Page 24 of Clause & Effect
I know why he’s riveted.
The storm that’s coming our way is massive. Given my presence, as Old St. Nick’s heir apparent, I’m not surprised by the flurries and snow clouds moving in this direction. The closer we get to Christmas Eve, the heavier the storms get until we’re nearly one with them.
It’s been like this as long as I can remember and according to my father as long as the family has been chosen to do this.
To say this weather is extreme is an understatement. I think about the fateful encounter with the polar bear.
“A bear fight.” I go for straight rum and grimace at the bottle. “Canadian?”
He scoffs. “The Jamaican was all gone.”
I pour some into a hot glass and douse it with whip cream on top, then toss it back. It burns the way any sugary substance should, right down the throat.
The fire that moves through my system feels about right.
Charlie got me burning—since the moment I set eye on her.
Just thinking about the way she smelled…
Fuck.
“It’s uncomfortable.” Jayson clears his throat. “The way you’re fingering that shot glass like it’s a woman. I mean I’m used to it by now but if you could just keep your Clause like fantasies to yourself while the rest of the guys are around that’d be great. Last year you sent Rudolph into a sexual frenzy because you were so horny, I swear that guy suffers ever year because of you.”
“Saying it like that makes it sound like I intentionally made a reindeer horny.” I point out. “And it’s not my fault he overheard things he shouldn’t have. I mean we got him those noise canceling headphones for the reindeer for a reason!”
“You know he hates the color pink.” Jayson smirks.
“Red was sold out.” I argued. “And again, he shouldn’t have made my sexual…needsget under his fur— skin, whatever.”
“You got under everyone’s skin,” Jayson shakes his head in disgust. “Except for me, of course, but that’s because I’m happily married.”
I laugh. “Sorry, still funny.”
He flips me off.
“Will a hard on be your official Christmas miracle request?”
Jayson narrows his eyes.
“Fuck off,” he says with a great deal of annoyance.
“Aggressive.”
He runs a tired hand over his eyes.
“Maybe.”
“I’d like to think so,” I sink back into the sofa and lace my fingers behind my head and watch him unravel.
“I find your shit eating grin to be extremely irritating,” Jayson scowls at me. “And do you know what else I find irritating?”
“I’m waiting with bated breath…” No doubt he’s going to complain again.
“I find it irritating that somehow, someway you managed to meet a woman in the middle of a snow tundra on our arctic trip—which by the way was supposed to just be a relaxing holiday for us to unwind before the Christmas crush.” Devon vents like his life depends on it. “How did guy time turn into you being so gone for a girl this fast?”
“You sound jealous,” I tease.
He cocks an entitled, aristocratic, arrogant brow.
