*****
They laughed their way back to Xavier’s apartment, swapping childhood holiday memories and alternate versions of holiday songs. But underneath it all, they both knew their relationship had broken through into a new and deeper level.
As soon as Xavier opened the door to his apartment, Blake smelled something enticing. Two quite different, but equally appealing aromas. “A tree. You have a live tree! And gingerbread. You baked gingerbread!”
“Yeah, I thought we might be a bit hungry by the time we got back here. But it’s way too late at night to be eating anything heavy, so gingerbread seemed a good seasonal choice.”
“Perfect. I can’t remember how many years it is since I’ve eaten homemade gingerbread.”
The men hung their coats and scarves on the hallstand, and Blake left his backpa
