www.aknovels.

com

ON SANTA’S LAP

CASSIE HARGROVE
SEVEN RUE
 www.aknovels.com

CONTENTS

1. Charles
2. Charles
3. Kara
4. Kara
5. Charles
6. Charles
7. Kara
8. Kara
9. Charles
10. Kara
11. Kara
Epilogue

About Seven Rue

About Cassie Hargrove
Also By Seven Rue
Also by Cassie Hargrove
 www.aknovels.com

CHAPTER ONE
CHARLES

“I KNOW YOU ’ RE NOT REAL . M Y MOM IS JUST MAKING ME SIT HERE BECAUSE
she thinks I’m a baby and still believe in something so stupid. I read about it
in school, but I don’t want to hurt my mother and tell her that I don’t believe
in you. It’s kinda sad. You are sad.”
I stared at the little boy on my lap, wondering when six-year-olds had
become so damn smart and articulate.
And, shit…since when were six-year-olds able to read?
I thought kids were as stupid as bread these days, with all those phones
and tablets, video games and such.
But this kid was too damn smart.
I saw the judgemental glare in his eyes the second he walked up to me,
and once he sat on my lap, he started telling me all about how much of a
genius he was.
He was even smart enough to recognize how upset, annoyed, and angry I
was to be sitting here in a damn Santa Claus costume, acting like the real deal
when I was nowhere close to being a saint like Santa.
I was a loner.
No family around, no kids, no wife.
All I had was this fucking job.
And the one I did when I wasn’t a Mall Santa.
Being a damn trucker wasn’t that great either.
I looked at the kid through the fake glasses sitting low on my nose, and
with my brows raised, I wondered if I should try and convince him that I was
Santa.
For the sake of the parents and the other kids.
 www.aknovels.com

Clearly, that would be a damn waste of time.

I huffed out a laugh, breaking character.
“What’s your name, boy?”
“Leopold.”
Of course his name was Leopold.
I lowered my voice to make sure no one around heard us. “Alright, listen,
kid. I have no damn idea how smart you really are, but your IQ is clearly
higher than all of the people in this mall combined. And though I’m amused
by how you’re approaching all this, you might wanna do your mother a favor
and act like you do believe in Santa.”
“Why?” His brow was raised, and his voice was filled with so much
annoyance that I saw myself in him for a split second.
“Because you’re her son. She wants you to be a kid for as long as
possible. See how big she’s smiling? And those tears in her eyes?”
We both looked at his mother, who stood next to one of the elves.
Leopold nodded, then he looked at me again. “So?”
“So, stop acting like a fucking adult and be a damn kid while you sit
here.”
“You curse a lot.”
“And you’re a smart-ass. Now, tell me what the hell you want for
Christmas, let your momma take a picture, and then go be a know-it-all
somewhere else.”
He stared at me for a while until he finally gave in with a heavy sigh, then
he muttered, “I want a new bike. And an electric scooter.”
“Bet your momma already bought that for you.”
“Yes. See, she thinks I’m stupid. Both presents are already wrapped and
under the Christmas tree. Only kids who still believe in Santa wouldn’t be
able to connect the dots.”
He once again had a point.
I patted his back and then put on my Santa smile—which no one could
fucking see under my beard anyway.
That’s the only thing I had in common with that figure. The beard.
“Say candy!” the mother said, her face filled with excitement.
We held still until a couple of pictures were taken by her and the
photographer, and as Leopold jumped down from my lap and started walking
away, I pulled him back and leaned in closer to whisper something to him.
“I know it’s exhausting to think or act a certain way just to please
 www.aknovels.com

someone you love, but do me a favor and keep it up until you’re eighteen. Or
old enough to go your own way. Don’t let your mother suffer, alright? You’re
a good kid.”
He studied me again, his brows furrowed and his lips pursed. Then he
smiled and gave me a quick nod. “If Santa were real, I’d want him to be like
you. You’re bad-ass!”
“Hell yeah, I am. Now, go. And don’t break any bones on that electric
scooter.” Whatever the fuck kids needed that for.
I watched him walk away, and just as I adjusted to yet another kid telling
me all about their wishes, one of the elves came up to me.
“Alright, man. We’re done for the night. See you tomorrow.”
I frowned, looking to where parents had queued up with their kids. No
one was there, and I wondered how much of that weed I had smoked before
starting this ten-hour shift.
Enough to make me imagine things, it seems.
There were four elves working with me every weekend, and though it's
always been the same ones, I never talked to any of them. Other than saying
hello and goodbye, I wasn’t interested in being their friend.
There was one who seemed to try and get my attention every now and
then. I could’ve been wrong, but I knew when a girl flirted with me.
I took the Santa hat off my head and ran my hand through my hair, letting
out a frustrated sigh.
All I wanted was to go home, but I had a feeling that tonight would be a
long one.
“Are you gonna spend the night here?”
I looked to my right and saw one of the elves standing there.
The blonde one.
The one with the big tits and long legs.
“Why the hell would I do that?”
“Because you’ve been sitting here for a while. And when you do leave,
you usually sit in your car for thirty minutes.”
I raised a brow and looked away, wondering why I even bothered talking
to her.
“You stalking me?”
“Not really. The bus stop just happens to be next to the parking lot.”
“You don’t have a car?”
“I do.”
 www.aknovels.com

