City planner Remy McIntosh is looking forward to spending the holidays with his lover, architect Lane Anders. For the past six months, he’s been planning the perfect getaway -- two weeks in a forest cabin at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains. Remy also has a special gift he can't wait to give Lane on Christmas Day: a wedding ring. But Remy's ex-wife changes her Christmas plans at the last minute, and asks him to take care of their eight-year-old son, Braeden. Remy loves spending time with his son, but balks at the idea of taking a child along on vacation. The main problem is that Braden has never met Lane, and doesn't know his father is gay. Lane is ready to take his relationship with Remy to the next level, and has a secret Christmas gift of his own. Having a young boy along will put a crimp in their plans, to be sure, but Lane wants to be a part of every aspect of Remy's life, and that includes Braden. How will Braden deal with meeting the "other man" in his father's life? What happens when Remy’s romantic holiday for two must also include his son?

Just the Three of Us

“Just wake us up before you start tearing into anything,” Remy told Braden. “Promise?”


Opening one eye, Braden grinned up at his father. “Promise.”


Remy laughed. “Ah! It isn’t Christmas yet.”


“I only opened one,” Braden pointed out. “Night, Dad.”


He shut the door to Braden’s room behind him, and rejoined Lane out in the main room. First, though, he checked the front door to make sure it was locked, then flicked off the light switch. The lamps by the couch turned off, but the room was still intimately lit by the fire in the hearth and the Christmas tree.


His lover was still at the end of the couch, but when Remy approached, Lane reached out and took his hand. “Come here, you,” he whispered, pulling Remy down to him.


Remy knelt on the edge of the couch as he kissed Lane. “Merry Christmas, baby,” he murmured into Lane. “I’ve been waiting for this all damn day.”


Chapter 53