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slid both of his arms up beneath Alec's armpits and bent them back, locking him into a something

resembling a wrestling hold as he exploded inside him. He grunted loudly and bucked so hard that

Alec was propelled upward and almost off. Alec laughed, wide-eyed, wishing there was a way he

could see Tyler's face.

Next time, he thought.

Tyler's residual after-thrusts dwindled, mirroring his labored breath, and soon he was still. He

released the hold, and both men collapsed to the floor.

"Wow," Alec said.

Tyler squeezed him close. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Not at all," Alec said. "It was perfect."

"It was fast."

"No, just right… next time will be even better," Alec said, his words garbled as they dissolved into a yawn. He was falling asleep, deeply spent, and satisfied. The last thing he heard, curled in Tyler's arms was a brief whisper in his ear:

"Thank you."

18

The storm passed sometime during the night and Alec awoke to bright sunshine coming in the

window.

They were still on the rug but the fire in the fireplace was now nothing but embers. Tyler's

strong arms were around him and they were curled beneath a quilt that he had retrieved at some point during the night. Alec was warm, snug, wrapped in a man and blanket. He felt secure, locked in the embrace of Tyler's larger frame, feeling his warm flesh pressed against his own, his firm chest on Alec's back, his soft breath on his shoulder.

It was nice.Really nice. There was only one problem.

He had to pee.

Alec attempted to rise. Tyler would not release him, squeezing him tighter and protesting with a

grunt. Alec rose to his knees anyway and Tyler's hand slipped down into his. He was trying to shake the slumber, eyes half-open, mumbling, "Where are you going?"

"To the bathroom."

"OK," he said, dropping his arm to the floor and snaking it beneath the quilt.

Alec stood and looked around. He was naked and cold, having abandoned the nestled comfort

of his human radiator. He looked around, unsure where to go. There was a short hallway off the

kitchen. That was where it had to be, the nearest one anyway. There were two doors to choose from

and he opened the second, deducing that the first would be too easy. He flipped the light switch and found a large storage room filled with holiday decorations—stuffed boxes and plastic containers of brightly colored glass and greenery, some labeled fall, some Christmas. He turned the light back off and shut the door.

"It's the first door," Tyler said from the other room, sensing his dilemma from stalled footsteps.

"Thanks."