Chapter 2
FELIX
“Do Christmas parties usually have strippers, Joy?” I ask, raising a brow at her.
She shrugs, just beaming at me. “I don’t know…but this one will.”
A laugh escapes me as I shake my head. “I’ll run it by the others, but I’m not sure what they’ll say.”
“I can almost guarantee that you’ll all be tipped very well.” She continues her attempts to convince me. “Since you’d be volunteering your time in the name of Christmas.”
I laugh at her. “What day is it, again?”
“Friday, December 6th,” she tells me chipperly. “We’re having it soon so that our boss can’t change her mind.”
Narrowing my eyes at her, I ask, “Why is it again that she’s so against the party?”
“It’s not just the party—it’s Christmas. She hates it for some reason.” Joy leans against my kitchen counter. “She’s tolerable throughout most of the year, but November and December? Avoid at all costs.”
It’s so weird to hate Christmas. It’s such a happy time of year. Everyone is kinder, more joyful, more generous. What’s not to like? Plus, gift giving is one of my favorite things, and Christmas is a great excuse.
“Will she be at the party?” A plan is beginning to form in my brain.
If her boss is at the party, maybe some good old stripping—from a sexy man like myself in a Santa costume—is just the right thing to change her views.
Joy shakes her head. “She already told me to tell her what day it is so she can avoid it. So, definite no.”
“Well, if something changes and she comes, I’ll be sure to give her some extra special treatment.” I wink.
She laughs, but shakes her head fast. “God, no. You’ll get me fired.”
I wriggle my eyebrows at her. “Or I’ll fix your Christmas problems.”
“You won’t get the opportunity, because she won’t come,” she repeats, tilting her head side to side with each word.
Reaching into my pocket, I pull out my phone. “Okay, fine. I’ll text the crew now and see who’s available and up for it.”
Joy literally flies from the counter she was resting on, now leaning on the island directly across from me. “Can you try to make sure Tulip comes?”
A smirk takes over my lips as my fingers freeze on the phone screen. “Only if you’re ready to admit the huge crush you have on her.”
She purses her lips, straightening her posture as her wings go still behind her.
She grips the edge of the counter. “It’s not…It’s…She’s…Fine. I have a raging crush on her, so can you pretty please make sure she comes to the party?”
“Is there at least going to be mistletoe for you two to finally kiss beneath?” I tease, smooching the air.
Her cheeks flame up and she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “There may be some mistletoe…”
Teasing her even more, I taunt, “Maybe I’ll take your boss under the mistletoe…”
“Stop,” Joy begs, letting out a laugh. “Send your text and give me an answer so I can get home and make dinner.”
“Fine, fine.” I finish typing out my text and send it to the group chat. “Want me to see if Tulip wants to join you for dinner, too?”
Before I know it, Joy is around the island and has snatched my phone from my hands. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her move that fast in the twenty years I’ve known her.
Her eyebrows are furrowed as she grips the phone in her hands. “No. I’ll ask her myself eventually…when we get to that point.”
“I’m pretty sure to get to that point, you actually have to talk to her,” I say, still smiling. “Not just stare lustfully from across the strip club and make weird sounds when she gets close.”
Joy smacks my shoulder with her free hand. “Hey, that’s not what I do. I stare in admiration, and lose the ability to speak when she’s around. You make it sound so lame.”
“It is. You are lame,” I agree, earning another smack to the shoulder. I wag a finger at her. “You better watch it, or I’ll turn you to stone.”
My snakes let out a warning hiss, and she eyes them closely. She hands me my phone, crossing her arms and tipping her chin up.
“You wouldn’t stone me, not after how mad I was last time,” she says, calling my bluff. “I’m still mad, by the way.”
Rolling my eyes, I remind her, “Joy, that was when we were like ten.”
“And I’m still mad,” she repeats, giving me a side-eye. “How about now I repay the favor, and play a little faerie trick on you?”
I cock a brow at her. “Faeries aren’t tricksters like pixies. Who do you think you’re fooling?”
My phone dings in my hand, and instantly she drops the act, leaning close to peer at the screen. She’s definitely not still mad.
I open the text from the group chat, seeing that Tulip is the first to respond—and she’s in.
“Well, Tulip’s coming—should I tell the others not to bother?” I joke, hovering my thumb over the screen.
Joy points a finger a few inches away from my face, and my snakes hiss. Her eyes dart up to them before meeting mine once more.
Lowering her finger, she grabs her coat from where it’s draped over the back of a chair. “You think you’re so funny with your little jokes.”
“I know I’m funny,” I correct, giving her a wink.
“Debatable.” She rolls her eyes as she heads for the door. “Now that I have confirmation from at least two of you, I’m going home to make a few flyers to put around the office before I start dinner.”
Rising from my chair, I head to the door too. “Won’t your boss tear them down?”
She shakes her head, grabbing the door handle. “No, she doesn’t go in the lunchroom ever.”
“Never?”
“Nope. She eats in her office every day,” Joy informs me, opening the door and taking a few steps into the hallway. “See you later, loser!”
With a wave, she walks off and I close the door, locking up. Agreeing to strip at a company Christmas party was not on my bingo card for this year.
I think it will be a fun experience, though.
At least, I hope so. Otherwise, it’ll be a very awkward and long night.
My phone dings as another one of the crew responds to my text. Plus, a few more are typing right now.
As the texts come through, I sink onto my couch, tossing my legs up. Everyone has said yes so far, which Joy will be pleased to hear.
This isn’t our usual turf for what we do, but that means it has potential to go two ways—more money than a usual night, or significantly less.
Joy claims that we’ll be tipped well, so I can only hope she’s right. Besides, she wouldn’t invite me to do this if she thought we’d be giving a show for free. She’s not the type to scam people.
My mind keeps going back to her boss, though. I’ve never met someone who hates Christmas the way Joy claims this woman does.
It really makes me want to change her mind somehow.
I wonder if she’s hot—I should’ve asked Joy. You know what, I’ll just ask now. Swiping out of my crew’s group chat, I open my texts with Joy.
Everyone is in, so 5 of us for your party. Also, is your boss hot?
She responds almost instantly, and I can’t help but laugh out loud.
Yay! Thank you sooo much, and also FUCK OFF!!!
Well, that tells me enough—her boss is definitely hot. That makes this all the more exciting.
Even though Joy doesn’t want me to bring the Christmas spirit to her boss, it’s going to be my goal for the night.
That is, if her boss goes to the party.
I guess all I can do is pray for a Christmas miracle.