The Christmas Vow (Hallelujah Crossing)

Chapter 3

“ W hat do you mean you’re not working today?” Rayla swirled her iced mint white chocolate drink.

“I’m not feeling well.” Krissy Mae coughed.

Eyes narrowing, she wished her friend was in front of her instead of on the phone. Something about this was off. “You were fine last night when I left you in the company of two good ol’ country boys.”

A slight muffled sound. “Maybe, but this morning, I’m like dog poo on the bottom of a shoe that ain’t going to get any better no matter how much you work on sprucing it up.”

She flattened her lips before taking an appreciative drink she’d been given by Nick when she turned up for work at six in the morning. Planning on being a helper like she’d been yesterday while Krissy Mae was up close and personal with Santa.

“I already told Nick I wasn’t able to come in today and that you were more than happy to take my place with Santa I’d Love to Fuck.”

“I would not be happy to do that,” she hissed, eyes snapping around the room to make sure she was still unable to be overheard.

“Come on. You like him, he likes you. It’s a win win. In fact. You should be thanking me that I’m sickly.”

“Sickly my ass. You’re shacking up with those boys and leaving me out here to fend for myself.”

“To-mah-toe, Ta-ma-ter. Same thing.”

“Not even close. I don’t want to be his helper. I liked being a gopher.”

“Not today, darlin’.” Some weak coughing. “Go out there, get helping yourself on his lap and that big dick we both know he is blessed with.”

Opening her mouth, she simply swallowed her statement as Krissy Mae hung up on her. Rayla didn’t want to acknowledge that she was looking forward to being around him. In fact, she’d not been able to get him out of her mind since the night stopover he had pulled right before she began getting ready for bed.

As exhausted as she’d been, his image and presence had kept her company for far too many hours after she’d closed the door on him. Her entire body continued to burn from the brush of his fingers over her lips.

And after he’d kissed his own.

Someone like him sure as hell could make her think of a happily ever after. She snorted and shook her head while she pushed her phone in her back pocket and walked to the greeting table which doubled as list holding so people could find their assignments before the doors opened and let in the crazy.

At least I don’t have to worry about him for a few hours.

It was the time for them to set the stage for today’s swarm of visitors to see Santa. Two more fortifying drinks and she finished the icy beverage. It wasn’t enough. She needed like another three of them, or a large hot coffee.

That had always been her thing, no matter the temperature. Hot coffee. She moaned and rubbed the nape of her neck. It was going to be a long day. Empty cup in the recycling, she took a deep breath, cracked her neck and jumped into the chaotic fray which was beginning to make sense to her.

Today’s music was a blend of rock. She joked and laughed with co-workers as they got the large warehouse ready. Thankfully, it wasn’t taking them long as they had gotten into the groove of what was done and how best to close down at night so there wasn’t tons to do the next day.

Nick waved her over and she dusted off her hands from the fake snow on it as she made her way toward him. His white trimmed beard stuck out against the dark nut brown of his skin. His hair was clipped short to his head and he could without a doubt in her mind, play the jolly old man.

“Yes sir?”

He smiled at her and nudged her out of the way of a pallet jack of wrapped packages that were going to be set out around Santa’s chair. Every child who sat on Santa’s lap got a toy so this was something which had to be wrapped and readied at the end of every workday.

“I wanted to make sure that Krissy Mae had a chance to speak with you about being Santa’s elf today? His main helper?”

“I talked to her, yes sir. She said she wasn’t feeling well.”

He nodded. “That’s what she told me as well but I was going to keep you as gopher until she said that you and Santa had a great working relationship and could probably help anticipate what he would need.”

Years of being in shark infested waters in DC marked the only reason she didn’t allow any shock to show on her face. Merely watched her boss in return.

“I didn’t know you knew Ryker.”

“Never met him before here, but she’s right, we get along fine. However, that being said, I’m perfectly happy keeping as a gopher, especially if someone else wanted to be his right hand man, or woman, today.”

Please, please, please! Being around him is hard.

His grin added a sparkle to his gaze. “Nope. That’s fine, I’m happy to have you do it.” He grasped her upper arm and gave it a friendly squeeze. “I’m glad you’re here with us, Rayla. Thanks for helping make our Christmas in July a huge success.”

