Cheesiness aside, he was right. I tugged hard, making him collapse on top of me with a surprised huff. “You’ve been watching those Christmas movies again, haven’t you?”
“Oh, fuck you.” His fingers found their way under the covers and dug into my ribs. “I was trying to cheer you up, you ungrateful bastard.” He tickled me mercilessly until I was writhing around on the sheets.
“Stop!” I managed to get out between high-pitched giggles. “Fuck . . . stop.”
He eased off and leant over me while I gasped for breath. “Look. I know this is all new, but you’re my best friend, Jared. This isn’t the awkward morning after of some one-night stand.” With a soft kiss, he whispered. “This is us.”
We made checkout by the skin of our teeth, and thankfully the snow had almost gone by the time we set off. Tom dropped me off with a kiss and a promise to see each other on Christmas day after we’d both had meals with our families.
My phone chimed with a text at a minute past midnight. I was already smiling as I swiped to read it.
Tom: Merry Christmas, Jared. x
Jared: Merry Christmas. x
Meet Annabelle Jacobs
Author of holiday romances, Not just for Christmas and No Place Like Home, and owner of a very naughty but loveable black Labrador and three very disappointed cats.
Website: annabellejacobs.com
Newsletter: annabellejacobs.com/ajnews
Everyone needs a bit of Christmas magic.
Dare’s brilliant idea to get a Santa for the Moon Pack runs up against Anthony’s dislike of stories that encourage trespassing, even if it is to leave gifts.
A Santa for Trin
Copyright ©2020 Amber Kell
Editor: Jason Bradley
Chapter One
Dare lay with his legs across the couch arm and his head cradled on his mate’s lap. Being a shifter had its perks and lazing around in the sun in human or tiger form remained on his top-five list of things to do. Saturday mornings were made for lounging in pajamas and watching cartoons, with no expectations for the day except to cuddle with his mate and enjoy time together.
Bright sunlight slid through the windowpanes, warming Dare despite the coldness outside. The string of Christmas lights they had laid across the mantel blinked cheerfully. With a large tree growing out of the middle of the club, courtesy of their Alpha’s mate, Anthony Carrow, they didn’t bother having one in their small apartment, but Dare had wanted a bit of Christmas cheer.
He reached over his head to slide his fingers beneath the elastic band of Steven’s pajama bottoms. Absently running his fingers back and forth across Steven’s muscled stomach, he dipped a little deeper between passes.
“I think we should have a Santa this year.” The words slid out of his mouth before he could take them back.
A broken laugh sounded above him. “That isn’t where I thought you were going with that. Do you have a Santa kink you want to tell me about? I might be willing to put on a Santa hat for play time, but I draw the line at the reindeer.”
Dare snickered. “No. I mean I think we should arrange a Santa visit for the kids. We have a lot more children in the pack now, and I think it would be fun for them. Especially Trin. Besides it’s been too long since I sat on Santa’s lap.” He tilted his head and flashed Steven a wicked grin.
Steven huffed and set the motorcycle magazine he’d been reading on the side table. “I don’t think I’m comfortable with you sitting on a strange guy’s lap.”
“No?” With a shifter’s speed and grace, Dare flipped over to straddle his lover. “What about yours?”
“You can sit on my lap anytime.” Steven wrapped his hands around Dare’s back and pulled him closer. “I like you here.”
Dare leaned in for the kiss. Their tongues dueled in a familiar dance, sliding and entwining, tasting and savoring. No matter how many times they kissed, each one sent a shiver of desire down Dare’s spine and a fire burning in his stomach like strong whiskey.
A low groan poured out of him as he melted against his mate’s knowing touch. Steven’s clever fingers stripped off their shirts in the second between kisses and catching their breath.
“You’ve gotten good at that.” There were many things about Steven he admired, but Dare adored his mate’s ability to strip them bare without losing a bit of passion.
“Want to take it to the bedroom or stay here?” Steven bit Dare’s neck.
Dare’s eyes crossed. He tipped back a bit more, giving Steven easy access. It took him a few tries before he could get out the words. “B-bedroom.”
“Good choice.”
The couch served well for the occasional blow job, but for full-on sex, Dare would rather have a soft mattress, preferably their own. They raced to the bedroom. With the shortness of the hallway, it wasn’t much of a contest, but their laughter echoed off the walls and added a playful aspect that had been missing a minute ago.
Dare reached the bed first. With a victorious shout, he flung himself onto the covers. “Made it.”
“Yes, you did, kitten. Want me to give you your prize?”
“Uh-huh.” Dare grinned up at his mate. Steven stripped off his pajama bottoms, then grabbed the bottom hem of Dare’s pants and yanked. “You get better at that each time.”
“I do, don’t I.” Steven grabbed the lube off the bedside table. They hadn’t bothered to put it away from the night before. Like most mated shifters, they had an active sex life.
“Want me facing you or on my knees.” Dare flipped over and raised his ass for Steven’s inspection.
A low growl rolled across the room. “Babe, you are good anyway you want.” Steven’s voice lowered to a gravelly pitch, sending delicious tendrils of need up Dare’s spine.
“Then come get me or I’ll start without you.” He wiggled his ass and reached around to grab his erection only to have his hand slapped away.
“Mine. This time, you are all mine.”
The power plays between them fluctuated back and forth. Although Steven was a powerful werewolf, Dare’s tiger occasionally liked to take charge. Neither man cared who topped as long as they both enjoyed themselves in the end. Still, there was something primally seductive when Steven went all alpha.
Dare stilled and waited until Steven breached his hole with his finger before wiggling again. He got a slap on his ass for his troubles. He did it again.
“Naughty kitty,” Steven reprimanded him.
“Yep.” Dare nodded enthusiastically. “Your naughty kitty.”
Truer words were never spoken.
Steven replied, not with words but with another finger and more lube. He widened Dare’s hole with exquisite, purposeful slowness.
Bastard.
“Could you hurry that along?”
“Nope.” Steven placed a kiss on Dare’s lower back before returning to his task.
“I could finish without you.”