“Hey Lis, how’s it going?” Jake asks, putting his arm over her shoulders.
“Eurgh, awful. People keep letting me down. Seven people who said they were having stalls today have just not shown up, which means I have gaps!” She throws her hands up in frustration. “The sanctuary bringing the reindeer tonight now say they’re only bringing four, not eight like planned. Cheryl thought she was being so helpful buying the milk for the hot chocolate stand early but now it’s all out of date, so we had send someone to get more. Then there’s the biggest problem of all…”
“Which is?” Jake asks.
Lisa looks at him and then at me, pleading in her eyes. I get a sick sense that I’m about to be guilted into something I really don’t want to do.
“Well, I need a favour.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Oh my God, you look ridiculous!”
JAKE
Iteach teenagers. So I’m no stranger to making a prat of myself,for the kids. Which is why when Lisa asked me to do this, I was fine with it. I mean, I’ve done worse in the name of education. I once dressed as William Shakespeare and stood on a table to recite the famousTo be or not to bespeech in my best thespian voice, only for one kid to ask why I was dressed as Shakespeare when I should have been dressed as Hamlet. I told them my Hamlet costume was stuck at the dry cleaners and got a little titter from the group. Good enough for me.
This is different though, there is more of an audience and the kids will be smaller. I was the only one who could do it as I have a criminal background check for my job. When you’re inviting little kids to sit on your lap, their parents feel more comfortable when they know you haven’t been convicted of being a creeper. Nel however, is far less comfortable than I am with our game of dress-up. I’ve been ready in my red and white suit for about twenty minutes while she’s been in the bathroom. The jacket is hanging off me as I don’t have the physique for Santa, but Lisa says she will rectify that when we meet her at the hall, which sounds ominous.
“You okay in there?” I call through the closed door.
Silence.
“Nel? Can you just give me a sign that you’re alive or something.”
“I look ridiculous!” The desperation in her voice has me cracking a smile.
“I’m sure that’s not true,” I try to reassure.
“Icannotwear this in front of kids, I’ll be arrested.”
“Just come out, I’m sure it’s fine,” I chuckle.
The door bursts open and my humour dies. My knees buckle slightly as I sit on the edge of the bed looking at Nel. Ho-lee shit.
I recall her telling Lisa that the elf costume she’d handed her was not going to fit and Lisa confidently telling her it was stretchy and basicallyone size fits all. Nel had looked sceptical, and I understand why. It’s not that it doesn’t fit because I’d say it fitsperfectly. However, it’s not exactly what it looked like on the packet. The fabric is moulded to her every curve and stretched obscenely over her chest; the neckline is trimmed with white fluffy stuff that whisps over the pale flesh of her deep cleavage. The green felt of her dress only falls halfway down her thighs and her legs are covered by red and white candy cane tights—or maybe they’re stockings. Oh God, let them be stockings. She wears black lace-up ankle boots with a chunky heel, and she has a hat that matches mine except hers is green where mine is red. She’s done her makeup with green all around her eyes and red glittery lips, even managing a small red glittery heart under one eye. Her light brown hair is wavy and loose, falling below her breasts and it takes every bit of energy I have not to wrap it around my fist and make her tremble.
Things are weird. I keep kissing her and that’s probably the wrong way to go about things. What is it they say? Communication is key. I should try that. I should tell her that I really want to take her out, that I think I’ve had feelings for her for years, and that I think she’s the most beautiful woman in the world. Unfortunately though, when we’re alone together, my dick seems to do the thinking. With the wrong brain running the show, I have been acting a little more caveman than I would normally, pawing at her like a crazed animal. Which is what I want to do right now, so I sit on my hands. It’s the only way.
“See?” Nel gestures to herself, effectively breaking my thoughts. “Ridiculous!”
“You uh…you don’t look ridiculous,” I croak, trying to control my racing heart and growing cock.
“Jake,” she reasons. “I can’t go out like this. Look!” She turns to show me the back and I think a little drool slips from my mouth. Where the dress goes over her bum, it’s a little shorter in the back and only just covers said posterior. Oh lord. The tiny glimpse of the top of her stockings seemingly attached to a garter has so much blood rushing south that I feel lightheaded. “If I bend over, even just a little bit,” she continues, “I’ll show the whole village my arse!”
“Care to demonstrate?”
She glares at me over her shoulder. “You’re not helping.”
“I think you look great,” I say honestly.
“It’s too short,” she whines.
“At least it came with stockings.” I try looking on the positive but that delicious blush rises on her cheeks.
“Actually, these were mine. And I need suspenders to keep them up so I had to wear that red thing you’ve been eyeing in my case as my only suspenders are attached to it.”
I try not to let my jaw drop, but I fail. Let’s move on. “And now I know what’s underneath,” I mumble almost to myself. My hand reaches out and my knuckle grazes the soft fabric of her skirt, a thoughtless act, instinctual really.
