25 Days of Christmas

DAY 1: Dec. 1^st

He had a headache.  He hated shopping.  He hated crowds.  He hated Christmas.  What was the point when there was no one special to spend it with?

Perhaps that was unfair.  He had a good family, but as blessed as he was, it was hard to be around parents who had enjoyed 35 years together, and siblings with kids of their own.  It was too fertile a breeding ground for jealousy and discontent when you were the remaining single person in your family—and you didn’t want to be.

“Sir, are you all right?  Can I help you find anything?”

The voice from above him had one of the nicest tenors he’d ever heard, and it sounded a bit concerned.  He looked up to see a store employee gazing at him questioningly. 

“I’m fine,” he tried to assure.  “I’m just…”

Miserable…

“Overwhelmed?” the employee supplied.  “It can feel like that when you’re shopping during the holidays.  Can I find something for you?”

The man seemed like he honestly wanted to help.

“All I need is a drink and an Excedrin,” he found himself wryly admitting.

The employee, instead of looking uncomfortable at his words, nodded.  He reached into his suit pocket and withdrew two pills.  “Excedrin is rather like bottled gold, isn’t it?  I never go anywhere without a few—just in case—especially working retail this time of year.  And if you really do need a drink, I might recommend the store’s coffee shop.  No alcohol, but they do make some wonderful hot chocolate.”

“Um, thank you…sir.”

The worker smiled.  “Glad I can help.  If you need anything else, I’m in the men’s suit department.  Just ask for Tony.”

He nodded.  “I will.”  Without thinking, he offered a hand to Tony.  “Max.”

This time the worker seemed surprised, but he willingly shook the proffered palm.  “Nice to meet you, Max.  Merry Christmas.”

DAY 2: Dec. 2^nd

“Janice!” Max whined.  “I was just here yesterday!”

“If I had known that, I would have come with you then,” she said unapologetically.  “Now, no complaining.  You know you’re the same size as my husband and I need you to try on the clothes so I can make sure they fit him.”

“You know I hate that!  Why don’t you just bring Ethan along?”

“Because I want him to be surprised,” Janice justified.

Max rolled his eyes at his sister.  He didn’t know one man who would be excited over the “surprise” of clothes, but Janice could always seem to manipulate him into getting her way.

“Let’s head to the suits and dress shirts.  Ethan hasn’t bought anything nice like that in years.”

“Probably because he doesn’t want to wear that stuff,” Max mumbled under his breath, but let Janice drag him through toward the back of the store.

“Excuse me?  Sir?” she called to the first worker she saw.

He didn’t know why, but Max blushed when the employee turned around and he recognized Tony from the previous day.  Tony smiled at both of them, and Max tried to figure out if he was recognized or not.

“Yes, ma’am.  Can I help you?”

“I need to get a suit and some shirts for my husband.”

“Of course.  Follow me and I’ll show you some of our selection.”

He turned to lead the way, with Janice immediately falling into step with him, and Max grudgingly following, a blush still staining his features.

DAY 3: Dec. 3^rd

Max went in and out of the store three times before calling himself an “idiot” and practically marching past the entrance, around displays of cheesy Christmas sweaters, and on the tiled walkway toward the suit department.

The previous day hadn’t been as unbearable as he’d expected.  Tony had been a godsend. Somehow managing to get Janice exactly what she wanted and keep things moving along.  Max had been embarrassed to have his help in the dressing room a couple times, but Tony’s professionalism, and yet incredibly kind and friendly demeanor had made the chore of trying on clothes almost pleasant. 

He’d also shown he remembered Max, and he had offered amiable conversation and comments of praise on how different shirts and pants fit after asking if the Excedrin from the previous day had helped.

Max had thought about Tony’s appealing voice, handsome build, and pleasant character the rest of the day.  He’d woken up thinking of the man and decided he was desperate enough to actually make the first move—something he’d never done before.

“He’s probably not available,” he mumbled to himself, trying to prepare to be disappointed.  “All the good ones are taken or straight.”

Despite preparing himself to be let down, it still made him sad when he looked all around the department and didn’t see Tony’s suited figure.  A polite lady came up and asked if she could help him and Max shrugged.

“Not really.  I was looking for Tony…”  He abruptly realized he had no clue of the worker’s last name.  “Just Tony,” he finished lamely. 

“Oh yes.  Tony is our department manager.  He went up to the stock room for some inventory.  I can page him for you.”

Max immediately shook his head.  “No…no…that’s not necessary.  I’ll just….”

But he was interrupted as the lady looked past him.  “Oh, never mind!  He’s back.  Tony, over here!” she called, waving the man over.

Max felt his cheeks heat just as they had done the day before.  He hated blushing so easily!

Tony set down a box on a counter and came over, his smile warm when he saw Max.

“Hello.  Back again?  Did your wife forget something yesterday?”

The lady worker walked away and Max was abruptly at a loss.  His wife?!  Tony thought Janice was his wife?!

“No!  She’s not…I mean..!”

Tony’s eyes narrowed in mild confusion.  “Janice isn’t your wife?”

Max shook his head.  “She’s my sister.  I’m not interested in…I mean, you were really helpful and I was wondering…um…”

Max was surprised when the slightly taller man looked relieved.  “Max, would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow?”

DAY 4: Dec. 4^th

They were meeting at 7:30.  Tony got off his shift at 7 and had requested time to change, but had asked that Max meet him at the store’s mall entrance. 

Max still got there early.  He hated being late for anything, and he especially didn’t want to start the first date he’d had in months off on the wrong foot.  Just in case Tony got off early or changed quickly, he was waiting at the entrance by 6:55. 

At 7:25 he was sure Tony wouldn’t show.  Why would the man?  Max had made an idiot out of himself the day before.  He couldn’t even get a full sentence out!”

He was just starting to pace when a hand landed on his shoulder.  He turned, surprised and relieved to see Tony had arrived right on time.  Max felt his mouth go dry a little.  Tony had looked tall and handsome in the store required suit Max was used to seeing him in, but he was incredibly appealing in the more casual khakis, button down, and overlapping gray sweater.

“Hi,” Max said, not being able to help a big and relieved smile.

“Hi,” Tony returned.  “You look nice, Max.”

That started things out well for the younger man, since he’d spent most of the day berating himself for skipping the gym for the last month and not thinking to purchase any nice clothes for his own wardrobe when he’d been with Janice.  He was in nothing more than clean jeans and a plain white button-down, and yet Tony still thought he looked nice.  “Thank you.”

Max was furthered uplifted when Tony offered a hand, palm up, to him.  It was a request to touch, and to have the man both ask and be willing to hold hands in as public a place as a mall made Max wonder already if Tony was as good as he seemed.  He hesitated only a moment before accepting the offer.

Tony squeezed his fingers lightly.  “My treat tonight, Handsome, but your choice: tasty Italian, fast food just for the guilt of it, or family style restaurant?”

Max couldn’t help a slow smile at the way Tony took charge but still kept him involved in the decision.  “Italian?”

Tony nodded, smiling back at him.  “Good choice!”

DAY 5: Dec. 5^th

Max stared at the computer screen, frustrated that he was getting nothing done.  He was a writer and he had deadlines; but, darn it, all he could think about was the evening with Tony last night and the fact that he’d kept his cordless nearby all day.  Tony said he’d call, he just didn’t say when.

In the meantime, Max was feeling much more inspired to weave together a fantasized love story versus the article about fire safety during the holiday season that his editor wanted him to write. 

The phone rang.  Max jumped and grabbed at the receiver only to drop it and curse over his fumbling fingers. 

“Don’t hang up!  Don’t hang up!” he pleaded as retrieved the phone.  “Hello?!”

“Are you looking to save money for the holidays?  Consider switching your phone plan to us and save up to…”

Max pushed the off button hard and slammed the phone down.  “That’s not the call I was waiting for!” he yelled at the receiver, as if it was the phone’s fault.

