by Sy Walker
“Yes,” Anna said, still smiling as she shook her head with confusion. “Why do you ask?”
“It’s freezing out here, and your lips look a little blue.”
Blushing, she touched her lips. She couldn’t feel the fabric of her gloves on her face.
“Why don’t you go inside?” Earl said, nodding toward the cabin. “I’ll put the horse to pasture then join you.”
She nodded without thinking, then her eyes went to the wrapped package beneath his arm. She pointed at it. “What is that?”
“It’s a surprise.” He winked at her, his expression full of affection and amusement.
Anna nodded again. Seeing him there, in such a good mood—it felt as if these past couple of weeks had never happened. She felt good again. She felt whole again. She didn’t care that all he had was a small box—that he had taken days to get this small box. Everything felt like it was returning to normal, and just in time for Christmas.
Once Anna was back inside, she put a few small logs into the fireplace and got a decent sized flame burning. Heat washed over the front of her body, the icy numbness ebbing away. She gave out a contented sigh.
She wasn’t sure how much time had gone by when Earl entered the house, but the air in the front room and kitchen were considerably warmer than when Anna had first entered. Earl bellowed out a satisfied groan and made a comment about how perfect the house was—how homesick he had been. Anna watched him as he went into the bedroom, joy soaring through her.
As eager as she was to speak with him, she didn’t want to jinx this wonderful turn of events. She faced the fire again and decided to relish in this good moment instead. If he went straight to bed and fell asleep, she would be understanding of this; he did have a busy week outside of the homestead, after all.
“Anna?”
She jumped and turned. Earl was standing outside of their bedroom, his coats off his person and his hands bare. He was holding the small box in front of his chest with a great deal of tenderness.
“How was your trip?” she asked, glancing at the package.
Earl took a deep breath before walking up to her. “It was good. And I made back just before Christmas Eve.”
Her eyes widened. “What’s the date?”
“The twenty-third.”
She didn’t think it was possible, but it felt as if her eyes widened just a little bit more. How many days had passed since Earl left? Her uncertainty became dizzying, and she rubbed her temple.
“You alright?” Earl asked again.
“Yes, yes, I…I just hadn’t realized what the date was. It’s hard to keep track of time out here.”
Earl flinched. “Especially when you’re by yourself.” His face wrinkled as he stared down at the box with a pained expression, but before she could reassure him, he offered her the package. “I know it isn’t Christmas yet, but I want you to have this.”
Anna’s breath caught in her throat. Her fingers fluttered over the box that…that was hers? “You got me a present? That’s…that’s why you went into town?” Awed, she looked up at him.
Earl was nodding, a shy smile on his face. “Yes. Do you…do you want it?”
Anna took the box out of his hands and opened. She gasped when she saw some glass reflecting the fire’s orange light. Already, she knew what it was, and with quivering hands, she pulled the item out of the box.
It was a snow globe with a tiny cabin and a little forest inside of it.
She lowered the box to the ground before straightening again, her hands holding the snow globe against her stomach as if the item was an infant. It was…beautiful and perfect and—she couldn’t find any more words to describe it. She thought she had felt joy earlier, but this moment—it overwhelmed her, made her laugh and cry and grin.
“Thank you,” Anna said, looking back at Earl. “Thank you so much. You didn’t have to get me anything.”
Earl swallowed, his eyes glistening. “I wanted to.” He released a short breath and tilted his head. “Look, Anna…I know I have been acting poorly. I’ve just been…” He pressed his lips together, frustration marring his expression. “I haven’t loved anyone since Emma, and I didn’t think I ever would. But then you come along, and you change everything—make it better—and I didn’t know how to react to it, and I didn’t know what the right thing to do was.” He sighed again, a breathless chuckle leaving him as he gave her a helpless yet affectionate look. “You’ve said that I saved you, but…but you saved me, too. And I…I know for certain now—without a doubt and without regret—that I love you, Anna.”
