by Aria Grace
This holiday season, though, I had decided enough was enough. I missed my family, and I missed my home. I was tired of making excuses for never coming by, and they were tired of listening to them.
I spotted the familiar sign of the bakery down the street and quickened my pace. The most appetizing aroma hit me in the face as soon as I swung the door open. Yes, this was the right place. It was a bit busy for a Saturday morning, this cheesecake was worth the wait.
“Hi, can I help you?” asked the redheaded girl at the counter. She had a sweet smile, which wasn’t something you saw every day in New York City, at least not from a stranger.
“Hi. It’s been a while since I’ve been here, but you used to have that fantastic New York style cherry cheesecake. Do you have one ready? It’s my mom’s favorite, and I’d love to surprise her with it.”
She perked up right away. “Yes, absolutely. It’s one of our most popular cakes. Right this way,” she said, leading me down the length of the counter. The display of cakes was divine. It was no wonder the place was buzzing with activity. Finally, we stopped at the cheesecakes, and there it was, front and center: the famous cherry cheesecake Mom would go absolutely bonkers for.
I pointed at it decisively. “That’s the one. Please pack one up for me.”
“Will that be all?” she asked as she pulled the cake from the display case.
I nodded. “That’s it, thanks.”
The bell at the front door rang out just as she led me back to the cash register. A man stood there, waiting to be helped, and I couldn’t help but think he looked very familiar, even though I only saw his profile. That strong, elegant nose and chin weren’t commonplace in my hometown.
“I’ll be with you in a minute,” the girl said to the waiting man.
He glanced in my direction and the eye contact knocked the wind out of me—I definitely knew him from somewhere. My heart stopped. It was him, wasn’t it? He was a few years older now, and a few pounds heavier, but there was no mistaking those eyes or that jawline. It was the omega who had stolen my heart and crushed it. Colton Gill.
A look of recognition flashed in his eyes, so I couldn’t avoid the obligatory small talk.
“Hi, how are you?” I asked with what I hoped was an easy grin.
“Oh my God, Parker. How are you? I haven’t seen you in forever.” He took a step closer. His pink cheeks expanded with his wide smile.
“I've been fine, thanks. I’ve been away for a while but I’m back now—at least for the holidays.”
“Wow, how time flies...” His voice trailed off as he stared into my eyes, but then snapped back to reality. “I just came back from a trip myself, although I was only gone for four weeks.”
Oh, God. Only gone for four weeks? What sort of job did he have where could take off just like that?
I shifted from one foot to the other. Although he’d changed, he was just as gorgeous as ever. We’d ended our romance on friendly terms, but I’d been heartbroken, all the same. We’d been going strong, but then I had to move for my job, while he started college out of town, and it fizzled out when we tried the long-distance thing. I’d heard through the Grapevine that he’d dropped out after his freshman year and come back to town, but I didn’t have that option. Kingston had no jobs in my field, and I wasn’t done climbing the corporate ladder yet.
“Where did you go?” I asked. I paid for the cheesecake and the girl packed it into a bag and pushed it across the counter to me.
“I backpacked around Europe. It was awesome, you should try it sometime.”
His face was open and friendly, with no hint of any underlying awkwardness.
“As if I’d ever get that much time off from work at once,” I said, somewhat bitterly. “Anyway, I’m glad you had fun, but it’s nice to be back home, isn’t it?”
He nodded. “It sure is. Maybe we can grab a drink while you’re here.”
I drew in a sharp breath. “That would be fun. Alright,” I said looking from Colton to the salesgirl, who was standing there watching our interaction. “I'd better get going. Have to get to my parents’ place now.”
“Sure. See you later,” he said, extending a hand.
I shook it, and the shiver it sent down my spine lingered long after I left the bakery.
The drive to my childhood home took me past many landmarks from my childhood. A sense of calm washed over me as I crossed the bridge over Catskills River.
I used to fish there with my grandfather, a kindly old man with the patience of a saint and the sharp eye of an eagle. It was our Saturday afternoon ritual. He’d take me down there, probably to give my parents some alone time around the house, at least before my sister was born, but I didn’t look at it that way then. For me, it was a break from my hectic home life, with my mom breathing down my neck, asking whether I'd done my homework, and my dad trying to coax me into helping with yardwork.
The more of these memories that flowed through my mind, the more bitter I felt about my current fate. To start with, I regularly woke at five AM in my fancy midtown apartment. It might have been expensive, with a courteous doorman and all the conveniences of modern life, but it was empty, save for me. By six AM, I’d be done with my breakfast and morning jog, and by seven I’d have slipped into a crisp, white shirt and an impeccable power suit. The long trek to Wall Street via subway would be spent reading the latest financial news, and once at the office, it would be non-stop action until I walked through the lobby turnstiles at around seven or eight PM.
I slammed my hand on the steering wheel as I passed a pair of laughing parents pulling their kid in a sleigh. I was within reach of my career’s pinnacle, and what did I have to show for it? Sure, I had prestige and money, but no one to share it with, and occasionally this knowledge woke me in a cold sweat at two AM, my heart pumping, with waves of nausea crashing over my body. It was no way to live, but what could I do?
