His Winter Heart: Gay Romance

by Trina Solet

  "Make yourself useful. Hold my legs down," Wes said.

  "Only if you take your shirt off," Colin said as he kneeled by his feet.

  Wes sighed and then he did it. Colin took a firm hold of his legs. He also grinned at Wes.

  "I can't focus if you're smirking at me," Wes told him.

  "I can't help it. You look amazing. Look at you. You're sex and then more sex. You want to fuck?"

  "Might as well since you won't let me exercise in peace," Wes said and started getting up.

  Colin jumped up, slapped his hands together and pumped his fist into the air. Then he noticed that Wes was leaving the room.

  "Where are you going? I want to do it here." He showed him the condoms and lube he stashed under the mattress when this was his bedroom.

  "I want to take a shower," Wes said and just kept going.

  Colin followed him. "No way. Get your hot, sweaty ass back here." He grabbed him just before he got into the bathroom and sniffed him. This was exactly what a guy should smell like, a little clean a little dirty and all man. "They should bottle you," he told Wes and kissed him. He tried to drag him to the bed, but Wes wouldn't budge.

  "A shower is not negotiable," Wes said.

  "Then I want to watch," Colin said and followed him into the bathroom.

  "Seriously?" Wes said like he didn't understand the appeal.

  "What? You wouldn't want to watch me shower?"

  Wes only grumbled in answer. He got him there.

  "This is embarrassing," Wes said as he stripped and got into the shower. Water cascaded over him in rivulets. Colin wanted to drink them up.

  "It's sexy as hell. Now do your thing. Soap up real good." Of course Colin made a dick-stroking motion.

  After just watching for a little bit, Colin couldn't help himself. He got his clothes off and got in the shower. He soaped up his hands and had them all over Wes. His cock got special attention until it went for semi hard to rock-hard. While being washed so thoroughly, Wes didn't keep his hands to himself. He soapy hands were on Colin's chest then down his back. Colin raised his face for a kiss and wondered how long before they ran out of hot water. Before that happened, he was up against the sink, dripping wet, with Wes's cock entering him slowly. This was the life.

  Chapter 21

  Saturdays Colin went to his job a little earlier to help with the extra work. Wes decided it was a good day to have lunch at the diner. He tried to do that at least once a week. Sometimes Colin could even sit down with him to eat. Wes didn't want to go without seeing him until late at night. As he walked to Penny's, Wes saw a girl hovering outside. A colorful, knit cap covered her red hair so Wes didn't recognize her at first. Becky was peering anxiously into the diner until she spotted Wes then she gasped.

  "I think I screwed up," she said before Wes had a chance to greet her. "I think I spilled some beans I shouldn't have spilled."

  "About?" Wes prompted her.

  She pursed her lips like she didn't want to say. Then she took a deep breath. "I was partying last night with some friends, and there was Tim looking all gorgeous. The club was hot so he was wearing a short sleeved shirt. His arms... Oh, my God. You know what I'm saying." She took another deep breath. "I was talking to him, and I wasn't exactly clean and sober, you know. I might have told Tim how his good buddy, Brad, tried to pimp out his little brother. Do you think Colin is going to be mad? Do you think he's going to kill me dead?"

  Wes ignored her question. "What did Tim do after you told him?"

  "Oh, nothing. He said he was going to murder Brad, but he was pretty drunk so Lenny and Nando could handle him. They got him to sit back down and then they got him even drunker. They pretty much carried him home. He might not even remember what I told him," Becky said hopefully.

  Wes wasn't going to count on that. In fact it might even be too late, but he still asked Becky if she knew where Brad lived.

  With directions to Brad's apartment building, but no apartment number, Wes drove over there. He had already texted Colin that he was going to come over for lunch. Now he texted him to say he got busy and couldn't make it. Wes did have his hands full so it wasn't technically a lie. Fearing that it was too late, Wes didn't want Colin in the middle of an ugly scene.

  Standing in front of the doors to Brad's apartment building, Wes was sure that he was wasting his time there. By now, Tim must have been there and gone. Wes did have a small hope. If Tim was as drunk last night as Becky said, he might not have gotten up with the sun. In that case, Wes might still be in time to stop him.

