Chapter Fifteen

Kert

I woke up to the smell of food and sounds of Christmas songs playing quietly in the distance. The parted curtains revealed that snow was still falling, completely covering the expanse of the front yard in white fluff.

The ensuite guest room was the size of a small cabin in itself, with a carved wooden super-king four poster bed and matching dressers.

Stretching in the soft sheets, I relished the soreness of my muscles that reminded me how I had writhed underneath Marin as he held me down with his tentacles. I traced my fingers over the sucker marks around my wrists and had to see the rest.

I wiggled from under the covers and padded to the huge gold-framed mirror on the wall. Last night, I’d watched my reflection as Marin stretched my ass and played with my cock and nipples until I couldn’t focus enough to watch.

I shed my oversized t-shirt and turned from side to side. The sucker marks on my hips were a darker shade of red than my crimson skin, matching the tiny circular bruises on my neck and around my nipples. A shiver ran through me and I danced my fingers over the tenta-licious love marks. Sex marks? Marin loved me, I was sure of that. But he wasn’t in love with me. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so chill about my leaving in ten days. If only he’d asked me to stay…

For years, I’d nurtured my crush on my best friend knowing we’d never get physical, keeping appropriate distance. Now, I was painfully aware that it had never been a crush. I’ve been in love with Marin for nine years and my trip to visit him only cemented that feeling. Heartbreak, here I come. And no regrets in sight.

Marin’s low humming reached my ears and I took a moment to listen to him joining Frank Sinatra singing about being home for Christmas. I wasn’t physically home, but with Marin, I sure felt like I was.

From my suitcase, I grabbed a pair of tartan chinos and a long-sleeve crop-top that proved my perfect timing and immaculate packing skills. It had a picture of an Owl in a Santa hat and said “Owl be home for Christmas.” It was that or the one with three penguins dressed in Santa hats, with the caption ‘It’s penguining to look a lot like Christmas.’ Pulling on the warmest and fluffiest socks I had, I followed the music and the smell of roasted almonds and rosewater.

“Hello, gorgeous.” Marin had his hands full behind a butcher-block kitchen island that was littered with flour, butter, and a mixing bowl. He took out a tray of thick cookies from the oven and slid in another one, his tentacles working overtime. In black sweats and an apron over a bare chest, he looked like a sexy house-husband posing for a Christmas photoshoot.

“I was out like a rock.” I stretched my hands above my head, noticing how Marin ogled my armpits. “You wore me out so much I didn’t hear you get up.” I stuck my tongue out at him, but all it did was make his stare hooded. He liked my forked tongue and what I could do with it. I’d have to use it again soon.

“Sit. I have some news.” He slid a plate of cookies my way and sprinkled sugar on them.

I parked my ass on a stool in front of the countertop. “Good or bad?” I touched the goodies but they were still too hot.

“Depends how you look at it.” He crossed his tentacles over his chest. “We’re not going home today. The roads are impossible to cross and the highway is a mess.”

“What? We were supposed to stay one night. We’re stuck? What about food? Will we have electricity?” Every doomsday movie played in my head in a matter of seconds.

Marin rounded the kitchen island, cupped my face and kissed my nose.

“We’ll be fine. Leslie called and said we have generators here in case of a power outage. And a working fireplace. He left me instructions on the amenities in the house and a list of what’s where. The news said to make sure we have enough wood, then lock all doors and windows. Blackouts during snow storms like today are possible, but this house is more than ready, trust me.”

I took it all in. “We’re snowed in for Christmas?” I looked around the deceptively spacious house and shrugged.

“Yeah. It's not what you imagined—”

I stopped him with a kiss to his sugar-coated lips. “I’m with you for Christmas, that’s all that matters. We won’t starve and we have a real chimney, not some fake modern bullshit.”

“You like Leslie’s cabin, huh?” He ran his hands down my sides, putting all my worries to rest.

“Maybe I’m just in the mood to chop some wood.” I jumped off the stool and struck a pose. “I could pull off a flannel shirt.”

Marin’s rich chuckle was better than any music. “You could pull off a potato sack.”

“Like Marilyn Monroe.” I puckered my lips.

“Better.”

I twirled on my toes and kissed his cheek. “I love when you spoil me with food and compliments.”

