Page 47 of Christmas Crisis
But discovering my path forward was a goal for post-New Year’s Leo. For now, I was going to enjoy every moment I could with Miranda. She’d asked me to make it look real, and that wouldn’t be an issue.
I pressed my lips to the juncture between her neck and shoulder. It was real to me.
I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew, sunlight streamed into the room. I woke slowly, squinting, tofind my leg slung over Miranda with the bedcovers bunched at the bottom of the mattress. She lay on her back, trapped beneath my bent knee, cupping her arms underneath mine. Our heads shared a pillow.
She peered at me. “Finally up? I’ve been waiting twenty minutes to pee.”
I blinked my eyes open. “You could have rolled me away from you.”
She smirked. “I tried. Believe me. But every time I’d push an inch of you off me, you snapped right back.” Her lips twitched. “I don’t mind. You’re a very cuddly blanket.”
As I awakened further, I realized with horror that my cock was rock hard. More urgently, it was poking into Miranda’s hip. My cheeks went hot as I shuffled back with a grunt of alarm.
“Don’t sweat it, Bear. I know it’s just a biology thing. Morning wood.”
She seemed entirely nonplussed. Still, my face burned. “Uh, yeah.”
Escaping to the bathroom, I gave myself a mirror pep talk as I willed my dick to de-chub. I certainly wasn’t going to rub one out in my little brother’s house with Miranda feet away.
I conjured mental erection deflators. Sitting on a bench with fresh bird poo. The old spaghetti jar full of bacon grease my mom kept in the fridge. Cleaning a hair clog from a shower drain. Using a bench at the gym right after the sweaty guy who didn’t wipe it down.
There. Done. Shaft wilted. I glanced down at my pajama pants to confirm. Just the normal soft bulge with no tent in sight.
Splashing water on my face, I shook my head at Miranda’s reaction to getting a hip massage from my penis. Totally unfazed. But of course she was. She was completely convinced of my asexuality and would assume nothing different. Damn.Would I ever tell her? Or would that be selfish since she was with Stone?
Another problem for post-New Year’s Leo.
Miranda had to work, so I kept myselfbusy doing yard maintenance for James. I knew he hated it, especially during the colder months, so I figured it could be an early Christmas gift. At least it hadn’t snowed yet this year.
For dinner, we chose to make our first public appearance in Coleman Creek by eating at The Landslide, the town’s popular pub. Icicle lights covered the exterior, and a blow-up Rudolph greeted guests in the parking lot, which was close to full at six p.m. on a Friday. I’d been here enough times on other visits to know that the bar’s small dance floor and pool tables were Coleman Creek’s major claim tonightlife.
When we arrived, I immediately spotted Katy, a friend of Marley and James’s I’d met before. I knew Katy had worked at The Landslide since high school and was in the process of buying the business from the owners.
“Oh my goodness, Miranda!” Katy exclaimed, hugging her. “I didn’t know you were in town. I saw all the gossip online, and I’ve been thinking about you.” She pulled back, stretching her arms to hold Miranda by the shoulders. “I can’t believe you know Stone Caseman!”
Katy led us to a corner booth, bringing water glasses.
“Mm-hmm,” Miranda said. “We met on the beach in Los Angeles, but all this social media stuff is the reason I never made a big deal about it. This past week has been precisely what I tried to avoid.”
“Did you not even tell your sisters? Marley never said anything.”
“No. I never told them any of it.” Miranda gestured to me. “When they get back into town, they’re going to have a bunch of surprises waiting for them.”
Katy bobbed her head. “I’ll say.” She volleyed her gaze between us. “I can’t believe you guys are dating. Actually, scratch that. I’m not surprised. What I don’t get is why you kept it a secret.”
“It’s complicated,” Miranda said.
I grasped her hand, lacing our fingers. “Our relationship has some weird implications for our families. We were keeping it private while we figured things out, but of course everything with Stone forced our hand.”
“That tracks,” Katy mused. “It sucks having to live out your life when you feel like everyone is watching.” She squared her shoulders. “Leo, you drink Guinness, right? And Miranda, I have that local hard cider you liked last time if you’re interested? Or if you’re in the mood for something sweet, we’ve got candy cane shakes for the season.”
Miranda wrinkled her nose.
“She hates minty flavors,” I told Katy. “Don’t let her get started on her lack of toothpaste options.”
Katie chuckled. “Noted. I’ll remember for next time.”
“The cider sounds great,” Miranda said. “And I don’t need to bother with a menu. I’ve been looking forward to getting a patty melt and fries here since the last time I was in town.”
