Twelve Days of Temptation (A Hot Holiday Novella) (Temptation #1) (8 page)

She dropped the vibrator beside her and lay there panting: hot, sweaty, and no longer in need of a blanket.

“Good night, Kate.”

“Good night, Master.”

Kate went for a walk early the next morning. It was unseasonably warm, and the sun felt good on her face. The cool air was invigorating. She felt light. Young. At peace with herself. She didn’t sit around waiting for a package to arrive. She knew one would. She decided to walk to the convenience store a few blocks from her house.

She watched a young mother dressed in a black jogging suit, her long brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, approach, pushing a double stroller. Kate normally wouldn’t have made eye contact. She would have worried what the woman thought of her or that she’d somehow say the wrong thing to her.

This time, she smiled and told the woman her babies were adorable. The woman gushed for the next ten minutes about her twin four-month-old boys. Then she said, “Kate, right? My name is Angie. I’ve been working up the courage to come say hi to you. It’s so wonderful to have another woman in the neighborhood, but I wasn’t sure if someone like you would want to hang out with a woman with children.”

“Someone like me?” Kate asked cautiously.

“You’re so beautiful and always put together. Half the time I can’t remember if I showered, never mind if I put on makeup.”

Kate laughed. “I can imagine those two keep you busy.”

“They do. And I’m not complaining, but when I told my husband I would stay home and raise them, I didn’t realize how lonely it could get. I love them, but I crave adult conversation now and then. If you’re ever looking for a walking buddy, please ask. I live just over there in the green house. I’d love the company.”

Kate exchanged phone numbers with Angie and walked away smiling. As she passed a large house on the corner, she noticed an old man watching her from one of the first-floor windows. She waved at him and felt overjoyed when he waved back.

Coming upon a small shopping area nearby, Kate stopped to try a few samples from a bakery. They all tasted so delicious she couldn’t decide which was best, so she bought an assortment of several treats. She walked out with a ridiculous amount of baked goods.

When she returned home, she scooped up the package she found on her doorstep. This one was considerably smaller than the others she’d received. It easily fit in the palm of her hand. She put her groceries away, then opened the box.

It contained one foil-covered condom. Had Mr. Elf changed his mind about waiting until day twelve? She didn’t know how she felt about ending their game early. The idea was exciting, but she didn’t actually know anything about him, and that made it difficult to imagine being with him.

I suppose I should be glad you practice safe sex.

His answer came a few minutes later
.
I do, but it’s not for me.

I don’t understand.

Yesterday when you got yourself off in front of Brock, did you want to go further? Did you want to fuck him?

You know I did.

How did it feel knowing you couldn’t?

It was frustrating. Awful.

And fucking wonderful, wasn’t it? Last night you pictured him when you came, didn’t you? It was his tongue, his cock, that fucked you last night, wasn’t it?

You said that was okay.

It is. I want you to want him. I want you so hot for him you can’t keep your hands off your pussy when you’re around him. And I want him to want you. I want him to crave what you will deny him. He can’t have you, Kate. You’re mine. Say it.

I can’t belong to a man I don’t know. I’m not sure I can belong to any man.

You can and you do. Call your fantasy fuck today. Ask him to go somewhere with you. Take that condom with you.

Why would I do that when you just told me not to have sex with him?

The condom is there to remind you how easy it would be to say yes to him. You can spread your legs for him anytime you want, Kate. But our time together ends when you do. So you won’t. You won’t use that condom because, even if you’re not ready to admit it yet, you already belong to me. Spend time with Brock. Tease him. Tease yourself. Then send him home alone. Text me after he’s gone and I’ll show you what you should have done in the bathtub with my gift.

You want me to call him today? Ask him out? What makes you think he’ll be free to see me?

Trust me, Kate, he’ll drop everything when you call.

Do you know him?

I know men.

Should I use my Ben Wa balls?

No. Keep it simple. You and him.

Kate picked up her regular phone and held it without dialing a number.
This is crazy. Wrong. Brock’s sister said he likes me. I can’t use him like this.

She remembered how he’d looked at her when she’d visited his office.
He wants me. But enough to come over today simply because I ask him to?

And what would I feel around him without the balls inside me?
She placed the condom in the front pocket of her jeans.

I’ll do it, but only because I’m curious.

About?

About how much of my excitement around him is from the toys and how much is because of him.

Master Elf took a long moment to respond
.
Call him. Find out. Then text me.

***

Brock plowed through his emails while waiting for Kate’s call. He’d already cleared his schedule for the day. His project was coming along without a hitch, which freed him up to concentrate on Kate.

He was still flying by the seat of his pants when it came to what to give her each day. He knew what his goal was: To make sure that by the time he revealed himself on the
twelfth day she was as much into the real him as she was into the version of him she liked to call Mr. Elf.

He preferred the title Master Elf.

Master had a nicer ring to it, but really he was willing to settle for any title that would get her into his bed—and ensure she didn’t leave once she found out what he’d been up to.

He had started today believing that sending the condom was a stroke of inspired genius. He’d seen it as a win-win. If she couldn’t help herself and slept with him, he would get to fuck her earlier. If she held strong and spent the day with him, getting to know him without sleeping with him, he would still find his pleasure later that night.

