Summary:
Escape to a Winter Wonderland with CEO and billionaire Colton Connolly as he embarks on a shenanigan-filled journey in search of the idyllic white Christmas he's always craved. Inspired by the enchantment of his favorite holiday movies, Colton surprises his beloved husband and their found family with a trip to the captivating mountain town of Winterhaven.
However, beneath the twinkling lights, unexpected trouble awaits. A miscommunication leaves the town in dire straits, threatening to steal away the magic of Christmas. Determined to save the day, Colton rallies his family, ready to overcome any obstacle and ensure that Christmas in Winterhaven is nothing short of perfect.
Join Colton, Ace, and the Four Kings Security family as they embark on a quest to rescue Winterhaven from its frosty woes. Will they succeed in delivering the most unforgettable Christmas imaginable, or will this charming town lose its cherished festivities forever?
* This holiday series is a spin-off from the Four Kings Security Universe. It's recommended that you read the Four Kings Security series, as well as The Kings: Wild Cards series before reading this series as these are established characters who have previously had their own books. The shenanigans begin with Love in Spades, Four Kings Security, Book 1 (Colton and Ace's book).
Summary:
Fitz Harlow has the idyllic life he always dreamed of. With the fashion industry a distant memory, he now revels in the joy of running his own salon. In addition to his flourishing career, Fitz has found the love of his life, Jack, and inherited a colorful family of former Green Berets and their loving partners. And who could forget his adorable poodle princess, Duchess? But life isn't all sprinkles and gingerbread. As Jack becomes consumed by his work, cracks appear in their fairy-tale love story.
When their family is whisked away to the charming town of Winterhaven for the holiday season, Fitz eagerly embraces the festive merriment. Amidst the delightful matchmaking chaos and mischievous antics, can the enchantment of Christmas in Winterhaven work its magic to help Fitz and Jack rediscover the spark that first ignited their love?
Summary:
Giovanni Galanos’s life took a dramatic turn after a terrifying ordeal and a newfound health condition led him home. Leaving behind his globetrotting adventures in favor of a more grounded existence, Gio finds solace in the arms of his love, Sacha “Joker” Wilder, a complex and captivating man who held Gio’s heart from the moment they first spoke. Together, along with their furry companions—Cookie, Gio’s service dog, and Chip, Sacha’s mischievous Belgian Malinois—his unconventional family forges a bond stronger than any hardship life can throw their way.
As the air teems with holiday cheer, Winterhaven unveils itself in all its enchanting glory. But a mishap has Sacha grumpier than usual. Amidst the joyous chaos that surrounds them, can the town’s holiday magic reignite Sacha’s Christmas spirit?
Join Gio and Sacha, along with their merry band of former Green Berets and their partners, as they navigate misadventures and heartwarming moments in Winterhaven, where true love and the transformative power of Christmas await.
Life for Leopold de Loughrey is anything but ordinary. His meticulous and logical mind is both a gift and a curse, especially when it comes to finding a heartfelt present for his beloved fiancé, Ward Kingston. As Christmas and their first milestone anniversary draw near, Leo is eager to find the ideal gift that will perfectly capture their deep love and devotion.
When Colton surprises their family with an unforgettable Christmas vacation to Winterhaven, the possibilities that await in this enchanting holiday town stir Leo’s imagination, and with a few keystrokes, he discovers the town's mayor—a man who remarkably resembles Santa Claus himself.
Join Leo, King, and their Four Kings Security family as they embark on a shenanigan-fueled adventure filled with unyielding determination and boundless love to rescue the holiday season for Winterhaven, where Santa Claus may just hold the key to delivering the perfect Christmas.
Original Review December 2024:
I'm not going to say I forgot how much I loved Ace, Colton, and the whole Four Kings gang because it wouldn't be true. I remember it all, all the zaniness, the chemistry, the friendships, the found family, and of course the love.
I'll admit that I read the original Four Kings stories when they were released but sadly I got away from the spinoffs when the pandemic and lockdown really screwed with my reading mojo. Late this summer my mojo finally started to return so I've already got the spinoffs on my 2024 Reading Bucket List. I mention this because not all the couples were known to me but that hasn't stifled any enjoyment so far of The Kings: A Treemendous Christmas holiday series. Love the tweaking of "tremendous" in the series title BTW, so very Ace and his brothers-in-arms quotage area😉.
So onto Not So Silent Night.
Honestly, I'm not going to say too much about the story so that I don't accidentally spoil anyone's personal discovery of The Kings and Boyfriend Collective holiday destination vacation. I will say that I can't think of a better holiday scenario for this group of friends and lovers that have become family.
This first entry shines more focus on Ace and Colton but all the characters are there and they each bring their own brand of quirky. OMG the squirrels! Some couples lose a little of their luster as time goes by but not these guys and certainly not Ace and Colton, I think the chemistry that brought the pair together has only grown and radiates even more brightly.
I can't review Not So Silent Night without mentioning the squirrels, referenced above. Ace fears very few things other than losing Colton and his brothers-in-arms and the found family they are . . . EXCEPT for little furry woodland creatures, i.e. squirrels in this story. Hey I get it, squirrels are EVIL! Three years ago they not only chewed through the wires on my Christmas lights, they actually tried to carry off some of the sockets and bulbs like they do the black walnuts out of my neighbor's tree. Just evil! But Ace? Well I'll just leave it at this: I'll never unsee the big burly former military and current security expert in the oversized tree he was attempting to decide on for the family Xmas tree flailing away trying to defend himself from the squirrel attack(in his opinion) as they perched on his head. That scene alone made my day and the constant teasing from his friends is priceless.
As I mentioned in the beginning I only read the original Four Kings stories so not every character is familiar to me, I don't think you need to know their original journeys to enjoy these holiday treats(I've only read the first 2 so far as the last 2 have yet to be released😉) but I believe a few references and looks between characters would make a more complete picture had I read The Kings: Wild Cards but I was never lost. Definitely a win-win to get you in the holiday mood.
Sleigh it Ain't So #2
Original Review December 2024:
As I stated in my review for book 1: Not So Silent Night, I have only read the original Four Kings Security entries in the Four Kings Universe so I was unfamiliar with Jack and Fitz's love story from the first book in The Kings: Wild Card series which was titled, Stacking the Deck. I make note of this because I want to say that I was not lost in any way but I can't lie there were a few tidbits of info referenced that I'm sure would have made a little more sense context-wise but in no way did it lessen my love for the couple in Sleigh it Ain't So.
So as not to ruin not only the fun of this entry but of The Kings: A Treemendous Christmas series as a whole I'm going to keep this short and sweet.
From the big, burly, former soldier members of the Four Kings to the lovingly called Boyfriend Collective who on the surface may seem a bit on the lightweight side of the fierce scale, there is never any doubt what lengths all members of this tightknit group will go to to protect each other. Considering the world they live in and the dangerous chaos that generally brings the pairs together, it's not only enjoyable to see them handle a destination holiday vacation, the zanyness to their chaos is actually highly addictive. Let's face it anytime Ace is involved there is always a tinge of zany but with this series he brings an extra special layer of hilarity but Jack and Fitz have their own unique brand of humor too. Combine all this with the established romance between the MCs, Jack and Fitz, Charlie Cochet has given us a rom-com chock full of both the rom and the com.
Home for the Howlidays #3
Original Review December 2024:
As with Sleigh it Ain't So, the pairing in Home for the Howlidays was originally at the center of Sleight of Hand which was the third entry in The Kings: Wild Card. And just as mentioned in my review for Sleigh, there were a few factors that probably would have flowed a bit better had I read their original story first but again I was never lost nor did it take away any enjoyment from this holiday portion of their journey.
Gio and Joker's holiday romp is once again full of the humor and love that are needed to make a good rom com. Also in the typical flow of chaos that seems to follow this lovely group of men who have become their very own found family, Ace plays his part which puts Joker "out of commission". There's cords, a ladder, and Ace . . . I'll leave it at that so you can fully experience Ace in all his chaotic spotlight for yourself.
What holiday wouldn't be complete without a bit of a grump? I won't go as far as to put Joker's grumpiness on a Scrooge/Grinch scale but he's definitely not a happy camper. I can't say "as always Gio is able to pull his man out of his funk" since they are actually a new pairing to me(see note above) but I have a feeling it's not the first time Gio had to dig down and pull Joker up. The couple, along with their trusty and loyal sidekicks Cookie and Chip, work their magic to help bring Winterhaven to it's holiday glory.
