that?”
“You said he wouldn’t be interested in…what I want.”
“A relationship? No. Not initially. You’ll have to work on him. But first you’ll
need to get close to him.”
“Why do you want to help me?”
“I said I would.”
Lon stuck the bite of roll into his mouth and chewed, considering his next
words carefully. “I thought you wanted me.”
“I do.” Again, it was said in a very frank, straightforward manner. A little
disconcerting. “But you’ve made it obvious that you don’t want me, so I might as
well help you.”
44
Jet Mykles
Lon flinched, fingers sinking into warm bread as he tore off another piece of
roll. “It’s not that I don’t… I mean, you’re… You’re beautiful, and you’ve been really
nice to me, but… Oh, I don’t know.” He reached for his mug, then stopped when he
saw the mess on his fingers. Without thought, he put his fingers to his mouth to lick
them clean.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Wod watching with casual interest.
When he faced the other man fully, he saw the drop of heavy eyelids and the quirk
to one corner of Wod’s mouth. “My offer still stands.”
Beneath the table, Lon’s cock perked. His fingers stalled on his tongue when
he froze, mesmerized by the heat Wod caused in his blood. But that was wrong. He
was in love with Rom. Sure, Wod was beautiful, but Lon felt absurdly guilty for
being turned on. Lowering his head, Lon pulled his fingers from his mouth and
grabbed his mug, taking refuge by sipping the chocolatey coffee. By the time he had
savored his sip and set the mug back down, the awkward moment had passed, and
he felt prepared to speak again. Except he didn’t know what to say.
Wod didn’t have the same problem. Having bolted down his first roll, he
reached for another. “Tomorrow’s Sixth Day. That means Rom’s probably going to
the Mistletoe tonight.”
The Mistletoe was what passed for a bar and dance club in Santa’s Village. In
recent years, as less and less long-term storage space was needed for toys, a
warehouse at the end of the row closest to the hill had become a common meeting
place. The bar and dance floor had evolved as elves learned more of human
pastimes. It even had a few pool tables and dartboards. The Mistletoe was
especially popular on the night of the fifth day of the elves’ six-day week because
tradition held that the sixth day was a day of rest.
“You should go.”
Lon allowed himself a laugh as he tore off another piece of roll. “I’ve been to
the Mistletoe. I’ve seen him there.” He’d seen Wod there too, but he left that aside.
“I’m not going to have a chance to get close to him there.”
Reindeer Games
45
“Ah.” Wod raised one finger, sticky with icing, in the air. “But I can help you
there.”
Lon swallowed, barely tasting his favorite of breakfast treats. “I don’t dance
very well.”
Wod laughed. “It’s barely dancing. More like sex with clothes on, if you do it
right.” He laughed again as Lon blushed. “All you have to do is move to the music.”
Lon took another sip of his coffee to give himself to a chance to remember
seeing Rom and Wod gyrating to the music within the flashing red, green, and blue
lights that strobed the dance floor. They were as beautiful there as they were just
after a shift. Wod was right about the style of dance too. Not only was it like sex—it
often led to sex. The lofts of the warehouse had been sectioned off into small, cozy
rooms for quick trysts for those who couldn’t wait to get home. Lon had never been
in one, but he’d heard of them.
He shook his head as he put the mug down. “I don’t know.”
“It’s perfect. Once I get you close, all you have to do is let him know you want
him, and he’ll do the rest.”
Lon bit his lip.
“Of course, we could always go the more direct route.”
“Direct route?”
Wod licked his fingers, then reached for a third roll. “I
“You said he wouldn’t be interested in…what I want.”
“A relationship? No. Not initially. You’ll have to work on him. But first you’ll
need to get close to him.”
“Why do you want to help me?”
“I said I would.”
Lon stuck the bite of roll into his mouth and chewed, considering his next
words carefully. “I thought you wanted me.”
“I do.” Again, it was said in a very frank, straightforward manner. A little
disconcerting. “But you’ve made it obvious that you don’t want me, so I might as
well help you.”
44
Jet Mykles
Lon flinched, fingers sinking into warm bread as he tore off another piece of
roll. “It’s not that I don’t… I mean, you’re… You’re beautiful, and you’ve been really
nice to me, but… Oh, I don’t know.” He reached for his mug, then stopped when he
saw the mess on his fingers. Without thought, he put his fingers to his mouth to lick
them clean.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Wod watching with casual interest.
When he faced the other man fully, he saw the drop of heavy eyelids and the quirk
to one corner of Wod’s mouth. “My offer still stands.”
Beneath the table, Lon’s cock perked. His fingers stalled on his tongue when
he froze, mesmerized by the heat Wod caused in his blood. But that was wrong. He
was in love with Rom. Sure, Wod was beautiful, but Lon felt absurdly guilty for
being turned on. Lowering his head, Lon pulled his fingers from his mouth and
grabbed his mug, taking refuge by sipping the chocolatey coffee. By the time he had
savored his sip and set the mug back down, the awkward moment had passed, and
he felt prepared to speak again. Except he didn’t know what to say.
Wod didn’t have the same problem. Having bolted down his first roll, he
reached for another. “Tomorrow’s Sixth Day. That means Rom’s probably going to
the Mistletoe tonight.”
The Mistletoe was what passed for a bar and dance club in Santa’s Village. In
recent years, as less and less long-term storage space was needed for toys, a
warehouse at the end of the row closest to the hill had become a common meeting
place. The bar and dance floor had evolved as elves learned more of human
pastimes. It even had a few pool tables and dartboards. The Mistletoe was
especially popular on the night of the fifth day of the elves’ six-day week because
tradition held that the sixth day was a day of rest.
“You should go.”
Lon allowed himself a laugh as he tore off another piece of roll. “I’ve been to
the Mistletoe. I’ve seen him there.” He’d seen Wod there too, but he left that aside.
“I’m not going to have a chance to get close to him there.”
Reindeer Games
45
“Ah.” Wod raised one finger, sticky with icing, in the air. “But I can help you
there.”
Lon swallowed, barely tasting his favorite of breakfast treats. “I don’t dance
very well.”
Wod laughed. “It’s barely dancing. More like sex with clothes on, if you do it
right.” He laughed again as Lon blushed. “All you have to do is move to the music.”
Lon took another sip of his coffee to give himself to a chance to remember
seeing Rom and Wod gyrating to the music within the flashing red, green, and blue
lights that strobed the dance floor. They were as beautiful there as they were just
after a shift. Wod was right about the style of dance too. Not only was it like sex—it
often led to sex. The lofts of the warehouse had been sectioned off into small, cozy
rooms for quick trysts for those who couldn’t wait to get home. Lon had never been
in one, but he’d heard of them.
He shook his head as he put the mug down. “I don’t know.”
“It’s perfect. Once I get you close, all you have to do is let him know you want
him, and he’ll do the rest.”
Lon bit his lip.
“Of course, we could always go the more direct route.”
“Direct route?”
Wod licked his fingers, then reached for a third roll. “I
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