5,49 €
Niedrigster Preis in 30 Tagen: 5,49 €
Niedrigster Preis in 30 Tagen: 5,49 €
Mehr erfahren.
- Herausgeber: Trina Solet
- Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020
Four dads find the men of their dreams just in time for the holidays. (Four book box set.)
A Bookworm for Christmas
Miles is reunited with his former crush, a bookstore owner whose life now includes a young son.
A Christmas Boyfriend
Ben asks for a boyfriend for Christmas, and his little girl gives him her preschool teacher as a gift.
A Christmas Manny
Gary needs help after an injury. In Wayne he gets an assistant, a manny for his son, and everything he could ever want in a man.
A Christmas Reunion
After years of being apart, Holden and Ryan meet up again for the holidays. Sparks fly and secrets are revealed.
Das E-Book können Sie in Legimi-Apps oder einer beliebigen App lesen, die das folgende Format unterstützen:
Ähnliche
Table of Contents
A Bookworm for Christmas (Gay Romance)
A Bookworm for Christmas
A Bookworm for Christmas
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Christmas Dads (Gay Romance Box Set)
Copyright © 2020 by Trina Solet
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, locales or actual events is entirely coincidental.
All sexual activity takes place between persons eighteen years of age or older.
This novel contains material intended for mature readers.
Cover image is only for illustrative purposes. Any person depicted is a model.
A Bookworm for Christmas (Gay Romance)
By Trina Solet
Copyright © 2016 by Trina Solet
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, locales or actual events is entirely coincidental.
All sexual activity takes place between persons eighteen years of age or older.
This novel contains material intended for mature readers.
Cover image is only for illustrative purposes. Any person depicted is a model.
A Bookworm for Christmas
Gay Romance
Trina Solet
A Bookworm for Christmas
Chapter 1
The sidewalks were crowded as Miles rushed to Vic's Diner. His breath fogged up in front of him. There was a serious nip in the air but no snow. It would be nice to see some snow around this time of year, but it wouldn't be fun to trudge through the sludge on the way to and from work. He only worked part time while he was in school and his shift was already over.
Turning a corner, Miles spotted the yellow Vic's Diner sign and rubbed his gloved hands. A guy who worked in the back office got a burger for lunch and triggered a craving. Now Miles had to have one of Vic's mushroom and swiss burgers.
He used to come to Vic's all the time when he worked at a bookstore nearby. Now it was a little out of his way but today he decided it was worth the walk. Pushing open the diner door, Miles breathed in the scent of good cooking and let it stoke his hunger even more.
The place was packed so he had to wait for a seat at the counter to open up. He wasn't the only one. A few other people were huddled just inside the door to keep out of the cold, but every time the door opened a gust of chilled air blasted them.
If he didn't crave that mushroom burger so bad, Miles would have given up and gone somewhere else. He scanned the booths though he had no chance of getting one of those. That's when he spotted a familiar face, and this familiar face was eating alone.
It was his old boss Gavin Fielding from the bookstore, or more like his young, handsome ex boss. Miles shouldn't have been surprised to see him. The bookstore was only a few blocks away. Going right over to his table, Miles was ready to ask if he could sit with him. That's when he noticed that Gavin wasn't eating alone after all.
"You're short. I didn't see you there," Miles told the little boy sitting across from Gavin. He was so startled to see the little boy that he didn't even say hello to the man he used to work for.
The boy, who was only four or five, gave Miles a fierce look. He wore glasses and had light brown hair. Miles could see his feet kicking under the table.
"Who's your short date, boss man?" Miles asked his former boss.
Gavin gave him a wry look then told him. "This is my son, Benji."
"Benji. Good name," Miles said to him, and the little boy looked pleased to hear it, but also cautious.
"The rude man is Miles. Say, 'hi, nice to meet you' to the rude man," Gavin said to his son.
"Nice to meet you," Benji said as instructed.
"I can't believe you have a kid," Miles said and sat down without being asked. He slid over in the booth until he was sitting right up against Gavin. Gavin moved himself and his phone over to the other end of the booth.
"Who invited you to join us?" Gavin grumbled though he had just made room for him.
Miles turned to him and grinned devilishly. "Just living up to that rude label you stuck on me. You wouldn't want me to go hungry, would you? Plus this way I free up a spot at the counter for someone else." Miles pointed to the cluster of people waiting for a seat to open up.
"I guess we can put up with you if it's for the greater good," Gavin said while his son went back to drawing in a yellow notepad.
It turned out that they had only just ordered. Miles put in his order as well. His burger and fries arrived only a little after Gavin's minestrone soup and Cesar salad and Benji's grilled cheese and tomato soup. Gavin reached over and took away his son's notepad to make him focus on his food.
"I don't remember this place being so crowded," Miles said as they ate. "I usually got takeout, but I never saw people waiting for a seat."
"They closed that sandwich place down the street," Gavin told him and nodded in the direction where the deli used to be.
"Sammy's Deli. Too bad. They had those great, big, spicy pickles," Miles said with a shake of his head.
Benji had his head down over his soup but he became more interested in what they were saying as soon as pickles were mentioned.
"Aha, a pickles fan," Miles said and pointed at him.
"He likes pickles," Benji said leaning over toward his dad. He said it almost like he was making the argument that if Miles liked pickles, he couldn't be all bad.
"I used to get sandwiches from the deli for me and your dad for lunch," Miles told the kid.
"And sometimes you even got my order right," Gavin complained.
Miles laughed. "Let me tell you, that was no accident. You always ordered either turkey or roast beef on rye. I wanted to mix things up."
"Did you work with my dad?" Benji asked.
"I used to. He was my boss."
Gavin felt compelled to elaborate on those simple facts. "Yes, but Miles here thought that the job was too boring, so he quit and left me shorthanded for Christmas that year."
"Hey, don't try this in the court of public opinion. I got a job at Turn, vintage vinyl as far as the eye could see, and they wanted me to start right away. Cut me some slack," Miles said in his own defense.
