I SPY SOMETHING CHRISTMAS (The I Spy series): Mark and Stephen

 

I closed my eyes, dozed.

Music was playing downstairs. Bing Crosby. Very traditional. I smiled. The floorboard squeaked and I opened my eyes to soft light and wonderful smells. Irish coffee and warm gingerbread.

Stephen set the tray on the bed and crawled in beside me once more.

“You’re spoiling me.”

“Lena is spoiling us both.” He broke off a piece of gingerbread and held it out to me as though he were feeding me wedding cake. I raised my head, nibbled the gingerbread, licked his fingers when I’d taken the last bite. He closed his eyes and gave a twitchy smile. I kissed his fingertips and let my head fall back in the pillows.

“Favorite Christmas carol?” I asked.

“Modern or traditional?”

“Both.”

“‘Silent Night.’ ‘Please Come Home for Christmas.’ You?” He offered another bite of gingerbread.

I took a bite. Swallowed. “This year? ‘I’ll be Home for Christmas.’”

He smiled, understanding. “Traditional?”

“Not really a carol. The Christmas section of Handel’s Messiah.”

“I should have guessed that. My turn. Favorite Christmas movie?”

“Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol.”

Stephen laughed.

“Quite serious. It’s one of your classics, yes? I loved that razzleberry dressing and woofle jelly cake.”

“You do enjoy your food. I’m not sure where you put it.” He stroked my ribcage.

I sucked in my stomach. “Yours?”

“It’s a Wonderful Life.”

I said, “You’ve made a difference in a lot of people’s lives. A good difference.”

His green gaze was grave. Sometimes he saw too much. “Best Christmas memory?” he asked.

“This,” I said. “Tonight.”