  An old, dented, beige Chrysler parked down the block, jumping the curb. Wes watched Tim get out, looking as wrecked as his car. He spotted Wes right away. Standing at the main entrance to the building, Wes had made himself an obvious obstacle. Tim approached him as if he meant to barrel right through him if he had to.

  It was Wes's policy not to lay hands on anyone unless they made it absolutely necessary. He followed that rule even as Tim came at him but stopped just inches short of colliding with him. Facing down Wes as he blocked the door, Tim still looked like he might headbutt him, but he only glared furiously at him.

  "You're protecting him?" Tim said through gritted teeth. His jaw looked like it would snap. His eyes were bloodshot.

  "I'm protecting you. I'd rather not have to drive Colin to visit you in jail after you make a bloody mess of your former best friend," Wes told him evenly. "And I especially don't want to watch Colin being eaten alive by guilt because of it." He didn't expect anything he said to change Tim's mind, not about Wes or about what he wanted to do to Brad. Wes fully expected to have to stop him physically so he was surprised when Tim stepped back. Watching him closely, Wes wondered if it was some kind of ploy.

  Seeing the surprise and mistrust on his face, Tim told him, "I might look like I have shit for brains, but I can do my own math on this deal. So you can get the fuck out of my way." Tim pushed past him not to go up to Brad's but heading back down the street to his car.

  Wes looked after him, still in shock. He didn't understand what kind of man Tim was, but really all that mattered was that he was Colin's brother.

  *

  As Colin was carrying away a load of dirty dishes, he watched Becky poking her nose against the diner window, looking for him and smudging the glass.

  "Get in here already," Colin mouthed to her and waved her inside.

  She came in reluctantly, and Colin wondered what was up with her. Then it all spilled out, and Colin was out the door, his apron still on, his jacket in his hand. He barely had time to yell over his shoulder for Becky to tell his boss he had an emergency. He didn't want to get fired on top of all the other shit that was hitting the fan.

  He ran to Brad's carrying with him the sick feeling that he was too late. Brad wasn't exactly a weakling, but he couldn't take on Tim and hold his own, especially Tim on a rampage. Colin could already picture Brad beaten to a bloody pulp and Tim in handcuffs.

  The thing he didn't expect to see was Wes in front of Brad's apartment building. He was about to get into his car. Out of breath, Colin ran up to him, too winded to speak.

  The first thing Wes said to him was "Button your jacket. Everything is fine."

  "How?" Colin managed to say.

  "Tim changed his mind," Wes said, leaving out his part in it. "He left a few minutes ago. You just missed him."

  Colin knew Wes must have talked him down but not how he managed it. He hugged Wes in gratitude.

  "How did you know?" Colin asked.

  "Becky told me."

  "She didn't tell me that," Colin said, even more angry with her now. "I should have known better than to bitch to Becky about Brad."

  As Wes drove him back to work, he told Colin that he didn't think Tim would go after Brad again. "Your brother might be smarter than you think."

  Colin couldn't bank on that though. He had to see Tim for himself.

  "I wish I could ditch work and go hunt him down," Colin said.

  "Your brother is hu
ng over and mad. And not only at Brad," Wes reminded him.

  "I know. I guess I can see him tomorrow."

  Wes didn't look thrilled about that plan either.

  Early the next morning, Colin was back at the door of James' house. Tim yanked the door open and pulled him inside.

  "Take it easy," Colin told him as he went to turn on the heater.

  "Is anything that ever comes out of your mouth not a lie?!" Tim yelled.

  "Lots of stuff. Think of the sheer volume. It can't all be lies."

  "You think this is a time to joke?" Tim said stepping up to him, right in his face.

  Colin only straightened up to his full height and smirked at him. "That maneuver just makes you look short," Colin told him. "And since when am I afraid of you? That's right, little bro. Since never."

  Tim stepped back only a little. He wasn't the only one who could get tough though.

  Colin gave him a hard, searching stare then he spoke. "Now what I want to hear from you is that you're done with Brad as a friend and as a target for your rage."

