The streets and sidewalks were crowded with people finishing their last-minute Christmas shopping and I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the men I had called to accompany us would keep my more famous friends and family members protected from overzealous fans.
So far, people had been courteous, only asking for an autograph or a quick picture and then leaving us to our fun, but I wasn’t willing to take any chances. I’d also sent a couple of guys to meet up with Caleb’s team since he was often mistaken for Carter. We walked into a busy coffee shop and looked around.
“Play along,” Landon said, giving me a wink as he took my hand and pulled me behind him. “Excuse me,” he said to a man and woman sitting at a nearby table.
The couple looked up at him curiously. Landon smiled at them and I had to hide my grin when the woman began to blush, her jaw dropping as she stared at my husband. I almost felt sorry for her because I knew what it did to me every time he turned that megawatt smile in my direction, and I was allowed to do something about it. I couldn’t imagine how difficult it must be to come face-to-face with the gorgeous man and not be able to touch. The fact that he didn’t realize the effect he had on people made him even more alluring.
“My husband and I are on our way to his office Christmas party and he just now mentioned that he was supposed to wear a Christmas sweater.” Landon rolled his eyes, sighing dramatically. “He just started working there and is trying to fit in, but well, I’m sure you know how forgetful our men can get sometimes and now he’s going to show up and be the only employee there without a festive shirt.” I bit back a laugh as the woman nodded her head as if she knew exactly what Landon was talking about.
“Give him your sweater, dear,” she told her husband. He looked at her in surprise.
“What? You can’t be serious,” he said.
“Oh, that thing is hideous anyway,” she responded, gesturing to the bright red sweater that had a picture of Santa waving a wad of single dollar bills in the air as he watched a female elf swinging on a stripper pole. The caption above it read “Miss Candy Cane was the most popular elf at the North Pole.”
“But I love this sweater,” he protested.
“You only love it because your mother got it for you which is even more wrong than what’s on it,” she said, rolling her eyes.
The man grumbled something I couldn’t hear, but he pulled the sweater over his head, leaving him in just a turtleneck. Landon and I thanked the couple profusely and then rushed to the door where the rest of our team was waiting.
“One ugly Christmas sweater for twenty points,” Landon announced as we stepped out onto the sidewalk. He shared high fives with our teammates and then turned to me and grinned sheepishly.
“So, I’m the forgetful husband, huh?” I said, crossing my arms over my chest and pretending to glare at him.
“I didn’t mean it, baby,” Landon purred, moving in close and wrapping his arms around my waist.
“Still, I think I’ll make you pay for that when we get home,” I whispered in his ear.
Landon pulled back, swallowing thickly as he searched my face. He looked almost nervous and I frowned in concern. What possible reason would Landon have to be nervous with me? He opened his mouth to say something, but before he got the chance, Carter interrupted.
“I’ve got a great idea. We’re about to get a lot of points,” he said, waving the list in the air with a triumphant smile.
He grabbed Rylie by the arm and turned, talking to his friend as they walked quickly down the sidewalk. The rest of us looked at each other questioningly then shrugged our shoulders and hurried to catch up. A half a block further, they stopped near a couple of street performers who were playing outside a bar. The two young men were each playing guitar and one was singing into a microphone. Despite their amazing voices, the guitar case which sat opened in front of them was nearly empty except for a few wadded-up dollar bills and some change.
We listened as they finished their song and then Carter and Rylie walked up to them. It was almost comical to see their reactions as the famous drummer and lead singer approached them. Carter spoke to them for a few seconds and the two guys smiled, nodding their heads excitedly.
“Hey, everybody! How are you all doing?” Carter said as he turned and stepped up to the microphone.
I looked around when what had been a very small crowd quickly grew as people began to recognize the men from one of the world’s hottest bands. Some people pulled their phones out and began recording and my body went on high alert. I searched the crowd for my men and saw them moving in close, one standing to the right of Carter and Rylie and the other, just to the left. I grabbed Landon’s hand to keep him near and pushed my way to the front, thinking of all the ways I was going to kill Carter when this was over.
“I hope you’re having a great time getting ready for Christmas. Rocko and I just got back in town to spend some time with our families and we heard the awesome music being played by our friends, Jared and Bryce.” The two guys raised their hands in the air and smiled widely as the crowd cheered.
“We’d like to play a couple songs for you, if that’s alright, and if you like what you hear, maybe you can toss some change into the case for our friends,” Rylie added.
The then very large crowd cheered again as Jared and Bryce began to play and Rylie and Carter shared the microphone, belting out lively renditions of “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Last Christmas,” followed by “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town.” By the time they’d finished, the police had arrived to help with the crowd and the guitar case was overflowing with cash.
Carter and Rylie shook hands with the two other musicians and I wasn’t surprised when both Lachlan and my husband walked up to them, handing them their cards. I didn’t know all that much about music, but even I had been impressed with the way they’d held their own, despite the crowd and the nerves they must have felt, playing with such giants in the industry. Lachlan called for his driver and I nodded to my men who helped me secure our group and get them safely into the limo as it pulled up.
