Page 44 of Ho Ho Oh No

“You’re such a naughty boy. On Christmas, no less.”

“Well, you know what they say. Santa’s not the only onecomingto town.” I waggle my brows to sell the horrible pun.

She one-ups me because she’s so damn funny. “If you show me your north pole, I’ll ride you like a reindeer.”

Chapter 12

The Brat Pack

KRI

Iglance at my costume hanging on the back of my office door. The urge to bodily cringe becomes too powerful to resist, and a shudder runs through me from head to toe. “This is stupid. Why did I agree to this? Is it too late to stage a protest? I’m not above taking a hostage until my demands are met.”

Shep’s sexy laugh wraps around me from behind, giving my nipples a virtual tweak.

His damn laugh makes me nothing but a dumb girl with tits for brains.

In fact, that’s probably why I agreed with Lettie and Mia’s matching costume idea in the first place. I was giddy after the proposal and being cleared to return to work. They manipulated my euphoric state to suit their agenda.Between Shep activating my tit brains and those conniving shit disturbers, I didn’t stand a chance.

His strong hands latch onto my hips, and he yanks me backward until I plow into the wall of his body. With his mouth hovering over my ear, he rumbles, “I think you’re gonna look sexy as hell. I’ll be hard all night.”

I wave my open palm at the horrendous thing. “It’s askirt, Shep. A short one.”

“Which is part of what I love about it. Makes sneaking into a closet to get inside of you all that much easier.”

Despite his optimism, I’m still horrified at the prospect of traipsing around Redleg with my peers—most of which are men—in a fucking sexy Santa dress.“I am officially removing myself from the Brat Pack.”

In one hulking step, Shep plants himself beside me. He’s no longer staring at the girlie red and white atrocity on the hanger with a lustful gaze. Instead, he’s burning a hole into the side of my face with his dumb sexy eyes. “Excuse me? Thewhatpack?”

Oh shit.

Mayday, mayday!

We can’t let the Doms learn we’re unionizing.

“Rat Pack,” I sputter in a paltry attempt to cover up my flub. “You know? The shit Klein listens to. Sammy Davis, Old Blue Eyes, and all the rest of them.”

He arches a knowing brow at me, not buying my bullshit one bit. “And why would you need to remove yourself from the Rat Pack?”

Think, Kri. Think dammit.

“Well, because the whole point of these costumes was to recreate the scene from the movie where they sang a Rat Pack song. I guess that’s why Lettie started calling us that. Or maybe it was Mia.”

Truth is, Mia came up with theBrat Packname to troll Klein, even if he wouldn’t ever know it.

Shep shakes his head, looking every bit the disapproving dad. “Wow, Kri. Was that painful?”

“Was what painful?”

“Coming up with that bullshit lie?”

“It isn’t t a lie.” Feigning outrage, I shove backward a step and look down my nose at him. “That’s what they sang in the movie. Why would I lie?”

There is no chance, absolutely none, that he watchedMean Girls. Even if he did, he’ll never be able to remember what song the characters sang at the talent show thing.

His ridiculously full lips purse, and he clicks his tongue. Despite the implied condescension, the expression makes me want to take a seat on his face. I love his big lips.

He keeps his stare trained on me while he retrieves his phone, brings it up to his face, and poises his thumb to swipe.

---