I’d asked my doctor about medication to take the edge off my anxiety, but he was hesitant with prescriptions, and instead taught me a breathing technique called four-four-six. Inhale through the nose for four seconds, hold for four seconds, and exhale through the mouth for a count of six seconds. It seemed to help from time to time.
I pushed the thoughts from my mind and took a deep breath. I was about to see my family for the first time in three years, and I couldn’t show up as an emotional mess. I plastered a smile on my face and turned the radio to the local station.
“Mom, I’m home!” I called out as I entered the house. Nothing has changed, it seemed. My parents still didn’t lock their front door. Not that they needed to. Not in this town.
“Dad! Stephanie! Is anyone home?”
“Parkey!” yelled my sister as she jumped into my arms, hugging me so tight I thought she was going to crush me.
I laughed as I spun her around. “Still using that nickname, I see.”
“Of course! Where are your bags? Still in the car? I can go get them for you.”
“No, don’t worry about it. I’ll get them later. Where’s Mom and Dad?” I asked.
They must have heard our voices, because the foyer was suddenly packed, and I turned from one set of welcoming arms to another.
I beamed as I looked around at each of their friendly faces. There was no resentment in their eyes. They weren’t holding my extended absence against me, and for that I was thankful.
After lunch, I got my bags out of the trunk and took them upstairs to my old room, which hadn’t changed a bit.
“Hey, Parkey, let me help you unpack. That is, unless you have stuff you don't want me to see,” she said with a laugh. She was probably referring to the time she raided my dresser for a cigarette, which was my only vice as a teenager, and found a vibrator instead. I’ve since quit that habit.
I was already in the middle of unpacking, and threw a shirt at her, getting her square in the face.
“Sure, you little runt. You can take care of this bag. I think there’s some room in here,” I said, walking o
ver to my old dresser and pulling open a couple of drawers. Two of them were empty. Perfect.
We talked about life in Manhattan, which had always fascinated her, and I had to tell her about all the cool clubs I never got a chance to go to. I had heard about them from buddies, so I wasn’t completely talking out of my ass.
“How long are you staying?” she asked seriously. “We’ve all missed you, you know. It’s not the same without you here. We have so much to catch up on!”
There it was—the guilt trip I’d been hoping to avoid. I knew she didn’t mean it that way, but it stung, nonetheless.
“I got permission to work remotely for two weeks, and then I’m taking another two or three weeks off, using my regular vacation days, so it’s safe to say I’ll be here until the new year, at least.” Simply saying that brought a sense of calm over me.
Stephanie beamed. “For real? That’s great! I can’t wait to do all the cool Christmas stuff with you! I imagine you have to catch up with your friends, too, don’t you?”
I chuckled. “Yeah, if I still have any here.” I’d gone months without talking to some of them and was afraid that maybe I’d pushed my luck one too many times. I’d be surprised if any of my old friendships survived that separation intact.
“Don’t be silly! I know you still talk to some of them, don’t you? Give them a call. There are a couple of new clubs and bars you should check out while you’re here. The town has changed a lot since you left. It’s not a sleepy little village anymore.”
This piqued my interest. With my hectic hours at the bank, I hardly ever had the time or energy to have fun. Maybe this would be my chance to reacquaint with that side of me. The one I’d long ago forgotten. The one that loved having fun and letting loose. I was still in touch with Rob. Maybe it was time I gave him a call to show me around.
2. Colton
“What should we have?” asked Frank, my best friend in the world, as we stood at the bar in Stages, one of the most popular clubs in town. Frank had suggested it, and I’d taken his word for it.
I shrugged and sighed. “Whatever’s the cheapest,” I said plainly. “I left all my money in Europe, to be honest.” I reached into my back pocket and made a big show of pulling something out. “Wait, wait, wait! I have twenty bucks here, so go hog wild.”
Frank bellowed with laughter and slapped me on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, bud, I’ve got this one.”
Well, thank God for that, because I really was broke, and hadn’t planned to hit the town so soon after my trip. Frank, however, had insisted on dragging me out this weekend, and I couldn’t say no to him. It’s been a whole week since I’ve felt the heat of a hot Alpha, and I was getting antsy for love. Or at least, for lust.
He handed me a bottle of Heineken, and we went to the dance floor, where I busted out some of the best moves that I learned in the clubs of Paris, Berlin, Budapest, and Rome. Most of my trip was a haze, but I guess I had good muscle memory.
When a particularly sucky song came on, I pulled Frank off to the side to catch our breaths.
“So, do you see anyone hot?” asked Frank in his signature sassy way.
I pursed my lips and scanned the crowd with narrowed eyes.
“Meh, no. Besides, although I’m horny as fuck, I’m starting to get tired of the dating scene. Maybe something more substantial would interest me. I’m starting to feel empty.” It was hard to share my feelings, but I knew Frank wouldn’t judge me. “And you know what? I’m lonely. It would be nice to have someone there every day. Someone to love me and support me.”
“Well, just get a job.” His brows shot up and he cocked his head.
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t mean financial support, although I wouldn’t say no to that. I mean someone to encourage me, hold my hand, listen to me when I needed to talk.”