With each entry in The Kings: Treemendous Christmas we see the men of Four Kings and the Boyfriend Collective play to their strengths to insure this holiday town is able to be the Christmas destination they are known for and thrive at. Along the way they have found that the downtime that so often eludes them can be filled with wonders they didn't even realize they were missing. I'm already sad knowing there is only one entry left to go but I have a strong feeling this won't be the last time I revisit The Kings Treemendous Christmas.
Rebel Without a Claus #4
Original Review December 2024:
Rebel Without a Claus brings Charlie Cochet's The Kings: Treemendous Christmas novella series to a close and as much as I was not ready for the end, I can't think of a better way to send off their first family holiday destination vacation. The Kings and the Boyfriend Collective not only helped Winterhaven have the Christmas their town is known for but they also each found a bit holiday joy they probably never knew was lacking. Seriously, what better way to bring a bit of ending and beginning to their journeys(a bit cryptic on my part but I don't want to spoil anything😉)?
In Rebel, we finally see what Leo has been sneaking off to Santa preparing all this time that has kept the rest of his family perplexed, even his beloved Kingston. I won't ruin any surprises so that's all I'll say on that front. I had an inkling that might be where all his Santa subterfuge was headed but with Leo you just never knew for sure where his mind was running to.
I will say that Rebel starts from the beginning about where Colton originally made plans for their trip to Winterhaven seen through Leo and King's eyes, which means a few elements are "rehashed" but never in so much detail you feel the author might be scrimping on pages to Leo and Kings story. Mostly this is all about them with some earlier points of reference so we can see just where Leo's mind is at the time of the first 3 entries.
As for the men? Leo and King are just as enjoyable as they were when I first read their beginnings back in Four Kings Security #4: Diamond in the Rough. If you had any doubts that these truly opposites attract would last, let me reassure you: there was no need. They are just as much an inseparable pair of gooeyness as they were then.
If you're looking for a holiday story that brings romance, friendship, heart, love, and humor than Cochet's The Kings: Treemendous Christmas is right up your alley. If you haven't read Four Kings Security or The Kings: Wild Cards I can safely say you won't be lost as I have not yet read Wild Cards and 2 of the couples here is from that series. I'm sure knowing the full journeys a couple of mentions and feels would have made a few scenes easier to connect to emotionally but I was never lost, I was never left saying "WTF?" I highly rec the original journeys(and yes Wild Cards is on my 2024 TBR Bucket List) as they are so much fun but not having read them yet will not lessen the entertaining value of this holiday collection.
Not So Silent Night #1
Chapter One
“I’m going to murder you!”
Ah, ’tis the season.
Nothing said holiday spirit like a good old-fashioned murder threat. One of these days, his husband’s brothers-in-arms might go through with it. Ace had that effect on people. Right now, he was having that effect on Joker. Because if you were going to tempt fate, why not do it with the most explosive of the bunch?
“Is it my fault you decided to step into the center of that particular roll of lights?” Ace asked, moving away slowly.
“The floor is nothing but rolls of lights, Anston!”
Joker wasn’t wrong. An ocean of Christmas lights covered the concrete floor of their expansive garage. Ace just happened to pull on the strand of lights attached to the roll Joker had stepped in. He’d yanked, and well…here they were. Meanwhile, Chip—Joker’s Belgian Malinois—had decided the strings of lights were evil and, therefore, must be destroyed. Any time a strand of lights moved, he pounced like a giant black rabbit. Thankfully, he didn’t see the need to bite the strands, only to land on them with his front paws, killing the beast dead and saving his people from being attacked.
Colton sighed. He’d expected this. Quite frankly, this was only the beginning. As sweet as the sentiment was, nothing good could come of his husband wielding a staple gun. As a former Green Beret, Ace was an expert at many things. DIY was not one of those things. Mostly because Ace had a habit of trying to enhance whatever home improvement he’d decided to work on. Merely fixing the thing was not an option.
This usually resulted in incidents like the water pressure being so strong that the shower head exploded, embedding itself in the tile wall. Good thing his husband had killer reflexes and had ducked in time. Then there was the time he “fixed” the dishwasher. Colton had turned it on, only for it to start shaking. He’d quickly jumped out of the way moments before the machine shot out from its space beneath the counter. Water went everywhere.
Joker growled at the uncooperative roll of lights in his hands. “Tell me again why we’re decorating your ginormous mansion when your obnoxiously rich husband has professional decorators who come out every year?”
Again, not wrong.
“Because this way, it’s more personal. You get the satisfaction of knowing you did it yourself,” Ace replied through gritted teeth as he attempted to untangle another giant ball of lights.
By “yourself,” Ace really meant “with a small army of former Green Berets.”
“This was rolled perfectly last year and in a box! How is it tangled? Stupid lights.” Ace huffed and put the roll on the floor. Picking up a new one, he plugged it in. Nothing happened. “Motherfricking shirtballs! I checked every single one of these last week!”
There was something not quite right about his husband’s colorful rants against the backdrop of “Sleigh Ride” by the Ronettes.
“Yeah, this one’s not lighting up either,” Joker said, his frown deep. He placed it on the floor, and it rolled, which, of course, drew Chip’s attention. He sped over and pounced. The roll of lights soared off the garage floor in a glorious arc, hit the inflatable snowman, ricocheted, and smacked Ace in the head. He reeled back, and Colton jumped to his feet.
“Ace—”
Too late.
Ace tripped on the roll of lights behind him. He turned to catch himself only to tangle his feet further until gravity triumphed, and he hit the floor. Hard.
“Owwww.” Ace groaned, and Joker laughed so hard he had tears in his eyes. Chip stood over Ace, tail wagging and tongue lolling out. “What? You don’t get praise for that. I thought we were buds!”
Chip barked, licked Ace’s face, then happily trotted away to Joker, who patted his head. “Good boy.”
Colton helped Ace up. He could practically see the wheels turning in his husband’s head. “Why don’t we take a little break? I bet Red’s Christmas cookies have cooled off.”
As expected, whatever terrifying idea Ace had been contemplating vanished at the mention of Christmas cookies, much like the brief winter breeze they’d had this morning. They were back to eighty degrees in December.
Like every year, there was little chance of a frosty Christmas in Florida and no chance of a white Christmas. They headed inside the cool, air-conditioned house, the sound of their family’s laughter and chatter warming his heart and making him smile.
When Colton had first met Ace, he’d never expected to fall in love with the man, much less inherit the kind of family he’d spent a lifetime wishing he had. They were a complicated, boisterous, and quirky group, and Colton wouldn’t change a thing.
As usual, their gentle giant, Red, was cooking, baking, and singing along to the holiday music while his boyfriend, Laz, decorated cookies and cupcakes. Ace’s cousin Lucky and his cowboy, Mason, were inspecting the Christmas tree. Lucky had strong opinions on what should and should not go on the tree. Tinsel was absolutely out of the question. Something about waking up from a nap and being covered in it? No doubt Ace had been involved.
Jack sat on the couch with his laptop, creating a complex music and lighting sequence while his boyfriend, Fitz, snuggled with his fluffy black poodle, Duchess. Leo’s joyous laughter was infectious as he chased and played with Chip, who’d dashed straight for his favorite human the moment they’d stepped inside. Meanwhile, Leo’s fiancé, King, conversed with Joker’s boyfriend, Gio.
Joker was the last person Colton would have expected his best friend to have fallen for. The two were so different. One was a former Green Beret explosives expert turned bodyguard, the other a billionaire philanthropist who’d traveled the globe helping people. Colton had worried for Gio, afraid Joker would break his heart, but in the end, the two were perfect for each other.
At times, Colton couldn’t believe how their family had grown over the last few years. He was so happy the rest of the Kings and the Wild Cards found love, especially with the men he’d come to care for so deeply.
Ace wrapped his arms around Colton as Joker joined Leo and Chip in play. Gio gave the command to Cookie, relieving his Golden Retriever from his service dog duties so he could run off and join the fun. He bounded happily, his fluffy tail wagging happily and tongue lolling out.
“You having a mushy moment?” Ace asked, kissing Colton’s cheek.
“We’re so fortunate.”
Ace turned Colton around, his smile soft as he wrapped his arms around Colton’s waist and held him close. “Yeah, we are. You know, I was thinking. Maybe we should go with the decor people.”
“I thought you wanted it to be more personal.”
“I want it to be perfect. For you. And if that means professional decorators, then we’ll do it.”