“Then why don’t you drive it here instead of getting on that nasty bus?”
“It’s not as nasty as you think, actually. Just a bit…scary to sit there for
thirty more minutes until I get home. Lots of weird people around at night.”
I let out a harsh laugh. “No shit.”
She was silent then, and I finally got up to stretch. Sitting on that damn
chair all day was fucking exhausting.
“Don’t you have a bus to catch?” I asked, turning toward her.
“The bus is not gonna be here for an hour or so.”
“Sounds fun.”
“It’s not.”
“I was being sarcastic.” I frowned, wondering why I was still here.
Without saying another word, I walked to the back where we stored our
things while we worked.
I grabbed my coat and checked if my phone and wallet were still in the
pockets, then I went back out, walking past the elf and mumbling a goodbye.
“Night! See you tomorrow.”
It had snowed and my car was covered in it, but I didn’t bother cleaning it
off. I got in and started the engine, then I turned the heat up and waited for
the car and myself to be ready for the icy roads.
 www.aknovels.com

CHAPTER TWO
CHARLES

I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE AND DROVE OFF THE PARKING LOT AND AROUND THE
mall to get onto the main street, but as I was about to make a left turn, I saw
the elf sitting on the bench of the bus stop.
Her legs were crossed under that big coat of hers, and a thick scarf was
around her neck, covering almost all of her face.
She had her arms hugging her upper body, and even from where I was, I
could tell she was shivering.
I looked away, ready to leave and drive to my favorite bar to grab a drink
before heading home, but something deep inside of me kept me there–not
letting my foot step on the gas pedal.
“Fucking hell,” I muttered as I pressed the button to let the window down.
“Want a ride?”
Elf turned her head, searching for the person talking to her. Once she
noticed me, she sat there for a moment longer before getting up and walking
over to me.
She pulled down her scarf so I could see the smile on her face, then she
said, “I live out of town. It’s probably a detour for you.”
I shrugged. “I was headed to Dick’s. I need a drink to relax. It’s almost
out of town too.”
She puckered her lips and looked into my car–not judging, just observing.
Then her eyes were back on mine. “Do you always go get a drink after your
shifts?”
“Most times. So? You getting in?”
She studied me with an amused gleam in her eyes. “You’re not gonna
kidnap me and lock me in your basement or anything, are you?”
 www.aknovels.com

I raised a brow. “You want me to do that?”

“I prefer not. You can invite me for a drink though.”
Huh.
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-one.”
“Fine. Get in.”
Her smile grew, and I waited for her to walk around the car and get
inside.
Once she was buckled in, I turned onto the street and drove down to
Dick’s.
“How old are you?”
“Old.”
She laughed. “How old? Or do I have to guess?”
“No, you don’t.”
“Then tell me.”
I kept my eyes on the road and gripped the steering wheel tighter. I hated
thinking about my age. I had spent most of my life being an annoyed piece of
shit, and just living life without ever finding anything too enjoyable.
Well, I did have fun in my early twenties. Lots of fun, actually.
But then I had to grow up and be an adult.
“Fifty-nine.”
“Really? You’re in great shape for almost sixty. My Dad’s ten years
younger than you, and he already looks like he’s close to seventy.”
That didn’t help me feel better about my life.
Not really.
“Sucks.”
“It really does. He’s not bothered by it though. I think he could put some
effort into working out or eating healthier. Do you work out?”
“Sometimes. Not as much as I used to.” I looked over and found her
watching me. “Why are you working as an elf anyway?”
“I wanna buy a new car. Mine’s very old, and sometimes the engine goes
out for no reason. I’m also a college student, so I don’t exactly have a lot of
money.”
I nodded, understanding where she was coming from. I had nothing in
college. I was lucky enough to have gone to college in the first place. Even if
it was only community college and nothing too fancy.
“So I assume working as an elf at the mall isn’t your only job.”
 www.aknovels.com

