Page 35 of Naughty Santa

She put her hand over his mouth. “I want to do your idea.”

He kissed her fingertips and pulled her hand away. “You don’t even know what my idea is.”

“Doesn’t matter. I want to do it. I’ll do anything with you. I totally trust you.”

The warmth Joe suddenly felt in his chest had nothing to do with the idea of her in a short green elf skirt, or candy-cane-striped thigh-high stockings, or the idea of covering her body with red and green sprinkles. That heat was there, always just under the surface, but this was a lot more. This was the desire to take care of her and make her happy and make memories with her. Fun, silly, sweet memories that they could talk and laugh about over and over again.

He knew that wasn’t going to happen because she was leaving the day after the Christmas party, sale or no sale.

But damned if Joe didn’t want those memories for himself.

“Then let’s go.” He held his hand out for her to take. She threaded her fingers in his, and they headed for his truck.

He drove her to his place and within minutes, had her on his sofa, wrapped in a blanket, the fireplace roaring, and milk heating in a pan on the stove.

“This is not what I was envisioning.” She watched him over the back of the couch as he moved around the kitchen. Not that she appeared to be complaining, given she had tucked the blanket around her shoulders more securely and was settled into his couch cushions as if she was planning to stay for a while.

“Well, I know your visions for my Santa suit,” Joe said. “What were you envisioning about my house?”

He was more than willing to try to make all her ideas happen. He stirred the milk and then reached into the cupboard for the cocoa mix and the bag of mini marshmallows that he kept around for Jaden. Not that he didn’t dip into both after shoveling snow off his walk or working on the roof at the Holly Jolly on a particularly cold morning. Just for instance.

“You carrying me in over your shoulder and stripping me down and fucking me hard against your front door.”

Joe coughed as heat shot through him. “We can always go back out to the truck and start over. In fact, let’s do that now.” He started to pull the pan from the stove.

“No.” Paris snuggled deeper into his couch and looked over at his Christmas tree. “This is perfect. No do-overs.”

Joe grimaced. “Fine, but we’re doing your idea next time.”

Paris gave him a distracted nod, too entranced by his holiday decorations.

His tree was covered in multicolored lights and a collection of ornaments that were a mix of childhood keepsakes and new ones he’d seen in the store over the years and liked. Compared to the trees Paris had decorated at the Holly Jolly, it was simple andold-fashioned. It had no specific theme or color palette, and he’d had no idea what she thought of it. Judging by her smile, he’d say she was okay with it.

Joe forced himself to concentrate on what he was doing.

What was he doing?

Oh yeah. Making sure having sex with him was something different and memorable, something the California girl would look back on when she returned to the land of sand and sun since was part of her first—and maybe only—Christmas in the snow.

He mixed hot chocolate powder into the milk in the pan, added a splash of peppermint schnapps, and reached for the bag of marshmallows. But as he dropped three into one cup, Joe had a better idea. He fished them out with a spoon and turned for the fridge, pulling out a can of whipped cream and quickly swirling some on top of each cup. Then he drizzled chocolate sauce over the whipped cream and shook the green and red sprinkles over the top. He had the sprinkles from last year when he and Jaden had made cookies. After that, he tucked a candy cane into each cup. Joe started to return the whipped cream to the fridge but thought better of that too, tucking the can under his arm before picking up the cups of cocoa. Joe hit the light switch on the wall with his elbow as he passed, leaving the only light in the living room coming from the tree and the fireplace.

He joined Paris on the couch and set the cups on the coffee table.

She grinned and started to reach for one.

“Oh, no, hang on there.”

She lifted a brow. “I don’t get to have any cocoa?”

“You get to have cocoa. But my way.”

She smiled, intrigued. “You mean there’s more than one way to have cocoa?”

“Absolutely. Because you’ve never had cocoa with me,” he said, scooting closer.

“I can’t wait for you to show me.”

“Lie back.”

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