Christmas Tales - Brandon Witt Page 0,47
one, it’ll be fine.”
“Oh no. I’m not having that on my conscience. And like I said, we’re taking our time later.” He pointed to the love seat by the hamster house, then picked up the bags. “Here, just sit with me for a moment.”
I did as he asked, taking just a second to glance at Spike and Angel. Angel was running on his wheel, but Spike was staring at us through the thin wires.
James pulled a large present out of one of his bags. It was wrapped in black-and-white skull-and-crossbones paper with a black ribbon.
“I’ve never gotten a Christmas present that looked like that before.”
“It’s not for you.”
I looked up at him, surprised. “It’s not?”
“Nope.” He handed it to me. “But you get to open it.”
“Okay….” I couldn’t remember the last time I’d opened a gift. To me or anyone else. It felt strange.
James touched my arm. “Brian, are you okay?”
I glanced up at him, then back at the present. “Oh yeah. I’m fine.”
Mentally reprimanding myself, I made a scene of tugging at the ribbon and ripping at the paper. I knew it probably didn’t distract James from noticing I was close to tears, but at least he didn’t ask any further questions, because then I really would’ve lost it. Who the fuck cried before they’d even gotten the present unwrapped?
Once I got the box opened and the tissue removed, I stared at the contents before picking up one of the tiny Christmas trees. There had to be thirty or forty of them in there.
I held it up in the space between us. “It’s a bunch of little Christmas trees.” I had no idea what to say about that.
“Yeah. They’re for Spike and Angel.”
“They are?”
James snatched it out of my hand and pointed to the label I’d not bothered to read. “They’re rodent treats. I thought maybe you’d want to use them in your nativity scene tonight. You know, the vampire hamsters so bent on destroying Christmas, they not only chew on baby Jesus, but actually eat the Christmas trees.” His smile faltered. “Probably a dumb idea.”
I stared at him, unable to speak for a moment, the burning behind my eyes growing stronger. I ran my thumb over the little tree in my hand and looked over at my teddy bear hamsters. Then finally back at James.
“I can’t believe you did this. That you actually thought about the hamsters and my little movies.”
“Of course I did. I love your little movies.” James gave the box in my lap a dismissive gesture. “You don’t have to use those if you don’t like them or they won’t fit the—”
“No! I’m using them! We’re using them. They’re perfect.” I had to force myself to breathe again. “Thank you.”
James cleared his throat and reached into the second bag and pulled out the other gift. “This one is for you.” This present was wrapped in childlike red and green with cartoon snowmen stamped at random intervals. It looked like something you’d give a five-year-old.
I took the present, not trusting myself to speak. Things kept going back and forth. One second causing me to feel special, that James would do all of this for me. Spending Christmas with me was more than I’d ever hoped to begin with. But the faux tree, the presents. It also felt rather unsafe. Not that James was going to hurt me or any such bullshit, but that there had to be a trick inside. There was always something behind the wrapping paper that told me I was wrong and broken.
I began to tear at the wrapping paper again. Chiding myself for being ridiculous. The first gift had been amazing. Thoughtful and kind. But this one felt different. The childlike quality of it. Like I really might be opening one of my gifts from forty years before.
As the paper fell away, I stared through the clear plastic of the box. It was a blonde Barbie. A mermaid with a shiny pink tail and rainbow fins.
Alarm bells went off inside my brain, stealing any chance of forming words. I forced myself to look at James.
He was staring at me, his expression nervous. “I know it’s not a collectable. But it’s one that my grandson asked for. It lights up if you push that little jewel on her necklace.” He looked down at the doll in my lap and poked his finger through a hole in the plastic. Sure enough the mermaid tail flashed in multicolored lights. He looked back up at me expectantly.
“You got me a doll. Why?”
He flinched minutely. “You like them. And….” I’d not been aware James was as close to tears as I was until one rolled down his left cheek and into his beard. “I want you to know that how you are is how I want you. I like the size you are. I love your handsome face, the hair on the back of your shoulders. I like the way your cum tastes and your ass feels. I love that you live your life how you want.” He sniffed, motioned toward the hamsters and back to the mermaid. “You’re the first man I’ve found interesting in years. I got you the doll because I want you to be who you are. That’s the man I want to keep seeing.”
