Page 26

Caleb

The one good thing about the snow shutting down the city is that Christmas Eve will just be my family and Leo and Mason. No neighbors or stray acquaintances, only people I care about. I like the coziness of sitting by the fireplace and not worrying about strangers in my house.

“More tea?” my mom asks with a kettle in her hand.

“No, I’m good.” I steal a glance at Leo talking to my dad in the kitchen.

Mason still has a low-grade fever but is propped up on the loveseat. It’s hard to look him in the eye, knowing what I did with his dad last night. I don’t regret it for a second, but I do feel guilty.

“I’m glad you and Leo had some time together. Your auras are much better,” she says, her eyes, exactly like mine, gleam in the firelight.

I sputter but can’t respond.

“It’s hardly my fault they were all angsty. I thought a ride would do you two some good. You know, figure things out.” She gives me a mom look and walks away.

Does my mom know? Sky above, I wouldn’t be surprised if mind-blowing sex gave off specific vibes. She couldn’t be suggesting Leo and I would be good together. Could she?

He called me Baby Doll, and my body exploded like fireworks on the Fourth of July.

A kink unlocked and permanently embedded itself, as if he knew all along it’d fill a hole in me.

I should hate being called baby anything, but he says it with devotion, and now Baby Doll are my two favorite words together.

Mason groans, and I hope he didn’t hear anything. I’d forgotten he was in the room. Leo takes up all of my brain.

“Dinner will be at six,” my mom calls from the kitchen. “Mason, dear, I’ll make you a special broth.”

“Thanks,” he croaks and flings the blankets off. “I think I’m going to take a nap. You know I’m sick when I’m excited about a special broth from your mom.”

I snicker. “Truth. I’ll try to do some recon so she doesn’t put anything too crazy in it.”

He shuffles to the stairs, holding the wall as he goes up.

Leo stalks in and stands at the bottom of the steps as if he’s ready to catch Mason if he falls.

“I feel terrible that he’s so sick, and I can’t believe I didn’t get it.” I scrub my hand over my face.

“You have a strong immune system. And you said you’ve been drinking the tea I sent you, which helps as well.” My mom sets a plate of assorted cheese and crackers on the coffee table. She puts her hands on her hips. “Caleb Benz, did you lie to me when you said you drank the tea?”

“Umm, no?” My voice goes up because I exaggerated how often I drank it.

She pats Leo’s chest as she walks by. “Children. What are we going to do with them?”

I know what I’d like Leo to do to me, but he’s been careful to keep his distance today.

To spend time together, Leo and I shovel the driveway. My pent-up energy needs an outlet, and he’s happy to be with me. Wild. A guy could get used to this, but I won’t. I can’t.

The snow is thick and heavy with ice crystals. It’s backbreaking and my lungs ache with the cold air, but being near Leo makes it worthwhile.

We started at the road where it was heaviest from the plow last night. My dad says there’s no unnecessary travel on the roads, but they should be clear by the twenty-sixth when we have to leave.

Two hours later and halfway up the driveway, I’m ready to quit. I skim my shovel over the top of the snow where it’s light and fluffy and spray it at Leo. It catches him in the face, and his mouth drops open in disbelief.

“You like being a brat, don’t you?” he growls, making me instantly hard.

“That depends on if you like me bratty.” I raise an eyebrow.

“Brats need to be taught their place.” He steps toward me.

“Will you put me in my place, Daddy?” I close the distance between us and see his eyes dilate when I call him Daddy.

“You don’t know what you’re asking for.” He leans on his shovel.

“You can teach me.” I shrug, desperate for him.

He frowns and turns to shovel, and I hate that he’s dismissing me. Being a brat is the only explanation for why I tackle him into the snowbank, using all my weight to push him down.

Leo flips us and pins me with his hands on my shoulders.

“This isn’t the behavior of my Good Boy. Are you feeling neglected?” he purrs.

“Yes.”

“Yes, what?” His amber eyes are all predatory.

“Yes, Daddy.”

“Go in the house and take a hot shower. I’ll deal with you when you get out.”

I’ve never run so fast. My body buzzes while I shower and clean myself for him. I’m dying to feel him in my ass.

By the time I get back to my room, Leo has showered in another bathroom, and his hair is still wet without his usual product. He’s fully dressed. Disappointment settles in my gut like a sack of stones.

“Did you expect to get what you want after being bratty? You should know me better.” He sits on his bed and pats his lap, which I sit on. “Oh, no. Lie across my legs and take your towel off to show me your delectable ass.”

I’m breathless and hard, following his orders as fast as I can.

“There’s my Good Boy.” He smooths his hand from the nape of my neck, down my back, and cups my ass in his big palm.

“You don’t get to come from your punishment.

” He strikes my ass with a slap that will leave a mark.

“Shhh, you don’t want everyone to hear how bad you’ve been. ” He leans down to murmur in my ear.

I squirm over his lap, unsure if I’m more turned on or insulted by him spanking me like a child. But as he rubs the sting, it becomes very unchildlike. My hips angle up to meet his hand.

“Stay still,” he admonishes me with another slap.

