Page 66 of A Case of You
As for decorating, Tracey brought over what she’d taken with her when she’d left Pat, and one afternoon she and the girls helped Jeff put up a tree and decorate it as a surprise for Stuart and Brandon. When the men returned home from work that evening, they found them eager to show off what they’d been up to.
It…felt like home. Jeff had lived by himself for several years, and had never really done anything for Christmas. He and Iris had always converged on his parents’ house for dinner that day, and enjoyed helping them put up their tree at Thanksgiving.
Another level of “real” had set in.
This washisfamily, with Tracey and Grace as a part of it.
He had a suspicion Brandon and Stuart were up to something when Tracey showed up the Tuesday before Christmas to take him and the girls shopping.
When they’d returned home hours later, Brandon and Stuart were home when they shouldn’t have been.
Both wore big, wide grins.
“What’d you do?” he asked as he laid shopping bags on the couch.
Everyone was apparently in on the surprise, from the wide grins on Tracey and the girls’ faces.
Brandon walked over and covered Jeff’s eyes while Stuart took his hands. It felt like they were leading him through the kitchen and out the back sliders to the lanai.
Brandon leaned in. “We did get you little things to unwrap, and it is sort of for everyone, but especially for you.” He uncovered Jeff’s eyes.
He gasped. “No fu-reaking way!”
Stuart giggled. “Way!”
Before him sat a hot tub. He stepped forward and looked inside. It was full of water, had two lounging bench seats, and looked like it could seat about six people.
“This is great!” He turned and hugged them. “Thank you!”
“It’ll take a while to heat up,” Brandon said. “But hopefully, it’ll be ready for tonight.”
“No more emptying the hot water heater in the shower,” Stuart teased.
It literally sat steps outside their bedroom sliders. He could get up first thing in the morning and get into it. “Wow. Guys, this is…wow. Was it expensive?”
“Doesn’t matter,” Brandon said. “It was a gently used one. I got a good deal on it, and Stuart hooked up the new electric circuit for it. It’ll be worth it to help you.” He leaned in as he hugged him again, but he pressed his lips against Jeff’s ear. “And I plan on getting alotof use out of it.”
“We brought dinner home,” Tracey said. “Let’s get you boys fed, and then we’ll clear out.” The girls were spending the night at Grace’s tonight—another prearranged part of the gift for Jeff, apparently.
“Guys, this is awesome. I love it—thank you.”
Stuart kissed him. “Nothing’s too good for our house elf.”
* * * *
Brandon didn’t want to give the girls the bum rush out of the house…but he was eager to get Jeff and Stuart alone in the hot tub.
Fornon-therapeutic reasons. Ever since getting back from Iowa, he’d been using a very effective evening distraction tactic on Stuart—letting him help Brandon work on inserting the ever-increasing butt plugs he’d been using.
Brandon hoped to take that final step tonight. Jeff’s pain was currently low and he still had energy, and they had the house to themselves.
Once they were alone outside, Brandon sank into the water up to his neck and let out a happy moan. “This is amazing.”
“You ain’t kidding.” Jeff was stretched out in one of the lounger sections, several jets hitting him in the back. “I could go to sleep out here.”
“Not tonight, I hope,” Brandon teased.
“No, Master. Not tonight. I think someone had something they wanted to try out tonight?”
