Chapter 2
two
How are you so special?
I moved toward the lollikrake couple and swallowed, rubbing my damp palms on my jeans.
I wished I had a candy cane or a sucker or something.
I did better with my mouth full. I’d always found the lollikrake species attractive as a whole.
They were humanoid on the top half, but instead of legs, their hips turned into numerous tentacles.
One of the lollikrakes was much taller than me, with dark gray skin, pure white hair, and purple eyes.
Their thin lips had a hard tilt, and their nose slits were flared, as were their pointed ears.
Maybe they were as interested in me as I was in them?
No. I couldn’t sleep with a random guest who’d come, though my co-workers did all the time, and there were no rules against it as long as it happened on your off time.
It was a well-known secret for Dome vacations.
A guest could ask and pay employees for sex, but employees were allowed to say no without repercussions.
It was closely watched by management, and employee safety was taken seriously, as was harassment from guests. It was a nice way to make extra money.
But I’d made a promise to myself.
I didn’t need a Daddy, anyway. All they did was cause me trouble. Romance was synonymous with pain. And feelings were stupid. Best to give up all three. That was clearly the smartest thing. I was dumb, though. I’d trusted an asshole. How could I have been so stupid and naive?
No. I shook my head. I wouldn’t indulge in these self-hating thoughts. That was one benefit of working so many hours and to the point of exhaustion. I didn’t have time to berate myself for my past mistakes.
Besides, from the way the shorter, thinner, paler, and pink-haired lollikrake was clinging to them, the tall one was taken.
The shorter one was just as lovely as their taller paramour, but in a cute, squishy way that immediately made me want to spoil them or feed them the best food or buy them gifts.
My eyes drifted to the tentacles in place of legs they both had, and I swallowed again.
I wanted to count them, but there were so many that it would take a long time.
They were all different sizes and lengths, too.
I bit my lip. I’d heard about how amazing it felt to be fucked by their tentacles.
Having one or more filling you. The slightly rough texture of their skin dragging across your cock.
There were no suckers to worry about either, which, in my opinion, was a bonus.
No, Chase, I scolded myself. I was fine, and I certainly didn’t need to be crushing on this lollikrake couple—that would be breaking the promise that I’d made.
Shaking my head, I focused on greeting and making them feel welcome, rather than the long walk ahead or my burning desire to have both of these hot lollikrakes fuck me until I couldn’t stand straight.
“Welcome to the Pine Bed there was no other way to interpret that.
People did not go around commenting on tasting people.
I glanced at Nyx to see how he was taking his partner flirting with me.
He simply stared at Tam with a warm expression, posture loose and relaxed.
Something in my gut curled at that look.
I wanted, for some odd reason, to see that expression directed at me while Nyx was rocking me and calling me his good boy.
Nope. Not gonna happen. I forced Tam’s comment and Nyx’s expression to the back of my mind and said, “Let’s go.”
They both followed me as I dragged the heavy sled. Jared should’ve forced them to let me use the horse-drawn one. Seriously, how long were they staying? My arms were burning, and sweat was drenching my plaid shirt. I could smell myself.
Tam slid right up beside me, bouncing along, and their eyes never deviated from me. “Do you like working here? It must be a dream.”
Hardly. It was a nightmare covered in snow and fake smiles and never-ending ancient carols that dug into my brain like claws. I’d love to be rid of it all and never hear one of these upbeat songs ever again. But that wasn’t a good or expected response.
“It’s marvelous,” I lied through my teeth, though, in some ways, it wasn’t a lie. After everything with my former Daddy, I was so lucky that Jared welcomed me here.
Elijah. I swallowed. The bastard. Though so much of what happened had been because of me and my too-trusting nature. But… even now, despite my promises, I craved that security that came with love.
Tam appeared satisfied and continued to skip beside me, making their long red tunic-style sweater flare at the base.
My eyes caught on the elves and reindeer woven into the thick sweater, then darted up to the fake antlers on their head, the bells softly jingling with every movement.
Tam had certainly embraced the Christmas spirit.
But Nyx was different. His cocked white eyebrow told me that he didn’t believe my lie without actually speaking. Even his clothes, a light purple cable-knit sweater, didn’t scream Christmas, and I couldn’t imagine him wearing fake antlers.
I ripped my gaze away from Nyx. I had no idea why he attracted my attention so much.
I was old enough that I shouldn’t be having this sort of reaction, or I should at least be able to control it.
How many people had I been attracted to over the years?
An inordinate amount. And I’d just lost a Daddy; I didn’t need a new one, nor would this lollikrake want or understand what I needed.
I glanced at Nyx for the hundredth time, and he nodded toward the human yet again and prodded me with a couple of his tentacles. I’d asked Chase dozens of questions, and he’d kept the answers short and to the point. I hadn’t actually learned anything about him, which I wanted.
It wasn’t strictly necessary for me to know the person I was fucking, but I did prefer it.
Having sex with someone I didn’t know well was a way for me to connect, to feel more, to get to know them.
Nyx viewed sex differently than I did, even though we both fucked outside of our coupling, but he understood my need to play as well as connect with people I vibed with, and he encouraged me.
Chase was someone I wanted to know, to understand.
But it was more than that. There was something about him that called to me.
I wanted to feel him close to me, and I wanted to know who he was…
I paused in my step for a moment, then had to hurry to catch up to his longer strides.
I wasn’t quite sure why, but he was special.
Besides, it was my Christmas, and he was the present I wanted.