"I heard they closed," Gavin said, but he wasn't gloating about it.
"Yeah. Saddest day of my life."
"You are so young," Gavin told him.
"And you are such a dad," Miles shot back, but he meant it as a compliment.
"Yes, he is," Benji agreed. He leaned toward Miles, his eyes earnest behind his glasses. "He's my dad." He said it like he wanted there to be no confusion about that fact.
"Suits you perfectly," Miles said to Gavin then saw a waitress coming their way. He wasn't done with his burger yet, but he clapped his hands together and got ready to order dessert. He was getting Vic's fried apple pie. That was another thing he hadn't had since he used to work for Gavin. He missed out on a lot of goodies while not working for him. Not least of which was the opportunity to ogle his boss while getting cut down by his deep voice and his gorgeous blue eyes.
As Miles watched him out of the corner of his eye, Gavin ran his hand through his dark brown hair and sighed. "Now I have to get him dessert too," he said and allowed Benji to order a brownie.
"I guess I'm a bad influence. I feel terrible about that," Miles said and winked at Benji.
Seeing Benji grin at Miles, Gavin frowned. "That reminds me. Do the opposite of everything Miles does," he told his son.
Benji only looked confused.
"Oh come on. Do I deserve that?" Miles asked and gave Gavin a pitiful look.
"Sometimes," Gavin said, but the cagey look in his eyes said that he couldn't really get mad at him.
The desserts were set in front of them and Gavin got a cup of coffee.
"And where do you work now?" he asked while Miles and Benji ate dessert and peered at each other conspiratorially.
"At this mailing and packaging place. It's only a part time, seasonal thing, boxing up gifts, shipping them out. Someone was shipping an acoustic guitar today. I'll need something more permanent after New Year's. You hiring by any chance?" Miles asked.
"Not at the moment," Gavin said.
Miles eyed him again while trying not to be obvious about it. His ex boss was just as good-looking as he remembered, maybe more so. The man was stern, tall and lean with broad shoulders. With that combination of blue eyes and dark brown hair, he was irresistible to Miles.
When he worked for Gavin, Miles had fantasized so many times about him. It was hopeless of course. At the time, Miles had just turned eighteen and started college. Gavin was a serious guy in his late twenties and he treated Miles like he was a high school kid or something.
After they were done eating, they all got up to put their jackets on. As they waited at the register, Benji held onto the notepad he used for drawing and a few colored pencils while mittens hung from the sleeves of his jacket. Gavin paid for their lunch and Miles' too.
"Thanks. You didn't have to do that. I did invite myself," Miles told him.
"You said you would be out of a job soon, didn't you?" Gavin said, reminding Miles that under that severe exterior, he was a really nice guy.
"Just in time for Christmas," Miles said. "I want to have another job lined up before New Year's hopefully."
"I'll let you know if I hear of anything," Gavin told him as they headed for the exit together.
Gavin made sure his little boy was all bundled up then they stepped outside. As soon as they were out the door, they stopped short as Benji's glasses fogged up. Gavin took them off his face and wiped them then put the glasses back on Benji. The little boy blinked up at him and nodded. Looking from father to son, Miles had to smile. They were quite a pair, and he found that he didn't want to let them go off without him just yet.
"I'll walk with you," Miles offered.
"We're going to the optometrist to have Benji's glasses adjusted. He's kind of hard on them," Gavin told him.
"I can still walk with you. I was just going to go home now anyway," Miles said.
"No classes?" Gavin said.
"Not today."
"And I guess you're not too busy studying," Gavin said pointedly.
"I study plenty," Miles told him defensively.
As they walked down city streets, they saw lots of people with shopping bags, sometimes even carrying wrapped gifts. Benji looked at the wrapped packages eagerly. To Miles, they were just a reminder of all the shopping he still needed to do.
"Candysaurus!" Benji exclaimed on seeing the candy store across the street with its sign that featured a blue dinosaur.
"You just had dessert," Gavin reminded him. But the begging look on Benji's face didn't go away.
Miles wondered if Gavin had deliberately stayed on this side of the street so they wouldn't pass too close to the store. "What do they have that's so good?" Miles asked Benji.
As he should have expected, Benji said, "Everything."
"Right now they have these snowflake candies and he's obsessed with them," Gavin said.
"No, I'm not," Benji claimed plaintively.
"You know what obsessed means?" his father challenged him.
Benji wouldn't admit to anything. He just made a funny face.
"Trust me, you're obsessed," his dad decreed.
"I want to be obsessed too. What are these snowflake candies?" Miles asked.
"They're good," Benji said.
"What a description. My mouth is watering," Miles said.
"They're just sugar in the shape of a snowflake with coconut flakes dusted on top," Gavin said as if that wasn't a good enough reason to love them.
"They have marshmallow snowmens too," Benji piped up.
"It's snowmen," Gavin told him.
"Sounds good. But I guess we both already had something sweet for lunch. We don't want to overdo it," Miles said to Benji. He didn't really want to be a bad influence on Gavin's kid. "Maybe some other time we can go to the Candysaurus and you can show me all the good stuff."
Benji agreed but Gavin looked at Miles skeptically. He probably thought it would be another year or two before they ran into each other again. Miles planned to make sure it would be sooner than that. Seeing Gavin again reminded him why he had to quit and also why he couldn't stay away any longer.
Chapter 2
Going about his day as usual, Gavin found that he had flashes of Miles, his smile in particular. It would pass. It wasn't like he was obsessed with him or anything. He was just a little distracted. That's why he almost missed what Benji was telling him as they walked from his kindergarten where Gavin had just picked him up.
"Guess what we did today," Benji was saying. "We made cards. I made you a card for Christmas, but it's a surprise. You can't see it."
"I promise to be surprised," Gavin told him and Benji smiled up at him.
Since Meredith was on duty at the store, instead of going straight back there, Gavin decided on a detour. "How would you like it if we visited Bruce and took him something for lunch?" Gavin asked Benji.