“I work at the coffee shop on campus every Monday, Tuesday, and

Thursday morning, and I sometimes help out at the local bakery as well.”
“And all that while you are taking classes?”
“Yup. It’s all gonna pay off later in life.”
I wanted to laugh at that. I also worked hard all my life, but I still ended
up alone.
Miserable and alone.
But mostly because I made life become that way.
Had I married Caroline thirty years ago, I’d have a damn wife, kids,
probably a dog or two.
But I was alone.
“Hope for you that it does,” I told her.
“Thanks! Oh, by the way, I’m Kara.”
“Charles.”
“Oh, I like that name. I’ve promised myself to use Charles for my son.”
“You pregnant?” I asked, my brow raised.
“No.”
“Got a boyfriend?”
“No.”
“Then why the hell are you thinking about baby names?”
“I just love names. I have a full list of baby names on my notes app.”
“Interesting,” I muttered. I didn’t add any more to that conversation as we
had just arrived at Dick’s.
I parked near the entrance to not have to stomp through the snow, and
once we got out, she followed me inside with a bright smile plastered on her
face.
At least one of us is spreading some Christmas cheer.
 www.aknovels.com

CHAPTER THREE
KARA

S ANTA HAD ALWAYS SEEMED KIND WHEN IT CAME TO THE KIDS , BUT HE ’ D
never had patience for anyone above that mark.
Every evening, he was always the first one to get the hell out of dodge
and avoid any social niceties that could happen from working together.
But not tonight.
I’d been sitting here with him for an hour now, nursing the same drink I’d
ordered when we arrived, a vodka cranberry, while he’s had at least three
beers now.
I wasn’t worried about him driving with three beers in his system, though.
He’s a really big guy, so I doubted that amount of alcohol even affected him.
“Twenty-one and doesn’t throw drinks back like most. That’s
interesting,” Santa, aka Charles, spoke up beside me.
We were still in our costumes, but unless I wanted to change in the bar
bathroom, it was just easier to wait until I got back to my apartment.
“I have too many goals to get trashed,” I admitted, shrugging while my
eyes met his.
He looked handsome, even if he was still dressed as Santa in red pants
and shit. He did toss a leather jacket over his t-shirt after he took the fake
belly and red coat off. And boy, was he looking fine as hell in that jacket.
His beard was all real. Had to be because no one would continue to wear
a scratchy, fake one a second longer than they had to.
“Tell me more about this very responsible nature of yours,” he said,
tipping his beer back.
I watched his throat work as he took a few sips, and my pussy clenched in
want. That was hotter than it had any right to be.
 www.aknovels.com

Why was he the one to cause such a response from my body? It’s not as
though he was the first man to ever pay any attention to me, but my future
came first. Always.
“It’s not all that interesting.” I shrugged and took a sip of my own drink.
“My studies and future come first above all else.”
He watched me closely as I explained that I needed to keep my grades up
in order to continue my scholarships. I didn’t come from money, and I was
the first one in my family that wanted to do something with life other than
work in the trades. It just wasn't the life for me.
But the way he watched me made me feel like, for the first time, someone
actually cared enough to listen.
I didn’t tell my story often. No one wanted to hear about a twenty-one
year old who worked several jobs to support herself while she took courses
full-time. Just listening to it was exhausting. Who would want to carry that
burden if they didn’t have to?
My parents surely didn’t. Neither did my brothers. They all believed I
was a mess of my own making, and I’d eventually come to my senses and
drop out of school. Or at the very least, move to a trade until I found a
husband that could knock me up.
I was meant for more. So much more.
“That’s a lot to bear the weight of alone,” he said. His voice was gentle
and kind, not at all condescending like I had braced myself for.
“It will be worth it,” I told him, taking another drink.
“You said you wanted to become a doctor.” I nodded, feeling my cheeks
heat. I wasn’t used to this type of attention. “What kind of a doctor?”
I blinked, my brain momentarily frozen as I stared into his weathered
eyes. His age definitely wasn’t bothersome to me, even though it may have
been to some.
Charles was proof that people could live a full life and not look like life
was trying to knock them down with every step. That’s how my parents
looked. Even my brothers had started to head down that path.
I saw something different in Charles. A desire and want for more in life
than whatever he had right now. I didn’t know much about him, but
suddenly, I felt determined to know him as intimately as he’d gotten me to
be.
I wanted all of his life story and the feeling of his hot gaze on me for as
long as I could have it.
 www.aknovels.com

