Rebel without a Claus: A M/M Love at first sight romance

by Denise Wells

  I decide to jog to the gym for a warmup. I’m only twenty blocks from the corporate offices, anyway. There aren’t many people there once I arrive, it’s not usually busy at six in the morning. The corporate offices open at eight-thirty, even though I’m usually there at seven-thirty. And the store doesn’t open until nine, so the gym will crowd up about the time I’m hitting my office with my first cup of coffee.

  I get through the first half of my work out—mostly free weights—before moving on to do some cross fit and TRX training. I catch a glimpse of a newcomer from my peripheral. He starts with the free weights, which are right in front of me. His back is to me, but I can see that he’s built. With the angle that I’m at, I can’t see his reflection in the mirrors, so I don’t know what he looks like. His baseball cap covers his hair.

  Part of me wants to go back to the free weights. Part of me wonders why I’m suddenly so out of fucking control when it comes to men. It’s like the blond bartender elf turned on something inside me, and now I can’t turn it off. Pun intended.

  He lifts more than me and his form is perfect. If all else fails, I can go ask him for some pointers after this set. Happy with my plan, I refocus on my workout. Except, twenty minutes later when I’m through, I don’t see him anywhere. I walk slowly through the gym, saying hello to a few people that I know on my way to the locker room.

  He must have left.

  Which is probably better anyway since I’ve already got the hots for one guy I can’t connect with. Having two would just be a pain in the ass. I shower quickly and change into my suit, ready to start my day. Still frustrated over not seeing the guy again but determined to put it out of my head.

  I check my schedule on my phone as I walk out the locker room door only to nearly bump into someone on their way in. He’s looking down as well as he towels the sweat off the back of his neck. I stop suddenly. It’s the guy from the free weights in the baseball cap.

  Sensing I’ve stopped, he does too.

  Then he looks up.

  Oh, of all the holiday fucking miracles. It’s my blond bartender elf.

  “Hi,” I say.

  “Hi.” He sounds surprised.

  “You’re the elf.”

  “You’re the guy with the kids.”

  “Yeah.” I laugh. “My niece and nephew. I’d promised my sister to take them to see Santa.”

  “That’s cool.”

  “I hope this isn’t weird, but aren’t you also the bartender from the holiday party the night before? I ordered a bourbon neat. I mean, I’m sure a lot of people did, but—”

  “Yeah.” He smiles. “That’s me.”

  We stand there a moment, grinning like idiots, looking at each other.

  “Was that your girlfriend with you, at the party?” he asks me.

  “Noooo. No. No. Definitely not. Just an annoying employee of my father’s.”

  He nods his head slowly and looks down at his feet as though trying to absorb this latest information.

  So, I keep talking. “I don’t date women.”

  He looks up and meets my eye again. Something that looks an awful lot like hope in his eyes. So, I take a chance.

  “I date men.”

  His eyes light up. It’s all the encouragement I need. I grab his arm and pull him to the side, so we aren’t in the doorway of the locker room any longer.

  “Do you want to have a drink with me tonight?” I ask.

  “Yeah, I do.”

  “Good. Listen, just so it isn’t weird, I’m Santa again today, and I’ll have an hour or so of catch up to do in my office after. Do you want to meet back here, say around six-thirty?”

  He nods. “Wait, again? What do you mean?”

  “I was Santa yesterday too.”

  “All day?” His brow furrows.

  “No, just after the lunch break.”

  “That makes sense,” he smiles. It’s beautiful. God, this guy. I can’t wait to get to know him, kiss him, fuck him, talk to him. Everything. I want everything with him. Like I’m obsessed.

  Back the fuck down, idiot.

  I slow my emotional roll. “Great. I’ll see you in a bit, then,” I say. “I’ll be the one in the Santa suit.” I turn to leave as he laughs.

  “Wait,” he calls after me. “What’s your name?”

