Page 40 of Love Around the Corner

“Oh,” Leo groaned as Alfie took hold of him, moving faster, thrusting into Alfie’s fist and back onto his cock. “Oh yes oh god oh fuck.”

Alfie was deep inside him, he was all around him, holding him tight. He’d never felt so close to anyone, never felt so connected. And this was Leo, this was LLB—it was all of him laid bare. “Leo,” Alfie breathed into the slick skin between his shoulder blades. “Oh God, Leo, I think I love you.” As he spoke them, the words chimed true in his heart, filling him with light and peace and joy. “Iloveyou.”

Leo twisted, gazing over his shoulder, flushed and emotional. “Alfie— I love you, too.”

“So much.” Alfie stretched to kiss him, a messy meeting of lips. “I love you so fucking much.”

Leo shuddered, eyelids fluttering. For an instant he tensed and then a ripple ran through his whole body and he flung back his head with a sharp cry, sobbing out his release, spilling in hot, sticky pulses over Alfie’s hand. In the wake of his climax, Alfie’s own pleasure closed in fast. Gripping Leo’s beautiful hips he drove home once, twice, three times as the tension swelled and shattered, and he came with a broken shout.

Beneath him, Leo’s arms gave way and Alfie barely had presence of mind to hold him up and ease himself out before he too collapsed onto the bed, half sprawled over Leo. His heart galloped as he caught his breath, but, beneath him, Leo was shaking. Crying?

“I’m okay,” he said, rolling into Alfie’s arms and burying his face against his shoulder. “Just…overwhelmed.”

Alfie understood. He felt that same surge of emotion rising up, threatening to overpower him, but he rode the swell until it subsided. “It’s been a hell of a week,” he said, when he’d found his voice.

“Worst and best of my life,” Leo murmured into his chest.

Alfie huffed a laugh and held him tighter, kissing his temple, the sweat-damp skin of his forehead. That just about summed it up; they’d been through an emotional wringer, and he felt washed out and exhausted after the ordeal.

But happy, too. Ecstatic, in fact.

They lay there in the soft silence for a long while, Leo’s head heavy on Alfie’s shoulder and one arm flung possessively across his stomach as Alfie sketched slow circles over Leo’s back, his waist, the top of his thigh. Gradually, the world solidified around them and sounds began to intrude from outside. A gust of wind clipping the corner of the house, the distant thunder of the surf on the beach: a change in the weather. Something caught Alfie’s eye through the window—snow, blowing in skittish flurries against the dark glass. “Hey,” he murmured, smiling into Leo’s hair. “It’s snowing. It’s snowing on Christmas Eve.”

Leo lifted his head, hair ravaged, eyes hooded, and smiled a sexy, blissed-out smile. “Merry Christmas, then, Camaro89.” He brushed their lips together. “Merry Christmas, Alfie Carter.”

Smiling, Alfie cupped Leo’s face with one hand, tracing his cheekbone with the pad of his thumb. “Merry Christmas, LLB. Merry Christmas, Leo Novak.”

Before they settled again, Alfie stirred himself enough to dispose of the condom and clean himself up, and by the time he slipped back into bed Leo was already heavy with sleep. It wasn’t even nine o’clock, but Alfie figured neither of them had slept much last night. Curling around him, Alfie shifted carefully until they were snugly entwined, the scent of Leo’s hair filling his head and Leo’s warm, sinewy body drowsy in his arms.

Overwhelmed by happiness, Alfie drifted to sleep planning their perfect Christmas Day— a snowy walk on the beach, plenty of good food, and a cozy afternoon on the sofa with the guy he loved.

Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.

Epilogue

December 19th– one year later

Camaro89: You nearly done? Dee has fresh baked almond croissants on her stand. They smell gooooooood…

Leo grinned as he read the message, phone propped up on the kitchen counter while he finished his late and hurried lunch. He wrote back,If you keep feeding me croissants, I’ll never fit into my party clothes.

Camaro89: So? Go naked. No one will mind.

He laughed, shaking his head.Sean and Tejana will mind!

Camaro89: Just get your cute butt up here, Novak.

Rolling his eyes at Alfie’s impatience, Leo crammed the last of his sandwich into his mouth, stuck his plate in the dishwasher, and went upstairs to layer up.

After the success of last year’s Christmas market, Dee had decided to run it again this year—only bigger and better. Which meant Leo would be standing around in the cold for hours this evening. Not that he was complaining; it would be great for business. This year his stall had a beautiful wooden sign, which Alfie had made for him, and he’d gotten bookmarks printed to hand out. He was looking forward to the market, proud of what he’d achieved with Bayside Books over the last year and keen to show it off. Once Alfie had started taking a look at his accounts, and Leo had started taking advice from Dee and other local business owners, he’d seen a steady month-on-month increase in sales. But more than that, he felt happier about his business, more confident that he could succeed—with a little help from his friends.

His phone buzzed as he pulled on a long-sleeved base layer, dragging a t-shirt over it, followed by a light micro fleece. He glanced at his phone, now sitting on the bed.

Camaro89: Hurry up. Wentworth’s getting impatient xxx

Fondly exasperated, Leo pulled his heaviest wool sweater over everything else and hurried down to the entryway to get his boots and coat. But he paused there, his attention snagged by the narrow bookcase Alfie had built back in January. Seven books sat in a very particular order on its top shelf—A Christmas Carol,Les Misérables,Pride and Prejudice,Portrait of a Lady,Maurice,Emma, andPersuasion.

Leo smiled.

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