Colton’s Perspective
It was the weekend before Christmas and I was in the kitchen baking and prepping for Christmas dinner. Our little apartment on the fourth floor had kind of become the heart of Harrington House. We were all going to BroMax Farm for Christmas Eve, but everyone who lived in the building, and a bunch of villagers who didn’t, were coming to our pIace for Christmas dinner. They also came by for movie nights, and sometimes just to hang. Ella and I weren’t there a lot, but when we were the place was full of people, Ella and I had built a home there. I was working fulltime at the docks, going to culinary school in the evenings, and getting experience at a local restaurant on the weekends (I even worked the occasional catering gig). Ella was helping me in the kitchen that day. She worked as hard, if not harder, than I did. She worked at Marilee’s Coffee Shop in the morning, school during the day, debate team two nights a week, delivered for Ricky’s parents on the weekends, and occasionally babysat for Max, Seth’s, or Gina’s kids. I got guardianship of my little sister a year and a half before and was determined to give her a better life, together we had done pretty good.
“So, is Craig staying with us when he comes?” Ella asked as she got another batch of cookies ready for the small oven.
“Yeah, he was planning on it, are you cool with that?” I asked.
“NO!” She barked, then laughed. “Of course I am, I love Craig… you’re less bitchy when he’s around” she joked. Craig lived in St Louis, and we’d been doing the long distance thing since we met about a year and a half before. He had just graduated from community college with a degree in horticulture. I wanted to fly to St louis for the ceremony, but we decided that I should save my money instead (sometimes I hated being a responsible adult). Max was getting ready to expand and add a second greenhouse out at the farm. His candle company had taken off and one of his signature lines was made with homegrown scents… so, he had kind of found himself in the herb farming business too. Maverick handled crop production and a lot of the grunt work at BroMax Farm, but Max was looking to add Craig to manage operations on the farm and help them expand (I think that had always been his plan), I heard they were even considering buying more land. Craig was coming to town for Christmas and to meet with Max… I was so excited to see him. “When does he get here?” Ella asked.
“He’s leaving St Louis this afternoon and will be here tomorrow. He’s meeting with Max in the afternoon, then he’s on vacation. I’m taking off over Christmas to spend some time with him.” I added.
“Good” Ella said. “I have visitation with Mom tomorrow… ugh.” When I got guardianship of my sister, my mother was able to get court ordered visitation. Ella used to dread facing my mother, now it was just more of an annoyance. She only had a few more months until she turned eighteen, then the visits would be optional. Let me tell you something about my little sister… she was freaking amazing! She worked her ass off to save for college, her grades were stellar, she had a shitload of friends (and the occasional boyfriend), and she was just a genuinely great human being. She was set to graduate at the end of the next semester and had her heart set on going to college and studying political science… she wanted to go to Wake Forest but it wasn’t cheap, that’s for damn sure. She was looking at about ninety thousand a year for tuition and housing. I was trying to talk her into UNC Wilmington, she could stay with me and tuition would be under eight thousand dollars a year (THAT we could make happen). Vincent, her social worker, and she were working hard to find scholarships, grants, and financial aid… Ella was as determined as I was to succeed. I guess we shared that gene. I assumed she would probably end up somewhere in between the two schools. Anyway… at that moment I was just happy she was there with me and we were enjoying our time together in the kitchen with the apartment door open and the Christmas music blaring.
“I smell cookies!” Ricky’s voice bellowed from the living room; he made his way through the apartment to the kitchen. “G’morning it smells great in here’ he said grabbing a cookie before Ella could even offer, Timmy was right behind him, then Mason, and a couple of guys from the second floor… within an hour everyone (even the reclusive Asher) was up at our place devouring Christmas cookies faster than we could churn them out. “Max told me Craig is coming to town this week” Ricky said. “You guys still seeing each other?”
“Yup” I said as I read through a recipe and made notes on my shopping list.
“So… if he moves to Wilmington is he moving in here?” Timmy asked.
I just kind of scoffed, “Nah, I don’t think we’re ready for that” I’d totally be lying if I said we hadn’t talked about it. But with Ella still living with me, and the reality that even though we had been together for about a year and a half, we’d only been on like a half dozen real dates. We had decided that if he moved back to Wilmington, he’d get his own place for now and we’d play it by ear. If being Ella’s Guardian at age eighteen taught me anything, it was patience… I could wait. “If he moves, he’s going to find his own place, probably closer to the farm.”