  I walk back toward him, embarrassed that I haven’t even introduced myself. “Kris Coleman.” I reach my hand out toward him. His eyes go big as he registers the last name and connects it with where we’re standing. Still he takes my hand and shakes, his grip firm.

  “You’re . . . why?” He stutters questions. “How?”

  “I’ll tell you everything tonight,” I tell him.

  He nods, looking blindsided.

  “What’s your name?” I grin.

  “Nick.”

  “See you soon, Nick.” And with that, I’m out.

  I head for my office, hoping that I haven’t just ruined things with him. People get weird when they find out who I am, given our family name, and/or when they find out how much money I have. Which is a lot. An obscene amount, really.

  All I can do is hope he’s not one of those people.

  6

  Nick

  To say that I’m shocked by not only seeing the guy again. But then finding out he’s not a married cheater. Nor is he straight. And that he’s Kris Coleman. As in Coleman Department Stores. As in my boss. And that we’re having drinks later. Well, my mind is blown.

  I send off a quick text to Sarah, letting her know what’s happened and telling her that I’ll be home later and will fill her in then. She sends me back a thumb’s up emoji along with ‘good luck!’

  When we first moved in together, it was just me that watched out for her, saying it was for safety reasons. It took her a while to get me to agree to the reverse. Her rationale being that if something bad could happen to her, then it could to me too. That it’s only common courtesy to let the person you live with know where you are if you aren’t where they expect.

  I have it admit, it’s nice knowing that someone is looking out for me. Cares where I am or what I’m doing. Someone who would notify the police if I went missing long before my cold dead body was eaten by cats or something equally morbid.

  Not that we have a cat. But it was in a movie we watched once and since then it’s pretty much both mine and Sarah’s greatest fear. Dying alone with not one person to notice we’re gone, and our corpse being eaten by all our cats.

  It’s weird, and morbid, but it is what it is.

  I shower and change into my elf costume. I still have a while before I need to report to Santa’s Village, so I head to the cafe for coffee and a muffin. Even though it’s only been two days, I’m now more used to the elf clothing than I was before and it doesn’t feel quite so conspicuous.

  As I’m heading down the back hallway toward the cafe, I notice several large framed portraits. Family portraits of the generations of Coleman’s over the years. One of the final ones being Kris and his sister with, I’m assuming, their parents. When I look at them like this, I can see the resemblance between him and his sister. I feel silly not having realized it when I saw them yesterday.

  They could be twins. Maybe they are, for all I know.

  “Hey, aren’t you the same elf that was in here the other day,” the woman behind the counter teases as she rings up my order.

  “That’s me.”

  “How is it going over in Santa’s Village?”

  “Getting busier and busier the closer we get to the big day.”

  “Oh, I’ll bet. My grandkids plan to head over there later today, so maybe I’ll see you. I’m going to throw in an extra muffin so you can fuel up for your day.” She winks.

  I reach in my pocket for one of the vouchers we give to the people still in line when we close for the day. “Here, this will let you skip to the front of the line when you’re there.” I wink back.

  “I have a feeling we’re going to be good friends, elf-man.” She smiles. />
  I smile back, then take my muffins and coffee and find a place to sit. I’m scrolling through social media on my phone when I search for Kris Coleman on a whim. He has an account that pops up, but it’s clear that it’s not one that he manages. It’s more one of those ‘official’ accounts for public figures. It shouldn’t surprise me that he would have one of those, given his family. They are like modern day royalty in New York. Hell, maybe everywhere, but I’m only familiar with what goes on in New York City.

  Then, as if pulled like a magnet, my gaze lifts and there he is, looking like a fucking model in his suit. He’s laughing with some other guy, also dressed in a suit, they head straight for a sideboard for coffee and take a seat at a nearby table, heads leaned toward one other, talking. I feel a pang in my chest. Which is ridiculous since I barely know the guy. I just found out his name. But seeing him with the guy in the suit, I can’t imagine why he wants to have drinks with me. He should be having drinks with a guy like that.

