Chapter 23

Christmas Day

Mike opened his eyes. He was spooned around Sam who was making the cutest little snores. Mike snuggled closer, breathing in the smell of bed-warmed skin, citrus, and Sam’s hair.

Best Christmas present ever.

He kissed Sam’s shoulder. “Hey, sleepyhead. Want to get up and see if Santa came?”

Sam let out a drowsy chuckle. “ He might not have, but I did. Three times.” He rolled over, grinning. “Want to make it four? I’m not a fan of odd numbers.”

He laughed. “In case you forgot, Anthony is making us a special breakfast this morning. Eggs, bacon, hash browns, sausage…”

“We don’t need sausage.” Sam slid his hand around Mike’s morning wood. “We’ve got plenty right here.” His eyes glinted.

Mike rolled his eyes. “Later. Besides, I want to see this present you said you were making.” He gave a mock gasp. “It’s socks, isn’t it? You’ve taken up knitting.” Mike chuckled. “Little rainbow-colored socks, right?”

Sam laughed. “Not even close. But seeing as I’m not about to get lucky this morning, we might as well get up.” He lay on his back, however, gazing at their surroundings. “You happy to stay in this room?”

“I’d be happier if it was your room too, but I don’t think it’s big enough.” Mike smirked. “The contents of your closet would take up every inch of space.”

“I’d love it if we had our own room,” Sam murmured. “And this is perfect, away from the main building.”

Mike had been thinking about it in the week leading up to the shows. “I have a present for you, but it’s not ready yet. In fact, it isn’t due to be started until next week.”

Sam stared at him. “Tell me. You can’t put out something like that and leave me hanging.”

Mike snickered. “You said put out .”

Sam groaned. “What are you, twelve?” He lurched up, swung a leg over Mike’s hips, and straddled him, his hands on Mike’s chest. “Tell me.”

“Nope.”

Sam gave a slow grind. “I have ways of making you talk, y’know.”

Mike let out a moan. “You fight dirty.”

“You know it.” He followed up with another leisurely grind. “Ready to say uncle?”

“Okay, okay! But can you please not use that particular term?”

Sam stilled, giving him a smug smile.

Mike sighed. “You know there’s another room on this floor, right? Only accessible by the walkway from the rear of the house.”

Sam snorted. “Honey, I’ve lived here how long? Of course I know.”

“Well, Gabe’s going to put two doors through that wall,” he said, pointing. “The whole floor will be ours, not just a bedroom but a living space, our quarters, if you like. And he’ll add another door to the bathroom so it can be accessed from both sides. Then he’s going to add a small kitchen area, nothing huge, just somewhere we can cook if we want to.” He smiled. “What do you think?”

Sam stared at him in silence for a moment, then claimed Mike’s mouth in kiss after fervent kiss.

“I love it,” Sam said when he came up for air. Then he grinned. “Let me show you how much I love it—and you.”

That last part sent warmth flooding through him. He cupped Sam’s face. “I love you too.” Then his phone buzzed, and he grabbed it from the nightstand. He peered at the screen, and laughed. “Oops. We’re in trouble. It’s from Anthony.” He read aloud. Get your asses down here or I’ll feed your breakfasts to the cat. And before you tell me we don’t have a cat, I’ll bring in the first stray kitty I find.

Sam clambered off him. “Well, I’m going down in my jammies. It is Christmas Day, after all.”

Mike frowned. “You have jammies?”

Sam reached under the bed and brought out a large bag. “Uh-huh. And so do you. Merry Christmas.” He tossed it onto the bed.

Mike delved into the bag. He laughed when he saw two matching pajama sets in a fleecy green fabric, covered with images of Santa, snowflakes, candy canes, presents, and baubles. “You could’ve had us in different colors.”

Sam snickered. “We’d have clashed. This is better. Now put them on, and we’ll go see what else Santa has brought.”

Mike grinned. “Well, I was going to wait until after breakfast, but seeing as you started the ball rolling…” He reached under his side of the bed, grabbed the bag, and handed it to Sam. “Sorry, but I didn’t have time to wrap it.”

Sam gazed at the logo with wide eyes. “Menagerié Intimates? From Vienna? I’ve been drooling over their lingerie for ages.”

Mike laughed. “I know. I caught you looking three times. I wasn’t sure it was going to get here in time.” He held up his hand. “But you can’t open it now. It’ll have to wait, or else Anthony really will kill us.”

Sam’s face glowed. “God, I love you.” He let out an exaggerated sigh. “Okay, I guess I can wait. But I know what I’d prefer to wear to breakfast.” He grinned. “The others will be so jealous.”

Mike felt like a kid again in his festive pajamas. For one moment, however, he felt a brief pang.

