Beautiful Temptation (So This is Christmas Book 2)

by Christina Lee

  He gripped my cock as his mouth slammed against mine.

  “We don’t have time,” I murmured against his lips.

  “Then, you better be quick.” His fingers felt like the perfect pressure, and it only took a few strong strokes before the room whited out and I groaned my release into his shoulder.

  I sank forward, and he anchored me against the wall as we panted into each other’s mouths, sharing the same air and stealing small kisses. When we heard a noise downstairs, I straightened. “You go first, and let me wash up.”

  He reached for the towel and quickly exited the bathroom as I marveled at what we’d just done. Touching him was addicting, and I didn’t know what to do about it, except try to steal as many moments with him as I could before it all came crashing down around us.

  Once I was showered and dressed, I headed downstairs, trying like hell to pretend that everything was normal when it was anything but. Caden was sitting on the couch alongside his parents, as if nothing at all had happened between us. The devilish grin he delivered upon seeing me went straight to my chest. And who was I kidding—my crotch was enjoying it too.

  16

  Caden

  I twisted in my sheets, still thinking about Blair. Not only about how we’d stayed up late to finish our Netflix show, but about how careful we were around each other until the others went to bed. And even then, we sat close on the couch with our thighs rubbing together but still remained on high alert.

  But as soon as Blair fell asleep, I gave up caring and wrapped him in my arms. He’d sighed into my chest, and for a split second I considered returning the favor from earlier, but I was also content just having him close. Which was all kinds of fucked up. I liked the weight of him against me, and maybe that would be the case with any other guy, but I had a feeling it had more to do with Blair being vulnerable in front of me, especially in sleep. Like he was letting down his guard and allowing himself to be cared for. And from reading between the lines, I didn’t get the sense that was something that happened often. So I couldn’t help relishing it even if it messed with my head long after we parted ways.

  And hell, having him sink down to his knees in the shower to give me an epic blow job? Mind. Blown. The way he looked down there with his eyelashes wet and glued together, his mouth all red and stretched around my length…

  By the time he’d worked me over, his cock was stiff and red-tipped. And his lean waist and hips… Damn, he was beautiful. I might’ve seen most of him the other night when I’d gotten us off on the couch, but he’d made a show of taking off his clothes in the bathroom, making sure I saw that gorgeous, plump ass. Shit. I wanted to grab it and sink my cock inside, and that was unchartered, dangerous territory.

  Damn, why did my family have to show up like this when all I wanted to do was explore Blair’s body? Yeah, that might be selfish, but the whole purpose of this trip was to be selfish. And inserting Blair into the mix only added fuel to the fire. Who knew I’d enjoy him so much and learn about my preferences in the process?

  Eventually I rolled out of bed, and when I heard Charlotte’s squeal downstairs, I couldn’t help but smile. My niece was the sweetest, and watching her joy while building the sandcastle and visiting the aquarium yesterday was not only nostalgic, but made me yearn for more, something I wasn’t sure I could ever have. I still wasn’t certain, but I could at least start forming a picture in my mind of having someone solid by my side, and that felt refreshing, if a bit scary.

  As soon as I descended the stairs and realized there was a fashion show in progress in the great room, my face split into a huge grin.

  The adults were her captive audience while sitting around the room with mugs of coffee, watching in amusement as Charlotte marched down a pretend runway, wearing her mom’s low-heel sandals and the striped red and green jammies she’d gotten for the holiday.

  “Sell that pajama top,” Blair said, encouraging her along as I planted myself behind the couch and watched. Mom looked up at me with stars in her eyes because she’d always adored Blair. As he pranced behind Charlotte in an exaggerated model walk, he was such a natural, and I couldn’t drink him in fast enough, even in his baggy sweats and designer T-shirt.

  “You should totally open your own modeling agency,” Tabitha remarked. “You’re so good with kids.”

  “You think?” He pivoted and posed.

  Charlotte tried to copy him before dissolving into giggles.

  I couldn’t help smiling like a loon.

