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Peter Benton was annoyed with John Carter. Again.
The problem was that Carter talked too much. There was always some comment, some question, some unnecessary thought he felt compelled to share. Pointless details no one else cared about. Benton had little patience for that.
What bothered him even more was the way Carter looked at him while doing it, those big brown eyes, bright with curiosity. Benton found them attractive.
And yet, there they were, standing face to face in the hallway.
Someone, probably one of the nurses, had hung Christmas decorations from the ceiling. One of them was dangling directly above their heads.
Mistletoe.
Benton glanced up at it briefly, then back at Carter.
Carter was smiling. He had noticed it too, of course he had. That boyish, slightly mischievous smile, the one Benton found both irritating… and surprisingly difficult to ignore.
“You know,” Carter said, “I think there’s a rule about this.”
Benton could already hear the stupidity coming.
“Carter…”
“No, really,” Carter went on easily. “If two people are standing under mistletoe-”
“Carter.”
But Carter said it anyway.
“-then they ki-”
Benton’s patience snapped.
He stepped forward, grabbed the front of Carter’s coat, and pulled him down into a kiss.
The kiss was brief, firm, and completely unexpected.
When Benton let go, Carter just blinked at him for a few seconds. The hallway suddenly felt very quiet.
“Oh,” Carter said at last.
Benton’s voice was dry.“Happy now?”
Color slowly crept into Carter’s face, but the smile returned.“Yes.”
A beat passed before he added,
“Although… while we’re here-”
Benton narrowed his eyes.
“Carter.”
Carter raised his hands innocently.“I’m just saying that technically the rule allows for multiple-”
Benton kissed him again.
This time it was slower. Deeper.
Carter’s hand came up instinctively, fingers brushing along Benton’s jaw before settling against his cheek as he leaned into the kiss. Benton’s hand, meanwhile, stayed firm at Carter’s waist, pulling him a little closer.When they finally parted, Carter looked at him with unmistakable satisfaction. “Much better.”
Benton exhaled quietly. “You are unbelievably annoying."
Carter just shrugged, his grin widening. “I know.”