“No one outside of my professors has ever asked me that question

before,” I whispered, knowing full well my voice broke a bit.
A dark look crossed his face, and he growled just quiet enough that only I
could hear it. “No one has asked about much of anything in your life, have
they, kid?”
I winced. Not only because he’d hit the nail right on the head, but because
I didn’t want him to see me as a kid. I hadn’t been a kid in a long time now.
“I’m not a kid,” I said sternly, watching as his lips twitched into a smirk.
“No, I suppose anyone that can take care of themselves in the way you
have while doing everything you’ve been doing wouldn’t be a kid. My
apologies,” he said with sincerity written on his face, and I nodded in
acceptance.
“Thank you. And to answer your question, pediatrics. That’s what I want
to specialize in.” It felt good to say that to someone other than the teachers
that held my future in their hands.
“Yeah, I could see that.” He takes another pull from his beer bottle before
setting it down. “You’re more attentive to the children while they wait in line.
The other elves look annoyed to have their day disturbed. Not you, though.”
He pinned me down with a stare that had my belly fluttering with nerves.
He saw me. Not only that, but he’d been paying enough attention to tell
me apart from the other elves. I hadn’t expected that, given how antisocial he
was.
“I like kids.” I tossed the rest of my drink back before standing up beside
him. “So, tell me about you. What do you do when you’re not Santa?” I
asked, raising an eyebrow.
“My life is nothing to write home about,” he said. He gave me a solemn
look. “I’ve never quite had my life planned out the way you do.” He
shrugged.
“Planning isn’t everything. Do you like your life?” I asked, surprised at
how badly I wanted the answer.
“Yeah. Yeah, it’s been alright.”
“So… what is it you do?” I asked again. If he refused to answer again or
deflected, I would drop it.
“I’m a long haul trucker,” he answered.
“I can totally see that. You’re more of a free spirit. Society’s rules can’t
hold you down. You need to fly free.”
He barked out a laugh that reverberated in his chest. It was so deep and
 www.aknovels.com

heavenly, and I found myself wanting to make him laugh again.

“You think you have me pegged, eh, little elf?” he teased.
I smiled. “Sure. Maybe not all of it, but I think I got the gist of it. What
do you think?”
“I think you could be trouble.” There was a wicked glint in his eyes that
drove my insides mad.
“I think you overestimate my ability to be naughty,” I teased back,
standing up and moving closer to his body until my face was directly in front
of his.
“I have work tomorrow afternoon, and I need to get some studying in
before I can sleep.”
He watched me as I tried to give him a sexy look, something I was
probably terrible at, but his eyes darkened, so I took it as a good sign.
“Drive me home, Santa?”
 www.aknovels.com

CHAPTER FOUR
KARA

I F I WAS HONEST WITH MYSELF , I DIDN ’ T HAVE A DAMN CLUE WHERE THAT
forwardness back at the bar had come from.
Usually, I kept to myself and kept my head down. I never stopped
pushing forward to make sure that my life and future were on track. The pain
and exhaustion I felt now wouldn’t last forever. Someday, I could slow down
and enjoy living life. Right?
“Where did the open little elf from the bar go?” Charles joked. He shot
me a small smile to show he was only teasing, and it had me smiling in
return.
“Truth?” I asked, trying to gauge whether he actually cared.
“Always, Kara. The truth is the only thing I ever want you to tell me.”
His voice was stern and strained, and I had the feeling there was a past story
there. One that was none of my business.
“That’s okay. I’m incapable of lying, anyway. Even if I tried to vocalize a
lie, the truth is written on my face,” I told him.
I watched a small smirk form at the corner of his mouth.
“Right. No poker face, got it.” He laughed, and I joined in with him.
It seemed I liked this version of him that my mind hadn’t conjured up.
Sometimes at work, I’d get bored and start slyly studying the people
around me. I tried to guess the types of people they were in the real world
based on their mannerisms. Not once did I think grumpy, antisocial Santa
would have this freer side.
“I’ve never played poker,” I admitted, looking away from him to watch
out the window.
“Don’t do that,” he said, and I frowned, turning back to him.
 www.aknovels.com

“Do what?”
“Don’t look away like you’re ashamed that there are things you haven’t
done,” he stated fiercely.
That’s what I was doing? I guess it could have been seen that way. Maybe
subconsciously that was what I’ve been doing, but it wasn’t my intention.
“I wasn’t trying to seem ashamed. I just…” I sighed, shaking my head.
“Sometimes I wonder if all this hard work is worth it or if I’m just killing
myself instead of living the best years of my life like everyone else around
me,” I whispered, and he looked confused.
“You’re doing what most people your age wouldn’t think of. You feel
like you’re drowning now, but when you hit your thirties, you’re going to
have life by the balls. You’re going to feel solid when everyone else is having
a midlife crisis, Kara.”
The way he said my name so tenderly made my heart skip a beat. It was
odd to feel so seen and very overwhelming to me. I was used to being
invisible.
“I’m serious, little elf,” he stated, quickly turning to look at me before he
moved his eyes back to the road. “I have never in my life met someone your
age, even when I was your age, that had their head on straight. Not the way
you do.”
“I often feel like I’m drowning and can’t breathe,” I admitted, shocked
that I had let that thought out of my head.
“Most of us feel like that, but you’re probably in the early stages of
burnout.”
I’d often thought that myself the past several months, but there was
nothing I could do. I was completely on my own. My family didn’t support
this path for me, and I had no one else.
“Not much I can do about it,” I said as a joke. He pulled into the parking
lot of my apartment with a sharp turn.
“Don’t you dare joke about your health,” he growled, finding a parking
space and taking his seatbelt off to turn to me.
He grabbed my chin and squeezed, his eyes looking a bit wild. “Your
health is not a laughing matter!”
I blinked, my heart racing as my panties flooded with arousal. God, this
dominating stance he was in did things to me that I could barely explain.
I honestly thought I was as vanilla as they came, but Charles was proving
me wrong at that moment.
 www.aknovels.com

