Carol of the Bellskis

Carol of the Bellskis

Astrid Amara

Carol of the Bellskis

Copyright © December 2009 by Astrid Amara

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eISBN 978-1-60737-527-2

Editor: Judith David

Cover Artist: April Martinez

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About this Title

Genre:
LGBT Mystery/Suspense

Paralegal Seth Bellski is tired of being the secret lover of his boss, Lars Varga, founding

partner of Finch, Varga & Vale Law. So when he asks Lars to spend Hanukah with Seth’s family

at their kosher B&B in Whistler, B.C., and Lars refuses, Seth realizes he will never get his self-

conscious boss out of the closet.

So Seth prepares to spend his Hanukah holiday alone in the B&B. Instead he finds himself

running the place, as his aunt and uncle are missing, and nine demanding, peculiar, and danger-

prone guests have arrived. To make matters worse, Lars shows up, begging forgiveness. Lars’s

touches remind Seth of why he put up with his boss’s behavior in the first place. If only the

words that came out of that beautiful mouth were as sweet as his kisses.

But how can Seth find time to fix his broken relationship when the guests are demanding

kosher, gluten-free diets, losing their pet terriers, and hitting their heads on the ice?

Seth and Lars find themselves put through the paces of being a married couple, all while

still broken up. But then again, if they can survive this Hanukah, surely their relationship can

withstand anything?

Publisher's Note:
This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and

situations that some readers may find objectionable: Anal play/intercourse, male/male sexual

practices.

Chapter One

The breakup was a long time in the making. Nevertheless, the end happened so fast, Seth

didn't know it occurred until it was over.

After all, they had just made love, and it had been one of those achingly sweet ones where

their bodies weren't using each other as much as merging together, their movements soft and

slow, as if time would remember this union, as if everything depended on it.

They no longer mapped each other's bodies. They knew the routes by heart, and still, Seth

took his time tracing his way along Lars's skin, as if his subconscious knew this would be the last

time to savor such a sight or feel the rough hairs on Lars's leg and the reciprocal softness on his

inner thigh; the last time he'd smell the musky earthiness of Lars's desire and share the dark,

welcoming entrance, such privacy, great secrets on display.

And afterward, that sweet embrace, kisses shared like whispers between them, and then a

quiet descended, the comfort of familiarity and safety like a balm soothing the stresses of the

workday, the world outside.

“Are you packed for tomorrow?” was all he had asked.

Lars stiffened beside him. He stared up at the ceiling. “I'm not coming with you.”

Seth stared up at the ceiling as well. Stains from the hotel room above seemed to sink

through the floorboards, creating a muddied brown Rorschach print across the off-yellow paint.

“You said you would.” Seth hated the hurt in his voice and cleared his throat. “It will be

fun.”

“I'm not stopping you,” Lars said. His hands had withdrawn from Seth's body. “I just can't

come along.”

“You said…” Seth swallowed, tried to find a new approach. “It's our chance to get away

from it all. Remember? We discussed this. Whistler is beautiful. The skiing is world-class. You'd

love it, and the B and B is really charming.”

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Astrid Amara

“The B and B is another thing,” Lars said. His voice was cold now, lawyerlike. Even

naked, he had a suit and tie on. “I don't mind celebrating Hanukkah with you, but this is an

orthodox B and B, kosher and…what do you call it when they observe the Sabbath?”

“
Shomer Shabbat
,” Seth said.

“I don't think it's fair to ask me to live up to those kind of expectations, especially for eight

entire days.”

“The annoying part is just the Sabbath; that's the only time you can't turn on lights. And

besides, my aunt and uncle have the whole place wired with timers. You won't even notice. The

coffee is made automatically; the shower turns on every three hours. It's like magic!”

Seth knew he sounded desperate. But this had meant so much to him. More than he had

even admitted to himself.

“Still. It's a lot to ask of a person.”

Seth felt the disappointment like a crushing weight, sitting on his chest, pushing his

happiness outward. “We discussed everything. Hell, you bought those books about hiking

Whistler—”

“It was a fantasy, baby, nothing more.” Lars cleared his throat. “It would look too

suspicious if we both went on vacation at the same time, especially for a whole week right before

Christmas. Everyone knows I'm not a Jew. Why would I be taking Hanukkah off?” Lars shook

his head. “No way.”

Seth clenched his eyes shut, clenched his fists. He fought to muffle his pain.

But he was angry, too. Angry at Lars, and angry at himself for expecting him to change. Of

course Lars wouldn't come with him. The risk was too great. Not only would it come out that the

great Lars Varga of Finch and Varga Law Offices was actually friends with a mere paralegal, but

that the two of them had been fucking each other for over a year.

“It's about time they know,” Seth reasoned, trying very hard to keep the desperation out of

his voice.

Lars sat up in bed, creating a wall with his broad back. Even without seeing it, Seth knew

Lars rubbed his face with his hand, stressed as usual.

“Not this way,” Lars said finally. “It's tacky.”

Carol of the Bellskis

3

“So what is the not-tacky way?” Seth asked. He sat up as well, dislodging the sheet that

covered his legs. “The best thing to do would be to tell people. Tell them we're lovers. Tell them

we're going on vacation together.”

“No.”

The finality of the word twisted in Seth's stomach. He felt sick as hurt rage pooled in his

gut, crept up his throat. Lars would rather hurt him than risk his own social standing.

“You're so fucking selfish,” Seth said under his breath.

“What did you say?” Lars turned, and his eyes locked on Seth's flaccid cock, half-exposed.

Arousal flickered in Lars's eyes.

But Seth wasn't going to let him get out of this argument like he usually did, swaying Seth

by using his body as a distraction, both of them hungry enough that the carnal outweighed the

emotional needs.

“You're selfish,” Seth repeated. He swallowed back the burn creeping up his throat. “You

have no idea how insulting this is to me.”

Lars's expression softened. “Baby, this has nothing to do with you. I love you. You know

that.”

“Not enough, apparently.”

“Christ, what do you want me to say?”

“I don't want you to say anything. I want you to come on vacation with me. That's all.”

Lars reached out as if unable to stop himself. His hand rested on Seth's inner thigh,

possessive and calming.

“We went on vacation together only six months ago, remember?”

“Yeah. For a weekend,” Seth said, “in separate cars, leaving at separate times. And when

Finch called to ask about the Murphy case, you lied and told him you were sick at home.”

“But we were together,” Lars pressed. His hand slid up Seth's thigh. “We spent two days

alone.”

“Did you enjoy it?” Seth asked after a moment.

“Of course I did.”

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Astrid Amara

“Then do this with me.” Seth reached out and tilted Lars's chin so that they stared at each

other. Lars's eyes were so blue, so soft. “I don't want to go alone.”

“I know.” Lars reached out and stroked Seth's rough jawline.

“You have the time off requested already. Please.”