Page 44 of Hostile for the Holidays

“That’s very personal information.”

“I trust you.”And I want you to trust me.

“Thank you for sharing it with me.”

“You’re welcome.” I clear my throat. “Now, should we get a hot cocoa and drive around to look at Christmas lights?”

Stella’s eyes illuminate with joy.

“Oh, yes. Let’s do that.” She claps her hands like a little kid having just been told she’s going to Disney World.

“You’re okay with spending the whole day with me?”

A genuine smile lights up her face. “You’re not so bad.”

“Good to know I’m tolerable.”

“Oh, I didn’t say you were tolerable, just not a bad person.”

She tries to hold a serious face, but it doesn’t last.

“I will say I like you more when your mouth is busy, and not talking.”

“I’d agree. I like it better when my mouth is on your pussy, too.”

“Jasper!” she exclaims in shock.

“What? We can do it but we can’t talk about it?”

She gives me side eye, but a moment later explodes into a fit of laughter.

An hour later, when I make the turn onto our street, Stella is on a sugar high from hot cocoa and the pound of marshmallows she put in it.

“Thanks for taking me to see Christmas lights. It’s one of my favorite things about this time of year.”

I glance at her there in my passenger seat and hope for more days like this with her.

“It’s a bummer that my parents didn’t put up lights this year, but—wait a minute.”

Stella leans forward to see better.

“Hold on. That’s my house.” She points at her house that is now decked out in Christmas lights. “What happened? How did the lights get put up? My parents must have found the time. Oh,” she coos happily, “they’re so pretty.”

When I park the car in front of her house, she jumps out to take it all in. I round the front of the vehicle to join her on the sidewalk.

Tears in her eyes, she laughs. “I don’t know why I’m crying. It’s just one of those things, you know? When you’re so happy and it feels like maybe things aren’t as bad as you thought they were.”

I shove my hands in my coat pockets, smiling at her reaction to the lights.

“I’m glad you’re happy.”

She clears her throat and wipes at her eyes like she’s remembering who I am and doesn’t want to show me her true emotions.

“Thank you for today, Jasper.”

“You’re welcome.”

“The gift wrapping and the orgasm and the cocoa and lights viewing were the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”

---