Husband for the Holidays

Husband for the Holidays
Unexpected Guest

Rolling onto his back, Preston’s elbow hit the door jamb to the en suite bathroom. He hissed and swore as pain zinged up his arm, “Ow, shit!”

Carter, the prick, just snickered. He was stretched out on the floor nearby, arm flung over his eyes.

If Preston had had the energy, if Carter hadn’t just fucked him boneless, he would have punched him. As is, he just groaned and lay there, half on the hardwood bedroom floor, half on the freezing marble tiles of the bathroom floor. His kneels and palms hurt from being fucked on all fours on the unforgiving surfaces.

“On the bed next time, Carter, or I swear I’ll kick your ass.”

“You’re the one who wanted a shower before bed,” Carter pointed out without lifting his head.

“Well, we didn’t exactly make it to the shower, now did we?” Preston made a little face, dragging a hand over his chest which was decorated with a cooling splatter of cum. “Yuck.”

Carter snickered again. They were both naked, bodies overly warm and glowing with sweat from their exertions. The used condom and wrapper were discarded on the floor in the direction of the waste basket.

The gala had only been a few days ago, but Preston couldn’t even hazard a guess on how many time they had had sex since that first time. A lot. And each time it was shattering.

Sex with Carter was a revelation for Preston. In all of Preston’s previous experiences there was very little finesse– every touch and word and thrust was designed simply to push the other person as fast as possible towards a mediocre orgasm.

Carter on the other hand, was completely unself-conscious. He was utterly thorough in his love making. There was urgency to their coupling, but it wasn’t a race. The things Carter would do (and get Preston to do) were, at times, out of Preston’s comfort zone but oh-so-satisfying.

He felt Carter reach out, his fingers unerringly finding Preston’s hair and smoothing the tangles gently. Tangles the older man had caused himself by using a fistful of Preston’s hair like reins at one point during the evening.

“Mmm.” Preston mumbled, turning his head to press a kiss against the palm of Carter’s hand. “You know what I want to do tomorrow?”

Carter’s small grin was smug and indulgent. “What?”

“Decorate.”

The fingers stopped brushing for a moment and then started up again, “Like paint the nursery?”

“No. I mean put up Christmas decorations.”

“You don’t need to do that. I have people who come in a week before Christmas and decorate for me. They bring all the stuff and clean up in the new year, too.”

Preston rolled over to look at Carter, his hip giving a twinge of discomfort against the floor. By morning no doubt, bruises from Carter’s hands would be visible there. “You have professional Christmas decorators?”

“Yes.” Carter sounded slightly defensive. “They do a great job. The same company does the club.”

“Yeah, but half of the fun of decorating is doing it yourself…”

“I know something even more fun.” Carter turned, pushing up on a forearm to lean over Preston. Carter’s hand found Preston’s cock, thumb brushing over the still-wet tip, making the blond hiss, he was still overly sensitive from his recent orgasm.

“Car-ter.” The name broke in half with a gasp.

“I love when you say my name.” Carter spoke in a dangerous rumble. Shivers danced through Preston, despite the fact he was spent. “I want to be in you again.”

“Carter, I think I really might be too sore this time.”

“Mmm,” Carter shifted up, hand grabbing Preston’s shoulder and rolling him over so his chest pressed to the floor. A large hand came down and caressed the curve of his ass. “You have the most amazing ass.” Carter’s hand finished the caress with a sharp slap. Preston gasped, hips bucking forward. “Like you were made to take my cock.”

He spread Preston’s ass cheeks. The young man was still open from their earlier activities; his hole was a darker pink than usual and still slick with lube. Carter pressed his thumb against the loosened ring of muscle and it slipped in easily. “So hot and ready to be fucked.”

Preston groaned; face burning against the cool tiles. “Carter…”

“Mmm, you don’t have to do anything but take it, Pres. I’ll do all the work.” Carter pressed his thumb in, feeling Preston quiver and clench around the digit. A primitive sort of urge struck Carter: “You’re already fucked raw. If we go again, you’ll be feeling it all day tomorrow. I want you to be feeling it all day.”

Preston just groaned.

“Can I?” Carter demanded, lips brushing the back of Preston’s ear. “Please?”

“Y-yes.” Preston’s voice was rough. “Carter, fuc –”

“WAAAAAAAAAAAA!” One of the boys seemed to have a knack for knowing the worst time to start wailing.

