Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25937 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25937 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
I look to see who I just shared the collision with when I recognize that face—
“Steph! Oh my God!”
Before I have a chance to say more than that, Jackson is right beside us, his arms draped around our shoulders. He goes through his EMT checklist of things he wants to make sure are all right before we move, and after he and Frankie conclude we just had a minor collision and don’t need to be rushed to the emergency room, they help us to our feet.
“I’m so sorry,” Evan says once again, like a broken record, since that’s pretty much all he’s been able to say since the fall.
“Evan, you’re fine,” Steph assures him. “I was just thinking I needed to take a hot-chocolate break anyway.”
“It’s on me,” I assure her, “considering I basically tackled you to the ice.”
“Derek, don’t worry about it. Clearly, we both had the same idea,” she says, turning her gaze to Evan. We’d both been trying to avoid him at the same time and gotten in each other’s paths.
The guys usher us to the exit, then over to the concession stand, where we wait in line while the rest of the crew tells their versions of the crash. Damian and Zane stay close by Steph’s side, as protective of her as Jackson is of me.
Jackson inspects my arm, rubbing a particularly tender spot on my wrist. “That’s probably going to bruise.”
“Jackson, that one might not be from the ice,” I say, innocently as I can manage. Jackson takes a moment to reflect on our intense tussle from earlier, when I’d told him to restrain my wrist to keep my arm behind my back.
I can’t tell if he’s blushing or if it’s just the cold biting at his face, but his cheeks are bright red. He glances around uneasily as Steph bursts into a laugh. Jackson throws me a playful glare, and I put my hands up. “What? Just sayin’, you can’t blame the ice for everything.”
Evan hurries through the circle of us, his skates off, a paper tray packed with cups of hot chocolate in his hands. “Here, here, everyone!” he says as he hands out the drinks.
“Evan, it wasn’t your fault,” Steph says. “We were the ones who weren’t looking where we were going. You’re fine. Really.”
“Steph, come on,” I say as I take one of the cups and pass it to her. “Make the kid feel a little bad so we can get more free shit.”
She laughs again, accepting the cup.
We chat with the guys some more, when I notice Jackson looking at his phone. “Seriously, what could be that important right now?” I ask. “Certainly not like you and Frankie can get back to Atlanta to grab an ambulance and sprint off to the next job.”
“No, it’s just…” He hesitates. “Looks like the videographer we hired is sick, so I need to find someone else.”
“Oh shit. I’ll call around really quickly to see if we can get someone else to come.”
I’m about to walk off, but Jackson takes my arm. “No, Derek. Stay, enjoy the skating. It’ll take me ten minutes. You handled the pants issue earlier. It’s my turn.”
I give him a cross look. “The pants were my issue. We’ll both go.”
“Let Daddy handle this.”
“You sure do have a way with words,” I remark. Sly motherfucker.
He beams, knowing he won.
Goddammit, the man’s a walking arrow through my heart.
I take his hand and walk in my skates away from the rest of the group. “Well, do a really good job, and I’ll have a little surprise for you later.”
His brow furrows. “Really? What kind of surprise?”
“Remember when you helped me out at that fundraiser? When we lost a Santa and you had to fill in for your little naughty elf?”
The smile that spreads across his face assures me that not only does he remember the fundraiser, but he remembers the fun Daddy Santa had with his wicked little elf.
I lean close to him and whisper, “I packed the outfits.”
“I bet you did, Naughty Elf.”
He cups my ass and squeezes gently, the sensation igniting the fire from the spanking he gave me earlier.
“Thank you, Daddy Santa,” I tell him, offering a light peck against his lips.
With one hand still on my ass, he presses the other against the back of my head and pushes his lips against mine, taking what’s all his, but will be officially all his the day after tomorrow.
Our kiss lingers for a little longer, and as he pulls away, I can’t help but say, “That was great, but never long enough, is it?”
“That’s why you’ve gotta keep me for life,” he says with a sneaky wink, and I wish I could have kept my cool like I was able to back when we first met, but a grin tugs right across my face, the muscles stiff from the cold air.