Marin snorted. “I can top that with an indoor pool and sauna.” He pointed to the back of the house. “Leslie said to use anything we want.”

“Why am I happy that we’re snowed in?” I tapped my chin.

“Because no one will hear you scream my name when I fuck you on every flat and curved surface of this house, and then dunk you in the pool to do it all over again.”

Heat rose to my face and blood to my cock. “Yeah. That’s probably it. You can fully shift and swim then.” I clapped my hands. “Let’s go.”

“Wait. It’s already afternoon and we may want to use WiFi while it works in case it all goes to shit with a possible blackout.”

“ Schei?e , it’s Christmas Eve! I need to call my dads.”

Marin chuckled. “I texted mom and she—” His phone vibrated and he looked at the screen. “She’s calling now.”

“Pick up, pick up!” I jumped to Marin’s side.

A string of words I did not understand came from the phone until Marin’s mom saw me and grinned. “Hello, Kert! Are you boys celebrating properly? Are you safe out there? What will you eat?”

Her dark hair flowed over her shoulders as she held the phone at arms length, showing a house full of people behind her shuffling around, setting the table, arguing. She moved to the kitchen which was quieter but still packed with family members.

Marin waved to someone passing by and a teenage girl who flipped him the bird. “This house was built for this type of weather so we’ll be fine. I can’t make all the Greek dishes I planned, but I can improvise from what we got. For now we have the kourabiedes cookies and I left the avgolemono on the stove.”

“The lemon chicken soup?” How early did he get up? “I love it.” I leaned closer to Marin to fit in the frame and grinned at his mom. “I don’t have Marin’s cooking skills, but I’ll make potato pancakes and mulled wine.”

“See? We’ll be all set. You have nothing to worry about.” Marin wrapped a tentacle around my waist, out of the camera’s view.

His mom sighed. “That’s not nearly enough for two grown boys, but as long as you’re happy and not going hungry, it will do. Say hi to your dads from me, Kert. Next year you should come visit. Bring your dads too!”

“I’ll drag him over, mom.” He pulled me closer and I snuggled into his warmth.

“Lovely. Marin, your brother wants to talk to you. The only one who helped me decorate the tree this year.” She glared at Marin. “Call tomorrow to tell me you’re okay!” She turned to the side and said something in Greek, then disappeared from view.

A younger version of Marin popped in the frame. The only difference between him and the man standing next to me was his sapphire complexion and darker blue hair. His exasperated expression turned to a smile when he saw me.

“Hi, Kert! Can you kick Marin’s ass for not coming down this year? I had to help with this insanity here!” He pointed at Marin. “I’ll get you for this. Or I’ll make you and Ner thow Christmas here while I fuck off somewhere fun. Ner is warming his tentacles on a beach in Miami and you are—wait, where are you?”

Marin chuckled. “Let me explain. And I actually need to talk to you. Oh, and a friend of mine, Gabriel, is thinking about renting his house in Chicago for next winter in case you really want to get out.”

I poked Marin in the abs. “I’ll get the potatoes ready for pancakes. Lovely seeing you, Spiros!” I snuck out to the bedroom and hovered my thumb over the contact list on my phone.

While Marin couldn’t hear me, I called my agent first.

“Buon Natale, Kert.” She picked up without video, and yelled over the ruckus of children.

“Merry Christmas, Bianca. Did you get my package?” Since she was Italian we communicated in English.

“You know which pralines I love. Thanks, Kert. Listen, I looked into the visa you asked about and you qualify for it. I’ll email you the details later.”

“Thanks so much. I really appre—”

A child yelled in the background, then another. “I gotta go, Kert. Merry Christmas.”

She hung up before I could say anything else, but the short exchange gave me a lot to think about. A few weeks back, when I’d looked into the possibility of staying with Marin, Bianca had checked if my recognition in the art world was enough to qualify for a O-1B visa.

Now, all I needed was for Marin to ask me to stay.

My mind raced, but I took a deep breath and called my dads.

“Kert, you’re alive!” Papa said in German, his long, blond hair pulled back as he munched on a cookie. “Fenix, the child is calling!”

