Cinnamon and Strawberries

By K.L. Noone

Jason and Colby fell in love on a movie set, and found their own happy ending. But now that filming’s over, they’ll have to figure out what’s next, as holiday bells start ringing in the air.

Jason’s ready to move in if Colby asks -- but he’s not sure Colby’s ready for that. Colby’s hoping Jason wants to stay -- but has a hard time believing in promises.

Together, they’ll face their first holiday season as a celebrity couple, complete with breakfast in bed, new uses for sparkly ribbon, mince pies, and learning how to live together ... and a few surprise celebrations.

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Dec 11, 2020
• ISBN: 9781646566457

K.L. Noone

K.L. Noone loves fantasy, romance, cats, far too sweet coffee, and happy endings! She is also the author of Port in a Storm and its upcoming sequel, available from Less Than Three Press, and numerous short romances with Ellora’s Cave and Circlet Press; her fantasy fiction has appeared in Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Sword and Sorceress anthologies. With her Professor Hat on, she teaches college students about Shakespeare and superhero comics, and has published academic articles and essays on Neil Gaiman’s adaptations of Beowulf, Welsh mythology in modern fantasy, and Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels.

Book preview

Cinnamon and Strawberries

By K.L. Noone

Published by JMS Books LLC at Smashwords

Visit jms-books.com for more information.

Copyright 2020 K.L. Noone

ISBN 9781646566457

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Cover Design: Written Ink Designs | written-ink.com

Image(s) used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.

All rights reserved.

WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.

This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It may contain sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which might be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Published in the United States of America.

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This one’s for Awesome Husband, who lovingly agrees to watch all the holiday baking shows with me.

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Cinnamon and Strawberries

By K.L. Noone

Chapter 1: Christmas

Colby finished arranging lights—gold and white and twinkling—across a bookshelf. Felt Jason’s height and weight and action-hero presence arriving beside him. Turned and put an arm around his other half’s waist, fitting their bodies together. I like the color. It’s a warm sort of gold. If that makes sense.

It does. Jason dropped a kiss above Colby’s right eyebrow, casual and affectionate and therefore miraculous. What do you think of the stairs?

Colby looked. The holiday garland wreathed its way up the bannister, green leaves and holly and small shimmering lights; two decorative reindeer, sculpted in metal and flowing lines, held a conversation on the lowest step, off to one side. Jason had set them out, humming carols under his breath. Colby’s laptop had been playing some nineteen-fifties holiday classics, though it’d stopped a bit ago. He’d been listening to the rain.

Cinnamon and pine and roasted chestnut scents wafted. Coffee and freshly-baked sugar cookies waited in the kitchen. They hadn’t got a tree yet, though that’d been the plan for the afternoon; small old-fashioned lanterns glowed and glass jars of pinecones perched on shelves and a delicate spray of bronze snowflakes cavorted around the window. The front door wore a holiday-steampunk wreath, full of small gears and toy-workshop tools in bronze and dark green and crimson and deep gold.

The front door. Their front door. Their home, here in London. Himself and Jason, because Jason’s workout equipment and fantasy roleplaying game manuals and massive shoulders had moved in. Himself and Jason, because they’d fallen in love on set and off, through characters and love scenes and afternoons spent running lines and shared book recommendations. Because Jason had stayed with him when he’d been injured, and Colby had told that enormous kind heart a few secrets he’d never shared with anyone, and he and Jason had each other, now.

Like the holidays, he thought. Every day.

He leaned against Jason, secure in the knowledge of happiness. I love it.

I love you. Jason touched a finger to Colby’s cheek; Colby promptly kissed the fingertip. Jason went on, Not sure you want to go out and get a tree in this? I know you love rain, but this feels like a weather wizard’s working out frustrations.

Welcome to England in December. Laurie wants to know my mince pie recipe, so we can find and practice that instead, and acquire a tree when there isn’t a deluge. It’s been at least two years since I’ve made those. Sir