At the sight of his tears and as the meaning of his words sank in, all hope was lost. I cried. Cried until my shoulders shook and snot ran.
I cried until the Barbie was on the floor and I was tightly wrapped in James’s arms.
Until I started to laugh. And then James laughed. And then we were both laughing so hard we started crying again.
Once calm, we sat there a bit longer. Just looking in each other’s eyes from time to time and running our hands over each other’s bodies and clothes. There weren’t any more words needed.
Finally, after a kiss to my lips, James glanced at the cage over our shoulder. “Should we grab your little guys and get going? Just because you made me cry doesn’t mean I don’t get to plow that ass later.”
I laughed, a large, snotty laugh. “Me? I think you were the one who made us cry.”
He shrugged.
I started to lean over and open up the cage, then paused. “Wait, let’s go set up the trees first.”
“Oh right. I’d forgotten.” He stood and picked the box of trees up off the floor, then waited for me to join him, and we walked back to the bedroom. “Do we get to order Chinese food soon? I’m starving.”
About the Author
Brandon Witt received his roots in the Ozark, grew wings in Denver, and is learning to fly in New Orleans. When not snuggled on the couch with his two dogs and his partner, Stephen, he is more than likely in front of his computer, nose inches from the screen, fingers pounding the keys.
* * *
Please Visit the following links for more information and to keep up to date on new releases:
Website: BrandonWitt.com
The Brandon Witt Witty Readers Facebook Group: Witty Readers
Amazon: Brandon’s Author Page
Also by Brandon Witt
All arriving in 2020
* * *
Standalone Novels and Novellas
Then the Stars Fall
Imperfection of Swans
Son of Money
The Shattered Door
Under a Sky of Ash
Second Helpings, Novella
Fan Boy, a Kinky, Erotic Short Story
* * *
Rocky Mountain Boys Series
Mapping the Forest - a Rocky Mountain Boys Novel
Braving the Rapids - a Rocky Mountain Boys Novel
* * *
Mary’s Boys Series
Nachos & Hash, Novella
Vodka & Handcuffs, Novella
Mascara & Bandages, Novella
Deeds & Confetti, Novella
The Mary’s Boys Collection
* * *
Men of Myth Series
Submerging Inferno
Rising Frenzy
Clashing Tempest
Shifting Silver, Novella
Emerging Rebellion, Novella
The Men of Myth Collection
* * *
Collections
Short Stories
Christmas Tales
Lavender Shores
Also written by Brandon Witt, under the pen name of Rosalind Abel. The Lavender Shores series is pure MM romance with trope-filled, steamy goodness. You won’t be left wanting, and all guaranteed happily ever-afters.
The Palisade
The Garden
The Veranda
The Shipwreck
The Hideaway
The Glasshouse
The Alcove
The Wilderness
The Victorian
Also available in Audio Format,
Read by Kirt Graves
* * *
Lavender Shores
Cozy Corgi Mysteries
Also written by Brandon Witt, under the pen name of Mildred Abbot. The Cozy Corgi is a Cozy Culinary Mystery series that follow Winifred Page and her corgi, Watson, as they move to Estes Park, Colorado, to open a dream bookshop. Every installment features a chubby, grumpy corgi and a recipe. Oh, yes, and each also features a murder. Did I forget to mention murder? —These are the perfect stories to curl up with right before bed.
* * *
Cruel Candy
Traitorous Toys
Bickering Birds
Savage Sourdough
Scornful Scones
Chaotic Corgis
Quarrelsome Quartz
Wicked Wildlife
Malevolent Magic
Killer Keys
Perilous Pottery
Ghastly Gadgets
Meddlesome Money
Precarious Pasta
Evil Elves
Phony Photos
Despicable Desserts
Chattering Chipmunks
Vengeful Vellum
* * *
Also available in Audio Format,
Read by Angie Hickman
* * *
The Cozy Corgi