Cate
When I woke up, later than usual, I could feel the smile on my face. Aleksander Dragomirov and I had finally done the deed. I couldn’t remember why we’d held off when we were dating in high school. I’d always wanted him to be my first. But when he’d had his temper tantrum about me going away to college, I put him and my wishes around him aside.
My first had been my next serious boyfriend, and we’d dated for most of my undergrad years. We broke up because I graduated early and went straight into my masters. After that, securing my future was my focus. Lance had been a little distraction earlier this year, but that was all he was.
Now I’d shifted things. I was done with the intensity of school. I could think whatever I wanted about this, but Aleks was not the kind of guy who screwed around. Well, maybe he was. How did I know? I’d been gone for five years. The Aleksandr I remembered was intense and serious. And I was clearly not over him, for all my declarations otherwise. All he had to do was say ‘Please?’ and look at me with those incredible eyes, and I was ready to strip naked and do whatever he wanted.
Boy, did I like the things he wanted. I grinned to myself.
I needed to tell my parents that I might be spending the night out with old friends, I thought as the grin spread across my face.
It was true. He was an old friend. Any more than that? Well, what my parents didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them.
And hopefully, I wasn’t setting us both up for a big disappointment. I couldn’t live here forever, working at Calypso. That was not going to be my future.
But right now, I decided not to think about it. No sense in borrowing trouble.
* * *
“What is up with you?” Beth, one of my coworkers asked during a lull at the registers. “You’re smiling like you won the lottery.”
“Am I?” I asked, the smile spreading wider across my face. “I hadn’t noticed.”
“Yes, you are.” She watched me for a moment, then grinned. “That’s a man smile if I ever saw one.”
I laughed. “Maybe.”
“Maybe my ass. I’ll leave you alone for now. But you will spill, Ms. Cate!”
That made us both laugh, and then customers came up to the registers and it was back to work again. But I kept smiling. I was going to see Aleksandr tonight.
* * *
As I finished closing out the register, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I grabbed it to look. Probably Aleks, or Natalia, who had been noticeably silent today. I had a strong suspicion she’d planned last night, but I was so happy today that I didn’t want to fuss about anything.
It was my email. I read the incoming message, and then read it again.
My job search was over.
I read the email a third time, and then once more to make sure it was real. This was a job I hadn’t expected, but it was a good one, one that would look great on my resume. I’d be a fool not to take it.
I closed my email and finished up with the registers. Then I left, heading off to see Aleks. The Christmas Village was just closing, and I could see a family with three kids heading away, the kids chattering excitedly. I waved at Aleks—or at least, the Santa that I hoped was Aleks. Natalia was there, dressed as an elf. She grinned widely at me.
He saw me and motioned me to come in. I walked up the path and made it to the platform with the Santa chair.
“Hey,” he said.
The warmth and desire in his voice sent a shiver through me. It promised more hard and sweaty sex tonight. It promised it soon, and I felt my insides tighten and wetness between my legs.
“Hey,” I said. My voice came out breathy with all the things I was thinking.
“Hey, lovebirds, it’s good to see you,” Natalia breezed by. “I’m out of here. A, you can close up. Cate, I’ll call you tomorrow!”
As I watched, she headed out, still dressed as an elf.
“What can I help you with?” I asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, since you have to close up, I figure the sooner we get out of here…” I let my voice trail off suggestively.
“Are you using me for my body?” He pulled a shocked face. “I feel so objectified.”
“No, but I certainly like how you use your body.”
Aleksandr laughed. “Come into the Santa shack. I can’t grope you like I want to out here, dressed like this.”
“Best invitation I’ve had all day.”
“Better be the only invitation you have,” he growled as I walked in front of him.
“Well, you can present your offerings,” I teased as we got inside.
Aleksandr slammed the door behind him and locked it. Then he yanked me to him, crushing me with a kiss that took the breath from me and made every nerve in my body scream to be naked with him on top of me.
With an effort, I pushed him away. I wondered where his beard had gotten to.
“What?” He asked, the confusion plain on his face.
I held up a hand. “I’m not a stingy person, and when someone gives to me, I like to give back. So why don’t you,” I looked around, then took his hand and let him to a second Santa throne in the back, “Let me give Santa a Christmas gift?”
His face cleared, and he smiled. “Yeah? What do you have in mind? Care to sit on my lap? Then you can tell me if you’re on the Naughty or Nice list?”
I pushed him back into the chair, and knelt between his legs, placing my hands on his thighs. “Oh, I’m definitely on the Naughty list. You’ll have to give me a bad girl present.”
