7. The Eighth Day Before Christmas
The Eighth Day Before Christmas
Scene II
[The dingy couch in the Santa loft.]
Viola lounges, in Santa attire.
Once I’m in my Santa costume, I settle down in the loft with over half an hour before my shift starts, which gives me some time to think about how I’m going to make the next little bit work.
Hopefully, my outburst as Viola will give me space from the other Santas.
That leaves me with just Olivia to fool—aka, the boss’s granddaughter.
I’m really not sure if this is fraud or not since I haven’t technically submitted any paperwork (I’m too afraid to look it up), but I do know that she cannot find out I’m not who I say I am.
Unfortunately, my plans for space are ruined as Duke bursts through the loft’s door and slides onto the couch next to me. Right next to me. Practically on me.
“Hey, I need your help,” he says, slinging an arm around my shoulder.
I try to wriggle out of his arm and off the couch, but he pulls me in tighter. “I don’t want to help you. And, have you ever heard of personal space?” I protest, even though I want to nuzzle into his side and start purring like a cat.
Seriously, how is he so hard and muscular, yet so cozy?
Duke laughs. “Yeah, my fatal flaw is that I’m a cuddler.
It’s a bit out of hand with you, though.
Maybe it’s the fact that you’re so cushy in your Santa outfit.
” His eyes linger on my face. “And your skin also looks so soft.” He leans in, moving my beard around with two fingers.
Oh god, and now I have images of what those two fingers could also be doing.
Slowly, he runs his fingers up my jawline.
“Not even a hint of stubble under here. What razor do you use?”
Aaannnd that’s not a topic we can explore.
“Is that what you needed my help with? Avoiding razor burn?”
Duke’s face breaks out into a wide grin as he shakes my shoulders. “I knew you’d help me. You’re a good dude.”
I shrug. Duke’s eyes catch the motion. “Maybe.”
“No maybe about it,” he says, pulling me closer into his side.
Truthfully, I put up zero resistance. “I was watching you yesterday with the kids. I know Rick likes to hire actors because we’re so convincing—and less expensive than traditionally trained Santas—but you’re the real deal. You really care about those kids.”
Though it’s meant as a compliment, it stings a little. It brings back memories of what should have been—what was promised to me. And, for the first time, I’m not just sad at being cheated on and dumped by Mal; I’m angry.
“And now you’re going to use the kindness that you saw to exploit me into both forgiving and helping you?”
“Kind and smart! You’re the whole package, Seb.”
The whole package.
I want to stay mad at him, mad and very far away, I do. Just it’s a bit hard when he’s cuddling up to me and saying sweet things.
“If not silky-smooth skin”—I start saying, as he reaches a hand up to touch my face again. I slap it away—“what do you need help with?”
“Okay, so there’s this girl, and I think I’m completely smitten with her.
I thought I was done with love, doomed to wander the shards of my shattered plans.
A handsome, yet empty husk of a man, forever broken by my broken heart.
” I roll my eyes at him, and he winks. “Maybe I adapted those lines from this play I was in,” he explains.
“Anyways, this girl, she just strolled into my life, gorgeous and fiery. It was like being hit across the face with a love stick.” He sighs, leaning back so his head is resting on my shoulder.
He smells so, so good. The motion brings him even closer to me, his thigh pressing right against my own.
“But I don’t think she likes me much. She might hate me, actually.
It’s super hot. You know how I said I have a thing about lying after what my ex did, and this girl just told it how it was.
She ripped me a new one, and I want more. ”
Right—two guesses what girl that is.
“And so, you figured that since I’m working with Olivia every day and she doesn’t hate me, I’ll what? Put in a good word for you?”
Before he can answer, the other three Santas walk into the door, talking over each other something about frogs.
“And I’m telling you , if frogs tried doggy style, they would just slip right off because they’re so slimy. They have to lay eggs,” says Captain.
They all stop short in the doorway when they see us together on the couch.
“Aww! That’s cute,” says Valentine.
“I thought we were going to apologize for being dickheads together ?” adds Captain.
“Seriously, dude, we told you to hold back on the touchy stuff until you get to know people. It scares them off,” says Curio.