Colton shook his head. “We don’t need professional decorators. Or snow. Or sleigh rides.” He sighed. “This isn’t a Hallmark movie.”
Ace opened his mouth to reply, then closed it, an odd expression coming onto his face. “What if it could be?”
Colton was perplexed. “I’m sorry, I don’t follow.”
“When you were little, all you wanted was the kind of Christmas you saw in your favorite holiday movies. The perfect Christmas.”
“There’s no such thing as a perfect Christmas, love, but this is pretty close, don’t you think?” Colton kissed him, laughing against Ace’s lips when everyone cheered and catcalled. He shook his head at their ridiculousness.
Lucky called Ace over, and Colton walked to the kitchen to snag himself a Christmas cookie. Red and Laz sang along to “Last Christmas” by Wham! making Colton chuckle. He scanned the expertly iced cookies, his eyes landing on a deer cookie with a sleigh cookie behind it.
What if…?
Colton picked up the sleigh cookie, and before he could talk himself out of it, he sent a quick text to Joshua, his executive assistant. His phone rang a few minutes later.
“Joshua,” Colton replied. “One second.” He excused himself, hurried upstairs to his and Ace’s bedroom, and shut the door. “Sorry. I’m back. What do you think? Is it possible?”
“It is, but before I make any arrangements, I need to let you know that I spoke to Clara, the hospitality manager, and she informed me that due to the storm that blew through there a couple of weeks ago, their town hall is closed.”
“Oh, is that all? That’s fine. Go ahead and make all the arrangements.” They were good as long as the town’s Ice Castle was open. It was where all of the festivities took place anyway.
“You should have a confirmation email within the next few minutes.”
“Wonderful. Thank you, Joshua.” Colton hung up and made a few more calls. By the time everything was set up, he was excited and nervous. What if no one else was on board? Shaking his head, he headed back downstairs. He tugged on Ace’s sleeve, pulling him to one side.
“I have an announcement to make. Could you…?”
“Of course, baby.” Ace turned and called out across the room. “Everyone shut your pie holes!”
Everyone went silent.
Colton sighed. “Not what I had in mind, love, but thank you.” He cleared his throat. “I wanted to let you all know how thankful I am to have you all in my life. You’ve been more of a family to me than my own blood, but you already knew that. I love you all so much.”
“We love you too, Colt,” Fitz called out.
The room filled with awwws, and Colton held back a laugh. No need to be nervous. This is your family.
“Okay, so I’ve been thinking about having a white Christmas for the longest time. Years, actually. I vaguely recall staying at a ski lodge with my parents when I was younger. Of course, that was less about family and Christmas and more about who my parents could impress. But something Ace said gave me an idea. I thought having a special holiday season might be nice for our new family. With that in mind, I have a surprise for everyone.” Colton forwarded the email from Joshua to everyone. Eleven phones pinged. “Check your emails.”
“What’s Winterhaven?” Lucky asked.
Colton had been researching Winterhaven for years, hoping to one day get the white Christmas he’d dreamed of, but the time never seemed right. Now, it felt right. “I’ve rented a luxury family cabin for the holidays in the beautiful and picturesque small town of Winterhaven. We’re going to have a white Christmas!”
King frowned, but that was his default expression. “This schedule says from tomorrow until the end of December.” He lifted his blue gaze. “Colton, we can’t take that much time off.”
“We own the company,” Ace said with a shrug. “Of course we can.”
“Ace, it’s almost a month.”
“What are you saying? Do you really think with our stringent hiring process and all the training we put our people through that we don’t have anyone to look after the company while we’re away?”
“It’s all right,” Colton said. “I understand. I should have asked first. I can cancel the reservation.”
Fitz held a hand up. “Um, I want to go to Winterhaven.”
Jack blinked at him. “You do?”
“Babe, did you see the picture of their Ice Castle?”
“Ice Castle?” Jack checked his screen. “What happens to it in the summer?”
“It’s not made of ice, my love. It’s made of light stone that makes it look like it’s made of ice. How magical is that? Think of all the cozy sweaters I can wear!” Fitz leaned in and brushed his lips over Jack’s. “We can drink hot cocoa in front of the fire. Keep each other warm under cozy blankets.”
Jack hummed. He seemed to like that idea.
Leo gasped. “Santa’s there.” He lifted his gaze to King. “I want to go.”
Everyone looked to King, who smiled warmly. “Sweetheart, he’s not—”
“Actually Santa,” Leo said, his smile big. “I know that. He’s the mayor. But he looks like Santa, and according to my online search results, Winterhaven is the perfect small-townChristmas destination. It’s famous for its holiday festivities.”
Joker snorted as he looked down at his phone. “Damn. The mayor does look like Santa. That’s an impressive beard.”
“So beautiful,” Laz said, scrolling through something on his phone. “I could take so many picturesque photos there.” He showed Red his cellphone. “Look at that scenery.”
Red kissed the side of Laz’s head. “It’s beautiful, sweetheart.”
“What do you guys say?” Ace turned to King. “How about it, big guy? Ready for the perfect Christmas?”
King moved his gaze back to Leo, and Colton knew there was no way King would say no to that sweet face and boyish smile. He let out a sigh and smiled. “You’re right. We have a great team. They’ll be okay without us for a few weeks.”
There was cheering, and Fitz squealed. He clapped his hands excitedly, then gasped. “Wait. The reservation says tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow afternoon,” Colton confirmed. “The town doesn’t have its own airport, so we’re taking the jet to the next town over. From there, a helicopter will fly us in.”
“Jack, we have to go! I need to pack! And buy some coats!” Fitz ran over to Colton, threw his arms around him, and squeezed him tight. He kissed Colton’s cheek. “Thank you so much, Colton! This is going to be amazing!”
Colton was thrilled at how happy everyone was. Even the dogs were excited. They might not know what was happening, but they knew something was going on. Most of the Kings, Joker, and Jack still seemed a little uncertain about being away for so long, but Colton hoped that once they arrived at Winterhaven, they’d enjoy all the sugary holiday goodness. Everyone thanked him and headed off to pack.
Ace took Colton’s hand in his and turned him. “Baby, you are amazing. I know you’re nervous, but don’t be. Everyone is going to have a great time. Did you see how excited they were?”
“Do you think they’re going to have fun? I know this really isn’t their thing.” Colton didn’t need to say who. His husband was well aware of who he referred to. As the owners of Four Kings Security, all the guys struggled with time off. They were always busy, often working. It was just who they were. Thankfully, their significant others were able to get them to relax.
“This break will do them good. Not just them but the rest of the guys. Did you see Leo’s face light up when he saw that the mayor looked like Santa? I can’t with him. He’s too freaking adorable.” Ace pulled Colton close and kissed him. “Trust me, sweetheart. This is going to be the perfect Christmas. I know it.”
Colton wrapped his arms around his husband and returned the kiss, letting himself get lost in Ace’s love and strength. Ace was right. Once they arrived and everyone saw the beauty of Winterhaven, they’d loosen up and get into the holiday spirit.
Winterhaven spent months preparing for the Christmas season, knowing that hundreds of people would flock to their charming town every year to experience the perfect Christmas. The town had been featured multiple times in magazines and had thousands of glowing reviews, which was impressive, especially since the worst reviews people could come up with were things like “it was too cold” or “the snow wasn’t white enough.”
The entire town would be painstakingly decorated, and the Ice Castle would host all of the Christmas events, from a hot chocolate contest to ornament decorating and, of course, meeting Santa and his reindeer. There was so much to look forward to. Colton couldn’t wait to go for a romantic sleigh ride with his sweetheart. The more he thought about it, the more excited he became.
Maybe he’d get his perfect Christmas after all.
Sleigh it Ain't So #2
Chapter One
“Incoming!”
Fitz yelped and jumped out of the way just as Cocoa bounded by, his human quickly following in a far less adorable manner. Everyone darted out of the way as Ace slid across the kitchen’s polished wood floor, missing Cocoa’s indoor leash by a hair.
“Someone grab him!”
Since Red had a dish of French toast casserole in his oven-mitted hands and Laz carried multiple bowls of fruits and toppings, Fitz hurried to the other side of the counter and scooped up the two-month-old sable German Shepherd puppy.
“Aw, are you giving your daddy a hard time?” Fitz asked, laughing at Cocoa’s little bark before he licked Fitz’s nose. Hearing Cocoa, Duchess—Fitz’s black standard poodle—came prancing into the kitchen and up to Fitz. She wagged her poufy tail and sniffed at Cocoa. “The baby’s okay,” Fitz promised as he petted his bestest girl.
