Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
“Santa wasn’t in a good mood today.”
Running over the schedule she frowned. “I thought Janson was a laidback guy.”
“He is but we had your Santa I Need to Fuck there and he wasn’t happy with anyone. Surprised he didn’t get all the kids scared away.”
“I thought he was Santa I’d Love to Fuck? Now you need to?”
She paused beside her, her skin with a healthy, gorgeous glow to it.
Bitch.
“I’d love to, you need to.” Krissy Mae adjusted the tie on her cutoff shirt, exposing more of her toned stomach. “I came up to invite you to dinner. You know, you did breakfast the other morning.”
“That was this morning.”
“Seriously? Shit. I thought I had done more days of work than only one. You need to take one for the team and get his jollies off for him or he’s going to singlehandedly ruin Christmas.”
“No pressure or anything.”
Krissy Mae dropped an arm over her shoulders. “You’ll see, listen to me, I know what you need. Now come on, I have to walk my ass back down this damn mountain.”
“So do I, you know.”
“But you didn’t just run your ass off.”
Rayla rolled her eyes as she slipped an arm around her friend’s tiny waist. “Come on you old, decrepit woman. Let’s get you to your padded automated chair.”
Krissy Mae’s laugh made her smile. Together, they traversed the mountain trail back down to the village. Conversation between them was easy and light. A heavy dose of teasing but all in all fun. When they reached the streets of the village, Krissy Mae stopped.
“I have to get some things from the store for dinner. One hour should be good and it will be ready.”
“Fine, I have to head to the warehouse and get my outfit so I can wash it. I’ll see you soon.”
Krissy Mae walked off with a wave and a bounce in her step.
“Hey grandma!” she hollered after her.
Krissy Mae walked backwards with a very un-family friendly hand gesture. “What?”
“Grocery store is the other way. You’re heading where we both know twins are staying.”
“Didn’t say what I was shopping for!” An eyebrow waggle and she whipped back around.
Rayla chuckled all the way to the large warehouse and slipped in the employee side door.
Even back here, she could hear the loud raucous sounds from the overexcited children who wanted to see Santa. Wrap presents. Take photos and more.
Glad it’s my day off.
Her phone buzzed and she dug it from her back pocket of her shorts as she pushed into the back room, shutting the door and muting some of the noise. Nose scrunching when she didn’t recognize the number, she hesitated on the chance it was one of her family.
Then again, it may be Grant.
“Hello?” Phone to her ear, she made her way over to where her cubby was along the far wall.
Nothing. She pulled it away and glanced at the screen, needing to ensure the call was still connected. It was.
“Hello?” Repeating her question, she touched the outfit she was going to wear and pulled it from the cubby. A piece of paper fluttered to the ground.
“Is anyone there?”
“Rayla?”
“Grant?” She crouched to pick up the sheet and stood, crumpling it in her hand. “Oh my god! I’ve been so worried about you. Where are you? How are you? Why the fuck haven’t you shown up yet?”
“I’m coming, Rayla. I’m sorry I’m so late in getting there.” His words were rough and broken.
“You asked me to meet you here, Grant, not the other way around.”
Sounds she couldn’t decipher were in the background.
“I’ll be there before you leave. I ran into a bit of trouble heading back.”
“Trouble? What kind of trouble? Do you need me to come to you?”
“No, stay there. You’re safer in Hallelujah Crossing.”
From what? “Where are you?”
“Have to go. I’ll see you soon, promise. And Rayla?”
Her heart flopped. “Yeah Grant?”
“Thanks for always being there for me.”
Tears burned her eyes as the call faded into obscurity. She licked her lips as she slipped the phone back into her pocket, no need to see if he was still there. She knew he wasn’t.
“Be safe, Grant. Wherever you are. I need you safe so when I see you next, I can kick your ass for making so worried.”
“What does one have to do in order to get you to be so worried about them?”
Dark decadence flowed over her at the low, husky voice who owned her nights. And any spare time she had to think, really.
Turning to look at him over her shoulder, she shifted slightly to tighten her thighs.
“Not be a stalker is a good start.”
His grin had to be under panty-melting in the dictionary because he just did, and hers had.
“Looks like I’m ahead of the game.”
Safer ground. Find safer ground. Problem was, with this man, nothing was safe. And she honestly didn’t want to be.