Reindeer Games (10 page)

moonlight as they left the barn behind.

“Me?” Delayed reaction. Confusion kept Lon off balance as he clung to Rom to

keep his walking steady.

“Yes, you. What do you think of Wod?”

Only Rom’s arm kept Lon moving forward. As it was, he did stumble. “Wod?”

“Yes. Because I think he likes you.”

He gaped up at Rom’s profile. “What?”

Rom kept his attention ahead of them, his blue hair floating loose on the soft

breeze. “Do you know him well?”

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“N-no.”

“I didn’t think so. He keeps to himself a lot. Only has a few lovers that visit

him now and again.” Rom’s arm slipped so that just his hand remained on Lon’s far

shoulder. Still, he kept his attention on the path before them. “But I had an odd talk

with him this afternoon.”

“Oh?” What was going on?

“Yes. He came over to my place, and he was talking about you. Incessantly. He

asked me if I noticed you or ever thought about having sex with you.”

Startled, Lon pulled away. Rom let his hand slide off Lon’s shoulder as they

turned to face each other, the crunch of their footsteps coming to a halt in the

trodden snow.

“What?”

Rom nodded, reaching up to tuck a wayward lock of hair behind his ear. A

slight frown brought the elegant arches of his blue brows closer together. “It was

weird. He never talks about anyone the way he talked about you. And he kept

asking my opinion about you.” Rom grinned, a look that would have stopped Lon’s

heart a day ago. “Don’t get me wrong.” He reached out to stroke Lon’s chin. “I think

you’re adorable, but I knew I couldn’t be your type.”

Lon shut his eyes and shook his head, then opened his eyes again. No, Rom

was still there. “Wait. What?”

Rom chuckled. “I’ve seen your type before, Lon. You deserve better than just a

one-night stand, and that’s all I could offer you.”

Lon’s jaw dropped. Rom
had
noticed him. Had noticed him and made a

decision to stay away from him. No
wonder
Lon had never gotten close!

“But Wod—he’s a different story.” Rom propped a fist on his hip and nodded.

The breeze snagged the lapels of his shirt and blew them open to reveal the creamy

expanse of his chest. “He’s never liked having a different lover all the time. He likes

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63

to take his time with someone, before
and
after sex.” Rom rolled his eyes and shook

his head. “I never understood that.”

Lon’s jaw couldn’t open any wider, so he tipped his head down, keeping his

eyes on Rom.

Rom’s frown doubled. “What’s wrong?”

“You’re trying to set me up with Wod?”

Rom dropped his hand and shifted his feet, glancing at the trees. “Not exactly.

I just thought I should point it out for you because Wod never would and”—he

shrugged—“I think you two would make a nice couple.”

It was the latest shock in a very shocking two days, and it almost took Lon’s

knees out from under him. He swayed and stumbled to catch his balance.

“Whoa.” Rom grabbed his arm to steady him.

Joyous laughter filled the air, and Lon discovered it was his. He clutched at

the arm that held him and threw back his head to laugh with the stars. A stopper

popped from his heart to let clear, fresh pleasure flood his veins.

“Lon.” He heard Rom as from a distance. “Are you okay?”

Gathering himself, Lon lowered his head and reached up to grip Rom’s

shoulders. “Thank you.” Showing surprising strength, he pulled Rom down so he

could give him a good, firm kiss on the lips. “Thank you
so
much.”

Still laughing, he released Rom and practically skipped up the path toward the

top of the hill.

All signs led to Wod, and Lon was finally heeding them.

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Chapter Ten

There was a full buffet on tables lined along one side of the area cleared for the

bonfire, and a full bar at a wide angle right next to them. Evergreen trees

surrounded three quarters of the area, those closest adorned with twinkling glass

ornaments and magical fairy lights. The main road emptied into the open space

with a clear view down the hill to the river. The bonfire blazed within a ten-foot

circle of smooth stones in the exact center, the heat having long melted the snow in

the immediate area. What snow that hadn’t melted had been trodden into the

ground by a multitude of feet. Either magic or luck kept the ground from getting

muddy. A four-piece band had set up to one side of the view, the merry strings

accompanying the light to fill the air. It was a large park, and Lon suspected every

person even close to his age was enjoying it at this moment. And why not? The

reindeer were in fine moods, and Christmas was only a few weeks away. The spirit

was upon them, and it could be felt in the air.

Where was Wod?

Lon had circled the fire twice now, with no sign of the dark-haired man he

sought. He couldn’t understand how he could miss anyone of Wod’s height and

coloring. True, there was quite a crowd, but only a handful of the people in the

village reached Wod’s and Rom’s height. Thus far, Lon had fended off anyone who

tried to waylay him. Hearing what Rom had to say had set him on a mission, and he

was determined to meet his goal.

But where
was
his goal?

By the end of Lon’s third circuit around the fire, Rom had set up court at the

end of the bar. The flowing sleeves of his shirt caught the breeze as he lifted his

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65

goblet in a rousing toast. Lon watched him for a moment, noting the bevy of hopeful

men and women surrounding him. Seeing them now, Lon wondered that he ever

mistook their avid attention for love. Or maybe it was a type of love, a temporary

type. Nothing wrong with it, if that was what you wanted. Rom did. Lon didn’t.

Evidently Wod didn’t either.

Had Wod gone off with someone else? Fear stopped Lon as he worked that

thought. Had Wod assumed Lon would be with Rom and skipped the bonfire to have

his own rendezvous? Rom had mentioned Wod had a few lovers he saw now and

again. Who were they? And how
dare
anyone be with Wod tonight!