Duchess’s momma instincts had kicked in from the moment she’d met the sweet puppy. When Cocoa was loose, she followed him around to ensure he didn’t get into mischief, which he always did. He was most certainly Ace’s dog.
The jingling bells of “All I Want for Christmas” filled the kitchen, and Fitz danced with Cocoa in his arms. Duchess barked and pranced around them, drawing Chip’s attention. He darted into the kitchen and bounced around like a giant black bunny, his impressive Belgian Malinois ears completing the look. Gio walked in, and Cookie, his Golden Retriever, joined the fun. Good thing the luxury cabin’s kitchen was huge.
“You’re like the Pied Piper of puppies,” Ace said, brushing himself off.
Fitz handed Cocoa to his daddy and turned to dance with Duchess, who jumped onto her hind legs and gave him her front paws. She bounced happily with him as he sang along, his heart filled with joy.
During Fitz’s time in the fashion industry, the holidays had been about fancy parties, drinking too much, and showing off expensive gifts. It wasn’t until he’d become part of this amazing family that he’d understood the holidays were about celebrating with the people he loved who loved him in return just as he was. People who accepted all his sashaying, hair-flipping, and lip-gloss-wearing fabulousness.
There was just one thing missing.
As if conjured by his thoughts, Jack stepped through the kitchen doorway, and Fitz’s heart did a happy dance. His boyfriend’s black hair was tousled from sleep, his jaw sporting a short beard since he hadn’t shaved in a couple of days. Dressed simply in black jeans and a charcoal gray Henley, he was the sexiest thing Fitz had ever seen. Speaking of eyes…Jack’s smile reached those gorgeous gray eyes, and they were filled with so much love for Fitz.
Duchess darted over to her other daddy, jumping excitedly as if she hadn’t seen Jack in years and not just this morning when they’d left Jack in bed sleeping. Jack gave Duchess lots of love and pets, and Fitz danced his way over, shimmying his shoulders and drawing that sexy, throaty laugh from him.
“Good morning, handsome.” Fitz reached for Jack, laughing when Jack took his hand and spun him. He danced with Fitz, ignoring the catcalls from his brothers. The dogs lost their furry minds, running around and barking. When the song ended, Jack dipped Fitz and kissed him. It was sweet and amazing, and Fitz would have jumped his bones if they hadn’t had an audience.
“Good morning, sweetheart. I missed waking up to you this morning.” Jack lifted Fitz back onto his feet, and Fitz slipped his arms around Jack’s waist.
“You looked so warm and cozy; I didn’t want to wake you.” He’d been very tempted to stay and snuggle, especially since Jack had gotten in late last night after a long day of trying to fix the shambled mess that was the Ice Castle’s electrics. “Hold on. I’ll make you your latte.”
“Thanks, baby.”
Fitz made Jack his latte like he did every morning. He’d gotten into the routine of making their morning coffees when Jack had moved in with him. Before they’d gotten together, Jack had touched Fitz’s toaster, and it caught fire. Fitz decided not to take any chances with his precious espresso machine.
“What’s on the agenda for today?” Red asked as he started serving up breakfast.
“Ooh!” Joker threw his arms up excitedly. “Decorating!”
Gio eyed his boyfriend suspiciously before turning to his best friend. “Colton. Why is he excited about decorating?”
Colton chuckled. “Because today is the day he gets to operate the knuckle boom.”
Well, that sounded dirty. Fitz looked to Jack. “What’s a knuckle boom, and should we cover Cocoa’s ears?”
Jack laughed and walked over to kiss Fitz’s cheek. “It’s a boom lift. Like what they use to fix power lines.”
“Oh.” Fitz glanced at Joker, who was far too excited for his own good. “And you think letting your best friend operate said heavy machinery is a good idea?”
Joker snorted. “Better me than Ace.”
Everyone nodded and murmured their agreement.
“Thanks,” Ace grumbled, popping a blueberry in his mouth. “Assholes.” He plucked another from the bowl and handed it to Cocoa, who excitedly munched it.
Joker bounced a blueberry off Ace’s head. “Keep saying that word around him, and he’s gonna think that’s someone’s name.”
Ace snickered. “It is. Yours.”
“I’m helping you train your puppy for free, and that’s the thanks I get?” Joker said something in German, and Chip darted over to Ace. He lifted his leg, and Ace yelped, making everyone laugh.
“I’m sorry!” Ace sighed with relief when Joker called Chip off. He narrowed his eyes at his friend. “You will not teach my precious furry boy to pee on someone on command.” He seemed to think about it. “Never mind. I retract that request. Might come in handy.”
“On that note,” Jack said, taking a travel mug from Fitz. “I’m off.”
Fitz handed Jack the insulated food bag he’d put together. “Breakfast and snacks.”
Everyone aw’d, and Jack flipped them off. He kissed Fitz’s cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you too. Make sure you eat. I’ll come by at lunch and bring you food.”
Jack waved goodbye to everyone, and Fitz sighed. There went one sexy Italian.
Like every other instance when they were all together, the kitchen was filled with talk and laughter. When they finished breakfast, Lucky and Mason headed to the Ice Castle. Now that the roof supplies and the techy electrical stuff Jack needed had arrived, the guys were working hard to get the building up and running. Without it, Winterhaven was in danger of canceling their holiday festivities.
When Colton had surprised their family with a luxury cabin in the picturesque town of Winterhaven—the perfect Christmas destination—he’d known about the town hall being out of commission due to a terrible snowstorm. He’d had no idea the town hall was the same building as the Ice Castle, where all the town’s festivities were held.
“I know I’ve said it before, Colton,” Fitz said, motioning for Duchess to jump into the SUV before him. She looked fabulous in her hooded pink winter coat and matching winter booties. “But what you’re doing is amazing.”
Next to Gio, Colton was one of the most selfless, generous men Fitz had ever known. Colton might not be a philanthropist like Gio, but like his best friend, Colton didn’t hoard his wealth. He loved helping people and, in this instance, was determined to help Winterhaven pull off another successful holiday season, starting with getting all the supplies the town needed shipped in.
“Just doing what I can to help,” Colton replied. “We’re meeting Clara and the rest of the helpers in the town square. We will start there while the lights go up down the main street. Then we’ll all move on to the main street and hopefully the Ice Castle.”
They parked off the town square across the street from the Ice Castle. It made unpacking all the fur baby stuff easier. Each dog had a bag with everything from treats and food to water bowls and blankets.
All of the festivities were held in the Ice Castle, while the townspeople sold their holiday goodies from the market square stalls, all of which had yet to be set up or decorated because who were they going to sell to? All the guests had canceled when told the Ice Castle was out of commission.
“What’s the plan?” Fitz asked as they started walking.
“Joker, Gio, Laz, and King will work on the main streetlights. Noel and some of the other townspeople will be there to help. Ace and I will drop off Cocoa with Amara and Dotty, who are puppy-sitting for us, and then we’ll join Leo, Fitz, Merry, Clara, and some of the other townspeople in decorating the town square and market stalls.”
“How will we know what goes where?” Leo asked worriedly, the giant pom-pom on his red knitted hat making Fitz snicker. It was almost the size of his head. Leo was too freaking adorable.
“All the decor has been sorted and separated into labeled containers. Clara will have folders for everyone with photos of each stall from the previous year and a list of decor for each stall. Each one will be labeled with the corresponding containers’ numbers, making decorating quick and easy.”
When they reached the snow-covered cobblestone square—which was actually round—it was lined with rows and rows of containers, all clearly and neatly labeled. Clara greeted them and handed out folders.
“That stall over there has been set up with drinks and snacks for everyone,” she said. “There are also heaters to warm yourselves and your pups.” She looked at Fitz, who laughed.
“Thank you.”
Considering he wore sweaters in Florida because he ran cold, this weather was a whole other level of frosty for him, despite wearing a thick cashmere sweater, faux fur coat, gloves, a scarf, hat, and earmuffs. There was only so much winter chill he could take. He was already looking forward to decorating inside the Ice Castle once the heating was fixed.
“We’ll break for lunch at noon,” Clara said.
Festive music started playing from the speakers on the lampposts around the town square, and everyone got to work. Fitz set Duchess up in the stall with the heaters where she’d be nice and cozy. If she got too warm, she’d wander to where he was.
Fitz had his folder and his assistant decorators. They had quite the task ahead of them. There were two dozen stalls, all arranged in rows around the giant Christmas tree in the center, which also had to be decorated.