Feeling too frustrated to work, he stood and went to fix himself a cup of coffee.  Caffeine may be the wrong choice, but at least the drink would be comforting. 

He was pouring the grounds when the phone rang again.  His breath caught a moment, wondering if it was another solicitor or if he should risk answering.  He gave in on the fifth ring. 

“Hello?”

“Hi, Handsome.”

DAY 6: Dec. 6^th

“Do you really have to work every day?” Max asked, amazed at the hours Tony seemed to put in.

The two of them had met for Tony’s one hour meal break and were sharing a booth in the department store’s coffee shop.  The hot chocolate there was every bit as good as Tony had claimed the first day they met, and both were enjoying the sweet liquid along with their food.

“At this time of year I do, but it’s my choice.”

“Why?”

“Because my family is a long way’s off and I don’t have the gatherings to go to like others do.  I’ll work every day up to the 23^rd, then I’ll have Christmas Eve through to January second off.  Most years I fly out to see my family during that week.”

“Where is your family?” Max asked.

“In California.  Everyone but me is a beach bum.  I like to have a bit more of the four seasons.”

He definitely got all four here in Pennsylvania.  Max couldn’t imagine leaving sunny California for the East coast, but everyone had their preferences.

“Will you go this year?” Max asked, thinking that he’d already feel disappointed if Tony was going to be leaving in a few weeks. 

“Probably, although I haven’t purchased my ticket yet.  Mom and Dad always say they’ll come east to me, but it has yet to happen.  Once they give me a definite one way or the other, I’ll know.”

Max nodded.

“What about you, Max?  Obviously your sister is in the area.  What about other family?”

“They’re all here,” Max told him.  “I’ve got three sisters and two brothers within a half hour of me, and Mom and Dad only live about five blocks from my place.  We tend to go a little overboard with holidays…unfortunately.  Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s each one of my siblings hosts an open house at some point.  Christmas Eve is always at my parents, and there are usually at least two parades or Christmas dramas that my nieces and nephews are in.”

“You sound a little put out by it all,” Tony said gently.

Max shrugged.  “I love my family.  It’s just a little much sometimes, and when you’re the only unmarried…”  He suddenly believed he was going into territory that was a little soon to be touched on and stopped abruptly.

“Parents, five siblings, and what sounds like a gaggle of nieces and nephews, and you still feel alone?” Tony asked very quietly.

Max’s mouthed dropped open at the other man’s perception.  Tony just nodded.

“Believe me, I know, Max.  I know.”

DAY 7: Dec. 7^th

One of those family gatherings Max had mentioned to Tony was scheduled for tonight.  He wondered as he got ready to go out the door whether it would have been a possibility to ask the older man to join him. 

“No, probably not,” he said out loud as he zipped up his coat.  “I don’t know what time he was getting off today, and we’ve only shared a meal twice.  And since when did I start talking to myself?!” he abruptly asked.

Truthfully, he talked to himself quite a bit when he wrote, but to do it at any other time seemed very weird.  With a sigh and a shake of his head, he headed to his oldest sister’s house.

By the end of the night, he was glad he hadn’t invited Tony along.  What would he think of a family that got into shouting matches over a game of UNO, the teasing he always received from his youngest sister about never having a date, and his parents—who were very sweet, but his mother was almost deaf in one ear and Max spent most of the visit repeating to her everything people said.  

He almost had to laugh when it occurred to him that the evening was actually a very normal one for his family. 

“No wonder I don’t bring dates to these things.  It would scare anyone off!”

One other thing that would scare a suitor off would be the behavior of some of his nieces and nephews.  While he loved the kids—and honestly had wondered about someday having some of his own—their manners left some room to be desired.  He didn’t particularly want Tony—or anyone—to be at the mercy of very loud tantrums, a four year old who still wasn’t potty trained, and the tendency that there was to be on the receiving end of a thrown object.  No one deserved that.

His apartment was blessedly peaceful when he came in, although looking very plain compared to the bright lights and decorations at his sister’s.  He never decorated for the holidays.  It didn’t seem worth it to go to the effort just for himself.

However, there was one light that made him smile and hope.  It was the red blinking “1” on the answering machine.  Pressing it, he smiled at the voice he thought sounded so smooth and rich every time he heard it.

“Hi, Handsome.  Call me when you get in.  I’d like to know if you’re free tomorrow night.”

DAY 8: Dec. 8^th

Max had offered to meet Tony at the store again, but this time was told no. 

“I have to pick up something at my place first, but I’ll be around to get you about eight.  Wear something warm,” Tony advised.

Tony didn’t give any hint to what was going on besides that.  Max spent most of the day wondering what he had planned, which was thoroughly distracting.  There was nothing “official” about their relationship as of yet.  Heck, they’d only met a week earlier, but Max had those pleasant butterflies in the stomach that he didn’t remember experiencing since his freshman year in college. 

Those tingles made it very hard to work, but somehow he managed to finish his article, email it off to his editor, and write a note for himself to remember to stop by the newspaper’s office the next day.  While he worked from home, it was still necessary to spend a few hours of the week at the paper’s main office.

Now he kept glancing out the window, forgetting that he didn’t even know what car Tony drove, and feeling overly warm in the layers he’d put on.  He came very close to taking some off when a car stopped in front of his place.  He enjoyed watching Tony step out of the vehicle and glance up almost knowingly.  The two of them caught each other’s eyes and there was a smile and wave on both their parts before Tony motioned for Max to come out.  Max grabbed his coat and gloves, locked his front door, and hurried out.

Tony put an arm around his shoulders in greeting.  “Ready?”  Max nodded, but got a rather serious look from the taller man.  “Where’s your hat?”

“I never wear one.”

Tony clucked at him.  “Tonight you do.  Go get one.  I’ll wait.”

“Um, I don’t even have one, Tony.  Like I said, I never wear them.  I doubt I even have a baseball cap.”

“Hm,” Tony murmured before facing Max and unexpectedly pulling the black knit hat off his own head.  Max felt the warmth of it as it was firmly put on him and Tony made sure his ears were covered.  “There.  That’s better.”

Max blushed, lifting his gloved hands to slightly adjust the cap.  “Tony, you’ll be cold,” he argued.

Tony shook his head, his hair looking a mess after pulling the cap off.  “I’m sure I have another one in the car.  I tend to keep one or two with me in case I forget mine at the store.”

He was right.  There was one that had been tossed in the back seat.  Tony took a moment to pull it on, smiled at him, and shifted the car into gear.

DAY 9: Dec 9^th

Max woke up with a smile on his face.  Last night had been so…beautiful.  He’d never really thought of himself as a “hopeless romantic” type, but he sure felt that way as he and Tony spent the evening together. 

Tony had taken him to a park where everything had been decked out in Christmas lights.  Trees, walkways, fences, little gingerbread cottages, and angels lit up the area.  It was a beautiful thing to walk through and comment on. 

Tony also had a backpack with him, but wouldn’t tell Max what was inside.  He waited until they got to an area where dozens of pine trees were decked out in lights.  There he set down the backpack, opened it, and pulled out a blanket.  He had spread it on the ground and sat, patting the spot next to him in silent invitation.

Max had sat, but wondered how close was appropriate until Tony put an arm around him and physically pulled him against his side.  The move had made both men chuckle with pleasure and maybe a little bit of nervousness at the closeness.

Tony had kept an arm around him as he pulled more items out of the backpack: another blanket, a thermos of hot chocolate, two coffee mugs that actually looked like snowmen, and a package of cinnamon rolls from Cinnabon.

They had spent almost an hour sitting there, enjoying the treats and getting to know each other better. 

Several times Max had been tempted to turn his face up to kiss the man, but had lost his nerve.  About the fourth time it happened, his cheek was caught in Tony’s gloved hand.  The material was cold against his skin, but Tony’s eyes had been so warm, and then his head had dipped and his lips brushed lightly against Max’s.

It was probably the softest kiss he’d ever received, but he’d felt the fire spread from his lips all the way down to his toes. 

