Page 11 of Reindeer and Restraints
"I'm not really sure how," Molly admits. That makes a little more sense.
The blonde cups a hand over Jane's ear and stage-whispers. "I didn't even want kids. Do you?"
Molly seems caught off guard. "How can you really know for sure?"
And we're back to the not-so-straightforward answers.
Blondie holds the kid toward Molly, who hesitantly accepts her. Even though she indicated she's not familiar with holding kids, they fit together seamlessly.
"If you'd gotten an invite to the auction, would you have gone the standard route of starting a family right away?" Curiosity laces Blondie's odd question.
The question's so unexpected, I have to replay the words in my mind.
Molly shrugs, smiling warmly at Jane. "Hard to say since I didn't get one."
"Surely you thought about it. For me it was the happily ever after but not the babies. And of course, it’s super cool that the Christmas Cherry Auction gives us a way touseour virginity."
Christmas Cherry Auction.The words slam into me. My throat tightens. I cough hard, doubling over, resting my forearms on the top rail.
Blondie's in the auction—she has to be a virgin. Was I wrong to think Jane was her kid?
Crap, Blondie's looking at me like I'm contagious. I rush to one of the water stations as if something got caught in my throat. In my periphery, I track them. They move to the barn that houses the children's exhibits.
That's a place I rarely set foot in, even at our first location. I hire someone to hang out near the kids. But as the owner, I won't get questioned for spending a little time there.
Blondie, Molly, and Jane stop at the Make It Rein exhibit. Wooden reindeer pull a pint-sized Santa sleigh the kids can sit in. The wall contains an exhibit of different types of reins.
Jane climbs into the sleigh seat, her giggles bubbling as Molly hands her the reins. The kid flaps them wildly.
"Will you stay with her?" Blondie asks Molly. "I want to snap a picture."
"Absolutely. You sure you don't want me to take it so you can be with Jane?"
"Not ready to see myself in full mom mode yet."
Hmmm.
Blondie steps backward while watching her phone screen.
She's more focused on getting the right shot than her surroundings. She doesn't notice the kid running toward her.
I rush forward to intervene. I'm pretty sure my movement causes her to glance sideways and notice the kid.
Carefully swiping the kid to safety, I'm one step too far away to stop Blondie from stumbling. Her arms windmill. Her diaper bag swings. And she crashes into the wall.
It's sturdy enough to withstand the impact, but multiple reins fall free. They're designed to be interacted with, but not quite like this.
As she scrambles to contain herself, she inadvertently tangles with the various reins. It's like watching the sexiest trainwreck of all time.
My hands find her first—fingers closing firmly around her tiny waist and all of the errant straps. The intimate touch combined with the leather hits me in a way I haven't felt before.
Steadying her, I move my hands to her shoulders. "Stop moving," I growl. "I'll untangle you."
She freezes, breath catching. I worry that I sounded angry, but her eyes lift to mine—green, wide and unflinching.
That moment we shared from across the corral is nothing compared to this. My cock lengthens against my thigh—getting hard in the children's barn is more proof that I'm not cut out for being a parent, but I want nothing more than to put a baby in this woman.
"Are you okay?" Molly calls out from the sleigh.
