Title: Holiday Fatigue

Author: Emily Carrington

Publisher: Changeling Press

Cover Art: Angela Knight

Genres: Action Adventure, BDSM, Contemporary, Mystery & Suspense, New Releases, Romance

Themes: 2nd Chance Romance, Christmas, LGBTQ+ /Gay, Medical Romance, Multicultural & Interracial

Series: Marisburg Chronicles (#7)

Multiverse: Sticks & Stones (#3)

Book Length: Novella

Page Count: 74

Synopsis

For husbands Peter and Abe, Christmas is a time for miracles — and unexpected party crashers.

Peter is all set to make this Christmas season the best for his husband. That is, until a cat is all but thrown into his lap and an unexpected and unwanted man crashes at their house for the holidays. Worse than the lack of privacy is the curtailing of their light BDSM play.

Abe can’t say no when an old flame begs for a place to stay. Temporarily. This man has fallen on hard times and needs a little kindness. However, there’s something more he wants than a roof over his head. As Abe struggles against seasonal depression, a couple of cats come to enliven the home he shares with Peter.

Between grief, jealousy, and a prying houseguest, can Abe and Peter kindle their spirits toward lovemaking and the holidays?

WARNING: Holiday Fatigue includes references to cutting behavior and thoughts of suicide that may be triggers for some readers, as well as mention of animal cruelty.

Holiday Fatigue (Marisburg Chronicles 7)
Emily Carrington
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2025 Emily Carrington

  Peter noticed something on the streetlamp under which they stood. He didn’t point it out to Abe but drew his lover close and kissed him. Abe hadn’t done anything outright to make Peter doubt him. It was more the look of disappointment in Riku’s eyes when Peter had taken Abe’s arm.

            Abe startled him by nibbling his lower lip. He followed this up with his tongue, which swept into Peter’s mouth, teasing him and sending electricity all through his body. Peter forgot his jealousy, his lonely thoughts too, and kissed Abe back.

            The moment wasn’t long enough but it managed to convince Peter being back at their house would have been better. There, at least, he could have stripped for his lover and gotten the spanking he craved.

            As if reading his mind, Abe’s hands dropped to Peter’s ass and, pushing his long coat up and out of the way, gripped him hard.

            Peter gasped and plundered Abe’s mouth as Abe ground their groins together.

            Abe wasn’t much of an exhibitionist, but he’d risen to Peter’s challenge. Could it be possible he’d been as desperate for Peter’s touch as Peter had been for his all day?

            Aware that Abe would be terribly embarrassed if either of them went too far, though, Peter drew back. He felt himself flush and shook his head, apologizing with his gaze. When Abe raised an eyebrow at him in evident confusion, Peter shrugged and pointed upward to the mistletoe that hung from the lamppost.

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Emily Carrington is a multipublished author of male/male and transgender women’s speculative fiction. Seeking a world made of equality, she created SearchLight to live out her dreams. But even SearchLight has its problems, and Emily is looking forward to working all of these out with a host of characters from dragons and genies to psychic vampires. And in the contemporary world she’s named “Sticks & Stones,” Emily has vowed to create small towns where prejudice is challenged by a passionate quest for equality. Find her on Facebook at Shapeshifter Central or on her website.

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