Full Disclosure (Nice Guys 2)

“Is it still snowing?” Cody drew the covers up and over his head. Mitch tempted him, but not as much as the comfort of the down mattress.

“Yes, just special for you.” Mitch tugged the blankets down, exposing Cody’s face. He snaked a hand out from under the covers and ran his palm across Mitch’s thigh. “Come lay down with me and keep me warm.”

“You’re a tease. You won’t sleep with me because my family and the Montgomery-Michaels duo are right down the hall, which sucks for me, so get your ass out of bed.” Mitch yanked the covers back down and the blanket ripped completely off his body. When the cool air hit his warm skin, Cody’s eyes popped opened. Shit! Mitch wasn’t going to give up, so he might as well get moving.

“It’s Christmas Eve. You could be nicer,” Cody complained, sitting on the side of the bed, rolling the stiffness from his shoulder. He felt more than heard the quick kiss Mitch placed on the top of his head.

“I love you. Shower and come downstairs. Mom’s got breakfast cooked.” Cody looked up, yawned again, and that earned him a kiss on the lips even with his morning breath.

“I’ll be down in fifteen,” Cody mumbled, rising and doing a full body stretch, his sweatpants dipping low. He laughed when he heard Mitch’s grumble as he slammed the door behind him.

~~~

Mitch sat at the end of the sofa, his arm stretched across the back, hugging Cody’s shoulders. He kept him right there pressed against him. A raging snowstorm churned outside the windows. The curtains were pushed wide, giving them a front row view of the winter wonderland surrounding them. His mother made sure all the drapes in the house were open, so Cody could get his first taste of what a white Christmas truly meant. This year Mother Nature really put on a show.

All of his older brothers and sisters, with their children, were there visiting. Everyone had grown so much. His oldest brother, Matt, had become an old man since he’d seen him last, but he supposed that was what happened when you were nearing fifty. Matt’s oldest child was close to graduating high school. Mitch had actually kept her at about twelve years old for the last five years, and he was shocked to find out how much she’d actually grown. She looked very much like a young woman. That was just too weird for him.

Currently the family sat gathered around the brightly lit Christmas tree in the living room, passing out presents to all the grandkids that wouldn’t be able to stay for Christmas day.

“I told you they were loud,” he leaned his head, whispering into Cody’s ear.

“You’ve experienced more than enough of the Turner hospitality. You know this ain’t got nothing on them.” Cody looked over at Mitch, grinning from ear to ear. “How’s the tattoo?”

“Hurts like hell. Why’d you let me do that?” he asked, smiling back at Cody who bumped him in the shoulder.

“Ah, young love.” Mitch cut his eyes up as Colt came to stand behind them.

“Leave them alone,” Jace said as he took a seat on the floor in front of Mitch and Cody.

“No, he can keep going this time. I am young,” Mitch teased, nodding firmly. “It’s why I love coming home. I’m the baby.”

“You have a niece almost your boyfriend’s age,” Colt snickered, and that earned a frown from Jace. Mitch laughed and pointed down to Jace.

“You’re in trouble for messing with me so much. You better sit down before he makes you leave the room.”

“Hey, Dr. Knox, did you know that Mitch got a new tattoo a couple of days ago?” Colt hollered.

“He did?” That earned a solid scowl from his father when he glanced over at him. Mitch cocked his head back to Colt.

“Really? This is how you wanna play?”

“I wanna see!” Pretty much every one of his nieces’ and nephews’ voices rang in complete unison. His family was a straight-laced crew. He was the only one with body art. Mitch untangled himself from Cody who just grinned at him, and he leaned down to kiss those perfect lips as he rose.

He tugged his shirt up, letting the crew admire the artwork on his chest.

“I think that cross is cool,” his sister Lori said, the only adult to really come and examine him. “Is this one new? For those I love I will sacrifice. That’s so cool. Did it hurt?”

“Like a bitc…crazy.” He caught himself before he said the bad word out loud. That would be two strikes according to the look on his dad’s face.

“Have you seen enough?” He glanced down at the littlest nephew who must have been around three and half years old. The little guy’s big brown eyes bore a striking resemblance to his own, and when he smiled, he had the biggest dimples. This was the one everyone said reminded them of Mitch.

“I want that,” he said, pointing to Mitch’s chest. He bent at the knee and lowered to the floor to let the little one examine his chest all he wanted.

“Cody, how you feeling, son?” Dr. Knox asked, changing the subject.

“I’m good, sir,” Cody answered.

“Such good manners,” Mitch’s mom cooed, making Mitch smile at her comment.

“Mini-Mitch, come sit by Pop-Pop before Mitch gets in trouble for showing you all that,” Matt called out. That was the one part of him that his dad didn’t like. His father wasn’t a tattoo guy. He never really said anything to Mitch about the tattoos. He just gave a look that let Mitch know he didn’t agree.

“Hey, Dad, did you get enough sausage this morning? I saw Colt in there hoarding some in his pockets,” Mitch remarked, standing after his nephew got bored with looking at the ink on his chest.

“What?” Jace gasped as he looked back at Colt.

“Yeah, Mom made some for you, Jace, and Colt ate your sausage, too,” Mitch quipped, stepping over the wrapping paper littering the path back to Cody.

“Man! That’s getting old. Jace, I did not eat any more than my share that was cooked for me. He’s messing with you. He’s still peeved because our wedding photo replaced his baby picture in the hall. Don’t listen to his lies,” Colt exclaimed, coming around the couch and taking a seat next to Jace. Mitch looked around and all eyes were on the couple now sitting on the floor.