“Okay, boys, it looks like each stall gets one decorated garland along the top of the roof.” He glanced at Leo and Merry. Hmm. Adorable, but if Fitz intended to get through this with as few injuries as possible, it was best he not put either of them up on a ladder. He’d have to do it himself. “Why don’t you two hold the garland for me since it’s pretty thick and long.” Fitz gasped. “Oh no!” He scanned the area around him.
“What are you looking for?” Merry whispered.
Fitz opened his mouth to reply when Ace popped up from behind the stall, scaring the life out of Fitz.
“That’s what he said!”
Fitz closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. “He is what I was looking for.” Fitz opened his eyes and glared at Ace. “Anston Sharpe, I am going to wrap this garland around your neck and strangle you with it!”
Ace took off with a howl of laughter.
Merry looked to Leo. “Where did he come from? Was he hiding back there waiting for someone to say that?”
“It’s Ace. We don’t ask questions,” Leo said, shaking his head. “He defies logic and science.”
“Now that he’s gone, we can get to work,” Fitz muttered. Thankfully, since the stalls were decorated for various holidays and festivities throughout the year, they were already equipped with hooks and clamps. Ladder set up, Fitz took hold of one end of the garland and started attaching it to the special hooks on the wood. “What are you up to?” Fitz asked Leo.
Leo blinked up at him. He lifted the garland in his hand. “Holding garland. Also, did you know there’s a city in Texas called Garland? I wonder if it gets confusing at Christmastime.”
Fitz glanced down at him. “Good question. However, I was referring to your recent escapades.” Over the last few days, Leo had been very cagey. It wasn’t like him.
Leo might get lost in his head quite often, but he was never secretive. He’d even disappeared last night and hadn’t replied to their texts or answered their calls. After realizing no one in their family had heard from him for hours, they went out in search of him, only to find he’d been sound asleep at the cabin the whole time.
“I can’t tell you.” Leo’s cheeks flushed. “I’m sorry. It’s a secret.”
Fitz paused. Since when did Leo keep secrets? “Does it have to do with King?”
“Yes.”
Interesting. Considering Leo’s interest in “Santa” or rather the town mayor who looked like Santa, Fitz guessed it had something to do with King’s Christmas present. Usually, Leo asked for help. Matters of the heart either came easy, depending on the logic, or didn’t.
Gift-giving was challenging for Leo because it was one of the few times he was conflicted. His head wanted to gift something practical, while his heart wanted something special that would make the other person happy.
“Well, just ask for help if you need it, okay?”
“Of course,” Leo replied, beaming brightly. “So Colton told Ace, who told Lucky, who told Mason, who told Red, who told Laz, who told Gio, who told Joker, who told me that Colton asked Jack if he ever thought of proposing.”
“What?” Fitz turned so quickly that he lost his balance on the ladder. He yelped and flailed his arms as he fell back, but instead of hitting the snow-covered cobblestone, he stared up at a bearded face. “Noel?”
“Careful, Fitz.” Noel placed Fitz on his feet and, with a sweet smile, handed Fitz his fallen hat and earmuffs. “Here.”
“Thank you.” Fitz fixed his hair, then secured the earmuffs and hat back on his head. “Is everything okay? I thought you were helping with the lights on the main street.”
“I am. I was picking up one of the boxes of lights that went astray. Would you, um….” He glanced at Merry, who stood there unmoving, eyes wide. Merry quickly turned and pretended to inspect the garland in his hands. This had to be one of the most challenging matches Fitz had ever faced. He followed Noel when he motioned to the side.
“Would you have dinner with me tonight?”
Surely, Fitz had heard wrong. “Noel, I’m sorry, I’m—”
Noel took hold of Fitz’s hands. “Please, it’s really important. I want to talk to you about something.”
Oh! Noel probably wanted to talk about a certain cute little blond who had a crush on him but seemed incapable of even making eye contact. Maybe between the two of them, they could devise a way to help ease Merry’s nerves around his handsome lumberjack.
“Um, yes. Okay.”
“Perfect. I’ll meet you at The Jolly Stag at six-thirty?”
“Sure.” Fitz watched Noel walk away. Well, that was certainly an interesting development. He turned and jumped with a start. Why was everyone trying to scare the daylights out of him today? He put a hand to his chest. “Merry, you scared me.”
“You’re having dinner with him?” Merry asked, his eyes filled with hurt.
“Yes, but we’re—”
“I need to go.” Merry spun around and took off before Fitz could utter another word.
“What just happened?” Fitz murmured, confused. Surely Merry didn’t think that Fitz was interested in Noel? Granted, he and Merry had only known each other a short time, and Merry didn’t know Fitz all that well, but still….
Leo frowned. “You accepted dinner with the man he has a crush on.” He turned to Fitz, puzzled. “Why?”
“I accepted because I’m fairly certain Noel wants to talk about Merry, and from the looks of it, I’m going to need all the help I can get.”
Home for the Howlidays #3
Chapter One
“I’m pretty sure Clara asked us to decorate the Ice Castle, not make it visible from space,” Sacha grumbled as he added another layer of icicle lights to the roof of the building.
Thankfully, the Ice Castle was only one story and didn’t require Sacha to get into the knuckle boom again. Seeing his boyfriend up that high made Gio nervous, even if Sacha had been more excited than concerned.
“Well, no one is going to miss it, that’s for sure,” Gio replied as he held Sacha’s ladder. He was ready to be done, and although Sacha had suggested he go inside numerous times, Gio wanted to help. With only Ace and Sacha putting up the lights outside and everyone else focused on the larger task of decorating the interior of the Ice Castle, the two needed a hand, so Gio stayed.
They’d gotten an early start, planning to get as much done as possible before guests filled the town and flocked to Mugs and Kisses, the town’s café. After hours of hanging lights, they were nearly done. As much as they enjoyed the snowy holiday, they weren’t used to the biting cold, which had forced them to take more breaks than expected.
It might not be snowing, and they were bundled up from head to toe, but several inches of snow had fallen during the night, and brief intervals of snow flurries fell throughout the morning. They had to finish before the sun set and the temperature dropped.
Decorating the Ice Castle was the final step in helping Winterhaven pull off another successful holiday season. When Colton surprised their family with a Christmas vacation, they’d had no idea a terrible snowstorm had swept through Winterhaven, wreaking havoc with the town’s shipments and causing damage to the main building where they held all the indoor festivities.
Thanks to Leo—who’d reminded them they had the resources to help—Mason and Lucky had repaired the damage to the Ice Castle roof while Jack restored the electricity. Colton had used his shipping connections to deliver everything the town needed in time to kick off the holiday celebrations. They’d all pitched in, helping the townspeople decorate the main street, town square, and market stalls. With the only thing missing being the guests, Gio stepped in to do his part.
“I can’t believe you booked an entire vacation lodge,” Ace said, fastening another row of lights to the roof. “That’s awesome, Gio.”
Gio saw it as helping. “They’re an amazing group of volunteers who are passionate about helping others. I’ve worked with them for years. They’re what keep our organizations going, so I wanted to do something nice for them.” When Fitz asked him if there was a way he would be able to help Winterhaven, he’d realized he could help the town and show his volunteers that they were appreciated.
“And that’s why you’re a keeper,” Ace said, winking at him.
“He is. Now, can we finish this?” Sacha asked. “I can’t feel my fingers anymore. And I’m wearing gloves.”
Ace opened his mouth, and Sacha narrowed his eyes, receiving a quick nod.
“Yep, we’re done.”
Sacha descended the ladder, jumping off when he reached the bottom, his boots sinking into the snow. He turned and smiled up at Gio, stealing his breath away. Sacha was a beautiful, complicated man with a sharp tongue and a wicked sense of humor who most would describe as “grumpy,” but that was because he felt deeply. He was soft, sweet, and had a big heart, even if he didn’t always know how to express what he felt. Gio cherished being on the other end of that gorgeous smile. Snuggling under the covers with Sacha on a frosty winter morning quickly became Gio’s favorite thing.
“Well, hello.” Gio pulled Sacha into his arms and kissed him, the warmth of his mouth a stark contrast to their chilled skin.
Sacha hummed before pulling back. He bit his bottom lip, his eyes on Gio’s mouth. “We, uh, should go inside before our tongues freeze together.”
Gio couldn’t argue with that. Sacha grabbed the ladder, and they headed inside the Ice Castle, the warmth from the heating so lovely. The place looked fantastic. So different from when they’d first stepped foot inside. It had been dark and cold, and an absolute mess. Now it looked like a storybook palace that belonged in a snowy European village, with its white walls, blue and gold accents, and sparkling chandelier lighting.
