Page 23 of Her Secret Santa

“Allie!” Clara gasps, slapping a hand over her mouth to cover a scandalized laugh.

I’m pretty sure her friend is the girl Arlo took upstairs last night. She’s even more his type without the mask. I idly wonder if he’ll invite her back, but, like me, he doesn’t have a habit of it. Neither of them seem to notice me as I fold myself into one of the chairs at the other end of the table.

“I actually havebruiseson my ass,” Allie whispers, not at all quietly.

I only just barely hide my snicker into the fake Santa beard that scratches over my cheeks as I take a seat. Arlo must have gone easy on her.

“Lucky,” Clara whines, significantly quieter than her friend. “I don’t have any marks. I was kind of hoping I’d have at least a few. Maybe if I get invited back, I can convince him to really work me over.”

That shoots straight to my cock, and I shift uncomfortably in the cheap folding chair. I already decided before I left last night that I’d be inviting her back, and if she wants some marks, I’d bemorethan happy to oblige. She’d look so pretty covered in bruises and bite marks.

“I hope we both get invited back,” Allie says with a grin. “Whoever he was, he was fucking amazing.”

I’ll have to pass the compliments along. He won’t be surprised in the slightest.

“Seriously,” Clara says wistfully, leaning in and dropping her voice so low I almost can’t hear her. “He fucked me until I literallypassed out, Allie. And he left me a note thanking me and made sure the Floor Master from last night took care of me when I woke up. I got breakfast in bed andflowers.”

My brows wing up in surprise at that. I’ll have to ask Cain to thank the Floor Master from last night for going all out for me.

The two of them continue chatting quietly as the rest of the elves start filtering in, and I lose track of their conversation. Her friend leaves shortly after, and I watch lazily as Clara and the rest of the elves pull on their vests and their ears and the ridiculous shoe covers they all wear. Somehow, she still looks cute even all decked out in ridiculous elf regalia.

“Ready for today, Santa?” Natalise asks me.

My good mood douses immediately at the thought of my role for the day. I almost forget why I’m actually here.

“Sure am.”

I’m sure my abundant enthusiasm reads clearly in the dryness of my tone. This whole thing is pointless, and I can’t believe I’m wasting time playing dress up in a mall I fucking own. Fuck the Christmas spirit.

Clara and the rest of the elves start filing out of the room so I take a deep breath and force myself out of the chair. We make our way down the little aisle toward the elaborate set up, and I settle into the heavily decorated bench, groaning under my breath at the line of kids already waiting for a picture with Santa.

Fuck, why me?

“Smile, Santa,” Clara hisses at me sharply.

She shoots me a harsh glare as she fluffs the pillows on the bench. It’s kind of hot, and I can’t help the grin I send her in response. She frowns at me, clearly confused by the response, and hurries off toward the line of children.

I might actually have to pay attention to playing Santa if I don’t want to get myself in trouble. I can’t really afford to be fantasizing right now, no matter how pretty my little elf looks.

It becomes more and more difficult to keep my eyes off her as the day goes on. Her smile is captivating, and the braids in her hair bounce with every step she takes. She’s more interesting to look at than the kids, which she doesn’t seem to like, and she scolds me about it more than once. At least I’m not being shitty to the kids today. I’ve got too much eye candy to get truly annoyed with everything else around me.

I just can’t help staring at her, entirely too wrapped up in thoughts of her. There are too many things I want to do to her,withher, and it’s almost impossible to keep my mind from wandering, especially when I think about how perfect she wasat Eternity. After hearing her conversation with her friend this morning, ideas have run wild through my brain all day.

It’s the biggest relief of my life when the line finally dwindles and we wrap up for the day. I follow hot on Clara’s heels as she rushes to the break room, both because I’m anxious for the day to be over and because I don’t want to let her out of my sight. It would be a horrible idea to reveal the truth of last night, especially right now, but I consider it anyway. Seeing her eyes go wide in shock and watching her face flush red sounds so tempting.

It would easily be one of the stupidest things I’ve ever done. I don’t even know the girl, and my uncle is already on my ass about my public image. He’d have a heart attack if my proclivities got out to the media because I broke my damn NDA. Sure, I don’t think Clara would take the opportunity to sell the story, but it’s not a risk I need to take.

Still, the thought is more tempting than it should be.

I’m saved from my own rashness by the sound of her phone ringing.

“Grandma, hi!” she says, sounding flustered as she strips out of the elf vest. “Sorry, I know I’m late—I’m leaving work now.”

She stuffs her keys and a bag full of crafting supplies into her backpack, the zipper still half undone when she pulls it from her locker to sling over her shoulder. I catch the confused glance she shoots my way and realize I’ve been staring this whole time, caught up in the sight of her looking so different from when I had her pinned to the bed beneath me.

She still looks just as sweet.

I force my attention back to my locker, shaking my head subtly to clear it of the memories of last night.

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