Later, when Tony had dropped him off, he’d kissed him again.  This one had been a bit firmer and lingered a few seconds more.

“Good night, Handsome,” he’d said before they’d reluctantly parted.

Max sat up with the previous evening’s memory strong on his mind.  He couldn’t prevent the smile that it pulled out of him; a smile that lingered all day.

That afternoon, just as he was wondering how he’d be able to wait until tomorrow night to see Tony again, a package was delivered to his door.  He found it strange that there was no return address, and even the guy who delivered it didn’t provide a clue to where it came from.  He just grinned, said “Special Delivery”, and gave the large box to Max.

The package was actually wrapped in pretty Christmas paper, but a small note attached to the ribbon said “Open Immediately!”

Max grinned and tore into it, his smile getting very big as he recognized the department store name on the box underneath.  He let out a loud laugh as he took the lid off.  Inside was a large collection of hats.  Wool winter hats of every color and several designs were piled on top of each other.  There were even a couple baseball caps, a plaid twill driving cap, and a funky looking thing that looked like what Elmer Fudd wore in the old cartoons.

There was a card at the bottom of the box after he’d taken all the hats out.  He pulled it out of the envelope and opened it eagerly.

Can’t claim that you don’t own a hat now, can you?  I have fun thinking of ways to keep you warm.  See you tomorrow night, Handsome.

                                                                        Tony

DAY 10: Dec. 10^th

Since it had pretty much been Tony planning and initiating their dates thus far, Max believed it was more than his turn.  Tony was coming over for dinner that night.  Max hoped to impress his date with his cooking ability.  It wasn’t exactly a talent he liked to brag about to other men, but his mother had been a chef all of her working life and he’d learned well from her.

Making himself focus on work for the morning, he’d gotten a lot of research and made some phone calls for his current article before claiming a good start on it and setting things aside.

Now it was time to cook!  He had considered for hours what to make.  He wanted something different, something special, but not something that Tony would be hesitant to eat.  He hadn’t noticed that Tony had any food issues, but you never knew who might be a picky eater.

Eventually he’d decided on chicken cordon bleu, angel hair pasta seasoned with olive oil and sun dried tomatoes, and roasted asparagus with balsamic vinegar. 

He’d seriously considered getting a bottle of wine, but decided against it.  His stomach had never handled alcohol very well, and he didn’t want to risk anything going wrong that night.  Possibly throwing up while Tony was there was not a risk he wanted to take.

The apartment smelled deliciously from his efforts by the time his doorbell rang.  Max took a few quick seconds to check himself in the mirror and press play on a Christmas CD before answering the door.

The whistle he let out at the sight of Tony wasn’t completely purposeful.  The man just looked that good!  The black shirt tucked into gray slacks made his blue eyes look even brighter.  Max thoroughly appreciated the effect, and his obvious admiration actually made Tony blush this time.

“Well, you sure know how to welcome a guy,” he said through the flush of his cheeks.

“Only when they look like you,” Max said, feeling comfortable enough to tease a little.

For that, Tony cupped a hand around the back of his head and did some teasing himself when he kissed Max’s cheek instead of his lips.  “Right back at you, Handsome,” he whispered.

Dinner went just as Max had hoped, with Tony loving the food and being very impressed with Max’s kitchen abilities. 

They left clean-up for later and ended up taking cups of coffee into the living room.  Sitting side-by-side on the couch, they shared memories of past Christmases and even got into the topic of former boyfriends.

Max learned that Tony had a couple long term relationships in college, and one since.  Two of the relationships had ended amicably.  One not-so-much when Tony found out his boyfriend had been cheating.

Max sympathized, never having experienced that himself, but remembering how his youngest sister’s first boyfriend had done that to her and it had taken a long time for her to get over it.  He also shared about the few men he’d dated, although none of them had ended up becoming serious.

“We just never connected very strongly,” he explained. 

Tony nodded.  “I’ve had a few dates like that.”  He lifted his arm and put it across the back of the couch, letting it lay warmly against Max’s shoulders.  “Is it too soon to say that I feel a strong connection to you?”

There was a strength of feeling, but still a sense of uncertainty is his smooth voice.  Max was tempted to drop his head to Tony’s shoulder, but instead he looked into the man’s blue eyes.  “I hope not, because I feel a strong connection to you too.”  

DAY 11: Dec. 11^th

Max woke up to the ringing of his cell phone.  His hand slapped the nightstand a couple times before finding the device and getting it to his ear.

“Hello?” he said sleepily.

“It’s seven o’clock, Handsome.  The day’s half gone,” the pleasant voice teased.

Max still groaned.  “Oh no.  You’re a morning person!”

“That I am,” Tony chuckled.  “Are you still in bed, mister?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Well, time to get up.  I’m going to be there in an hour and I expect you awake, showered, and dressed.”

Max blinked sleepily, trying to wake up and remember if Tony had mentioned coming over the night before.  “You’re coming this morning?”

Tony’s voice chuckled.  “I am, and I promise it will be worth it.  See you in an hour, Handsome.”

Max was finishing up a coffee when Tony arrived.  He was glad to see him, but still yawning a little as he opened the door.  “Morning,” he managed with a sincere but tired smile.

Tony grinned at him.  “I see you’re awake, but not quite bright-eyed or bushy-tailed.”

“You’ll have to come after nine to see that,” Max told him.

Tony hugged him and took a moment to offer a good morning kiss.  “Does that wake you up anymore?”

Max had to laugh.  “Yeah, it does!  Too bad you aren’t here every morning!”

He blushed as soon as he said it.  Tony didn’t say anything to it, although he did tip Max’s chin up and kiss him one more time.

“Grab your coat.  We’ve got an errand to run.”

Max shook himself a little.  “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see,” was all Tony said.  The man apparently loved secrets.

Max put on his coat and gloves and looked to Tony.  “Who’s driving?”

“Me, as soon as you get a hat on.”  He winked at Max and turned him with a light swat. 

Max laughed, enjoying the brief sensation of Tony’s hand on his butt, and retrieved one of the hats from the box.  “Does this meet the boss’s approval?” he asked with a grin.

Tony grinned back.  “Yes, it does.  Come on, ya brat.  Let’s go.”

He drove them to a tree lot and put an arm around Max when they got out.  “I noticed you don’t seem to be the least decorated for Christmas.  I don’t blame you avoiding a bunch of stringed lights and random knickknacks, but everyone should have a Christmas tree.”

Max leaned against him, but shrugged.  “It seems kind of pointless to have one at my place, Tony.  It’s just me there.”

“And it’s something you can enjoy.  Besides, I wouldn’t mind enjoying it with you sometimes.”

That made Max smile.  It was a very pleasant thought, but he still turned an apologetic look to the taller man.  “I don’t have any decorations either, except a few ornaments my mom has given me.  There’s definitely not enough to fill a tree.”

“I think I can help in that area too,” Tony told him.  “For now, let’s see what strikes your fancy.”

He urged Max forward and the younger man couldn’t help gaining a little excitement as he took in the selection.  Every tree was beautiful, but he was drawn to the blue spruces.  Tony noticed and started pointing out the benefit of different tree sizes and shapes.

In the end a nicely shaped spruce was tied to the car, manhandled into his apartment, and set up on a tree stand that Tony had thought ahead to bring.

“Don’t worry about decorations for now,” Tony told him.  “I’m off at five tomorrow.  How does it sound if I bring supper and a few things for the tree?”

“Great, but let me take care of supper.”

“Sounds good to me.”  Tony pulled Max’s hat off and ran his fingers through the dark brown hair.  “See you tomorrow.”

DAY 12: Dec. 12^th

“Where did you get all this stuff?!” Max asked.

“I always buy a few things after Christmas,” Tony said.  “Between post-holiday clearance and my store discount, I practically get things for free.”

Max took in the yards of Christmas lights, sparkling bulbs of red, gold, purple, silver and blue, and packages of tinsel.

“I don’t think I’ve decorated a tree since college,” he admitted.

