Magic & Mistletoe (8 page)

The evening had gone by so quickly. Andrew couldn’t believe four hours had passed. After demolishing a staggering amount of food, they’d played on Harry’s PS4 and drunk enough that Andrew was now pleasantly buzzed but not falling-down drunk.

Harry sat on the floor between Andrew’s legs, while Andrew lay sprawled in the corner of the sofa. Andrew had one hand on Harry’s head, stroking the back where his hair was cut short.

“That’s me done, I think.” Harry yawned as he set the controller down. It made Andrew yawn then, and Jason cursed beside him as he followed suit. “Sorry,” Harry mumbled. “I’m knackered.”

“Yep, me too.” Jason stood and stretched. “I’m off to bed.”

Karen and Kate had left about eleven, since both of them had work the next day. Andrew did too, but he wasn’t due in until ten. Abi and Alex were curled together at the other end of the sofa, the pair of them having fallen asleep about an hour ago.

Lewis stretched forward and turned off the PS4 and the TV, then poked Alex in the shin. “Oi, Alex. Wake up.”

Alex muttered some nonsense and burrowed further into the cushions. Andrew laughed. “Good luck with that.” Then he realised Abi was going to be just as much trouble, and he sighed.

Harry let his head drop back until he was looking at Andrew upside down. “You could stay if you wanted?” He craned his neck to look at Abi and Alex. “Alex is harmless. We could just throw a blanket on them and leave them there.”

As tempting as that was—and Andrew tried hard not to imagine curling up in Harry’s bed together—he knew Abi wouldn’t thank him for leaving her to wake up in yesterday’s clothes and make-up and with no toothbrush. She’d never liked impromptu sleepovers when they were at uni, and Andrew doubted that had changed.

He shook his head but leaned forward and planted a kiss on Harry’s cheek. “Thanks, but I’d better get her back to my flat.”

He pushed at Harry’s shoulders to get him to stand and then began the task of rousing Abi.

Thankfully, Alex woke up first and half lifted her up off the sofa and into Andrew’s arms. He wrapped one arm around her waist and held her steady until she was awake enough to walk properly. They shuffled to the door like that, only stopping when Alex made them halt under the mistletoe again so he could give Abi a goodnight kiss.

Thank God it was only a quick brush of lips, because there was no way Andrew was propping her up while she and Alex used tongues. But that also meant he could only give Harry a quick kiss too.

“I guess I’ll see you Sunday night, then.” Harry shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned against the doorjamb. “What time?”

“Eightish?”

Harry smiled at him and lifted his glasses to rub at his eyes. “Yeah, sounds good.”

They stood staring at each other until Alex huffed and shooed them out. “Take her home before she falls asleep again.”

Abi fully woke up as soon as they left the warmth of the flat. The chill of the hallway was like a cold slap to the face. She moved out from under Andrew’s arm and glanced at him. “Why are you smiling like that?”

“Like what?” He tried to rein it in, but his cheeks refused to cooperate.

“Like that.” She poked a finger at the edge of his mouth. “Like The Joker”.

Andrew scoffed and put his hands on her waist to get her to start walking again. “I don’t know what you mean.”

They reached the stairs, and Andrew got her through the door without stopping, but she paused on the top step, one hand on his forearm. “You like him, don’t you?”

“Of course I like him.”

She rolled her eyes and leaned back a little. Andrew cursed under his breath and pulled her close.

“No,” she said, steadying herself and turning to walk down the stairs with Andrew right behind her. “You like him. As in you’re invested already. I bet you’ve thought about spending Christmas together and everything.”

She was drunk, what did she know? So what if the thought had crossed his mind—Christmas tended to have that effect on people. Of course he’d rather spend it cuddled up in front of his tree with someone rather than be on his own.

Andrew sighed when they reached his door, and he fished the key out of his pocket. “Look. Yes, I like him, but it’s only been a few days. Don’t go planning the wedding just yet.”

“See! You are thinking ahead,” she crowed as he bundled her inside.

“It’s a figure of speech. Don’t take everything so literally.”

