4. Jasper

Chapter four

Jasper

Once everyone is done negotiating where they’ll spend the coming days as we await the bond’s dissolution, we head back to our rooms to gather our belongings. I find Jamie already in the room we shared last night.

Looking up from where he’s folding a T-shirt into his bag, my leprechaun friend says, “Wow, lad, you and that Natalie girl sure seemed to hit it off.”

I puff up my cheeks and blow out the air as I shake my head. “She’s something else. Kind of looking forward to being stuck together.”

Grabbing my toothbrush and electric shaver from the en suite bathroom, I can’t help but wonder what Cole will say when I show up at his house with Natalie. I know they’ll easily hit it off with their dry humor, so I’m sure he won’t mind.

I called him earlier to say I’m bringing a woman with me, so he can prepare himself and a spare bedroom for Natalie. He’ll also need to request access for her so she can cross the wards into the magical side of the North Pole. He sounded skeptical at first, but I promised him that I’d explain once we get there.

Cole and I have had an interesting relationship over the years. We’ve never talked about the possibility of things developing into anything serious or permanent between us, especially with him being bound to the Arctic Circle, but the thought has crossed my mind more than once. I’ve never had the guts to tell him, though. I wouldn’t want to burden him with my feelings if he doesn’t reciprocate them. It will make working together extremely awkward afterward.

Jamie zips up his bag. His bright green eyes twinkle as he says, “Natalie looks like she’s keen on you, too. Unlike my situation with Iris. That woman looks like she’s about ready to eat my balls for breakfast.” He instinctively cups his balls in a protective motion.

I laugh. “Now that sounds like a great start to the day.”

Jamie shakes his head furiously. “Not the way I want it, though. I prefer my balls firmly attached to my body while they’re being eaten.”

“Fair enough.” I clap a hand on his shoulder and ask more seriously, “You going to be okay?”

Jamie presses his lips together and inhales deeply. “Yep. I’ll just have to charm her until she can’t help but love my sparkling personality.”

“Or you could just use all your magic and tricks. That might convince her,” I suggest.

Jamie’s shoulders deflate and the brightness in his eyes dims a little. “A woman like Iris needs more than fancy tricks to like me.”

Grabbing both shoulders, I shake him a little. “You’ve got lots going for you. Plus, you can fucking teleport.”

“Yeah, but no knot. You’ve got the advantage on me there.” Jamie points at my crotch like teleporting isn’t cooler than an inflated cock.

I cringe internally and turn back to my bag, adding the last items in. “It’s not always the blessing you’d think it would be. Most partners don’t quite feel up to taking something like a knot.”

Jamie and I are the jokesters of the group. We like to stir the pot and tease and play, but the two of us know what it’s like for people to not see beyond that cheerful exterior. After eighteen years of being friends, it’s easy to let our guard down around each other and read between the lines.

This time it’s Jamie placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Ah, lad. Sorry about that. Think Natalie might be up to it?”

“Guess time will tell. But I won’t be showing her what I’m packing anytime soon. If she wants to run, it might make things awkward with the distance bond and all.”

We grab our bags and head back to the living room to say our goodbyes to everyone leaving for different parts of the world.

Placing my bag at my feet, I lean against the mantle and survey the room. My gaze settles on Natalie where she stands with Diana, Sadie, and Florence—Rollo, Everett, and Bertie’s bonded respectively.

An air of excitement has replaced the women’s nerves from this morning as more groups huddle around the room, exchanging numbers and hugging each other like they’re old friends.

I twist my glamour ring around my finger, and angle my head, feeling the empty air above my head where my horns usually are. It’s like a missing limb when I have to hide them, but going out into society with large horns on an otherwise human-looking head is bound to scare people. I love my horns but I hate that aspect about them.

I never take on my full monstrous form, except for when I can’t avoid it. But I don’t have to worry about Natalie seeing me like that. It’s still a long time before the full Krampus Day curse sets in.

Until then, I enjoy my monstrous features only—my horns, knot, and tongue.

Natalie saunters over to me as the couples pair up, readying to leave the island. Being six foot three without my horns, the top of Natalie’s head reaches well below my chin. I have to resist the urge to place an arm around her shoulders and drag her against my front. Instead, I keep my hands clasped in front of my body and my focus on Bertie as he tells us about his plans to fix the bonds.

Next to me, Natalie bounces on the balls of her feet and my own excitement has my toes curling in my shoes. I can’t wait for her to meet Cole and to see the magic of Joulu.

“Thank you all for your patience and cooperation. Until we meet again,” Bertie finishes and gives us all a solemn nod in goodbye. He turns to leave and Florence, taking the no-touch rule very seriously, follows a step or two behind him. The other couples soon head off in their own directions and then Natalie and I are the only two left in the room.