Tony reached for his hand and pulled him to the floor where he was sorting the different colored ornaments.  “Then it’s high time you did it again.  What colors do you want?”

They went with white lights, and blue and silver ornaments.  Max also dug out the small box of ornaments his mother had given him over the years.  Things he’d made as a child, and some special ornaments she’d given him to celebrate events like his college graduation and his first published piece of writing were hung as well.

“Oh, we don’t have a tree-topper,” Max said as they admired the finished product.  The white lights sparkled beautifully amongst the blue spruce needles, and Tony had a knack for hanging the ornaments so they looked perfectly distributed on the branches.  It really was a beautiful tree even without anything on top.

Tony came up behind him.  His arms wrapped around Max’s chest in a tender hug, and a kiss was placed on Max’s cheek.  “I didn’t know if you liked stars or angels, so I thought we could pick one out together later.”

Max leaned back, feeling Tony’s warmth and liking the sensation of being body to body against him.  “Ok,” he agreed happily.

DAY 13: Dec. 13^th

Max was at another family gathering.  He would have much preferred to be spending the evening with Tony, gazing at the tree they’d picked out and decorated together, hopefully doing some pleasant kissing and building things up between them.

Unfortunately—at least in Max’s thinking—Tony was working till ten that night, and he was spending another evening with his well-meaning, but at times tiresome family. 

This party was at one of his brothers’ homes.  It wasn’t just family this time, but also a slew of neighbors and friends were coming in and out.  Max wasn’t surprised.  His brother ran a successful car dealership and had a lot of friends and connections.  Usually Max tried to get in and out of this particular get-together as soon as possible.  He’d come, stay however long was suitable to make his brother, sister-in-law, and parents happy, and leave after doing his time. 

He knew it would seem to most people like he actually didn’t like his family.  He really did, but he preferred them in the non-crowd form.  With so many bodies around, it always felt more like noise than a time to enjoy one another.  He missed the days when get-togethers meant him and his brothers and sisters playing games together, their mother making popcorn and cookies in the kitchen, and their dad complaining about the mess, but usually being the one to start throwing popcorn at someone.

Another thing about this particular party was that it always seemed one of his sisters would invite someone to try to set him up with.  He knew they meant well, but he always hated it, and they really had no idea about what he liked in a guy.

And unfortunately, this night was no different.  Almost as soon as he walked in the door, his sister, Kami, grabbed for him and drug him through to the living room where most of the crowd was gathered.

“Max, co’mere a sec!  I want you to meet someone!”

Max groaned to himself.  He was very tempted to tell her he was seeing someone, but since he and Tony hadn’t had the “defining the relationship” talk, he thought it better to keep his mouth shut.  If he blurted it too soon, his family would be all over him, and he wasn’t ready for that.

It was “Clark” to whom he was introduced, and Max was immediately turned off.  He had to wonder at his sisters.  Would they want to date some of the men they brought to him?  Clark was at least twenty years his senior, spoke with his mouth constantly full, and was a little too touchy-feely for Max’s comfort.

After the third time moving his leg from the man’s touch, Max stood, begging the need for a drink.  He spent half an hour avoiding Clark, making sure to say hi to each family member and a few other guests, and then disappeared after a quick “Thank you” to his sister-in-law.

It was a relief to get into the car.  His mind immediately went to Tony, wishing he was with him right then.  He dug his cell out as he pulled away from the house and used the voice command to dial Tony’s cell.  He knew he would still be at work, but he just wanted the connection.

“Hi, Tony.  I just left my brother’s.  I’m driving home and thinking how the night would have been much more fun spent with you.  Hope things aren’t too crazy for you at the store.”  He paused, a part of him wanting to say “I love you”, but knowing the first time that was said should not be over the phone. 

“I miss you,” he finished before hanging up.

DAY 14: Dec. 14^th

He didn’t hear the knock on the door at first.  He was concentrating too hard on the article he was writing.  It was much more interesting than his “fire safety” assignment had been, and he was very involved in what he was doing.

He started a little when the knock became a near-pound.  Pulling himself away from the monitor, he went to the door. 

“Tony!” he greeted happily.

Tony looked happy to see him too, but there was a distractedness hanging about him as well.

“Hi, Handsome.  Got some time for me this morning?”

“Of course!  Come in.  When do you have to be at work?”

“Not till noon.”

“Want some coffee?”

“Can we talk first?”

Max paused.  Those words weren’t often good things.  His stomach dropped and it must have shown on his face because the serious look faded some from Tony’s eyes and he pulled Max into a hug.

“Hey, we’re ok.  I just want to talk something over with you.  Ok?”

Max took a breath and nodded.  “Ok.”

They sat on his sofa and Tony angled himself toward Max.  “I got your message last night.  It was good to hear your voice.  I was missing you too.”

Max relaxed a little, although he was suspicious of a “but” coming along.  He wasn’t wrong.

“But, I was wondering how common it was for you to use your cell phone in the car.”

Max blinked.  “I don’t know.  It happens.  I don’t text or anything when I’m driving, but I do call people sometimes.”

Tony obviously didn’t care for that.  “Max.  Don’t you know that’s dangerous?”

“I’m watching the road, Tony.”

“But you’re still distracted, and multitasking in any way while you’re driving slows your response time.”  He reached over and took both of Max’s hands in his.  “I want you to be safe, sweetheart, and I want those around you safe.  I know I may sound like I’m taking this too seriously, but I know from experience the dangers of it.”

“How?” Max asked, listening intently.

“The year after I graduated college, I was talking on my cell to a friend.  I was watching the road, Max, but I still couldn’t react fast enough to avoid a car that was stalled at the side of it.  I hit it and sent it into a tree.  Thankfully no one was inside, but I caused a lot of damage to both vehicles, and I scared myself pretty good.”

“Were you hurt?”

Tony shook his head.  “No, but I was lucky.  Max, for my sake and yours, please don’t even pick up your phone when you’re driving.  Ok?”

“I won’t, Tony,” Max promised, seriously meaning it. 

“Good, because you don’t want to know how serious I am about it.”  He leaned forward and kissed the smaller man.  “I’m rather hoping you’ll be around for awhile.”

Max smiled.  “I was thinking the same thing about you.  Do you think…I mean…are we going to be exclusive…um, official?”

“You already are in my book,” Tony answered.

DAY 15: Dec. 15^th

“Guess what?”

Max gave Tony his attention as they moved slowly about the Christmas shop, looking together for a tree topper they liked.  “What?”

“My parents are officially making the trip to come see me this year.”  He smiled down at Max.  “They’ll spend Christmas with my brother and sister in California, but they’ll fly out here on the 27^th and stay till New Year’s Day.”

Max was elated, although he tried not to look quite as thrilled as he felt.  “I guess that means you’re staying?”

“Yep.  No flights for me this year.  It will be nice to have that time off and be able to enjoy it at home…and with you.”

Max squeezed Tony’s hand.  “I was hoping it would work out.  I’d rather not be without you for a week.”

“I feel the same way, and I was wondering if you’d be willing to spend some time with my parents?”

Max bit his lip a moment.  “Do you think they’ll like me?”

Tony grinned widely.  “I think they’ll be thrilled with you.  I told them I’ve started dating someone…and that he could just be the one.”

Max felt his breath catch.  “Really?”

Tony didn’t even bother looking around to see if they were alone.  He simply leaned down and lightly kissed Max’s lips.  “Really.  I know it might seem kind of fast to be saying that, but I feel very strongly for you, Max.  More than any other man I’ve known.  We still have a lot of ‘getting to know you’ to do, but I’d like to think we’re in this for the long haul.”

Max nodded, but he suddenly felt worried.  “Tony, I…I haven’t said anything to my family about you.  I’m not hiding you!” he said quickly.  “But they can get kind of excited about things like this and I wanted to make sure we were certain and…in the same mindset,” he explained.

Tony didn’t seem upset.  “I’d say we’re in the same mindset, wouldn’t you?”