  I’m still watching him when he looks up and catches my eye. A jolt races through me, like lightning in a dark sky. I can’t deny the chemistry between us, that’s for sure. Even if I can’t figure out what he sees in me, I’m still going to explore this. He nods his head to the side; I look at what he’s referring to, and I see the sign for the restrooms. I point and raise my brows. He nods, then excuses himself from his table and heads for the restroom.

  I swallow down the rest of my coffee, leave a couple bucks on the table as a tip for the guys who clear them, and follow my modern-day royalty model lookalike down the hall toward the restroom.

  I push through the door slowly, only to pulled all the way in and slammed up against the wall. My elf hate goes askew as he reaches over and locks the door. Then he reaches up and pulls the hat off, running his hand through my still damp hair.

  “Is it weird that I haven’t stopped thinking about you since the holiday party?”

  I shake my head. “If it is, then I’m weird too.”

  He pushes his hips against mine, I can feel his cock hardening through his slacks, my tights doing nothing to disguise any goings on below either of our waists.

  “You feel it too, right?” he asks, bringing his face so close to mine I can feel his breath. “This crazy fucking energy between us? I mean I feel like I’ve been shocked when we touched.” He leans down and runs his nose along my jawline.

  This time I do shiver.

  “Can I kiss you?”

  Before I can even nod, his lips are on mine. Hard and demanding, his tongue pushing toward mine. He tastes amazing. Like coffee and mint and something else delicious that I can’t quite place. My head spins. I feel like a teenager with his first kiss, nervous and excited, turned on and barely holding it together. I grip at his shoulders, then his ass, his back, wherever I can get my hands. Everything about him feels exquisite.

  He’s so firm and muscular. Nothing on him is soft. Including his dick. Which he quickly proves by keeping a firm grip on my ass to hold me in place as he grinds against me. My cock goes even harder in a matter of seconds which I didn’t even think was possible. I lose myself in his arms and his kiss. Drowning in the decadence of his body so close to mine. It’s what I imagine nirvana to be. There’s no coming back from this. From him. He’s going to ruin me for all other men.

  “Fuck me,” he mumbles against my mouth.

  “I want to,” I say.

  He slows his ministrations, reluctantly, and laughs. “Me too, believe me, but my phone is going off.” He steps back, and runs his hands through his hair, looking at me with straight desire in his eyes. I can’t catch my breath. This guy has just rocked my world with a kiss in a public restroom.

  He pulls his phone from his jacket pocket and looks at it. “I gotta go. I’m so sorry. But we’ll continue this later.” He leans in and kisses me once more, quick, and dirty, and is out the door before I can even blink.

  I can feel pre-cum dripping from the tip of my cock. Never in my life have I been so turned on, so fast. If Kris and I have sex, it’s going to be explosive. Literally.

  I head into the stall and pull my tights down, dabbing at the wet spot with toilet paper to dry it as best I can. Then, seeing that my hard on has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon, I rub one off into the toilet before heading to Santa’s Village. Hopefully, that will help me deal better with knowing Kris is under that Santa costume all day.

  Who is late arriving to Santa’s Village again, I notice at ten after the hour. I should have gotten his number so I could text him. Unless he’s not coming; which I must admit would be disappointing. I like the idea of having him around all day.

  A moment later he jogs up. I’m not sure where he came from, but he’s not even winded despite the heavy suit and obvious fat padding.

  “Hey, handsome,” he says as he passes me, his voice low. When I meet his gaze, he winks behind the little Santa spectacles. Now that I know it’s him, I can’t believe I didn’t realize it sooner. Like all afternoon yesterday when the original Santa seemed to have had a personality replacement.

  I feel a rush—a high—as though I’m on drugs, only better. Something about this guy gets me high. I feel my smile grow bigger as he takes his throne and tells all the waiting moms and kids that photos and extra candy canes are on him today.

