Hostile for the Holidays

13. Stella

THIRTEEN

STELLA

I should have known that Jasper’s idea of a good time would be to get me all hot and bothered, then take me somewhere that it is absolutely not appropriate to be hot and bothered.

Like the Toys for Tiny Hearts fulfillment center where Santa’s elves are busy wrapping gifts and spreading holiday cheer to underserved communities and children. I’ve been given a number and a group to stand with but I’m still not certain what we’re doing here.

They’ve all been about you.

Jasper had delivered that line then promptly opened my door like a gentleman and escorted me inside this lovely holiday workshop filled with the most wholesome volunteers.

I’ve been assigned to Sandy’s group. She’s cheerful and sweet and in her sixties. Her innocent demeanor only makes me feel like more of a pervert.

They’ve all been about you.

What does that mean?

He’s had one dream since he saw me this week and it was about me?

How many is all ? I’m going to need a specific number.

Now, he’s across the room, assigned to another group and I’m finding it impossible to focus on what Sandy is saying.

“The rolls are color coded and the ribbons are as well. We’ve got an instructional video to help you streamline the process of wrapping the presents.”

“We’re wrapping presents?!” I shriek, throwing my arms overhead in excitement. I’m like Buddy the Elf learning that Santa is coming to visit.

The people in my group turn to stare but I can’t be bothered.

I fucking love wrapping presents. Every year I volunteered for gift wrapping shifts at Santa’s Workshop at the outlet mall and by my senior year I was awarded the highest gift-wrapping honor…C.E.W. The Chief Executive Wrapper. Santa presented the award and everything.

Jasper knows I was a gift wrapper because the service was free and he delighted in bringing me odd-shaped gifts to wrap. It was just another way for him to provoke me, but little did he know I relished his arrival with irregular-shaped gifts and oversized packages. They were a challenge I welcomed. I couldn’t let him know that because it would spoil all the fun, so I pretended to be annoyed and he continued to show up every year with them.

From across the room, I feel Jasper’s gaze on me. He’s staring at me with the oddest look. Likely because he heard my scream of delight.

Then he smiles and winks. And my panties are immediately wet. I’m starting to notice a pattern.

Which would be irritating if I wasn’t immediately distracted by the fact that Sandy is leading me to my very own wrapping station. The wrapping paper is decadent, the bows are plentiful, and Kelly Clarkson’s “Underneath the Tree” starts belting from one of the overhead speakers. This is my dream holiday scenario.

For the next four hours, I wrap presents like it’s my job. Because today, it is.

It’s not only the joy of wrapping for me, but also knowing it’s for a good cause because everyone deserves a beautifully-wrapped present for the holidays.

There’s a guide for bow and wrapping paper coordination, but I make up my own and Sandy even compliments me on my combinations.

I show all the others a new technique that helps save on the amount of wrapping paper used but still makes for a pretty wrapped gift.

It’s truly the best way to spend a day.

As the morning passes, Jasper stops by my table a few times, supplying me with flirtatious lines like… can I borrow your scissors and do you need me to fill your tape dispenser?

It’s cute. It’s sweet. I like this new game we’re playing.

On our lunch break, I’m starting to get antsy for some kind of affection from Jasper. He is my fake boyfriend after all so a quick ass grab or boob squeeze wouldn’t be out of line.

Or maybe he thinks it would.

We never discussed touching or kissing or anything I want to do with him now, because when we made this arrangement, we were enemies. Technically we still are, but the kiss last night made me aware that I’m insanely attracted to him. Maybe the kiss was some silent truce of our minds so that our bodies could have some temporary fun. Because knowing our past, and the lack of trust between us, there’s no way this could be anything more than fun for the next few weeks.

And that’s okay, because while my family is immersed in Sadie and Tom’s wedding planning, I’m up for a fun distraction.

“Are you going to kiss me today?” I ask, taking a bite of pizza before internally cringing at the whine in my tone.

“It depends,” he says, following it up with what I’m starting to recognize as his signature lip twitch.

“On what?” I ask.

He lifts his pant leg to display the gawdy socks I got him from the craft shop at the tree farm. “Have you been naughty or nice?”

“Oh god!” I gasp. “You weren’t actually supposed to wear those.”

“Really? I thought you picked them out especially for me with love and care. The Comic Sans font really brings out the holiday cheer.”

I shake my head at him. “And here I thought you were a stylish dresser. I might have to revoke your fake boyfriend status.”

He tugs at the hem of my cropped sweater and my core clenches. He didn’t even touch me and I’m on fire.

Be careful. This is Jasper Jensen. You might get burned.

“Hmm. What can I do to get reinstated?” he asks.

“I have some ideas.”

Lots of them. They’ve been circulating in my brain since last night.

He sweeps a section of hair behind my shoulders, giving his hand better access to my neck, and the second he touches me a shockwave of pleasure radiates down my spine.

What’s it going to feel like when he really touches me?

He chuckles, and the sound sends a rush of warmth through my chest.

“I was thinking we’d have a friendly competition.”

