Merry with a Lawman (Love Beach, Holiday Collection)

15. Santa’s Good Girl

FIFTEEN

SANTA’S GOOD GIRL

BELLE

I admire Addie’s belly in her cute sweater dress while we both sip our cocoa and talk. The Santa’s Wishes and Pucks event is always great fun, especially now that Addie can relax since we saw Chad leave quickly, with his people following behind him.

I know Chad’s presence today wasn’t welcome. It never is. Beau is so cute, though. He comes up to the glass to check on her. She blows him kisses, and he skates away happily.

I check my phone again, hoping to see a text from Davis, but there is none. It’s been a while since he left us here, and I’ve never known him to be a man who dawdles in the bathroom. Well, unless he’s plowing his thick cock into me in the shower.

I blush, lingering on that thought a little too long while his sister sits beside me.

“Look at Beau. Such a goofball on ice.” He’s playing tag and must have ten boys skating after him. We have great seats, right against the glass, to see the entire thing. All the kids are having a marvelous time.

“Davis said we might get on the ice later during the family skate.” I’m looking forward to it. Anything we do together now only helps to strengthen us as an actual couple, not one hiding away from everyone.

Addie squeezes my arm. “It makes me so happy to see the two of you together. After what we went through as kids, I feared he would never let someone in. Now that he has, I’m pulling for you because you’re perfect for him, even if it took him a while to come around.”

“Thanks. Honestly, you and Beau are like the best model of what love is. I’m glad Davis can see that.”

“Oh, don’t put us on too high of a pedestal. This morning, I yelled at Beau for no sane reason. Just pregnancy hormones. Then I cried my eyes out, apologized profusely, and he let me blow my nose in his shirt.” She laughs and rubs her belly. “But we can’t wait to be parents—Oh! A foot. I have a foot. Do you want to feel?”

“Sure.” I put my hand in hers and she glides it along her belly, finding the spot. Under the hard outer shell, something moves beneath. I gasp. “Wow.”

“Yeah. That’s the beauty of life, and we women get to birth it.”

“I’m not sure Davis wants kids.” All this time, I’ve wanted Davis, so I’ve pictured us with kids, but I don’t know if he does. “He wants a dog, he told me the other night. I’ve always wanted a cat.”

“Then you’ll be fur parents. It’s a good starting point.”

“Of course, we’re jumping far ahead. Your brother wants to take his sweet time now that we’re here.” I scan the surrounding area, still not seeing him anywhere. It worries me. I send a text to him while Addie keeps talking.

Belle: Where are you? All okay?

Maybe he found some hockey players to talk sports with.

“I’m rooting for you. We’ve been friends for a long time. We might as well be sisters.” Addie beams.

That gets my attention because I don’t want to let her down. “Can we promise, though, that no matter what happens between Davis and I, we’ll still be the best of friends?”

“Hey, don’t talk like that. You’re the best thing that ever happened to him. And if you ever need me to have a talk with him, just say the word. Although I expect to be a little busy after this baby boy pops out.”

“Boy?” My eyebrows shoot up.

“Crap. Say nothing to anyone. Beau wants to be surprised, but when I went to my last ultrasound without him. We either have a three-legged baby or…”

I wrap her in a hug. “I’m so happy for you.”

“Me, too.”

We talk more about baby names and buying all the baby things and the baby nursery. Safe to say Addie has a baby on the brain, whereas last year, she was always talking about their wedding plans. And before that, she and Beau were like us, dating and trying to figure things out between them.

I wouldn’t say I have a baby on the brain, more like eager to practice wearing red satin tonight. As Davis likes to remind me, we have time to figure this out.

Finally, a text comes in. But it’s Richardson.

Richardson: Busy tonight? Have dinner with me.

I’ve been avoiding him, but I know I need to tell him I’m back with Davis. It doesn’t feel right to do that by text.

Belle: I’m in Charleston with friends tonight. I’ll text you tomorrow.

I sigh heavily and tuck my phone away.

Addie notices, eyeing me. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I will be.”

We finish our cocoas when the music that’s been playing over the speakers fades out. The announcer says, “Welcome to Santa’s Wishes and Pucks. And now, introducing the big guy himself. The man all the way from the North Pole. The one. The only. Santa Claus!”

Festive Christmas music resumes and teens dressed as elves roll a red carpet out onto the ice. A spotlight shines on the entryway to the ice and all eyes are there, expecting to see the big guy.

But he doesn’t show up. Instead, a kid freezes on the ice in front of us and points up above our heads. I twist in my seat to see Santa walking down the steps our way, calling ho-ho-ho with his huge sack of toys on his back.

They have filled this Santa quite plump with pillow stuffing. He makes a show of heaving his bag off and setting it down on the cement stairs.

“Now let’s see. Where is it? I have a gift for someone special, who means a lot to Santa,” he says, only the voice is oddly Davis’ but in disguise. I squint hard, to find if it’s him beneath the enormous hat, long white curly hair, mustache, and beard.

He comes closer, holding a beautifully wrapped red rectangle shaped box with gold ribbon. He spreads words of cheer to all the kids and parents he passes as he squeezes down our aisle, using the arena glass wall behind him for balance, then he stops directly in front of me.

Yep. It’s Davis. A goofy grin reaches my face.

Addie grips my wrist. “Oh, my God.”

“I want to be first to tell him what I wish for.” One little boy scrambles out of his seat behind us.

“No me.” A little girl says.

Davis turns and addresses them. “Now kids, you’ll all get your chance. But first, I have a little gift for um…a special elf.”

He hovers over me, leaning in to whisper in my ear. “Have you been a good girl? Because Santa needs a naughty little elf tonight.”

The gift lands in my lap. I’m stunned as he kisses my lips, the white whiskers ticklish on my chin.

Behind him, we hear the kids talking again.

“How come she got the first gift?”

“Because she’s Santa’s girlfriend. ”

“He’s cheating on Mrs. Claus?”

I snort and laugh, as do all the other adults in earshot. These poor parents are going to have a hard time tonight explaining this one.

At the risk of really confusing the kids, Davis goes for another kiss, long and wet, ending with a whisper on my lips, “My hot girlfriend better be ready for some fun tonight.”

Tingles work up and down my spine at his use of the word girlfriend. As he continues on his merry way down to the ice, to where the children all line up to tell Santa what they want, I can’t stop smiling.

“Wow. He’s like a different Davis. Happier. Jolly, in fact.” Addie laughs, her belly almost shaking like Santa’s. “And that’s all because of you, Belle. Open your gift.”

From the shape of it, I’m thinking maybe a sweater or something sweet like that. He really surprises me by doing this, while I’ve been wondering if we’ll be exchanging gifts at all and just haven’t gotten around to asking.

I delicately unwrap the paper and the ribbon. I lift the lid of the box, gasp, then immediately close it.

“What is it?” She asks.

“Um…” I open one corner and peek in again, staring at a set of red satin panties, garter, and corset, and I can just make out a pair of red fuzzy handcuffs at the bottom. I quickly close the lid. “A pretty sweater. So thoughtful of him. I cannot wait to wear it.”

We rented hotel rooms for the night in Charleston, and I guess I know what Davis and I will do all night. A thrill works its way through me, heating me up from the inside out, my panties already getting wet. I gaze across to Santa and blow him kisses. He nods at me with a full smile beneath the fake beard and mustache.

But there’s nothing fake or hidden about us anymore. He’s taking my breath away with all of his attention.

I cannot wait to get him out of that Santa suit.