Page 31 of Sleigh Rides With St. Nick

"We shouldn't.Not until my contract is over.If my boss finds out..."

"We'll take Pieter," I suggested.

"That's a weird date," she responded.

"Hmm, true.We could go to the god realm.There are lots of good restaurants there, and unless your boss is a god themselves, or invited by one, they shouldn't be there."

A curious expression crossed her face."The god realm."

"Yes, there's a portal not far from here.If you go through it, then you'll come out in the god realm."

"I know what it is," she assured me."I just didn't think about the fact you'd be able to go there."

"Technically, everyone can go there," I said."They just need to know how.And if you're not invited then it can draw the wrong kind of attention, which no one really wants."

"What's it like?"she asked.

"A weird hodge-podge of everything you can imagine," I said."There are temples, restaurants, and all kinds of shops.It's hard to describe what it's like."

She reached across the table and touched my hand."I look forward to it.But you know what I'd like before that?"

"Mmm?"

"A tour of your flat."

"That can be arranged," I said, pushing back my chair and picking up both of our dishes so I could put them in the sink.Normally, I'd load the dishwasher straight away, but I didn't want to miss a moment with Ivy when I didn't have to.

She got up and came over, putting a hand on my chest to stop me from moving."And thank you for dinner.That was great."Her voice dipped lower, and I could see the sincerity written all over her face, along with some of the other emotions that were lingering there.

"You're welcome.It's the least I could do after you helped me today.I was in a tight spot when the elf-for-hire company we normally use had to cancel."

"Well, maybe if this goes well, you won't have to use an elf-for-hire service next year."

My heart squeezed at the words.It should terrify me, I hadn't gotten close to many people since becoming immortal, mostly for fear of losing them.But Ivy was different.Probably because she was an elf, and that meant she had centuries of lifespan still stretching out before her.There wasn't the same risk that there usually was.

And I liked that.

She went up onto her toes and kissed me.Her lips were soft at first, warm and inviting all the same, but she soon grazed my bottom lip with her tongue, sending a bolt of desire through me.

I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her closer with a hand on her lower back.It was a different kind of kiss than the one we'd shared in the sleigh, but it was no less full of desire, and it made me want more.

She broke the kiss but didn't move away from me."I've changed my mind," she murmured.

"Oh?"

"I don't need a tour of your flat, just directions to the bedroom."

I chuckled."I think that can be arranged."I reached for her hand and led her away from the kitchen to where we both wanted to be.

Chapter14

IVY

My breathing was already shallow by the time Nick showed me into his bedroom.

"One second," he said, hurrying over to the bed and pulling off a blanket so he could throw it over the chair in the corner.

I laughed."Laundry chair?"

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