“Earl,” she whispered. Her heart hammered and her limbs jittered. “Earl, you…love me?” She didn’t realize she was grinning until she felt the bite in her cheeks. “I love you, too.”
Before she knew it, Earl was pressed his calloused hands against her cheeks and leaning toward her. Anna sucked in a breath right before his lips met hers.
Their first kiss was tender, sweet. Earl moved slowly against her, and she felt as if she was melding into him.
“Earl,” she breathed over his mouth when they parted.
“I Love you,” he breathed back before kissing her again.
As they continued to kiss one another—their cabin warm from the fire—Anna kept a strong grip on her new snow globe. The glass felt cool in her hands, just like the glass of her old snow globe had.
Her first good Christmas…and it was perfect.
THE END
RETURN TO TOC
M/M Paranormal Romance
Bear’s Baby
“Here is to freedom from oppression!” Charlie said, raising his glass above his head in a toast.
The guys surrounding him at the bar raised their glasses, tapping them against one another and joining him in his toast.
“Give everyone another round,” Charlie shouted, sending another cheer up from the crowd.
It was his first day in New Orleans as an economics student at Tulane University, and he had ventured out to find a place where he might be able to kick back and have a few beers. Passing by a quirky place aptly named “The Banana Stand,” he noted the guys that stood outside the door chatting each other up. A couple had wandered off to a recessed corner and were making out with one another. It looked like exactly the kind of place he was looking for.
Looking down toward the end of the bar, he noted a dark brooding figure. The guy was wearing a heavy leather jacket and motorcycle boots. His dark hair hung haphazardly over one eye as he studied his drink intently. Charlie could tell he didn’t really belong there and that only made him more curious. Feeling a bit brazen after a few drinks and free from his parent’s watchful eyes, he made his way down the bar and sat beside him.
“Mind if I sit here?” he asked.
“Appears that you already did, so I don’t guess it matters.”
“I can move if you prefer. I just couldn’t help but notice you and wanted to introduce myself.”
He looked up at me through squinted eyes as if assessing him. Charlie couldn’t help but notice the color of his eyes. They weren’t quite brown or green, but a mingled tone made up of flecks of both colors. He found them mesmerizing. The stranger studied his face for a moment and then smirked a little.
“My name is Tommy.”
“Great to meet you, Tommy. I’m Charlie.”
“Good to meet you, Charlie. Are you a student like the rest of these guys?”
“Yes. I just got here for the first semester. Celebrating a bit.”
“I’m not a student.”
“What are you then?”
“Let’s just say I’m an entrepreneur.”
“Sounds interesting. What sort of business are you into?”
“The kind I can’t discuss with strangers.”
“So, you’re the quiet, but dangerous sort then.”
“Something like that. Does it excite you?”
“Yeah. I have to say it does a bit.”
“Well, what do you say we get out of here an
d see just how excited you are?”
“I’d like that.”
In all honesty, Charlie was extremely nervous. He’d never gone home from a bar with a stranger, much less one that seemed like he might be into some not quite legal enterprises.
“Let’s go. I’m on my bike, but you can follow me.”
Charlie nodded and tossed some cash on the counter to pay his tab. Walking out behind Tommy, he slid behind the wheel of his Lexus while the other man straddled a very nicely customized Harley. It roared into action and he pulled away. Charlie quickly put his car in gear and followed him out of the parking lot and down the highway for a few miles to a narrow road that led through some trees into what seemed like the middle of nowhere. He suddenly felt much less sure about what he was doing, especially when a cabin that looked more abandoned than lived in came into view.
The motorcycle stopped and he pulled up beside it to park. His hands gripped the wheel, pondering whether he should make a hasty retreat or take a chance. Then the biker was at the window, motioning for him to come on. Slowly, he opened his door and stepped out, still wondering if he was doing the right thing.
“It’s okay. I know it looks like someplace a massacre would take place, but I promise you it isn’t.”
