Page 8 of Santa's Little Elf

“Wait, please—” But it’s too late. He’s already out the door, and dammit, he took the rest of his bagel with him.

What is it going to take to get through to this guy? And why do I care so much, anyway? He’s made it pretty clear he wants nothing to do with me or our neighborhood or anything, for that matter. Did I expect him to suddenly have a change of heart just because we slept together?

Yes.That’s exactly what I was hoping deep down inside.

I guess he’s right. I guess I have to let it go and write the whole thing off.

And I wish I knew how. There’s something about him that captured my imagination from day one, and now that we’ve been together, that’s not going to change. No, it’s worse than ever. I’ve never come like that in my life. I didn’t know it was possible. I won’t be forgetting it any time soon, so how do I get to know somebody who’s determined to stand in my way?

6

LUKA

It’s like something out of a fucking Christmas movie. There they are, a dozen of them, going door to door wearing their coats, hats, scarves, and gloves, with big, cheesy smiles on their faces. Sitting half a block away in my car, I’m not sure whether they irritate me or if I want to get them some psychiatric help. It’s cold as fuck out there. Who carols nowadays, anyway?

Most importantly, what the fuck is she doing, letting some douchebag put an arm around her as they walk from one house to the next?

That’s what I watch most intently as I follow in my car, staying far enough behind them that they don’t notice. They’re too busy in their happy little world, intent on spreading cheer or some dumb shit like that. The way he’s touching Noelle, I get the feeling this asshole doesn’t care about holiday cheer. He’d rather get his dick wet.

I don’t realize how tight I’m gripping the wheel until the ache in my joints advises me to ease up a little. How blind can she be? Has she never seen assholes like this guy before? It’s obvious from the way he hangs all over her that he wants to get in her pants.

Maybe he already has. The very thought turns my stomach. Imagine following up this asshole’s performance. No, she has better taste than that.

How could she let any other man touch her now that I have? What does that say about me? What does it say about her? I thought she was better than this. I’ve been watching her for months, and this is the first time I’ve seen her getting close to a guy.

He looks like the stereotypical ex-athlete who’s since put on twenty pounds of flab. Football, I’m guessing. He narrows his eyes when Noelle slips away from him but lets her go. “Smart move, shithead,” I mutter. I almost wish he’d give me an excuse to run him down.

But it would make her unhappy. The girl practically glowed when she described this silly tradition. Her unwillingness to leave well enough alone might set my teeth on edge, but her innocence and sweetness need protecting. They’re a big part of what drew me to her from the beginning.

The rest of it? My cock twitches when I remember last night. I couldn’t have suspected she would explode the way she did. The rougher I got, the tighter I squeezed her throat, the more she wanted. She was made for me.

I can’t help but think of…

No. No returning to the past. I need to focus on Noelle, who’s now moving down to the next house, where they’re waiting on the porch for the entertainment to arrive. What the hell is this place? It’s like living on the set of a Hallmark film.

The blond, flabby douchebag clearly agrees with me. Does he know how obvious he is? He’s no more interested in caroling than I am, but he’s willing to play along for the sake of getting close to her.

“I got there first, asshole. She’s mine.” I’m the one who’s watched her every night for months. I’m the one who’s committed her routine to memory, who’s learned her likes and dislikes. As if he could put in that kind of effort.

I need to find out who he is and where he lives. If he touches her one more time, I’m paying him a visit.

Now I wish I’d agreed to go with them. She needs protection. Assholes like him spot weakness in a woman like her and can’t help but move in for the kill. He leans down to murmur something close to her ear, and she laughs before giving him a playful shove.

I’m going to murder the bastard.

By the time they return to our block, I’ve seen enough. I continue and park in front of my house, where I seethe while waiting for Noelle to return. My blood’s close to boiling by the time I spot her pink coat and white hat in the rearview mirror. She’s alone—I don’t know whether that’s good or what. I’d love an excuse to introduce that asshole’s spray-tanned face to my fist.

“Hey,” I call out, getting out of the car. It’s fucking frigid out here. “Frozen yet?”

She hesitates, the smile she was wearing sliding away. The lights from the houses around us illuminate her perfect face, and I’m torn between wanting to demand her obedience and craving the feel of her skin. What was I so mad about?

“Were you… waiting in your car?” Her gaze slides in that direction as she digs her teeth into her lip.

“I just got home from running errands. What’s it to you?” I reply far more grumpily than intended.

“Nothing.” She straightens her spine. “You sound angry. I’m not in the mood for that. I had a great night with friends and would rather not spoil it.”

“What does that mean?”

---