Page 4 of Reindeer and Restraints
Excitement surges.
He veers at the last second, zeroing in on Bellamie. He's choosing her. No! It's all wrong. She doesn't want this.
But when he turns her around so he can spank her, I catch a glint of something in her eyes. She finally gets it—the fantasy.
Krampus grabs her wrists, draping a leather binding over them, pausing, and giving her a chance to back out. I can't breathe, I'm so ecstatic that she gets this opportunity. Will she take it?
I don't even care if I get a Krampus. It would mean so much more to me for her to break free from her good girl persona and see how exciting life can be.
Krampus works the leather around her wrists, tugs the binding, and pulls her into the parade. I'm losing my mind, once again causing the little girl next to us to stand closer to her mother. More proof I'm not ready for kids.
I try to grab the attention of other Krampuses parading past us, but tonight's not my lucky night.
The dark clanging of Krampus chains and old sleigh bells gives way to joyful bells and reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh, marking the end of my chance for a Krampus.
It can hardly be a bad night when I get to see real live reindeer. They're pretty amazing.
And if I have to bank my luck, I'll save it for the auction.
The reindeer and sleigh pass, allowing my sights to land on a burly, rugged, sexy AF dude in a flannel shirt and overalls. My heart sends out new fireworks. Who needs Krampus, when this guy exists?
Our eyes meet, and I'm certain of it this time because there's no mask in the way. My ovaries beg me to get rid of the implant. I've never felt like this before.
Then he abruptly looks down. I follow his gaze. He stepped in reindeer poop. Yuck.
Only then do I notice the shovel and wheelbarrow he's toting. He gets to work cleaning the street.
Starla grabs my arm. "We have to find Bellamie."
She's not wrong. And I'd be foolish to jeopardize my chances at the auction by falling for a poop scooper. But still… there's something about him.
If the auction doesn't work out, like last year when the virgins weren't able to make it because of a blizzard, I can track this guy down. It can't be that hard to find out who provided cleanup for the reindeer at the parade.
Chapter 3
Jolene
Starla's table looks like a craft store explosion, with every color of sequins, beads, and felt for the Christmas stockings she needs help making. Bellamie, me, and another friend, Penny, all showed up to help her finish her commitment to the foster care agency.
I have my suspicions about why she didn’t finish them last night, but bide my time asking. Krampus asked her out, and I think she went.
I sew a line of gold beads onto the harness around the felt reindeer’s neck then pass it to Penny. My mind still buzzes from the parade. The reindeer wrangler fantasy lingers in mythoughts. It rivals for space with my stepbrother fantasy. We’re all more than a little obsessed with our stepbrothers.
They’d assumed I had the best chance of hooking up with mine, since Hudson invited me to live with him and he pays all of the bills. But we’re still in separate bedrooms.
“Either of you think your stepbrothers will show up at the auction?”
No luck for any of us. Starla sews silver beads onto a felt snowflake. “I checked the weather and it’s not supposed to snow Friday.”
I whoop. “Good thing. I’d lose my mind if we got snowed out like the virgins from last year.”
“I can’t believe the waitresses stepped up to help. That would be too much for me.” Penny attaches the reindeer I passed to her onto a felt stocking.
She’s pretty reserved, but I thought the allure of a luxurious future might win her over.
Bellamie asks her, “Do you regret turning the invitation down, Penny?”
Penny pauses her sewing. We give her a second. “I don’t know how they chose who to send invitations to. Why me? I’ve thought about it so many times–how simple it should be to get on stage, let the men bid, and find a happily ever after.”
