How the Hitman Stole Christmas

I gasp as he shoves another gloved finger into me, my body naturally arching off the bed, but trapped against him since he’s on top of me.

“How inconvenient for both of us,” I murmur once I’ve regained my ability to speak in full sentences.

“No kidding,” he murmurs, before crushing his lips against mine.

Words have no place between us for a while as he kisses and fingers me, drawing gasps out of me and then catching them in his mouth.

I hate being hot when I sleep, so even though it’s winter, I’m only wearing a short-sleeved sleep shirt and panties. Jasper drags the glove off his free hand with his teeth, then tosses it off the bed so he can reach down and caress my bare thigh while he fingers me.

“You’re so fucking beautiful. You still smell incredible, too. How do you always smell so good?”

“Magic,” I tease, then I sigh as he rubs his thumb across my clit.

The leather fabric feels different from a naked finger, but as I bite down on my lower lip and writhe against his hand, a thought occurs to me.

“You haven’t killed anyone in these gloves, have you?”

“Of course not,” he says dismissively, increasing the pressure as he rubs his thumb back and forth. “You think I’m gonna touch you with gloves soiled by murder? I’m not an animal.”

“I’m really never sure with you,” I say, gasping and arching against him.

“I seldom commit actual murders in gloves. They’re good for moving through a place and not leaving fingerprints, but usually when I kill someone, I need to make it hurt, so I beat the shit out of them first. I like bare hands for that. Just did it a couple days ago, so my hands are all fucked up right now. Figured I’d leave the glove on this one, it’s a little worse for wear.”

I don’t want him to stop, but now that he’s said that, I feel bad about him thinking he needs to cover his dinged up hands. I reach down to grab his wrist and look him in the eyes.

“You can take off the glove, Jasper. I don’t like anything between us.”

“I don’t either,” he murmurs, roughly kissing his way across the curve of my jaw. He kisses me hard on the mouth when he’s done, then he sits back and pulls his fingers out of me so he can peel off his other glove.

I sigh, looking up at him. He looks so handsome on my bed with the moonlight shining in on him.

“By the way, if you ever find yourself in a scenario where you’re alone with any of my bosses and they make what seem like friendly, conversational inquiries, you can never under any circumstance tell them I’m so open with you about this shit. You’ll get us both killed.”

“They have wives, don’t they talk to them?”

“I have no idea, but I do know they won’t feel the same way about me doing it, even if they do. If it ever comes up, just play dumb, pretend you don’t know much.”

I bite back a smile. “I’ll twirl my hair and pop some bubble gum, really sell it.”

He smiles a little, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “I’m serious. It’s been so long, I forgot how Mateo met his wife. Adrian reminded me this week, and if he’ll be so ruthless within his own family… I’m just an employee. Play dumb.”

“Okay, I will,” I promise.

He eases back down, framing me in with his arms on either side of me. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” I reach up and push his hair back off his face. “But I think if they’re worried I might be overcome with moral outrage and rat you guys out one day, all you have to tell them is that I’m cool with you detailing your kills while you’re fucking me. That would probably convince them I’m not someone they need to worry about.”

My comment startles a laugh out of Jasper. Smiling at me and tenderly caressing the side of my face, he says, “You might be right. We’re not gonna risk it, though. If that ever changes, I’ll let you know. But for now…”

“Dumb as a rock.” I nod. “I got it.”Chapter ThirtyJasperShe’s fucking perfect.

I don’t know how I ever convinced myself I’d be all right without her.

That was a fucking lie if I’ve ever heard one.

Lying here on top of her, getting to touch her again… it’s exhilarating.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” I tell her, tucking a lock of dark hair behind her ear.

“Yeah, I thought so, too. What changed?”

A lot has changed. I have a lot to tell her tonight, and I’m not sure how to approach all of it. I already ripped her out of her life once, then I sent her back to it. Makes me feel like a dick to do it again, but at least this will be the last time.