  I really hope he’s as great as he seems. Because so far, he seems like a good guy with a great body, and even better career, who can kiss like a fiend. All of which, everyone knows, is way too good to be true.

  He asks me to join him in the cafe for lunch during our break. Of course, I say yes. I laugh at how we must look walking through the store, Santa and his elf side by side.

  “Elf-man, I see you brought a friend.” The same woman from this morning is behind the counter.

  “Lorraine.” Kris nods at the woman, whose name must be Lorraine, in greeting. Her eyes widen.

  “Mr. Coleman? Is that you?”

  “You know it’s Kris, and yes, it’s me.” He pulls the fake beard and mustache down briefly so she can see his face.

  “Well, I’ll be.” She laughs. “How’d you get roped into that?”

  “I volunteered.”

  “I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, you’re a good man, Kris.”

  He leans over the counter toward her. “Also, I had my eye on the elf.” He jerks his thumb toward me.

  “Oh, I don’t blame you, he’s a looker. If I were thirty years younger, I might give you a run for your money there.”

  I feel my face heat. I blush easily. And having the two of them talk about me like that embarrasses the shit out of me. Sarah says its why I have a tough time with acting, because I embarrass easily, and I can’t get a handle on it long enough to sink into a character.

  She may be right.

  Kris pays for our lunch, my soup and salad and grilled fish for himself, and we find a table in a corner.

  He takes the fake beard off to eat. “So, what do you do when you aren’t an elf?”

  “I’m an actor.”

  “Really? I can see that. You definitely have the looks for it.”

  “Thank you.” Usually the first question people ask is what you’ve been in that they would have seen. And unless you’re someone crazy famous the answer to that is: nothing. So, I’m grateful that’s not a question out of his mouth.

  In return, I ask about his position in the company, which he talks about briefly and we move on to other topics. Hobbies, books, museums, films, vacation destinations.

  “So, basically we are at opposite ends of the spectrum,” I say. “You went to private schools growing up and Ivy League college. I went to public school, no college. You’ve traveled the world; I’ve been to Ohio and New York. Your family owns a chain of department stores that my family can’t even afford to shop at.” I don’t mean for it to sound as contentious as it comes out. But once it’s out there, I do nothing to retract it.

  “All I heard from that is we’re both educated, wish we could trav
el more, and think Coleman’s is overpriced.” He smiles big. To me, it’s clear that his life has been about as opposite from mine as can be. But he’s super down to earth about it and not pretentious at all.

  In no time at all, we must return to Santa’s Village. I’m sad to not have the time alone with him anymore, but happy that this gets us that much closer to our date tonight. I’m glad we’re meeting a little later in the evening, since the street clothes I brought with me are not the type to impress. Since I’m sure he’ll be in a suit, I want to make sure I look nice as well.

  7

  Kris

  I like Nick. A lot. He’s funny and smart, sexy as fuck. I can’t believe we have a date tonight. If it’s anything like how lunch just was, we’re going to have a wonderful time. And if after the date is anything like our bathroom interlude this morning, I’m never going to want him to leave once I get him back to my place.

  I think back this morning when I was called back upstairs for an emergency. And how I’d ducked into my private restroom first to rub one out before taking care of anything else. It was literally a thirty second tug job. The fastest I think I’ve ever come since I was a teenager.

  On a whim, I lean over and tell him so as we walk back to Santa’s Village. His face heats again. I like it when I make him blush. It makes me feel good, knowing I’ve affected him. Because he sure as hell affects me. Especially when he then leans in toward me and says, “I did the same in the stall after you left.” I groan and look at him from the corner of my eye, then visibly adjust my cock in the Santa suit. He laughs.

  Okay, so he’s got some balls.

  Don’t get me wrong, I’m all alpha. In my career and my personal life. I have no problems with that and can’t even be any other way. I like my partner to be less so. Not to the point of submissive, but I don’t want to have to fight for control all the time either.