Page 9 of Longing for More
I was so confused. Why was she the second person to tell me to sit on Santa’s lap tonight? “Did Ryder put you up to this? What is he planning?”
She froze. “What? What are you talking about?”
“Ryder. He told me to sit on Santa’s lap earlier. Was he the one texting you?”
“Erm—no. He probably said that because your Christmas-obsessed ass could probably ride a candy-cane dildo if you wanted to. That was Blake sending me a dick pic,” she said, forcing me to choke on the last of my—her—drink, right as I began to swallow. The alcohol burnt my throat and nose as I coughed.
That was unbelievably unlike her to share.
Natalie pushed me toward the line where the children were slowly fading out as the night grew later. I sighed stubbornly, but joined the line all the same. Christmas spirit, my ass.
My feet were starting to hurt more and more in the combat boots that covered my feet, regardless of them being flat or not. I felt like I had been standing for hours on end, and I needed to get out of this dress before I began to get hives.
I was deeply ready to lie in my bed and snuggle into a pillow.
Plus, it was still snowing which meant I would wake up to a white Christmas. There was nothing better than that. If I could ever get home.
As I made it to the front of the line, Private Rook cocked an eyebrow at me and I felt the judgment and confusion radiating off of him. I propped a hand on my hip, my red dress sashaying across my thighs, and raised an equal brow. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with his attitude, even if I liked him better than most. “Yes?”
“Oh, nothing,” he replied. “Just wondering what took you so lo?—”
“Ho, ho, ho!” the man dressed as Santa muttered, his voice gruff and yet…somehow familiar. “Next up! Let’s get this night to an end.”
I gave Rook yet another questioning stare, only to be met with his mouth popped open in an expression akin to understanding, and my confusion only grew more and more.
God, everyone was acting insane tonight.
Shaking my head, I walked along the sparkly, green-carpeted path and moved to sit directly on Santa’s lap, not bothering to spare the man a single glance. The only two men I could care about being here—Ryder, and his best friend, Lucas—were overseas, and I just wanted to do what everyone was requiring of me before I got the hell out of there for good.
As my small figure sat on the knee of Santa, he grunted appreciatively and a frown hit my lips.
Men grunting anywhere except the bedroom made my stomach curl.
I looked into the dying gymnasium to see Natalie filming me and even more confusion racked through me. I fucking hated being on camera, and she knew that.
Looking around to make sure no children were paying me any mind, I blew her camera a kiss and then flipped her the bird, though played it off like I was smoothing out the red lipstick decorating my face.
Santa laughed before I felt his hand travel down and grope my inner thigh, squeezing roughly.
I froze.
The fuck?
I couldn’t attack Santa in front of all the children.
Seething, I muttered, “Hands above the equator, grunt.”
Another dark chuckle vibrated through the man beneath me and I felt my body grow tense.Was this man mocking me?That was one way to get reported before you could blink.
I may not have been in the force myself, but Ryder and Lucas were both highly respected. I would have his ass on the ground before he could even say, “Barrack bunny.”
Before I could threaten him, though, his hand traveled to my waist. Doing exactly as I said. So, I continued, choosing pleasantries instead of anger. Even if it came out a little forceful. “Can we get this picture over with? My boyfriend probably wants proof I listened to him.”
He hummed appreciably. “You haven’t told me what you want for Christmas yet, though. Don’t you know how Santa works?”
I chuckled. “What’s wrong with your voice? It sounds like you’re trying to make it deeper. Oh, and what I want, you can’t give me, so why bother?”
His hand squeezed at my waist again at my little jab towards him, forcing me to become rock still once again, but he ignored it otherwise.