Page 44 of Dare To Take

“Hate to break it to you, Hellcat, but Santa isn’t real. It’s just a lie told by parents, so they don’t have to try too hard. They can blame the guy in red when their kids don’t get the gifts they want.”

She blinks. “That’s a really cynical view, Eli. But I mean the tree.”

I frown. “You know trees aren’t mythical things, right? They’re not unicorns. Of course, it’s real.”

She gives an exasperated huff, and I school my expression, so she doesn’t see me laughing at her.

“I meant it’s not a fake tree.”

“I don’t even know why you want one,” Elena says from behind us. “It’s not like you have enough of those silly decorations to cover it anyway. It’s going to look ridiculous.”

Hurt flashes across Arabella’s face, followed by disappointment. I’m talking before I even think about it.

“We have a huge box of tree decorations. I’ll ask Poppy to get them out for you. Come on.” I sling an arm over her shoulders and guide her past Elena. “I suppose you’re going to want to play Christmas carols and drink eggnog while you do your decorating?”

Her smile is like the sun rising. “Can we?”

I laugh. Her smile fades.

“Oh … you didn’t mean it.”

“If that’s how you want to spend the afternoon, then who am I to stop you?”

The kitchen is a hive of activity when we enter, but Poppy spots us and stops what she’s doing.

“What are you doing in here, Eli? I’m not baking cookies today.”

“I thought we agreed part of your contract was cookies on tap?” I toss the older woman a grin.

“Too many cookies, and all those girls will stop sending you dreamy-eyed looks.”

“I’m not seeing the downside.” I tug Arabella forward. “Ari here wants to decorate the tree. It’s out in the hall, but she only has a couple of things. Do you know where the box is?”

“I do. Let me call Matthew to get it for you.” She walks to the opposite end of the kitchen and throws open a door.

“Matthew is the gardener,” I explain to Arabella, who’s staring at me with a weird expression. “What?”

“Nothing.”

***

As predicted, she needs a ladder to reach the top of the tree. I hold it steady while she climbs up and places the angel at the top. As she climbs back down, I check to see if anyone is around, and let my hand slide up over her stomach, under her t-shirt and palm her breast.

“You should turn around. You’re at the perfect height for me to eat your pussy.”

“In the hallway? Where anyone, including your dad and Elena, could walk past and see?”

“They might learn some new tricks.”

Her laugh is shocked. My fingers slip beneath the lace of her bra and stroke over her nipple. It beads under my touch.

“Tell me you’re not wet at the thought of it.” I push up her t-shirt with my nose and kiss along her spine. “Maybe we should sneak back down here later tonight, and I could fuck you under the tree. Now that’s a Christmas gift I’d be happy to give you.”

“Shhh! Someone might hear you.”

I laugh against her skin. “Let me see your tits, at least. Turn around and show me. It’s been hours, and I’m hungry for a taste.”

“Eli!” But she turns on the steps, casting wild glances around as I lift her top up to bare her breasts.

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