Gingerbread and Good Tidings Read online

  For now, it was enough to love each other and share our space. Our group of friends was happy for us, and now Jason’s family absolutely adored me. His mom was a hoot, and she made me laugh constantly. Jason was more like his dad, quiet and a little shy, but I’d gotten the man to warm up to me, especially after he discovered that he and I shared a love of history documentaries. We were going to their house tomorrow, along with Jason’s sisters and their families, and I loved being part of a family again for Christmas day.

  But Christmas Eve was our day, our anniversary, and I wanted to make it special.

  As the clock ticked over to noon, a happy burst of emotion flowed through me, and I made sure the last of my preparations were in order. The tree lights were on, the candles flickering, carols playing through the sound system. All the ingredients were laid out on the counter, along with all the tools we would need, and my newly acquired cooling racks were on the table. The recipe was sitting in its protective plastic sheet. I was ready.

  Fifteen minutes later, I heard his car pull into the driveway, and Pippa woofed before racing to the door. Her tail was going a mile a minute as she waited for her other favorite person to come through. I couldn’t help holding my breath as I heard Jason come in and greet her, and I strained my ears as if I could hear him taking off his outerwear.

  “Cody? Babe?”

  “In the kitchen,” I called, and I knew he heard my voice shake because when he turned the corner, he was wearing a frown.

  “You okay? What’s wro…oh.” He took in all my preparations, and after a second, his face lit up. He crossed the kitchen and took me into his arms. His kiss was slow and sweet and I melted against him. “Look at all this. You’ve been busy.”

  I grinned, then led him to the counter so I could show off all the new things I’d bought to make our baking adventure even better. New cookie cutters in different shapes, a piping set complete with tips so we could do all sorts of interesting things with the icing, and of course, the cooling racks. I even had a template and candy decorations so we could try our hand at a gingerbread house.

  “I thought, you know, baking gingerbread on Christmas Eve…well, it’s our thing.”

  His grin lit up his face, making him even more handsome. He hugged me tightly, just how I liked, and I sighed happily as I leaned against him.

  “I love you.”

  I hummed. “And I love you.”

  “Merry Christmas, babe.” He kissed me quickly, then stepped away and headed for the sink to wash his hands. He shot me a grin over his shoulder. “Let’s bake.”

  THE END

  ABOUT KRIS T. BETHKE

  Kris is a bisexual hardcore fan of romance, and has been from a very young age. She believes love is love, no matter the gender of people involved, and all love deserves to be celebrated. With that in mind, she writes romance across several subgenres but with the ultimate goal of a satisfying happily ever after at the end. That is, after all, the important part.

  Kris lives in a converted attic with a pack of rodents who amuse her daily, and long naps on the weekend are her greatest pleasure. A creative soul and an avid daydreamer, her pursuits range past just the written word into fiber arts, candle and soap making, and expressing herself with makeup. Kris finds inspiration in all of life’s twist and turns. From the mundane to the fantastical, just about anything will make it into her books. She loves to hear from readers, so feel free to get in touch through email, Facebook, or Twitter.

  For more information, visit kristbethke.com.

  ABOUT JMS BOOKS LLC

  JMS Books LLC is a small queer press with competitive royalty rates publishing LGBT romance, erotic romance, and young adult fiction. Visit jms-books.com for our latest releases and submission guidelines!