“I would certainly hope not, but then again, if you were a crazed killer, you wouldn’t really tell me now would you?”
“No. I wouldn’t.”
A broad smile crossed his face. It was the first time Charlie had seen him smile since he’d approached him in the bar. There was nothing sinister or creepy about it. Instead, he found that it drew him in even closer. He followed him into the cabin, looking around at the modest décor. While the outside looked rather rough, he had done a very good job of achieving a sort of shabby chic look that was actually quite cozy looking on the inside.
“Make yourself comfortable on the sofa. Want another drink?”
“Sure. That would be great.”
“I’ve got a great bottle of Shiraz. A gift from an associate. That okay with you?”
“Sounds perfect.”
Charlie watched as he shed the leather jacket, his broad shoulders flexing to show off an impressive set of muscles and tattooed arms beneath his plain white tee shirt. He was fascinated by the way they rippled even while he did something as simple as removing the cork from the wine bottle on the table in front of him. Charlie felt like he was practically salivating as the biker walked toward him with the two glasses of wine and handed him one before sitting down on the sofa beside him.
“I’m glad you came home with me. I had noticed you even before you walked over to me at the bar.”
“Really? You didn’t seem to be very interested at first.”
“It wasn’t that. I just had a lot on my mind. You could say that I have some issues with my boss. I’ll get it sorted out eventually. Just affects my mood.”
“I can understand that. Do you want to talk about it?”
“No. I think what I’d rather do is just forget it for a while. How about we enjoy our wine and get to know one another a bit better?”
“I’d love that.”
Charlie was taken off guard as he leaned forward and kissed him. Despite his rugged good looks, his lips were soft, tender. His heart raced as he probed his mouth gently, exploring him deeply with his tongue. If he had any reservations about coming here with him, they melted away, along with any resistance. The wine was quickly set aside and replaced with passion as they began to hungrily devour one another.
“Wait. I have to say something,” Charlie gasped.
Tommy hesitated, pulling away from him and looking closely at his face. Charlie could see the longing in his eyes. It was the first time he had ever seen that from another man and it felt incredible. Charlie wasn’t quite a virgin, but he hadn’t been afforded a lot of opportunity to explore his sexuality with his parents watching his every move.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m not very experienced.”
“Nothing wrong with that. We’ll take it slow.”
Charlie nodded, not sure what to say and feeling just a little embarrassed that he even mentioned it. Tommy began kissing him again. His mouth was hot, hungry but slow and sensuous as his tongue swirled lazily against Charlies. He could feel his body responding to his, eager for more of him. Things grew quickly more heated as he pulled back and stripped off his shirt, exposing his well-defined pecs and ribbed abs. Charlie noted the large tattoo of a bear’s claw trailing scratch marks on one side of his chest as he leaned forward and pulled my own shirt away.
It made him a bit self-conscious about his own lack of definition. While Tommy’s body was completely ripped, his was thinner, less defined. Charlie’s body was more that of a runner and cycler, his main two hobbies. He obviously spent some serious time in the gym working on his fitness. Charlie’s thoughts along that line were quickly discarded, overcome by the sensations he was creating with his touch. Their chests met as Tommy began kissing him again, his mouth drifting down the side of his neck and along his shoulder blade. He let out a loud gasp as his teeth sank into his skin and his hips ground into his own. His erection pressed against Charlie’s, driving him crazy with desire.
“God, you’re hot,” Tommy breathed against his skin.
He smiled, relaxing a bit with the knowledge that he wasn’t appalled by his thin, pale body. His hand slipped between them, sliding down into the front of Charlie’s pants and massaging his already rock hard cock as he continued to probe his mouth with his tongue. It felt like he would explode in his pants even though he struggled to hold back. Just when he thought he wasn’t going to be able to take anymore, he pulled away and stood in front of him, stripping off his pants and standing before him naked. Charlie tried not to gawk at the size of his cock. Though Charlie was well endowed, Tommy was thicker and rock hard.