  After watching another minute, I headed to the coffee pot, then helped Mom with the pancake mix for breakfast. But I couldn’t stop my gaze from seeking Blair out as he settled near Christopher and Charlotte on the couch and she animatedly showed him the contents of the plastic purse she’d been carrying on the runway.

  When he glanced in my direction and our eyes connected, my cheeks grew warm, and I had to look away. Christ, I was acting like a teenager with a crush. But I supposed it wasn’t that far off.

  “So how’s work been, Cady?” Christopher asked as he walked into the room to help set the table.

  I tensed immediately, remembering how Christopher and Blair were double trouble when we were kids. How I’d cringe in front of my friends when they’d shout the nickname down the hall or at practice from behind the fence. Contrasted with Blair using it in the throes of passion, it was wholly confusing. Because I liked it then. It felt personal. And intimate. Maybe too intimate.

  “He hates that nickname,” Blair pointed out as he entered the room to fill his mug.

  “Yeah?” Christopher asked with a raised eyebrow. “Sounds like there’s been a heart-to-heart.”

  “Not really,” Blair replied as if covering for us. “But remember when we’d go to his games and shout it at him?”

  “Oh, you two would tease him mercilessly,” Mom piped in. “Your father got that from his brother too.”

  Right then Dad walked in and relayed a story about his younger days with my uncle, effectively saving me from having to explain anything.

  Once pancakes and eggs were made and in the center of the table, we all sat to eat, passing plates around and digging in.

  “Have you ever considered what Tab proposed—opening something of your own or working with kids?” Christopher asked Blair, who was picking at his pancake, moving it around his plate after only a couple of bites. He much preferred his yogurt, and I wished I’d remembered to put it on Mom’s grocery list.

  “Are you suggesting I’m aging out?” he asked with a snooty sniff.

  “Of course not. You’re still too damned pretty for your own good. Okay?” Christopher scoffed. “There, I stroked your ego, so now back to the question. I was being serious.”

  Christopher always knew how to bring Blair back down to earth, which was also probably why they’d remained friends all these years.

  Blair sighed. “Actually, that was one of the reasons I decided to come out here. To think.”

  “And then I ruined it by having the same idea,” I added, and everyone laughed.

  “And then we totally spoiled everything,” Dad said after he swallowed a forkful of eggs.

  “But look how festive we are now? Plus, we’re all together,” Mom interjected in a sheepish tone, and I stifled a groan.

  “So, have you figured any stuff out?” Christopher zeroed back in on the topic, and I felt Blair shift beside me under the scrutiny.

  “Not exactly,” he admitted as Tabitha left the table in a rush with Charlotte, who’d dumped orange juice down her shirt. “But I have contracts to fulfill. And then, who knows, I might give it all up.”

  “Well, you look like shit,” Christopher pointed out, tongue in cheek. “So maybe you needed the relief.”

  Blair rolled his eyes. “Gee, thanks.”

  “Maybe you’ll meet a nice guy and finally settle down,” Mom said, and we all groaned. She had high hopes for all her children to find love, and had been thrilled to welcome Tabitha to the family. The fact that she conside
red Blair part of the family was sweet, but that also meant he had to endure the same ribbing and prying the rest of us did.

  “I’m not really boyfriend material,” he replied, and it left me feeling unsettled, though I didn’t know why. Sure, we were having fun together. I knew what this was, after all—a hookup. One that would end in a couple more days. I didn’t even know his flight plans, for Christ’s sake. I supposed we’d been avoiding the conversation or just never gotten around to discussing it.

  “And how about you, Caden?” Mom asked, patting my hand. Ah, so that was her lead-up. I should’ve seen it coming.

  My family had always aired stuff in the open, and normally I was cool with it, but I didn’t know how I was going to do this. Just knew I had to, or she’d keep asking about it.

  I could feel my pulse thumping in my throat, but still, I resisted. “What about me?”

  “Don’t harp on it,” Dad said to her in warning, then glanced in my direction. “I’m sure things have been tough since you and Lauren broke up.”

