“Luc finally made it.” Atria disengaged from Zac and bounced towards her brother. “Merry Christmas, Luc.” She threw her arms around his neck. “Xerxes is coming in a few. Said he found a girl to share the festive spirit.” She shrugged. “It’s Xerx. Always late.”

“I want to go to my room.” Luc folded his arms. “I’m tired.”

“Stop.” She soft-punched his arm, no doubt holding back her true feelings. Atria’s right hook could break bone if she wanted. “Do you believe in magic?”

Was she for real? “Attie, you are magic. My fire is pyro. You really control it, so yeah, I believe in magic.”

Atria aimed her thumb over her shoulder. “Then sit on Santa’s lap.”

He looked in the direction she pointed. The jolly old elf sat on a huge wicker chair, laughing and bouncing a redhead on his knee. He didn’t really want to sit on Santa’s lap, but if the elf could make magic, maybe he could make Luc’s Christmas bearable.

* * *

Finally. Taygan gripped the back of Santa’s oversized chair. Trust Luc to take his sweet time getting to the party. He’d probably spent the extra time basking in the cheers from the crowd. The man was a ham when he wanted to be -- loving the spotlight and the praise. For a moment Taygan could’ve sworn Luc saw him. Just as fast, he noticed Luc’s frown. He wasn’t seeing much of anything and probably didn’t want to be there. Fine. Tay would give him a reason to stick around.

“See him?” Taygan whispered from his position behind the chair. “The one with the dark hair and grimace?”

Santa nodded. “I see him. I’m on borrowed time, here, so let’s keep this moving. What are you and Atria planning?”

“That’s who I want for Christmas. Him, true love, and my heart back. It’s all one gigantic, candy-cane-colored present.” Taygan brushed his hand over his mouth. He could still feel the tingle from Luc’s kiss on his lips... a kiss from six months prior. He missed his lover. Missed Luc.

Taygan crouched behind the chair and watched Luc. The man moved with grace and certainty as he crossed the room. The leather pants encasing his tapered legs left nothing to the imagination. The shirt, a nice, tight T-shirt with $Cheer emblazoned on the front curved around the chiseled planes of his chest. Tay’s cock twitched. He moved his hand over the bulge in his jeans. Just another chance, that’s what he needed. A chance to show Luc he cared.

“Just so you know, I am not sitting on your lap.” Luc cocked his hip and folded his arms. “Not my kind of fetish.”

“Fetish? Okay... Merry Christmas, Lucian,” Santa boomed from his seat. “What would you like for Christmas?”