Brought Home - 1. Brought Home

I coughed, the rasping bark breaking the quiet as I fought the spasm. On a dead street, in the tiny town I’d recently drifted into, everyone was at home enjoying the holiday with family. Except me.

“Hey!” A hand grasped my shoulder, stopping me. “Hold on a second.”

I stopped, too tired to argue when he turned me, never letting go. “What?” All I wanted to do was sleep.

“You don’t sound too good. Maybe you should come inside?”

Blinking, I studied the man staring at me. He was older, his hair gray with bushy eyebrows shadowing his dark blue eyes. He looked at me funny. “I’m not homeless,” I blurted out.

He chuckled. “Okay.”

“No, really. I’ve an apartment four blocks over. I just was cold and I have to walk to work.” Okay, the second jacket I had on was ragged, but it was one Mack had left when he back home for the holidays. He’d taken his good one. I’d been traveling light before I found my way to my one college friend so I’d borrowed it. I was too tired to argue with this guy though. “I swear, you can che—”

I started coughing. Fighting to breathe, I couldn’t stop the man from pulling me back to the holly building. He pushed me down onto a couch. My whole body ached but the cushions cradled my body. I tried to sigh and started coughing again.

“Stay right there.” He picked up an earthernware mug and filled it with yellow liquid from a teapot. I wrinkled up my nose. Tea was not exactly, well … my cup of tea.

The man chuckled. “Just try it.”

The first sip wasn’t too bad; the heat soothed my throat. I groaned as warmth began to soak into my body. I took in the shop around me. Mack would love it. It was full of antiques-many of them Celtic. Blinking began to take more effort. I didn’t want to move but I needed to get home to my cold, quiet apartment.

Where I would be alone, at Christmas, while sick. Happy Holidays to me.

My voice was raspy when I said, “Thanks for the tea, but I need—” A yawn took over before I could tell the guy I needed to go home. I couldn’t seem to stop drinking the tea.

“I know what you need. First you must rest.”

I couldn’t stay with a stranger. “I don’t even know your name.”

“Call me Dag. This is my shop.”

“Thanks, Dag, but I’m—” The cup slipped in my hand and Dag caught it before it broke.

He chuckled and set it aside, guiding me down. The pillow felt like a cloud under my head and my exhausted body was too heavy to move. I should’ve been worried but I wasn’t.

“You can sleep safe here, friend. The holly will have you better before you know it.” Dag tucked a blanket around my shoulders. I yawned.

He mumbled, “Now for the other.”

**

“You’re a wee fool, aren’t you?” The accented voice woke me. Cracking open my eyes, I looked up. Mack was scowling down at me.

“How did you get here?” I croaked. Mack held out a glass of water. “How did I get here?”

I was in the bed in Mack's apartment. I tried to figure out how I’d gotten home. Had I imagined the store?

“A weird guy named Dag called, said he’d rescued you walking down the street with a fever. He helped me bring you home. I told you to use my car while I was gone. Instead the only thing you borrow is my ratty old jacket.”

I’d never admit I’d borrowed it more for the fact that it was his than warmth. Way too juvenile.

“You’re already giving me a place to live til I get my feet under me.” Having a place to call home this year meant I was better off than last year. I’d been nursing a bit of a flame for Mack for a few years but I was trying not to screw things up so I’d kept it to myself.

“Well you can’t stay here now.”

My heart sank. I’d screwed up again. No real family and I was bad at making friends. Mack was really the only person that I’d cared to keep tabs on. I threw back the blanket, meaning to leave before the tears burning in my eyes could fall.

“I’m naked.”

Mack snorted.

“Why’m I naked?”

“You were soaked when your fever broke.”

That was not how I’d wanted Mack to strip me. He’d already seen me so I threw modesty to the wind and stood up.

Tried to, at least. I would’ve crashed into the table if Mack hadn’t caught me.

“Where are you going?” he snapped, pushing me down.

I needed some clothes and my shoes then I’d be out of Mack’s hair. “You said I couldn’t stay.”

