Page 36 of Sexted By Santa
I deliberately slid my gaze up and down his body. “Old isn’t the thought that comes to mind when I look at you.”
He licked his lips nervously. “That’s a relief.”
His cheeks were already pink from the cold. I was disappointed that I couldn’t tell whether I’d made him blush.
“You sure you won’t stay for dinner?”
He shook his head. “Thank you for the offer, but I have to get home. Sir Elton,the dog, needs feeding and walking, or he’ll trash the house.”
I’d seen his dog. It was a little, long-haired princess of a pooch. It was hard to imagine that little thing doing much damage. But Christian clearly wanted to retreat, so I let him. “I’ll see you Wednesday evening then?”
“Seven on the dot,” he confirmed before turning away.
I watched him walk back to his house with a frown. Had I misread his interest in something beyond a date of convenience? I could have sworn there was real longing in his eyes when he looked at me while we worked. Perhaps it was all in my head. Was I so lonely I was projecting my wishes onto others?
I knew a relationship wasn’t in the cards. I had Tori to think about, and Christian wasn’t all that comfortable with kids. I’d learned the hard way not to open my heart to that possibility; it only led to wishful thinking and then crushing disappointment when my partner couldn’t handle me being a dad first and a boyfriend second.
But there was a spark between Christian and me. And he wasright next door.It was hard to ignore how easy it would be to have someone so close, someone who could make those late-night hours a little less empty—even if it was only for a few nights worth of sex.
I packed up the rest of my holiday supplies and hauled them to the garden shed before going inside and scolding Tori for watching too much YouTube. We ate dinner in a sullen pout, but I wasn’t sure who was sulking more: me or my daughter.
* * *
“Are you ready?” I called through Tori’s bedroom door. “We’ve got about ten minutes till we leave for the party.”
Tori opened the door. “How do I look?”
She was wearing her tights decorated with reindeer with a long red sweater. “Very festive,” I said. “Nice Christmas colors.”
She frowned down at herself. “Is this nice enough for the party? I wish I had a pretty dress to wear.”
“It looks fine, and you do have pretty dresses.”
She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t like those anymore.”
“What you’re wearing is fine—”
“I’m gonna switch to my green sweater.”
The door shut in my face, and I sighed. If Tori was like this at age eight, I shuddered to think what might be in store in the future. It was times like these I regretted that Tori didn’t have a mom. The older she got, the more she was going to want opinions about clothes and hairstyles and boys. I could help with one of those. The others, not so much.
A flicker of guilt went through me. Should I be dating more women?
I dismissed the thought. I’d tried when Tori was younger. It hadn’t worked. And the few times I’d come close to something serious had been worse than all the short-lived dates—because they’d met Tori, begun to influence her life and mine, and then left us both reeling. I could live with my own disappointment, but Tori’s? I couldn’t take it.
That’s why I’d been careful to emphasize this party tonight wasn’t anything but a fun occasion. I’d explained to Tori that Christian needed a date for the event, and that we were friends, so it worked out. She didn’t need to know any more than that.
“If anyone asks you about it, just point them to me,” I’d said.
She’d looked thoroughly bored by our chat, turning the conversation back to the party. “Will people be wearing fancy clothes? I want to dress up!”
I hadn’t known the answer to that. A text to Christian had revealed that it was not a black tie affair, at least.People dress up a little, but it’s a family event, so there’s more Christmas sweaters and ties with Santa than people in expensive evening wear.
Tell me you’re wearing a tie with Santas,I’d teased immediately.
This is my nightoffSanta apparel, thank you very much.
I’d been relieved by our small bit of banter. We hadn’t talked since the day he helped me hang Christmas lights. The same day I’d invited him to dinner and then insulted him by thinking he wasdelusional.I honestly wasn’t sure which thing might have made him more uncomfortable. I was just glad that it seemed as if we could move past it. It would make tonight infinitely easier if Christian could relax around me.
