19. Merry

Chapter 19

Merry

Hernan said he was late to decorate his tree this year.

I was helping him, but my heart wasn’t in it. Standing beside his huge box of Christmas decorations, I handed him whatever was on top. I oohed and ahhed when he wanted my opinion, and I flung tinsel at the tree at intervals. Instead of decorating, I made hot chocolate and used a mix to make a batch of cookies. Hernan didn’t pick up on my lack of enthusiasm.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to be here, but we’d been together a while and I didn’t bear the shifter’s mark, signifying we were mated.

Stupidly, I’d assumed us declaring we were mates and having sex sealed the deal. I was wrong.

“Yum, marshmallows in the hot chocolate.” Hernan took a sip and gave himself a chocolatey mustache.

He looked so cute. I licked it before sticking my tongue in his mouth.

“Is that a Christmas tradition at the North Pole?”

Ewww! I couldn’t imagine Santa #1’s reaction if I licked the remains of hot chocolate from his beard. That would have gotten me fired.

“Nope. We elves are more restrained with our friends.” I hoped they were all doing okay in the lead-up to Christmas and not missing me too much.

“What about the Santas? Care to share any naughty Santa antics?”

I drew in a sharp breath and almost spilled my drink. “No.”

My mind zipped to Santa #1’s afternoon delight, but that was something he ate, like a candy, though it did have naughty undertones. Damn, maybe he’d been getting up to something and I didn’t know it.

I blocked an image from my mind of Santa romping in his bed.

“No. Gods, why did you say that?” I covered my eyes.

“All the Santas deserve a little fun after a busy year.” Hernan kissed my brow before grabbing the star and putting it at the top of the tree.

“I guess.” My mind boggled at Santa doing what Hernan and I did every night.

“Shall we order in for dinner?” Hernan stared into the fridge, and I admired his cute butt.

“Okay.” I tried to muster enthusiasm when he scrolled through the food options on his phone. It was so different to Christmas Village and the nearby town where our options were more limited. Unless you possessed the ability to do magic and you could conjure up a treat or a meal.

“What do you want to do on Christmas Day?” he asked as I got the plates and cutlery out.

I shrugged. The big day as humans and shifters called it was for resting in Christmas Village. Many of the staff took a vacation, but I stayed in my quarters, not having anywhere to go.

“What do you normally do?”

“I get invited to dinner on the 24th and lunch the next day. But I usually treat my dragon to a flight in the evening.”

Maybe we could make a meal here. I longed to know what was happening at the North Pole, but was I banned from returning? I hadn’t done anything bad, but how would I know? All communication had ended and my phone no longer worked.

“As long as we’re together, I don’t care.”

Hernan glanced up. He might have picked up on my monotone voice. My belly was churning with uncertainty and I almost wished I was back in Christmas Village, working through the night. I’d be surrounded by friends and not wondering if I made the wrong decision sending that Dear Santa letter.

“Oh, I almost forgot.” Hernan rummaged in his messenger bag and pulled a sprig of leaves and berries and held it above his head. This must’ve been a shifter tradition I wasn’t aware of.

“Am I supposed to do something or does that go on the tree?” He looked silly but adorable with the berries and leaves dangling above him.

“It’s mistletoe.”

“Yeah, and it’s a parasite,” I added.

“True, but studies have shown forests are more healthy when mistletoe is present.”

“And?” We were getting nowhere, and I was hungry and grumpy and questioning my life decisions.

“We’re supposed to kiss.”

Huh? We had never done this at the North Pole. Maybe because mistletoe didn’t grow in or around Christmas Village.

“Humans and shifters alike celebrate romance by kissing under it.” He grinned, and I was tempted to fling myself into his arms, but I was close to throwing a tantrum and stayed where I was.

“Oh, so if you were strolling along the street and stood under mistletoe, would any passerby kiss you?” I tapped my foot on the floor, aware I was acting like a toddler, but I wanted to grab the mistletoe, jump on it, and rip it to shreds.

“Of course not. Only someone you’re in love with.”

The L word. He said it when I least expected it.

“You love me?”

He laughed, but on seeing my expression, he snapped his mouth closed. “No. I adore you. You’re my one and only, who was sent to me by Santa, so Christmas is extra special.”

Awww, he loved me, but I was hanging on to my bad temper by my fingertips. “One of.”

“My only mate.” His strident tone sent shivers up my spine and blood into my cock.

I needed a recording of that so I could replay it in my head. “One of the Santas sent me to you.”

He crooked his finger. “Come here.”

I didn’t run but swaggered toward him. As an elf, I wasn’t much good at the swaggering part, but I fell against his chest.

“Your turn,” he said.

“To do what?” Not hold that parasitic plant. It might signify romance, but I didn’t want to touch it.

He tapped his lips. “Something to do with love, perhaps?’

“Oh, that?” I slapped his chest. “Silly me. I forgot.” I kissed him. “I love you too, always and forever, even when we are both sitting beside the goddess.”

“That’s good enough for me.”

I sneezed. “I think I’m allergic to mistletoe.”