Mountain Man Santa (Naughty and Spice)

Chapter 6

Chapter

Six

STACEY

I ’ve obviously worked with Jerry for too long. My cheeks burn as I busy myself, loading my tray with another round of appetizers. Did I seriously just suggest he keep his cock under wraps with an apron? Nobody else was going to, but then probably no one else would’ve noticed. Because it’s not normal to stare at your employer’s junk, especially while he’s in a Santa suit.

My throat tightens, and the tension between my legs ratchets up. This is the last thing I need to feel right now. But it’s mighty difficult after the eyeful I got of his well-endowed girth. Talk about impressive!

Roxy bursts into the kitchen, her cheeks flushed from serving. She glances over my shoulder, whips her black braids around, and starts laughing. I turn my head to find Jerry standing near the back door. The grumpy mountain man looks like a wet cat, his shoulders hunched and irritation pouring off him in waves.

He remains breathtaking, though, with his angular face that ends in a rugged square jawline enhanced by a dark brown beard and eyes so dark they almost look ebony. Besides a strong and well-proportioned nose, he’s got the most kissable lips I’ve seen on a guy. And I should know. Thankfully, he can’t read my thoughts, or he’d have me up on fresh sexual harassment charges.

“You might as well string some Christmas lights over me and turn me into a total buffoon,” he says bitterly.

“I just don’t understand why you’re wearing an apron. Are you going for the Santa Chef look or what?” asks the cute Wa-She-Shu woman, her mahogany eyes darting from Jerry’s face to mine.

Jerry shoots a pleading look in my direction, his brows knitted together. Is the brawny, ballsy New Yorker finally embarrassed by something? I butt in before he has to say a thing, “Yep, we’re going for the Santa Chef and Elf Server look. Because, you know, this skirt’s a little on the short side for me. Now, where did I put my apron again?”

I breeze past him to the rack where they hang, finding another one to tie around my waist. On the way back, he grabs my arm, running his thumb over the heart he inked on me this morning. His eyes glow with tenderness, and my mouth reflexively turns up at the edges. “Thank you for covering for me.”

“Of course, Santa.”

“Turn around, and let me tie that for you,” he orders. He comes up so close behind me that I can feel the heat pouring off his body, and I want nothing more than to snuggle back into his hard frame as he secures the ties with a bow. But I’m on the clock, and we need to stay professional. So, it shocks me even more when he wraps his arm around me, planting a quick kiss on the crook of my neck when nobody’s looking.

Electricity surges through me in waves, and I want him so badly I can taste it. Looking over my shoulder, I see his smoldering gaze, and my heart stops. He is the sexiest man on the planet, especially with his eyes fixated on me…like a feral animal on the hunt.

Swallowing hard to speak, I joke, “I do think stringing Christmas lights over you is a good idea. You’ll be the tallest tree in this room…”

He shakes his head, his cheeks glowing.

I press my lips tightly together, scolding myself to stop talking. Elephants, trees…I don’t mean to do it, but the double entendres are in full swing tonight.

“Enough of that sassy mouth of yours,” he growls, frowning. “Who in the world talks to their boss like this? If I’d ever had a mouth like this in my grandpa’s kitchen, he’d have slapped the shit outta me.”

“Fortunately, the law protects us from that. Besides, we all know you’re really a big baby,” Roxy replies.

“And here I almost started missing having you around, Rox. I forgot how much you ladies like to torture me.”

“I can’t think of a better way to pass my time.” I smirk.

“You remember what I said in the office? I’ll make good on that threat.”

My cheeks burn, and my tongue darts out to lick my lower lip. “I can think of worse fates.”

The massive chef swallows hard. “I’m gonna remember that.”

“Good,” I say more breathlessly than intended, smiling softly at him. Our eyes freeze, drinking each other in—too many private questions between us for this very public kitchen.

Roxy’s head bobbles back and forth between us, and her mouth falls open, but words don’t come out. Finally, she butts in, bringing the weirdly affectionate staring contest with my boss to an abrupt halt. “The weather’s getting pretty bad out there. Families are starting to pack up and leave. So, we need Santa Chef or whatever you are and Elf Server in the dining room ASAP.”

“Oh, shoot!” I exclaim. “Let me race this tray out there, and then I’ll help Santa take a seat.” I side-eye him, repressing another chuckle, but he looks gravely serious and downright grinchy.

Roxy grabs the tray from me, offering, “Actually, I’ll handle this for you.” Under her breath, she adds, “Are you two gonna get a room or what?”

The question makes my cheeks burn. She grabs the tray, sweeping out of the kitchen too quickly for me to say something snarky. Taking a deep breath, I try hard to sound perky as I tell Jerry, “Last time I checked, Santa needs to smile.” I raise the corners of my mouth, trying to embody my advice.

“I seriously want this over with,” he replies, looking like Bruce Banner after he turns into the Hulk, his tight clothes even more ill-fitting. “Next year, we’re gonna have a visit from Mrs. Claus instead, and you can play the part,” he growls.

I shake my head. “The kids won’t like that nearly as much. And if I’m still unmarried, childless, and working at this diner in a year, you have my permission to kill me.”

A strange look crosses his face, and he shakes his head. “Nuhuh, don’t even think about leaving me. You’re mine, whether you like it or not.” Striding past me, the Santa-costumed Scrooge saunters into the dining room, looking far too sexy to pull off the whole St. Nick thing.