by MINK
Ted snags the check off the table before I can. “I have to get back to work, but I’m going to swing by your place after.”
“Ted, I—”
“As friends, Jocelyn.” His face goes soft on me.
“It’s fine. You don’t have to do that.” I try to wave him off.
“It’s what friends do. I’ll see you tonight.”
I just nod. I can tell from the look on Ted’s face he’s not taking no for an answer. He’s worried about me. I wonder if Mac is thinking about me at all.
He’s probably too busy. I swipe at my cheeks again and turn into a water fountain when I pull back into my driveaway and see the ‘for sale’ sign outside of Mac’s house. When I get into the house I make a call. I think it’s time for me to move on, too.
17
Santa
Cinnamon Stick won’t shut up as I do my best to ignore him and feed the reindeer. The North Pole is magical, just like I knew in my heart it would be. Aurora borealis overhead, crisp snow everywhere, and Christmas cheer floating in the air.
I should be happy.
I’m not. All I think about is my lil bit. She’s alone down there in the world while I’m sitting on top of it and dreaming of her. I can’t stay here. I can still hear her words ringing in my ears—if I didn’t do my job as the new Santa, she never wanted to see me again. It’s like a candy cane between my ribs. I feel it with every breath.
Comet takes an apple from my hand. I run my hand down his side, giving him one more pat before turning to the ever-yapping Cinnamon.
“I need to go back.” The thought of leaving the North Pole when Christmas is almost here goes against every gut feeling I have. After all, I had to accept it. I am Santa. The spirit of Christmas flows through me, and I honestly can’t wait to make all those children happy. Despite the joy I feel when I think about all that, I still can’t get over Jocelyn, and I know I never will.
“Go back?” Cinnamon stops and blinks rapidly. “Back to the workshop? Yes. I agree. The elves are finally catching up with toy orders, but the chute that drops into your bag on the sleigh is busted. We need help.”
“Busted?” I turn to him and stride from the stables.
“I’ve been trying to tell you that all night. Yes, it’s busted. We need your help.”
“No, you don’t.” My comfortable black boots leave prints in the snow as I walk toward the three-story residence with the workshop attached.
“Santa, please.” Cinnamon hurries along beside me. “We need it repaired. I don’t have any workshop elves I can spare. Not if we want to meet all the Christmas wishes.”
I stop in front of the whimsical log structure with the Christmas lights and blanket of snow on the roof. “There’s only one person who can fix that chute.”
“You.” Cinnamon nods.
“No.” I stomp up my front steps.
“Yes.” He follows like an annoying gnat.
“What I’ve learned since I’ve been here is that you’re overwhelmed. This outfit wasn’t intended to meet this many needs every year. There are more children than you can keep up with.”
“I beg your pardon,” he says indignantly and follows me into the house. “We are working as hard as we can and—”
“That’s what I’m saying.” I stop and lean on the doorframe to my study. “You and the elves have been working nonstop since last Christmas. The chute’s not the only thing that’s busted. We need a real solution to the workshop issues instead of touch-and-go fixes that could fail and bring everything to a halt.”
“It’s not that precarious.” He sniffs.
“Holly Bell’s hammer is held together with chewed-up gum drops. It’s all Fir Bough can do to keep the line running when the cogs are so worn down that they barely turn. We need real help.”
He throws his hands up, the bell on the end of his hat tinkling. “Well, we can’t just magic up more elves from the snow. There are only a few elf children at the workshop school, and only a handful on the way. We’ve been so focused on keeping the shop running that we haven’t even had time to …” His cheeks turn an apple red, and he looks away.
“I can fix this.”
“Yes.” He claps. “That’s what I’ve been saying!”
“I need you to tell me how I can bring Jocelyn here.”
He cocks his head to the side and puts his hands on his hips. “No humans. She’ll die.”
“Can’t I keep her by the fire?” I point to the dancing green and red flames in my study fireplace.