Charlie stood and removed his own pants, kicking them to one side as they began kissing again. Their cocks swayed heavily against one another as things grew rapidly more aggressive. Reaching between them, Charlie began stroking his cock with one deft hand, while stroking his own with the other, rubbing the precum slickened heads together as they moaned into one another’s mouth. Suddenly, he found himself being twisted around by the shoulders, Tommy’s hand on his back pushing him forward across the sofa.
“Is this what you want, Charlie? You want me to fuck you like a little school boy?”
“Yes,” he groaned, his words half muffled against the overstuffed back of the sofa.
He felt his fingers, slick with his salvia, rubbing his asshole, preparing him for entry. He had only been fucked once before and it was by a guy he met at a party right after his high school graduation. He hadn’t lasted long and was considerably smaller, so Charlie wasn’t sure how he would handle someone like Tommy. Of course, he was so turned on that he wanted nothing but to feel him ripping him apart with his huge cock.
Charlie tensed involuntarily as he felt the head of his prick push against his tiny orifice. Tommy put a hand on his back and whispered to him.
“Relax. I’ll take it slow until you’re used to me.”
Charlie nodded, biting his lip as he anticipated him inside his ass. He tried to relax as much as he could so that he could enjoy what he was about to do to him rather than it hurting too much. Slowly, he began pushing into him, just a little a first. He barely see sawed against him, letting only the tip slip inside before pulling out. Then it was more, slipping further inside until the entire head was in. Charlie let out a deep breath as he pulled back and then slipped forward again. Each time, he was a little further inside of him until his entire cock was finally buried in his ass. It felt amazing to Charlie.
“Doing okay?”
“God, yes. You feel so good inside of me.”
“It feels good to be inside of you,” he replied, suddenly slipping almost free of him and then pushing all the way back in. Charlie moaned loudly as he began fucking him, slowly and deeply, grinding his
hips forward so that he was buried completely inside of him each time he pushed forward.
Things escalated quickly as he began to pick up his pace. Charlie reached down and began stroking his own cock as Tommy increased his strokes, now slamming into him again and again, his body pushing his forward against the back of the sofa as he fucked him like a wild animal. His grunts filled the small cabin as he fucked him, his hands now digging into his ass, pulling his cheeks apart as he plowed into him repeatedly.
“Oh fuck, I’m going to come.”
“Yes, come inside of me,” Charlie begged, carried away by the moment and wanting to feel his hot juices shooting against his pink insides.
His answer came in the form of a stream of heavy cum filling his ass as he let out a loud cry of satisfaction. Turning him over, he knelt between his legs and took Charlie’s own cock in his mouth. He was so close to the edge that he had barely begun sucking at the tip when Charlie felt himself pulsating with a pending explosion.
“God, I’m coming,” Charlie moaned.
He watched his beautiful head slip further down his cock, taking him all the way down the back of his throat as he spewed my load down his velvet throat. He drank every drop, coming up with a smile as he licked an escaping drop from the corner of his mouth. It might have well been the most beautiful thing Charlie had ever witnessed in his young adult life.
“Let’s go to bed,” he said, standing up and extending his hand.
“Are you sure? I don’t have to stay.”
“Of course you do. It’s too late to drive home and I’m not done with you yet.”
Charlie smiled at the thought of spending the entire night having sex with such an incredible creature. He found himself nodding in agreement as Tommy took his hand and led him to the bedroom. At first, they curled up and fell asleep together. That was something he certainly had never had the luxury of doing. His few encounters had been stolen moments that didn’t afford something like sleeping over.
Somewhere in the night, Charlie found himself being awakened by Tommy’s kisses as they trailed down the length of his body and back up. His perfect mouth surrounded his cock again, bobbing up and down the length of it until he was harder than granite. His hands squeezed his balls as he sucked his cock.