John Parnassus is not a fan of the holidays. In fact, he'd punch Rudolph in the nose if he could. He doesn't believe in love, men, or the 'holiday spirit' -- he's still bitter after his ex left him two years ago on Christmas morning. To him, the holidays are all a sham. Take a chance on love? Never again.<br><br>John's friend Sally gives him a gentle kick in the ass to get out of his rut and try something new, starting at the office New Year’s party. He expects the same thing as last year: drunken mistletoe antics and a sore head the next morning.<br><br>Then he meets Tim Hinton, a coworker from the IT department. Surprised to find they have common ground, John is drawn to someone for the first time in years. Should he make a move, or endure another ho hum New Year?

Ho Hum New Year

Tim keeps moving those groping hands away, but the man puts them right back. Why had I never noticed just how firm and round Tim’s jeans-clad ass really is? Ah, that’s right—curmudgeon. The alcohol is definitely working its magic tonight.


Turning around and facing them, I clear my throat and say, “Hi, Tim. Who’s your friend?”


Startled, the man groping Tim’s delectable buttocks jumps back and almost falls over the balcony in his haste to get away. I reach out and grab his belt, pulling him back just in time. Face splotchy and breathing hard, he pushes between me and Tim, his drunken gait leading him back to the conference room to join the revelry.


“John…” Tim sighs. “Thanks for rescuing me. Some dumbass put fuckin’ mistletoe on the balcony and Claude kissed me before I even knew what was happening. Then his hands started to wander. I’ve been trying to avoid him all night and came out here for some fresh air, not knowing he followed me until it was too late.”


Chapter 4