I lick my lips, wondering if there is more icing lingering there. Heat pools between my thighs at the memory of how he’d licked the icing from the tip of his thumb. It had surprised me. In a really, really, really good way, if you feel me. God, this man is dark and brooding and hot, and what the hell is he doing in Reindeer Valley? What sort of plans could he have for that unassuming Rudolph?
“Don’t do that.” He breaks me from my thoughts as he stares at my lips.
He takes a deep breath, his giant, hard, muscular looking chest rising. From the looks of it, I don’t think he eats any cookies at all. He probably considered that little taste of frosting he cleaned from my mouth a treat. Maybe that’s why he’s so grumpy.
“Do what?” I ask, glancing down at my hands that sit neatly in my lap. I’m not sure what the heck he’s talking about; I’m not doing anything but sitting here. I’m actually rather still at the moment. Something that’s usually hard for me to do.
“Never mind. I need your phone number. I want to be able to get a hold of you whenever I need to. Day or night.”
“Okay, let me get it.” I reach into my bag to grab my phone. I dig around for a minute. I swear my purse is like a black hole sometimes. “Got it,” I say when I finally find it.
“You don’t know your own phone number?” He gives me a perplexed look. It’s better than the grumpy, annoyed one he was sporting a few seconds ago.
“I can never remember it. I know I should, but it’s not like I call myself.” The second I pull my phone out, he snatches it from me and begins entering stuff into it.
“You don't have a passcode on it. What if someone were to steal it?”
I almost laugh out loud. I live in Reindeer Valley, for gosh sakes. It’s not like it’s some big city full of crime. “No one would steal it. Especially with it being this near to Christmas. They’d end up on Santa’s naughty list if they did.”
“Are you on drugs?”
“Maybe I have a sugar high.” I laugh.
“You know Santa’s not—”
“Ah!” I jump up, covering his mouth with my hand so he can’t finish that sentence. “Don’t you dare,” I scold him.
His eyes are big as saucers as he stares at me. I quickly realize I’ve plastered myself against him in my effort to be able to reach his mouth. “Little ears could be around listening.” I drop my hand and try to push back, but he’s wrapped his arm around me, keeping me in place. My body heats, and my cheeks flush at how close we actually are.
“You need to be careful. If you’re working for me, you don’t touch other men this way.”
“That’s an odd request but okay,” I agree.
Maybe not too odd. He has asked me to steal the most famous reindeer of all time. I was hesitant at first, but now that I’ve made my peace with it, I’ve already started forming a plan in my head. I’ll have to do it at night. And I’ll probably have to replace it with something else so it’s not so noticeable. How the heck am I going to pull this off?
“Do you have a boyfriend?” He goes back to glaring down at me.
I keep a smile on my face, hoping it’s contagious. “Nope, I have a cat. They’re way better.”
“A cat?” His nose scrunches. Okay, that might be a deal breaker. People that don’t like cats can’t be trusted.
“Are you a dog person?” I whisper.
“No.”
“Oh, thank goodness.” I push off his chest. He finally releases his hold on me. I watch as he calls his own phone before giving mine back to me. I drop it into my purse before fishing out a tin of Rice Krispy treats I’d made earlier. “I made these for you. I think you could use a bit of sugar.”
“You made sweets for your job interview?”
“Every little bit helps.” I shrug.
“Sugar is bad for you,” he says even as he snatches the tin right from my hand.
“I better get to work. I’m going to need a wardrobe change.” I’m out the door before he can try to give me more orders.
I know all the kids are into social media these days. Maybe I could make stealing Rudolph some kind of game. I could put up a wanted sign and make a hashtag. That might distract everyone for a while. I’ll just need to come up with a good place to hide him and decide on what prize the winner will get when they find him.
Excitement bubbles up inside of me. This is going to be so much fun. I feel much better about this now that I’ve figured out a way to spin this for good. For a second there I was starting to feel like the Grinch.
We can’t have that. There is only one Grinch in this town, and I’m sure she’s fast asleep in her kitty cat tower awaiting my return. I’d gotten her to love me with a bit of time and smothering her with my love. I think Sebastian might need a bit of that too.
3
Sebastian
This is going to work out perfectly. A stolen Rudolph. Just the thought of all the crushed looks on the townspeople’s faces brings a smile to mine.
I set up down an alleyway with a view of the town square. Now I didn’t intend on being anywhere near the scene of the first crime in my grand scheme, but that was before I hired Merry. That little bit of sugar has piqued my interest, and I’m not entirely sure if she’ll be able to carry out my plan. She’s so … pure. Then again, there was mischief in her eyes, too.
Scrubbing a hand down my face, I replay the memory of seeing her again. For the millionth time. It’s not that I’ve never been obsessed before. I mean, I’m obviously consumed with destroying this shitty holiday town. But I’ve never been all in with a person before. But Merry—she’s got this odd little sparkle. The perfect bit of shiny to attract the attention of a crow like me.
Focus. I try to blink away the images of her. The way her body felt against mine.
I pull the tin of Rice Krispy treats from my coat pocket and munch the last one. These are so good. I wonder if she laced them with coke or something illicit. She must have, because now I’m addicted. Maybe she’s on to me. What if she’s actually trying to sabotage me and my—Wait. No. That’s not right. No one even knows I’m here. This town doesn’t remember me. But I certainly remember it. And if I’d met Merry before, I would’ve made sure she knew just who I was.
The tin is warm in my vise grip. I let up and tuck it back into my pocket. I’ll toss it later. I’m not keeping it. Obviously. I just don’t want to … litter. Yes. That’s the reason. No need to litter on top of this garbage heap of a town.
I check my watch. It’s almost midnight. Then I check my phone. The tracking software I installed on her phone shows me she’s moving slowly down a side street. Right when I look up, she pops into view.
I squint. Is that a wheelbarrow? Yes, she’s pushing a red wheelbarrow into the square and heading right for the Rudolph.
The urge to go to her pulls me down the alley, but I stop myself while I’m still in the shadows. I watch every single move she makes. From the way her too-thin coat flaps around her and how her hair seems to reflect every bit of starlight.
She stands and stares up at Rudolph, determination on her face. Then she goes to work. It doesn’t take long until she has it precariously balanced on top of her wheelbarrow. Then she wrenches a square sign from the side of the wheelbarrow and bangs it into the ground where Rudolph stood.