She eyed him with suspicion as he got blankets and a pillow from his bedroom and deposited them on the couch, and then she flopped down on top of them. “Sorry if I’m being pushy. I’m drunk, and you know how I get.”

“Yes, I do, and it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.” He pulled her up, ignoring her protests about taking his bed, and steered her towards his room. “Get some sleep.”

“Thank you for tonight. It was just what I needed.”

Andrew smiled at her and pulled her in for a hug. “You’re welcome. Not that I had much to do with it.”

She slapped him on the arm. “You know what I mean.” They held each other tight for a few seconds longer, and just as Andrew started to suspect Abi was falling asleep on him, she drew back and patted his cheek. “I like him too. I think you should keep this one. You make a cute couple.”

It was ridiculous how her words caused his stomach to flutter in excitement. They’d only kissed a few times. Harry wasn’t his boyfriend or anything. But Andrew wanted him to be. He’d meant what he’d said to Harry earlier: if he liked a guy, then he didn’t mess around with anyone else, regardless of how new the relationship was.

Did Harry feel the same way? That would be one of the first things he would ask him on Sunday.

“Night.” Abi’s muffled word caught his attention.

“Night.” He backed out of the room and closed the door behind him.

As he settled on the sofa next to the pile of blankets, he remembered that Harry was going out with his mates tomorrow night. They’d probably go out in town and maybe end up at a club. Would they go to a gay club? Andrew didn’t think so, but he had no idea if either Alex or Lewis swung that way. Yes, Alex had kissed Abi, but maybe he was bi? Perhaps he should have that conversation with Harry sooner rather than later.

Andrew pulled his phone out of his back pocket, sat on the edge of the sofa, and started to type out a message.

Hey, sorry its late, but I need to ask you something. Are you awake?

The reply came back almost immediately, making Andrew smile.

Yes I’m awake. If yr going to ask what I’m wearing, then the answer is nothing.

Andrew swallowed thickly at the thought of Harry lying in bed naked. But he refused to get sidetracked—this was important.

Another text came in as he started typing again.

I also have my hand on my cock and I’m thinking of you while I do it.

“For fuck’s sake,” Andrew hissed, almost dropping his phone. He rubbed at his dick through his jeans. “Sod it. Two can play at that game.” He sent his reply.

That’s not what I was going to ask, by the way, but now I’m taking off my jeans and boxers and it’s all your fault.

Harry replied with a smiley face, and Andrew laughed as he set his phone down on the coffee table and quickly shrugged out of his jeans and underwear. He spared a glance at his closed bedroom door and hoped Abi was already asleep.

His phone buzzed again and he hurried to pick it up.

R u naked yet?

Yes.

R u touching yourself?

Andrew lay down on his back and lazily stroked his growing erection.
I am now
.

Good.

As much as he wanted to carry on this conversation, he needed to ask his question before he got carried away.
I need to ask you something first. Please don’t hook up tomorrow night. I know its early days for us but I don’t want you to be with anyone else.

He pressed Send and bit his lip, waiting for Harry’s reply. Hopefully this wouldn’t send him running for the hills, it wasn’t as though he’d proposed marriage or anything. But starting a new relationship was stressful enough without worrying about someone else being better than you. Andrew liked to focus on one guy at a time, and he wanted the same in return.

Was that too much to ask? He didn’t think so, but Harry had yet to reply, which was odd considering how quick he’d been before.

Another couple of minutes passed, and Andrew’s dick was considerably softer where he held it loosely in his grasp. So much for phone sex. He’d scared Harry off, and the flare of disappointment made him feel sick.

Maybe his first impressions of Harry had been right after all. His phone sat on the table, silent, but Andrew couldn’t look away, still expecting it to buzz with a message any second.

Finally admitting defeat, he slid under the covers and lay there in the darkness, still staring at the coffee table and willing his stupid phone to do something.

Just as he was falling asleep, it began to vibrate, skidding across the glass towards the edge of the table and making him jump. It took him a good few seconds to realise it was an incoming call and not a text message. He grabbed it and answered, still not fully awake. “Hello?”

“Shit, did I wake you?”

Harry’s voice sounded loud in his ear and Andrew sat up, instantly more alert. “Not really.”

