Christmas for Gary

Several hours later Gary thought he needed a lot more sugar than one Peanut Buster Parfait provided in order to keep up. Granted, he was doing most of the carrying, but just a few hours of shopping and playing packhorse let him know that he was ruefully out of shape.

“How about a coffee break?” he suggested as they passed by the food court. He was relieved when the suggestion was positively received.

They found a place that sold coffee and sweets, Gary indulging in a huge millefeuille and a large coffee with lots of cream and sugar in it. He dug into his pastry, the plastic fork soon proving itself to being far from up to the task of cutting through the layers of pastry. He gave up and attacked it with his fingers, which were soon sticky and covered in both custard and cream.

Once his plate was clean, he happily set about licking his fingers clean as he people-watched. He stopped suddenly, mid-suck, eyes riveted to a tall, gorgeous man. The guy was the color of Gary’s coffee and had short buzzed dark hair, loads of muscles and beautiful hands that he used as he talked.

“Oh, he’s a cute one, isn’t he?” Martha elbowed him in the ribs, speaking loudly.

Gary blushed hard, but nodded. He had, after all, been caught staring, if only by Martha.

“Why don’t you go say hi?” she asked.

“He’s with people.” Of course even as he said it, the gorgeous hunk waved his friends off.

Martha cackled. “Not anymore, he isn’t.”

“I can’t just go up to him!”

“Why not?”

“I can’t.” He’d never been any good at that kind of thing. Especially when it came to the really good-looking guys. It made him all tongue-twisted and he wound up coming off like a dweeb.

“You flirted with Yan.”

“That was different.”

“Bullshit.”

“Martha!” It didn’t matter how much time he spent with the ladies, it still shocked him when they swore. “And it isn’t the same. Yan was older and he wasn’t a gorgeous stud, and I’m pretty sure he was straight.”

“And you weren’t attracted to him,” she suggested. At his nod, she said, “Ah...” and, thank God, let the subject drop.

Gary went back to cleaning his fingers, and then started on his plate, getting the last bits of sticky sweet off it with his fingers. He watched Tall, Dark and Handsome as he did so. The stud finished his salad and threw away his dishes, stowed his tray and came toward them, obviously headed back toward where he worked, as he didn’t have a coat with him.

“Excuse me, young man.” Martha stopped him as he drew level with their table. Gran, Amy, and Debby stopped their chattering and Gary felt himself start to blush, two fingers still in his mouth.

“Yes, ma’am?” Oh, his voice was deep with just a hint of gravel to it. Nice.

“My friend here thinks you’re hot.”