  "He isn't the one you should be worrying about," Tim said. "When do you think you might be done keeping things from me?"

  "When you're done flying off the handle and treating me like I'm a kid," Colin shot back at him.

  "You almost let Brad pimp you out." Tim had a sick, angry look on his face.

  "The hell I did! I didn't even consider it."

  "And you didn't say a word about it to me. You didn't tell me about Uncle Hal either. You didn't tell me you were on the street or that you were living with that Wes guy."

  "Isn't he awesome?" Colin said.

  Tim looked like he might deck him, but Colin wasn't fooled.

  "Don't be so dense. You want to protect me, but you don't understand why I would want to protect you?" Colin was serious now. "Ever since Mom died, you've been going overboard trying to take care of me. That has to stop. I love you, but I'm living my life now the way I want. I'll be taking care of myself and kicking your ass if you try to boss me around."

  Tim looked at him with a pained expression, and Colin hugged him. "Don't cry, little bro," he said.

  "Shut up," Tim said pushing him off. He tried to look furious, but failed miserably. "Is your ability to be serious two minutes tops?" he asked Colin.

  "If that. Unless I'm denied sex. Then I can hold a grudge like nobody's business."

  "Shut up," Tim said, but Colin could tell that a lot of anger had gone out of him. It looked like Wes was right, and Tim was smarter than Colin gave him credit for.

  Chapter 22

  The next time Colin went to visit Tim, he had a different mission. "I'm inviting you for Christmas dinner at my boyfriend's place."

  "That almost makes it sound like I have a choice," Tim grumbled.

  "I'm glad you weren't fooled. No one is giving you a choice. I'm just telling you where you'll be on Christmas."

  "You won't be cooking, right?"

  "I've heard that phrase too many times now," Colin said.

  "For a damn good reason," Tim told him.

  Colin also went to invite Becky. She had texted him a million sorrys. Colin just told her to keep them coming.

  "Does that mean you forgive me?" she said when he asked her to come for Christmas dinner.

  "No." It wouldn't do to go easy on her. Inviting her over for Christmas was a way of letting her know that she would eventually be forgiven, but not yet.

  "I can't go anyway. I have to have Christmas with Mom and the dogs. She'll have them in Santa hats and reindeer antlers. It'll be all yip yip, yip yip," she said, doing an uncanny impression of the dogs.

  Sitting on the floor on Christmas morning, Colin tore into his gifts like an animal. Colin's parents were very strict about waiting to open presents Christmas morning. When he was a kid, it killed Colin to wait even though he slept through most of the waiting. Now he kept up the tradition.

  "Did you buy me every electronic device in existence?" Colin said seeing the amazing gifts Wes got him. Colin had gotten him shirts and sweaters that weren't gray, or navy, or black.

  "I'm officially your boyfriend now. It's my sworn duty," Wes told him. He was wearing his new bright blue sweater and looking gorgeous.

  "You didn't need to buy me all this. You should have just stripped and tied a gift ribbon to your dick."

  "You're welcome." Wes leaned down and kissed him.

  "You are the biggest, best Christmas gift anyone could ever give me, and I mean all of you, not just your cock," Colin told him.

  Later on when they started dinner, Wes told Colin that he hadn't had a Christmas dinner since he was in college. That made Colin wish they had a bigger crowd coming. Other than Tim, only Pete was joining them. His parents were having dinner with friends and that left him free.

  Wes was in charge of cooking, but Colin had outdone himself making the apartment festive and bright. No one would recognize it as Wes's former cave. Garlands were hung by Colin without care and then straightened by Wes. The tree was small and ready to fall over from all the tinsel. Tinsel was cool. Colin had it everywhere.

  "I'll be vacuuming up this stuff for months," Wes said.

  "I did what I had to," Colin told him. He pointed around at all the black furniture. It took a lot of tinsel to turn that around.

  Wes was doing his part though. He was busy glazing a ham with some kind of boozy, maple syrup mixture and otherwise making the apartment smell amazing.

  They were still getting things ready when Tyson and Lau stopped by to drop off presents. When he saw the decorations, Tyson looked at Colin like he had committed a crime. He and Lau were hitting several parties and get-togethers that night so they couldn't stay for dinner.