Bruce was the owner of Langford & Son Furniture and Benji's honorary uncle. He had a son, Marvin, who was two years older than Benji, but a good sport about playing with a "littler kid" as he liked to call him. Bruce's store was a little out of the way, but they could stop at Baker Man Deli and get hot sandwiches to take with them to the furniture store.
When they got to the deli and he saw they were getting only three sandwiches, Benji asked, "And for Marvin?"
"I don't think Marvin gets out of school until later."
Benji made a disappointed face but cheered up when Gavin bought a cup of small, crunchy pickles for him to munch on. The pickles made Gavin think of Miles again. He tried to dismiss him from his thoughts, but he wasn't very successful.
Having seen Miles so recently, Gavin found that he was too vivid in his thoughts – his unruly, light brown hair and golden brown eyes, his easy smile, the warmth that radiated from him. And he was older now, not freshly eighteen. There was no reason why Gavin couldn't dwell a little on how very attractive he was.
When they arrived, the furniture store seemed pretty quiet. A young couple was in the bedroom isle, frowning at prices, while two women were picking out a dining table with the help of one of the sales people. As he and Benji walked toward the back of the big store, Gavin noticed the familiar smell of the place. It was a mix of wood, upholstery, leather, furniture polish and floor cleaner.
"Hi, Uncle Bruce," Benji said as he ran through the store to Bruce's manager's desk in the back. The big man stood up from behind his desk and greeted Benji with a smile and a handshake. He waved Benji into one of the two chairs on the other side of his desk.
"Hi there, young man. Have a seat and let's do some business," he said.
Gavin gave Benji the bag with Bruce's sandwich and he handed it over.
"I see you didn't come empty handed. Nicely done," Bruce said as he opened the bag with his favorite, an eggplant parmigiana sandwich.
They all sat down at Bruce's desk to eat, and Gavin warned Benji not to make a mess. It was funny that they were eating at his desk when there were all those dining tables out there in the showroom. After he took a few bites of his sandwich, Bruce opened one of his desk drawers and brought out an elaborate robot, possibly a Transformer. He showed it to Benji.
"Check out what I got for Marvin. You think he'll like it?"
Benji's eyes went wide.
"That's a yes," Gavin said.
Benji confirmed it with a thumbs up and a big grin.
"Then I'll wrap it up and keep it a secret. You keep it a secret too," he instructed Benji, who nodded and pinched his mouth closed with his fingers.
"Open your mouth, please, so you can eat," Gavin told him.
After that, Benji made short work of his own breaded chicken sandwich, or as he called it the big chicken nugget sandwich. Done with the last of his food and all his pickles, Benji went to explore the store. He poked around all the alcoves set up to resemble furnished rooms, complete with fake windows and doors that led nowhere. For some reason, Benji had to try every one of those doors though none of them opened.
At least that kept him busy and gave Bruce and Gavin a chance to catch up as they ate more slowly. While they talked, Gavin just happened to mention running into Miles the other day and how they sort of had lunch with him. For no good reason Bruce latched onto this one insignificant event.
"Not bad. You had a little crush on him," Bruce said with a knowing grin.
"I did not. He was just a kid," Gavin told him.
"He was eighteen. I remember you made a point of telling me his age," Bruce said and pointed an accusing finger at him before taking a bite from what was left of his sandwich.
Gavin denied it though he didn't specifically remember what he said at the time. "I might have mentioned it in passing. That's all."
"You wanted to make sure I knew that he was legal so I wouldn't think you were a total perv. We hadn't known each other long back then, so you didn't want to make a bad impression. And you were so pissed off when he quit," Bruce said with an amused shake of his head.
"Because he quit with very little notice and right before Christmas," Gavin told him defensively.
"Aha. But you weren't that ranty and bitchy when that guy broke up with you. What was his name. Quentin?"
"Quinn, and the break up was mutual," Gavin said though he didn't know why Bruce was bringing up an ex boyfriend when they were talking about an ex employee. "And I wasn't bitchy."
"Let me ask you this, why do I even remember this guy Miles if he was just some nobody who worked at your store once upon a time?" Bruce asked with a raised eyebrow.
"You're asking me?"
"No. I'm telling you. You had a thing for him, and you couldn't hide that from someone as perceptive as me. So what's the deal? You gonna see him again?" Bruce asked.
"It was just a random run-in at a diner."
"You said you had lunch together. That's more than a run-in," Bruce reminded him.
"There were no other open tables," Gavin said exasperated that Bruce was using every little thing to build a case against him.
"So when are you seeing him again?" Bruce asked. Nothing Gavin said seemed to dissuade him.
"Never," Gavin replied flatly. They weren't likely to run into each other again, and Gavin wasn't about to go chasing after someone younger than him who wasn't even interested in him. Not that he was interested in Miles either.
But something strange did happen back then after Miles came to work for him. Gavin started to really like having him around. In fact he liked it more all the time, so that when Miles left, it was a vary painful shock.
Maybe that was because he had recently broken up with Quinn and he was lonely. That was also when he went on a blind date with Bruce, but they quickly decided that they should just be friends. With his big muscles and his confident grin, Bruce couldn't entice him, but his scruffy young employee stirred up all sorts of unwelcome, stray thoughts.
*
The day was chilly and damp with the threat of rain, but Miles had no right to complain about the weather. He shouldn't even be out. He was supposed to be doing some reading for a class, but he was too restless to concentrate. Going out for some fresh air, he found himself heading for Gavin's bookstore. His feet just took him that way.
As soon as he found himself standing in front of the familiar storefront, the old feelings came back to him. A mix of relief and excitement had flooded him whenever he stepped through the doors of the bookstore. He was happy to be working there. But he was even happier not to be working for his grandfather, listening to his putdowns and not hearing a word from his Mom and Dad to defend him. That had been a rough time for him. The friendly chime of the door as he went in, even Gavin's glower if he was late, all of it soothed his pain in those days.
