The Christmas Deal

Then he’d gone and ruined it all by kissing Logan. Logan had been kind not to shove him away. Kinder than Seth deserved after breaching their agreement. Logan had said no kissing, and Seth had to remember that none of this was real.

The whole idea had been to engage in casual sex to get him over his hang-ups. Not to saddle Logan with his family issues and have a sort of breakdown. Seth should have been ashamed of how he’d unloaded all of it on Logan and then begged for sex.

Yet when he remembered the hot growl of Logan’s voice in his ear, it thrilled him.

“Baby, you take my dick like you were born for it.”

“It’s coming up on the right,” Logan said in the here and now.

“Okay!” Seth replied far too loudly, his voice pitched up and cheeks feverish. He made the turn onto the curving drive to Rencliffe, the bare trees standing sentinel, fresh snow clinging to their branches, the sun peeking out from clouds.

The drive had been plowed and salted, and when they reached the gothic buildings, the closest lot was full of vehicles and parents picking up their sons.

Seth parked and climbed out of his SUV, walking in silence next to Logan, their boots crunching in the snow. Seth stopped short. “Oh, wait. Would you rather I stayed in the car?”

“Nah. Connor will probably be nicer if you’re here.” Logan’s hands were in the pockets of his leather jacket as they walked on, and Seth thought he should really be wearing a hat.

Before he could stop himself, he asked, “You brought winter gear, right?” I sound like a nag. “Just don’t want you to be cold this weekend,” he added lamely.

“Yep,” Logan said. He lifted his chin. “There he is.”

Connor waited under a vast stone arch, his arms crossed and shoulders hunched. He wore a bright red ski jacket that was too short in the sleeves with a striped scarf that looked handmade. A stuffed duffel bag sat by his boots. As Seth waved, a pretty woman appeared, saying something to Connor.

She called, “Good afternoon, Mr. Derwood! Happy holidays.”

“Hey,” Logan replied. “Thanks. Um, you too, Ms. Patel.”

She smiled at Seth, clearly waiting for an introduction. There was an awkward silence for several moments until she said, “Hello, Mr…?”

“Oh! This is my—” Logan cut off, floundering. “Seth.”

“Seth Marston.” Seth stuck out his hand. “I’m a friend of Logan’s.”

“Mira Patel.” Her hand was soft, but the grip strong. To Logan she said, “Could we have a quick word?”

Logan gave Connor a sharp glance, frowning, then nodded and followed her inside the school. Seth smiled at Connor. “You must be glad school’s finished.” Then he remembered Connor had been threatened with expulsion. “For the holidays, I mean. I’m sure your exams went very well.”

Connor shrugged, his arms still crossed. He needed a hat too, his ears red from the cold. Seth adjusted his own beanie, wondering if it would be weird to offer it.

“Did everything go well?” Seth asked tentatively. Please don’t let this boy be expelled. Seth could imagine how devastating it would be. And what on earth would Logan do? Seth had promised he and Connor could stay until the new year but had been too swept up in—well, in Logan and the amendment to their deal—to really think about what exactly Logan would do come January. Or even how he and Logan and Connor would spend Christmas.

He felt queasy at the uncertainty of it all and prayed Angela would come through with some kind of job connection. And in the meantime, he had to focus on getting through the weekend retreat.

Connor rolled his eyes. “Yeah. I got an A on every exam.”

“That’s wonderful! Congratulations. Logan will be so proud. I’m proud too, although I know I just met you.”

The surly veneer cracked a bit, and Connor smiled slightly. “Thanks.”

“We’ll have to celebrate this weekend in Lake Placid. What’s your favorite treat?”

“Dunno.”

“Well, we’ll think of something. Thank you again for agreeing to this. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.”

“Sure.” Connor shrugged, but gave Seth a bigger smile.

So perhaps he liked feeling useful. Who didn’t? Seth vowed to find ways to encourage it. As Logan returned, Seth exclaimed, “Connor tells me he aced his exams!”

Logan grinned—a real smile that lit up his worn face. “I know. He can come back in the new year. Good job.” He clapped a hand on Connor’s shoulder and said exactly what Seth was silently urging him to. “I’m real proud.”

“I told you I could do it,” Connor said, but without heat.

“You did,” Logan agreed.

It was possibly the friendliest exchange between them that Seth had witnessed. He hoped it boded well for the weekend. “We’d better get going. The bus leaves the office at two.”

Angela had allowed everyone attending the retreat—which was nearly all staff except those who had unchangeable travel plans—to leave work at noon to collect their families and luggage. As they drove into Albany, Seth peppered Connor with questions about his schoolwork, and Connor seemed willing enough to answer, warming up to the topic of computer science.