  "Are you sure that's not the kind of thing you would rather do?" Wes asked Colin after they left.

  "I didn't make this place all festive and awesome so I could run around. I did it for us to have the best Christmas ever," Colin told him.

  The next to arrive was Pete. He took a big lungful of the cooking smell and demanded a beer. Unlike some people, he appreciated Colin's decorating style. Tim did not. When he arrived and saw the state of the place, he looked ready to turn around and leave.

  "Get in here and meet Pete," Colin said, dragging him into the living room.

  Pete gave Tim a look similar to the one he gave Colin when he first met him. The result was a little different. Once the introductions were made, Pete slung his arm over Colin's shoulders.

  "I'm part of the threesome. I'm Colin's boyfriend too. Wes and I are sharing him, taking turns," Pete said, keeping a straight face.

  Colin immediately placed himself between Pete and Tim.

  With his back to Tim, he told Pete, "Dude, your sense of humor is going to get you killed."

  "As I've told you many, many times," Wes said. He also must have told him that Tim disapproved of their relationship, and now Pete was sticking up for him in his own way.

  Under the threat of impending death, Pete just grinned behind all that beard. He looked over Colin's shoulder at Tim. "Guys like your brother have been beating me up since grade one. I'm not about to start being afraid of them now."

  "Tim never beat up on nerds. Right, little bro?" Colin said.

  "Right, but I might make an exception for Chewbacca over there and maybe you too if you keep calling me little bro," he said to Colin.

  "You're in a festive mood," Wes told him as he handed both him and Pete a beer.

  "Cheer up. Pete isn't even gay. See how much you have in common," Colin told Tim.

  "Yeah. The not gay should keep us talking for hours," Tim grumbled.

  Actually Pete didn't need encouragement to get him going. He talked Tim's ear off about his dad's knee surgery and then about his work. He also had some ideas about where Tim might find a job.

  While they talked, Colin helped Wes get food on the table. Seeing how much of it there was and how little he had to do with it, Colin complained. "You didn't let me cook one thing. You
only let me peel and stir."

  "I didn't think it would be fair to our guests to subject them to your practice attempts at cooking."

  "You are a bad boyfriend!"

  "As for myself, I would rather have the most awful thing you made me than the best meal I ever had," Wes told him.

  "OK," Colin said, grudgingly accepting his peace offering.

  "Is that love or what?" Pete said to Tim. Colin wasn't sure if he was taunting him or if he was being sincere.

  Tim mumbled something in response.

  "What's that?" Colin asked him.

  "I don't know if it's love, but it's something because you can't cook for shit."

  "I was worried you were insulting Wes, but you were insulting me," Colin said as they took seats around the table.

  With Colin and Pete busy chewing, there were a few silent moments during dinner. The rest were filled with embarrassing stories as the two of them tried to outdo each other. They started out trying to embarrass Tim and Wes, but they quickly ran out of material. It came down to telling their own most embarrassing moments, none of them appropriate for the dinner table.

  When Tim was full of ham and ready to go, Colin went to the elevator with him. He was so happy that he could give his brother a real Christmas dinner.

  "Did we put on a great Christmas or what?" Colin prompted him as Tim pressed the elevator button.

  "It was fine."

  "Fine? I saw you putting away half that ham. If Pete wasn't giving you a run for your money, it would have been more."

  "The ham was good."

  "And the guy who made it is even better."

  "I'll give Wes credit for his cooking, and I'll give him a medal for being able to stand you running your mouth nonstop."

  "Why is everyone saying that?" Colin said.

  "Why do you think, blabbermouth?" Tim said and got into the elevator.

  Colin smiled at him as the doors closed. He got one of Tim's guarded smiles in return.

  Calling him a blabbermouth, Tim sent him right back to his childhood. Both Mom and Dad had called him their little blabbermouth for as long as he could remember. That and having a real Christmas dinner with Tim brought back memories of all the times their parents watched them open presents. Colin remembered their expressions as they pretended some awful thing he or Tim gave them was just wonderful.