The Best Gift Read online

  “You’re the best. I know I keep saying that, but it’s true.”

  Dusty kissed his forehead and stood, pulling Malcolm up from the couch. “Just remember I get the bathroom first in the morning and we’ll get along great.”

  Chapter 4

  A loud thud at Dustin’s apartment door three days later stopped Malcolm just as he was about to have his heroes share their first kiss. He frowned and got up from the kitchen table where he’d been working on his laptop for several hours. He glanced at the clock on Dusty’s wall. Almost four.

  Malcolm unlooked the door and opened it.

  “Merry Christmas!” Dusty stood on the doorstep grinning from ear to ear. In his arms he held a cardboard box and several filled plastic bags. He brushed past Malcolm and into the apartment.

  “What the hell?” he asked bemused.

  “I got us a Christmas tree and decorations on my way home from school.” Dustin set the packages down on the couch. “I got a fake tree because I hate the idea of trees dying for Christmas. I’m off tonight, so I thought we could decorate.”

  Malcolm could not keep the smile from his face. He suddenly felt lighter than he’d felt all day. And looking at Dusty standing there, his cheeks pinked with excitement, his eyes glowing with warmth, it chipped at the hurt, the pain. He couldn’t help it, he threw his arms around Dustin. “You’re so cool. Thank you.”

  Dusty laughed. “No problem. I went to a discount store so it was cheap. There’s food to put away, too.”

  Malcolm knew he should pull away, should pick up the grocery bags and take care of putting them away in the kitchen, but Dusty was so warm and smelled so good he couldn’t move. Like vanilla and spice or maybe Christmas cookies. Instead, he stepped closer still. He sighed and closed his eyes when Dusty’s arms wrapped tightly around him. It felt unbelievably right to be in those arms.

  “You smell awesome,” he murmured against his friend’s chest.

  “We, ah, were making desserts in class today.” Dusty trembled.

  Malcolm frowned and buried himself even further into the other man’s arms. “Are you cold?”

  “No, I…we should get those groceries put away so we can decorate.” Dustin tried to push him away then, just a gentle pressure of his hands pressing on Malcolm’s shoulders.

  He opened his mouth to protest and then felt the hard ridge of Dusty’s erection against him. He stilled, his own cock reacting immediately, swelling against his jeans. He swallowed and eased back to look up at Dusty. His friend looked down at him, his eyes unreadable, but his cheeks a dark red.

  “Dustin, I—” His heart thumped hard and fast in his chest.

  “Don’t.” Dusty shook his head.

  Malcolm frowned. “Don’t what?”

  “Make a big deal out of it. Please.” Dustin stepped away and turned his back on Malcolm.

  Malcolm’s heart twisted and his throat clogged. He felt the sting of tears so suddenly his chest ached. To have something to do he went to the sofa and looked into the bags. Two of the plastic bags had groceries in them. He picked those up and went into the kitchen, not looking at Dusty.

  Shit.

  What was that? He wanted Dusty to take him to bed so bad he could barely breathe. He rested his forehead against the fridge. He’d thought he’d gotten over those thoughts long ago. Thought he had gotten past his feelings for his best friend when they were still teens. They were friends. Nothing else, no matter how, back then, he wanted them to be so much more.

  Those dreams ended even before he met Jordan. The day was ingrained in his memory like a scar from a burn. Not long after graduation, one hot summer day, he’d gone to Dustin’s house wanting to ask his friend to go to Malibu beach with him.

  He’d rounded the corner and gone to Dustin’s family’s backyard where his mom said he was and there Dustin sat on a lawn chair kissing Ivan Kurtz, another friend from school. The pain of seeing Ivan’s hands on Dusty had pierced him so badly he hadn’t contacted his friend for four days. Dusty and Ivan had been a couple until Ivan moved out of state, and to Malcolm’s relief, Dusty had not gone with him.

