Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 86597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Nico turns off the lights on the table, which also stops the train from moving, but he doesn’t seem angry with me for speaking my mind, so that has to count for something.
“It can get tough, but the town is known for impressive Christmas displays, so we get a lot of tourists in the winter, which helps get us through the summer. The shop’s been in my family for almost a century. It started out as a toy shop, and I don’t want to let the tradition die. I used to help out here when I was just a kid. We would lock the shop on Christmas day, pull the curtains shut, and have our dinner right there,” he points to a table set with festive plates and napkins.
When I imagine two serial killers, a master and his apprentice, carving the turkey here, among all this gaudily cozy finery, I get a sense of almost overwhelming distaste. God, how I hate Christmas. “I’m already tired of the festive season. Are you really trying to tell me you just eat Christmas ham and gravy all year and pretend it’s snowing outside in the summer?”
Nico wags his finger at me with a smile. “I’ll make a believer out of you yet. I’m all about the Christmas magic.”
And murder.
I won’t lie, I do have a morbid curiosity about what makes him tick, what made him this way. He is the Christmas Killer after all, and this is his origin story. Is he a born psychopath, or did he see his grandfather do some messed up shit, and that scarred him for life?
He leads me up wooden stairs decorated with garlands and baubles, and when he leans past me to dim the lights downstairs, I take a discreet sniff of his cologne. It’s spicy, deep, with a hint of something fruity. I wonder if I’m too horny for my own good, or just touch-starved, because deep down I toy with scenarios of what I’d do if he tried to kiss me under the mistletoe we pass beneath.
As we reach the upper level of the store, I’m confronted with a large assortment of clothing and accessories, as well as some less orthodox items, like pet toys or perfume. I’m somewhat overwhelmed by the selection as my host leads me to a table with men’s underwear, where every single item is Christmas-themed too.
What is this madhouse?
“Go on, pick up a few things,” Nico offers with a wide smile as I stare at a legless mannequin presenting a pair of tight red boxer briefs made of velveteen and featuring a fur trim.
“Is this your idea of sexy underwear for our date? Do you want me to dress up as an elf again?”
Nico smirks and though he avoids my eyes. “You did make a pretty picture as an elf, but I want you to feel comfortable. I know it was a costume, I’m not unreasonable. Maybe this?”
He shows me a green velvet jock strap with Ho Ho Ho on the waist band. He’s ridiculous, but the idea of wearing something that leaves my whole ass on show still makes me blush.
“You just want easy access,” I say, chuckling, because if I don’t laugh, I might just go mad. “There’s a reason why we wrap gifts, you know.”
“I like a bit of mystery…” Nico steps much closer and alarm bells ring in my head. I need to put a lid on this.
“But, as I said, I don’t like garish colors,” I say, moving away from the themed underwear with two pairs of the simplest red and green briefs. “And my skin is very sensitive, so I only really wear natural fabrics. Do you have any?”
“Yes, over here. What made you dress up as an elf then if you’re not a fan of Christmas? Or artificial fabrics,” he asks, leading me away from the briefs, to a long rack of ugly sweaters, which surely are all made of polyester rather than wool.
I clear my throat, ignoring the garment featuring a tyrannosaurus dressed as Santa and handing out gifts to other dinos. I’ve already told him what happened, but he clearly wants to build some kind of connection, so I shrug and give him what he wants.
“It was a themed party. Everyone’s all crazy for Christmas, and I wanted to be noticed. It got me what I wanted, but instead of a kiss, I got abducted by a psycho. I thought you have to go to a club at least a few times before you get targeted by some maniac,” I mumble unhappily.
“Did you underestimate what your face and body can do to people?” He turns to a corner filled with much darker colors and I spot the Christmas Killer merch right next to a whole array of Grinch-themed products.
My mouth dries as I follow the harmonious lines of Nico’s back, identifiable even under the shirt. He has a beautiful shoulder-to-hip ratio, and for a moment I’m almost tempted to step closer and smell his top where the fabric dips between the shoulder blades. If I’d met him anywhere else, I could have been persuaded to give him my first-ever blowjob. Hell, I might have been the one doing the persuading.