“What the hell was that?” Ryan and I both yelled at the same time as soon as the door was shut. Carter and Rylie exchanged a look and then Rylie pulled a couple of things out of his pocket. He smiled as he held them up in the air and I took a closer look, my jaw dropping when I realized it was a woman’s lace bra and a bright yellow thong.
“Oh, and don’t forget the candy cane-flavored condom I got. I believe that was worth two hundred points,” Carter added smugly.
“How the hell did you get those?” Jason asked.
“They threw them into the guitar case,” Rylie answered.
“But how did you know they’d do that?” he pressed further.
“It happens all the time. You’d be surprised what people toss on stage during a concert,” Carter told him, shrugging his shoulders like it was no big deal.
“That’s disturbing,” Michelle muttered. “Impressive, but disturbing all the same.”
“Here,” Lachlan said, pulling a plastic bag from a hidden compartment inside the limo and handing it to Rylie to drop the undergarments into. “And use this,” he told his husband, passing him a bottle of hand sanitizer. Rylie laughed, but squirted the liquid into his hand anyway.
After a slight detour where Lachlan used his British accent to woo a preacher’s wife out of the baby Jesus from the Nativity scene in front of the church, we finally made it back to the house with only minutes to spare. We filed inside and deposited our treasures onto the living room floor while the other team did the same.
We all sat around the dining room table, warming up over cups of coffee and a plate of Christmas cookies while Kathy and Rick tallied up the scores. We shared stories of how we’d acquired some of our items, laughing at some of the more creative ploys. Eventually, Landon’s parents walked in and we looked at them anxiously as we waited to hear who had won.
“Well, it was a pretty close call. Team One brought in a lot of items, but Te
am Two had a few high scoring items,” Rick said. “In the end, the competition was won by just ten points.” It was completely quiet as we all leaned closer.
“And the winner is… Team Two,” Kathy declared, sounding like a game show announcer. “Michelle, Jason, Carter, Ryan, Landon, Micah, Rylie and Lachlan, you may take a bow and present the losing team with their ears.”
We whooped and hollered then bowed dramatically to the teasing boos of our opponents. Then, we each took a pair of elf ears from Kathy and handed them out to the members of the opposite team. But, like the good sports they were, they quickly changed into their elf costumes and trudged through the neighborhood, knocking on doors and singing Christmas carols while our team followed along, recording the entire thing on our phones.
All in all, it had been a fun-filled day and as we ate the pizzas that Kathy had ordered, we each agreed that Michelle and Emma should be in charge of planning any future competitions. Competitions which would also include our friends from then on.
An hour later, Landon and I walked through our front door. He’d been rather quiet on the way home and I wondered if it had to do with the look he’d given me back in front of the coffee shop. It was obvious that something was on his mind and I intended to get to the bottom of it. Laying my keys on the table and making sure the door was locked, I followed him down the hallway to our room. When I got there, he had already taken his shirt off and was staring down at the material in his hands.
“A penny for your thoughts,” I said, leaning against the doorway. He jumped and turned to me with a startled look.
“What?” he asked. I walked forward until I was standing directly in front of him.
“I can tell something’s bothering you and I’d like to know what it is,” I told him, lifting his chin so he’d look at me. “Is it your anxiety? Did something happen to trigger it?” It had been a long time since Landon had suffered a panic attack and his therapist was pleased with his progress, but I knew that there was always a chance that something could set him back.
“No, it’s nothing like that. I promise,” he rushed to assure me, reaching his hands up to cradle my face.
“Then what is it? You know you can talk to me about anything,” I reminded him. Landon puffed his cheeks and let out a long, slow breath.
“I know. It’s just something I’ve been thinking about…” he trailed off, shrugging his shoulders.
“Tell me,” I pleaded. He pulled out of my grasp and began pacing the floor in front of me.
“It’s not that I’m not happy with the way things are between us, because trust me, I am. It’s just that lately I’ve been curious,” he stated.
“Curious about what?” I asked, my voice cracking at the end.
Did Landon want to try an open marriage? Did he want to invite a third into our relationship? My mind swirled with agonizing images of Landon in the arms of another man. I didn’t have a problem with triads, in fact, I was very happy that Hudson, Isaac, and Matt had fallen in love with each other, but I wasn’t built that way. I didn’t think it would be possible for me to share Landon without it totally destroying me.
Landon stared at me, looking very vulnerable and I saw a tremor go through him. I grabbed him into my arms and held him close, rubbing soothing circles over the smooth skin of his back. Right then, I knew that I would give Landon anything he asked for, no matter how much it might hurt me. His happiness was the only thing that mattered and if he needed something beyond what I alone could offer him, then I’d make sure he got it.
“Curious about what?” I repeated, that time in a steady voice.
“About what it would be like…to top you,” he whispered, dropping his head onto my shoulder. It took a moment for his words to sink in and then I was grinning and pulling him back so I could see his face.
“Is that all?” I asked, feeling my shoulders sag as the tension left my body.
“Well, yeah. It’s just that I didn’t know how you’d feel about it and I didn’t want you to think that I was unhappy with our sex life, because I’m not. At all,” he stressed.