“S—sorry?” It came out as a question, making him raise a cocky eyebrow

at me.
“That didn’t sound genuine,” he said, never letting go of my chin. “Kara,
you need to take care of yourself.”
“I try,” I said, never moving my gaze from his. “Really, I do. It’s just…
working so hard and going to school full-time, studying, and keeping my
grades up. It’s exhausting.”
He frowns, tilting my face to examine me. “You need a keeper.”
Say what, now?
“Yeah, no. That’s a hard pass, thanks.” I glare at him, and I’m rewarded
with a smile.
“Not in a bad way. You just need someone in your life to help make sure
you remember to eat and sleep.”
Just then, a large yawn came over me, and he released my chin as the
exhaustion truly took over.
“You need to go get some sleep. Skip one night of studying and get some
actual sleep. Please,” he said gently, and I was honestly too tired to argue.
If he hadn’t asked me, I would have gone up and studied for at least an
hour, but his genuine concern had me second guessing that choice.
He’s right. I did need to sleep. It’s ten pm. Once I got upstairs and had a
shower, I could be in bed by ten thirty. That’s an extra two or three hours of
sleep.
If only I wouldn’t have to get up to go to work in the morning.
“Okay. I promise.”
 www.aknovels.com

CHAPTER FIVE
CHARLES

D RIVING A HUGE TRUCK THROUGH SNOWY MOUNTAINS EVERY DAY WAS

calming to me, but being drastically pulled from that to play Santa at the mall
fucked with my head.
It’s not that I hated this job. I was just glad that it only lasted for a month
and was only once a year.
The mall was packed this Saturday with Christmas being only one week
away. More parents brought their children to take photos with me and get
their Christmas shopping done afterward.
The mall would be open on the twenty-fourth, so I only had to make it
through today and then two more days after.
I could do it.
One thing that helped me keep up a good spirit was that sweet little elf
who kept looking over at me.
Her blonde hair was in two loose braids on either side–falling over her
chest–while the green and red elf hat was sitting on her head.
I caught glimpses of her whenever she walked over to the queue where
she directed the kids to me while making sure the parents wouldn’t step on
any of the decor, trying to take as many pictures as possible.
Her sweet voice gave me some kind of calmness, and though I didn’t
exactly hear what she was saying to those parents and kids, it was clear her
words made them all smile and even more excited for Christmas.
I remembered her telling me that she wanted to become a pediatrician.
She was working very hard for that dream to come true, and although we had
only talked that one night at Dick’s, I knew she would reach that goal and
become successful.
 www.aknovels.com

She was great with kids, and that soothing voice of hers would come in
handy when she’d have to communicate not so good news to her patients and
their loved ones.
My gaze dropped to the little boy standing shyly next to his mother,
clinging to her leg and giving me a terrified look.
See, I would never bring my kids here if they were scared.
Doesn’t matter if they believed in Santa or not, but I’d respect their
boundaries and wouldn’t force them to sit with a strange man for one damn
photo.
I watched as the mother tried to talk him into it, but he kept on shaking
his head.
Then, when Kara got on eye-level with him, his big, brown, tear-filled
met hers.
She was soothing him by trying to understand why he was crying–unlike
his mother, who now looked annoyed by her son’s unwillingness.
Kara placed a hand on the boy’s arm, gently brushing over his sweater as
he slowly stopped crying–his eyes meeting mine every other second.
I wish I could hear what Kara was saying. I could only imagine the
calming words she was saying to him to maybe change his mind.
She wouldn’t want to make him feel even more uncomfortable or scared,
and she would definitely tell that mother that it wasn’t going to work out this
year.
I titled my head to the side, suddenly more patient than I had ever been in
my life.
Something about Kara fascinated me so damn much. I wanted to get to
know her better.
I snapped out of my thoughts as Kara got back up with a sweet smile on
her face, then I watched the little boy reach up both his arms, waiting for
Kara to pick him up.
Jesus…she sure would make a wonderful mother one day.
“You can tell me when to stop, okay?” I heard her say as she stepped
closer to me with the boy clinging to her neck.
His eyes were wide with no tears left, but the unsure look was still on his
face.
He whined and turned his head, hiding his face in the crook of Kara’s
neck.
“Right here? Okay, let’s sit down right here.” She stopped about six feet
 www.aknovels.com

