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Authors: Amber Kell

Xavier's Xmas

BOOK: Xavier's Xmas
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Xavier's Xmas

 

Amber Kell

 

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas to my fans

or for whatever holiday you celebrate.

 

The Christmas lights twinkled cheerfully on the tree as Xavier tossed back a glass of Scotch. Why he bothered to decorate this year he didn't know. There was no one to enjoy it with. For the first time in years he was celebrating the holidays alone. He supposed he could call his cousin or a couple of friends, but that took more energy than he had with half a bottle of alcohol and depression weighing down his soul.

Memories of a pair of smiling black eyes had him reaching for the bottle again. A generous splash hit the bottom of his glass.

Damn he missed Frankie.

He didn't think when his friend split he'd miss the guy so much. His roommate of three years had found a boyfriend and left him weeks ago. Two long weeks that felt like an eternity of loneliness.

Blinking back tears, Xavier rubbed his chest with his right hand, not letting go of the glass.

"Shit, why didn't I ever tell you I loved you?" he whispered to the empty room.

A truth he didn't figure out until after he helped Frankie pack everything he owned and leave him for another man. He really couldn't blame Frankie. The guy didn't know how he felt. Xavier kept his feelings buried so deep even he hadn't realized how much he cared until the cheerful, skinny kid was gone.

It was probably for the best.

He'd only rented the room to stave off loneliness in his enormous family home. A home that now echoed the emptiness of his heart. It was almost as if the house was pining for the younger man too.

He'd met his ex-roommate at a gay bar down the street from where he lived. Hearing Frankie talk to some friends about needing a place to crash, he offered the younger man a temporary room in his house. Temporary turned into three years. Three years of living with a spontaneous man who approached each morning as if something fabulous was going to happen.

Not being a morning person, Xavier had always hated how Frankie woke up cheerful. Since his roommate left, it was one of the things he missed the most. Now no one cared what time he dragged himself out of bed, and the cat hadn't figured out how to use the espresso machine so he had to make his own morning coffee. To give the cat credit it helped to have opposable thumbs.

The phone rang, shattering the haunting quiet of the house.

He snatched up his cell phone, wondering who’d be calling so late. He quickly hit the connect button when the readout listed Frankie. "Hello."

"Xave?" a teary voice said over the line.

A cold knot settled in Xavier's stomach at his ex-roommate's tone. "Frankie, what's wrong?"

"C-can I come home?"

Xavier’s heart slammed against his chest in a panicky rhythm.

"Where are you? I'll come get you." He'd have to call a cab but he wasn't going to leave his love in tears. Anywhere.

"I'm outside."

Xavier stood up so quickly his head spun, or it could've been the effect of the alcohol.

"Shit." He shouldn't have drunk so much. Stumbling towards the door he wrenched it open to find his ex-roommate standing in the doorway with a suitcase by his feet and a bag slung over his shoulder.

"Thank God you're home." The younger man flung himself at Xavier who barely caught his balance in time. The pair of them stumbled a few steps backwards before he was able to brace himself.

He gave himself a moment of indulgence as he breathed in the scent of Frankie, absorbing the feel of him in his arms.

"What happened?" he whispered, not wanting to disturb the moment, but curious about the location of the amazing boyfriend that had filled the younger man's world the last few months.

Sobs filled the room.

"Hang on." He propped Frankie against the wall, dragged his suitcase inside, closed the door, and took the bag off of the distraught man's shoulder. He set everything by the entrance and gave his roommate a friendly shoulder squeeze. "Come tell me all about it. I have some Scotch."

Frankie gave a watery chuckle. "You know I hate Scotch."

"Yeah, I know."

* * * *

Frankie wiped the tears from his eyes as he followed Xavier. Damn he'd missed him. The sexy older man, with his broad shoulders and kind grey eyes, always listened to him. Not like Rob. Rob, the asshole who Frankie learned too late just wanted a man to wait on him hand and foot. Xave never got upset if he forgot to cook dinner or left his clothes on the bathroom floor.

He'd certainly never hit him.

Maybe three years of living with this wonderful man as a roommate had ruined him for other men. He'd only moved in with Rob because he was worried he was going to make a fool of himself over his Xavier. He'd rather cut out his heart than tell Xave how desperately he'd loved him since day one. He settled on the couch, turning to face his friend before he spoke.

"I know I told you Rob was 'the one', but would you mind if I moved back in here?" It was pathetic, but damn, he'd rather live with Xavier then anywhere else. Hell, if that were all he ever got in his life, it would be enough. He would make it enough.

"What happened?"

He knew then, Xavier wasn't going to let it go.

Biting his lip, he carefully pulled off his shirt. He heard Xavier suck in his breath as Frankie held his. He knew how bad it looked. Lurid bruises covered his stomach and chest from the beating he'd received earlier. The last time he let that jerk touch him.

Long fingers brushing across his skin made him gasp from the heat of Xavier's touch. How many nights had he stayed awake longing for that man's fingers on his skin?

"I'm going to kill the fucker." His voice was so quiet Frankie thought he'd heard him wrong. His gentle, sweet, Xavier sounded vicious. In three years living together he'd never heard the kind man do more than show minor annoyance.

He never cursed.

Never.

Looking into those familiar grey eyes, he saw true rage.

"Xave?"

"Where is he?"

Shit
.

Frankie slid across the couch, wrapping his arms around the man he had come to care for so deeply. It was the only way he knew to keep Xave in place. "I don't want you to get arrested. I'm here now and I'm not going back to that bastard. I swear." He moved until he was straddling Xave’s lap, forcing Xave to face him eye-to-eye. "I'm sorry I left," he said in a softer voice.

"Why did you leave? I could tell you didn't love him."

