Page 32 of Christmas Criminal

I throw my hands out in front of me. "Um, no! He's helping me with community service."

She cocks her head to the side. "But it's fake community service."

Of course that's what my sister would get from that.

I huff. "I know. And honestly, I thought I might get some tongue action tonight at least, but no dice."

I realize what I said when her eyes light up. "Oh really? Like on his desk?"

"No! I meant, like, a kiss."

"Oh. That's boring."

I shake my head, taking another sip of wine. "Okay, well I'm sorry I didn't immediately spread my legs for the math teacher."

She sighs, picking up her knitting again. "Man, all I wanted was a spicy little Christmas story."

"Sorry, Chris."

She huffs. "Maybe next year."

"Maybe once I finish my community service."

"You think?" she asks.

I shrug. "I don't know. I mean, it's not like anything could really come from it. Like, he seems like he would be fun, youknow? Like he gets all stoic and quiet sometimes and I feel like in his head maybe we're doing naughty stuff. But if it's the community service that's the problem, it seems almost... moot."

"Moot?"

"Yeah, like if nothing happens until I'm done, then what? One wild night and then we promptly forget all about it? I mean, I'm not going back to that town unless I need to."

She rolls her eyes. "Oh, it's not that bad," she says. "And honestly, whynothave one wild night with him? I mean, have yourself a holiday season. You deserve it, after all the community service you're doing."

"Iwouldbe serving the community."

She throws her head back cackling.

"And after all the manual labor he has me doing, I really should get at leastoneorgasm out of the deal."

Christina nods her agreement. "Absolutely. He owes you."

"He has us building those Christmas huts they have for the fair every year–"

"Oh really?" she exclaims, turning toward me and grabbing my arm. "Oh, that doesn't sound like community service! That sounds like so much fun!"

"I mean, it's not the worst thing in–"

"Because you're staring at math teacher eye candy."

I press my lips together. "Because it's not like I have to sit and take a remedial class on what I did wrong or pick up trash from the side of the highway or something. One of his students has been helping out. He got detention one day and then just kept coming back afterward because he liked it, and it's honestly kind of sweet to watch his confidence grow, you know?"

Christina eyes me. "Are you becoming a sap?"

"No. It'snice."

"I think the math teacher put you under a little Christmas spell."

"Christina!"

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