“He can move in here” Ella said, “I don’t care.” Yeah, I knew she’d be okay with it, but I seriously wasn’t ready.
“Thanks for your permission” I joked. Then the banter turned to Christmas plans… the place was loud and chaotic… I loved it. I had lived in my car for a while after my parents kicked me out and could never have dreamed that in less than two years I’d have a real home with my sister, surrounded by friends, and I’d even have a boyfriend. Maybe it was wrong to be proud of myself, but I was. Damn proud. When the kitchen was at its loudest, Craig called. I went out into the hallway and answered, “Hey!” I said as I sat on the hardwood floor and leaned against the wall, there was undoubtedly a huge smile on my face.
“Hey, what are you up to?” Craig asked. Just hearing his voice made me smile.
“I was baking cookies and doing my dinner prep for Christmas. Then the frat boys of Harrington House showed up and started eating everything” I responded making Craig laugh. “I hate that I missed your graduation ceremony.”
“Don’t, it’s freaking community college. It was just a small ceremony” Craig said dismissing it.
“Yeah, but you worked your ass off and I wanted to be there, even if it was just watch you walk through the cafeteria. You deserve every bit of ceremony” I felt like he was robbed of his big moment, however, BA had planned a little surprise party for him at BroMax Candle Company after his meeting with Max. Everyone at The Village was proud of Craig. His story was the inspiration for The Village, and his success gave the rest of us hope, I for one admired the hell outta him. The few times when I felt overwhelmed and was ready to give up, Craig talked me of the ledge… he made me believe in myself.
“I don’t need the ceremony; I got the degree… and tomorrow I’ll be with you.” He said. “We can celebrate in private, that’s what I want.” I snickered at that and we talked a little more before hanging up, then I rejoined the crowd in my kitchen.
I worked my ass off at the docks on Monday working the 6AM to 2PM shift, it was my last shift until after Christmas. I got home around the same time that Craig was interviewing with Max. Ella had her visitation after school (it was her last day before Christmas break) so wouldn’t be home until later. I jumped in the shower, cleaned up, did some overdue manscaping, and cleaned myself out in prep for the anticipated evening celebration with Craig. The truth is, the few times that Craig and I were together he bottomed, but I planned on doing it that night. When I was ready to go, I grabbed Craig’s graduation gift and walked over to BroMax for the party. I didn’t get him anything fancy, just a nice set of gardening tools with his initials on them, and a leather toolbelt to carry them.
When I got to BroMax the place was jumping. The guys were winding down production and converting the place into party central. BA was in charge but as always everyone was pitching in, I just put my gift on a table with the others and helped Mason set up the food table. It was funny how we all kind of fell into our niche’s when we got together, Mason was always decorations, I was always in charge of food, Ricky and Timmy were set up and break down, etc.
“Is Craig here yet?” I asked Mason.
“Yeah, he’s still up in the office talking to Max, he has no clue the rest of us are down here waiting” Mason responded.
I heard BA shout “There’s all my little ones” as Seth and Gina entered the old church surrounded by rug rats. Teddy and Freddy ran into the familiar candle plant and Timmy and Trevor set them up with helper jobs, they were both so serious and loved to help. Izzy and Maggie went right to the front of the plant where Ricky was working, he stopped everything and gave the two little diva’s his full attention… they reveled in it. BA took DJ out of Gina’s arms, and that left Seth alone with the cutest little guy in his arms. I had heard Seth and Zach took on a new foster child, but I hadn’t seen him before so I walked over to meet him.
“Hi Seth, who’s this little guy?” I asked.
“This is Ali, Ali, this is my friend Colton” Seth said.
The cute little boy smiled at me and said “Hi” and then sat quietly in Seth’s arms while he and I talked.
“Have you seen Craig yet?” Seth asked.
“Nope. I just came from work, but he’s staying with me until he goes back” I replied. “I’m excited to see him.”