That realization was a very strong emotion for Max.  “Yeah,” he whispered.

Tony kissed him again, imprinting his lips on Max’s.  When they broke apart, Max’s head was turned up and he saw something that made him grin.  “I think I found our topper, Tony.”

The taller man looked up, a smile appearing on his handsome features as well when he saw the topper that had been hung from the ceiling.  “That looks about perfect to me.”

DAY 16: Dec. 16th

Max was running late, which was always a source of stress for him.  “Stupid holiday traffic!” he grumbled.

He and Tony were meeting at Tony’s place for a late pizza and movie.  It was his first time being at Tony’s home, and it bugged him to be getting there late.  Knowing the time couldn’t be helped, he grabbed his cell.

“Tony?”

“Hey, Handsome.  Everything ok?” the alluring voice asked.

“Yeah, but I’m going to be late.  I’m stuck in traffic that’s moving at a snail’s pace.  I’ll get there as soon as I can.”

There was a brief pause, and then Max heard Tony’s voice get a bit firmer than he was used to.  “Max, just get here safely.  Now put the phone down.”

Max blinked, then remembered about Tony’s request of him.  His heart twisted.  He hadn’t meant to break his promise about using the phone in the car.  It had honestly completely slipped his mind and he’d picked it up out of habitual convenience.  He snapped it closed with remorse, hoping Tony wouldn’t be too upset.

He arrived almost a half hour late.  Tony opened the door to the townhouse he rented as soon as Max pulled up.  He was at the driver’s door before Max even had it open.  He pulled the smaller man into a hug as soon as he could get his hands on him.

“Are you ok?” he asked, his eyes filled with worry.

Max nodded, not expecting quite so strong a reaction from Tony and finding he didn’t know what to say.  He swallowed after a moment and was able to find his voice.

“I’m ok, Tony.  Nothing happened.  It was just traffic.”

“No, it wasn’t,” Tony said with some anger in his voice.  “It was you on the phone in traffic.”

Max flinched.  “I’m sorry.  I forgot…honestly.  I won’t do it again.”

“Yes, I’m pretty sure you won’t.” 

Max didn’t understand that, but Tony hugged him tightly again.  When he let go, Max found himself jumping at a hard and unexpected swat.

“Inside please.  We need to have a discussion.”

DAY 17: Dec. 17^th

It was past midnight.  The discussion had been a long one and Max was still wrapping his mind around it.

“Do you want to spank me?” he asked warily. 

Tony clasped his hands between his knees, his eyes on Max.  “I think what you want to know is if I would get a feeling of pleasure from it, right?”

Max thought a moment before nodding.

Tony gave him a tired but attentive look.  “No, sweetheart.  I wouldn’t get pleasure from it.  I know some people find it kinky and arousing to give or receive pain.  That’s not me.  I would, however, feel good about knowing I was doing something to keep you safe.  I spent the whole time I waited for you tonight wondering if you would have picked up that phone if I would have spanked you the first time it happened.  I’m sure it would have been a stronger reminder.”

It probably would have been, but Max still felt unsure.  “Have you done this kind of thing before?”

Tony nodded.  “Yes, with one of my college boyfriends, but his attitude about it made the discipline worthless.”

“What do you mean?”

Tony thought a minute before explaining.  “Danny didn’t want the discipline so he would do better and not repeat his mistakes.  He wanted it so he didn’t have to take responsibility for himself.  When he did something he shouldn’t have, he’d accept a spanking—and a hard one too—and consider that the end of the matter.  He never tried to avoid temptation or making the wrong choice afterward.  I guess it was never a strong enough deterrent for him.”

“But you think I’m different than him?”

“Max, you have eons of maturity on Danny.  I know you’d work, even without any discipline from me, to not repeat your mistakes.  I’m just thinking that I could offer a little extra—incentive.  That, and it would help clear the slate between us.  It’s a defining line that says things have been dealt with and it’s time to move on.  But hon,” Tony rested a hand on Max’s knee.  “It takes a lot of trust to submit to someone like that, and I’m not going to push this on you.  However, even if you trust me, it might take some time to figure out if this works for you and is something you’d want between us.  I personally don’t want to dictate your life, but this might be a door we’d like to keep open between us.”

“Do you need an answer tonight?” Max needed to know.

“Oh, hon, of course not.  You can think about it as much as you need to.  You can ask questions too.  I’ll answer as much as I can.”

Max’s shoulders relaxed.  “I will think about it,” he promised.  “I believe I should get home now though.  Unless…”  He glanced at his watched and then at Tony with a mixture of hope and uncertainty.

Tony put his arms around him and kissed him.  “I’d love for you to spend the night, Handsome, but I’ll tell you right now that sleeping is all we’d be doing.  You need to think about this other stuff first.  Us getting intimate right after talking about all this would only make things more confusing.”

Max sighed.  “I guess you’re right.”

“I think I am,” Tony agreed.  “But Max…”  His tone had suddenly gone very deep and captivating.  “I think you need to know that I love you.”

Max’s eyes teared.  No man had said that to him before, and the words sank deeply into him.

“Tony,” he replied, his voice cracking with emotion.  “I love you too.”

DAY 18: Dec. 18^th

They had shared a bed that night.  It was wonderful to sleep with a warm body next to him. 

No.  Not A warm body, but Tony’s warm body.  Although the man had been absolute about refraining from sex.  When they had lain down together, Max had wanted to plaster himself to Tony, but his boyfriend…Yes, his boyfriend!...had urged him to lay on his stomach instead.  Max had done so and Tony had gotten comfortable on his side before dropping his fingers to Max’s t-shirt and scratching lightly along his back.

Max shivered at just the memory.  The touch had immediately aroused him, but it had been so soothing and felt so good that it hadn’t taken long to put him to sleep. 

That man is tricky! He thought, but it still made him smile.

However, they hadn’t had any contact the rest of the day after they’d parted to go to work.  Tony had suggested twenty-four hours for both of them to think about this prospect of having discipline between them.  Max had agreed…reluctantly.

Twenty-four hours with no contact at all with Tony was awful.  He wanted to pick up the phone and call him.  He wanted to go to the store and share a hot chocolate.  He stared at his beautiful Christmas tree and wanted to invite Tony over to stare at it with him.  The thought of No Tony was pure torture!

All of a sudden, Max paused.  No Tony.  It was a dreadful thought, and he wondered if that’s what Tony had felt when he spent that time the other night worrying about Max talking on his cell in heavy traffic.  Maybe he had been thinking No Max.

His eyes started to burn with guilt and remorse even deeper than what he’d experienced previously.  Tony had told him he loved him…and he loved Tony.  What a dreadful thing to think of losing one or the other over something like talking on a cell in a car—something that could be easily avoided!

At this point, he believed he’d never pick up his cell in his vehicle again!  But now his mind was whirling with things Tony had told him about discipline…about submitting to a spanking on occasion.  Pieces fell together—not completely—but they were clicking together and making more sense.  He could see it wasn’t about Tony being in charge of him, but it was about having an accountability between them. 

Tony had said he wouldn’t ask anything of Max that he wasn’t willing to enforce on himself.  Max appreciated that.  There was equality there.

So did he want to get spanked, to submit?  No…not exactly; but…yes.  It was comforting to think of leaning on someone like this, to be able to trust so deeply.  And Tony said part of the purpose was to wipe the slate clean…to move past the mistake.  Max rather wished for that now.  His heart squeezed at the worry he’d given Tony and the broken promise—however unintentional in had been.

Max looked at his watch.  It had been twenty-three hours and forty-eight minutes.  And no, he couldn’t wait twelve minutes to talk to the man he loved.  He picked up the phone and dialed.

Those two wonderful words greeted him.  “Hi, Handsome.”

“Hi,” he replied almost shyly.  He took a breath.  “Tony?  I’d like to talk over…this…some more with you.  When can we meet?”

“I’m working a twelve hour shift today, hon.  Come join me for lunch, but just so we can enjoy one another.  I’ll come over tomorrow morning then and we can talk about anything you want.”

