“Is it true Mr. Shaw is unhappy about this?” Kerry hurried toward me as I walked through the atrium in my costume, drawing stares from customers.
As promised, I was on my way to deal with Reid during my break. I waved Kerry off as she walked along with me. “It’s fine. I should have asked him before I agreed to do it. He obviously needed me for something and is annoyed I wasn’t there for him. Which is fair enough.”
“Oh, God, I feel awful for getting you in trouble.”
I shrugged. “How much trouble can I really get into? I’m leaving, remember?”
“Right.” Kerry frowned. The announcement I was leaving had confused most of the staff. When asked why I was moving on, I lied and said I needed a new challenge. I knew they weren’t buying it. Who needed a new challenge after only working in a job for nine months?
Oh, well.
Let them gossip.
I left Kerry standing in the beauty department and made my way to the elevators. Swiping my ID card across the screen below the buttons for the customer areas, I unlocked the staff floor buttons. With a shaking hand, I pressed for the top.
Why I was so nervous, I had no idea.
I couldn’t possibly still care what Reid thought of me.
Yes, I could.
Ugh!
By the time I reached his office, my heart hammered against my rib cage. I knocked softly.
“Come in.”
My belly fluttered at the sound of his voice.
Damn him.
I stepped inside and found him walking around his desk to lean against it. He crossed his arms over his chest and his right ankle over his left.
His dark eyes gleamed with something that could have been anger or lust. Maybe even both.
That look made my palms sweat.
Reid’s gaze lowered down my body and back up again.
I shifted uncomfortably, feeling a deep, low, needful tug in my belly.
While earlier he’d called the costume ridiculous, I got the distinct feeling he was imagining ripping it off me.
Oh, boy.
“You wanted to see me?”
His eyes returned to mine. “Didn’t you think it appropriate to ask first before you played Santa’s Little Helper for the day?”
“Probably. But we had paying customers waiting to meet Santa. They needed me.”
“I needed you. We were supposed to go over the applications for your replacement today.”
My replacement.
I hated how much that word stung.
“I assumed you could do that on your own.”
“You assume too much.” Reid abruptly pushed up off the desk and strode toward me.
I braced myself, my breathing shallow.
The air between us crackled. Reid’s eyes held a dark intent.
To my confusion, he brushed past me. I glanced over my shoulder, wondering where he was going.
He looked back at me as he stopped at the door and then very deliberately locked it.
Oh. My. God.
“Reid?” I could barely hear over the rushing of blood in my ears. The damn elf costume was suddenly way too hot. The stockings chafed.
“It doesn’t matter,” Reid said.
“What doesn’t?”
“The applications. I’ve already chosen your replacement.”
That damn hurt shoved its way through, confusing me all the more. Why was he saying that when he looked like he was ready to devour me?
“Oh?” I frowned.
He nodded and prowled across the room. I sucked in a breath as he cupped my hips in his hands and pushed me backward. I stumbled a little at first but then dazedly allowed him to move me across the room, my silly elf shoes jingling all the way.
Until my arse hit his desk.
I was panting now at the unadulterated desire in his eyes.
“I’ve decided to replace Evan Munro with Santa’s Little Helper.” He smirked, bending his head toward mine.
Wait!
What was happening here?
Yanking myself out of the sexual fog he so easily cast over me, I pushed against his chest, stopping his descent. His brow furrowed, his eyes questioning.
“Don’t,” I said, almost pleading and hating myself for it. “I can’t be just a casual fuck to you.”
Reid’s expression hardened with anger. He wrapped his hand around my nape, a possessive, territorial, claiming gesture that secretly thrilled me. “Is that what you think of me?”
Trying, and failing, to control my breathing, I whispered, “You said I was too young. That we couldn’t because of Patrick.”
“I was a damn fool,” he said hoarsely, his lips almost brushing mine. “I can’t let you go. I can’t stop thinking about you.” His gaze moved from my mouth to meet my eyes, and his grip on my nape tightened. “You’re all I think about, Evan. You’ve driven me to goddamn distraction. If I don’t get inside you soon, I’m going to lose my mind.”
“But—”
“It’s not just sex,” he cut me off. “You’re in my blood. I’ve never felt this way about anyone.”
Just like that, all my defenses crumbled.
Exultation gleamed in Reid’s eyes as he read my expression. He massaged my nape, sending shivers down my spine. His lips brushed mine, and he commanded, “Spread your legs, Ev.”
I made a sound from the back of my throat as arousal flushed through me, and I slowly spread my legs.
Just like that, whatever control Reid had snapped. He crushed his mouth down on mine, his kiss voracious, his tongue exploring, chasing mine. It was the deepest, dirtiest fucking kiss of my life, and I loved it.
I clung to his waist, trying to draw him closer, to feel him between my legs.
As we kissed, he reached beneath my petticoat and tore at the stockings. I broke away, panting, “My costume!”
“The costume is indecent,” he replied, nipping at my lips, trying to pull me back into the kiss as he yanked the tights down my thighs.
“It’s the demurest elf costume ever!”
Reid pulled back, scowling. “Every time you bend over that fucking Christmas tree, your skirt flies up. Every father in that line got a view of your spectacular arse, and Santa wasn’t doing a very good job of hiding how much he was enjoying himself.”
“This costume is ridiculous,” I argued.
“Yes, and yet somehow I’ve been fighting a hard-on since I first saw you in it.” Reid reached down and pulled off my elf shoes. My tights followed.
“Reid!” I braced my hands on his shoulders for balance.
“Please tell me you’re wet,” he practically begged as he coasted his hands along my thighs and curled his finger beneath my underwear.
“I’m always wet for you,” I whispered, almost mournfully.
Whatever he heard in my tone stopped him. He cupped my face with his other hand, his thumb brushing my mouth. “How long?”
I knew what he was asking.
“Since I was fourteen,” I admitted, knowing there was no point hiding it now. I’d loved him in some way or another since I was a kid.
His expression was so tender, if I could have melted any more, I would have been a puddle of feels at his feet. “Patrick is going to kill me,” he replied hoarsely.
I stiffened.
Reid shook his head. “But you’re worth it, Ev.”