away from me, then she bent down to let the boy stand, and after sitting down
on the red carpet which led up to where I was sitting, the boy immediately
moved closer to her and sat down as well. He reached for her hand, and she
gently held his in both of hers.
I wondered what she was doing at first, but it quickly hit me, making me
smile under that thick beard of mine.
“Santa, this is my friend, Tommy. He’s visiting us here at the North Pole
for the very first time!”
My jaw twitched.
Shit, she was too damn sweet.
I looked at Tommy and sat up straighter, showing him that Santa was
interested in talking to him. “The first time, hmm? How are you liking it so
far, Tommy?”
Tommy didn’t answer me. He looked at me with parted lips, and then he
turned to Kara.
She leaned in to whisper something in his ear, and when he nodded, he
turned to look at me again. Still, he didn’t speak.
“How old are you, my friend?” I then asked.
He looked at Kara again, and after giving him an encouraging smile,
Tommy looked at me and held out three fingers.
“Three! You’re a big boy already,” I said, watching as he slowly relaxed
next to Kara. “Say, Tommy. Did you know I have reindeer who help me
bring all the children around the world their presents?”
Something flashed in his eyes, and his back straightened as he nodded.
“Do you know their names?”
He looked at Kara once again, and he leaned in to whisper something to
her.
She smiled and kept her gaze on me as he whispered to her, then she
nodded and moved her gaze to him. “You wanna tell Santa? I know that no
other kid was able to list all nine reindeer before.”
Tommy shook his head, but Kara encouraged him–still not being forceful.
“Do you want me to say the names with you?”
He nodded at first, but just as Kara opened her mouth, Tommy pushed
himself onto his knees–showing off how brave he was.
Though his voice was small and shaky, he stood over his fear and listed
all eight reindeer.
His little voice made me melt, and I chuckled when I realized how easy it
 www.aknovels.com

was to not be grumpy for once.

“Oh, that was perfect, Tommy!” Kara said, proud of the little boy we had
only just met.
“And do you have a favorite reindeer?” I asked.
“Rudolph,” he answered without hesitation or looking at Kara for help.
“Because of his nose!”
“He’s my favorite, too,” I told him with a wink. “But don’t tell the
others.”
He was still observing me, but this time without fear.
Kara moved in closer again, whispering to him for a moment, then she
got up from the floor and picked him up again.
I thought he was ready to leave without having a picture taken, but Kara
walked over to me to stand in front of me.
“Tommy would like to take a picture with the both of us. Is that okay,
Santa?”
She was his safe haven in this situation, and I sure as hell wouldn’t let
this boy sit on my lap when he was terrified.
He needed Kara to hold him, so I nodded. “Of course, it’s okay.”
Tommy kept watching me as Kara turned around, standing between my
legs before she sat down on my lap. I wanted to put my arm around her to
steady her, but I didn’t want to scare Tommy.
The photographer and the mother started taking pictures, and once they
were done, Kara got back up with Tommy in her arms.
“Oh, those pictures will look awesome, Tommy. Before we go back to
your mommy, did you want to tell Santa what you wish for?”
Tommy thought about Kara’s question, and though I knew there was
something he wanted to say, he shook his head.
Being this close to Santa was enough for one day. “That’s okay. Santa
knows every wish of every girl and boy. And you know what? Whenever you
want to come visit us here at the North Pole again, you can. We’ll be right
here waiting for you, okay?”
“Okay.” The tiniest smile touched his lips, and after saying goodbye, I
watched Kara bring him back to his mother.
That kid was so proud of himself. He’d be back for sure, and I would
definitely remember him.
 www.aknovels.com

CHAPTER SIX
CHARLES

“Y OU ’ RE REALLY GREAT WITH KIDS .”

I turned to come face to face with Kara in the small back room where we
kept our coats.
“Right back at you.”
She raised a brow–an amused grin appearing on her lips. “Don’t be like
this.”
“Like what?”
“All…grumpy and annoyed. I really liked how you were with Tommy.
He was really scared of you at first, you know? But you changed his mind.
Pretty sure he’ll be forever proud of himself.”
I nodded because I agreed with her, but I didn’t add anything to it. I
turned back around and took off my Santa hat before grabbing my coat.
“You stared at me a whole lot today.” Her words made me stop moving
for a moment, and when I looked at her again, that grin she had on her lips
before disappeared.
She was serious, and her eyes were a darker shade of blue than they
usually were.
“I stare at everyone,” I stated.
She laughed and rolled her eyes at me. “You know what I mean, Charles.
You couldn’t stop looking at me.”
“Likewise.” I smirked at her as I put on my coat.
“I know. And there’s a reason for that. And I’m pretty sure it’s the same
reason why you stared at me.”
“Yeah? And what’s that reason?”
“We’re attracted to each other. I know we’ve only gone for a drink once,
 www.aknovels.com

but if you’re up for it, I would like to do it again. Tonight.”