“Oh.” For the first time, Frank was stumped. He didn’t get it. He was still content to jump from bed to bed and relied on no one except himself. I envied him for his sense of independence, but that wasn’t me. At least, not yet.
“You know who I ran into a few days ago?” I asked, broaching the subject that had been on my mind since my trip to the bakery.
“Don’t tell me it was the professor from college you fucked. You bring him up every couple of months.”
He let out a laugh that quickly turned into a groan when I elbowed him—hard.
“No, it was Parker.”
“Ooooh la la,” Frank said, still rubbing his side. “The accountant dude?”
“Yeah, something like that. We used to date before I went off to college and he went to New York. I still dream about him, sometimes, you know that?”
“You don’t say? And he’s back in town?”
“Well, for a visit, anyway.”
“Did he see you, too?”
I nodded. “Yeah. I shook his hand, and it was as if an earthquake struck the building. All my feelings came rushing back, and it took everything I had in me not to follow him home like a lost puppy.”
“Why didn’t you? I mean, you could have set up a date or something.”
I shook my head. “Nah. Listen, he’s a rich, professional alpha living in Manhattan. He’s probably got a lineup of the most eligible omegas in town, and here I am, broke, lost, with no plan for my life. He’d be crazy to want me, and he probably knows it.”
“You’re overthinking it. First of all, you’re a great catch. You’re fun and crazy, which is a good thing. In my books, at least. Second, what’s the harm in meeting for drinks? If nothing else, you have another romp in the hay and get it out of your system. No harm, no foul.”
“He did look good. Tall, dark, and handsome. With a huge cock that I’ll never forget as long as I live,” I added under my breath, not really intending it for his ears.
“What was that about a cock?” Frank asked, leaning in.
“Nothing. I said there’s something in my sock. My sock!”
“Oh, okay.”
Frank spotted a friend outside having a smoke, and wanted to go say hi, so we headed to the door.
“Oh, excuse me!” I said at the doorway as I bumped into someone coming in from the cold.
“Colton?”
I’d know that voice anywhere. It was definitely the voice from the bakery. I looked up into his face.
“Parker! What are you doing here?” Duh, what a stupid question. “I mean, how nice to see you!”
“It’s great to see you, too, Colton.”
That smooth, deep voice ignited something in me. The cat had caught my tongue and I stood there like an idiot, staring up into those big brown eyes.
“Ahem!” Frank cleared his throat behind me. “Look up, gents!”
What the hell was he talking about? I was tempted to just ignore him, but I did as I was told, and craned my neck upward. Oh, crap. What else could it have been? A beautiful bouquet of mistletoe hung from the doorframe. Well, of course. Christmas was just five weeks away.
Parker’s gaze followed mine, and our eyes met. My face flushed hot and I must have been as red as the potted poinsettias in the corner.
I shrugged. “It is tradition, I guess.” I gulped. What would his reaction be?
“Pucker up, buttercup,” said Frank behind me. I reached behind me and squeezed his balls until I heard an audible groan of pain, but didn’t break eye contact with Parker, and my smile didn’t leave my face for a second.
I raised my eyebrows, and leaned in. His lips brushed mine, and my entire body was slammed with sensations I hadn’t felt for years. Rather than just a peck, this was a real kiss, and grew more insistent with each passing second. God, this was ecstasy.
Frank hooted and hollered behind us and I made a mental note to give him a wedgie later.
Finally, we separated, but I found it hard to tear my gaze from him. “Frank, why don’t you go ahead? I’m going to show Parker around the bar,” I said, turning to Frank.
“Gotcha,” he retorted, brushing past me into the great outdoors.
This was so surreal. My plans for the night had consisted of having a few drinks with Frank, and maybe taking someone home to my crappy little apartment on the second floor. Instead, I now had the love of my life in my crappy little apartment on the second floor.
Naked.
And eager.
Yes, he lay naked on my bed, while I rummaged through one of my drawers looking for something extremely important. Uh-huh! I found it.
I twirled around to face him and stuck out a hip, holding my prize in my right hand.
Parker chuckled. “You’ve got the right idea, sweetheart. But why should I be surprised? You’ve always been fun.”
Gripping my vibrator tightly in my hand, I jumped on the bed and straddled him. Our hard cocks rubbed against each other as I smashed my lips against his in a frenzy of passion.
I could feel slick building up inside me and was delighted when Parker reached behind me and started rubbing my ass, spreading the wetness around my hole. I almost came when I imagined him pushing his way inside, stretching and filling me.
I could hear him groan, and I could sense his hunger.
“Let me take care of you,” I purred, scooting down between his legs. He pulled the purple vibrator from my hand and positioned it between my ass cheeks.
I wiggled my butt for him, to make access a little easier, and he didn’t waste a single second. As I swirled my tongue around his hard, humongous cock, he pushed the tip of the vibrator into my ass with gentle pulsating motions.
He was just as nasty as I remembered him, which you wouldn’t have expected, if you’d known about his job and his prim and proper behavior outside the bedroom.
I moaned into his cock as he pushed the vibrator deeper into my ass. I loved having my holes filled, especially by Parker.