Spanking isn’t something I thought I’d enjoy, but here I am, hoping he smacks me again and again. He does, and I can’t help grinding on him. Leo opens his legs, traps my dick between his thighs, and squeezes them together. The friction counterbalances the pain.

“Remember, you’re not allowed to come. If you do, I won’t touch you while we’re here.”

My head hangs down, and if the blood could drain from it, I’d be in trouble. I’m not going to be able to prevent myself from coming. Not when he rubs the sting and my dick has a warm home between his powerful quads.

“You’re doing so good. Taking your punishment without complaint,” he coos.

Apparently, whimpering doesn’t count as a complaint.

He varies the pace of his strikes and keeps me on edge. It feels like an eternity, but only seconds later, he says, “Sit up.”

Leo manhandles me with ease, so I’m straddling his lap. His hand’s hot against my neck, holding me in place.

A slow smile spreads across his face. “I like playing with you. I guess I don’t mind a little brat as long as you obey me after.” His mouth crashes on mine, and his tongue plunders me.

Every cell in me is begging him to be my Daddy. When I’m with him, my thoughts slow and I don’t have to worry about what comes next. He’s in control and tells me what to do. It’s what I need.

My leaking cock smears precum all over his pants. If he gives my dick any attention, it will reward him by dousing his clothes. A change of subject might keep me in check.

“I like your hair like this.” I slide my fingers through it, needing to touch as much of him as I can.

“Yeah?” He looks surprised.

“The product you put in it stiffens your hair. Like this, you look younger. And touchable.” I could touch him all day, every day, and not get enough.

Leo groans in response to my words, then gathers the moisture on my slit with his thumb and sucks it into his mouth. “Mmm. But someone ruined my pants, and you have to get dressed for dinner.”

I grunt in protest, but he swats my ass and stands, forcing me to my feet. This dinner will be the longest meal of my life. I’m so needy when it comes to Leo.

For Christmas Eve dinner, Mom serves Cornish game hens from the farm down the road. I won the fight with my mom not to serve tofu beef. The dishes are appropriately snow themed, and everything is going well.

“Leo, we haven’t seen you much over the years.” My mother’s smile softens the blow of probing his role as an absentee parent.

Leo wipes his mouth on his napkin. “It’s true. I regret the mistakes I’ve made in not spending enough time with Mason.”

Mason’s glassy-eyed gaze meets Leo’s. He tilts his head in response but doesn’t say anything.

“My perspective has changed. Mason, what’s my biggest regret in life?” Leo asks.

“You never won The Cup,” Mason says in a monotone voice.

Leo sheepishly looks at my parents. “That was my problem. Hockey came first. But in reality”—Leo pats Mason’s arm—“my biggest regret is letting hockey get between Mason and me.”

“Thanks, Dad.” Mason’s eyes are teary, but it could be the flu. “I’d hug you, but it would be mean to plaster my germs all over you.”

Leo gets up and hugs him with one arm. “I’ll take my chances.”

My mom’s expression clearly suggests she’s responsible for this family reconciliation. It’s been in the works for weeks, but leave it to Mama Benz to fast-track it.

My father changes the subject to the storm, and Mason sags with relief.

“After dessert, it’s a Christmas Eve tradition to show baby pictures,” Mom announces as she stands to clear the dinner platters.

“It. Is. Not,” I say hotly, stacking our plates and following her to the kitchen.

“But you were so chubby and cute.” Mason musters the strength to make fun of me.

“Only if Leo has naked baby pictures of you,” I say smugly, leaning on the doorframe to the dining room.

Leo pulls out his phone. “I might have one or two saved.”

“NO!” Mason and I say in unison.

“Sweetheart, don’t embarrass our son in front of his coach. He had Leo’s picture plastered on his wall as a teen. That would be a blow to his self-esteem.” My father chuckles, winking at me as if he didn’t just expose my secret.

“Great,” Mason grumbles. I took them down because I knew it would bother him.

Leo seems wary. “What did you think was the most impressive part of my career?”

“Dad, you don’t need to fish for compliments.” Mason rolls his eyes.

“It’s fine.” I get the impression my answer could make or break whatever is happening between us. “I mean, I could recite your stats and awards, but hockey isn’t everything.”

Leo leans forward, shrewd eyes intent on me.

“Character says a lot about a man, and the year before you retired, you lost The Cup.” I continue as he blinks in surprise.

“The next day, you went to the children’s hospital and made the kids so happy at story time.

You read them books like you weren’t being filmed and the media wasn’t firing questions at you about your loss.

No one would have blamed you for canceling that visit, but you went and brought cheer to sick kids.

That’s the kind of hockey player I strive to be.

It’s one of the reasons I volunteer at The Q Solutions. ”

The room is silent, and I shift my feet nervously, waiting for Leo to speak.

“That was a great day,” Mason says quietly.

“It was. I’m glad you were there with me.” Leo smiles at Mason, and I duck out of the room.

Before I was afraid of getting burned, but now that there’s an inferno between us, it will be hard to survive. In no universe do I expect Leo to keep me.