I raised a brow at her again.
I found myself doing that a whole lot because of her, but it wasn’t
necessarily a bad thing.
“What, you wanna go for drinks again?”
She shrugged, tugging at the ends of her sleeves nervously. “Yeah, I
mean…it’s a Saturday night.”
“Don’t you have to study?”
I wasn’t trying to push her away. In fact, I really liked the idea of going
out with her tonight. I just wanted her to be sure.
“No.” Her smile grew. “A certain someone told me to take it easy with
my studies.”
“Huh.” I pushed my tongue against the inside of my mouth, studying her
closely as I tried to figure out if she really wanted this. “You wanna go to
Dick’s again?”
“I was thinking of an actual restaurant. Or a nice bar. I know one you
might like.”
She was serious about this.
“You want it to be a date?” I asked, making sure we were on the same
page.
“Yeah, I mean…we got along nicely last week, right? I find you
intriguing. I’d love to get to know you better.” Her smile was genuine, and
for the first time in decades, I felt my heart do some little trick in my chest.
I needed a moment to think about it, then I stated the most obvious thing.
“I’m thirty-eight years older than you. I could be your damn grandfather.”
Her smile turned into a mischievous grin. “One of my dating criteria.”
She has to be messing with me, I thought, but the longer I stared at her,
the more I realized that she was serious.
I couldn’t say no.
She did intrigue me as well, and I’d be a damn fool to reject a smart and
beautiful girl like Kara.
“Alright. What’s the name of that bar?”
“Captain’s Bar. It’s near the lake and has an amazing view. We can go
somewhere else if you know a different one though.”
I shook my head. “I know Captain’s. Alright, let’s go there.”
I saw the excitement in her eyes, and maybe going out with a woman as
young as her wasn’t such a bad thing. After all, she was the one asking me
 www.aknovels.com

out in the first place, and she was also the first one to admit her attraction.
“Did you bring clothes to change into?” I then asked, realizing we’d be
going to that bar in our costumes.
“No, I only brought my coat. I guess going out as Santa and Elf is our
thing now,” she said with a smirk.
I didn’t mind.
Not when she was right there next to me looking like the most adorable—
no, like the sexiest elf in history.
 www.aknovels.com

CHAPTER SEVEN
KARA

I KNOW I SAID THAT GOING TO BARS DRESSED AS S ANTA AND E LF WAS OUR
thing, but I’d still really like to see him out of the Santa suit.
He took his belly and coat off like he had last weekend, but I still hadn’t
thought to bring a change of clothes with me. I knew it made more sense, but
by the end of each shift, I was too fucking exhausted to care.
So, here we sat with me in my full-on elf gear and him looking like a sexy
biker badass that just happened to be wearing Santa pants.
“You look cute when you’re lost in your head,” Charles said, pulling me
out of my thoughts.
I smiled at him and slowly moved my hand across the table to run my
fingers over his.
“It happens a lot,” I admitted, still running the tips of my fingers over his
until he turned his hand over and grabbed onto my hand, holding it still.
“About what?” he asked, gripping my fingers tighter.
“All sorts of things. Sometimes it’s my studies. Sometimes it’s the latest
medical news. After the pandemic hit, my mind just started to dive into all
the articles and research I could get my hands on.”
He frowned. He looked too damn handsome when he did that.
“Kids were extremely susceptible. Are extremely susceptible,” I
explained.
“Do you ever shut that brain off?” he asked in wonder.
“Not really. It’s hard. I mean, I try, but it’s always running at Mach speed
and I can’t make it stop,” I told him, and he shook his head.
“There are ways to shut your brain off, little elf.” The mischief in his eyes
had me rubbing my thighs together.
 www.aknovels.com

