The Solstice Mistletoe Effect (2 page)

of confused little boy only seconds later.

“Okay, Jakob, now I know something is definitely wrong.

Would you please tell me about it?” Lance had to hold back

his own tears at seeing Jakob so distraught.

“Some—some of the kids in my new class are really

mean.” Jakob burrowed against Lance’s chest and slid his

arms around him, holding on for dear life.

“Why? What did they do? Did they hurt you?” If anyone

had done something to Jakob, they’d have to deal with

Lance.

“They said some really horrible things when we talked

about our families. At first, they felt sorry for me when I

talked about Mom and Dad and the plane crash last year. I

explained to them that it was okay because I have Uncle

Magnus and you now. Some of them got really upset. I mean,

I know that not everyone likes or understands two men living

together like you and Uncle Magnus do. But why do they

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make it sound so bad?” Jakob looked up, his face scrunched

into a frown. “You’re not doing anything wrong, are you?”

“We don’t think we’re doing anything wrong, no.” Lance

sighed. “But not everybody agrees with us. We’ve never

talked about this, but some people think that two men loving

each other is wrong.”

“I know. Mom and Dad talked to me about it when they

explained why Uncle Magnus didn’t have a girlfriend.” Jakob

swallowed. “But I never thought that anyone would be so

awful about it. They wanted to know what it was like to live

with ‘sinners’. Some of them even laughed when I said it was

just like having two dads. Like they didn’t believe me.”

“I know. And some of them won’t ever believe you. They

can’t understand because they’re too prejudiced against

anyone being different. It’s what they’ve been taught to

believe, and most people never think about what they’ve

been taught.” Lance took Jakob’s head between his hands

and looked straight into his eyes. “Don’t let that ever stop

you from thinking and believing what you know is right in

your heart. And if any of them ever does anything more than

laugh at you, you’ve got to let Uncle Magnus and me know,

okay? We can’t let bullies get the better of you.”

“Okay.” Jakob pulled back and looked down at his lap.

“But there’s more.”

“All right, tell me.” Lance really felt for Jakob. He’d been

through so much already and now this.

“They—they made fun of you.” Jakob closed his eyes.

“They said it was stupid for a man to stay at home and not

have a job. That being a housedad was like being a coward.”

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Lance was stunned. This was something he hadn’t

expected. Thinking about it now, he probably should have.

Mistletoe was a very traditional town, and even his own

parents had expected him to learn a profession and become

successful in it. They hadn’t said anything when he quit his

job at his sister’s store to go and live with Magnus, but they

hadn’t looked overjoyed either.

It wasn’t as if the decision had been easy for him. Giving

up the ability to earn his own money had been a major step.

At the time, he’d thought it was the right thing to do, and

Magnus had been wonderfully supportive. It wasn’t as if they

needed a second income, and Magnus had understood

Lance’s wish to do what he’d always wanted. Besides, how

else were they going to do a good job at raising Jakob?

Especially for the next couple of years, while the boy was

adjusting to the fact his parents were dead?

“I don’t know what to say to that, Jakob.” Lance put a

finger under Jakob’s chin and gently pushed up until the

boy was looking at him. “Do you think they’re right?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never known a housedad before.”

Jakob shrugged. “I thought it was the same thing as being a

housewife. Lots of kids in my class have a mum who stays at

home and doesn’t work. So, what’s the difference between

them and you?”

“I think you’re exactly right.” Lance laughed with relief.

Leave it to Jakob to figure it out and put it in words simple

enough for anyone to understand.

“So why don’t people understand? Is it because that’s

the way they’ve been taught, like you said before?” Jakob

tilted his head in question.

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“Yes, they probably believe that anyone who makes a

choice different from what they consider to be ‘normal’ is a

coward.” Lance wanted to believe that too, but sometimes

facing society’s prejudices was very hard. Even though he

knew he’d made the best choice for his own and his family’s

well-being, it was hard to face others’ disapproval.

“That’s just stupid. If anyone’s a coward, it’s those

people who don’t want to try anything new.” Jakob smiled

and snuggled closer.

If only that would make the nagging feeling of doubt go

away. Lance could only hope that he’d find a way of dealing

with it.

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Chapter Two

MAGNUS CARSTENS caught himself whistling as he drove

toward Jakob’s school. Perplexed by his happiness, he

stopped for a few seconds, then smiled. He was looking

forward to picking Jakob up from school, like he’d done

every Friday thanks to his boss insisting he leave early for

the weekend. Working as a Park Ranger wasn’t just

interesting but had also enabled him to spend more time

with Lance and Jakob than he’d dared hope for.

He was grateful for the Mistletoe Phenomenon that had

given his life new meaning. Lance had laughed when he’d

first explained the name he’d given the perplexing and

sudden attraction he’d felt toward Lance when he’d kissed

him under the mistletoe last Christmas. It had changed both

their lives for the better, propelling him into a relationship

faster than he’d ever thought possible. He didn’t regret it one

bit.