“It’s been a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to the rest of the time.”

He released her and walked away, chatting with everyone he moved by.

Rayla walked to the large doors, that would stay closed until they were ready to invite in the children and angled to the left a tiny bit where a smaller door led outside. She pushed through that, immediately shaking her head against the change in temperature.

Early in the morning and it was already hot and muggy outside. Inside, cold and far closer to Christmas time feeling than summer in the south. She didn’t mind the heat, honestly. Digging in her pocket for her phone, she pulled up her email and scowled at the message that had been sitting in her inbox for a day now.

From her father’s secretary. She gave a rough snort.

Old man can’t even be bothered to reach out to me himself. I’m merely something else he delegates people to deal with. It’s like he thinks I am going to answer the phone because I don’t recognize the number.

Problem was, she knew them. Knew the area code. He’d never given her enough credit. Or any, really.

Scrolling past it, she frowned when she still didn’t find anything from Grant. She sighed and tipped her head back to gaze upward as a prayer left her thoughts.

“Morning darlin’.”

Deep and potent, that voice pushed through her and settled low in her body, reminding her yet again how long it had been for her.

Her lips turned up in a smile even before she opened her eyes to take a look at the handsome and devilishly sexy bartender.

“Morning, Cole.”

His blue-green eyes waited and he winked when their gazes met. She tipped her head to the side. He gestured for her to come back inside and as she didn’t need to be a melted elf, she accompanied him.

“What exactly are you doing here?”

“Came to find you, beautiful. Why else would I be here?”

She glared at him. “Is this a trick? Someone put you up to this?”

“God no!” He sighed and brushed a curl back from her face. “I would love for five minutes with the asshole who made you doubt yourself.” His flattened lips smoothed out. “I wanted to know if you’d like to come hiking with me after you’re done here?”

“Is this some ploy to get me alone and kill me?”

He tipped his head back, a loud laugh pouring free. “No. It’s two friends taking a hike. Nothing else.” Cole grinned and leaned a tiny bit closer, eyes shifting left and right as if he were about to part with a huge secret. “Although, if you would like to change that, I wouldn’t be adverse.”

She rolled her eyes and waved away his comment. “Sure. I’m here until six.”

A winning grin flashed. “Perfect. We’ll have dinner and a walk after.” He tapped her on the tip of her nose. “See you in a few hours.”

Moving back through the well organized chaotic throng of workers, she nearly tripped over her feet when she heard someone say, “Grant was supposed to be here for it. I haven’t seen him though. Not since he was in town a week before this entire thing started.”

She whipped around, desperate to locate the one who had spoken that sentence. Frustration welled up as she realized the people around her were all too loud and moving so she wasn’t sure who had said it.

Calm down, Rayla. He was here. Sounds like he had plans on coming back.

Her pep talk didn’t quite have the desired effect. Not only was he the only Grant in the world, but a myriad of other reasons. Because if he’d been planning on coming back but now he wasn’t able to, was it because he had been hurt? Killed? Worse?

What’s worse than being killed?

It confirmed it, no more thriller novels for her.

“Ten minutes!”

Pushing all thoughts of Grant to the back of her mind, she paused to make sure her outfit wasn’t going to ride up during the day or look like she was trying out to be one of Santa’s whores.

Must be wholesome and family friendly for this.

“Ready?”

Nick stood beside her, a fatherly grin on his face.

“I guess so.”

He rubbed her shoulder and nudged her toward the podium that had the large ornate chair that Santa would be sitting in all day.

“Go get him, tiger.”

Before she could question his statement, he was gone leaving her moving toward the chair and the large man seated there. Ryker Owens.

His blue eyes pierced her and when they roved all over her costume, she fought the urge to shift and tug on the clothing. One to make sure she still wore any and two, to ensure it wasn’t showing off anything it shouldn’t.

He turned his hand and beckoned to her with one white glove covered finger. She gulped hard even as she listened to his unspoken command.

“Nice of you to finally join me.”

She frowned at him briefly before smoothing out her expression. “Excuse me? We have like three minutes before the doors open. I was busy.”

“You could have been, but you’ve been avoiding me.”