“Nah.” Duke rubs my arm as he pulls me in closer. “He’s cool with it. Just no under-the-beard stuff.” He reaches up to stroke my face. I slap his hand away. Again. “He’s really attached to the whole Santa persona.”
Valentine hops onto the couch beside Duke. “Of course he likes it. Who can resist a Duke-cuddle?”
Curio and Captain exchange a look and then literally jump onto the couch, onto us , making a giant pile of limbs fighting for purchase on the couch. It’s a lot. A lot of Santa bros. Not a lot of couch.
Pretty soon, the fighting for space becomes actual fighting. The guys laugh as they shove each other and try to throw each other in headlocks. When a stray elbow almost connects with my face, Duke throws whoever it was off the couch and pulls me down so that my back is flat on the couch.
Whoever it was that he threw off the couch jumps back on, but Duke stays resting on my Santa belly, cocooning us away from the chaos above. The world goes from a crazy cacophony crashing all over to a slow heartbeat pulsing between two people a breath away.
Duke smiles a light smile. “Ignore them. They’ll tire themselves out soon enough.”
And I do ignore them. I’m entirely caught up with the feel of Duke’s arms around me, protecting me. “You say that like you’re not just as bad as them.”
Instead of answering me, we get lost for a moment looking at each other. The noise and busyness of the tussle around us dims into silence.
The side of his mouth crooks up. “You have the exact same eyes as your sister.” His words are a whisper against my skin. His mouth is close to mine. “I seriously can’t stop looking at them.”
My face flushes, my heart leaps, my stomach clenches—every cliché out there, my body does it. Because I am getting a crush on Duke.
I’m getting that high school blushing when he’s around, fast heartbeat, tongue-tied, lost in his eyes kind of feeling that I haven’t felt since, well, high school.
I try my hardest to think about that end-of-season bonus and moving on with my life. I think about how Maria was just in here asking about the forms. There is so much more at stake here than butterflies in my stomach.
“You really should though.” I look away from him and do my best to roll out from under him, away from the tangle of limbs on the couch.
“So, what did you say to get Sebastian to forgive us for being the world’s biggest douchebags yesterday, anyways?” Valentine asks.
“Technically, he didn’t apologize or ask me to forgive him.” I stare pointedly at him, then look away when those pesky butterflies return. “He just asked me to help him with Olivia.”
“You’re going to put in a good word for him?” Curio asks.
“Me too?” Captain adds.
I roll my eyes. “I’m not doing anything to help any of you get Olivia, especially since none of you know a single thing about her aside from the fact that she’s hot.
Boys all have this image of who women are and then ditch them when they don’t live up to this ideal you created in your mind.
Prove to me that you like Olivia, the real Olivia, and I’ll consider putting in a word. ”
The boys are quiet, looking rightfully abashed.
Good.
“Did Santa just tell us off?” Curio asks.
“Did anyone else find it kind of hot?” Duke asks.
The others snap their heads towards him, and Valentine shrugs and says, “Like a little.”
They high-five.
“You guys are tools. I’m going to go help Olivia set up our station for the day.”
“But that’s elf work!” Curio protests.
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, it’s garbage that setup and cleanup are elf duties, while the Santas just have to show up.” I walk off, leaving them to hopefully think over my words.
I’m still on the landing at the top of the loft stairs when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I know without looking that it’s Duke. There’s an energy about him that I would recognize anywhere. Still, I turn to look at him, his eyes intense on my own.
“This girl I’m into—she’s passionate about the people she loves. Fiercely protective,” he says.
I nod slightly, dazed at the emotion I see in his face. “Then you should make an effort to get to know the people she loves. Try to love them, too.”
He smiles, letting his hand drift down my arm. “In a fucked-up way, I think I’m already doing that.”
He walks back into the loft, while I stare after him. The guys are back to talking about frog procreation, but their words barely register. Instead, I’m thinking about how Olivia is a lucky girl.
Viola exits down the loft steps, gripping the railing a bit tighter than usual as she goes.
Duke watches after her, shaking his head with a confused look on his face.