Carter groaned and lifted up, giving Preston’s ass another crack with his palm. “Saved by the cry.”

Preston let out a long breath of air, “I thought they were asleep for the night…”

“You go have your shower, I’ll check on the tiny, drooling chaperon.”

XoX XXX XoX

Carter paced back and forth across the floor of the nursery in just a pair of boxers and a T-shirt he had thrown on hastily. He gently bounced Beckett in his arms. Diaper changed and warm in Carter’s arms, he was happily trying to fit his fist in his mouth, gumming his tiny digits.

He could hear the sound of the shower running in the other room.

“Someday, when you’re older,” Carter told the baby seriously, “I’m going to teach you the meaning of the phrase cock-blocking.”

XoX XXX XoX

After his shower, Preston expected to find Carter in the master bedroom, waiting for him. When he found the bed empty, Preston pulled on a pair of soft, worn pajama pants and padded silently down the hall in search of Carter.

He found him in the nursery still. Carter had managed to arrange himself on the rocking chair with both boys. He was reading a book to them. It was a chapter from Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Preston recognized. It looked like an old copy; all beat up, not like the library of colourful children’s books on the shelf by the cribs. Preston leaned against the hallway wall and listened. Carter’s deep, smooth voice washed over him. His husband’s voice. He could listen to that voice forever.

Preston gave his head a shake. How pathetic was he? He had thought he’d be able to handle sleeping with Carter, that he could keep it casual; and now here he was, not a week later thinking about forevers and happily even afters.

He was such an idiot. If Carter knew he’d be running for the hills.

Preston walked away from the nursery. He went back to the guest room, not the master bedroom. He needed to keep more distance between them, emotionally and physically. Because the truth was, he didn’t know how much longer he could be in Carter’s presence and pretend he didn’t love him.

XoX XXX XoX

The next day, Carter left for another afternoon meeting at the club. When he had questioned Preston in the morning about not coming back to the master bedroom, Preston had given some story about being too tired; thankfully Carter hadn’t pressed the issue. Preston had no intention of telling Carter the real reason he had avoided the other man’s bed – because he was afraid he was getting too close.

Preston hummed the tune to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer as he fixed the boys an evening bottle. He was surprised when the intercom buzzed. Holding Beckett, Preston walked over to it, depressing the button. “Hello?”

“Hello?” It was an older woman, definitely unfamiliar voice.

“Hello?” Preston repeated again a little louder. Maybe the woman had the wrong unit.

“Carter?” Or maybe not…

“This is Preston. Carter’s at work.”

“And you are…?”

Preston frowned a little at the woman’s overly curious tone. He decided to go with the truth; after all, it wasn’t a carefully guarded secret. “I’m Carter’s husband. May I ask who are you?”

“His husband? Oh, my, I had no idea…”

When she trailed off, Preston prompted. “Ma’am?”

“Oh…yes. My name is Eileen Arnold. I’m… Carter’s mother.”

Preston drew a blank. The only thing he knew about Carter’s mother was that she had let her husband drive Carter off and they hadn’t seen each other for 20 years. What was he supposed to do? He couldn’t turn her away – that was something Carter would have to decide on. On the other hand, he didn’t feel comfortable inviting her into Carter’s condo. “Can I give him a call for you Mrs. Arnold? Or give you his number?”

She sounded as uncomfortable as he felt, “I think the taxi has left… would you mind if I come up and wait?”

Well, there was really nothing to do about it… “Sure, I’ll buzz you in, get the doorman to show you the way up.”

After an uncertain ‘thank-you’ the line went dead. Preston buzzed her in, and quickly took Beckett and Cameron to the nursery. He then ran around the apartment, hiding things and straightening up. When the elevator arrived he sprinted for it, too, trying not to look flustered and out of breath.

When the doors opened, the woman standing there looked perfectly ordinary. In her late-50s, modestly dressed. Upon closer inspection, Preston could see the mother-son resemblance. Her eyes and hair colour were similar to Carter’s, and the small dimple on her chin.

“Please come in.” Preston tried to hide his nervousness. “Can I take your coat?”

Eileen took off her coat and gave it over. “Thank you.”

Hanging the coat up in the closet, Preston offered next, “Would you like anything to drink? I could make tea, or coffer? Water?”

“No, I’m fine, thank you.” Her eyes darted around the apartment; she hadn’t moved three feet from the elevator doors.