I wondered what’s happening at my parents’ place right now?

Then he smiled. That damn cat will be in the tree again. He’d call them later. They were overdue for a catch-up. The last contact had been a week or so ago when he’d messaged Mom to say he wouldn’t be there for Christmas Day.

He had a lot to tell them.

Mike and Sam went into the warm kitchen, to find the table set for ten, and three chairs unoccupied. Cries of Merry Christmas greeted them .

He had to smile. It seems everyone stayed last night.

Kris sat with Jim, his hand on Jim’s nape, Anthony was leaning into Phil, and Elliott was feeding Stephan bits of bacon by hand. Everyone burst into applause as Mike and Sam sat down.

Anthony stood and clapped. “Well, if it isn’t Mike O’Neill, star of stage, screen, and Facebook.” He picked up two covered plates from the countertop and placed them on the table.

Mike frowned. “What?”

“Someone filmed the show last night, and posted it to the hotel’s Facebook page,” Ashley told him. She grinned. “You’re famous. Well, Cheap Trix is famous. And they got the part where you two kissed.” She glanced at the table’s occupants, her gaze narrowed, hands on her hips. “Wait a second. Am I the only one around here who didn’t get laid last night?”

The bell rang, and Mike chuckled. “And there it goes again.”

Elliott grinned. “Hold that thought. There might actually be someone ringing this time.” He disappeared through the door but returned a moment later, beaming. “Ashley? You have a visitor.”

Patrick stepped into the kitchen, carrying a pile of wrapped packages. “Good morning, all. And Merry Christmas.”

Everyone greeted him, and Jim indicated the remaining empty chair. “Join us. You’re just in time.” Anthony stood to pick up the last covered plate.

Ashley ran over to him. “I thought you were on duty today,” she said with a smile. Elliott took his parcels from him, and Patrick gave Ashley a hug.

“I swapped with one of the guys.” He glanced at Mike and Sam, and smirked. “Nice, fellas.” He took the chair next to Ashley and smiled when he saw the food. “Great. I’m starving.”

Sam widened his eyes. “I almost forgot.” He rose, and left the kitchen in a hurry.

“Your breakfast will get cold,” Anthony hollered after him. “You know, the one I worked my ass off to make for you.”

Phil chuckled. “Excuse me? What am I, chopped liver? I helped too.”

That earned him an exuberant peck on the cheek. “Yes, you did, and I’m sure I’ll find a way to thank you—later.” Wry chuckles rippled around the table.

Sam came back into the kitchen, and Mike burst out laughing when he saw what Sam had on his head. “Oh, that is perfect .”

The black top hat came with a piece of thick bent wire that Sam had somehow fastened to the back. The wire came over the top in a graceful arc, hanging down just above the brim. Suspended from the end of the wire was…

A sprig of mistletoe.

Sam grinned. “Wherever you go, the mistletoe goes with you, and you know what that means, right? I think it’s a federal law that says you get kissed when you’re under the mistletoe.”

“Is that so?” Mike tugged Sam into his lap, and kissed him.

Anthony plucked it from Sam’s head. “You can have it back— after breakfast.”

No one spoke for a few minutes while they got down to the delightful task of eating. Jim was the first to speak.

“Look, New Year’s is only a week away, but we really need to decide if we’re gonna put on a show. I know we haven’t given it much thought, what with everything we’ve been doing, but we’ve got bookings, guys. A lot of bookings.”

All eyes went to Mike.

“Sure,” he said with a shrug. “I just don’t know if I’m ready to step into Nick’s heels again.”

“I will,” Ashley piped up. “I’d love to do a number.”

Elliott beamed. “Way to go, Feisty Girl.” They high-fived. “We’ll work out a routine for you.”

“And I’ll make your costume,” Anthony added.

“Don’t forget the Leather Ball on Saturday,” Kris reminded them. His eyes gleamed. “You don’t have to come dressed in leather from head to toe. Even a small piece will be just fine.”

Mike grinned. “And what will you be wearing, Jim?”

He flushed. “A leather jock.”

Kris kissed his cheek. “And a collar.”

Sam reached into the pocket of his pajama pants, removed a small, wrapped package, and place it in front of Mike.

He blinked. “Another present?”

“Only a tiny one.”

Mike tore the tissue paper away, and stopped dead when he saw the little figurine. It was Dorothy in her blue and white dress, sparkling ruby slippers on her feet, a basket over one arm, and Toto nestled in the other.

He smirked. “If this is your hint that you want me to lip sync to “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”, you can forget it.”

“Actually? This is just to remind you of something every time you look at it.”

“And what’s that?”

Sam smiled. “There’s no place like home.”

Mike kissed him. “And home is where the heart is.”