Love in Xxchange: Miles to Go, Bailey Bradford [the reading strategies book txt] 📗

touched him, kissed him, and so many little things the man did for him. Of course Max did big things too, but Bo had found it was the sweet little moments in day to day life with each other that really melted his heart.

However, he suspected today would be one of the ‘big thing’ days, and was worried his rather boring gifts to Max would not be adequate to show his love. Oh, Max would be happy with anything, and he’d never say a cruel word about Bo’s gifts, but…Bo wanted to make Max as happy, make him feel as loved as Max made him feel.

And I thought I could do that by getting him the same damn gifts desperate, unimaginative men everywhere give their women? Idiot! Shit, now was a fine time to come to that realisation. He couldn’t slip off without making it obvious he hadn’t got Max something, even though he had. It just wasn’t anything special. Damn it!

Bo eased out of the bed, careful not to wake Max. As he quietly left the room, a plan niggled at Bo’s brain. It wasn’t the best one in the world, but it was his only one, and it wasn’t a horrible idea either. Feeling somewhat more secure about his gifts, Bo set about getting started.

Max groaned and stretched as he woke up, one hand automatically patting the bed as he felt around for Bo. When his fingers encountered cool sheets where his lover usually lay, Max cracked open his eyes and propped himself up on one elbow. He blinked away the blurries and stared stupidly at the empty spot on the bed. Obviously Bo wasn’t there. Duh, nitwit. I need some coffee. Max flopped back on the bed and slapped an arm over his eyes. Then the scent hit him. And his mental calendar squawked.

MILES TO GO

Bailey Bradford

120

Valentine’s Day. Shit. Shit! What if Bo hates what I got him? Max would likely die from humiliation. It wasn’t that Bo would laugh at him, or be a jerk about it, but he just might not want what Max was going to give him. The thought of that made Max’s stomach burn. The smell of something delicious wafting through the partially opened bedroom door made his stomach growl.

Despite being so nervous his hands shook, Max got up and found a pair of underwear to put on. Just because he and Bo were the only ones in the bunkhouse now didn’t mean they’d be the only ones here period. Max added a pair of sweats with that thought bouncing around his head, then he padded to the bathroom and took care of business before heading to the kitchen.

Max sucked in a sharp breath when he stepped into the room. Bo jumped but grinned at him over a bare shoulder. Max tried to reciprocate but damn, all his muscles seemed to have locked in place and his cock was trying to poke a hole through his shorts and sweats as he gawped at Bo.

Bo’s grin widened and he winked at Max. “I thought I’d try to start your Valentine’s off right since I think I bumbled the whole gift thing.” Bo shook his completely bare ass, framed by the strings of a bright yellow apron, as he gestured with one hand to the table.

“If this is the only gift I get, I’m the luckiest damn man in the world,” Max muttered as he dragged his gaze up to Bo’s happy face and back down to his tempting plump ass. Max’s mouth watered as he ogled those firm, fuzzy globes. He’d been thinking about, wanting to try…

Not yet, Jesus not yet! As much as Max wanted to spread those cheeks and explore every bit of warm skin there, he couldn’t. Well, he could, but he really wanted to wait until he’d given Bo his other gift first. Max settled for pressing his front to Bo’s back and grinding his aching cock against that delectable ass as he nibbled on Bo’s neck.

Bo moaned softly, then a little louder when Max suckled the sweet spot where Bo’s shoulder and neck met. “B-bacon,” Bo stuttered out. “Burning—”

Max debated letting it burn for a second before remembering all Bo had protecting his bits was a thin apron. He left off sucking on Bo’s neck but slid his hands under the apron and cupped Bo’s balls and cock as best he could. “Maxie!” Bo squeaked. “Not helping!”

“Just trying to keep you from getting hurt,” Max said in what he hoped was a sexy purr. Bo had that purring thing down pat, and it never failed to set Max’s heart—and other MILES TO GO

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parts—to fluttering. Judging by the way Bo shivered, he must have pulled the purring thing off pretty well, too.

“Bacon’s done, if you’ll just have a seat.” Bo sounded a little breathless, and Max was wearing a smug grin when he released him and turned to walk to the table. Max stumbled when he saw his place setting and the flowers and heart-shaped box of chocolates there. The card laid on his plate had his name written—well, Maxie, his pet name from Bo—in fancy script. The envelope was decorated with one single, hand drawn heart on the upper left corner, and for some reason that sent a wave of warmth through Max.

“Is it okay?” Bo asked from behind him. Max heard the worry in his lover’s voice and turned, intending to take Bo in his arms and make love to him right then and there, never mind the plans he had for later. He was thwarted by the platter of bacon Bo held in one hand and the stacked platter of waffles he had in the other.

“It’s more than okay,” Max said after swallowing around a lump of emotion in his throat. “Nobody ever gave me flowers and hearts before. The only cards I ever got were this past