“Sure, but the moment she strays from it, she’ll freeze. Humans are not allowed. They don’t have magic.” He says it as if he’s explaining it to a child.
I stomp around my desk and sit heavily, then reach for my hat. “I have to see her.”
“Why?” He hops up on the ladder that’s leaning against my desk and climbs to the top.
“Because I love her. And she’s the only one who can get this workshop running.”
“Jocelyn?” He stands in front of me, his sharp nose wiggling a little as he thinks. “Wait, yes. That’s right. Santa was visiting her because he wanted to offer her a job at the workshop.”
I lean forward, excitement sparkling through my veins. “If Santa went to her and wanted to bring her here, then there must be a way, right?”
“Well, of course.” He looks at me like I’m a total buffoon. “Of course there’s a way. Santa had a plan.”
I fist my hands and contemplate water-boarding him with sugary mead, but I hold steady. “And what was that plan?” I ask through gritted teeth.
“He was going to marry her, obviously. She would’ve become Mrs. Claus.”
I stop breathing for a moment. Santa was prowling after my woman? My woman? For the first time since all this started, I’m glad my lil bit offed the old guy.
“Just a business arrangement, of course.” Cinnamon keeps talking, oblivious as usual. “It’s the only way he could’ve brought a human here. Once a Santa chooses his partner, they get the magic. The last Santa never found anyone he fancied, which came in handy when he needed someone to spruce up the workshop and—”
“Enough talking.” I swipe the hat off my desk and pull it down on my head.
His eyes widen. “Santa, where are you going?”
I smirk and tweak my nose with a sparkle of Christmas magic. “To get my wife.”
18
Jocelyn
I smile into my pillow as kisses trail down my neck. “Mac.” I moan his name as I roll over to face him. I wrap my arms around him to pull him close. I don’t dare open my eyes, knowing that if I do the dream will be over. This is the one place I can have Mac all to myself.
“Lil bit.” He groans as I crawl on top of him. “Missed you so damn much. Couldn’t stand to be without you for another second,” he says between kisses. His hand slips under my shirt. The roughness of his fingers feels good on my skin. I spread my legs wider to straddle him, resting my sex on his hard cock so that I can rock against him. My body is strung tight with need and begging for some sort of relief.
“I’ve missed you so much.” I dig my fingers into him, never wanting to let go as I keep rocking my hips back and forth drawing closer to my orgasm.
“I never should have left.” His words are a balm to the pain I’ve been feeling. I know I’d told him to leave, but I still kept waiting for him to show back up. “Lil bit. I can’t think when you’re doing that.” He grabs my hips in a firm hold that feels too real. My eyes fly open to lock with his.
“Mac?” I stop trying to move against him. “I’m not dreaming? You’re really here? You came back for me?” I think I’m in a bit of shock. Stupid tears start to sting my eyes. How can there be any left? He sits up and places kisses on my cheek. I savor the feel of his lips against my skin.
“Don’t cry.” The expression on his face turns to panic. “Have you been crying all this time?” I shake my head. I shouldn't lie, but it’s clear he doesn’t like my tears. “Liar.” He narrows hi
s eyes.
“Damn it! That’s cheating. You can’t use your Santa magic on me!”
“I’ll take any advantage I can get when it comes to you, lil bit.” He tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left you here all alone.”
I try to interject to tell him that there wasn’t a choice but for him to go, but he places his finger on my lips to silence me. “I know you told me to go and basically gave me an ultimatum, but I should have fought harder. I promise to never leave you again, lil bit.”
I burst into tears. He holds me close.
“All the kids. They need you,” I say into his neck. I’m being selfish for wanting him to stay, but at this moment I can’t help myself.
“Shh. I’ve got a solution. I promise.” Hope blooms inside me at his words. I sniff, rubbing my nose on his shirt. He smells like chocolate chip cookies. “Did you just wipe your nose on me?”
“I’m not answering that question.”
His whole body shakes with silent laughter, making me smile. I think it’s the first time I have since he left for the North Pole. I lift my head to look at him. “Do you like it up there?”
