Jason has one rule when it comes to holidays -- work his shift behind the bar and then find a willing body to distract himself with. One night is long enough to satisfy his needs and still walk away with his heart intact. It has worked out fine for most of his adult life, but this Easter, he's trying something new. He's leaving the city to visit his friend Aiden, who recently moved in with his boyfriend in the middle of nowhere, but one unfortunate incident leaves Jason without a place to sleep.<br><br>Tom doesn't just not do relationships, he rarely does hook-ups, either, and never too close to home. Living on his own without attachments is easier than having the whole town knowing about him. As the holiday approaches, his lonely house grows even quieter than normal -- at least until his friend Tristan dumps an arrogant bartender in his lap.<br><br>As soon as Jason lays eyes on the gruff lumberjack whose home he'll be sharing, he knows who'll warm his bed for the weekend and help chase away any pending holiday gloom. Too bad Tom doesn't want to get with the program. As much as he wants to let Jason close, he won't risk outing himself for a weekend fling. Will Jason trust Tom not to break his heart if he stays longer than a couple of days? Will Tom value their relationship higher than the town gossip?

The Egg Hunt

But first, he would have dinner with Tom.


He smelled his armpit and wrinkled his nose. No way could he go on a date smelling like this.


Tom opened the oven to peek at the venison. It smelled heavenly, but he didn’t know if he’d be able to eat. He kept coming back to Tristan’s chuckle before they’d left the café and the way Jason had looked serving coffee to all the people Tom knew.


What if they’d all figured it out? His pulse rang in his ears, and yet there was something liberating about it. He wanted Tristan to know, but he didn’t want to have to say anything. Tom had never been one to talk, yet at the same time, he was tired of keeping it to himself.


Chapter 32