DAY 19: Dec. 19^th

They sat across from each other at the table.  It seemed such a normal thing to share pancakes and coffee on the cold winter morning, but Max felt the conversation was very abnormal from anything he’d discussed with a significant other before.

“I’ve been thinking about it a lot,” he admitted, knowing he had Tony’s undivided attention.  “It’s weird to think that I’m more comfortable with it the more I think about it, but it’s true.  I don’t know if I’d feel the same way when it was actually happening though.”

Tony’s look was understanding.  “There are a lot of emotions that are involved in something like this, Max.  I’m glad you’re not taking it lightly.  I’m not either.  The fact is, in the midst of receiving a spanking, you’ll probably very much want to say it’s not for you.”  He reached across the table, offering his hand to Max.  The younger man willingly took it.  “It may seem a ridiculous thing to point out, but spankings hurt and are embarrassing.  That’s something else you need to think about.  Can you handle the idea of baring yourself, being in the vulnerable position of going over my lap, and knowing that although I love you I’m going spend some time causing you pain?  I need you to know, hon, that it’s not an easy thing to receive or to give.”

Max was taking it seriously, and considering everything Tony was saying.  “You’d spank me bare?” he asked, thinking about that part.

Tony nodded.  “Not always but most often, yes.  It’s more effective, but it also allows me to make sure I’m not going too far.”

Max nodded slowly.  He didn’t like the picture in his head, but Tony’s reasoning was sound and he appreciated that the other man wanted to make sure not to harm him.

He took his hand back to finish his meal, both of them were quiet as they thought.  Max continued his silence until the food was gone and the dishes rinsed and set in the washer, but he felt like his decision was made.  He turned to Tony and the man seemed to understand.  He held his arms out and Max fell into the hug.  It was tight and embracing.  From within his arms, Max felt safe enough to speak.

“I want you to spank me for breaking my promise and using the phone in the car, Tony.  And I want to keep this an option for us.  I think it would be good for me…good for us.”

He felt a hard kiss on his cheek.  “Are you sure?” Tony’s smooth voice asked.

Max nodded.  “I’m sure.”

The hug tightened for a moment before the arms around him dropped and Tony gripped his hand instead.

“I’m going to tell you how it’s going to be then, hon.  You’re going to take your jeans down, but leave your shorts up this time.  When I see your beautiful body fully for the first time, I want it to be when I make love to you.”

Max nodded, feeling his heart swell that Tony felt like that.

“Then you’re going over my lap, and you’re staying there until I say we’re done.  Can you trust me on that?”

Max licked his lips a tad nervously, but nodded.  Tony cupped his cheek.

“Some men cry when they’re spanked, sweetheart, and some men don’t.  It’s ok either way, but whether you do or not, you’ll know by the time I’m done that you’ve been punished, but also that things are straight between us.”

Max swallowed.  “Ok.”

Tony squeezed his hand, then sat down and waited for Max to do as he’d been told.

It was harder than he thought, but Max managed to take his jeans off and place himself across Tony’s knees.  It was not a nice position, and he clenched in nervousness when he felt Tony’s fingers grip his hip and his hand rest lightly on his shorts.

“Keep breathing, sweetheart,” Tony said before the hand raised and Max felt the first smack.

He flinched with each swat as it connected to his bottom, but he felt it was bearable.  He could do this. 

But then the heat started to go a bit deeper, the sting didn’t fade as fast and the swats started to build on each other.  He heard himself gasp, and then hiss as “bearable” started to disappear.

“Ow!  Ouch!  Tony…please!  Ow!”

He couldn’t stop the words, and soon felt his eyes burn with wetness as Tony’s hand dropped a little lower and Max felt the pain increase as the bottom of his cheeks and the top of his thighs received their share of swats.

“OW!  I’m sorry!” he uttered sincerely, not having expected his butt to burn so much despite Tony’s warning. 

He wasn’t sobbing, but his nose was stuffy and his eyes were dripping when he felt three very hard swats land quickly on his bottom, and then it stopped.  Tony immediately stood him up and Max had one hand move to desperately rub his bottom while the other clung to Tony in a hug.

They stood like that for quite a while, until Max felt his breathing get more normal and the desire to bounce on his toes faded.

It was then he noticed some quiet sounds from Tony and he looked into the other man’s face.  Tony’s eyes were wet too.

“Why are you crying?” Max choked out, hating to see tears in this wonderful man’s eyes.

“Can’t I cry when you cry?” Tony asked in just as choked a voice.  He kissed Max’s brow.  “I’m just awed by you, sweetheart.  Awed by the trust you’ve placed in me and awed that you came into my life.”

That started Max’s tears all over again.  He hugged Tony hard, not wanting to ever let go.

DAY 20: Dec. 20^th

The family gatherings continued.  Janice hosted this one, and she enjoyed “fancy” parties.  The nieces and nephews were relegated to the basement playroom with a babysitter to keep an eye on them while the adults had dinner, champagne—which Max forewent, and dessert.

Although he didn’t care to be forced into a tie and uncomfortable shoes, Max was glad for less of a crowd.  It was nice to talk with just his parents, siblings, and in-laws for an evening, although he still felt that familiar discomfort of being the odd man out.  Previous years always made him leave this party feeling forlorn.  This year though, although he was dateless for the dinner, he was carrying Tony around in his heart.

Everyone took their plates to the kitchen afterward and communed in the living room.  Seeing an opportunity, Max managed to pull his parents aside for a few private moments.

“Mom…Dad, I wanted to tell you.  Um…I’ve started seeing someone.”

He had made sure he was closest to his mother’s good ear and he could see she heard him.  Her mouth smiled with pleasure. 

“You’re seeing someone, Maxie?  Is it serious?” she asked.

“Who is it?” his dad put in at the same time.

“His name is Tony, and yes Mom, it is serious.  I was wondering if it would be ok if I brought him to Christmas Eve?”

“Yes, Dear!  Of course!  We want to meet him!” his mother said happily. 

His dad was nodding as well.  “That’s fine, Max.  Do your brothers and sisters know?”

Max shook his head.  “No, and please don’t say anything.  I’d rather not get bombarded tonight.”  He grinned.

His dad grinned with him.  “I can understand that, but Max, you know this poor man is going to be converged upon on Christmas Eve whether the others know about him or not.”

Max nodded.  “I know, but I think he can handle it.”

His mother flung her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.  “You’ve just made my Christmas, you dear boy!  You tell Tony he’s more than welcome to join us.”

On the phone that evening, Max took a breath and invited Tony to Christmas Eve at his parents.

“I’ll be there with bells on!” Tony told him, making Max laugh.

“Just be there with me and it will be fine,” he responded. 

Tony chuckled.  “I wouldn’t miss it, hon.  I actually have a question for you as well.”

“Yeah?”

“Mmhmm.  Do you have set in stone plans for Christmas day?”

Max stared at his lit-up Christmas tree.  “Nothing firm.  Mom and Dad always say I’m welcome to join them.  My brothers and sisters do too.  Usually I go to one or two of their houses for a visit, but I spend most of the time at home.”

“How do you feel about making it a day for just you and me?” Tony asked, his voice sounding a tad deeper.

Max melted.  That voice sent shivers through him and he imagined himself as a cartoon puddle on the floor even as he answered.  “I’d love that, Tony,” he whispered huskily.  “Your place or mine?”

“Yours,” Tony said immediately.  “We’ve got to enjoy your tree.”

Max chuckled but corrected him.  “Our tree.”

“Our tree,” Tony agreed.  “I’ll call you tomorrow, Handsome.  Love you.”

“Love you too.”

DAY 21: Dec. 21^st

Max was by himself today.  Between writing and meeting deadlines, family get-togethers, and as much time with Tony as possible, he hadn’t gotten his Christmas shopping done.  He was determined to do it that day, and he had purposefully headed to a plaza of outlet shops almost an hour away instead of going to the mall.  If he went to the mall, he’d seek out Tony and get nothing else done. 

