Page 44 of Sexted By Santa
Delayed gratification, indeed.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“No reason,” I said.
“Are you ready to go? I can get our coats.”
“I serve at your pleasure, Professor Kringle. Whatever you want is fine by me.”
He bit his bottom lip, gaze sweeping over me. Under my clothes, my body tightened at the heat in his eyes.
“I’ve had all the socializing I can take for a night,” he said.
“You endured it with dignity.”
He snorted. “No, I endured it with the help of your social graces. Thank you, Jaxson.”
“I make a good buffer.”
“Something tells me you’re good at most things,” he replied.
Before I could tell him just how good I’d be if he got me alone, he excused himself to retrieve our things from the coat check. Just as well. I could hardly score a hookup with my daughter in tow. Not to mention I probablyshouldn’tgo there with my neighbor, even if he wasn’t nearly the grinch I’d first imagined.
I might regret that I hadn’t lured him into my bed that first night we met up, but it seemed a little late for casual sex now. This fake dating scenario had entangled us in each other’s personal lives too much for that.
I scanned the room, spotting Tori by the large Christmas tree, and headed over to fetch her.
The party had delivered all that Christian had promised: food, a festive atmosphere, and an extra holiday gift for Tori.
I’d just have to be satisfied with that.
* * *
Tori fell asleep in the backseat of Christian’s car on the ride home. I took off my coat and balled it into a pillow, then twisted in my seat to position it under her head.
“She okay?” Christian asked, flicking a quick glance over his shoulder before returning his gaze to the road that spread out like an inky stream in the dark. “Did we keep her out too late?”
“She’s wiped out, but she had a great time. Thanks for that. We don’t get to do this kind of thing very often.”
“What, bail out stuffy professors so they don’t have to go on a blind date with the boss’s brother?”
His voice was full of self-deprecating humor.
“Grant wouldn’t have been hard on the eyes,” I pointed out.
Christian snorted. “Pass.”
I smiled to myself. Grant was model-beautiful, but I could tell that Christian didn’t like him. Part of me wanted to believe Christian had been jealous. The more practical side of me knew it was far more likely that Christian had worried I’d bail on our charade and get him into hot water.
Was never going to happen. I was a man of my word.
Christian pulled into my driveway. “Do you need help getting her inside?”
“No. I can carry her.”
“Okay.”
The air in the car felt thick with expectation. I cleared my throat. “Listen, I—”