He stopped in front of the school just as the first kids

poured out of its doors. Jakob was right in the middle of a

group of laughing and joking children. It was amazing how

well his nephew had adjusted to his new environment. Most

of that was due to Lance’s influence, as was Magnus’s sense

of well-being and happiness.

“Hey, Uncle Magnus!” Jakob had torn open the rear

door to the car and was scrambling in while shouting his

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greeting. He always seemed to have a lot more energy than

Magnus at the end of the day.

“Hallå, Jakob!” Magnus was going to make more of an

effort to teach Jakob Swedish. It would come in very handy if

his plan to visit his parents in the summer was going to be

accepted. He was sure Jakob would love to see his

grandparents again; he wasn’t so sure about Lance’s

reaction.

“Hallå, of course.” Jakob closed the car door and got

himself buckled in. “Are you going to teach me more

Swedish, Uncle Magnus?”

“Would you like that?” Magnus started the car and

turned it toward home.

“Yes, I would like that. Dad used to talk Swedish to me

sometimes.” Jakob wiped his eyes. “I still miss him and Mom

so much.”

“I think you’ll always miss them. But if there’s anything

you miss that Lance and I can do, please let us know.”

Magnus had come to understand that Jakob needed to talk

about his parents. Even if Magnus didn’t always feel

comfortable thinking about his dead brother, Mikkel, Jakob’s

need was more important.

“Thank you.” Jakob sniffled. “Learning Swedish would

be great. Lance wants to learn as well, doesn’t he?”

“Yes, he does.” Magnus had been surprised with the

effort Lance had put into making their first Christmas a true

combination of American and Swedish traditions.

“That’s good. It means we can learn together.” Jakob

was smiling again, much to Magnus’s relief.

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Magnus loved his new life, even though it wasn’t always

easy to understand his emotions, nor everything that went

on in the two most important relationships in his life. He

could never have done it without Lance. It had been much

harder last year while he was in training and had to rely on

childcare to take care of Jakob.

That alone would have been reason enough to organize

something special for Valentine’s Day on Sunday. There was

another reason, though, and it wasn’t one Magnus was sure

could be cured with a romantic dinner. Over the last few

weeks, Lance had become more and more withdrawn, as if

something was worrying him. Magnus had asked a few

times, but Lance hadn’t been able or willing to explain. He’d

repeatedly said that everything was fine, but every piece of

evidence Magnus saw pointed to some sort of problem or

worry.

Enough was enough. This weekend was the perfect

opportunity to find out what was wrong. He’d arranged for

Jakob to stay with his colleague Peter and his family from

Saturday night until the end of school on Monday. That

would give Magnus some time to spend with Lance and

maybe get to the bottom of his… whatever it was that was

bothering his lover.

“GLAD alla hjärtans dag, min älskling.” Magnus pulled his

sleep-warm lover closer, enjoying the feeling of Lance’s soft

skin against his entire front. Not to mention the hard cock

that was poking his thigh. It was rare for them to wake up

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facing each other, but this morning, he held his lover in his

arms in a ready-to-kiss position.

“Happy Valentine’s Day to you too, baby.” Lance blinked

a few times, his deep brown eyes still clouded with sleep as

he lifted his head to look at Magnus.

Who could resist those beautiful lips, parted as if

waiting for his caress? Magnus brushed his lover’s mouth,

moving back and forth until Lance grew impatient and

pushed forward, plunging his hot tongue into Magnus’s

waiting mouth. With a delighted sigh, Magnus gave in and

rolled onto his back as Lance moved over him, one of his

toned legs between Magnus’s spread ones.

Tongues tangling in an amorous duel, their passion

quickly rose, and Magnus’s cock hardened against Lance’s

thigh, making both of them moan in delight. Magnus slid

one hand down Lance’s back and held onto his lover’s

delicious ass, caressing and kneading to encourage more of

Lance’s hot little sighs. He sank his other hand into his

lover’s dark hair, stroking the back of his head and ensuring

their mouths stayed glued together.

They kissed for long minutes, heat rising between them

until the need for more became almost overwhelming.

Magnus held back with all he had, waiting for Lance to take

the initiative. He loved it when his slightly smaller and

usually compliant lover took over. Finally, Lance pulled

back, panting for breath with a wild look in his eyes.

“I want you, baby.” Lance’s hips were already moving of

their own accord, looking for friction that Magnus was only

too happy to provide.

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“God, you make me so hot when you’re forceful like

this.” Without another word, Magnus reached for the

nightstand drawer and pulled out their much-used bottle of

lube.

“I can’t help it. You make me wild.” Lance grabbed the

lube, flipped it open, and poured some onto Magnus’s

fingers. “Here, get yourself ready for me.”

“Fuck!” Magnus arched his back with the sudden surge

of arousal that made his cock even harder.

He bent his left leg up and out so he could reach

between his ass cheeks. The lube was cold on his hole, but

the heat in Lance’s eyes when he moved to watch what

Magnus was doing made up for it. Magnus pushed in two

fingers, hissing with the slight burn but too aroused to care.

The feeling of his opening stretching around the sudden

intrusion was good, but not what he needed right now.

“Now, älskling, please.” Magnus wasn’t above begging to