The Ice Castle had been cleaned and decorated beautifully with lush frosted garland and delicate blue and white baubles. There were several rooms, with the largest being the main ballroom. Each room would host a different festive event until New Year’s Day, from baking contests and cookie and ornament decorating to card making and, on Christmas Day, meeting Santa and his reindeer.
With the boisterous laughter and noise coming from the main ballroom, it was easy to find the rest of their family. Together with the town’s residents, they were almost done decorating most of the Ice Castle’s interior, except for the main ballroom and one of the smaller ballrooms, which Clara had informed them was closed for an upcoming private event.
As soon as they stepped foot inside the room, they were bombarded by wiggly furry butts, wagging tails, and happy dog smiles. Gio had released Cookie from his service dog duties, letting him go inside with Chip and Duchess. No matter how excited and happy the snow made the dogs, they weren’t used to the cold either.
Even so, Chip, Cookie, and Cocoa seemed to be loving every minute of it. Duchess enjoyed it until she’d had enough, then she searched for the nearest warm spot. Right now, she was curled up in a fluffy bed near Fitz, who sat next to Jack, running his fingers through Cocoa’s fur as the puppy dozed in his arms. With all the lights going up, Jack had started programming them for various events, so they flashed in time to the music or whatever was happening.
When Gio became part of this amazing, quirky family, he’d been worried for Jack and Fitz. Everyone at Four Kings Security worked hard, but Jack had taken his responsibilities to an unhealthy level, and it had started to hurt those who cared about him. Gio understood because he’d been the same before losing his heart to Sacha. Gio was relieved that, like he had, Jack finally realized what he’d been doing to himself and his relationship.
Gio shoved his hat and gloves into his coat pocket before taking it off and dropping it on the growing pile strewn across the enormous red velvet couch to the side of the room. After a few belly rubs, Cookie decided to go off and play with Chip, his fluffy tail wagging happily. They darted off to be with Leo, who sat cross-legged on the floor with his laptop. What was Leo up to? He’d been secretive since they’d arrived, and no one knew what was happening. Not even King knew, but since King wasn’t worried, neither were the rest of them. They’d find out eventually.
Ace stopped next to Gio, his hands planted on his hips.
“It’s a thing of beauty, isn’t it?”
Gio nodded. “The ballroom is starting to come together.”
The vast ballroom had a giant Christmas tree with twinkling white lights positioned between the white and gold veined marble pillars lining the left and right sides of the room. The red velvet curtain along the back wall matched the curtains on the arched windows that lined both sides of the room. The marble floor gleamed, and the colossal gold chandelier above their heads twinkled like a starry night. It was beautiful.
“No, I meant all the glorious Christmas sweaters,” Ace said, sweeping his arm out toward their family and the unique attire on display. All of which had been, of course, Ace’s idea.
The previous Christmas, Ace came up with a different version of Secret Santa that only involved Christmas sweaters. The rule was that they would all pick a day to exchange gifts, and everyone would have to wear their sweater the whole day. Coincidently, King had gotten Ace as his Secret Santa two years in a row.
“Again, I’m going to say I didn’t agree to this,” King grumbled as he walked by carrying a box of decorations, his scowl telling everyone who his Secret Santa was. Actually, his Christmas sweater sporting the giant head of Nicolas Cage wearing a Santa hat made it clear who was behind the gift. Ace laughed and hurried after King, undoubtedly to bestow more Nicholas Cage impressions upon his disgruntled brother.
Gio leaned into Sacha. “Why do I get the feeling Ace is somehow skewing the odds in his favor?”
“Oh, you know Ace cheats his ass off,” Sacha replied. He dropped his gaze to his own Christmas sweater. “I think I lucked out with Keanu Reeves Jesus.”
Gio chuckled. “Well, Keanu does seem like a pretty great guy.”
“I could have gotten Lucky’s pink candy cane flamingos. Though he looks like he’s embraced it. You never know with him.”
Lucky didn’t seem bothered by his festive flamingos as he handed Mason another section of garland for the pillar they were decorating. The two were often off on their own, and it was sweet. Gio had seen them tucked away, kissing on more than one occasion. Anyone who saw the way they looked at each other could immediately see how in love they were. Gio hadn’t been around when the two had gotten together, but Sacha said it had been explosive.
“Colton was obviously Ace’s Secret Santa,” Sacha said with a snicker. “Who else would get Ace an ‘It’s not Christmas until Hans Gruber falls from Nakatomi Plaza’ Christmas sweater?”
Gio wasn’t sure who drew his name, but he was pretty pleased with his Elf “Son of a Nutcracker” sweater.
“Leo got the coolest one,” Sacha added, nodding toward Leo. “That Spidey Christmas sweater is pretty badass.”
“Agreed.”
Last year, the week before Christmas, they all got together to exchange their Secret Santa gifts. So, this morning after breakfast, they’d gathered in the cabin’s living room where Leo and Fitz had handed out the wrapped sweaters.
For all of the griping and groaning, everyone had fun unwrapping their gifts. Well, maybe fun was too strong a word where King was concerned, but the rest of them had had a good laugh.
They joined Colton in the middle of the room where he stood with a tablet. King was usually the one who gave the orders where his brothers-in-arms were concerned, but when it came to wrangling everyone, including the Boyfriends, King handed the reins to Colton and stepped away, far far away. As the CEO of a worldwide shipping company, no one was better at wrangling cats than Colton.
“The lights outside are done,” Sacha told Colton. “We’re at Griswold level out there, thanks to your husband.”
Colton chuckled. “I’m sure if you’d let him, he’d have found a way to add more, so thanks for reigning him in.”
“My pleasure. So, what’s next?”
“Mason and Lucky are working on adding garland to those pillars,” he said, pointing behind him. “Can you and Gio start on the ones on the other side? Each pillar has a box next to it with everything you’ll need. The garland is pre-lit.”
“Awesome.” Sacha headed for the pillar, and Gio followed. Festive holiday music filled the ballroom, the scents of Christmas in the air. Gio couldn’t help but grab Sacha’s hand and pull him behind the large pillar.
“You know everyone can still see us,” Sacha said, one thick brow arched, but his big blue-gray eyes sparkled with mischief. Oh, how Gio loved this side of him.
“I know.” It didn’t stop Gio from pulling Sacha into his arms and kissing him deeply and thoroughly. He loved how Sacha’s more petite frame fit against him and how he gave himself over completely. Trust was something Sacha didn’t give freely. Knowing he had Sacha’s trust and his heart was everything to Gio.
Sacha hummed and melted against Gio, the same as he always did. “You’re evil.” He sounded breathless, his gaze on Gio’s mouth.
“Me?”
“Yep. Because all I want to do is climb you like a tree, and instead, I have to climb that.” He motioned to the pillar behind them.
Gio chuckled. He brushed his lips over Sacha’s and slid his hands down to Sacha’s ass, squeezing it. “More to look forward to later then.” It had been almost two years since they’d started dating, and sometimes Gio still couldn’t believe Sacha was his. After everything they’d been through….
For years, Gio had been curious about Sacha, enthralled by his sexy voice. While Gio was abroad, he’d call his brother, Laz, and ask to be placed on speaker when he knew Sacha was there. He’d flirted and pushed Sacha’s buttons, knowing there had to be a reason for the man’s explosive reactions. Each phone call seemed to build on whatever was happening between them until Gio’s return ignited the powder keg of attraction they had for each other.
“Like I said. Evil.” Sacha kissed him, a quick but passionate kiss, before playfully shoving him away, making Gio laugh. He helped Sacha set up the ladder, and then searched for the end of the long, thick garland. Thankfully, the pillar was already equipped to hold each end of the garland that would be wrapped around it.
Sacha climbed up, and Gio handed him the looped metal end. He held the ladder while Sacha tried to secure it. “Damn it. It looks like the hook got bent while in storage. Can you find me a pair of pliers?”
Gio scanned the area and spotted a toolbox on the table across the room. “Sure. Hang on. I’ll be right back.” He walked to the table and opened the toolbox. There was a pair of pliers right on top. Perfect. Maybe when they got back to the cabin, they could take a nice warm shower together, he could get Sacha on his knees and—
“What the hell is this caught on?”
