“That’s sad. He looks like he’s going to run at any second, though. Go save him before he never wants to come back. You know how your dad and sister can get.”

Braden looked into the family room to see Jessie playing a video game with one of his nephews. “You’ll watch Jess?”

The corners of his mom’s eyes wrinkled like she was looking at him for the first time. Braden was about to ask her why when she said, “That’s a dumb question. Of course I will.”

Braden stood and kissed her on the forehead. “Thanks, Ma.” He walked over to where Wes sat. The second Wes saw him, his features relaxed. “I need to show you something real quick.”

Wes pushed to his feet. Yvonne and his dad said bye and then got right back into their argument. Wes followed Braden to the front door and stopped when Braden said, “Go outside with me, Wesley.”

“What about Jessie?”

“She’s having fun. She probably won’t even notice we’re gone. And if she does, Mom will watch her. She’ll call me if Jessie needs us—you. If she needs you.” He wanted that, he realized. Wanted them to officially be an us. Wanted to be there for Jessie, too. He wasn’t sure to what extent, but he knew it was there.

Braden grabbed Wes’s jacket from the closet and tossed it to him. Wes caught it and Braden grabbed his own. Once they each were clothed in coats, beanies, and gloves, he opened the door for Wes, who stepped out.

“Where are we going?” he asked.

“Not far. You looked like you were ready to bolt on my sister and dad, so I figured you needed a break. Plus, I really want to show you something.”

They were silent as they walked through the dark, around the backside of the house, and up the small hill. The air around them was cold as hell, but he ignored it. A few minutes later, they made it to the top of the hill and Wes froze in his tracks. Braden couldn’t help but smile. He wrapped his arms around Wes’s waist from behind as they looked down at the lights of the city below. At the oversized Christmas tree in the center of it, lit up with different colors, and the snow on top of businesses.

“Jesus, man. It looks like a postcard or something,” Wes whispered.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it? I used to sneak out here at night sometimes when I was younger. I’d spend half the night looking at it...well, I don’t really know why. But yeah, I always liked it.” Leaning forward, Braden rested his chin on Wes’s shoulder. “Wanted you to see it.”

He felt Wes stiffen a little, but then his body relaxed. He laid his arms over Braden’s, which were still around him. “Aww, are you a closet romantic, Braden?” he teased.

“Do you want me to be?” Braden countered.

It took Wes a minute to reply. “I don’t like the fact that I’m pretty sure I’d like you no matter how you were.”

His body suddenly wasn’t cold anymore. In this moment, he felt like nothing could harm him. “You say shit like that to me, Wesley, and you’re going to make me want to claim you.”

“I’m sure you tell all the guys...and girls that.” There was a forced playfulness to his voice that Braden knew he tried to put there.

“Whatever you have to tell yourself.” He kissed Wes’s neck. The man turned around immediately, his mouth coming down on Braden’s this time. His gloved hands held the sides of Braden’s face as Braden’s arms wrapped around his waist again. It was a slow, sensual assault, a slow dance of tongues, probing then pulling back for the other to lead. He tasted mint, and wondered if Wes had chewed gum or brushed his teeth after dinner. He felt the warmth of man, making the cold evaporate.

Braden sucked Wes’s lip into his mouth then gently bit it. When he tried to pull back, Wes nipped at him. “Come back here,” he whispered, and then they were kissing again. He let his hand slide down to cup Wes’s ass, swallowed the moan that pulled from Wes’s throat.

He reveled at the feel of Wes’s facial hair against his own. His cock got hard even though he knew he wouldn’t get to use it tonight. Wes would be in Braden’s old room with Jessie, and Braden was sleeping on the futon in the office. He wouldn’t get to use it on this trip at all unless he was alone. But this right here? For the first time in his life, this was enough.

***

The house was even more hectic the next morning than it had been the night before. Emmy was in the kitchen making a huge breakfast. There was a table full of kids drinking hot chocolate and pretty much yelling over each other so they could all speak at the same time—Jessie right in the middle of them. She fell right in with Braden’s family, like she’d always belonged. That had a lot to do with the Roth clan. He was pretty sure they were some of the most incredible people out there and that they’d make anyone feel at home—like they belonged.