  “You haven’t been with anyone else,” Mom added. “So you probably—”

  “That’s because he likes being in a relationship,” Christopher pointed out around a mouthful of eggs. “And there’s nothing wrong with that. So maybe it’s best for Caden to be by himself for a while. He’ll work it out.”

  “I do like being with one person long-term.” I took a deep breath and tried to tame my frustration. “But that’s not what this breakup was about. I’ve been figuring some stuff out about myself.”

  Suddenly Blair stood from the table like there was a fire, and I knew what he was doing. Giving me space to talk to my family. But right then I needed him. My hand shot out to brace his arm.

  “No, wait.” Blair’s gaze met mine, his eyes widened in horror. He thought I was going to tell them about us. No fucking way. I shook my head to try and tamp down his anxiety. “You’ve actually been a big support to me this week, and I want to thank you for talking me through some things.”

  Blair’s eyes softened, and he relaxed enough to sit back down. His foot slipped against mine beneath the table, and it somehow bolstered me.

  “No wonder you two looked so chummy,” Christopher said, looking between us. “Relationship advice from Blair?”

  Blair looked annoyed at the jab, and I totally got it. It was an asshole thing to say, and Christopher knew better. Just because Blair never had a committed relationship didn’t mean he couldn’t be a good friend.

  “Listen,” I said through clenched teeth. I felt flustered and antsy. I needed to get it out already, even if I wasn’t sure it was the right time. Would it ever be? “Thing is, I think…well, I actually know…that I’m bisexual.”

  There was a drawn-out moment where the sound seemed to be blotted out in the room and my family stared at me in shock. Even Tabitha, who had just walked back in, seemed stunned. But she was the first one to approach and place her hand on my shoulder in support.

  That seemed to snap Mom out of it because she grabbed my hand across the table. “Oh, honey. No matter what. We support you.”

  “Absolutely, son,” my dad added, and the relief inside my chest was immense.

  But Christopher still hadn’t said anything. He was staring between Blair and me. Blair had his head down, his chest heaving, as if waiting for the fallout.

  “I, uh,” Christopher finally said, “I’m glad you had someone to confide in.”

  Blair’s head sprang up, and he met Christopher’s gaze. “Don’t worry. I’ll steer him toward the right pink blush for his complexion and definitely won’t let him go crazy with the glitter eyeshadow.”

  It was just the humor we all needed. Tabitha snorted, and Dad guffawed. After the laughter died down, Mom squeezed my hand. “Are you saying you’re going to be dating men?” Her eyes were alight with wonder as my dad’s forehead creased.

  “I…dunno. Maybe.” I shrugged, refusing to look at Blair to gauge his reaction. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything yet, or at all, but you’re my family and I needed to—”

  “We’re glad you did, son.”

  17

  Blair

  I was staring at the ceiling, completely exhausted, but sleep refused to come. I could still hear the television blaring downstairs with an older Christmas movie—Miracle on 34th Street, I think it was called—Mr. and Mrs. Bell were finishing watching that reminded them of something or other from their childhood. Mr. Bell had always needed stuff turned up to a higher volume, and it had become sort of a family joke. After breakfast, I’d overheard Mrs. Bell telling Tabitha that she was trying to convince him to finally get hearing aids since his father’s hearing had also gone early.

  Speaking of breakfast, holy shit. Caden had outed himself to his family, and after a bit of stunned silence, which was to be expected, they had accepted him outright, as I knew they would. But damn, I hadn’t predicted that revelation from him today. And when he asked me to stay as if I’d been some sort of real support to him, it made my chest feel tight, like I couldn’t inhale a decent breath.

  And then my stomach revolted—actually revolted—when his mom asked him about dating men. He should date whoever and however many dudes he wanted to. It had nothing to do with me. But the idea of it had somehow colored the whole rest of my day. I found I either needed to be closer, to accidentally brush up against him more, or to stay far away, alone with my thoughts and feelings. I was a train wreck of emotions.