Gio turned around to see Ace tugging on an extension cord. What on earth was his friend doing? With a frown, Gio ran his gaze along the cord, following it the length of the floor, where it disappeared behind one of the Christmas trees between a set of pillars. It poked out the other side and continued to…. He gasped.
“Ace, stop!”
His warning came too late.
Ace jerked the extension cord with all his strength, and before Gio could get to the other side of the room, the ladder the cord had been wrapped around toppled to the floor, crashing down with Sacha tangled in it.
Rebel Without a Claus #4
Chapter One
Why was life filled with so many difficult decisions? What if he made the wrong choice and immediately regretted it? It would be too late to undo what he’d done. He could never go back and make the right choice. Was there a right choice?
When Red had told him he had a surprise waiting for him at Colton and Ace’s house, Leo never expected this. So much hung in the balance!
King wrapped his arms around Leo and rested his head on Leo’s shoulders. “Sweetheart, do you need help?”
Leo frowned. “I’m at an impasse, King. I’ve weighed the pros and cons, and can’t guarantee I won’t regret the decision I make, and then what? I know it’s not as if the fabric of the universe itself will unravel should I choose poorly, but I’ll have regrets, King. Serious regrets that could haunt me for the rest of time!”
The rumbling of King’s laugh against his back told Leo that perhaps he was overthinking.
“Yeah, okay. Do I want to eat the Goldfish cracker-shaped Christmas cookie with the Santa hat and scarf? Or the one with the red nose and reindeer antlers?”
“Well, the Santa one is cute,” King said. “But you chuckle every time you see the reindeer one, so maybe eat the Santa one and save the reindeer one for later?”
Leo turned his head and kissed King’s cheek. “That’s a logical decision. Thanks.”
“My pleasure.” King stood and kissed Leo’s cheek, then eyed him. “How many of those have you had?”
Leo slipped the reindeer cookie into his cardigan’s front breast pocket. He blinked at King as he took a bite of the other cookie. “Um….”
“Leo.” King arched an eyebrow at him.
Uh oh. The eyebrow was up. It was a very sexy eyebrow, but when it was up, King meant business. Still.... Leo glanced at the cookie plate on the counter filled with Goldfish cracker-shaped Christmas sugar cookies. “But King, Red baked these just for me, and then Laz painstakingly decorated each one, just for me. I can’t let their hard work go to waste. Think of the children!”
“What?”
“Oh, the humanity!” Leo gasped and pointed behind King. “Is that Ace rappelling down the side of the house?”
“What?” King turned, and Leo swiped a couple more cookies before darting off. “Hey!”
Dang! He should have known he wouldn’t make it far. He’d just made it to the hall when King grabbed him around the waist and lifted him off his feet. Leo flailed. Why did his boyfriend have to be so big and strong? Mm, big and strong. No! Focus! Cookies are at stake!
“But it’s Christmas,” Leo said. “It’s a time when you get to eat all the things, and there are no consequences! It’s science!”
King put Leo on his feet, turning him so he could slip his arms around Leo. He nodded, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief. “Oh, really? Science, huh? And what did science do the last time you had too much sugar?”
Double dang. “Betrayed by science,” Leo grumbled, his eyes narrowed. He huffed. “I might have gotten a little hyperactive. Only a tiny bit, barely noticeable.”
“Hm. Barely noticeable. I’m pretty sure when you ran through the park with your shirt off screaming, ‘Murderous snails! Run for your life!’ people noticed.”
Not his proudest moment. “But was I wrong? Freshwater snails have caused more deaths than sharks, lions, and bears combined, King. Two hundred thousand a year!” He narrowed his eyes. “They’re silent, tiny killers.” A terrifying thought occurred to him. “What if the government decides to weaponize them?”
King held out his hand. “The cookies.”
“Eight.”
King barked out a laugh. “No way. Four.”
“Six,” Leo countered.
“Four.”
“Five and a tail?”
“Four.”
“I don’t think you understand how negotiation works,” Leo grumbled, handing over the extra cookies. “Fine. But I was doing those families a favor. Not my fault some of them couldn’t handle the truth.”
“You mean the children?” King’s smile was wicked. “Oh, the humanity.”
Leo gasped, and King laughed on his way back to the kitchen to return the fishy cookies to whence they came. And that’s why he was going to marry that man. He had no idea when or how, but he’d figure it out.
The rest of the guys arrived, and Leo smiled when Fitz hurried over to hug him. Fitz gave the best hugs. After King, anyway. Once he’d hugged Fitz, he gave Duchess lots of pets and ear scratches. When she decided she’d had an appropriate amount of pets, she trotted off to greet everyone else.
“Where are they?” Jack asked, sitting on the couch and pulling his laptop out of his backpack.
“Joker and Gio are in the garage with Ace, Colton, and the dogs,” Leo replied, leaning over the back of the couch. “I don’t think Ace’s logic is sound.”
Lucky snorted as he walked to the kitchen. “This is Ace we’re talking about. Logic happens very rarely.”
“Who else would cancel the team of professional decorators and decide to decorate his mansion himself?” Fitz asked, as he settled on the couch next to Jack. He drew up his legs, and Duchess bounded over. She hopped up and snuggled against Fitz.
The sliding door opened, and Gio stepped inside with Cookie. He closed the door behind them and greeted everyone before taking a seat on the couch opposite Jack and Fitz.
King sat next to Gio and gave him a knowing look. “How’s the decorating going?”
Gio huffed out a laugh. “I’m not sure how Ace and Sacha manage to turn something like untangling Christmas lights into a competitive sport, but there you go.”
“Sounds about right,” Jack muttered.
Red and Laz sang along to Christmas songs in the kitchen while Lucky told Mason about the evils of tinsel. A short time later, Ace, Colton, and Joker came inside.
Chip saw Leo and lost his furry mind. He ran straight for Leo, and Leo scratched him all over before starting their game of tag. Joker joined in, and then Cookie and Duchess. Good thing there was plenty of room! Leo had just tagged Chip when Ace called out across the room.
“Everyone shut your pie holes!”
Well, that was certainly one way to get everyone’s attention. Leo snickered and walked back to the couch, standing to one side, and leaning against it.
Colton sighed. “Not what I had in mind, love, but thank you. I wanted to let you all know how thankful I am to have you in my life. You’ve been more of a family to me than my own blood, but you already knew that. I love you all so much.”
Aw, that gave Leo warm and fuzzy feelings all over.
“We love you too, Colt,” Fitz called out.
Leo nodded his agreement.
“Okay, so I’ve been thinking about having a white Christmas for the longest time.”
Wouldn’t that be something? Leo had never had a white Christmas. Had he? Not that he could remember. Did frost on the lawn count as snow? Probably not. Pay attention. Right. Colton was talking.
“Something Ace said gave me an idea. I thought having a special holiday season might be nice for our new family. With that in mind, I have a surprise for everyone.” Colton tapped at his phone, and everyone’s phone pinged. “Check your emails.”
Leo took his phone out of his pocket and checked his email. He tapped on what looked like a reservation confirmation for a luxury family cabin in…Winterhaven? Where was that?
“What’s Winterhaven?” Lucky asked.
Leo pulled up his browser and did a quick search. Loads of information popped up on the picturesque mountain town. So many photos. That was a lot of nature. Leo wasn’t very outdoorsy. Mostly because he questioned his survival skills. Unlike King, who could probably build a raft out of twigs and dental floss.
“We’re going to have a white Christmas!” Colton said excitedly.
Then again, the cabin looked fancy. And huge! He went back to his search, and all kinds of information came up about the town’s yearly festivities, the biggest and best being their Christmas holiday season. Clicking on one of the websites, he smiled. It was so pretty! So many lights and decorations and all that snow. The market square looked amazing.
King frowned. “This schedule says from tomorrow until the end of December. Colton, we can’t take that much time off.”
While King and Ace discussed whether they could take the time off, Leo did some quick research on Winterhaven. Leo wasn’t great at coming up with gift ideas, and usually, he turned to the guys to help him. But this year was different. He wanted to give King something really special.
In a few weeks, it would be five years since they started dating. Maybe Leo could find what he was looking for in Winterhaven? He clicked on a link about the town’s mayor.
Leo gasped. “Santa’s there.” He lifted his gaze to King. “I want to go.”
Everyone looked to King, who smiled warmly. “Sweetheart, he’s not—”
“Actually, Santa,” Leo said. “I know that. He’s the mayor. But he looks like Santa, and according to my online search results, Winterhaven is the perfect small-townChristmas destination. It’s famous for its holiday festivities.” If anyone could help him come up with the perfect Christmas gift for King, it was Santa! Or, at the very least, the mayor of a town known for its Christmas celebrations.
