Page 72 of The Twelve Days of Christian
The volunteer opens the door, and the dog springs out into her arms. She waves me over, and I reach into the sack for one from the heap of dog toys all tumbled together inside.
“No,” Haley mouths at me. She takes the sack, spreading the opening wide and crouching down in front of the dog. The little guy buries his pointed nose, burrowing in the toys, flicking some aside, until finally he emerges with a triumphant grin, a large turkey stuffie almost as big as him gripped between his teeth. He struts back into the pen, settles himself into the comfy-looking bed and shakes the turkey furiously, as if going in for the kill.
We carry on in this way down the length of the corridor and then back along another. Some dogs greet us with explosions of joy. Others are shy in the presence of humans. One or two are fearful and need gentle coaxing. However, each gets to choose their own Christmas gift and all will go to sleep tonight with an extra bit of comfort, the remainder in the sack set aside for any new arrivals over the coming days. Haley sadly assures me there will be many.
With the Santa run done, we’re invited to join the party. However, the temptation of a cup of spicy eggnog and a chunk of Christmas cake is not enough to risk taking this beard off even though it itches like hell. I’m not taking any chances. Haley, however, needs no encouragement to dispatch my piece of the cake as well as herown, while in animated conversation with the group of volunteers. In this setting, she glitters like the tinsel Christmas garland strung behind the reception desk. She’s so good with people, especially this big-hearted dog-loving group. I trail along behind her, nodding and smiling behind my beard, a silent Santa.
Eventually the crowd begins to thin, the women wrapping us in hugs; the men extending handshakes as they leave, and Eloise calls us a cab. This driver doesn’t bat an eyelid as his costumed passengers climb into the back seat.
“That was so much fun.” Haley’s still buzzing as she stretches an arm around my shoulder. “Thank you for doing it. Ollie missed out on a good time.”
Ollie’s name stirs up a familiar niggle of worry, and after churning it over while we’re paused at a traffic light, the question that’s been lurking in the back of my mind for days finally slips from my mouth.
“What do you think he’ll say?”
“About you taking over Santa?” Her brows wrinkle in a frown. “Don’t be silly. He’ll be fine.”
“No, what do you think he’ll say about us?”
She hesitates a moment, just a small missed beat, and then goes on. “He’s going to be fine, Christian. His sister and his friend. Of course he’ll be happy that we’re happy.”
I try to ignore the slight waver in her voice, as if she’s not as confident as she wants to appear. I try to hold on to the thought that she’s known him her whole life, so she should know him better than me. I hope Haley’s right, but I’m terrified she isn’t.
Chapter 35
Day Twelve
On Wednesday, I wakewell before her alarm, listening to the even, peaceful breaths of the woman curled around me. With its canine sixth sense, one dog knows I’m awake. There’s a lick on my elbow, a warm tongue. From the whiffy breath, I suspect it’s Tully, but I keep my eyes firmly shut, not lured to confirm my suspicions. I have learned well: do not make eye contact. Sometimes it’s merely boredom and if you don’t interact, they’ll flop back down with a sigh. If they persevere, it’s a more urgent need.
It works, as I hear dog footsteps moving away from me, only to find their way to the other side of the bed, and Haley.
“Hey there, sweetie.” Her voice is raspy with that sexy just-woken-up huskiness. I wish the words were for me, but the beating pawsin response tell me they’re for Tully, doing her happy dance. Haley rolls away from me, stretching out a hand, and I groan as a rush of cool air finds its way under the covers.
“These guys want out?” I ask.
“Yeah, probably.”
“I love these dogs, but couldn’t they just once allow us extra time in bed?” I grumble, moving to get up.
“I’ll go,” she offers, already sliding her legs around and pulling herself to sit up. She turns and adjusts the covers so I’m tucked in snugly. “You stay right there. I’ll be back. I’ve got plans for you.” She shoots me a provocative smile as she trails one finger across my lips and chin.
At first, she scrabbles around on the floor where our clothes are strewn, evidence of how frantically we removed them last night. Then, with a frustrated huff, she plucks the huge red Oodie from the chair and pulls it on. I stifle a laugh. It swims on her, but she loves that damn thing even more than her Christmas pyjamas. God, this woman is beautiful, even wearing a technicolour sack that masks all her best attributes in a layer of fleece.
The dogs need no invitation, bouncing off Haley’s bare ankles with small yips of joy. I hear them charge through the door.
Within minutes, she’s back, stripping back the covers, and the combination of the cool air and her proximity causes my cock to stand at attention.
“Well hello there,” she says, settling beside me on the bed.
She stretches one hand across, grips me tight, and starts a rhythm of long, powerful strokes. I groan with the pleasure of it, my body willing to surrender all to whatever she desires. Without missing a beat, she swings a leg across to straddle me, my erection rearing upbetween us. She shrugs up the Oodie, revealing those honey-gold thighs.
Leaning forward, she laps at me with her tongue, circling and sucking, driving me insane with her devotion to the sensitive tip. Just when I feel like I’m about to explode, she pauses, releasing me, before raising her hips high and lowering herself onto me with a determined thrust. She sits there grinning at me.
“Looks like you have me at a disadvantage, Miss Templeton. If you really intend to use my body so shamelessly, the least you could do is get rid of that thing, so I can enjoy the view.”
She sweeps the Oodie off over her head, arms raised while I allow my hungry eyes to wander over her full breasts with nipples standing at attention in the cold air, and I want nothing more than to take one in my mouth and give it some warmth. I pull the blankets back over her, right up over our heads, creating our own safe cocoon, where the world outside doesn’t exist. Our eyes meet, her pupils huge, advertising her arousal.
“Happy with that, Mr Steele.”