Besides, today and tomorrow Tony was working open to close, which meant 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.  Max thought that was ridiculous, but Tony said that was holiday hours and he was a department manager.  He’d also reminded Max that it was only two very long days.  He was just working a 12-5 shift on the 23^rd, and then would be off until after the New Year.  Max was really looking forward to that.

He was also looking forward to the evening of the 23^rd.  Tony was taking him out to dinner and then said they had plans, but again refused to tell Max what they were.  Max could only laugh to himself.  Tony and his secrets.  They both loved them.

He did have success at the outlet shops, despite wanting to pull his hair out over the crowds and spending forever in queues to check out.  He had a gift for each niece and nephew, bought several restaurant gift cards for his siblings, and found a beautiful framed painting for his parents.

He already knew what he was giving Tony, so it wasn’t necessary to spend any extra time wandering around for that.  He piled the gifts in his car and started the drive home.  It was terribly tempting to call Tony just to see if he could get him on his break. 

Max hadn’t realized that he actually was in the habit of driving and talking on his cell.  It helped fill the time when he was bored, but he had every intention of having that habit firmly broken.  Firstly, because he promised and he didn’t want to scare his boyfriend like that again; and secondly, because the spanking Tony had given him was strongly remembered.  His butt had been sore most of the rest of that day! 

Max was neither a stupid man, nor one that often felt the need to test his boundaries.  He’d learned that Tony had a hard hand and that spankings hurt.  That was all he needed.  While he was still open to having discipline be a part of their relationship, he was determined not to have to learn the same lesson twice. 

Leaving the phone in the glove compartment, he turned on the radio and sang along with the Christmas songs.

DAY 22: Dec. 22^nd

Max was concerned for Tony.  He looked so tired.

“I’m ok, hon,” Tony assured when Max expressed his concern.  “It is tiring, and customers aren’t always the kindest this time of year, but I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?  Isn’t there a way you could leave a little early?” Max pressed.

Tony shook his head.  “I’m one of only two managers on tonight.  They need me, but I’m already feeling better than I did.  Having an hour to sit and eat helps, as does being able to spend some time with you.”

Max smiled despite his concern.  “I’m glad you called me.  I was afraid I wouldn’t get to see you at all these two days.”

Tony shook his head.  “Two days without you, Handsome.  I don’t think so.  I’ve looked forward to this hour all day.”

Max blushed.  “So have I.”

The two of them lingered over hot chocolates as long as they could, but much too soon Tony had to return to the floor.

Max left the store feeling a bit glum, but then remembered the gift he was working on for Tony.  There was still a lot to do with it.  Thinking he could make the evening a productive one, he headed home.

DAY 23: Dec. 23^rd

It was snowing lightly, just enough to dust the ground.  Max was enjoying the sight of it more than he could remember in a long time.  Everything was so much nicer and more wondrous when there was someone with whom to share it.  Tony would be there to pick him up any minute, and Max was thoroughly looking forward to several hours with the man.

When the bell rang, Max grabbed his coat and opened it eagerly.  Tony looked as happy as him, and pulled Max into a kiss before he even said hello.

“I’ve been aching to do that for two days,” the taller man said once he’d left Max thoroughly breathless. 

“Uh-huh,” Max managed to get out, making Tony laugh.

“Ready for dinner, Handsome?”

“Absolutely.  Where are we going?”

“Chinese…once you get a hat on.”

It was becoming a game with them.  Tony turned him with a swat.  Max laughed, retrieved a hat, and reached for Tony’s hand as they left the apartment.

Max expected them to pull into one of the many Chinese buffets within driving distance, but Tony ended up going a little further and parking in front of a restaurant Max had never been in before. 

Inside, the restaurant was romantically dark.  They were given a table in a corner that hid them even more.

The food was the most authentic Max had experienced, and it was delicious.  They both ate their fill and spent the time telling one another what to expect when introductions to family were made in the coming days.

Max warned Tony that he’d probably be mobbed by his sisters, and it wasn’t unusual for Mom to cry at some point during the night. 

“Mom and Dad open their presents from everyone on Christmas Eve, and the grandkids open their gifts from Mom and Dad.  The rest of us exchange presents, but we usually take them home to open on Christmas day.  The rest of the time is spent eating and playing games.  Are you a game person?”

“I can’t say I ever played any on a regular basis, but there are some I enjoy,” Tony told him.

“Well, you’ll be drug into something.  Believe me.”

Tony laughed and proceeded to tell Max about his parents.  “They’re both born and raised in California—as was I before moving here.  They own a beach shop and Dad had a brief stint as a professional surfer in his twenties.  Now he still surfs and gives lessons, and he and Mom work the shop together and have always seemed to do well at it.  You’ll find that not much riles them up.  They tend to be “take life as it comes” type people.  Dad called himself and Mom “California hippies” one time and the term stuck.  I’m not quite in the same…niche…if you will, as Mom and Dad.  I’m more of a worrier and a type A personality, but they’re great parents and we’ve always gotten along well.”

Max loved hearing about Tony’s family, and was actually looking forward to meeting them.

After dinner, Max found out what Tony had planned.  The two of them ended up driving into the downtown area and meeting up with a group of people Tony apparently knew.  Tony went down the line naming people and introducing Max.  No one seemed surprised or put out by his attendance, which Max appreciated, but he still didn’t know what was going on until Tony briefly pulled him away from the others.

“They’re all friends from the store,” he told Max.  “For the last few years, we’ve gotten together and gone caroling on the main street of downtown.  You up for joining us?”

Max’s mouth dropped open.  “Caroling?  Seriously?”

Tony nodded.  “We’re not professionals, I promise, but we all love doing it.”

“I’ve never really…caroled…before,” Max said.  “And I haven’t sung in years, except along with the radio.”

“That’s good enough,” Tony assured.  “Feel free to fake it if you don’t know a song, but we do have some music books if you want to use one.”

Max was still unsure.  He didn’t really like the idea of putting himself out there like this, but just seeing that Tony was excited about it made him a willing participant.

And he didn’t regret it.  He spent the evening awed by Tony’s voice.  He’d always thought Tony’s speaking voice was so smooth and appealing, but his singing voice was beautiful.  It fell somewhere between a low tenor and high baritone, and it mesmerized Max.  He found himself actually forgetting to sing with the group at times because he was so caught up in listening to Tony as he stood at his side.

The group as a whole was actually wonderful as well.  They may not have been professionals, but Max would have paid to hear a concert by them.  He enjoyed the whole evening and was actually sad when the last song in the book was sung and the group started to say their good nights.

When Tony brought him home, Max couldn’t resist and caught him around the neck to kiss him hard.  There was no resistance from Tony.  The man kissed him back just as passionately, and they stood outside for several minutes, the snow still falling lightly around them as their lips refused to be parted.

Max was on the verge of asking Tony to spend the night when the taller man stopped them. 

“I’ve got to go,” he said breathlessly.  “I still have some things I have to do tonight, hon, and you are altogether too distracting.”

“Can’t you do them here?” Max couldn’t help asking.

Tony smiled intimately at him.  “Believe me, if I could, I would.  I’ll see you tomorrow.  Should I meet you here?”

Disappointed, but making himself deal with it, Max shook his head.  “I’ll pick you up.”

“All right then, Handsome.  Good night.”

“Good night.”

DAY 24: Dec. 24^th, Christmas Eve

“Ready?”

Tony chuckled.  “Ready.”

Max opened the door to his parents’ home and led the way in.  He’d purposefully had them arrive early.  He knew they’d beat his siblings and their families, and this gave him a chance to have Tony spend some time with just his parents.

Knowing he’d find them in the kitchen, Max reached for Tony’s hand and brought him through the cheery yellow living room and into the warm and luscious smells of his mother’s kitchen.

“Mom?  Dad?” he called, interrupting their familiar banter as they worked alongside each other.