I rolled my eyes. They’ve always been crazy energetic parents and being in their fifties hadn’t changed much. Fenix’s skin color was similar to mine—the dark shade of red made many people think he was my biological father but he and Sam had adopted me when I was a baby. Sam was as big a visual contrast to the two of us as one could imagine, with pale complexion, human looks, and light blond hair. But he wasn’t touching the phone while he talked to me, just using his telekinetic power to hover it in the air.

“Did you propose?” Fenix appeared in the frame.

“Shhh!” I looked at the door. “What the hell? No. Don’t give me ideas.”

They both made exaggerated kissy noises at me. “Did you tell him how you feel?” Sam asked.

“No. I thought that once I saw him it would fizzle out a bit. We haven’t spent time together in person for four years.”

They both burst out laughing. “And you didn’t think meeting after so long would make it way worse?” Fenix wheezed. “When I finally visited your dad after we haven’t seen each other for years—we got to it right away.”

I stuck my fingers in my ears. “La la la la! I don’t want to hear that.”

Sam took over the phone again. “If you won’t tell him how you feel, you may not find out if he feels the same. It’s worth the risk, I’m telling you. I just want you to be happy, okay? Even if you’re not home for the holidays. How are you spending Christmas there? Where are you?”

I launched into my entire story from my arrival in NYC onwards. Of course, I toned down the gory bedroom details—my dads didn’t need to know quite that much.

While they told me about visiting extended family, I ventured to the kitchen and peeled a bag of potatoes I found on the counter.

An hour later, I had a stack of pancakes from grated potatoes. The pot of concoction I’d made with orange zest, juice, granulated sugar, cinnamon sticks, and star anise, was ready for me to add the dry red wine to. I poured it slowly to finalise my Glühwein , while Marin was humming some Bob Dylan song and smacking my bum every chance he got with the end of his tentacle.

“You open gifts on Christmas Day at home, right?” I left the wine to simmer and wiped my hands.

“Yeah.” Marin bit into one of my potato pancakes and made a sexy noise of appreciation. Sounds like that might convince me to cook more often. “But I brought a little something for you with me and I’d love to give it to you tonight. I know you open yours on the twenty-fourth. I already put mine under the tree.”

“I’ll meet you under the Christmas tree in five.” I kissed his cheek, skipped to the bedroom and grabbed the wrapped gift. Hopefully, Marin hadn’t bought me anything expensive. We’d always exchanged useful and thoughtful gifts rather than pricey trinkets, and I’d bought mine before he began fucking my brains out on a daily basis. Would that have made a difference to him?

I marched back skidded to a halt.

Marin was sitting cross-legged in front of the Christmas tree with the white and red lights reflecting on his beautiful face. He was lost in thought; tentacles waving around him as he fiddled with the bow of the gift he was holding in his hands.

Marin, mein Schatz. My darling. My best friend. My love.

I had to tell him.

Looking around, I snagged a piece of paper from a fancy notebook at a decorative table and scribbled on it with the vintage fountain pen that stood in a holder next to it. I shoved the paper in the pocket of my chinos, took a deep breath and joined him on the rug in front of the tree.

I caught his tentacle and hugged it to my chest as I handed my package to the other tentacle.

“Open it.” I wiggled in my seat as I watched Marin tear the paper off.

His laughter filled the room. “You sneaky little devil, you got it at the Christmas market.” The hoodie had a sexy santa’s face on it with the words Big Nick Energy. “You’re the Christmas-loving one but I love it.”

“Yeah, and you’re the one giving art supplies to the neighbors’ kids.” I grinned, making grabby hands at my gift.

Marin handed it to me and I unwrapped the most beautiful silk scarf. “I hugged it to my chest. “It’s my favorite color.” The exact shade of Marin’s skin.

He was watching me and the adoration on his face brought tears to my eyes. My heart beat out of my chest.

Will he say it? Will he tell me that he loves me first?

Marin cupped my cheeks in his hands and licked his lips. “It will look great on you.”

I grinned but my belly flip-flopped. The moment was perfect but if I told him I was in love with him and he didn’t say the same, I’d ruin the romantic stay.

I’d have another chance before I’d leave.

“So will you,” I said like a chickenshit.

He lunged, pinning me to the rug and peppering my neck with kisses.