  But long before Dusty’s relationship ended with Ivan, Malcolm had already given up on ever being anything but Dusty’s friend. He really thought he was done with it.

  He was merely vulnerable because of his breakup with Jordan. He turned from the refrigerator and quickly put away the food Dusty had bought, barely registering what he shoved in the drawers. He did notice the chestnuts and couldn’t help smiling a little.

  After making sure his stupid cock had gone back down, he left the kitchen and returned to the living room.

  Dusty had taken the artificial tree from the box and set it up. He’d set the four-and-a-half-foot tree on a small square table in front of the window. He was now preparing to string lights over it. As he bent this way and that working on the tree, his jeans tightened across his ass. Oh, God, Malcolm needed to get a serious grip.

  “Need some help?” Malcolm forced himself to ask.

  “Yeah, why not start opening the ornament packages?” Dustin didn’t turn around.

  Malcolm bit his lip. He hated the awkwardness between them. And damn it, he wasn’t the only one who’d gotten hard when they hugged. “Dustin, can I talk to you?”

  Dusty stiffened. “Um, okay, but can it wait until after the tree is decorated?”

  “No. I—look, I’m sorry I freaked you out earlier.”

  “I didn’t freak out.”

  “Dusty, will you stop that for a minute and look at me?”

  Dusty finally let go of the string of lights and turned to face him. His cheeks were stained red and his baby blue eyes were suspiciously watery. Malcolm’s stomach dropped.

  “Dusty, what is it?” He took the several steps to his friend and couldn’t stop himself from resting his hand on Dustin’s chest. The man shook.

  “Malcolm, please.” Dusty sounded pained, tortured.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I-I just want you, okay, I want you and—”

  Malcolm stopped Dusty’s words with his lips, standing on tiptoe to crush his mouth to the other man’s.

  Dusty tore away his lips and stared down at him, his jaw slack. “Malcolm?”

  “I want you, too. Kiss me.” He fisted Dusty’s shirt, urging his friend to dip his head down to kissing distance.

  Dusty moaned low and cupped Malcolm’s ass, lifting him up so their lips crashed together. Malcolm’s feet came up off the floor.

  “The bed,” he gasped, even as Dusty devoured his mouth.

  In the few seconds it took Malcolm to get them into his bedroom, Dusty didn’t tear his lips away. He slammed Malcolm and himself onto the double bed, their teeth clacking together.

  Barely able to catch his breath, Malcolm pushed his hands under Dusty’s shirt, touching hot silken skin. He dug in his fingertips, wanting to brand Dusty in some small way as his.

  Dusty flipped them over so Malcolm was now on top and he ripped out the band Malcolm used to bind his hair. His hair fanned out over Dusty’s fingers.

  “Clothes off,” Dusty whispered.

  Malcolm needed no further urging and he shoved Dustin’s shirt up to his armpits. His soon-to-be lover slipped it off the rest of the way. His own shirt was practically torn from his body and discarded.

  He took a moment to admire his friend’s beautiful ivory skin and rosy nipples. He grazed Dusty’s muscular arms with the tips of his fingers, smiling at the goose bumps developing in their wake.

  “Malcolm?”

  Reluctantly, he tore his gaze from the perfect chest and met Dusty’s stare. His breath caught in his throat at the bare love and lust he detected in the man’s eyes.

  “Take me, Dusty. Make me yours.”

  Dusty groaned and grabbed strands of Malcolm’s hair, melding their mouths together.

  Malcolm slipped his tongue inside Dusty’s warm mouth and then reached between them to undo the snap and zipper of his jeans. He was desperate to fe
el Dustin’s big hands on his bare ass. He wriggled against the other man.

  Laughter rumbled in Dusty’s chest. He broke their kiss. “Anxious, babe?”

  “Yes, God, yes, Dusty, please, let’s get naked.”

  Dusty gently pushed Malcolm off and onto the mattress again. He stood and shucked off his own pants and boxers in a swift move. Then he pulled off Malcolm’s, too.