Gavin was so serious, steady, strong, unflappable. He was an inspiration to Miles. A smart, disciplined gay guy was the complete opposite of everything his grandfather said about gay people. No customer, no matter how unreasonable could make Gavin lose his cool. Miles wanted to learn that trick so he wouldn't blow up and curse at his grandfather until he was blue in the face.
Gavin was his oasis in those days even if they didn't get friendly or talk much. And being here again brought back the way Gavin made him feel, so hopeful, almost confident, not to mention attracted to him. Every other time Miles found himself interested in a guy, it was someone from school, a guy his own age. But for some reason his attraction to Gavin seemed more significant, more real. Something inside him said this is what it's all about, this man, this feeling. If only Miles stood a chance with him.
Shifting his focus from the past to the present, Miles caught sight of his own reflection in the store window. There he was in all his scruffy glory. His hair stuck up pretty much on its own. Good thing since that's how he wanted it. He had on his favorite leather jacket, or was it a coat. It was something in between and it kept Miles warm enough, but its main value was sentimental.
Miles went inside the bookstore to the familiar sound of the door chime. There were a few shoppers in there, milling around, and Gavin was behind the register with his head down. He must have been deeply absorbed in something if he didn't give a newly arriving customer a greeting. To get his attention, Miles spoke up from just inside the entrance.
"Welcome to the Bookworm. Let me know if I can help you find anything," Miles said in the same bored way he used to say it to the customers.
"Hi, Miles. Isn't that my line?" Gavin asked as he looked up at him in surprise.
"I see it's still called that," Miles said, pointing a thumb at the sign, the back of which could be seen on the glass door. It said Bookworm in simple, black letters. "I always wondered about that name. But I guess it's good if you want to make your books sound stale, old and possibly vermin infested." Miles went over to lean on the counter next to Gavin.
For his part Gavin looked almost shocked to see him. "I wasn't expecting to see you so soon."
"I thought it was time I dropped by here."
"You never did before," Gavin mumbled then moved on to talking about the sign. "When I bought the store it was called The Bargain Bookworm. I decided to change it, but not too much. I didn't want to lose the customers I inherited from the previous owners. Didn't I ever tell you that when you were working here?"
"You didn't talk to me much back then. It was all 'shelve this, clean that'," Miles said and did a bad impression of Gavin.
"Do your job, you mean?" Gavin said pointedly.
"Yeah, you were a tyrant," Miles said but Gavin hadn't been a bad boss really. A no nonsense kind of guy, he seems standoffish and too serious, but really he was seriously hot. The worst thing about him was that he was so good-looking. And he seemed even better looking right now. Up close his eyes were a stunning blue, his jaw line was sharp, his mouth impossibly kissable.
So as not to give away what he was thinking, Miles turned away and started looking around, taking in all the changes since the last time he had been there. Right away Miles noticed that the kids' books section had grown a lot. As expected this time of year, Christmas and winter books were front and center, and a lot of them were about snowmen. There was a low, irregularly shaped, orange table surrounded by colorful footstools. That was new too.
Seeing what he was looking at, Gavin told him, "That's where Meredith does the kids' reading group."
"Meredith?"
"Your very capable replacement. She works the afternoon and evening shift so I can be home with Benji. She also does a lot of promotional work, reading time and she organized a few different reading groups. Right now she's doing a holiday reading blitz Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Christmas stories."
"Wow," Miles said, impressed. "She sounds like the complete opposite of me."
"She is," Gavin confirmed with an emphatic nod.
Miles gave him a dirty look then continued exploring the store. Gavin hung out near the front so he could keep an eye on the register.
"I remember the erotica section used to be here," Miles said as he made his way to the far corner of the store. He had to raise his voice for Gavin to hear him, and he objected.
"Say that a little louder, why don't you." As he said that, Gavin came over to join him. He was probably afraid of what else Miles might shout to him if he didn't. "Your beloved erotica section is still there. It's just a little slimmed down and higher up." Gavin pointed to the top shelves, well out of reach of any little hands and possibly even out of reach of most short people.
"Slimmed down? You mean nonexistent." Miles noticed that all the books that were still there had fairly safe covers.
"Benji roams up and down these aisles, and there are some things I'm not ready to explain to him just yet, maybe ever," Gavin said with a sigh.
"Where did Benji come from? I'm pretty sure you didn't have a kid when I was working for you," Miles said. "I know I wasn't on top of things, but I think I would have noticed. Probably."
"I adopted him a little after you quit. Decided it was time."
"So you've only been a father for what, a year or less than two years anyway?" Miles estimated. "For a newbie, you're pretty good at it."
"Benji is a good kid. He makes it look easy," Gavin said with a smile.
"And you're a single dad?" Miles asked tentatively. He was afraid to hear the answer.
"Yes," Gavin said and gave him a baleful look, like he thought he was implying something about his ability to get a man.
Actually, Miles was thrilled to hear it. After Miles stopped working for him, he was sure that the next time he saw Gavin, he would be in a serious relationship, maybe even married. That was one reason he didn't stop by until now. It would have been too painful to see that.
The big change in Gavin's life was completely different from what he expected. Miles asked him about it. "What made you want to adopt?"
Gavin gave him a one word answer. "Books."
"Really?" Miles said, looking all around him at shelves full of books and trying to figure out how they might lead to having a kid.
Gavin smiled at his confusion. "I kept looking at the books in the kids' section and thinking to myself, 'I want to read this one to my kid some day.' When a new kids' book would come in, I would think the same thing, like I was making a reading list in my head. After I caught myself thinking the same thing about a dozen different times, always making plans for 'some day', I wondered, 'What am I waiting for?' So I decided not to wait and started the adoption process. It took a while, but then one day it happened. Benji was in foster care until then. Meeting him for the first time, I was falling apart at the seams. I was biting my lower lip so I wouldn't cry and scare the poor little guy," Gavin said with a chuckle but his eyes were tearing up.