Joker snorted. “Damn. The mayor does look like Santa. That’s an impressive beard.”
“So beautiful,” Laz said.
Leo continued to click around several websites. The more he saw of the town, the more excited he got. This was perfect!
“What do you guys say?”
At Ace’s words, Leo lifted his gaze. The guys had never been away from the office for any length of time. Not all of them at once, anyway. But it wasn’t like they didn’t have anyone who could run the place.
“How about it, big guy?” Ace asked King. “Ready for the perfect Christmas?”
King looked at Leo, who smiled brightly.
Please, please, please, Ward!
As if reading his thoughts, King let out a sigh and smiled. “You’re right. We have a great team. They’ll be okay without us for a few weeks.”
Leo cheered and ran to King, throwing his arms around him and kissing him. With a chuckle, King returned his kiss.
“You’re really excited about this, huh?” King asked.
Leo nodded fervently. “This is going to be awesome.”
As soon as he was able, he’d find Santa and figure out the perfect Christmas present for King, something that showed him a glimpse of how much Leo loved him. Time to launch Operation King’s Christmas! All he had to do now was get packed for an extended Christmas vacation, and tomorrow, they’d be on their way to Winterhaven! Easy peasy.
At least that’s what he thought before boarding the jet, and Colton told them how long the flight was. Almost four hours? What was he supposed to do on a flight that long? He’d been so focused on everything else that he hadn’t given any thought to the flight itself.
Ace was, of course, being Ace, and Joker was threatening Ace for being Ace. Maybe if Leo kept his mind occupied…. Hmm.
Fitz’s faux fur coat reminded Leo of Chewbacca. That thought promptly led him to thoughts of Star Wars, which led him to thoughts of TheMandalorian, which led to Pedro Pascal—who Leo had a little crush on—which led to that weird Nicholas Cage movie he’d watched with Ace, which led to—
“Sweetheart?”
Leo blinked at King. “Yeah?”
“We’re here.”
“Huh?” Leo noticed everyone getting up and putting on their coats. Wait, what? “How…?”
“You were kinda lost in your head, but since you were smiling, I figured you’d jumped on one of your thought trains.”
“Thought train” was the term Leo had come up with to best describe what happened to him when he got lost in his thoughts. It was like hopping on a train and moving from one train car to the next to the next until someone or something snapped him out of it.
King stood and helped Leo get into his puffy coat. It was weird wearing a scarf, hat, and mittens. The most he got to wear in the winter back home was a sweater and a light jacket. Outside, an Airbus helicopter waited for them. The helicopter ride to Winterhaven was thankfully much quicker.
As soon as they landed and the blades stopped, the doors opened. Chip shot out, plopping into the snow, which made Leo laugh. He got out as the dogs lost their furry minds, bouncing, hopping, jumping, rolling around, and chomping at the falling snow. They were too darn cute.
They stood in front of the cabin, and Leo gasped. Holy cow, it was huge! And so beautiful. He turned to King, his smile wide. “It looks like it’s from a Christmas movie.”
King wrapped his arms around Leo and kissed the top of his head. “It does.”
Colton thought it would be a good idea to check out the town before they got settled for the night, and Leo wondered if they’d bump into Santa. He’d have to figure out a way to talk to him without King. Hmm, probably without the others as well. If he was going to surprise King, no one else could know what he was up to. He loved his family, but they kinda sucked at keeping secrets.
After a short car ride and a weird discussion about jaw-breaking candy, they reached the town and parked. Leo got out, and he couldn’t help his huge smile. It was so cold, but he didn’t care. This place was amazing! Like one of those little European villages from one of his fantasy movies.
All down the main street, the shops were decorated, though Leo noticed it looked different from the photos of previous years. It was pretty, but…there were decorations missing. Also, the stalls lining the street weren’t supposed to be there, they were supposed to be in the market square. Maybe he’d ask Santa about it.
Jack gasped. “Holy Hallmark movies, Batman.”
That’s what it reminded Leo of. Those small-town Christmas movies that Colton loved. He made Ace watch them with him every year. Leo didn’t mind them, though he often ended up with lots of unanswered questions.
“Oh my Chanel, look at those sweaters!” Fitz squealed. “I need them!”
Leo was about to follow Fitz when something sparkly caught his eye in the stall across from the sweaters. He gasped. “That stall has a Goldfish cracker ornament!” It had a little Santa hat on it! He ran to the stall and stared at it in awe. It was the most amazing ornament he’d ever seen in his life!
Very carefully, he removed the ornament from the display hook and held it in his mittened hands. “You’re coming home with me, little buddy. Look at you and your little smiley fishy face.”
“I have to admit, that’s pretty cute,” King said. “What are the odds?”
“Right? It’s like Winterhaven knew I would be here.” Leo handed the ornament over to the lovely lady, thankful it had a secure, foam-padded box to protect it from breaking. He’d just taken the little gift bag from her and thanked her when he heard Colton.
Something was wrong.
Everyone seemed to sense the same thing and joined Colton, Ace, and Gio at the hot cocoa stand.
“Oh no,” Colton said. “The Ice Castle is closed?”
What? That’s where Santa and his reindeer would be. Leo lifted his gaze to Colton. “No Santa?” But…he had to find Santa. He needed help with Operation King’s Christmas.
Fitz wrapped his arm around Leo’s shoulder, his expression troubled. The other woman told Colton to find Clara at the Ice Castle, so they headed in that direction. When they arrived, it looked…dark. The doors weren’t locked, so they all went in and almost immediately found the hospitality manager, Clara. She looked just like her online photo.
After introductions, Clara explained what had happened, how a terrible snowstorm had blown through, damaging the Ice Castle’s roof and electrical panel. If that wasn’t bad enough, the vendors had canceled the town’s deliveries.
“Poor Santa.” Leo shook his head. “I mean, the mayor, obviously, but this sounds bad.” He cocked his head to one side. There had to be something they could do. Wait! He jumped, and everyone else did the same. Oops.
“Every time,” Joker grumbled. “Why do you have to scare the life out of us every time you get a bright idea?”
“Sorry. It’s just my brain and body coming to the same conclusion.” Leo turned to King. “We need to help Santa.”
King blinked at him. “Help Santa?”
“The mayor. And the town,” Leo replied. “We’re kind of the best people equipped for the job. Jack can work on the electrical issues, and Lucky and Mason on the roof.”
“I can’t fix it without new panels,” Jack said. “Something that specialized will take longer to ship than we have time for.”
“Not to mention the town’s entire Christmas shipment is non-existent,” Fitz added.
Leo blinked at them, then turned to Colton. “You own a shipping company. It’s more of a shipping empire,” he corrected. “I mean, if anyone can get the town what they need in no time, it’s you. Right?”
Clara shook her head. “As much as I appreciate the thought, our town simply doesn’t have the connections or the funds to take on a shipment of that magnitude.”
But Colton does.
With Ace’s encouragement, Colton offered to help under the guise of giving his family the perfect Christmas. Though Leo was certain a part of that was true, Colton also loved to help people. Clara seemed uncertain, which was understandable. They were a bunch of strangers offering to spend loads of money and time helping a town they’d only just arrived in.
Clara looked at Leo, who smiled brightly, and her face softened.
“I would love to help you give your family the perfect Christmas.” She turned back to face Colton. “If it isn’t too much, I would love the help. I’m sure the mayor will be thrilled as well.”
“Wonderful! My family and I will return to our cabin, and as soon as we receive all the information, we’ll get started on a plan.”
“It all sounds too good to be true,” Clara said before throwing her arms around Colton and squeezing him tight.
They said their goodbyes and headed out. The guys discussed the magnitude of the project ahead, but Leo didn’t doubt his family could do it. He would do his part as well, and at the same time, find Santa and the perfect gift for his amazing fiancé.
Time to activate stealth mode. Operation King’s Christmas was back on!
Saturday Series Spotlight: Four Kings Security
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Charlie Cochet is the international bestselling author of the THIRDS series. Born in Cuba and raised in the US, Charlie enjoys the best of both worlds, from her daily Cuban latte to her passion for classic rock.
Currently residing in Central Florida, Charlie is at the beck and call of a rascally Doxiepoo bent on world domination. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found devouring a book, releasing her creativity through art, or binge watching a new TV series. She runs on coffee, thrives on music, and loves to hear from readers.
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EMAIL: charlie@charliecochet.com
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