“Um, come in, please. The living room’s right through here, have a seat. Carter should be home soon. I think.”

Carter’s mother sat and Preston wavered on what to do. Should he sit too? God he wished she had wanted coffee so he’d have something to do. In the end, he didn’t have to decide, Beckett decided.

A cry echoed down the hall.

Preston froze.

Eileen looked up, startled. “Is that…is that a baby?”

Preston released a long breath of air. “Ah, yes. It is. If you’ll just excuse me for a moment…” Without waiting for a response, Preston took off down the hall.

He opened the door to the nursery and slipped in. Beckett had pulled himself up on the bars and was standing in his crib, whining plaintively. Cameron sat in his crib stoically sucking on his thumb.

Tugging on the bars, Beckett got that familiar look that preceded a meltdown. Preston hurried over. “Oh, no, no, no, no…” He groaned, “No, Beckett, now is not the time, please, please, please. There’s a very important guest over, we have to be on our best behaviour, our quietest behaviour.”

For a split second he swore the baby gave him look that appeared eerily similar to Carter’s I’ll damn-well-do-what-I-want look. Beckett then drew in a large breath of air, held it for a moment (for what Preston could only imagine was suspense), and then began to scream.

Cameron’s eyes widened a little with shock. He must have decided that Beckett would only be crying like that if their lives were danger because fat tears started rolling down his cheeks, his thumb came out of his mouth and he started crying, too.

Preston groaned, defeated. “Of course. I’ve never been a lucky man.”

He picked Beckett up first, jiggling him with one arm while walking over to the second crib, reaching in to stroke Cameron’s fine, blond hair with his free hand. “Shhhh, it’s all right. Everything’s okay.”

“Oh my Lord.”

Preston twisted around. Eileen stood in the doorway having apparently followed the noise. She was staring at them with a slack, shocked look. “I have grandbabies?” She whispered it, almost to herself.

“Ah, no. It’s not really like that,” Preston rushed to explain. “They’re my nephews. I’m their guardian.”

“Your nephews, you say?”

“Yes. Their parents recently passed. Ahh…” Preston reached up and took a framed picture on the shelf by the cribs. He showed it to Carter’s mother. “This was my brother, Peter, and his wife, Sophie.”

Cameron saw the glint of the frame and reached up for it, “Dada, mama.”

Preston smiled wistfully. He had been showing the picture to the boys every night, trying to teach them to recognize the pictures. “That’s right, Cam, there’s mama and daddy. You’re such a clever boy.”

“May I?” She walked closer to the crib and reached her hands out halfway.

“Ah, sure.” Preston hesitated. “That’s Cameron in the crib.”

She lifted Cameron from the crib with an ease that spoke of at great deal of experience. Cameron stopped crying, for a moment, clearly deciding if he liked being held by this new person. He must have approved because after a moment for holding himself stiff, he relaxed against her, nuzzling his head into her shoulder. Eileen touched a hand of his light, baby-fine hair, “I had no idea…”

“I was about to fix them some dinner…Would you like something?” Preston offered. “Or you could call Carter, I’m sure he’d come home right away if he knew you were here waiting…”

“I’m not so sure…” Eileen responded half-heartedly. “I’m not sure how much he’s told you…”

“I…” Preston shifted Beckett slightly, giving the woman a direct look. “I know you haven’t seen each other in a long time.”

“No…I…” She gave a helpless shrug, “For a long time I lost track of him. I had no idea he was using his father’s last name. But my son, my youngest, saw an article about Carter’s…business on the internet and showed it to me last month.”

Preston watched her for a clue as to what she thought about that. He could well imagine what lurid things might in an article about the Forum. And if she was homophobic…

“It took me this long to work up the courage to try and see him. I thought with the holidays so close…”

Preston nodded. She had thought Carter might turn her away. Preston wasn’t so sure he still wouldn’t. Holiday season or not.

“I didn’t know he had…married.”

“It was rather sudden.” Beckett seemed to be settling, so Preston put him down, patting his back. “After I lost my brother, Carter was amazing. He is amazing. His club is so successful. And the condo and cars…” he couldn’t help himself, it was almost like he needed Carter’s mother to know Carter had thrived without her and that she had made a mistake by letting him go. “He’s a great employer. Everyone respects him. He’s great with the boys, too, so patient.”

“It sounds like you really love him.”