"It must have been something," Miles said as he tried to imagine the moment when Benji and Gavin came together as father and son. He couldn't quite do it. He couldn't picture them as strangers meeting for the first time. To him it had seemed like they had always been father and son. Miles looked at Gavin. "What was it like?"
"It was amazing and overwhelming. He was just there, this entire little person, my little boy. Real and tiny and a little scared. My kid. It was like a miracle happened right in front of my eyes." Gavin took a shaky breath. "Everything was so new then. Now I don't know what I would do without him. And speaking of Benji, I need to go get him from school pretty soon."
"Do you usually close to do that?" Miles asked since it looked like he was the only one working there right now.
"Only sometimes. Meredith is usually here around this time, but she had an appointment today."
"I can mind the store until you come back," Miles offered.
"All of a sudden you want to work here?" Gavin asked in disbelief.
"What? I wasn't that bad."
Gavin disagreed. "I remember you criticizing my customers' buying decisions and making inappropriate comments in general."
"Like when that lady was buying a Dr. Phil book?" Miles asked.
Gavin nodded. "Yes, and many, many other times just like it."
"I was being a good salesman, providing professional guidance. Anyone who would buy a Dr. Phil book obviously needed my services desperately."
Rather than argue with him, Gavin told him, "If you promise not to hassle the customers, you can watch the register until I come back."
"It's a deal. I'll mind the store, you bring that little dude over here."
Gavin shook his head at his enthusiasm then left.
Now Miles was looking around and thinking, "Like old times. Or maybe better."
Chapter 3
A little while later, Miles spotted Gavin out of the store windows. Next he heard the door chime and saw Benji running inside ahead of his dad. He came to stand right in front of the sales counter so that Miles had to lean over to see him.
"Dad said you are here. Hi, Miles."
"Hi to you too. How was school?" Miles asked him.
"It was good and I have lots of homework." Benji tapped his book bag as he took it off his shoulders.
Miles commiserated. "Life is tough for us students."
Benji nodded in agreement and went over to sit at the low, orange table in the kids' section. He started to unpack his book bag while his father came over to join Miles at the register. Miles noticed that the kids' table was in full view of the sales counter so Gavin would have no trouble keeping an eye on his kid from there.
"I see the store is still standing," Gavin said.
"Did you rush back to make sure? You should have more faith in me. I even sold some stuff. An art book, a calendar, and two suspense novels to a guy looking for something to read on the plane," Miles counted off.
"Two. Good work," Gavin said.
Hearing his dad praise Miles, Benji turned to them. "Does Miles work here now?" he asked. "I want to work here."
"He was just helping," Gavin told him.
"I want to be helping too," Benji said.
"First do your homework," his dad told him.
"You know while I'm here, I should pick up some Christmas gifts," Miles said.
He went to explore the different sections of the store, especially the ones that wouldn't usually interest him. After some poking around, he came back to the register with a small stack of books and showed them to Gavin.
"Check it out. A Christmas crafts book. My mom will go crazy for this. She goes Christmas crazy in general. Both my parents do. According to my dad, you don't have enough Christmas lights until you blow a fuse. As soon as Thanksgiving is over, it's like someone fired a starter pistol. My mom is decorating the house until it looks like Christmas exploded. And I swear, she starts baking Christmas cookies in August." As Miles talked about his parents, he got a little sad.
Benji's ears perked up at the mention of cookies. "Christmas cookies?"
"Yeah. I'll be getting some. I'll bring some over here, and I might even share them with you," Miles told him.
"I'll share mine too," Benji promised solemnly.
"What a generous boy you've raised," Miles said to Gavin, who smiled at his son proudly.
Miles left the books stacked on the counter and went to look at the kids' books. "I have a niece now, so I should get her something too."
"How old is she?" Gavin asked.
"She'll be turning one soon."
"Make sure it's a book she can chew on. That's what little kids do with them," Gavin advised him.
"I don't chew on books. I know how to read," Benji claimed.
Miles looked over at Gavin for confirmation. He mouthed, "Kind of."
With Benji at his side Miles looked through a few of the Christmas books though none of them looked chewable. Snow Party and Ten on the Sled caught his eye and Benji approved with a nod.
"That's a good one too," Benji told him when he picked up Froggy Gets Dressed. Then he whispered. "He forgets his underwear." Benji giggled.
"That happens to me sometimes," Miles said.
Gavin shot him a questioning look and Miles grinned at him.
Benji told him about the next book he looked at too, Snowmen at Night. "They have lots of fun but then they get tired."
"What's that one?" Miles asked about a book Benji held out to him.
"It's The Biggest Snowman Ever," Benji said and put his arms out. "I have that one in my book bag." Benji then went off to dig it out of his bag. He came back with The Biggest Snowman Ever and two other books.
"Look how many books you have. Should we read them?" Miles asked and Benji agreed.
The two of them sat down at the low table. Miles sat cross-legged on the floor while Benji took one of the footstools.
"Can you read by yourself or do you need help?" Miles asked him.
"I don't need help," Benji said.
"Then I'll read by myself. I'll read this one." Miles picked up one of the other books from Benji's collection. It was called The Red Sled.
"That will be quick. There's like five words in that book," Gavin said from behind the counter.
Benji disagreed. "There is more than five."
As Miles read next to him, Benji kept leaning over to look at what he was reading.
"Wow, you can read two books at the same time," Miles told him. "You want me to read it out loud?"
Benji nodded, accepting his offer. Sitting cross-legged and leaning over so Benji could follow along, Miles read The Red Sled, making the most of the few words in the book, especially the sound effects.
After he was done reading it, he decided, "I think I'll get her this one. It's not chewable, but I think her parents will have fun reading it to her." He got a copy off the shelf and took it to the register.
That's when a redheaded lady came into the store, apologizing and carrying a takeout bag. "I'm sorry about my appointment. It was the only time they had, but I brought snacks. I got egg rolls. I was craving them. I admit it freely." She set the bag on the counter then greeted Benji as he came running over.