“So, I hear he may be moving back. Does that mean moving in with you?” He wanted to know. I told him that we’d discussed it but weren’t quite ready, maybe down the road. “I’m proud of you, Colton” Seth said with a smile as he put down the little man he was holding and watched him run off to play with the others. “You’re a smart guy with ambition who thinks through things. There’s no doubt in my mind that you will do great things with your life, and if Craig is meant to be part of it… he will be” he said with a smile and his hand on my shoulder. I admired Seth… and Zach… and Max… and Brody… and all the others. I wanted to be like them, so his words meant everything to me. He wasn’t that much older than me, but he was like a father figure to me.
“Thanks, Seth. I’m not going to make any major life changes until Ella is in college, then who knows.” I replied. I was having a great conversation with Seth when the guys all started to cheer and clap, then Pomp and Circumstance played over the speakers as Craig descended the stairs. My heart jumped when I saw him, god I had missed him. He stopped halfway down the steps and looked across the crowd of people in the plant trying to grasp what was going on, his eyes caught mine and he smiled. Then he saw the big ‘Congratulations Craig’ Banner and realized what was going on.
Craig was overwhelmed. “Wow” he said, barely audible over the music and cheers. Someone turned the music down and he thanked everyone. “I totally didn’t expect this” he said. “Thank you all.”
“Speech, Speech” The guys all shouted. Craig Smiled and said a few words, he was humble and thanked everyone by name, Max, Brody, Seth, Zach, BA, Daddy, his friends in St Louis, etc. He also thanked me for encouraging him to keep going (hell, that’s what he did for me).
He wrapped up his speech and moved down to the floor making his way over to me. We hugged and he whispered in my ear, “Max offered me a job and I accepted.”
I pulled back looked him in the eyes and said, not so quietly, “I am so fucking proud of you!” then gave him a gigantic kiss full on the lips.
Seth and Zach’s kid Freddy was a few feet from me and said, “ohhhhhhhhhhhhh, you said a bad word” then he and Teddy (Max and Brody’s kid) started laughing. Yeah, I said a bad word but for damn good reason… finally Craig and I would be living in the same city.
The party went on for a couple of hours, Zach, Brody, Daddy James, Dylan, everyone who was important to Craig showed up after work to congratulate him on his graduation. They were congratulating themselves as well, they cared about Craig and believed in him when he was at his lowest. Helping Craig is what brought them all together for the first time, Craig was the inspiration and reason The Village was born… and there he was, a graduate, following his dream and starting life on his terms. Who knows where he’d be without them. I looked around the room, hell who knows where (or even if) any of us would be without The Village.
The party ended, Craig thanked everyone and promised to see them all on Christmas Eve. We loaded the gifts into his car and drove out of the parking lot, into the next Alley and pulled into an empty spot between my old Corolla and Falkor, my sister’s car. We unloaded his luggage, locked the car, and went up to my apartment. Ella was home from school and off work that night so the three of us ate dinner together, we felt like a family. Then, it was good night, Ella and by eight thirty I was in bed with the man I loved.
We stood next to my bed in the dark room face-to-face, our lips just inches apart and our hands undressing each other. I was unbuttoning his shirt and whispered, “I missed you so damn much, I can’t believe you’re finally moving back.”
“Max and Brody converted the old candle barn into a guesthouse and said I could live there for a couple of months while I looked for a place. He wants me to start as soon as possible. My lease doesn’t end until March, but if I don’t have to pay rent here, I can move sooner” Craig whispered back, then kissed me as his hands undid my belt.
“You can still move in here” I whispered while pushing his button down shirt off his back.
Craig rolled his eyes, we had talked about that subject on the phone for hours, “We already decided. Let’s just live in the same town and date a while like normal people, then when Ella graduates, we can decide if we want to live together.” He was being rational as he pulled my pants down and let them fall to my ankles, I kicked them away as I went to work on his belt and he pulled my polo over my head.
“Fine” I said with a pout as we stood naked in front of the hot guy that took my virginity. I was hard as a rock and so was he. My hand reached for his rigid cock and his grabbed for mine. Damn, the hot, heft of his manhood felt freaking perfect in my hand and his soft lips against mine took me out of reality and in to an aethereal place. Our bodies touch and the heat from his chest made me sweat, I could smell his musk with just the slightest hint of his body spray, he smelled so damn good. We rarely got to be together in person, and yes… I admit it, we skype-sexed a couple of times, and even masturbated together over the phone, but there was no substitute for him being there, in my bedroom. Our arms were wrapped around each other and my back was facing the bed when he pushed me down onto it and his fell onto mine. We were necking like a couple of high school kids in the backseat of a car, as our hands roamed and explored. It had been so long that everything felt like new territory. I was mostly smooth, but Craig had just the perfect amount of trimmed hair on his chest, it tickled as it brushed against my bare torso. He grabbed me under my arm pits, pushed me further onto the bed, and got back on top of me, grinding his hardness against mine.
