Page 21 of Santa Loves Curvy Girls

I grinned at her joke. “Something like that.”

I wished this job came with a sweet ride, and I almost wondered out loud where I could submit that sort of feedback.

Clearly, Belle had already gotten a head start.

There were supplies at the ready and presents all around the room, from bright blue and pink bikes to pajamas, books, and all sorts of toys.

“Ms. Merriweather said she’ll be back later. She had to make a run to the bank and a couple of other places and told me to lock up if we finished before she got back,” Belle said.

I nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

We got to work wrapping presents. Pretty quickly, I realized I was nowhere near as good as Belle at wrapping.

She tried not to laugh at the oddly shaped gift in my hands.

“I know,” I responded. “It looks like a first grader wrapped it.”

She opened her mouth, closed it, then said, “I didn’t say that.”

She scooted closer to me and gave me some lessons.

I loved being this close to her, even if I didn’t love being in this suit right then and there. It sure didn’t make it easy to move around.

“Okay, I think I got it,” I said.

I gave it another try, this time with a puzzle. I held it up for Belle’s approval.

She nodded. “Better. Definitely better.”

I stuck to the easy stuff, anything that was square or rectangular in nature. And she took care of all the advanced stuff, like soccer balls and dinosaurs.

“You’re a whiz at this,” I pointed out.

She grinned. “Lots of practice.”

Her phone buzzed, and she checked it, setting down her scissors to text someone back. She glanced up at me when she was done. “My friend Holly.”

I knew Holly. Or at least I knew who she was.

“Hanging out with them this week?” I asked, picking up another board game.

She shook her head. “We’ve all been pretty busy. Probably not until Christmas Eve or after. What about you and your friends?”

“Also pretty busy,” I replied, although I had to be the busiest one this year. “I’m sure we’ll hang out for New Year’s. Should be fun.”

“Maybe by then, I’ll get to see you without that beard,” she teased.

I couldn’t help but smile. “Maybe.” There was always a big New Year’s Eve party at somebody’s house. The thought of inviting Belle and kissing her as we rang in the new year… I couldn’t think of anything better.

She finished wrapping a big art set. I watched her wrap and cut the tape just right, then put together a bow. Instead of grabbing one of the bows you just stuck on there, though, she pulled out a spool of Christmas ribbon. Mesmerized, I watched her maneuver the ribbon, wrap it round and round, snip a little here, snip a little there… and boom. She’d made one of those big fancy bows. “You really are an elf!” I said.

That made her laugh, which made me grin like a fool.

“It’s not that hard, I promise.” She scooted toward me again and gave me the ribbon. “Here.”

Her hands touched mine as she taught me how to wind up the ribbon and do the rest, but I was already lost. The only thing I could remotely pay attention to was her.

Her lips were perfect, and all I wanted to know was what they tasted like.

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