Page 85 of Santa's Baby

Phew, she has a husband. I feel the relief in my bones.

The pair of volunteers direct me well and put me at ease, talking me through how they manage the queue and engage with the kids waiting in line, to make sure they don’t get bored. We have a bucket of candy canes each to hand out, and Jen takes the entrance while Evelyn and I stand on each side of the queue. Within no time, it stretches way beyond the grotto entrance – it’s like a bloody snake through the mall. I stop darting my eyes to Santa’s cavern every fifteen seconds in an attempt to catch sight of Reuben, because the hustle and bustle just doesn’t allow it. I have no chance to let my emotions overtake me as I chat to the kids as they pass by, and in no time at all I’m laughing and joking with them.

I get so many questions on what it’s like to be an elf, and I come up with elaborate stories about my experiences with reindeers, and how silly Rudolph can be when he’s in a mood. The kids love it, and the parents appreciate the effort. I get morethank yousmouthed at me than I’ve ever known, and it feels good to be appreciated like this. Really fucking good.

The kids’ happy faces don’t pierce my heart after a while, they make me grin. My silly elf costume doesn’t make me feel like an idiot with my waves of scarlet hair scrunched up in a bun, it makes me feel magical. By lunchtime, I’ve kicked my stilettos off in favour of going barefoot, since they’re so bloody uncomfortable, and with that I start to do silly elf dances and I sing along tojingle bellswith groups of kids. It’s hilarious.

“You’re doing a fantastic job!” Jen gushes as we grab a ten minute break. “Where the hell did Reuben find you? I’ve never seen you around here before.”

Fuck, what a question. I turn it into a joke and give her a slap on the arm.

“He found me feeding Rudolph when nobody was looking and snuck me into the grotto!”

She laughs. “No, seriously. Where did he find you?”

Shit.

I can see the way she’s digging.

She gestures to the grotto.

“Come on,” she says. “I know Reuben pretty well. I’ve been working with him for years. I saw the way he looked at you when you appeared in your elf garb.”

Fuck it. I’m not wearing foundation today. I feel my cheeks burning up like hell.

Her smile turns into a full on grin.

“It’s so good to see him like this,” she tells me. “Honestly, I’ve been waiting to see him find happiness for a long, long time. You must be one special elf, put it that way.”

I don’t know what to say or do. My heart is racing, as though I’ve committed a crime, because she knows we’vegot something going on. She sees it.

“I hope you feel the same way about him,” she says. “He’s one of the most incredible men you could ever know. And if it wasn’t for my husband, well.” She swats my arm. “He’s quite a dish, isn’t he? I hope you appreciate being Santa’s baby, because there would be a queue longer than this one to get a chance at that.”

I’ve no doubt about that.

Thank fuck the break is over before I get more of a grilling from her. I’m back to Rudolph chatter and singsongs, and I try to play it as casual as possible in front of Jen and Evelyn when Santa takes some time out for a coffee. It’s no bloody wonder Jen cottoned on though, because he can’t stop looking at me, and I can’t stop looking at him. My heart flutters, and the butterflies soar, and I’m so fucking glad I braved my fears enough to join him at the grotto today, because it beats anything I could have done back at his place. A million times over.

It’s not just because of him, though.

It’s because of the kids, too.

The joy on their faces, and the sound of their laugher, and the way they are so happy to speak to me. So excited to see the amazing Santa.

There is no point hiding the truth from myself any longer. My guard has been up so high for so long that it’s touched the sky, but now it’s breaking. Crumbling.

I want to be Mrs Santa, not just his elf. I want to have Santa’s babies, and build a family with the stunning, charitable, dirty, powerful, loving Reuben Sinclair. Screw proposals, and a life filled with smut for cash, I’ve had my filthy fill.

All I want for Christmas – is him.

“You are an absolute superstar of an elf, I hope you know that,” he says as soon as we’re back at the car. “I caught sight of you, singing and chatting with the kids. It was magical.”

I feel so proud of myself, it’s ridiculous, and so hot for him, it’s insane.

“Yeah, it was pretty cool. I liked it.”

He grins as he reverses out of the parking space.

“Cool enough that you’ll come back here with me tomorrow?”