9. Merry

Chapter 9

Merry

This was my first experience of the human world, and I stayed close to Hernan, even clutching his arm when a group of teens raced past us, laughing and giggling and taking pics of one another.

“Do you have a problem with crowds or loud noises?” Hernan asked.

“No.” Did I? Christmas Village was filled with people, but it was rare that we were gathered in one group? “This is my first time.”

Hernan paused and stood in front of me. His reflexes were speedy, but the reindeer shifters I’d worked with possessed the same ability.

“First time for what?”

I couldn’t admit to the existence of the village and everyone in it. We were sworn to secrecy. If any of the Santas discovered I’d blabbed, I might lose my mate and go back to that earthy, muddy prison I was in, never to leave.

“Oh, you lived in an elf pack?” He nodded. “Cool. I didn’t know that about elves.”

I didn’t correct him.

“Maybe I could visit some day.”

That wasn’t happening. Ever.

“About those clothes.” I was all about changing the subject.

Hernan grinned. “Sure.” He rolled up a sleeve that was dangling so low, it had swallowed my arm. “You do look cute…” He coughed and cleared his throat.

Huh? Shifters didn’t suffer coughs and colds. Something was up with him. But he had described me as cute, so I’d take it, weird-ass cough included.

“I mean a hoot. You’re a hoot in my suit.”

Spots of pink appeared on his cheeks and down his throat. Down lower, and I strained to see the V-shaped area on his chest before his shirt blocked my view. Damn him wearing clothes.

“Except I’m not wearing a suit.”

“Here we are!” Hernan’s exaggerated smile and sing-songy voice suggested he was uncomfortable.

We were out front of a store that had men’s clothes in the window. Hats, scarves, sweaters, and pants that were nothing like my elf clothing. And none of the hats had bells.

Hernan ushered me inside, and I followed him as he raced along aisles of clothes, saying, “Nope,” “No,” “Maybe,” and “This will do.” Occasionally he put a shirt or pair of pants against me, though the pants were always too long.

“We can get them adjusted.”

I wished I had Sparkle’s skill of being a master tailor. He would have fixed them for me.

“Changing room.” Hernan charged toward a band of doors on the back wall.

But I’d done enough changing. This was where I was supposed to be, and why did I need new clothes to change? Was there something wrong with me?

I grabbed his arm. “I’m fine as I am.” I inspected my arms, tummy, and legs. “Why do you want me to change?”

I was close to tears because none of what had happened was making me happy. I should be jumping for joy into Hernan’s arms. There’d be kissing and hugging, not making me into someone I wasn’t.

He’d led me into a teenie, tiny room with a mirror. He placed the bundle of clothes on a chair and closed the door. Maybe we were both about to be transported somewhere. I’d read books about telephone booths that were spacecraft, and I examined the walls for a control panel.

Hernan gripped my shoulders. “Your clothes, Merry. Not you.” He put a finger under my chin, and we stared at one another. “You’re perfect.”

Perfect. I longed for him to say it again. I cupped my ear. “Sorry, I didn’t catch that.”

“Purrr-fect.”

Damn, I should have recorded it.

“Get your gear off.”

Hernan wasn’t human, but he used very confusing expressions. Was he describing a car?

“Your clothes.” He turned his back. “I won’t look. Or I can leave if you prefer.”

Tentacles of fear wrapped around my heart, and I made to grab his arm. Instead, I got a handful of butt cheeks. Nice!

“No, I don’t want you to leave.”

He handed me items, and I struggled into them. When I was dressed, he rolled up pantlegs and sleeves, adjusted collars, and did up buttons I’d missed. Clothes held little meaning to me, as I always wore the same thing in the village, even on my days off.

Hernan chose three shirts, two sweaters, a coat, and I couldn’t recall how many pants that he called jeans. He arranged for the alterations, and we could collect them later today.

“My friend Sparkle is very handy with a needle and thread.”

We’d paused outside a restaurant and were inspecting the menu in the window. The mingling of colors and sounds was making my head hurt, and I agreed the food items were suitable. Not that I’d studied them, but I wanted to get inside, away from this new environment.

“What do you fancy?” Hernan rested his chin on his hands.

That was a leading question, and I had a lot of answers to choose from.

I’d like for him to say we were mates and that he wanted to see me naked, and if I was willing, could he get under the table and suck me off?

No! Not the last one. My brain was befuddled. I would enjoy it but not when surrounded by other people.

“I’m not sure.”

“Are you vegetarian?”

That was a question I could answer. “I do eat meat but not much.”

Hernan suggested a quiche with salad, and I agreed. This was a first, but everything today was a first.

I sat and sipped my water, glancing at people at the other tables chatting and clanking their cutlery while Hernan checked his phone. When he finished texting, he noted how much work there was yet to do for the festival.

“But you saved my ass turning up when you did.”

Any joy I’d stockpiled since meeting Hernan deflated. He wasn’t interested in me as a mate or even a friend. I was a useful tool.

The festival needed an elf, and I was it. Once it was over, I’d be ignored or tossed aside for the next shiny object.

Oh, Santa, what did you do?