  That afternoon on the beach—where we’d built another sandcastle at Charlotte’s insistence—I told him I was proud of him. He’d flushed furiously, and I wanted to kiss him right then and there. In front of everyone. Just lay him down in the sand and take his mouth, feel his body against mine, let my hands roam all over him. Jesus, I was so out of sorts.

  Suddenly my phone lit up with a text from the bedroom down the hall.

  Are you awake? Caden asked.

  Yeah. I can’t stop thinking about how you came out to your family.

  Fuck, me neither. It’s such a relief, yet so damned scary.

  I get it.

  I know you do. Thanks.

  Anytime.

  And then I couldn’t help myself. I was brimming with untapped tension.

  Know what else I can’t stop thinking about, Cady?

  How much I’m going to kick your ass?

  LOL. Or fuck it?

  Damn you. Already hard. Do you…like being fucked?

  Total bottom here.

  You’re making this impossible.

  Sorry, not sorry.

  Dick.

  I laughed out loud, some of the tightness seeping out of my limbs.

  Good night, Cady.

  Night.

  After another few minutes, I heard someone using the hallway bathroom, and then there was the subtlest of knocks on my door. I sat up as Caden stepped inside, quietly shutting the door behind him. He was wearing only his boxers, and he was so fucking hard, I could see the outline of his cock from across the room.

  “Is this okay?” He looked over his shoulder like we’d be caught any minute. “I just need—”

  “Perfect.” I held out my trembling hand, hardly believing he took the risk after his confession and all the scrutiny today. “Come here.” No way would I turn him away now. Or ever. Not with the way he was looking at me, the longing in his eyes matching my own.

  And then he rocked my world by not giving me time to think too much or worry if he was okay. He took control of the situation, pushing me back on the bed and throwing the covers aside. He stripped down my briefs and hovered over me. My heart jackhammered in my chest as my cock stiffened instantaneously.

  He leaned over to gently kiss my lips, my jaw, my ear, then licked across my throat, making me shiver. As he gave my nipples some tongue lashes, his hand rose to seal across my lips because I was having trouble controlling my reaction to the onslaught of his mouth. It was so fucking arousing, I couldn’t help squirming and whimpering as if it were the firs
t time someone had paid my body this sort of attention.

  Except it was kind of true because this man was surprising me in ways I would’ve never imagined, and his attention to detail, his fascination with my every reaction, felt overwhelming in its intensity. I knew that practically every intimate act we’d shared was a first for him, and that lent it a certain gravity.

  His mouth teased me, feathering a path of pinpricks toward my abdomen, then lower against my groin, in what felt like an eternity as my balls drew up tight. I groaned and squirmed as he licked and bit my thighs, the tender skin on the back of my knees, then up toward my hip bones and rib cage. Christ, I was going to come, and he hadn’t even touched my cock, which was in bad shape and needing attention, leaking against my abdomen.

  “Fuck, you’re killing me here,” I said through clenched teeth as he buried his nose in my groin. “You’re sure as hell good at this.”

  He chuckled, which vibrated through my thighs and made a shudder ricochet through me. “I’m just doing what feels good.”

  “By all means, carry on, because it makes me feel good too.” When he lowered his mouth to lap at my sac, I nearly rose off the bed. “But I’m going to lose my mind if you don’t let me come soon. I can only take so much.”

  He ignored me, taking his sweet old time sucking my balls as I squirmed and clutched at his hair. I wanted him to hurry the fuck up but also take all the time in the world because it was just too incredible. Not that his hands and mouth were perfect, but because they weren’t—they were a bit clumsy and clunky as he explored my body, driven by pure instinct, and that made it so much better than perfect.

  His fingers were shaking as he pushed on my knees to spread me open. God fucking yes. “Is this okay? I just want to…take my time and…”

  He bit his lip and stared at my hole, and for the first time in a long while I was shy, nearly rolling away and calling a time-out. But his eyes held so much desire, such sincerity, that I shifted my legs closer to my shoulders for easier access.