“What’s your favorite holiday?” I asked as we browsed the trees.
“Hmm…” He tapped his temple playfully, as if thinking. I was pretty sure he was covering for something, maybe for mentioning his mom? “Christmas, I guess. It’s not something I’ve thought about much.”
“Oh my God, Aidan. You totally should. And Christmas is second to my birthday, which is on Christmas Eve.”
“I know,” he replied with a grin.
My pulse sped up a bit. “Wait. You remembered? Like, is it something you’ve thought about?”
Aidan chuckled. “Relax, boy. There’s no hidden story there.”
Crossing my arms, I pouted playfully.
“Which tree do you want?” he asked a moment later.
“I don’t know. Which one do you like?”
“You choose,” he replied, and I felt a bit light-headed as another rush of happiness swam through me.
Aidan didn’t rush me. It took me over thirty minutes to find the perfect tree, and he waited patiently as we browsed and chatted. When I saw the perfect one—probably eight feet tall and incredibly full and wide—I stopped. “This one. It’s perfect!”
“Looks like a good choice to me. Let’s do this.”
We took turns with the saw, cutting down our tree. Aidan wouldn’t let me pay, and a little while later, with the tree strapped to the top of the car, we were driving home and chatting about all sorts of random things.
This felt…different from any time Aidan and I had spent together, and I wanted nothing more than to live in moments like this with him for as long as I could.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Aidan
I was absolutely ridiculous. I felt a bit silly, but that didn’t stop me from researching light companies to have someone come to decorate the outside of the house while Finley was out.
I’d enjoyed our spontaneous trip to Big Bear more than I liked to admit. We had to shop for decorations afterward, and he’d loved it. It felt good to see him smile and know I was the one making it happen. He hadn’t had enough happiness in his life, and while I couldn’t give him everything he wanted, I took delight in giving him what I could.
And I knew he wanted the outside of the house decorated. I knew it would please him.
This was all…not what it was supposed to be. I didn’t mean my promise not to be with anyone else or picking out trees and holiday ornaments together, but the fact that I liked spending time with him more than I thought I would. Having Finley around had become more than just a routine. We’d slipped into this sort of life together. That was something else I hadn’t expected, and again, I didn’t know what to do with it.
Once I made the phone call and was able to get someone out quickly to take care of decorating the house, I went to work.
Absurdly, I continued to check my phone when I knew Finley would be home. The lights wouldn’t be on, so maybe he hadn’t noticed? But he paid attention well to detail, and I knew that wasn’t the case. He would have seen them, so I was surprised he hadn’t called or texted. What I didn’t want to acknowledge was that it disappointed me he hadn’t.
Forcing those thoughts from my mind—they had no business being there anyway—I finished up at work and headed home.
When I pulled up to the house, it was after dark. The Christmas lights were glowing…and were a bit obnoxious, if you asked me. It was…a lot. But the second I got out of the car, the door to the house opened and Finley came running out.
He jumped at me before I had a chance to do or think much of anything. “It’s perfect, Sir! I…I can’t believe you did this for me. Thank you!”
“It’s not a problem.” I patted his back awkwardly before letting him go. “Why wouldn’t I do this for you?” Forget that it wasn’t the kind of thing I did. I knew that wasn’t what he meant.
“I just know it had to be expensive…and you don’t care about it. I’m not sure I’m worth that kind of—”
“Stop,” I cut him off. “I’m going to make you say nice things about yourself every time you say something negative if you don’t stop.” Cupping his cheek, I angled his face toward me. “You’re worth Christmas lights. You’re worth more than that. Don’t feel differently, and don’t let anyone ever treat you differently either.”
Which included me…and whoever he was with after me. The thought made my insides feel hollowed out.
“Okay,” he replied. “I…I love it. And I made double-chocolate-chip cookies, your favorite, to celebrate.”
He grinned, and then I did, something I was noticing I did entirely too much around him. “I’m glad you like it, boy.”
We stood there and looked at them for a moment, and…I wasn’t sure they were as bad as I’d originally thought. When we went inside, I thought maybe I actually liked them.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Finley
It was my birthday. My mom always said I was the best Christmas gift she’d ever received, which I never understood. She’d been sixteen, and having me had gotten her kicked out of her parents’ home. There was also the fact that I’d been born a month early and had almost died, but she said that since I hadn’t, that just went to show how special I was.
It had been months since the one and only time Aidan had shared my bed. That night…it almost wrecked me. I hated how weak I was, how needy, as I’d cried and imagined Aidan with someone else, wishing he’d wanted to use me instead. I would do anything to be used by him, to be possessed and fucked and shown all those sexual activities I’d only seen in porn and longed to know firsthand.
But he hadn’t come to me. He’d gone to someone else, and then I’d cried and forced him into bed with me, when it obviously wasn’t where he’d wanted to be. And then he’d sworn to me he wouldn’t do it again, and a stronger boy wouldn’t have needed that. Aidan was a Dominant and deserved to be served by whomever he wanted, but I’d clung to that promise, knowing that in the months that passed, Aidan hadn’t gone back on his word to me.
“It feels weird, not cooking for you,” I told Aidan as I went downstairs that evening. He hadn’t allowed me to do any of my chores either.
“It’s your birthday. It’s my job to take care of you, yes? I want to give you this. We didn’t celebrate when you got your diploma. I’m not going to allow your birthday to go unnoticed.”
I was such a fucking slut for him. I couldn’t hold back the grin that split my face. “Thank you, Sir. You make me feel…” Loved. He made me feel loved. “Cared for.”
“You are, and you deserve it.” Aidan reached over and threaded his fingers through my hair. Closing my eyes, I savored his touch, while also wondering what it would feel like if he pulled. He’d tightened his grip on my hair before but never tugged it, never let me feel the sting deep in my scalp.
“Thank you.”
The doorbell rang, and my eyes jerked open in excitement. “You may answer it,” Aidan told me.
“Thank you!” I replied before running for the door.