Paul had himself a bowl of chili, he was sitting down at the kitchen table when Mark walked downstairs. Paul immediately pointed towards the stove. - "I made a small pot of chili. I hope you don't mind. If you'd like some, there's still plenty left." - Mark thought he smelt something cooking downstairs. "Thanks, but I'm not hungry, right now. I've gotta go in town, buy some Christmas presents, for Jeff. Being he's staying here, now." - "We need a Christmas tree too, Mark. Don't forget that, and Christmas lights. Do you have any?." Jeff asks as he turns the corner from the stairs and into the small kitchen. "No, I don't have any. I'll have to get some of that, too. I reckon." Mark replies as he turns around and see's Jeff, his hair still wet from his shower. Mark could smell he had used that Strawberry body wash. It was very tempting. Mark just wanted to pull Jeff into a hug and get closer to him and that sweet fragrance.

Mark and Jeff still hadn't had much alone time together, since Paul moved in with them. And Mark couldn't wait to beable to be close to Jeff. Jeff's birthday was coming up and Paul had apologized for not being able to be there for his party. Because he had business to take care of with his former bank. Mark had told him that Jeff probably wouldn't be too upset over it, being that him and Paul barely knew each other. But, really. Mark couldn't have been happier. Him and Jeff were finally gonna beable to have it where it would be just the two of them, again. And, Mark knew that Jeff was just as eager, if not even more so to have that sweet time alone, once again. Just the two of them.

But for now it was just a week before Christmas. And Jeff had been bugging Mark to decorate the house, at-least get a small tree, Jeff had suggested. Mark wasn't too big on holidays, when he was living alone. He didn't have anyone to give presents too. And he didn't find that it made sense to decorate the house with lights if there was no-one but him and his dogs that would see it.

To be honest, Mark didn't like Christmas. It mostly came from his mother not being around anymore. Christmas was her favorite holiday. She would go all out. Having every corner of the house filled with something decorative or another. Wreaths, Christmas lights, Santa clause statues. She even had a glass town piece which came with little plastic trees, lamp-posts and benches. The buildings had lights inside of them and the lamp-posts, also had lights, so it was a very pretty sight once displayed. Mark couldn't even explain the Christmas tree. It would light up most of the downstairs. And she would always get the tallest one that she could find. Mark and Glen would help decorate it, and Glen, with the help of dad would always place the angel on-top. It was a little depressing to Mark, because it was just a reminder of not having her around. And he missed her, dearly. He missed all of them.

Mark was in thoughts, thinking of his mother. When Jeff suddenly snapped him out of it, with a kiss on the lips.

Mark shook his head, and quickly pulled Jeff away from him. "What are you doing?. Where's Paul?. What if he saw us?."

Mark looked around the room, Paul wasn't in the house any-longer. His bowl was now empty and sitting in the sink.

"Relax, he is not here, anymore. It's just us." - "Where did he go?." - "Out, I don't know where."

Mark quickly calms down. He smiles at Jeff. And pulls him to his embrace. "A few more weeks, and you'll be seventeen. Are you exciting?."

"You know I am. I can't wait for it. Three whole days, just the two of us. No Paul around. I'll be in heaven." Jeff replies. And he places his head on Mark's chest. His smile wide acrossed his face. - "Yeah, I have to be honest. I'm exciting for it, too. I've missed you. Missed you alot more then I thought." - "You know what I want?." - "Don't say it, Jeff." Mark warns. Jeff laughs. "I wasn't gonna."

Mark kisses Jeff on the head, and then he gently grabs Jeff's shoulders. Pulling Jeff from his chest so that he could see his face.

"What were you gonna say, then?." - "I was gonna say that I am ready for some Christmas shopping. And I know just what I want in my stocking." - "Oh, really. What's that." Mark asks.

Jeff smiles, and Mark returns it back to him. "I want a copy of that picture in your room." - "The old black and white one." Mark asks.

Jeff nods. "I like it. You were so cute as a little boy." - Mark almost blushes. "Oh, please."

"You were." Jeff shouts as he gently punches Mark in the arm. "Hey, don't start with me." Mark jokes as he easily picks Jeff up in his arms.

"You ready to go to the store." - "Well, I was. But now I am thinking of something better to do." Jeff winks.

Mark quickly shakes his head. "No, I know what your thinking of. And it ain't happening."

"Why not. Paul won't be back any time soon. I just want a few kisses." Jeff whines.

"You don't even know where he went, too. How do you know he won't walk through that door any minute." Mark asks.

"That's half the excitement." Jeff announces. - "You just need to go back in that shower,and put some cold water on. Because, you know the deal. Nothing's happening." - "I recall that something did happen, or almost." - Jeff saw the look in Mark's eyes. He was not having fun anymore, he was getting aggravating. Jeff figured it would be for the best if he just dropped it.

"Fine, let's go Christmas shopping. What's are budget?." - "A hundred."

Jeff looked up to Mark. "Are you serious. Only a hundred dollars?. We have to buy a Christmas tree. That's not enough to buy everything we need. Hell, that's not even enough to buy a nice tree." Jeff explains.

"Hey, don't curse." - "Sorry. But do you have anymore money?."

"I guess, I can get some more. If we need it." - "Trust me, we are gonna need it."

While Mark and Jeff were heading to town, Paul was already heading out of town. And to a pawn shop that he had called earlier in the day. He had on hold a top of the line camera. One with 10x zoom. And it was capable of night-vision. It was worth five hundred dollars, but Paul knew the pawn shop owner, so he only had to pay three hundred. He didn't really have the money but he would need it if anyone was to believe that Mark and Jeff really were involved. So he would write a check. Once it bounced, Paul wouldn't be around, so what's it matter. He needed it if he was to get what he wanted. And he wanted Jeff gone, And if Mark doesn't want to help him, then he can be gone, too. And then he'd have the house, the land. Everything. And he wouldn't have to worry. It would all be his. Because what would Mark beable to do about it. Nothing.

It was the perfect plan, the only problem was...

Mark and Jeff had been keeping their distance since Paul moved in. And quite frankly, Paul didn't expect that. Being Jeff's a teenager, he thought that he would have caught them already, doing something. But he barely saw them look at each with lust. But he expected something to happen. It was just a matter of time. He would keep positive. Everything was gonna come into place. - And with what Jeff and Mark had planned for Jeff's birthday. Paul would have his chance. But would he be there to catch it?.

TBC