“You ready?” I ask.

“Always,” Natalie replies with a wink.

I close my eyes for a second and tell my dick to chill the fuck out. Maybe her answer wasn’t meant in a sexual way.

“Back to your hotel to get your stuff?”

Natalie arches a single brow. “Are you asking me or telling me?”

I step in front of Natalie. “Do you like to be told what to do?”

Natalie purses her lips but there’s a smile playing around the corners.

“Sometimes,” she answers with a challenge in her eyes.

“Oh, Cole is going to love you. He’s very bossy. He could tame that brattiness right out of you.”

Natalie’s expression shifts and her brow furrows. “Oh. You and him?”

“Yeah. But we’re not exclusive, it’s somewhat undefined. I mean, we’re together whenever I’m visiting, but there’s no label to our relationship. I don’t want to speak on his behalf, but I know him well enough to say that if all three of us are interested, that our time together doesn’t have to be boring.”

Natalie’s eyes burn with a new curiosity and she quirks her head to the side. “I haven’t had a multiple-partner situation before, but that might be fun. Depending on if there’s any chemistry when we meet. He knows I’m coming, right?”

“Oh, he knows alright. I can promise you there will be chemistry. I won’t be surprised if you two tear each other’s clothes off within hours of meeting.”

“Hours, you say? What if I told you I’ve wanted to tear yours off from pretty much the moment I saw you in that clearing in the jungle?”

“Feeling’s mutual, gorgeous. Do you feel like that right now?”

“Yes.” Natalie holds my gaze unflinchingly. There’s a hunger there that I know is reflecting in my own eyes.

Just as quickly, her brows draw together. “Is this us, or is the magic making us feel like this?”

I tilt my head and draw my lip into my mouth as I ponder that. “I’m not sure. Would it bother you if this was magic?”

After a moment of consideration, the corners of Natalie’s lips lift in a smile and she shakes her head. “Honestly, I don’t think so. I’m attracted to you regardless.”

I study her face, letting my gaze track slowly down to her toes before going back up again, taking in every detail. The way her shirt clings to her tits and the hardened nubs straining for my touch confirm that her body agrees with her mind.

I rub a hand along my stubble and my voice drops into a rumbling purr. “Are you wet for me, gorgeous?”

Natalie squares her shoulders. “Yes.”

I take a step closer until she has to tilt her head back to look up at me. “Is your tight little pussy feeling needy?”

“Yes.” Her chest heaves up and down with every breath and I can picture how soaked her panties must be.

I shove my hands in my pockets before I can weave my fingers into her hair and slam my mouth against hers. “Do you want to wait until Cole can join us or do you want me to do something about it right now?”

Natalie licks her lips. “I was edging myself all night. I’m so close to coming right now, I think your words might just set me off.”

I groan at how sexy Natalie is. The fates might be onto something by letting us cross paths.

Last night, when I burst into the clearing to find the human women standing there, looking nervous and lost, my attention instantly snapped to Natalie and the way I couldn’t sense any trepidation from her. Instead, her face filled with curiosity as she surveyed my horns. Since that moment, I’ve only gotten more intrigued by this beautiful enigma.

“Tell me, darling. How were you edging yourself?” I ask.

A swallow works its way down Natalie’s throat, but her gaze never strays from mine. “Anal beads. I wore my string all night.” She presses her thighs together as if there’s an ache she’s dying to sate.

My grin grows and a plan forms in my mind. “And you haven’t come since? Do you have them in now?”

“No and no.”

“How close are you to your limit? Think you can handle being edged a little longer?”

I appreciate that Natalie takes her time to think about it before answering. “Going by the traffic light system, I’m not quite at an orange yet, but I’m heading there.”

“Do you want to put your beads in again while we travel? I promise I’ll take such good care of you when we reach the North Pole.”

Natalie’s eyes narrow as they flit across my face. Her nose scrunches up as she considers my request. “I’m going to say no on the beads right now. But I’ll take you up on the offer to make it good for me once we’re there.”

Something significant shifts between us and an unidentified emotion settles deep in my gut. “I appreciate your honesty and communicating with me so clearly. I do not take that for granted.”

Eyes softening, I get my first glimpse of Natalie’s vulnerability beneath all her bravado. I hold out my hand for her, palm up in an open invitation.

“Why delay the inevitable?” I ask, ready to feel her skin against mine.

Natalie sticks out her hand but doesn’t quite touch me. “You sure?”

“Very.”

“Just don’t go catching any feelings, okay?” Natalie says dryly.

I know she’s most likely joking, but for me , it sure as shit is too late.