  “Hold on.”

  “What?” Malcolm asked, rising on his elbows.

  “Gotta get the lube and condom from the bathroom.” Dusty left the bedroom for the hallway bathroom.

  Malcolm suddenly felt nervous. He’d never felt particularly nervous with Jordan and he wondered what that meant. He guessed he wanted this to be perfect, special. Well, it was Dusty, not just anyone.

  When Dusty returned holding the lube and a strip of condoms, he was smiling. A beautiful, breathtaking smile that sent a jolt of excitement to Malcolm’s hard cock and a jump to his already racing heart.

  He held up his hand for the supplies and Dustin tossed them to him.

  “Hurry,” Malcolm urged, stroking his own erection.

  Dusty knelt on the bed and then covered Malcolm with his body. His lips just inches above Malcolm’s, he whispered, “I want you to lay on top of me and drape that hair all over.”

  “Okay,” Malcolm said hoarsely. Their erections rubbed against each other and Malcolm bit his lip. He pushed Dusty on his back and straddled him.

  “Oh, yeah, the hair, babe.”

  He laughed and leaned forward, letting his hair fall on Dusty’s nipples. He guessed he did it right because Dusty groaned and trembled beneath him.

  Dusty’s hands cupped his ass cheeks. “Can you hand me the lube?”

  He reached back for the lube and put it in one of his lover’s hands. As he lay across Dusty’s chest, his hair framed the man’s face when he leaned down to press a kiss on his lover’s lips.

  Malcolm felt his cheeks being parted and then a cold, slicked finger pushed inside. He gasped and pushed back on it. “Dustin.”

  “Mmm, more maybe?”

  “Yes, yes.”

  Another finger, no, two at once, searching, seeking and—oh God!—finding that spot. “Oh. My. God.”

  Malcolm straightened and struggled off Dusty, the man’s fingers sliding out of his ass, and grabbed up the strip of condoms. He tore one off and ripped it open with his teeth.

  “Put that on and fuck me,” he said, tossing the opened foil packet at his friend.

  “Okay, okay, you got bossy all of a sudden.” Dusty grinned and rolled the rubber over his long, thick cock.

  He licked his lips and looped his arms under his legs, lifting up his ass. “Please.”

  Dusty’s grin faded to be replaced by rapt desire. “Fuck, I want you now.” Scooting up the bed, he poised his cock at Malcolm’s entrance. Their gazes met and held for a few seconds. Malcolm hoped he showed Dusty just how he felt.

  Slowly, Dusty pushed the head of his dick inside. He paused, waiting until Malcolm wriggled and asked him for more. He slipped in balls-deep.

  “Ah,” Malcolm moaned, closing his eyes. His ass clenched around his lover’s shaft, his muscles strained to accommodate the thickness.

  “Okay?”

  Malcolm smiled and opened his eyes, anxious to reassure the other man. “More than okay. Fucking fabulous. You feel great.”

  “You feel great. So tight and hot holding my cock.”

  “Move. Fuck me.” Malcolm fisted his own cock and stroked it hard and fast to the rhythm of Dusty’s thrusts. A fine sheen of sweat appeared on Dusty’s upper lip and it looked unbelievably sexy.

  Dusty pumped into him with quick, powerful thrusts, his fingers gripping Malcolm’s thighs.

  He fought the urge to close his eyes, wanting to see Dusty’s face when he found his release. He rubbed the drop of pre-cum into his cock and sped up his strokes. His balls tightened and he knew he wouldn’t be able to hold back much longer. He wanted Dusty to come first, though.

  “D-Dusty?”

  “Yeah, I’m close, babe.” Dusty wrapped one hand around Malcolm’s cock and worked it with him.

  His eyes closed against his will and the jolts of a powerful orgasm shot up his spine. “Oh, God, I can’t—”

  “Malcolm!” Dusty yelled, jerking and thrusting hard inside him.