Benji pointed at Miles, who was paying for his purchases. "Meredith, look. It's Miles," he said to her.
"You made a friend?" she said to Benji who looked up at Miles as if to confirm his status.
"We're reading buddies," Miles said. "And you must be Meredith. I heard you took my old job and put me to shame."
"Oh, I wouldn't say that. And that means you are the famous Miles I've heard so much about," she told him and shook his hand.
"I'm famous. I'm afraid to ask for what," Miles said.
"Nothing too bad," she told him with a wink, and Miles looked over at Gavin accusingly. He didn't even try to look innocent.
"OK. I'm off. It was nice to meet you, Meredith. Enjoy your egg rolls, guys. I'll see you soon," Miles said and headed for the door.
"Come back soon," Benji yelled after him.
Miles paused and turned to Gavin expectantly.
"Yes, please come back soon," Gavin said and gave him an ironically professional smile.
"You say that to everyone," Miles accused him. It was true. He remembered that he was forced to say some version of that when he worked there. Gavin said it about as enthusiastically as he used to, but Miles still planned to take him up on it. Not because it was a good idea to torture himself, but because he wouldn't be able to stay away.
*
Gavin didn't expect a visit from Miles so soon. He thought that maybe months from their accidental lunch together, Miles might remember that the bookstore existed and drop by when he found himself in the neighborhood and had nothing better to do. Miles had proven him wrong. Even so, Gavin certainly didn't expect him to stay as long as he did or to spend time reading with Benji.
While he surprised him a little, Miles didn't seem all that different from the way he used to be when he worked for Gavin. He could see him as he was in those days – his head bent over a book, ear buds in his ears so that he didn't hear when Gavin asked him to do something. He let that boy get away with murder. But if he was being honest, Gavin really enjoyed having him around more than anyone else who ever worked for him, maybe more than anyone period.
Even if he wasn't the best employee, his saving grace in Gavin's eyes was the way he lost himself in a book. When Gavin did manage to get his attention, Miles would blink at him, his eyes unfocused for a moment, looking like someone who had just woken up.
Sometimes he would be reading and then laugh suddenly, the sound of it ringing through the quiet store. Gavin remembered how that startled him then made him smile. There was never any doubt that Miles liked to read. He would get absorbed in it and then talk about what he read like he was rushing to get the words out, all of them at once. Then he would stare at Gavin uncertainly, like it dawned on him that his words couldn't capture what he just read. Gavin knew the feeling. For some reason one set of words couldn't capture another.
That inexpressible magic found in the written word was why Gavin decided to buy the bookstore and try to make a success of it. Whether it was beauty or terror or something dry and scholarly, he had a thirst for the written word and decided to make it his life's work. But at the end of the day, it would have been nice to have someone to share it with and not only that little guy in the kid's section.
When Gavin tried to picture that someone, his mind got stuck on the image of Miles – laughter in his eyes, a smile on his full lips, a promise of warmth on his smooth skin and in his slim body. Gavin shook his head. That was only because he had just seen him. Miles couldn't be the one.
Chapter 4
Miles tried to swear off making himself a nuisance at the Bookworm, but that only lasted a few days. His morning class had been cancelled, and Miles considered that a sign that he should go visit Gavin at the bookstore. This early in the day, there wouldn't be too many shoppers. He might even get Gavin all to himself.
The streets were busy and Miles walked fast dodging and weaving down the sidewalks, not wanting to give up what little time he had to slow walking people and window shoppers. Once in front of the bookstore, he stopped to catch his breath. Now Miles was the one window shopping, but he wasn't interested in any merchandise. He only had eyes for Gavin.
Peering in through the store windows, his eyes searched for Gavin. He was easy to find, standing behind the counter, looking tall and gorgeous. Only one other person was inside the store and she was on her way out.
His focus shifted from Gavin behind the counter to his own reflection in the glass. Why couldn't he get his hair to behave? And he would bet anything that Gavin liked a more clean-shaven look. There was no way that unkempt and scruffy was his type. Running his hand through his hair, Miles sighed.
He started staring at Gavin again, so trim, neatly dressed, but mostly just plain gorgeous. Why was Miles doing this to himself? Since he had a taste of his company, he was fantasizing about Gavin constantly, wanting him hopelessly, visiting Gavin, now watching him like some kind of stalker. It wasn't smart and it couldn't end well.
Seeing that he had been spotted, Miles waved at him through the glass and Gavin waved him in.
"You looked busy. I didn't want to bother you," Miles said to make an excuse for lurking outside instead of just coming in like a normal person.
"Not too busy," Gavin said and greeted him with a cautious smile. "Doing more shopping?"
"Maybe I'm just visiting," Miles said only half willing to admit that he wanted to see Gavin again. He was sure that if he told him, Gavin would turn very stern and firmly inform him that there was no hope for the two of them. Miles already knew that, but it wasn't enough to keep him away.
Miles walked around the front of the store, checking out the shelves closest to the register. Running his finger over the book spines, he was remembering what it was like to work there surrounded by all these books, breathing in that scent and getting to see Gavin practically every day. "I do miss this place."
"That's why you visit as often as you can," Gavin said sarcastically and came over to lean a hand on the shelf next to Miles.
"Aha! You missed me," Miles accused him, though he didn't believe it for a second. The whole time he tried not to stare at Gavin. If he locked eyes with him up close, he was sure to give himself away.
"Miss you? Where did you get that idea?" Gavin said defensively.
"From you," Miles said to him. "You just said you couldn't wait for me to come back and visit."
"Maybe you're here looking for more Christmas gifts," Gavin hinted, playing the salesman.
"Mainly I'm here for a hit of nostalgia. This place brings back memories."
"Of slacking off?"
"Mmm, yes. Some of the best slacking off of my young life. Plus I got to ogle you," Miles said, feeling brave all if a sudden. Or more likely suicidal. Standing so close to Gavin was scrambling his circuits.
