Filthy Scrooge

Parker stopped staring at his brother long enough to look at me. The elevator dinged and he slapped his hand over the sliding doors to keep it open. “She’s downstairs with Jordan.”

“Did you find someone else to fill the role?”

I frowned. There was a lot of hope in Linc’s voice.

“No. I was coming up to find Miss Kane.” Parker stood to the side of the car. “Well, come on in. The kids are starting to show up.” His lips twitched. “They’re asking for you, Santa.”

“Fuck off.” Lincoln’s boots clomped as he boarded the elevator. He looked me over. “Ready, Hot Elf?”

I followed him across the threshold. “Ready, Scrooge.”

Parker tapped the button for the third floor. “This is going to be interesting.”

The trip down from the executive offices to the lower level was silent. Mostly with Linc fuming under his beard.

Back in my element, I walked ahead of them and met a pacing Mel outside the banquet room. Her face was blotchy with tears.

She grabbed my forearms. The problem with Mel was that she knew the ins and outs of the business as well as I did. She knew just how important this job was. “What are we going to do?”

“We’re set.”

She sniffed, hope and shock warring on her face. “What?”

“Call it a Christmas Scrooge miracle.”

“I don’t care if he’s drunk and weaving. Where did you find a Santa?”

I barked out a short laugh.

Mel winced. “Oh, God. How much did it cost?”

My virginity.

Not like he knew that. And honestly, I was excited to get rid of it. And maybe, just maybe get out of my own way when it came to men. I had to look at the positives or I’d lose my mind.

Linc came up behind me. He was just tall enough to make me feel petite. We lined up in so many other ways, and I was becoming inordinately attracted to his Santa suit. Not good.

Mel’s eyes widened. “Who is that? And can we hire him for different kinds of Christmas parties?”

I rolled my eyes. “Rein in your hormones.” The pop of his knuckles went through me. I wanted to ignore him, but he made it very difficult. “Mr. Murdock was kind enough to help us out.”

Mel’s eyes went from Linc to mine and back again. A little wrinkle formed between her eyebrows. I tried to wipe all the worry and nerves out of my facial expression. Mel knew me far too well. Every last shred of acting would be required out of both of us to pull this off.

My knees were still shaking from his mouth on me, and the release I’d been denied. The man was crazy-making in more than one way.

I caught him pulling a pair of snow white gloves out of his pocket. He tugged them on as he walked to the banquet door and rolled his neck until all his vertebrae popped.

Was it really so hard to do this? Santa was the one person everyone was happy to see. Even those who didn’t believe in the season or the spirit of Christmas had to smile at Santa.

Only heartless people could resist.

I moved to his side. His unearthly blue eyes glittered and his full lips were pressed in a hard line. He was going to scare the kids. I handed him a red pouch of candy canes, then slipped my hand into his and squeezed. “Happy face, Santa. Remember, you want to be here.”

He turned those fierce eyes on me, and I sucked in a shaky breath. “My happy place will be between your thighs. Don’t forget that.” His hold firmed on my hand before he pushed open the door with a ringing, “Ho, Ho, Ho!”

I was pretty sure I was as starry-eyed as the children as he transformed from Scrooge to jovial Santa right before my eyes. He swooped into the room and went right down on his knee for a sunny blond-haired child. Her little mouth went round as he held a red, white, and green candy cane in front of her.

“What’s your name, little one?”