Preston was caught off guard by her observation. Especially since he himself had only come to that similar conclusion last night. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Luckily, he was saved from having to answer by the elevator chiming and opening.

Cameron heard the noise and twisted, hands grasping the air. “Car! Car!”

“Babe? I’m home.” Carter’s voice called through the apartment.

Preston saw Eileen pale and took Cameron from her arms, confirming. “That’s Carter.”

The poor woman looked scared half to death.

Preston set Cameron down in the crib with his brother. He wasn’t sure what to say or do, so he stayed quiet, not moving. Eileen seemed froze in place, too.

“Preston?” Carter’s voice echoed down the hall.

“Ah, one sec!” He looked at Eileen, she looked back at him.

“Could you…?”

“You want me to tell him you’re here?”

“That’s too much to ask, I know…”

“I guess I could…” Preston hedged, hoping Carter wouldn’t shoot the messenger.

Preston bundled both babies under his arms, walking out to the main room. When the babies saw Carter they babbled and strained in Preston’s arms to get closer.

“Hey, buddies.” Carter walked over, reaching out to take Beckett into his arms.

Preston stopped short; he even took a half step back. “Ah, maybe you should wait a second.”

Carter gave him a quizzical look, “Excuse me?”

“I have something to tell you, and I don’t think you should be holding a baby when I do.”

“Preston. What are you talking about?”

“Your mother.”

Carter’s brows drew even closer together, brow furrowing between his eyes. “What about my mother?”

“She’s in the other room right now.”

“If that’s supposed to be a joke, it isn’t a very good one…”

Preston shook his head, maneuvering to the closet by the elevator where the carriers were kept. He put the babies in their seats. “Not a joke.”

Carter’s head snapped around as if someone was going to spring out from the shadows at him. “What the hell?”

Preston fastened the boys in the carriers, packing a blanket around each one. “Your mother showed up to visit you.”

There was a soft clearing of a throat. Eileen stood in the hallway, wringing her hands.

Carter looked at her, expression going slack. God. His mother was standing right there. She looked older. But of course she would, it had been 20 years. She had been frozen in his mind at a certain age. He turned away, taking a moment to compose himself. He saw Preston by the elevator. “What are you doing?”

“I’m not abandoning you. I just wanted to get the boys out of the way.”

Carter flexed his jaw. “Where will you go?”

“The mall. Maybe pick up some decorations.” He tried to lighten the mood, “Real decorations, not some expensive crap your professionals will bring in.”

Carter didn’t look happy about it, but he didn’t try to make Preston stay. “Call me if you need anything.”

“Will do, Boss.” Preston lifted his face automatically for a kiss. They both remembered they had an audience at the same time, the kiss turning into a self-conscious half-hug.

“I won’t be late.” Preston assured him before pulling back.

XoX XXX XoX

Once Preston and the boys left, it went excruciatingly silent in the condo.

Eileen spoke finally, “Hello, Son.”

“Don’t.” Carter growled, “Don’t call me that.”

“Carter…”

“What are you doing here?” Carter interrupted, question gruff.

Eileen swallowed with difficulty. “I was hoping…we could catch up.”

“Catch up?” Carter scoffed. “I graduated high school, managed some clubs, opened my own gay strip club, and here I am. You’re all caught up. Thanks for coming. The elevator is ready to use.”

Eileen looked even more uncomfortable. Still she soldiered on, “And you’re married...”

Carter nodded stiffly.

“He seems like a very nice boy. Man. Ah…”

“Preston. And he is very nice.”

“And he seems to love you very much.”

Carter said nothing to that. If his mother only knew that it was all a ruse…

“And babies, imagine. I never thought that you’d have children.”

“Because I’m a fag?”

“Carter!” His mother looked aghast.

“What’s wrong with the word, Mother? Your husband didn’t have a problem shouting it from the roof tops when he kicked me out.” Carter felt like an idiot after the words left his mouth. He had thought he had moved past that event, but clearly he hadn’t. The hurt and angry shocking close to the surface. “I apologize, that was uncalled for.”

“I left him. Last year.”

19 years too late as far as Carter was concerned. Carter sighed. “Why are you really here?”

“I told you, I wanted to see you, Carter.”

“Why now? After all these years?”

“I know you’re angry. And you have every right to be.”

“No shit.”

Eileen flinched.