“As long as you don’t want anyone else, then I’m happy,” I said, feeling a bit giddy.
“Anyone else? What are you talking about?” he asked, looking disgusted by the idea.
“Nothing, never mind,” I said, leaning in to kiss him soundly.
Landon sagged against me as I deepened the kiss, sweeping my tongue over the roof of his mouth and sucking on his tongue. I felt his cock grow hard against my thigh and I reached down, cupping it through his jeans. Landon moaned and tilted his head back, so I could trail my lips down his throat, but then I pulled back. He swayed for a moment and I held onto his arms to steady him, smirking at the effect I’d had on him. How could I have doubted the chemistry between us for even a second?
“Why did you stop?” He opened his eyes, blinking at me.
“Because tonight, we’re doing things a little differently,” I told him. Landon licked his lips, obviously liking the idea. “Just so you know, I’ve never been opposed to having you top,” I continued, but Landon looked at me as if he were still unsure.
“When we first got together, we both fulfilled a need in each other,” I explained. “I needed to have control because so many things in my life had been out of my control for far too long, and you needed someone else to take control, to make the decisions that you were just too tired to make. But we’re different now. We’ve grown as individuals and as a couple. We’ve continued things the way they’ve been because we enjoy them, not because we necessarily need them anymore.” I watched as a small smile of understanding lifted the corners of his mouth and I smiled back.
“I want to share everything with you, Landon, including feeling you inside me.” He gasped at that and his eyes darkened with lust. Landon tracked my movements as I took another step back and pulled my shirt over my head, letting it drop to the floor. His hands reached out and stopped me as I reached for my belt.
“I want to do that,” he whispered.
His hands were steady, the look in his eyes sure as he unfastened the buckle, pulling the leather from my pants and tossing it to the floor with a loud clank. Next, he unbuttoned my pants and I hissed when his knuckles grazed my erection as he slowly lowered my zipper. His fingers teased along the waistband of my briefs, just barely dipping in, and my hands fisted at my sides as I fought the urge to throw him on the bed and sink my cock into his succulent body. This night was a new first for us, and I was determined to stay the course.
My pulse burned through my veins as Landon sank to his knees, staring up at me as he reached for my pants and briefs and lowered both of them over my hips and down my legs. I kicked them off then held my breath, waiting to see what he’d do next. I didn’t have to wait long as he used the flat of his tongue to lick a line from the base of my cock to the tip. He moaned as he tasted the pre-cum that leaked from the head and I reached for him, running my fingers through his hair and gently urging him on.
He sucked me into his mouth and my knees nearly buckled at the feel of his warm, wet mouth surrounding my cock. His head bobbed up and down expertly, knowing exactly what to do to bring me the greatest pleasure. I automatically tensed as I felt him spread my cheeks and a wet finger traced a line through my crack. Landon halted his movements and peered up at me, releasing my cock from his mouth.
“Do you trust me?” he asked.
“Yes,” I answered swiftly. There was no reason to hesitate. I trusted Landon with my life.
“Then trust me to make you feel as good as you always make me feel,” he whispered. I nodded my head. “Get on the bed.” A shiver swept through me at the authority in my lover’s voice. I liked that side of him. Of course, I liked every side of my husband.
I lay on the bed and scooted until my head reached the pillows. Placing my hands behind my head in a leisurely manner, I enjoyed the show as Landon finished undressing himself, exposing miles of flawless skin over toned muscles. He walked to the sid
e of the bed and pulled a bottle of lube from the table drawer then he crawled onto the bed and between my spread thighs with an almost feral grin. He licked his lips as he looked over my body, as if deciding where to start.
Finally, he dropped to his stomach and pushed my legs up toward my chest. I held the backs of my knees as he instructed and gasped when I felt Landon’s firm hands spreading my cheeks apart. It felt a bit strange, exposing that part of myself to him, but Landon calmed my nerves by whispering words of encouragement and praise until all I wanted was for him to touch me. His tongue flicked out and circled my hole and I nearly shot off the bed as nerves I’d never felt before sprang to life like live wires.
Landon chuckled and then pursed his lips, blowing a cooling breath against my hole. It was in such opposition of my feverish skin that my mind swirled, trying to make sense of the foreign sensations. My hands went to his hair as he continued to lick and taste that part of me that had never known anyone else. I writhed on the bed, torn between never wanting him to stop and feeling as if I needed more.
I felt his thumb press against my entrance and all I could think was, “Thank God!” I heard the cap from the bottle of lube snap open and instinctively, I pulled my knees up, leaving myself open to him and he poured it over his finger, wetting it thoroughly before easing it inside me. It felt odd at first, but I forced myself to relax. Soon, his entire finger was in and he began to move it slowly, in and out of me, stretching me and preparing me to take his cock.
He added another finger and I breathed through the discomfort, but then he twisted his wrist and I had to fight back a scream. Holy shit! So, that’s what a prostate massage feels like. His voice sounded far away as my pulse rushed through my ears.
“Micah, are you okay?” Somehow, I registered his concern, so I assured him the only way I could think of in my warbled mental state.
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