Page 20 of Playing Santa

“You’re still here?” I say, resolved to stay cool.

“I wasn’t going to leave without saying goodnight.” He reaches out and pulls me down on the couch next to him. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to attack you, though god knows I want to. We can’t do anything crazy with Jimmy in the next room.”

“He’s always going to be in the next room,” I say, sounding more disappointed than I have a right to, but his words calm me.

“True. We’ll deal with that when the time is right.” He cups a hand around the back of my head and pulls me in for a kiss, a soul deep kiss, a plunging all-encompassing kiss that ends the existence of the outside world, leaving only me and him and our mouths and tongues and our mingled breathing. His hands caress my back, slide to my ribs and cover my breasts.

The way he teases my nipples over the worn flannel of my shirt sends my head spinning, shoots need through me. Before I realize what I’m doing, my hands are all over him and I plaster myself against him. The moan that comes from deep in my throat brings me up short. I pop my mouth from his, breathing heavy, overheated.

“Ronnie.” He still holds me and my hand is on his hard dick. I pull it back. He catches it.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I enjoyed it.” His mouth twitches and my tension releases. Letting the moment take over, leaving all the thoughts of tomorrow and what ifs aside, I laugh and swat at him.

“No kidding.”

“I enjoyed that you don’t wear a bra, too.”

I snort and he takes me in his arms and holds me, kissing my hair as if he’s consoling me, as if he knows the reason I don’t wear a bra is because I’m too poor to afford one. Closing my eyes, I push the notion away and breathe him in, let myself take in his warmth and strength and scent, just for a minute. Before I separate, stand up again on my own.

“I don’t wear a bra because I can’t afford them.” I hold my breath. No idea why I’m telling him this, I only know I need to see his reaction, see if it’s sympathy or understanding in his eyes.

He stares for a beat, his face unreadable, and then stands with me. Taking me back in his arms, keeping my eyes captive the whole while.

“Thank god for expensive lingerie and your frugal streak.” Then he leans in and takes my mouth in his, plunders and assaults me with warmth and longing and lust and caring and everything I know instantly was missing from whatever I had before. When he stops, I let him, barely. We’re both breathless.

“You should go before I do something crazy. Even crazier,” I say, feeling soft, smiling. Before I lose myself, go back on everything I’ve been trying to do for the past six years, becoming independent. I haven’t been working like a dog to stand on my own two feet only to have this man sweep me right off them, have I?

“I like your crazy. But I can wait.” He kisses my forehead and steps away from me.

I see him to the door. “About tomorrow—”

“What’s the best time for Jimmy to walk Dasher?” he says, his voice still gravelly with lust.

“I’ll call you.” I can barely say it and don’t know if I mean it. I want to. And I’m afraid to.

I have no idea what to do with this man. He smiles as he walks out the door of my tiny shabby apartment to return to his luxury home.

Chapter 5

Sean

TGIF. It’s been a long fucking week and I’m relieved as I hop in my SUV and check my voice mails and texts. Nothing. I dial Ronnie’s number. Nothing. Having her number doesn’t do me a hell of a lot of good because her phone is never turned on. It’s one of those throwaway phones—a cheap one that doesn’t even have a camera. She didn’t call this week in spite of her promise to and she and Jimmy are long gone from my house before I get home each night. I haven’t been able to get home early to surprise them because our days are running long with preparation for Sunday’s game in L.A..

It’s after six, but I shrug as I start the car up and pull out of the lot, calling up the shelter anyway. Garino answers. At least it’s someone, if not exactly the someone I’d been hoping to hear.

“How the hell are you, Garino?”

“Better than you, I imagine, or you wouldn’t be calling the shelter at this hour.”

I snort, but she’s right on target. “How’s Ronnie and Jimmy doing? I haven’t seen them lately.”

“I know. She gets a kick out of the notes you leave for her and Jimmy at the house. I think they’re enjoying dog sitting for you more than working at the animal shelter.”

“That right? Did she tell you she leaves me notes too? And cake. A different kind every day. I’ve been bringing them into the stadium to the guys. She’s famous on the team now as the cake lady. Delicious shit ought to be illegal.”

Garino cackles. “Yes, she’s enjoying that. Says she doesn’t feel as guilty taking all your money if she can spend some of it on cake and give it back to you—along with a little piece of her heart I imagine.”