Page 21 of The Naughty Elf

GINGER

Everything is an absolute mess.But you have to make a mess before it can all come together, I remind myself. It’s the same with every project I work on. All of the moving pieces seem like chaos until it’s show time.

But God, does it feel like it’s not going to happen right now. There are so many loose ends. I can’t get done what I planned to do myself because I have so many fires to put out.

I want to scream,Come on, people, use your brains and figure it out yourselves!

I can’t. It’s my job. It’s the penalty of being in charge.

Sighing, I run a hand through my hair before tying it up in a messy bun. This little elf is going to look like she’s worked her ass off all day by the time she’s done for the day.

Oh well.

The construction crew has the small games I’d planned for the kids mostly set up in the children’s wing. They’re all covered with sheets to protect the surprise for as long as possible, but the extras—plastic balls, clubs, and other paraphernalia—sit out in buckets. It’s enough for the patients to be excited.

Outside, they’re building something bigger for the general public to play on for an admission fee, and any of the children who are well enough to venture outside can partake in the full-sized games.

The weather even permits the Santa-themed bouncy house. Gracie is going to love that bit.

After directing Sally and Samantha where to put the tables for the donated food, and showing Daniel where I want the fryer set up for the fresh funnel cakes, I sneak around the side of the hospital, finding a nook to take a breather.

The cold of the brick is refreshing against my back. I close my eyes and take two deep breaths before I notice someone nearme.

Ashley is only a few feet away, having snuck up on me. God, I must be out of it not to have heard him.

He leans against the brick beside me on one arm, and I swear it makes all of the muscles in his shoulders and chest flex. “You all right?”

I smile up at him, taking the opportunity to trace a finger along the inside of his bicep.

Did his eyes just darken ten shades? His pupils are blown wide, and that mounting desire that accompanies our flirting isthick between us.

“Yeah. Just needed a minute.” If I’m being honest with myself, I’ll take another five to have a piece of him. I let my hand drop to the center of his chest, drawing a little circle before my fingers crawl up to his collar and tug him closer.

He takes direction well, surrounding me with his body as I lift to my toes to kiss him.

Ashley’s mouth presses against mine gently, once, twice, three times, tugging my bottom lip between his teeth before his hand sinks into my hair, unknotting my bun. His kiss turns dangerous, setting me ablaze with compounding need.

I let myself get lost in him and the way he’s kissing me.

If I’m being honest with myself, I’ve imagined this so many times. Although this isn’t the time or place I thought the attraction between us would finally ignite, I have to admit the way his mouth moves over mine and his tongue claims me is better than I envisioned.

When his free hand finds the small of my back, my body swings into his, and the small moan vibrating through our kiss has me feeling a bit reckless.

I draw my hands under his shirt to scrape my nails across his back. The strangled noise at the back of his throat sends heat down to my core. God, I want him to touch me. To soothe the ache that’s been beating between my thighs for over a month. I can never seem to do more than take the edge off. But my own hand is no comparison to the real thing.

To having someone else touch me instead.

I nip him and take a second to catch my breath. “Touch me,” I tell him, body sliding against his suggestively.

When his hand glides down to grab my ass in a firm grip and rub his arousal against my stomach, I almost laugh in delight.

After a beat, I let my body retreat, back flush against the cold brick again. His thumb brushes the soft skin of my stomach, and I can’t hold back my need to rush this. To get as much as I can before we’re discovered, or I’m needed again.

I pop the button on my jeans, and Ashley’s groan has me whimpering.

“We don’t have much time…”

He takes my mouth in another earth-shattering kiss. Abruptly pulling away, he turns me around, pulls me back into the crook of his body, and slides a hand down my belly again, under the waist of my jeans and inside my panties, and he brushes my folds with his fingers.

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