“I didn’t avoid you because I wasn’t watching for you. I have no reason to do either.”

He reached for her arm and directed her closer to him. “Stand here and hand me a present when a child is up on my lap. Bartenders more your speed then?”

She saw the wisdom of his positioning her where he did but then his words registered.

“Are you talking about Cole?”

“Oh, is that his name?” The words were delivered in a low growl.

“Doors opening!” The overhead speaker shattered the growing tension between them. The music switched to holiday music.

He lasered her once more with his gaze.

Then again, perhaps it hadn’t.

Anger pulsed through him like electricity through a live wire. It popped and sizzled. All he longed to do was scoop her up, toss her over his shoulder and take her somewhere they would be away from prying eyes. Including those of the fucking bartender who dared brush his hands alone her skin.

My fucking privilege.

And she was about to learn that.

He’d almost lost his shit when he, from his corner of putting on the rest of his costume, saw the man approach and talk to her. Did he like it? Fuck no. But it was fury that blew to life when the man touched her.

When she tipped her head back and laughed it gutted him. All that saved the man was the conversation was short and sweet. Although he swore the man knew he watched for when he leaned forward a tiny bit and spoke to her, his eyes were on Ryker.

It wasn’t some college boy, the man carried himself with an air of confidence. Doesn’t matter. I will fucking gut him.

“Santa should be smiling and not scaring the children.”

Her soft drawl penetrated the angry bubble he had around himself and he pulled it together as the first child walked up with his mother at her side, holding his hand. Mom’s eyes offered something he only wanted from the adorable elf at his side.

Wish she was Mrs. Claus.

There was still time.

Rayla knew the job and was damn good at it. She kept the line moving, took photos, and handed out gifts. If children were scared or crying, she had a knack for getting them out of their head and smiling.

Two hours later, they took a short break and he had her to himself in the breakroom, where they were getting some much needed water.

Ryker uncapped a bottle and handed it over to her, jutting his chin in her direction when she opened her mouth, he knew to refuse.

Lips flattening she took a drink. “Thank you.”

“Wasn’t so hard was it?”

“Guess not.”

Two others pushed in and gave hellos. “What are you two talking about?” Lisa Marie asked as she smiled up at Ryker.

He noticed the dampening of joy in her—incorrectly both brown—eyes. “Nothing,” she replied. “He was simply filling me in on how it wasn’t hard.” A sickly sweet smile and she walked out of the room.

Lisa Marie glanced at him with both blonde eyebrows reaching to her hairline. Pouty lips that before Rayla, he would have been interested in seeing wrapped around his cock, twitched.

“Somehow I doubt that,” she murmured. Tone low and inviting. “Perhaps you simply need something worth getting hard over.”

Biting back his initial response, and instinctive if he cared to think about it, Ryker merely toasted her with his bottle of water and exited out the door. Not entirely sure what to expect, he paused at the edge of chaos to watch Rayla interact with the waiting children.

Her laughter covered him in pleasure. He longed to walk up behind her and press against her, nestle his hard cock between the full globes of her ass. Wrap his arms around her and tug her to rest against his chest while he allowed her natural, and intoxicating, scent to surround him.

Almost like she felt him there, her head pivoted and she ran a cool, yet assessing, look over him before dismissing him and clapping her hands.

“Breaks over,” she announced. “Who’s next to sit on Santa’s lap?”

Ryker walked up close to her and dipped his head enough to whisper in her ear, “I would love for you to sit on Santa’s lap next.”

Instead of ignoring him, which he thought she may do, she turned and held his gaze, her back to the waiting children. He got it, sort of made it appear they were having a last minute discussion.

“I’m sure Lisa Marie or Krissy Mae would be happy to take you up on that.” She plucked his water bottle from his hand. “I’ll set this over there for you.” A slow blink. “Santa.”

Grinning behind the bushy, and hot, beard he wore at the children waiting he nodded. “Sounds great. I can’t wait for you to call me that as I’m fucking you.”

Without waiting for her response, he took his chair and watched as she placed his bottle of water near, but mostly out of the danger zone. Then they got back to work.