“I think I can do that,” his voice came out a little breathless as I massaged his cock with one hand and undid the huge buckle of his costume with the other. The thought of having him naked at my mercy was just as exciting as the thought of all that he did last night.
He slid off the pants, and I could see he wore shorts underneath. “Those need to go as well,” I nodded at the shorts.
“As my lady wishes,” Aleks bowed as he stood up and dropped his shorts. He kept eye contact with me and then took off the jacket and pulled the tee shirt he had on underneath over his head.
My breath caught. I’d seen him naked last night, but it had been dark, and now, the light allowed me to see how truly gorgeous he was. His abs could be declared a national treasure, and no one would bat an eye.
“Like what you see?” He asked, his voice a little hoarse.
“Why, yes I do,” I smiled. “Now sit back down.”
“Awfully bossy,” Aleksandr commented.
“I get what I want,” I said, kneeling in front of him.
“I don’t even get a kiss?”
“Of course you do,” I leaned forward and kissed the tip of his cock. He didn’t respond, but I heard his intake of breath. I smiled and licked him up and down. My hands were on his thighs and the tension increased under my hands. I took him in my mouth, and he muttered something I couldn’t understand.
I glanced up and his eyes were closed. As if he knew I was watching, his eyes flew open, and he met mine. The heat in his gaze made my panties wet. He didn’t look away or close his eyes again, and I could not look away either.
I moved up and down, taking my time to suck harder at the tip. Aleks didn’t move, but his thighs were hard as rocks. They weren’t the only thing, I thought, holding back a laugh.
With his hands on the arm of the big chair, he looked like some emperor of old. And he was mine, and at my mercy. The thought made me even wetter. I moved faster, causing him to hiss softly.
“Cate,” he said.
I increased my speed, not giving him any chance to stop me, or make any decisions.
“Oh, God, Cate…” he said.
All while never looking away from me. That was probably the sexiest thing I’d ever seen a man do. I was doing something for him, and he gave me his full attention. He didn’t close his eyes, or look away, or make this just about him. We were here together, and he wouldn’t let me forget that.
His legs tensed, and I felt a wetness in my mouth as he came. Our eyes were still locked as I stilled, and after a moment, he pulled me up and onto his lap. He brushed his hand against my face and kissed me.
“You definitely get a really big gift off the Naughty list,” he said.
“I’m counting on it,” I said.
“Come home with me,” Aleks whispered against my lips as he kissed me.
I laughed, feeling so happy. “As if you’re getting away without me! But you might want to put your pants back on.”
He stood, holding me close and kissing me again. Then he kissed my forehead and got dressed. I thought he’d gotten undressed fast, but he was equally fast on the other side. Motivation was a powerful thing.
And I was glad. My panties were soaked, and I couldn’t wait to get naked with him again.
My phone buzzed, reminding me of my good news. “Hey, I heard something great today.”
He looked over his shoulder, giving me a warm smile. “Yeah?”
I nodded. “I heard back on one of my jobs. One that I honestly didn’t think I had much of a chance with.”
* * *
Aleksandr
I stopped at her words and took a deep breath. Then I looked over my shoulder at her again. She was flushed, and her breath was still heavy. I knew she wanted me as much as I wanted her. Her eyes were glowing, and she had a smile on her face.
Because she was leaving again. And she was happy about it! After sleeping with me, coming in here and doing what she did… she was leaving again.
What in the actual hell was going on here? Why was she so happy?
“Really?” I got out.
She nodded, and said, “Yes! I think I told you that I was sending out applications to every job that I thought I had a shot with, and this was one of the long shots. It’s one that I was hoping to get, honestly, but it was like a dream list. I did an interview with them, and then I didn’t hear anything until today.” She hugged herself. “I just got the email at the end of my shift, and I can go in for the new hire stuff next week. Finally! I am out of the mall!” She walked over and hugged me.
I didn’t hug her back.
She pulled away, her smile gone. “Aleks, what’s wrong?”
I remembered the last time we’d had this conversation, where she’d gotten into school and was so happy to tell me she was leaving me, leaving us. Now I knew that she’d had to leave, but that didn’t make the hurt any less. Hurt I’d thought I was past, that I’d gotten over.
“I—we can’t hang out tonight, Cate. I’m sorry. I forgot that I needed to do something for my mom.”
“What?”
I shoved a couple of things into my bag. “I’m sorry. I need to go. Come on, I’ll walk you out.”
“Aleks, wait—”
I grabbed her coat where she’d let it fall and handed it to her as I walked to the door of the Santa shack. I unlocked it, feeling like shit as I considered how excited I’d been when I’d locked it just a little while ago.
“But—” she said.
“I’m sorry. I have to go.”
