He slowly stroked himself, then reached down
and cupped his balls. It felt good, but not as good as Jesse s mouth.
 Yeah. That s what I want, Jesse said hoarsely. He cradled his dick loosely now,
concentrating more on Alex than himself.
Alex smiled faintly, then used both hands to hold his cock. Moisture beaded at the tip and he
rubbed it in with his thumb.  What do you want me to do?
 Finger your hole, Jesse said.
 I can t do that standing up.
Jesse nodded.  On the bed, then.
Alex licked his lips, then walked forward and reclined on the bed. He drew his legs up and
teased at his hole. He shivered, closing his eyes. He d fingered himself before, but not while anyone
watched.
 Here, Jesse said.
Alex looked over. Jesse held out a packet of lube.  Always prepared, hmm?
Jesse nodded.
Alex took the packet and ripped it open with his teeth. Then he spread it over his hole, sighing
when his finger slid inside.
 Fuck, Alex, Jesse murmured, watching.
 Don t just stare, Alex said, adding another finger. He wanted Jesse inside him. He wanted
more than this strange, angry pseudo-sex.
Jesse took a deep breath.  Do you have any idea what it was like for me when your phone kept
going to voicemail, Alex?
Alex went still, not expecting those words from Jesse. He thought they d moved past the
fighting part of the evening.  I m sorry. He slid his fingers out, trying to ignore his body s
disappointment.  I m really fucking sorry, Jesse.
Jesse shook his head, rolling over onto his knees on the bed.  It fucking killed me. It was
snowing and I knew you were out there driving on the roads. He loomed over Alex, muscles flexing.
Alex squeezed his cock, staring up at his lover.  I m fine. I was fine.
 No, you were not fine, Jesse bit out.  It was sheer fucking luck that I found this place. Luck
that you found this place. He glanced at the fire.  You could have frozen to death.
Alex shook his head.  But I didn t.
Jesse growled, suddenly moving between Alex s legs.  Never again, Alex, he bit out, shoving
a pillow under Alex s hips.  Never again.
Alex stared at his lover.  Fuck me, Jesse. He stroked Jesse s cock with his lube-slick hand.
 Please.
Jesse shuddered and lined up his cock.  Promise me you ll never do that again. The tip of his
prick teased at Alex s asshole.
Alex grabbed Jesse s arms.  Yeah, okay.
Jesse rocked in slightly.  Promise me. I m not fucking around here, Alex.
 I promise. I fucking promise, Alex forced out.
With that, Jesse surged forward, shoving inside with one hard stroke. The burn made Alex gasp,
but Jesse didn t let him adjust. He pulled out slightly, then fucked back in with his whole body.
 You d better never scare me like that again, Jesse ground out.
Alex closed his eyes and hung on.  I won t.
 Fuck, Jesse said, hips snapping forward relentlessly.
Alex arched his back as Jesse hit his prostate again and again. He made a move to touch his
cock, but Jesse grabbed his wrists and pinned him to the bed.  No. You re going to come just from
this, he said, hips jerking into him.
Alex gritted his teeth.  I don t know if I can.
 You will, Jesse promised, fucking into him more slowly now.
Alex bit back a moan.  Jesse, you re killing me. His lover s cock felt large enough to split him
in two.
 Good. Jesse s face went taut.  Come on. Fucking come. His hips rolled into Alex.
And suddenly, as if Jesse s words were some sort of permission, Alex s orgasm rushed through
him out of nowhere. His scalp prickled as his dick swelled and then pulsed, jetting hot spunk all over
his abdomen. The pleasure crested once, twice, and then Jesse was fucking him fast and hard and
desperate. Alex curled his toes and arched his back, holding on as another spasm of heat took him,
and then Jesse went rigid, hips snapping in and holding still. He groaned, letting go of Alex s arms
and curling his body down. Alex held him through it, savoring the way Jesse finally relaxed into his
arms.
A long time later, Jesse slowly pulled out and lay down next to Alex.  So, that was interesting.
Alex chuckled.  It was all your idea.
 And it was a good idea, Jesse murmured, stroking his palm down Alex s arm.
Alex smiled, then leaned over and kissed Jesse s shoulder.  I m sorry I worried you. I didn t
mean to.
Jesse sighed.  I know. Next time cancel the meeting if the weather s going to be bad, okay? He
went up to his elbow.  Or I won t be responsible for my actions. I might even shoot you in the leg to
keep you home.
Alex laughed.  Okay.
 Promise?
 I promise, Alex said, yawning.
