Chapter 14

So where the hell is he?

The toilet flushes. Mystery solved. He pads into view, all muscled man-curves in the thin morning light. The shadows of the small room splash across him just so, highlighting the heft of him, demarcating his muscles. I stir at the sight of him.

“Good morning,” he says. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas to you.” He steps closer and I see his feet. “Nice socks.”

“They were by the bed.” Which he hops back on. “I was like, Good job, Santa.What’s with this floor? It’s like ice.”

“Yeah, I know. Santa came?”

“Well, obviously.” He raises up onto his knees and spreads his arms. “He brought you a good present, too, you lucky bum. I just got socks.”

I laugh. “I gotta tell you,” I say, “if I’da known this is what it’s like to wake up to Cole in your stockings on Christmas, I’da never wasted all those years being a good boy.”

“You weren’t so good last night.”

I affect a monstrous pout. “You said I was good last night.”