He’d been shocked when she’d said she might only be attracted to him because she was horny from the toys he’d sent her. He hadn’t considered that possibility. Some men would have been offended by that revelation.

Those men would never fuck a woman like Kate. Men ruled by their egos were weak. He saw them all the time in the business world. They made hasty decisions based on how they felt instead of keeping their eyes on the prize.

Kate needed a strong man.

A smart man.

Someone who saw challenge as the ultimate foreplay.

Don’t know if you’re attracted to me, Kate? Then let me show you exactly why you should be. Let Mr. Elf wow you with his knowledge of appliances and sexual dominance. I’ve been told these eyes could melt panties off a grandmother.

Okay, that is not a pleasant mental image.

He shuddered.

Brock took out his cell phone and checked if he’d missed her call.
Come on, Kate. You know you want to spend the day with me. You have my number. Call me.

At noon Linda dropped by and asked Brock if he wanted to join her for lunch. He told her he was too busy, but that was a lie. He’d answered every email. He’d made every phone call. On any other day, he would have left his trailer and walked the work site, but he didn’t want to miss Kate’s call.

His sister returned an hour later with a turkey sandwich and a soda for him.

“What are you working on?” Linda asked.

He took a large bite and shrugged. “The usual.”

“Anything I can help you with?”

He shook his head adamantly and took another bite. With his sister, the less he said the better. She was too good at reading him.

“So, I was thinking . . .” Linda said.

With his mouth full, he answered, “That’s dangerous.”

“I like Kate. I think Mom and Dad would, too.”

Brock started choking on his sandwich and reached for his drink. He coughed and took another sip. “What are you talking about?”

“I’ve been thinking a lot about what she said to me in the supermarket. She lost her mother and her husband this past year. That means this is her first Christmas alone.”

Brock hadn’t thought of it that way. Honestly, he hadn’t thought about much since he’d read her letter besides fucking her. “I suppose it is.”

“Even if the two of you don’t end up dating, we should invite her to spend Christmas with us.”

“There is nothing between Kate and me.”

Linda rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. Misty Falls might be a city, but it’s a small one. People talk. Everyone already knows you like her. She seems to like you. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out where the two of you are headed.”

“What else are people saying?” He watched Linda’s expression closely and was relieved when she answered pursing her lips, as she did when she was lying.

“Nothing, really. Just that they saw the two of you dancing one night. The women can’t understand what you see in her, but the men all do.”

Brock stood and tossed the remainder of his lunch in the trash. “If you spent less time gossiping and more time billing our customers, we could afford to start on that mill in Massachusetts.”

“Touchy, touchy. I’m not giving you shit about liking her. I just wanted to tell you if you want to bring her to Christmas Eve at our house, or Christmas breakfast—we’d all be cool with that.”

“All? Why do you say that like you’re also speaking for Mom and Dad?”

“I told you everyone knows.” She threw her hands up in frustration. “It’s like you don’t listen when I speak.” She shook her head and walked out of the trailer.

Brock paced back and forth, debating what to do next. He couldn’t text Kate as Mr. Elf and order her to call him without giving himself away. He didn’t want to contact her as Brock—that took the fun out of her asking him out.

I just have to wait.

She’ll call.

Brock put on his coat and did a site inspection. He checked his phones periodically, but neither showed a missed call or message.

By three o’clock he was crawling out of his skin. He returned to his trailer, laid both phones on the desk in front of him, and frowned.

He picked up his regular phone and called Kate. It rang several times before she answered.

“Hello?”

“Kate, it’s Brock.”

“Oh, hi, Brock.”

There was a strain in her voice that put him on high alert. “Are you okay?” She sniffed and he knew instantly that she wasn’t. “What happened, Kate?”

“Nothing,” she said in a defeated, shell-shocked tone.

“I’m coming over.”

She didn’t say no, so he took that as a yes. He hung up, grabbed his coat, and bolted to his car. He was ringing her doorbell twenty minutes later.

When she opened the door her eyes were puffy from crying, and her nose was bright red. There was a shine to her cheeks as if she’d just wiped them dry. He pulled her to his chest, and she didn’t resist. She stood in his embrace, shaking but not crying. He hugged her tighter. For a few minutes she didn’t move, then she let out a sad little sound, wrapped her arms around his waist, and burst into tears. He didn’t know what the hell had happened to her, but whatever it was, he would make it right. Whatever it took.

He lifted her up, carried her into her house, and kicked the door closed behind them. He walked over to her couch and sat down, cradling her in his lap. “Tell me what happened, Kate. Whatever it is, you can tell me.”

She hid her face in his chest. “It’s too stupid to explain.”

As she shifted on his lap, his cock sprung to life beneath her delicious little ass.
Not now,
he chastised his wayward appendage. But it felt so good to hold her. He could smell shampoo and her light scent. He was painfully aware of every single place their bodies touched. Every fucking place. He stroked a hand up and down her back to comfort her, and even that caress had his thoughts going wild. He wanted to rip her shirt off and expose the breasts she so innocently pressed against his chest.

I need serious fucking help.

He shifted her so she was no longer seated directly on his erection. “It’s not stupid if it upsets you. Just say it. Whatever it is. Most things aren’t as bad as they seem in our heads.”