Page 33 of Past and Present

Dakota, who had no shame at all, hopped up on the bar and whistled. “If you’re playing dirty Santa with us head over to the tables and couches we set up by the tree in that corner. We’ll get started in about ten minutes.

Lance approached Marissa and draped an arm around her. “I think I might be jealous of your candy cane.”

Marissa smirked and kissed his cheek. “You taste better, I promise.”

An hour later, they were snuggled in the dirty Santa area with the game in full swing. She was holding on to a pair of red leather cuffs that she’d stolen from Samuel who had stolen them from Tamara Mallincoat—she’d finally emerged from Dakota’s room and was being social.

Now it was David’s turn to choose a gift.

She watched as he stood and looked around the room. And damn it. He made a beeline for her and held out his hand.

“You dirty rotten bastard,” she said with a pout.

David looked at Lance. “You gonna let her talk to me like that?”

Marissa held her breath, hoping Lance didn’t scold her. She was mouthy with him because it worked for their dynamic but she hoped she hadn’t embarrassed him by calling the club’s founder names.

Thankfully, Lance just shrugged and said, Lance just shrugged. “You’re the one taking the gift she’s had her eye on all night.”

“Hey, it’s called dirty Santa, folks. Now hand it over and go pick something else from under the tree,” David said.

Marissa sighed and put the cuffs in David’s hand. They were his now because a gift could only be stolen three times. She stuck her tongue out at David and this time, Lance snaked a hand around her and twisted her nipple, causing her to squeal.

David had the nerve to wink at her as he turned and went to sit with his wife who was giggling.

Back at the tree, Marissa opened another gift. This time it was an expensive bottle of whiskey. She sat on the couch and snuggled closer to Lance while Dakota made a show of picking the next gift. It was a Wi-Fi controlled vibrator and Marissa wanted it… mostly so she could take it apart and put it back together again.

When Dakota sat down, it was Erin’s turn. Instead of looking under the tree, she just sashayed over to Marissa and held out her hand.

“Seriously?” Marissa said, staring at her open palm.I loaned you my phone,she thought, but didn’t say out loud.

Lance leaned in close and whispered, “If you steal the vibrator, statistically I can almost guarantee we go home with it by letting it get stolen from us again. I see at least one other person with their eye on it, and I’m not until closer to the end.”

“Hey,” Patrick said. “I thought we agreed no couples working together to get a gift they want. Don’t make me separate you two.”

Lance shrugged. “I don’t remember agreeing to any such thing.”

Marissa just grinned and handed Erin her bottle of whiskey.

“Don’t worry, Master Patrick, I already had Lance’s suggestion in mind.”

She crossed the room to where Dakota sat and held her hand out for the sex toy.

“I had a feeling you’d be interested in this one.”

With a sigh, Dakota headed for the pile of gifts yet to be opened. “I’m half tempted to take the whiskey but let’s see what else is under this tree, shall we?”

In the end, Lance’s plan worked, and they ended the game of dirty Santa with him in possession of the vibrator. Marissa ended up with a pretty diamond necklace.

As people began to disperse, intent on getting the play party started in the dungeon, Marissa noticed Hunter slip out looking tense.

Lance stayed on the couch with his arm around Marissa. “I’m glad we came, Kitten. I’m sorry about the weather ruining our plans, though.”

Marissa turned to him and smiled. “It’s OK. We’ll get married. I know we will.”

Just then, Hunter stepped back in and headed for Mitch at the bar. The man nodded as Hunter whispered in his ear and reached for the phone hanging on the wall behind him. His voice was amplified throughout the building.

“Folks, the weather is pretty bad out there again. We have room to house some of you in the cabins out back but if you’re planning to stay in town tonight, you may want to consider heading back to your hotels. If we get stranded we can survive, but the fewer that are stuck here the better off we’ll all be. We’ve got cars waiting in the parking lot to take anyone out of here who wants out and Simon is ready to escort people to the back cabins.”

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