Xave’s big hands cupped Frankie’s hips, holding him in place.

"I-I thought you might want to have the house to yourself. I heard you tell someone on the phone that you were going to start dating." He swallowed the lump in his throat. No matter how he phrased the next part it sounded bad. "I didn't want you to not date because of me. No guy is going to want you if you come with baggage. I didn't want to be your baggage."

He only wanted good things for Xave. Always. If it took him leaving for his friend to find the love of his life, Frankie was willing to let him go even if it ripped out his heart.

"Frankie, what am I going to do with you?" He was gently wrapped in long arms and pulled close until he sprawled across Xave’s sexy, muscled body. Frankie let out a contented sigh and settled his head in a convenient crook between his roommate's neck and shoulder. If only he could stay here forever. Shit, Rob's touch had never felt half this good and they'd had sex.

Even if his boyfriend hadn't turned into an abusive asshole, Frankie doubted they would've lasted. The thought of spending Christmas away from the man he loved had torn him apart. It was time to face the facts. He was willing to stay until Xave threw him out. He would take any scraps of affection tossed his way, like a pathetic stray following this wonderful man about, begging for love and a good home.

"You're not baggage," The deep voice rumbled against his ear. "You're an amazing person with a big heart. Rob doesn't deserve you, and if he dares show himself here I will beat the crap out of him myself."

He nuzzled against Xave’s neck wishing he had the nerve to leave a mark. He would give anything to have the right to claim the sweet man cuddling him in his arms.

Anything.

As Frankie felt Xave relax, he reluctantly scooted back and took his place on the other side of the couch. His active imagination made him think Xavier's fingers clung a little before letting him go, but as his friend didn't make any further movement he knew it was wishful thinking on his part. The smell of Scotch reached him.

"Drinking alone?"

Xavier's pale skin blushed a pretty pink as he shrugged his wide shoulders. "There was no one else here."

Frankie didn't dare read anything into that statement. He didn't want to scare the man off. Instead he looked at the tree. The lights sparkled against the blown glass bulbs he knew were handed down by a deceased grandmother. He turned back to his favorite view, admiring how the light reflected in Xave’s eyes. "It looks beautiful."

That earned him a faint smile. "I was thinking, before you got here, it probably wasn't worth decorating without someone to enjoy it with. I did it anyway because I didn't want to be one of those lonely old men who didn't bother acknowledging the holidays. My mother used to adore Christmas." Xave’s sad tone jerked at Frankie’s heartstrings.

"Maybe I should get myself a dog."

Frankie smiled. "Only if you get one of those jackets with the leather elbows so you can look like a country gentleman."

Even as they laughed together he thought dreamily if anyone could carry off that look it would be his roommate. His home was more a mansion than a house. Xave had inherited it from some great aunt. Frankie suspected the other man only rented to him because he was lonely. Then he'd been selfish enough to leave him for the first asshole who'd asked.

"I'm sorry about leaving you."

Xavier gave a broken laugh. "You're allowed to leave, Frankie. It's not a jail. You can lead your own life." His grey eyes scraped over the bruised chest, as anger sparked in his eyes. That look was more painful than the injuries. "Though, hopefully, next time you'll make better choices."

"I swear," Frankie said, choking on his emotions. "I’ll never leave again. I mean, not unless you want me to. I don't want to interfere with you finding someone."

Xave brushed his fingers across Frankie's cheeks in a soft caress. "I missed you while you were gone. I didn't realize how much I would miss you," the words were said so quietly Frankie almost thought he was imagining them.

"I… I missed you too," he confessed.

* * * *

Xavier looked at the younger man, bemused by the longing in the Frankie’s eyes. Taking a chance, he brushed Frankie's lips with his thumb. Eyes closed, the smaller man looked as if he were absorbing his touch.

He was going to wake up soon.

It had to be a dream brought on by a Scotch infused haze if Frankie wanted him!

It could only be a dream.

Xavier was ready to believe that until a hot mouth brushed against his and he was sinking into a kiss filled with sweet promises, promises that tasted like home.

He groaned against the soft sensation. Sliding his tongue inside, he tried to absorb the flavor of Frankie’s mouth. A warm body settled once more in his lap making him sigh. This was where he liked Frankie, snuggled up against him with their cocks rubbing together.

"Xave," Frankie's voice sank into his consciousness. He made a sound of protest when the lips moved away.

"Mmm."

"Let's take this to the bedroom, I don't want to hurt your back."

It was like cold water splashing across his skin, another reminder about his age. What was he thinking? He needed to keep his hands to himself. Frankie needed Xavier’s comfort not his obsession.

"Maybe we shouldn't," Xavier said sliding away from Frankie's touch and using his strength to lift the other man back onto the couch. It was one of the most painful things he'd ever done, leaving that embrace. "I don't want to take advantage of you. You're in shock and upset. I represent safety. I wouldn't be a very good friend if we had sex now."

It was all painfully true. He would be the worst kind of user if he fucked Frankie while he was so vulnerable.

Before he could stop him, the smaller man slid into his lap and wrapped around him again. "I've dreamed of this."

Xavier gave a broken chuckle. "I have too, but in my dreams you aren't all banged up from your asshole boyfriend's abuse. I'm not saying I don't want you." He couldn't stop from sliding his fingers across Frankie's back, the silky skin begged for his touch. "I'm just saying we should wait until we're sure this is what we both want and not the pair of us trying to feel better." It was difficult to focus on his words when his cock was ready to plunge into the willing man straddling him. Even with his pants on he could feel they were both hard and aching.

Frankie laid his head on Xavier's shoulder, silky curls settling in the curve of his neck. Instinctively, Xavier ran his fingers through the golden brown mass unable to resist the appeal.

BOOK: Xavier's Xmas
3.85Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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