“Maxie!” his mother exclaimed.  “You’re early!  Oh, this must be Tony!”  She seemed to barely realize that she nearly lunged at Tony with a hug.  “I’m Judith, but everyone calls me Judy or Mom.  How are you dear?  Are you hungry?”

Max was glad he’d prepared his date for the onslaught.  Tony laughed and seemed to enjoy his mother’s attention. 

“I’m starved.  Max tells me there’s not a better chef in the state.”

Judy swatted at him.  “Maxie is just trying to stay on my good side, which he’s succeeding at since he finally brought a boyfriend home to meet us!  Come…let me show you what we have and introduce you to Don.”

Max’s dad welcomed Tony just as warmly, although without the flair of his wife.  It wasn’t long before Tony was seated at the kitchen island, Max at his side and both of them with plates of hors d’oeuvres as the older couple bustled around the kitchen and layered questions onto Tony.

An hour later, more questions and excitement exploded onto the scene as Max’s sisters found out he’d brought a date.  It was definitely the talk of the evening, which embarrassed Max and made him blush at times, but Tony didn’t act the least put off, and even laughed with the family when he put an arm around Max and garnered whistles from the two brothers.

Things finally calmed down later when Judy and Don started opening their gifts and the attention was on them.  It was always fun to watch them open the presents—they tended to act as excited as the grandkids with every gift.

But there was a special moment for Max when he realized that Tony had brought a present as well.  It wasn’t big, but Max’s mom still exclaimed with joy over it.  His dad seemed very pleased with it too. 

They had unwrapped a Christmas ornament that Max guessed was specially made or ordered.  It was a lovely silver Christmas tree, but little charms hung from its branches.  The charms included tiny kitchen utensils for Max’s mom, and teeny tools since Max’s father had spent his life working construction.  The ornament was passed around and then immediately hung on the tree.  Max could see that hanging the ornament made Tony feel as pleased as Max’s parents had been to receive the gift.

The night went much better than Max had even hoped.  His family was a bit crazy and overwhelming, but they had always been welcoming and accepting.  Max and Tony both left with smiles on their faces.

Much later Max was pulling up to his apartment.  He turned off the ignition, took a breath, and turned purposefully to Tony.

“Tomorrow is Christmas, and I don’t want a moment of it to be spent without you.”  He lifted an almost shaky hand to Tony.  “Stay the night with me?”

Tony took his hand and lifted it to kiss his fingers.  “Yes.”

Inside, they moved slowly but they didn’t delay.  Blinds were shut and they undressed each other in front of the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree.  Max loved the way Tony ran his hands delicately along his body.  He started at Max’s hair, slipping his fingers through the dark brown thickness, and then sliding his touch down to Max’s shoulders, chest, stomach, legs, and then back up to cup Max’s bottom and press them together—front to front.

“Beautiful,” Tony whispered, making Max blush from head to foot.

Despite the blush, Max did some touching as well, and they both enjoyed finding sensitive places to kiss.  Slowly, they made their way to the floor, the lights from the tree twinkling on their skin.  Max lay on his back and Tony pressed against his side.  His hand cupped Max’s face. 

“Preference, Love?”

The question and endearment made Max melt.  He nodded, looking without hesitation into Tony’s blue eyes.  “Bottom…usually.  You?”

Tony rolled over top of him and kissed him.  “Top…usually.”

Max felt body and soul respond to this wonderful man.  He groaned in pleasure as Tony eased into him.

Somewhere in the room, his mantle clock announced the twelve o’clock hour.  There couldn’t have been a better way to start their first Christmas together.

DAY 25: Christmas

Max woke when the room was just starting to light up with the rising sun.  Normally one who liked to sleep in, somehow Christmas morning always had him waking at first light.

A large grin appeared on his face as he relished the fact that he wasn’t alone.  Tony’s body was warm against his back, and the man’s arm and leg were draped over him, holding him closely even in sleep.

Max could feel the residual sensation of their activities during the night…that mild soreness that was welcome because it confirmed the wonder and joy of making love to this man.  He pressed lightly back and his smile grew even wider when Tony grunted and tightened his grip.

“Merry Christmas, Handsome,” Tony greeted, his smooth voice sounding rough for the first time as it was still heavy with sleep.

“Merry Christmas,” Max replied happily.  “Do I really get to spend all day with you?”

He felt a kiss and nibble on his ear.  “I was wondering the same thing.  Mind if I keep you in bed a while longer, or are you aching to open your presents?”

“Presents can wait,” Max assured.  His words were followed up with a moan as Tony’s hand started to caress a very sensitive spot.

When they finally did make it out of bed, both men were starving.  Neither was in the mood to cook though, and they ended up bringing out the plate of cookies Max’s mother had sent home with them.  They both giggled like young boys over having cookies and hot chocolate for breakfast, but it fit with how they were feeling.

They sat on the floor by the tree and Max noticed that there were a few extra presents than the ones he’d brought home from his parents.  He gave a suspicious look to Tony.  The man winked at him.  Max laughed but reached for a present that wasn’t for him, but for this man he was sharing the holiday with.  His laugh faded away and was replaced with a sudden sober nervousness.

“This might be completely cheesy, Tony, or you might think it’s too much to…express…since we only met a few weeks ago.  But I’ve never known anyone like you, and you came at such a perfect time and…I just hope I can have a lot more Christmases with you.”

Tony’s smile had faded in light of Max’s seriousness.  He took the flat package from him and slowly took off the wrapping.  Inside was a small handmade book.  The cover of it did nothing to reveal its contents, but only suggested it was a Christmas story by the bright red and green design.  Tony opened it up and started to read aloud.

My Christmas Wish Come True

As a child I wished for toys and trains, lots of candy and model airplanes.

I often got my heart’s desire, but the satisfaction only lasted awhile.

As I grew older, I sought attention, boys to kiss me, and other things I’d be wise not to mention.

After college, I watched people marry. They found partners so fast, but I seemed to tarry.

Brothers and sisters, friends and foe.  They all found someone, and their secret I didn’t know.

This Christmas I had a special plea, to share it with someone who might complete me.

It seemed impossible and far away, but hope arose one singular day.

A man, handsome and kind, came to my side.

He offered his help, from my pain he didn’t hide.

We’ve shared hot chocolate and moments together.  Although it’s soon, my heart is thinking forever.

This might bring laughter or tears to you,

but Tony…

You are my Christmas Wish Come True.

Tony choked on the last words, his eyes bright with wetness.  “Max, I…”  He took a deep breath, wiped his eyes, and reached for a tissue.  He blew his nose, laughing at himself once he was more composed.

With the book still in hand, he slid closer to Max, put his arms around him and kissed him almost desperately. 

“I can’t imagine treasuring another gift more than this one, sweetheart.  I can’t…words just can’t express it!”

Max felt immense relief and joy that the gift that had been so personal and that he’d agonized over with each jot was being so wonderfully received.

“I love you, Tony.  I can’t imagine that I should so soon, but I really do, and I wanted you to know how much…”

He was getting emotional too, but instead of giving in to tears, the men hugged and laughed.

“I love you too, and I have a gift for you that you have to open now,” Tony insisted a moment later.  He reached for a small package and gave it to Max.  “I kind of felt like what you said, wondering if this might be seen as cheesy or too sentimental for our brief time together, but I’m so glad I got it now.”

Max’s eyes were bright with excitement and he opened the package quickly.  Like Tony had done for Max’s parents, he’d also gotten an ornament for him.  But Max found this one much more precious.  A silver heart had been engraved, and the pretty words read Max and Tony, Christmas 2012.

Max didn’t think to look on the other side of the heart until Tony silently turned it in his hands.  He choked up with shock and emotion as he read the words on the other side: To Max, My Christmas Wish Come True. Love, Tony.

“How did you…did you know what I was doing?!” Max asked with astonishment.

“No, Love, I didn’t.”  Tony lowered his head to kiss Max again, revealing a need to continually express how he felt.  He looked deep into Max’s eyes when he ended the kiss.  “You weren’t the only one who made a wish this year.”