“I can’t make up for what I did…but can’t you try to understand my position? I had two small children I needed to take care of. If I had gone against Eddie…”

Carter wasn’t interested in hearing excuses and he definitely wasn’t interested in forgiving his mother. But…he couldn’t help but think of Preston, suddenly taking care of two babies, faced with the daunting task of having to do it alone. Preston had needed him. Maybe his mother had needed Eddie. Or at least had thought she did.

As if she could read his mind, Eileen continued, “Now you have little ones of your own.”

“Cameron and Beckett. They’re Preston’s nephews.”

“They are adorable.”

They were. Carter agreed.

“If you’d let me, I’d like to get to know them. Get to know you again.”

There was a ring from Carter’s cell. He turned and answered it, relieved to have some else to focus his attention on. Something that didn’t cause so many conflicting emotions in him.

He answered the cell with, “Jameson.”

A deep, bass voice answered, “Boss.”

It was his head of security. “Greg?”

“We have a problem, Mr. Jameson.”

“What is it?”

“You know the difficulty we had at the gala with the dealers?”

“Yes.”

“Two of the boys were caught with coke in their lockers today. It looks like it’s from the same supplier.”

“Were they were selling, too?”

“The amount could go either way. Neither of them were forthcoming with details.”

“I’ll be there shortly.”

Carter disconnected. He looked at his mother, lines of his face grim. “I have to go back to my club.”

“Oh, okay…”

Carter paused. “Would you like to come back some time? On the 26th? For dinner?”

Eileen attempted to smile, though it didn’t last long her lips, eyes tearing up slightly, “I’d like that, Carter, very much.”

It wasn’t much. But it was a start.

XoX XXX XoX

When Carter came home at 3 a.m. he almost tripped over a baby carrier at the door. Walking through the kitchen it looked like something had exploded with bottles and formula and plastic baby plates and food everywhere. In the living room, the TV was on to the fucking Yulelog channel with cheesy music playing while a fake fire flickered. Toys littered the floor.

Preston had made good on his threat to decorate. There was a strand of multicolored lights around the window. At night, its twinkling lights almost blended into the lights of the city vista seen through the glass. There was a scrawny tree under the window, about two and half feet tall, covered in cheap baubles and sparkling garland.

Both babies were in the play pen, sleeping and Preston was passed out on the couch. He looked as wrecked at the apartment did. His hair sticking up all over, dark circles under his eyes, wearing a worn grey t-shirt emblazed with the U of T logo and flannel pajama pants. He was also wearing Carter’s house coat. Something that he had taken to doing regularly. It should have been annoying and presumptuous, but somehow it wasn’t.

It stuck Carter that this…domestic mess was now his life.

He waited for the panic to set in.

It never did.

XoX XXX XoX

Preston woke to the sensation of Carter kissing his stomach. His eyes opened blearily.

There was Carter, kneeling between his knees on the floor in front of the sofa. The older man had pushing his U of T T-shirt up to expose his chest and was kissing a line down the center of his chest, over his stomach, and towards his abdomen. Preston’s cock responded faster than his brain – it was already thickening and becoming stiffer.

“Mmm, the babies…?”

“I put them to bed,” Carter answered softly, laying another kiss against the smooth skin above Preston’s navel.

Preston sighed, his hand coming down to caress Carter’s hair. He looked down and met Carter’s eyes. The older man’s dark hair was tousled from its usual style.

“How do you like my decorations?”

“They’re hideous. I didn’t even know they had trees that small.” Carter declared, lips smirking sensually.

“I think it’s cute.” Preston defended, turning to look at the small tree. “I put it together myself.”

“You put it together? It’s fake?”

“Well, yeah.”

Carter pushed Preston’s shirt up higher, thumb brushing over a flat brown nipple. “Next Christmas we’re getting a real tree. And real decorations, not those cheap plastic ones.”

Preston chuckled, “I like those decorations. And they won’t break if one of the boys knocks them down. Besides, we’ll be divorced by next Christmas. And you can put up any kind of tree you want.”

Carter tried to distract Preston and himself by returning to Preston’s body, tugging the younger man’s pants down to free his slender, hard cock. He wrapped his hand around it, making Preston cry out and cant his hip forward.

Carter had, obviously, planned for a divorce from the beginning. But hearing the word come off Preston’s lips was something else entirely. It sunk home that he didn’t want to Preston to leave.

But now he had to figure out a way to make the younger man want to stay. And from his experience, people never stayed.

XoX XXX XoX