As he was battling down an extreme surge of jealousy, someone bumped him

from behind. Wearing an annoyed frown, he turned to face a chest framed by an

open red shirt. The fluffy white trim that edged two converging lines from shoulder

to waist just served to emphasize the dark hue of the skin revealed. Lon’s frown

faded as his gaze followed the shallow crevice between sculpted pecs, up a long neck

partially hidden by loose burgundy hair, to behold the face he’d been searching for

all night. Wod sipped from a thick goblet, and even from below Lon caught the scent

of the fine wine he’d sampled the night before.

“What happened?” Wod asked, glancing briefly toward Rom, then back down at

Lon as he lowered the goblet. “I thought you left the barn alone with Rom.”

Lon barely heard him, too busy looking his fill of Wod. How had he ever missed

how beautiful Wod was? Here, near the edge of the circle, the bonfire only lit one

side of his face, leaving the other in mysterious shadow. The red highlights in his

hair made it seem as though the warm wine he drank had been poured all over his

head to stream over his shoulder and down his back.

“Lon?”

“Hmm?”

Wod cocked his head. “Are you all right?”

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Lon felt a ridiculous grin curl his lips and didn’t even try to suppress it. “I’m

wonderful.”

It was Wod’s turn to frown. “But Rom’s over there.”

“I know.”

Wod studied him a moment, then nodded. “All right.” He shifted his goblet

from one hand to the other, then reached into the waistline of his shirt. “Listen, I’ve

got something for you.” He stepped closer to the shadows at the edge of the circle,

trusting Lon to follow. He stopped, waiting for Lon to reach him, then turned so his

shoulder was to Lon’s and both of their backs were to the bonfire. “Here.”

Distracted by the body beside him, Lon didn’t immediately look to see what

was offered. But he did look down when Wod poked him with something hard.

There, in Wod’s grip, was the dildo he’d abandoned at Wod’s cottage, the blue

almost black in the shadows. Lon gasped.

“Here, take it.” When Lon didn’t, Wod pressed it into his chest. “Take it before

someone sees it.”

That was enough to get Lon to snatch it from Wod’s grip. Hurriedly he lifted

his jacket and tucked the dildo into the waistband of his pants.

“All right,” Wod said as Lon worked, shielding Lon from the crowd with his

body. “Here’s what we’ll do. I can get him away from the others. Meet us in the trees

just over there.”

“Wait.” Lon pulled his jacket back into place, far too aware that he had a sex

toy pressing against his belly.

“What? You want Rom, don’t you?” Wod glanced around, but no one was

minding them. “I did some legwork for you this afternoon. Don’t worry—I didn’t tell

him directly. But I think I primed him for you. You’re going to have to do something

to keep his interest. I can only do so much. All right?”

“No.” Lon grasped at Wod’s arm, jostling the heated wine.

Wod ignored the droplets of liquid that spattered the back of his hand. “No?”

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67

Lon gazed into dark eyes and felt his courage start to drain. What if he was

wrong? What if Rom was wrong? What if Wod really
was
trying to help him be with

someone else? Wod could be a bigger player than Rom.
No, that’s not true
. He knew

it.

Wod frowned at Lon’s continued silence. “Come on, Lon. There’s not much

time. He’s going to take someone else home any second.”

“Let him.” Lon shook his head, talking quickly before he lost all his nerve. “I

don’t want him.”

Wod drew up to his full height. “What?”

Lon gripped Wod’s arm tighter and reached out with the other hand to grab a

fistful of shirt. Maybe if he hung on, that would work as well as words to convey

what he meant to say? No, not likely. He stared at the base of Wod’s throat and

forced his mouth open. “I-I don’t want him.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Wod’s free hand squeezed Lon’s shoulder. His voice

stayed low, gentle. “What are you saying? Are you scared? He wouldn’t hurt you on

purpose.”

“No. No, that’s not it.” Lon pulled his hand from Wod’s arm so he could gather

another fistful of shirt. It was a better grip and allowed him to step into the other

man so that there wasn’t a breeze between them. The heat at the front of Wod’s

pants was at odds with the dildo tucked into Lon’s waistband. “I…um…”

The hand at his shoulder slid back to span the space underneath his hair, just

below his nape. “Lon?”

Desperately afraid he was making a mistake but oddly sure that he wasn’t,

Lon leaned in to press his forehead to Wod’s collarbone. “I want you.”

The words were hurried and soft, but evidence showed that Wod heard him.

Only because he was so close did Lon detect the hitch in Wod’s breath, but the

gentle kneading of fingers on his neck was more obvious.

“Lon. Are you sure?”

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He nodded, rubbing his forehead against Wod’s chest. Drowning in the

gorgeous scent of the man’s skin, he pressed his nose to Wod’s sternum and pulled

in a lungful. “I want you.” It was much easier to say the second time. “I want you.”

The third even more so.

“Well.” Wod’s hand slid down Lon’s spine, spanning his back to pull him just a

little bit closer. “In that case”—breath scented by wine gusted softly over his cheek

right before lips brushed his temple—“may I suggest we go to my cottage?”

“Please.”
Oh, please.

The only way Lon convinced his body to pry away from Wod’s was with the

promise that an even better contact was in store. He turned under Wod’s arm so

they were side to side and wrapped his own arm around Wod’s slim waist. With

their backs to the party, they started into the trees.

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Chapter Eleven

The dense growth of evergreen soon muffled the sound and light of the party.

The darkness nearly blinded Lon, but Wod didn’t seem to have a problem finding

their way between the bushes and trunks. They were quiet during the short trip,

pressed together, but it wasn’t uncomfortable in the least. It was enough to hold and

anticipate. Soon enough, they emerged from the trees onto a path. Lon didn’t

recognize it, but then he saw the side of Wod’s cottage up ahead. The dense forest of

trees muffled all sound of the party behind them. A soft, ruddy light beckoned from