We maneuvered around the bed so that I was lying lengthwise with my head on the pillow and Craig snaked his way between my legs. He licked my balls and sucked my cock for what seemed like an eternity, I enjoyed the feeling of ecstasy in silence trying not to make too much noise. With Mason below us, Timmy and Ricky across the hallway, and Ella in the other bedroom, there was little doubt that every moan, groan, and whimper would be under scrutiny.
Craig moved downward from my cock and balls as he pushed my legs to my chest and left a trail of his hot saliva on my ass crack, then his hot tongue entered my hole… fuck. Me. It felt so amazing. His hot, wet tongue swirling around and exploring my clean, hairless, pink hole. All I could do was whimper inaudibly in lustful appreciation so I didn’t disturb anyone. Craig worked my hole for a looooong time, well, I think it was a long time. Time wasn’t a concept that I was concerned with at that moment. Craig came off my hole and asked, “Do you want to fuck me?”
“No” I responded, “I want you to fuck me.” Craig’s eyes lit up.
“You sure about that?” he asked with a devilish grin on his cute face.
“Yup. Happy graduation” I said with a snicker.
“You already gave me a set of awesome gardening tools” he laughed back.
“And now it’s time for you to give me your awesome tool” I joked. He got on top of me and we kissed some more while he lined up his big cock with my ready hole. “Wait, wait, wait, use lube” I whispered as I reached into the drawer of the nightstand and pulled out the bottle of ID I had stashed there for this very moment. Craig lovingly lubed my hole with his slick finger, moving it in and out of me, opening me up. Then stroked himself with the cold gel.
“You sure?” He asked again. I took a deep breath, nodded, and exhaled while Craig lined himself up again and pushed his way in. I gritted my teeth as he entered me. “Push out like you’re taking a dump” he said (yeah, romantic, wasn’t it?). But his advice helped, and he slid right in with little pain or resistance. He pushed his way in then held himself there so I could get used to his girth. He distracted me with his kisses as he slowly pulled out and pushed back into me. He quickened his pace as he continued to gently make love to me. I instinctively wrapped my legs around his back, and my arms around his neck as I pulled his face tight against mine and kissed him passionately.
“Oh shit” I whispered, “I… I… I... think I’m cumming.” It came suddenly and I had no control, it just snuck up on me and I shot between us… handsfree. I didn’t even think that was possible, I always thought that cumming handsfree was a myth. But I did it, his ample member was hitting all the right places.
“Fuck” Craig whispered as he continued to make love to me, “that was so hot. So, apparently you like it” he snickered.
Spent but still yearning I begged, “Fuck me harder, I love it.” Craig obliged. He pumped harder and faster until I felt his already large member throb inside me and get even bigger, until it exploded in my hole. He continued to pump in and out until he started to go soft, then he pulled out and laid on his side next to me.
“So? How was it” Craig asked.
I smiled, stroked his face, and said, “Totally worth the wait.” He spooned me and we fell asleep. The next morning when we woke up, Ella was already at work at Marilee’s so I made us breakfast and we ate in our underwear. After breakfast we took a shower together… I was so happy to have him there for Christmas and bursting with excitement because he was moving back.
Seth’s Perspective
Christmas Eve had finally arrived! The week leading up to our first Christmas with the kids had been crazy busy! There was so much to do, and on top of all the Christmas stuff and working like crazy so I could take the week off, we threw a graduation party for Craig (we were all so excited that he was moving back to town). Thank god for Nathan and Kelly, they were a huge help with finishing up going through the kids belongings, last minute shopping, and wrapping gifts. Nathan put all the bikes together for the kids (including a little car for Ali that he could push with his feet) and snuck them into the garage at BroMax while everyone was in school so that Santa could pass them out at the big party on Christmas Eve. Kelly added a million gifts to the ones we had already bought (especially for Ali).
These kids were going to have the best Christmas of their lives… our entire village would see to that!
To be continued…
