Page 56 of Bear Creek Christmas
Knox growled, eyes twinkling.
“Sounds like a good tradition.”
Levi couldn’t quite reach the top, so Knox picked him up to hang the gold star where it belonged. He received a kiss for his trouble, and they began placing the other items from the box. Afterward came the new decorations: balls, bows, ice crystals, candy canes, sleds, and several tiny teddy bears. Lastly, Levi spread the bright red tree skirt around the stand and snapped a photo for his family. Responses came back almost immediately.
Peggy>Lovely! I recognize the star...
Erin> I like it. Tell Knox hello.
Ted> Great tree. Lots of room for presents.
Rachel> Good job, bro!
Jett> Hey, where’s my gift? (haha).
Levi sent him an emoji of a pile of coal.
Jett> Harsh, dude!
With the tree finished, they turned to all the other purchased items. Knox hung the stockings on the mantle and the pinecone wreath on the front door, while Levi found places for the knick-knacks, scented candles, and the centerpiece for the dining table. The holiday hand towels went up in the bathroom and kitchen, leaving only the garland, twinkle lights, and mistletoe.
Knox brought in a stepladder from the shop and began to drape the garland where Levi directed. Meanwhile, white twinkle lights went up around the inside of the large picture window. The mistletoe came last since Levi knew Knox would be distracted by the kissing part of the project.
“Hey, I only want to make sure they work. Hand me another one.”
When they got to the spare bedroom door, Levi couldn’t open it.
“Why is this locked? It will be easier to hang if the door’s open.”
Knox reached up and attached the sprig in a different spot.
“It’s locked because Santa has already been here, now no more questions.”
“Stinker! You know it’s going to drive me crazy trying to guess what you have stashed in there. Is it sex toys? A case of fruitcake? A home theater?”
Knox couldn’t hide his skepticism.
“What? You don’t really want that stuff, do you?”
“No, but it’s fun teasing!”
By the time they finished, Levi wouldn’t be able to move more than ten feet before passing underneath a bunch of mistletoe—exactly what Knox wanted. It took a lot of snogging to complete the job, though neither of them minded. When everything was picked up and put away, the pair paused to look over their handiwork. Knox slipped an arm around Levi’s waist.
“I think it’s pretty. Are you happy with it?”
Teary-eyed, Levi buried his face in Knox’s neck.
“It’s perfect, and so are you. Now I don’t feel like I’m missing the whole season. Thank you.”
Following the evening performance downtown, they returned to the cabin for a late supper. Knox then declared that it was time to watch one of Levi’s holiday movies, and they snuggled up on the couch to watchWhite Christmas. When the film ended, the couple prepared for bed and fell asleep in a room speckled with colored lights.
####
The next morning
Levi awoke to noises coming from the kitchen and lay there thinking about yesterday. Just spending the day with Knox made it special, but the lovable bear outdid himself. Finding a tree, playing in the snow, decorating the cabin, watching a movie. By some twist of fate, Levi had already received the greatest possible gift—Knox—at the most special time of year. If it got any better than this, he couldn’t imagine what it would be.
He roused, cleaned up in the bathroom, and went to find his mate.His mate. The thought came naturally and sounded so absolutely right that Levi got goosebumps. He found Knox pouring coffee at an already-set table, and his face lit up when their eyes met.
