Page 22 of Christmas Angel

“Yeah, I know you do.” I force a smile. “I’m still mad at you, but I get why you did it and I’ll get over it.”

“Do you get it? Because friendships are important to me. I enjoy helping my friends. Do you know how much it kills me to watch you struggling when I could help you without a second thought?”

I swallow hard. It’s been obvious he cares about me for ages. I’m just squirmy at the acknowledgement. I don’t want what we have to change. More upheaval is the last thing I need in my life.

“Doyouknow how much it sucks knowing you could wave your bank account around and solve all the problems that keep me up at night? But I’ve been there before, Saint. Stuck resenting someone who made me miserable because he could give me a more comfortable life. I would rather struggle on my own forever than be reliant on someone again. Even you.”

“That’s…” Saint sucks in a long breath. “I don’t like that. Sometimes the things you say make me wish I’d convinced you to go scorched earth in the divorce settlement, Angel. I would take your ex back to court for the sheer pleasure of getting a judge to garnish his wages. I’d love nothing more than to see him held accountable for a fraction of what he’s put you and your kids through.”

“He’s not that bad.” I don’t know why I defend Trevor, except he’s still someone my kids love.

“If you say so.” Saint shakes his head, but he doesn’t contradict me. He opens his arms to me. “I’m sorry I upset you. Will you forgive me?”

“You’re forgiven.” I sigh as I let myself fall into his arms. It might be impossible to let myself take everything he’s willing to offer me, but I can take this comfort. His arms around me, patting my back and making me feel cared for in ways no one has in so, so long. I lean against him, enjoying his strength.

“I don’t suppose you’d consider letting me make it up to you by getting Owen something to even the scales?” Saint’s eyes twinkle as he pushes his luck. I trace his lips with my fingers. If I had it in me to give my heart away again, I could fall for his sweet smile.

“You just can’t help yourself, can you?” I snuggle into his embrace.

“Not at all. But I seriously do feel bad for using your kid against you like that. Let me do penance?” Saint’s hands at the small of my back press me closer, a reassuring comfort.

I roll my eyes and let myself have the breathing room Saint is offering. “He wants the latest Xbox. Don’t go too wild on the games.”

“Done and done.” Saint kisses my neck and I arch to give him better access, even as my bits throb with arousal.

“Take me to bed?” I ask, because I don’t have much time left to spend with him tonight, and I want every part of him that I can allow myself.

“That would be my absolute pleasure.” Saint takes my hand, gallantly kissing it before he leads me up the stairs. He’s gentler than usual, and I cling to him tighter when he’s thrusting into me. I don’t let myself think of it as making love. It’s just sex.

Phenomenal sex, his dick stretching me open with every pump of his hips, his fingers slick as he rubs Bitsy in time to his strokes. Saint kisses me until the friction and warmth of his body moving with mine transports me. To a reality where I can have this. Pleasure and someone who wants to share it with me.

Neither of us wants it to end, and for a blissful window of time, it doesn’t have to. We move together and keep up the gentle climb toward orgasm. But eventually it’s too good, too much. I’m too close to hold back any longer. The need to come is an aching thing deep inside my belly. My thighs tremble with the effort of holding myself back.

I kiss along Saint’s throat, to his shoulder, where I muffle the sound of his name against his skin when I come. He isn’t far behind me in finishing, as if he was waiting until I reached my climax. His cock pulses inside me and I move with him, wanting to draw out these last moments of connection for as long as possible.

Moments like this, I wish we had more time. More nights where I don’t have to clean up and rush out the door. More of Saint’s steady presence making it seem like everything will turn out just fine and giving me reasons to smile.

Chapter 8

Angel (December 16th, 2023)

Luckwasonmyside the past few weeks. I aced my finals and I might pull off a perfect Christmas for my kids. Between Saint’s generosity and my boss letting me pick up several lucrative evening and weekend shifts, there is going to be plenty under the tree this year. I only had to stoop to asking Meg to watch her brother for one of those shifts; that’s always my last resort.

Owen and Meg have been going to holiday parties at their friends’ houses and spending time with their uncle while I work in the lead up to the holidays. My brother and his wife offered to take my kids holiday shopping with them tonight, and they agreed to keep them overnight so I can work.

About halfway through my shift, my luck runs out. Trevor is sitting in my section. I almost turn right back around and duck into the kitchen to hide until he leaves. Trevor catches my eye and jumps up to wave me down. I sigh and go to face my fate.

“Hey, can we talk?” Trevor asks. He must want something. He’s usually more the type for demanding, but he actually seems nervous, fiddling with his napkin.

I glance meaningfully at the busy restaurant, hoping he’ll read the room, but of course it would never occur to him that ambushing me at work is a shitty move. Or that I’m too busy to deal with him.

“What do you need?”

“Nothing. Well, except you know how I said you could keep the kids for my next weekend?”

“Yeah?” My stomach clenches. Christmas. He’s going to take Christmas away from me. No. But there’s not a hell of a lot I can do about it. I can say no, but itishis weekend and I don’t want to stick the kids in the middle of a fight.

“I’m going to need them to come over after all.”

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