She took her coat and put it on as she walked out the door, the confusion written all over her.
I wanted to tell her it was all right, and take that look off her face, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t get hurt like this again. Not by this girl—woman. I just couldn’t.
Silently, we walked out to the doors of the mall. “Where are you parked?” I asked.
She was parked close to me, and I wondered if she’d done that on purpose. If so, it made this all even worse.
“Aleks, is everything OK?”
I shook my head. “I just have to help my mom. I’ll… I’ll call you later. Tomorrow.”
She got in her car and I walked to my car, not giving her a chance to say anything, and sure as hell not touching her. I couldn’t stand it. Not right now. I knew she was watching me, I could feel her hurt.
Then she started her car and drove away slowly. I leaned forward, letting out the breath I’d been holding.
How in the fuck was I going to deal with her leaving again?
Ten minutes later, the cold seeped into my car to the point that I couldn’t sit here any longer. I drove home, her happy face in my head, the words playing over and over. A job she really wanted, one that she was really excited for.
She was leaving again, and there was nothing I could do.
When I got home, I threw my bag onto my bed and got into the shower. I’d planned on showering with her tonight, and here I was, alone.
I stepped out, toweling off, when my phone rang. It was Nat’s ring, and I hurried to answer before she hung up.
“Hello?”
“You unimaginable asshole,” my sister said. The anger sizzled through the phone. “I cannot even believe you.”
“What have I done this time?”
“What did you do to Cate?”
“What did I do to Cate? Are you kidding me?” The anger I’d been holding in burst out. “She’s leaving again! Did she tell you that? So she comes back here, has her fling, and then leaves again like it’s nothing! I’m not a fucking toy! I deserve better than this!”
Nat was silent, and then she said, “Did you tell Cate any of this?”
“No. I didn’t want to fight.”
“Don’t you think she has a right to know how you feel?”
“It’s not going to change her decision. Why bother?”
Nat sighed. “I think you should talk with her, Aleksandr.”
“Well thank you for your opinion, but I didn’t ask for it.” I was pissed. This meant that Cate and Nat had already talked, in the brief time since we’d left the mall. My own sister, taking sides.
“You’re a stubborn dumb ass, and you always have been. Have it your own way.” Nat hung up.
I threw the phone onto the bed. Great. Just great.
* * *
Two days later, I hadn’t spoken to Cate. Or Natalia. Or anyone. The morning after Cate dropped her news, I called my mom and told her I couldn’t work that day. Or the next. I needed a couple of days off.
Nat had sent me a text that said only, ‘Coward’.
I’d ignored her, and spent the two days in the shop, catching up on work I’d missed, and making sure that everything was running well. It was, because I had a great crew, but I needed something to do.
And I couldn’t be anywhere near the mall. I spent the entire two days making myself not think about Cate.
During lunch on my second day of avoiding all the women I knew, my mom called. “Aleksandr, I was able to cover yesterday but I need you in for your shift tonight. It’s Christmas Eve, and we are packed.”
I sighed.
“You made this commitment, and we need you to honor it,” Mom said.
“All right, I’ll be in as soon as I shower and clean up. Thanks for getting someone to cover.”
Her voice softened. “Of course, dear. You know I do what I can to help. But I can’t find anyone.”
I felt guilty for adding this onto Mom during the season. “I’m sorry, Mom. I’m an asshole.”
“No, sweetie, you’re not. We all have days where we just need time off. I gave it to you. But now I need you in. See you soon. I love you.”
“Love you, too, Mom.”
She hung up, and I finished up the car I’d been working on, and called in my crew to let them know what was going on. I’d been hiding out for nearly two days. It was time to man up and face whatever was coming.
And that meant facing Cate Morgan once and for all.
When I headed into the mall later that day, my heart was pounding. I deliberately parked so I would come into the mall right near the Christmas Village and went straight to work. I changed and got out to replace Josh, the Santa who had been on the morning shift before either my mom or Nat could try to corner me. It was coming, but not now.
Mom was right—it was busy. Surprisingly, given her recent communication with me, Nat was pleasant and civil, with not even one smart-assed remark.
That wasn’t good. She was just waiting for the right time to pounce. I ignored the feeling of impending doom and focused on making the kids who were here happy. Finally, finally, the last of the kids left, and I leaned back on the Santa throne, sighing.
“This is always the hardest day,” I said to no one in particular.
“Well, you’re not quite done,” Mom said, fiddling with the camera.
“What? The mall is closing,” I said, sitting up and looking around.
“Yes, but we took a special request. Keep your beard on, please, and be professional.” Mom’s tone brooked no discussion.
Walking up the path into the Village was Cate Morgan.