"Ha. I don't believe that for a second," Gavin said, dismissing his claim. "If I remember correctly, you called me the lonely librarian type."
"Maybe I like librarian types," Miles said. He didn't tell him the rest. How he thought Gavin was oh so strict, so uptight, so fuckable. Or that he used to ogle his ass whenever he got the chance. Instead he turned to look around the store like he was a real shopper.
"Actually I might pick up some more gifts while I'm here. I've been struggling with Christmas shopping. I should get some nonfiction for my dad," Miles said so he would have an excuse to stay longer. He wished he could just admit he liked coming here.
His heart sank at the thought that he had to rein in his feelings. He liked these feelings. They lifted him up, made him fly and grin like a fool. He didn't want to give that up. Did he have a choice though?
No matter how much he told himself to give it up already, he felt such a strong pull back to this bookstore. Old memories and the warmth of the place, being with Gavin and now Benji too, it had all dragged him back here against his better judgment. He should stop coming back here. He should stop torturing himself.
"Are you really considering a book about unusual diseases as a holiday gift for someone?" Gavin asked from right behind him, startling him.
"Maybe I should get it for my brother-in-law. He's kind of a hypochondriac," Miles told him without turning around. Trying to give nothing away, he held his breath then let it out slowly to calm himself. He was too aware of how close Gavin was standing to dare to look over his shoulder. If he turned around... What would happen? Only one way to find out, a rebellious voice inside him said. And then some rebellious part of his body followed through.
Against his better judgment, Miles was turning to face Gavin. Then he was leaning in, imperceptibly at first until only a single breath separated him from Gavin. Now Miles had no choice but to take this the rest of the way. He looked past Gavin's blue eyes, past the dark stubble on his sharply sculpted jaw line, and focused on the red of his slightly parted lips.
Miles grabbed his shoulders and pressed his mouth to Gavin's too hard like he was being driven by demons and not desire. Reeling from that kiss, he staggered against Gavin and clutched at him hard like he wanted to dig his fingers through his flesh. He needed him so much and any second Gavin would push him away. Miles knew he would. He braced himself for it, but when it didn't happen, Miles gave himself up to that kiss. But it wasn't just him. Gavin shifted closer, chest to chest with him, thighs and hips pressed together. Fingers tangled through Miles' hair, Gavin kissed him deeper.
God knows how long they would have kissed frantically, pushing against each other, if the door chime didn't sound followed by two voices in mid conversation. Gavin and Miles pulled apart but not very far. They stood with the toes of their shoes almost touching. They were out of sight for now, and at first they didn't move. Miles for one was frozen, not even breathing.
His stomach in knots, he stared down at his feet, afraid to raise his eyes to Gavin's face, afraid of what he would see there if he dared to look. He knew what would happen next. Gavin would reject him, tell him it was a bad idea, a mistake.
Miles had always known that. It was the whole reason he couldn't keep working for him. Now he was going to be proven right. His heart was about to get crushed. The pain was already blooming inside him. He had stopped breathing and he didn't know how to start, and Gavin noticed.
"Are you holding your breath?" Gavin asked him. He touched Miles elbows lightly. "Come on, breathe," he ordered him.
"Only if you promise that wasn't the last time I'm ever going to kiss you," Miles blackmailed him.
There was a pause during which Miles felt himself sinking into the darkest oblivion. "We'll see," Gavin finally said pulling him out of it.
Miles eyed him uncertainly. "That wasn't exactly a rejection, was it?" he asked to make sure he heard him right.
"Not exactly," Gavin confirmed but he seemed uneasy, so Miles knew he better not push his luck any more than he already did.
"I was sure you were going to reject me," he admitted.
Gavin responded with an admission of his own. "I couldn't. You looked so scared."
"That happens when you want something too much."
"So you weren't just messing around when you kissed me?" Gavin said, eyeing him sharply.
"With you, I wouldn't dare," Miles told him seriously. "I was ready for rejection, now I don't know what to do."
"Don't get carried away. That's one thing you can do," Gavin warned him.
Miles nodded. It was all he could do at that moment. He took a few deep breaths then his eyes fell on the donation box for kids' holiday gifts. It was already half full of children's books.
"I'll get something for that box while I'm at it," Miles said. It gave him a chance to keep busy, not make a fool of himself by tackling Gavin to the floor, and it was for a good cause. OK. He had a plan for the next few minutes. But he had no idea what he was going to do with himself after that, other than be late for class. Gavin had made him forget all about that. How the hell was he supposed to not get carried away?
Chapter 5
Setting out first thing in the morning, Benji was all bundled up and had on his striped red and white knit cap, which they had nicknamed the candy cane hat. Gavin carried Benji's book bag and held his hand. They were on their way to Benji's kindergarten. The morning air was cold and damp, still a little foggy. Stopped at the crosswalk, Gavin didn't start walking when the light turned green and Benji tugged at his hand to get him to move.
After a restless night spent thinking about Miles and that crazy kiss, Gavin was a little unfocused. He remembered that it wasn't this hard to keep his mind off Miles when he used to work for him. Just reminding himself that Miles was barely eighteen was enough to keep his attraction at bay. He made sure never to lose his composure around him, to stay cool and professional, not to look at him for too long, not to admire him. If he caught himself fantasizing about him, he snapped out of it lightning fast.
That was then. Last night Gavin hardly slept. He was consumed by that kiss and what might have happened if they had been somewhere more private instead of in the middle of the store, hidden only by some shelves. In his fantasies, he took Miles against those shelves, on the floor, and in the very bed where Gavin was jerking off.
He imagined that somehow Miles had sneaked into his bedroom in the middle of the night. Already naked, he had climbed on top of him. He rode Gavin until he came. Even after that, Gavin wasn't able to sleep. He wanted Miles to still be there so he could reach for his unruly hair and kiss his luscious mouth. His mind refused to rest until the night turned to dawn.
