Page 23 of Little Treat

Mayor Rina was already talking into a microphone about how rewarding this Christmas had been with all the events they’d successfully run, even though there’d been one hiccup. I’d heard about some guy accidentally breaking one of the glass trophies—my father wouldn’t shut up about it, talking about how it was a disgrace to the town that someone would do that. I spotted the guy in the crowd, he was cuddled up with... mybrain tried to match his face to a name... Doctor Penn from the resort. And they were beside Kal and Noor. I avoided Kal wherever possible. We’d been together once upon a time, but two bottoms don’t make a top, nor do two littles make a Daddy—as much as we wished that was true.

“You should come back to Burlington with me,” Daddy Logan whispered into my ear. “For a couple of nights, maybe.”

“Really?”

“If you have free time.”

It didn’t matter, my dad would complain, my mom would approve, and I’d get what I wanted. It was the natural order of things, especially as the youngest sibling. “Okay, sure,” I told him. “Only for a couple of nights.”

“Yeah, or longer, I don’t—”

“Let’s stick to a couple of nights first,” I giggled. “I’ve got to boost my resume for culinary school.”

“I thought you’d already been,” he said.

I shook my head, feeling the snowflake that had wet my curls spit little droplets out. “Nope. I graduated high school, immediately became an apprentice, and in the fall I’m hoping to get into culinary school—probably the CIA.” I always giggled when it was abbreviated like that. “The Culinary Institute of America.”

He chuckled. “That makes sense. I didn’t think you were going into government work—although I would absolutely bet you’d be great at whatever you wanted to do.” He gave me a kiss, and the sound of his smooch against my skin was so squelchy, it gave me those special butterflies once again. I kissed him back harder.

“I want this thing between us to last,” I admitted. He was the first man I’d found who actually met every expectation I had—and he played well with me. That was all I’d ever wanted, andplus, he’d helped me figure out a couple of things as well. That candy cane trick... we did it again and again. I was obsessed.

The feedback on the microphone pulled me from responding to him. “Merry Christmas, Snowflake Springs,” Rina said. “This is the part where I announce the fireworks, so if you’re not into loud bangs, please go indoors. Thank you.”

A lot of people cleared out at the announcement of the fireworks, but we stayed and we watched as the bright colors exploded in the darkening winter evening sky. We kissed beneath it, the colors splashing on our faces.

“I wanna picture,” I told him, taking my phone out and turning the camera on us both. “It’s just for us.”

He smiled. “I’ve got nothing to hide anymore,” he said as I snapped a burst of selfies with him, followed by him kissing me and then more pictures of us kissing. I didn’t want to stop capturing the memories of the two of us embracing. I didn’t want it to end.

“Okay, one more,” I said before sliding my phone into my pocket.

“I really like you,” he said. “Jamie. I’ve—”

Staring into his eyes, the glow of the light made them look moist, as if he was about to cry, and I couldn’t have that. “Yeah?”

“I’ve never felt this way,” he said.

“You’ve never had a boyfriend before,” I reminded him. “Of course you’ve never felt this way.” Although I didn’t want to think of myself as his first boyfriend. I wanted to be hisonly.

“I’ve also never been a Daddy,” he said. “But I am now.”

“Yes, you are. Forever.”

“Forever.”

I sank into his arms, inhaling the cologne I’d got him on his clothes and skin. I’d need him to spray my pillows—but that would be a waste since I was goinghomewith him. And I needed to think about which teddies to pack.

“It might be a little intense coming into my world,” Daddy whispered and kissed my forehead. “But I won’t let anything bad happen.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” I said. “There are out gay players in the league.”

He chuckled. “You’re right, it probably won’t even be big news. But at least I won’t have thisthinghanging around my neck, and maybe I’ll be a better coach because of it.”

“Because of me,” I giggled.

“You might be right,” he said, his lips now squished to my face. “My sweet, perfect, bratty boy.”

I could’ve stayed tucked into his arms all night, feeling this nervous excitement about the future.Ourfuture.