  * * * *

  Dusty didn’t know how many minutes later he stirred. After he’d withdrawn from Malcolm, they’d collapsed side by side and wrapped their arms around each other.

  He smiled looking down at Malcolm’s silky brown hair. He brought several strands to his lips and kissed them.

  “Dusty?” Malcolm stirred, and yawned.

  “I’m here. I love your hair you know.”

  “Yeah, I know. You want to brush it later?”

  Dusty hugged him close. “I’d love it.”

  Malcolm hid his face against Dusty’s chest as though suddenly shy. Hard to believe considering what they’d just done.

  He could hardly believe he’d just had sex with Malcolm. His best friend and the man he’d loved since…forever. Was Malcolm on the rebound? Trying to get some sort of revenge on Jordan? He had to know.

  “Malcolm, why? Well, why me all of a sudden? We’ve known each other for years and now…was it because—”

  Malcolm pushed away and looked at him. “No, Dustin. This isn’t about Jordan. Is that what you are asking?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “It’s not. It’s about us.”

  Dusty nodded. “Okay, but why?” He held up his hand and sat up, leaning against the headboard. “I mean, I’m glad. It was great. Better than great. It was—the best.”

  Malcolm grabbed his hands and held them. “I think so, too. Dusty, the truth is, I’ve wanted you for a long time. Before I got together with Jordan and before you hooked up with Ivan.”

  That did surprise him. “You did?”

  “Yes, only I was too stupid and too chicken to tell you until it was too late. The day I was gonna tell you I saw you with Ivan.”

  Dusty shook his head, trying to clear the sudden fog from his brain. Malcolm had wanted him? All this time and he didn’t know.

  “God, Malcolm, I wish I’d known. It’s you I’ve always loved.”

  Malcolm smiled and kissed Dusty’s knuckles. “I did care about Jordan and I thought maybe he was the one, but I was wrong. He was an ass and he never loved me. I feel like I wasted a year of my life.”

  “I’m sorry about Jordan. I can’t say I’m sorry he’s out of your life though. I’d like you to take a chance on me.” Dusty turned his head, feeling his ears burn. “I know I don’t have a lot to offer.”

  “You have yourself to offer, which is more than enough for me.” Malcolm flung himself at Dusty and held him. “I love you, Dusty.”

  Dusty kissed the top of Malcolm’s head and then said, “Boy, we’re a couple of saps, huh?”

  Malcolm laughed. “Yeah.”

  He grinned. “We still have a Christmas tree to decorate. I bought stuff to make gingerbread men, too.”

  “That sounds kind of cool. Although I’d rather you made them and I ate them.”

  Dusty chuckled, feeling such happiness he could hardly contain it. He got out of bed and tugged Malcolm up with him. “Come on, get dressed. I want to decorate.”

  “Okay, okay.” Malcolm scooped up his jeans off the floor. “Why so eager?”

  “Well, suddenly I’m actually looking forward to Christmas.”

  “Yeah?” Malcolm came over to him and looped his arms around Dusty’s neck. “What are you going to ask Santa for?”

  “Oh, Santa’s already given me my gift.” He kissed the man he loved. “You.”

  THE END

  ABOUT SHAWN LANE

  Shawn Lane is a multi-published author of gay romances and believes love and passion know no boundaries. Happily Ever After is for everyone.

  She has been published by Loose Id, Ellora's Cave, Amber Quill Press
, Dreamspinner Press, and Evernight Publishing.

  Shawn lives in California and holds down a boring day job in a legal department of a giant corporation dreaming of the nights and weekends when she can create new stories.

  For more information, visit smlgr8.blogspot.com.

  ABOUT JMS BOOKS LLC

  JMS Books LLC is a small queer press with competitive royalty rates publishing LGBT romance, erotic romance, and young adult fiction. Visit jms-books.com for our latest releases and submission guidelines!