Gavin woke up feeling tired and vaguely guilty. He shouldn't feel guilty for wanting Miles, but he couldn't give into it either. He couldn't think only of his own needs. He was a father now. He had to think about what was best for Benji.
Benji was usually more shy and standoffish with new people, but he warmed to Miles right away. That should have been a good thing. With both father and son giving him the thumbs up, Miles should be a shoo-in. But it wouldn't be good for Benji to get attached to a guy who wasn't going to stick around.
His gaze finally resting on Benji by his side, Gavin smiled. He was counting how many taxis passed by while they waited to cross the street at yet another crosswalk. As the light turned green, Benji turned up his face to Gavin and reported that he counted four taxis, but only two were yellow. Looking at his little boy, his sweet face and curious eyes, quieted Gavin's turmoil like nothing else could. Benji was happy. He was doing so well. The crisis was only in his own heart.
After he dropped off Benji at kindergarten, Gavin headed for the bookstore while fantasizing about Miles the whole way. This time of the year the sidewalks were more crowded than usual, and he noticed a few people waiting outside stores that hadn't opened yet. That made him think of his own store, which was doing well especially with all the holiday shoppers dropping in.
Gavin couldn't keep his mind on business for long though. Thinking about the bookstore meant thinking about Miles and how he had kissed him. It hadn't been exactly a shock since Gavin had lingered near him when he had other things he should have been doing. He as much as invited that kiss, so he had no right to regret it. Not that he did. He questioned it, relived it, took it a step further even.
Preoccupied with Miles, Gavin didn't notice that the lady who was about to cut across his path was actually wheeling a stroller in front of her. He veered away from them too quickly and stepped on the edge of the curb clumsily, twisting his ankle. As he bit back a curse and his face contorted, the woman and her little girl both looked at him with concern.
"I'm OK," Gavin lied.
The little girl pouted at him like she knew he was lying, and he limped away with his ankle hurting more with every step he took.
Taking stock of where he was, Gavin realized he was closer to his apartment than to the bookstore and decided to go and get his car. Since parking was such a nightmare, especially this time of the year, he usually walked most places. Now the car was a better way to get himself to the bookstore without further injury.
Luckily, he managed to drive himself there in time to open the store at the usual hour. Hobbling past the sales counter into the back room, he turned up the thermostat on the way. He fetched the barstool so he could sit at the counter and work the register without being on his feet the whole time.
The barstool had been gathering dust in the corner of the back room since the days when Miles worked there. Gavin liked to stand, or as Miles called it, stand at attention. And Meredith didn't stand still at all. Always tireless, she busied herself all around the store. Being her perfect opposite, Miles was the only one who liked to use the barstool as he perched himself at the counter with his nose buried in a book. Gavin smiled fondly at the memory and sat down at the counter.
It wasn't long after opening the store that Gavin spotted the reason for his injury coming up the sidewalk. The door swung open and the chime sounded. Flushed and breathing hard, Miles rushed in as if a gust of cold wind had carried him there.
"I ran here and I hardly slept a wink, so don't throw me out," Miles said all in one breath. Then he added, "And don't throw me away either." He made it sound like a demand but his lower lip trembled and that almost broke Gavin's heart.
"Relax," Gavin told him. "No one is getting thrown anywhere." He was tempted to tell him that he had trouble sleeping as well, but he didn't think that it was a good idea to encourage him too much.
"Sorry. I know I wasn't supposed to get carried away. But ever since I ran into you guys at Vic's Diner, I tried not coming by at all. That didn't work. I tried not coming here so much. That didn't work either," Miles rambled while taking off his jacket like he was already getting hot.
Gavin went over to check the thermostat to make sure he hadn't turned it up too much when he came in. He didn't want customers leaving the store because they found it too warm in there. Unfortunately, Miles had distracted him and he forgot that his ankle was still hurting. He put too much weight on it and winced.
Miles noticed he was in pain and frowned with concern. "Hey, you're hurt. Should you be walking around? Should you be on crutches?"
"It's just my ankle. I twisted it a little. Nothing major," Gavin assured him.
"How did you do this to yourself?" Miles asked.
Gavin nearly told him that it happened because he was thinking about him. He didn't though. "I was walking Benji to school and stepped wrong on the edge of a curb. It's not a big deal."
"What are you going to do with your ankle like that?"
"Limp. Hobble. That sort of thing," Gavin told him. He didn't have much choice about that until Meredith came in.
Miles didn't like his plan. "How about rest? How about get off your feet? If you need help, I can pitch in," Miles offered. "I do know my way around the place."
The offer surprised Gavin. "Are you asking for your old job back?"
"Are you hiring?"
"Not at the moment."
"Let me help out. I'll even work for free," Miles said. He was really determined.
It was tempting but Gavin was uneasy about it. "I don't want to lean on you," he admitted to Miles.
"Oh, come on. Lean!" Miles urged him.
"If I do, it might become a habit."
"That's what I'm counting on," Miles said with a grin.
Gavin grumbled but then he relented. "OK. I do need to rest this ankle so it can heal."
Miles was happy to hear it. "I'm on it. So I should shelve these?" he asked seeing a box of new arrivals behind the counter. "But first let's get you somewhere more comfortable."
"I'm only letting you help. I didn't put you in charge," Gavin pointed out when Miles came around and took him by the arm.
Miles wasn't discouraged though. He put Gavin's arm over his shoulder and led him into the back.
"Look at you limping," he said then walked him over to the couch. "This is where I want you. In more ways than one." Miles mumbled that last part, but Gavin was close enough to hear him clearly.
Gavin eyed him but Miles only shrugged innocently.
As he eased himself onto the couch with Miles' help, Gavin groaned. "I can't believe I did this to myself."
"Aren't you supposed to keep it up to ease the swelling?" Miles asked. He looked around then took hold of the back of the office chair from Gavin's desk and wheeled it over. Being careful not to hurt him, he raised Gavin's leg up to rest on it. "Is that OK?"
"It's fine. Thanks."