“I don’t know, to be honest.”
I can see the sadness in his eyes, too. I know he’s feeling conflicted about all of this. I mean, he’s Santa, for God’s sake. His natural instinct is to make children happy, and he can’t do that because of me. I lean in and press my mouth against his softly. It’s only a feather of a kiss, but I need to feel him again. To reassure myself that he’s really here.
“Oh, lil bit, I don’t think I could truly like any place that you’re not.”
This man is so honest, so kind. I should’ve known the second I heard the Santa qualifications that he fit the bill perfectly. “I love you.”
“I love you so damn much, lil bit.” He grabs me, flipping me over and pinning me to the bed. I wrap myself around him. I swear I will kill that little Cinnamon bastard if he shows up and interrupts us. Mac’s mouth comes down on mine as we start to pull at each other's clothes. The ache between my thighs is almost unbearable. I need to be skin to skin with him as soon as possible.
Mac gets the sleep shirt I slipped on earlier off, leaving me in nothing but my panties. “You’ve lost weight.” He growls. “See? You need me to take care of you.” I don’t know why his words go straight to my sex, but they do, making me grow wetter than I already am.
“Yes, I need you,” I agree. He sucks one of my nipples into his mouth as his fingers play with my other nipple. I rub myself against his hard cock, needing to get off now to take the edge off.
“Take what you want, lil bit. It’s all yours to have.” His words are thick and filled with his need for me. When his teeth come down, giving my nipple a small bite, I come. My nails dig into him as the orgasm floods through my body. He lets out a loud growl with his body giving a jerk.
We slowly start to come back down to earth. “I want more.”
“You’re going to get more.” He sits up and goes for my panties when the doorbell rings.
“Expecting someone?” Mac asks.
“No.” The clock says it's six. Damn, I took a giant nap. Then I remember. “Oh! It’s Ted. He said he was going to pop in after work.”
“Pop in?” His words come out through gritted teeth. The doorbell rings again seconds before Ted knocks loudly while calling out my name.
“Jocelyn!” The knocking continues to get louder. Mac is off the bed in a flash.
“Don’t move that little ass of yours.” He warns. His tone is bossy. It should make me mad, but it only turns me on. His jealousy and possessiveness make me want to pull him back into the bed, but he’s already halfway down the hallway.
“You okay in there?” Ted shouts.
“Yeah she’s fucking okay. You’re not about to be.” Oh crap. I roll off the bed and snag my sleep shirt in the process to chase after Mac.
He’s going to have us all on the naughty list if we’re not careful.
19
Santa
“What the hell are you doing here?” I yank open Jocelyn’s door to find the pipsqueak from the post office on her front porch.
His eyes widen as he looks up at me. “S-Santa?”
Lil bit rushes up behind me and tries to step around to greet Ted. Not a chance. I cross my arms over my chest and glare down at him. “Get the fuck out of here.”
“Jocelyn, are you okay?” he calls past me.
“I said she’s fine. But if you don’t get your ass off this porch, I’m going to pound you into a peppermint paste.”
He blanches and takes a step back.
“Hey!” Lil bit smacks my back. “Don’t do that! You’ll scare him.”
I smirk. Of course I’ll scare him. If I took a step toward him, he’d wet his pants.
“It’s okay, Ted.” She leans forward, her head ticking my elbow. “Don’t be scared.”
“I’m just going to—” He hitches a thumb over his shoulder and runs for his car.
I have to give it to him, he’s pretty quick, though the blustery wind I blow at his back helps him along.
“Santa magic is cheating,” lil bit trills.
I wrap my arm around her and pull her in tight. “I’m pretty sure I told you to stay put.”
“Oh.” Her cheeks heat, and I can feel her body warm beneath my touch.
“If you were into Santa kink, you could’ve just said so,” Ted throws his hands up as he gets behind the wheel. He tears off down the street, and I can guarantee he’ll never come back this way again.