“I said stay here. Mom said I was to bring you home. Now that you’re too weak to argue, you’re going.”

So Mack could take care of me?

“You know, you talked a lot in your fever.”

Nausea twisted my stomach. What had I said?

“I thought you weren’t interested in being more than friends,” Mack said. “Have you really been carrying a torch for me for five years?”

I shrugged and looked away.

Mack’s hands felt good on my face as he pushed my hair back. “I want you to come home with me for Christmas, as my boyfriend.” I was lost when I met his bright green eyes.

“Okay.”

Buying a gift for Mack hadn't been in my budget, plus I'd expected to spend the day alone. I'd been shocked when I pulled the Celtic knot bracelet out of my coat pocket. I know I hadn't taken it; I'd never gotten off the couch at Dag’s store. The note I felt crinkly in the pocket just said Happy Holiday with a stylized D.

What a strange man. I begged a gift bag from Maggie, Mack's mom. I loved the surprised grin on Mack's face when he opened it and instantly put it on.

"Thank you Jo," he whispered. I shuddered when his soft lips touched my ear.

I smiled weakly. "Thank you too." I rubbed my cheek on my blanket. "I love this, it's so soft and warm."

Mack's eyes burned into me. "I wanted to keep you from getting cold."

The arrival of Mack's mother let me look away. I cleared and started coughing. Maggie patted my back before handing me a cup of tea.

"Drink up, lad. You'll be right as rain in no time."

I’d no idea how to respond to mothering, so I took a long drink. She seemed satisfied with that, smoothing the blanket over my shoulder. "Dinner will be ready soon."

I yawned, being sick sucked. I finished my tea, grimacing at the sweet honey. Mack plucked my cup from my hand, then put my head in his lap. I was surprised but when his hand started sliding through my hair, I decided I didn't care. The headache from all the sinus pressure eased as I relaxed.

"Take a nap. We're gonna watch the game." Another surprise, Mack's dad came in and sat down in the chair without saying a word. Like my head in Mack's lap was nothing.

What a strange family … but I think I liked them almost as much as I did Mack.

**

It took five days before I didn’t feel like I had a hangover. Thankfully, I always recovered quickly and only had to use two sick days.

It was New Year's Eve and the tension between us was driving me crazy. Mack had rubbed my head and fed me soup and medicines til I was better.

We planned on going out to celebrate, toast a new year together. My black jeans fit like a glove and I paired them with a clean white t-shirt.

"Ready to party?" His black shirt made Mack’s pale skin glow. I blinked, enjoying the way he moved as he bent over and pulled on his shoes, and not listening at all.

"Jochym!"

I glared at him. "Don't call me that."

"Well then pay attention."

I so was.

Mack walked over to me, his hips swinging. I swallowed hard.

"I asked if you were ready to go to the club."

He stood close enough I could feel the heat of his body. I’d planned on kissing him at midnight but … I yanked Mack close, one hand on his neck and the other against the small of his back.

"I'm tired of the teasing," I growled.

Mack raised one eyebrow. "So?"

A week of being too sick to do anything about the bulge that kept growing in his jeans made me impatient. Our teeth clicked together as I shoved my tongue in his mouth, tasting and exploring every inch.

His hands clutched my shoulders as Mack kissed back. It was every bit as good as I'd imagined but now my pants were too tight. My cock ached as I rubbed against him, feeling the ridge of his erection.

"Bedroom." He hauled me to his room by my wrist. It was a race to see who could undress first. I waited for the right moment, then pushed Mack down on the bed. “Hey, my boots!"

I yanked them off and then pushed his pants down.

"Commando, huh?"

Mack's green eyes gleamed. "Quick."

"Now!" he gasped.

My mind shattered when I pushed into him. I was left with scattered impressions of tight heat, a pounding rhythm and small pricks of pain as Mack's nails dug into my ass. He demanded more and I shoved a pillow under his ass, shifting until he shuddered and cried out. I pushed in over and over, nailing his prostate.

He came first, my hand stroking him as I bit my cheek, trying to hold back. He shouted my name as cum shot across his stomach and chest.

"I dunno."