 Let s get some sleep. We ll see about going home in the morning, Jesse said. He shoved at
Alex until they were both under the covers, then sighed.  Jesus. The decorating in this place is
hideous enough to make my eyes bleed.
Alex chuckled sleepily.  It has a fireplace, so quit complaining. It could be worse. And since
when do you care about decor? You re not gay enough for that.
 Don t be stupid. I just fucked you silly, Alex, and you re telling me I m not gay? Besides,
stereotyping is so two-thousand and eight.
 Whatever you say, Jesse, Alex murmured, yawning again.
 The lampshades have red fringe, Alex. And the blanket is going to give me nightmares. Who
embroiders reindeer heads on wool? He shifted, tucking the covers under his shoulder.  If I wake up
screaming, promise me you ll save me from the man-eating snowmen painted on the door?
 I promise. Alex replied, smiling.  Merry Christmas, Jesse. Close your eyes. We ll figure
everything out in the morning.
 Merry Christmas, Alex, Jesse replied, snuggling his cold nose into Alex s neck.
Typical, Alex thought, smiling as sleep dragged him into dreamland.
****
 So, I brought the gifts, Jesse said, bursting into the room with his arms full of wrapped
presents. A shopping bag dangled from his right hand.  Merry fucking Christmas.
Alex blinked as he dried his face on the ratty old towel.  You brought the gifts?
 It s Christmas, isn t it? Jesse declared, kicking the door shut behind him. Sun streamed across
the floor, highlighting the dust motes scattered in the air. The room looked far dingier this morning
than it had last night.
 I also brought coffee and cookies, Jesse said, dropping the bag on the bed.  I hope the
thermos kept it warm. He began arranging their gifts on the old desk under the window.
 You re like the quintessential boy scout, Alex said, digging through the bag. He found the
thermos and unscrewed the top.  Ahh. Even if it s just warm, it ll be great. He took a sip. Shrugged.
It wasn t cold, but it wasn t warm, either. He grabbed a chocolate chip cookie and inhaled it. God, he
was hungry. Good thing Jesse brought all the cookies.
 So, how did you find the key to this place? It was dark as fuck last night, even with the snow,
Jesse said.  And I know you don t have a flashlight in the Audi.
Alex frowned.  Old Nick showed me to this cottage. Didn t you see him in the main building
when you came in last night?
Jesse paused.  Alex, this place is abandoned. That s why there s no electricity. I m amazed the
water works.
Alex shook his head.  It s not abandoned. There s this old guy who runs the place. He looks
kind of like Santa. White beard. Red pants&  He trailed off. Jesse was looking at him like he d lost
his mind.  Black suspenders?
Jesse snorted.  I followed your footprints into the main building, then followed them out to this
shack. I figured you must have grabbed the key and set up for the night in the closest available spot
that wasn t falling down. He shook his head.  I bet you were hypothermic. You hallucinated Santa!
He began to laugh.
Alex glared at him.  I was not hypothermic. The old guy s name was Nick.
 As in Old Saint Nick? Jesse guffawed.  Old Nick at Motel Kringle? Are you kidding me?
 Fuck you, Jesse, Alex said, embarrassed. Maybe he had been a touch hypothermic. His toes
had taken forever to thaw out.  Wait, what about the giant Christmas tree? It was all lit up.
 The fake one with those ugly old colored bulbs from the seventies? I saw it in the main
building. Hideous. Jesse glanced around.  Kind of like this room with its scary lampshades.
Alex made a face.  It was lit up when I got here.
 Dude, you re delusional.
 There were cookies, too, Alex insisted.
 Fake cookies. I checked. Jesse raised his eyebrows.
Alex sighed.  Really? I could ve sworn they were real.
Jesse shook his head.  Nope. Fake. Plastic. Gross.
 Fine, whatever. I probably was on the verge of hypothermia, all right? Alex crossed his arms.
 Well, I m glad you found this place, Jesse said, coming over and sitting next to him.  It saved
your life. He smiled crookedly.  And mine, because I would ve gone crazy if something happened to
you. He bumped his shoulder into Alex.
Alex smiled reluctantly.  Same here. He unfolded his arms and pulled Jesse into a hug.  I love
you.
Jesse kissed him.  I love you too. He grinned.  Let s open our gifts, okay? Then we can head
home. I want to spend the rest of the day in a bed that doesn t scare the crap out of me. He gave the
reindeer embroidered blanket a scowl.
Alex laughed.  Sounds like a plan. Merry Christmas, Jesse.
 Merry Christmas, Alex.
The End
www.erinmleaf.com
Other Books by Erin M. Leaf:
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