“When have our competitions ever been friendly?” I ask.

“You’re right, I think we should declare this the first annual friendly gift-wrapping competition.”

My brows reach my hairline. “You want to have a competition over gift wrapping?”

“Why not?”

“Because gift wrapping is my thing. You can’t beat me.”

“So this reluctance you’re having isn’t because you’re scared to go up against me?” he teases.

“Oh, Snowflake, do you need to lie down?” I press my hand to his forehead. “It seems like you’re coming down with a case of delusion.”

He laughs, capturing my wrist to remove my hand from his forehead before pressing a kiss to my palm.

“All right, Sparky, let’s make this contest official. We count the number of wrapped presents starting after the break. The person with the most packages wrapped wins.”

I cross my arms, and push out my hip. “What do I win?”

Jasper smirks. “So confident, are we?”

“We both know I’m going to win, but I’ll play along.”

He leans in close to whisper in my ear. “If you win, I’ll kiss you.”

A kiss. Hmm.

Beggars can’t be choosers, and right now, for some unexplainable reason, I’m practically begging for Jasper to kiss me again, so I’ll take his kiss and then I’ll make sure I leave him wanting more.

“You’re on.”

“May the best wrapper win,” Jasper teases, then we clean up our lunch and he escorts me back to my wrapping station before heading over to his.

For the next three hours, I wrap like I’m running a marathon.

Sandy is in awe of how fast I’m wrapping. Eventually she abandons her wrapping station, holding a water bottle in front of me to drink when I’m thirsty and a protein bar for when I need to refuel so I can keep my hands moving.

At four o’clock, we’re done for the day and it’s clear from the mound of presents behind my table as opposed to Jasper’s much smaller one that I’m the winner.

He did give his best effort, though, so I offer a handshake like a good sport.

“Good try, Jasper.”

“That’s pretty impressive, Stell.”

“I know.” I smirk, loving that not only did I win, but my stomach is aflutter with anticipation for kissing Jasper again.

We say our goodbyes to the rest of the group and Sandy makes me promise to come back again.

We’re walking through the hallway of the charity’s business center when Jasper pulls me through a side door and into a small room.

“What are we doing here?” I ask, glancing around at what appears to be a meeting room. There’s a small table with four chairs taking up most of the space and a picture on the wall of a group that must be volunteers or workers of the Toys for Tiny Hearts charity.

Jasper gives my wrist a gentle tug to pull me toward him.

“I’ve got to pay up. Give you your kiss.”

Jasper presses my back against the door, then turns the lock with a click.

“Do you still want it, Stella?” he asks, his eyes searching mine.

Of course I want the kiss, it’s what I asked for, but the way Jasper is intently studying my face, it feels like he’s asking me about something completely different.

I swallow thickly, then nod. “Yes.”

Slowly, Jasper lowers to his knees, never taking his eyes off mine.

“What—” I start to form the question but Jasper on his knees staring up at me turns my thoughts to mush. His hands hold my waist, lifting my cropped sweater until his lips have access to my stomach.

“I want to kiss you, Stella.” He presses a kiss against the button of my jeans before dropping his mouth lower against the denim at my center. “Right here.”

My head falls against the door, a whoosh of air leaving my lungs.

“ Jasper.”

My voice is breathy and needy. It’s a sound I’d never expected to display in front of this man. Yet, here we are. And with so much about my visit home and the low-key holiday my family is having being a disappointment, I wonder if the one thing I need right now is pleasure. In whatever form I can have it. And Jasper’s tongue is offering to do the job.

“Look at me, Stella.”

Years ago, at the height of our rivalry, I would have told him to fuck off. Now? Hearing the command in his voice is thrilling.

I tilt my chin down, meeting his eyes again.

“Do you want it?” His thumb brushes up the seam of my jeans and my body lights with lust and desire. “Will you let me?”

Seeing Jasper Jensen on his knees for me; there’s never been a better sight.

The ache in my core is unbearable. My center is slick with need. Arousal for this man that I didn’t even like three days ago, but there’s also this new thing. Something I’m not sure how to label. A tenderness I’ve never known from him. A vulnerability in his eyes that I’ve never seen when we were at each other’s throats, too busy puffing up our chests to outdo each other. I’m not sure how to describe what I’m feeling.

I’m sure as hell not ready to address any of it, but I am ready to see if Jasper can make me come.

Opening my mouth to speak, I stop short. Letting Jasper touch me like this will change everything. My brain is compiling a list of reasons this isn’t a good idea.

This might be a joke to him. A trick up his sleeve. To play with me. To tease me. Then, leave me worked up and desperate for him.

Maybe he’s trying to get my guard down, then he’ll really hit me where it hurts.

But where would it hurt? He already knows that other than fake dating him, I have no romantic connections, and I’m really fucking sad that my family isn’t celebrating Christmas this year because Sadie’s wedding is taking priority. There’s not much insecurity left to uncover.

I can be self-conscious about how he might use this interaction against me later or I can say fuck it and ride this gorgeous man’s face. My body urges me onward.

“Yeah, I want it.”