Another three hours passed until it went to hell. Nerves already wrecked, Ryker, didn’t like the look of the child who was being dragged up by his mother. Pale face flushed red as he screamed and tugged like he was on his way to his own execution, the child obviously didn’t want anything to do with Santa.

“You will sit on Santa’s lap like a good boy because your useless father wants a fucking photo of you there but can’t be bothered to take his dick out of his secretary long enough to get this done himself.” The blonde tightened her grip on him and gave him a small shake. “Stop this. I’m not your father and I will beat your ass for acting like this.” She practically deadlifted the child and tossed him onto Ryker’s lap.

One flailing foot nailed him directly in the junk. Not even the additional belly padding saved him from that one. He winced and swallowed back his moan of discomfort, even as he cut his gaze over to Rayla.

Her face didn’t show her amusement but he knew, he knew , she had seen what happened. The two seconds he had where the child wasn’t screaming his fool head off or kicking like he was learning to swim, the photo was snapped.

Eyes still watering as the boy launched himself off his lap with another slam into his groin, Ryker shifted on the cushion fighting with everything in him not to cover himself and whimper. A shadow moved in front of him and he opened his eyes to find Rayla there. She’d paused the line again and held out his second bottle of water.

“Thank you,” he muttered.

“Guess it was a good thing it wasn’t hard, huh?”

Bottle to his lips he allowed a small dribble to coat the back of his neck. He wasn’t about to indulge as there was a lot more time to go.

“That what you’ve been doing over there this entire time? Thinking about my cock?”

She took the bottle back from him and capped it. “Trying to be able to make conversation with a guy I work with. Ninety five percent of your time is thinking about your dick, isn’t it?”

“One hundred is about how you’re going to look when I’m fucking you with my extremely hard dick.”

“Unless some child breaks it.” She smiled and stepped back, waving up the next kid.

A redheaded girl came up with her hand securely tucked in what he assumed to be her father’s and looked at him.

“I don’t think you’re the real Santa.” She huffed. “Your eyes don’t sparkle.”

He beckoned her forward. “I am and they do.”

She clamored up on his lap and heaved a sigh. “Want to know what I am wishing for?”

Flicking his glance to Rayla, he made sure she got a photo before shaking his head. “Sweetie, I’m Santa. I don’t need you to tell me what you’re wishing for.”

Her cherubic smile gave him a moments pause of, maybe I do want a child.

“Oh good. I was afraid I was going to have to tell you I needed new pants because I just wet these.” She blinked pale lashes at him. “All over you.”

Yep.

There it was. Seeping through his pant leg. Urine.

Rayla was there with the father who couldn’t seem to apologize fast enough. Waving at another helper, Rayla got them to announce a quick break then tugged on his hand.

Allowing her to pull him along he did his best to hold the wet leg as far off his own as he could. Which wasn’t much. He wanted a shower, but this was the next best thing.

She guided him into a small room and closed the door behind them.

“She fucking pissed on me.”

Whatever noise she made nearly under her breath he assumed was in reprimand of his statement.

“A child. And I’m pretty sure she had an accident.” Brown eyes flickered over him. “Don’t think her goal this morning when she woke up was to piss on Santa’s leg.”

He wasn’t so sure.

“I’m not sitting the rest of the time with urine on my clothing.”

“Of course not. We wouldn’t want the children being uncomfortable. Strip. There’s another set of pants here.” She turned back to him holding up a pair of red pants. Rayla widened then narrowed her eyes.

Boots already off, he grinned at her.

“Baby, no need to have someone do that to me. If you wanted me out of my pants, all you have to do is ask. I’m happy to strip for you.”

And he did just that.

If he could bottle the moan that pushed past full lips he would in a second. Goddamn spank bank worthy. He’d put it on repeat and play it as he pulled out as many as it took to get through not being with her.

Her gaze burned him as she ran it up and down his body, the pants she held wobbling slightly before she caught herself. Ryker couldn’t, and wouldn’t, stop the smirk.

He stopped when the pants smacked him in the face. Not too much later, a package of baby wipes were launched in his direction. She didn’t offer to help wipe him off and he didn’t ask, his control was already questionable being this close to her and his dick already doing it’s damndest to burrow out of his briefs and into her. Didn’t stop him from flexing every chance he could, keeping her hungry gaze on him.