“Sounds like I did.” Harry whispered this time, and Andrew settled back into his pillow with the phone pressed to his ear. “Sorry I didn’t reply to your text. My phone ran out of charge and then I couldn’t find a bloody charger. Turns out they were all in Jason’s room for some reason, and then it took ages to come on, and—”

“It’s okay,” Andrew interrupted, smiling. He felt foolish for jumping to the worst conclusions and blamed it on being a little drunk and a lot knackered.

“In answer to your question, I have absolutely no plans to even try to chat up anyone tomorrow night. I don’t—” Harry sighed down the phone. “Look, I’m not good at talking to guys, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. I seem to have got past that with you, and there’s no way I’m gonna risk messing that up.”

He paused again, and then Andrew heard rustling. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing.”

Andrew grinned into the phone, because that was a lie if ever he heard one. He shifted the pillow a little until he was sitting up more, now fully awake. “Are you sure? Sounds like you’re up to something.”

“God, this is so embarrassing.”

Harry groaned and Andrew’s curiosity was piqued. “Tell me.” It came out far rougher than he’d intended, and Harry’s sharp intake of breath had Andrew slipping a hand under the blanket to palm his cock. “Come on, Harry. Tell me what you’re doing right now.”

“I may have put my elbow on the lube and it squirted out over the quilt. I was just wiping it up with tissues.”

Andrew huffed out a laugh, until his mind caught up with what that meant. All sorts of images ran through his mind: was Harry going to finger himself? Did he have toys out on the bed too? Or was it to coat his cock while he had a wank?

Andrew sounded a little strangled when he said, “What are you doing with the lube?”

Harry laughed softly and it sent a warm shiver through Andrew. It was a nice sound, one he wouldn’t mind hearing more of.

“Well, I was all set for a nice wank before you sent me that text.”

Andrew stroked his cock as he pictured Harry in his bed, a bottle of lube next to him. He wished he were there too. “And now?”

Silence greeted him, and then Andrew heard the
snick
of a lid being popped open, followed by a low moan and “Now I want to hear you.”

Andrew tightened his hand and began to thrust up into his fist. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Harry breathed heavily down the phone. “I want you to talk to me, tell me what you’re thinking about.”

Phone sex wasn’t something Andrew had ever done before. He’d never seen the appeal, but with Harry’s breathy voice and soft moans in his ear, he was starting to. He shoved the blankets out of the way and rubbed his palm over the head of his dick, collecting the precome already leaking out and spreading it down his length. “I’m stroking my cock and thinking about you. I’m hard just imagining your hands all over me.”

“Oh God, me too. I wanted to blow you so badly tonight.”

“
Fuck
.” Andrew gripped the phone tight and closed his eyes. The line was silent except for heavy breathing on both ends. He moved his hand up and down, faster than before, pushing himself closer to the edge and not bothering to keep quiet about it. He wanted Harry to hear him, and if Abi heard him too, then that was her fault for being awake. He couldn’t bring himself to care at this point.

“Wanted to get on my knees for you.” Harry carried on in that same breathy tone, making Andrew’s toes curl as he pictured it. “Wanted to feel your cock at the back of my—”

“
Shit
.” And that was Andrew done for. His back arched as he came, striping his belly and chest, and he was vaguely aware of Harry cursing on the other end of the line.

“Wow,” he managed after his heart rate slowed and he could think straight.

“Yeah.” Harry laughed. “So much better than texting.”

Andrew was in total agreement. He glanced around for something to wipe up the mess he’d made, and he grabbed the box of tissues off the table. Getting up was too much effort, so he scrunched up the used ones and left them next to the tissue box. Hopefully he’d be up before Abi and could put them in the bin.

He yawned, feeling tired all of a sudden, and pulled the blankets up over him. “I need to sleep—got work in the morning.”

“Okay. I’ll see you on Sunday.”

Andrew yawned again. “Night.”

“Night.”

CHAPTER SIX

Harry woke up on Saturday morning with a headache, and his phone in his hand. He yawned and stretched. Only then did he remember why he was still clutching his phone. Thank God there was no one around to see him blush. From the way his cheeks heated, he must be redder than usual.