“Santa kink?” she asks.
“Doesn’t matter.” I turn and scoop her into my arms, then carry her back to her bedroom. She’s in her T-shirt again, so I strip it off, then hook my fingers in her panties and pull them away. When I see the wetness between her legs, I lick my lips and unfasten my big black belt.
“Spread wider, show me that wonderland between your legs.” I open my coat and pull it off as I take in every bit of her.
She whimpers as she spreads wide, her eyes on me.
“Your nipples are begging for me.” I reach down and shove my pants off, tossing them to the side where they land in a tidy pile. Santa magic for the win. “Your cunt, too. It’s not Christmas yet, but I’m opening my gift now.”
“Mac.” She grips the sheets and fists them in her small hands. “I need you.”
I kneel between her thighs and lean down over her. When I take her hard nipple in my mouth, she gasps. I suck and lick and nip at her, enjoying her tits as she moans beneath me. But I’m not stopping here even though my cock is begging to slide home inside her.
Kissing down her stomach, I place an open-mouthed kiss on her pretty pussy. Her fingers go to my silvery hair, her fingers yanking the strands as she arches for me. I feast on her, savoring every taste. She’s perfect on my tongue, and when I ease two fingers inside her, she squeezes me with exquisite pleasure.
“Oh my God, Mac.” Her hips work against me, seeking relief, so I focus on her clit, getting her off with my tongue. She comes on a low moan of my name as I drink her down.
But I’m not done. I’ll never be done with this woman.
Climbing up her body, I share her taste with her. Our tongues twirl and tease as I line up my cock at her entrance. She wraps her legs around me, urging me inside. I don’t deny her. I never will.
With a smooth glide, I enter her. And with a gentle thrust, I push deeper and deeper until I can’t go any farther.
She digs her nails into my shoulders, but I don’t feel pain. All I can feel is the vise of her hot cunt, the deliciousness of her soft body beneath my hard one, and the love that forms an unbreakable link between us.
“Lil bit, I can’t live without you.” I nibble her lips and worship her.
“Same.” She smiles through tears. “I love you so much.”
I kiss her hard, sealing our bond as I pull back and surge forward. She tenses for a second, then lets go, her body open for
me as I ease in and out. After a few strokes she digs her heels into the backs of my thighs.
“More,” she breathes.
I love that word on her lips. Reaching down, I grip her hip and move faster and harder, strong strokes that shake the bed as I make her mine. Her moans grow louder, and when I start grinding at the end of each thrust, she arches, giving me another look at her gorgeous tits. I suck one and then the other as I keep my hard rhythm.
Her thighs start to shake, her body tightening around my cock until I know I won’t be able to last much longer.
“Like this?” I grind on her clit again, harder this time.
She comes with a cry, her mouth open wide. I kiss her and steal her pleasure as mine hits. My orgasm feels like a rush of some illicit drug, one that sends a feeling of ultimate euphoria floating through my veins. Thrust after thrust, I release inside of her, coating her with every bit of cum I have. And still, I wish I had more to spray on her pussy, to mark her as mine.
When she goes boneless beneath me, I lower myself to her lips again, claiming her with soft swirls and licks.
She sighs and wraps her arms around my neck, her eyes on mine. “That was—”
“Magical.” I smirk and kiss her again.
She laughs. “Did you use magic?”
“I don’t need any with you, lil bit.” I smile and kiss the tip of her nose. “Stay here.” I hurry to the bathroom and return with a warm washcloth. I’m almost done cleaning her when my Jingle Phone goes off.
“I hate him.” She groans. “That elf what’s-his-name.”
“He’s just trying to do his job.” I take the phone and toss it down the hall, then close the door on it.
She laughs as I reach down and grab my pants. Her face falls. “Are you leaving?”
“Never.” I walk around to her and kneel by the bed.
She sits up, worry in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong.” Just my heart beating a mile a minute and my temperature rising and my tongue going thick.
