Page 5 of Santa's Wish
"I didn't say that." He was going to be fun to take apart and mold into a sex god made of nothing but pure desire. I was looking forward to that.
"My friends think I'm worthless," he said. "They say I'm no fun because I'd rather study than go to Boston for the weekend."
"There's nothing wrong with studying.” I'd done my share of it over the years, from carpentry when I was young to the arts with my sire, to whatever the fuck I fancied nowadays. I liked to learn new things, even if I didn't use them daily.
"You're nothing like what I assumed," Boz said as we pulled onto the highway that would take us to Cambridge. "I thought you would be a dumb jock type."
"Because I have muscles?" He nodded, and I laughed. "They're permanent. I spent a lot of timeraising houses and building cabinetry before I was turned. The vampire virus let me keep the body without all the upkeep."
"Interesting." He sighed. "I wanted to study medicine, more specifically, your virus, when I was a kid."
"Why didn't you?" Not that I cared, except maybe I did.
"My father is an accountant, so he sent me to business school."
"You're getting your masters? Or doctorate?" He was older than I thought, or smarter.
"Master of Science in Business Analytics," he said. "I even have a job working with vampires lined up, but I know nothing about them. Erm, you."
"Where's the job?"
"Boston. Another reason my friends thought I needed to go to the vampire bar."
I was almost too afraid to ask, but I had to know. "Are you working for Imperial Accounting?"
"Yes."
Fuck. The empress herself. "I hear it pays well."
"It will pay better if I make it six months, but I've never lived in Boston. I'm sure I'll get lost on my first day and then spend a month hating myself for it."
I had a feeling Boz spent a lot of time hating himself, regardless. Honestly, I felt for him. I'd battled my own bouts of poor self-esteem, thanks to my sire.
He asked more questions about being a vampire, and I answered to the best of my ability. Some, I didn't know how to answer because I didn't remember, like what it felt like being turned, or what it was like to have super speed and strength. They were my speed and strength now.
When we reached town, he directed me to turn with better precision than the GPS on my phone. When I pulled up to his dorm, I motioned for him to sit tight while I reviewed his contact information and sent him a text.
"There. You have my number now. Text me when you move in, and I'll give you the nighttime tour of Boston."
"I'd like that." Boz's smile was soft and a little apologetic. "I'm sorry I was such a dick earlier. Thanks for the ride."
"You're welcome, and I have a thing for assholes. And dicks. If you know what I mean." I winked, something I'd perfected in the mirror long before I became a sex worker.
Boz blushed and muttered something that sounded like "Good night."
"Merry Christmas!" I planned on seeing him before then, but I couldn't help it. I was still dressed for the season, and a snow shower dropped glistening stars into our midst.
"Merry Christmas, Santa."
My chosen name sounded magical on his lips. I had to hear it again. I would make sure of it.
On the drive home, I planned, the same way I envisioned every detail of my VIP room fabrications. Our date, or whatever it would become, would be perfect.
CHAPTER 2
BOZ
Beinga math whiz wasn't the prestigious gift my parents' friends said it would be.