Oh, I was more than aware that there were ways to quiet my mind. I’d
just never been great at getting myself there. And hookups weren’t something
I did often.
“You’re blushing, Kara. Where did your mind just go?” He smirked,
squeezing my hand tighter as he moved our fingers together.
“Hmm,” I taunted. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Santa.”
His eyes darkened as he leaned over the table. When his neck was pressed
against my nose, his scent filled my nostrils, making me dizzy as he started
speaking into my ear.
“Naughty girls get spanked, little elf. I didn’t peg you for a naughty girl,”
he whispered.
I tried to hold back the groan his closeness had elicited, but it came out
anyway.
He chuckled, the soft vibrations of his throat grazing my lips.
Oh, that felt good. I pressed my lips against him harder, not giving it a
second thought.
“Jesus,” he grunted, nudging his nose against my ear before he pulled
back and sat again.
“I can be both naughty and nice, Charles.” I gave him a wicked grin,
loving when he licked his lips.
“Where did the quiet elf go?” he teased. It was clear he loved that I’d
opened myself up to him even in the tiniest of ways.
“She’s around.” I shrugged, smiling like a fool. “Something about you
just brings out the confidence.”
“I find that hard to believe. I think you’re always confident. You just have
a process to let someone past those barriers to see the real you,” he retorted as
he looked me dead in the eye.
Fuck. That was the closest anyone had gotten to understanding me, and
Charles barely knew me.
“You seem to have me all figured out while you’re still a mystery,” I
mentioned as I gave his hand a little squeeze.
“Now that is a blatant lie,” he retorted. “I’ve barely scratched the surface
on what makes you who you are.”
I smiled. “I guess that’s half the fun, right?” I asked, and he nodded.
“So I’ve heard.”
I blinked. “Heard. Sure,” I laughed.
“It’s true. I’m not saying I haven’t been around the block a few times.”
 www.aknovels.com

He smirked. “But I’ve never really had a relationship. Women don’t exactly
find a relationship with an old trucker appealing.”
I frowned. “That doesn’t make any sense. You’re home on weekends and
some nights, aren’t you?” I asked, curious how this would work if it went
past sex.
“I am now, but back then I was on the road traveling long distances. I was
rarely in town. Hell, I didn’t even bother with an apartment because I was
away so much. I just slept in my truck.”
“That sounds…lonely,” I admitted, feeling a little sad for him. I knew
what it felt like to be lonely.
“It was, but it was also the life I chose. I don’t have any regrets.” He
looked at me with a smile on his lips. “If I were married, I wouldn’t be here
right now. With you.”
I felt myself blush under his gaze. I loved the attention he was giving me,
and I wanted more of it.
I wanted so much more.
 www.aknovels.com

CHAPTER EIGHT
KARA

B Y THE TIME WE GOT THROUGH OUR MEAL , WE ’ D BEEN TEASING ONE ANOTHER
for over an hour, and my body was like one huge livewire. The second he
opened his car door and slid into his seat—after opening my door like the
exceptionally hot gentleman he was—I moved over the console to straddle
his lap.
“Shit,” he hissed out as his hands landed on my hips. “Kara,” he started,
but I shook my head.
“No. Now,” I demanded.
I saw a flash of something dark in his eyes before his mouth took mine in
a hard and demanding kiss that rocked me to my core.
Moaning into his mouth, my hands found their way to his jacket and
fisted the sides as I ground against him.
Charles grunted as his hands moved to my ass and gripped my cheeks
tightly.
“Fucking hell, little elf. You trying to kill an old man?” he grumbled
against my mouth, but I deepened the kiss again, needing more.
My tongue battled with his to the time of my rocking hips, seeking the
friction I knew I needed.
Fuck, he felt so goddamn good. I loved the feel of his beard against my
chin and his fingers digging into my ass. It was incredible.
“You’re not that old,” I teased when I pulled back to nibble his lower lip.
“Hmm, being older definitely has its advantages,” he said, his hand going
into my hair and pulling. “Some of them you’re not even aware of yet, Kara.
Be careful, little elf. I may just use my experience to teach you a valuable
lesson in orgasm denial.”
 www.aknovels.com

I whimpered then as I watched the darkness in his eyes turn into a storm I
wanted to drown in.
“Not tonight, Santa. Please don’t make me wait the first time,” I fake
cried, pouting for effect.
He chuckled, nipping my lip as he pulled my hair tighter. His other hand
still had a death grip on my ass. I felt him everywhere, yet it still wasn’t
enough.
“First time? Sure, I can agree to that.” The smirk on his face said he had
something naughty in mind, and I knew I’d both hate and love it just with the
promise that look held.
He kissed me again, tilting my head back and pushing his tongue deeper
into my mouth, making me writhe on top of him.
“Fuck, you taste delicious, little elf,” he croaked when he broke the kiss.
“Mmm, I could say the same about you, Santa,” I teased, rolling my hips
into his now hard cock.
He wasn’t small, that’s for sure. I’d been with a few guys that you
couldn’t even feel through their pants when they were hard, so this was going
to be a welcome change.
“Get back in your seat and be a good girl while I get us back to your place
in one piece,” he grunted, and I sighed before getting back into my seat.
Once we were on the road, he moved his hand to my thigh and pulled it
toward him to open my legs.
“Keep them open, and let me play, Kara. If you do, I’ll reward you with
my tongue later.” He said it like he hadn’t already planned on it, but we both
knew better.
At one point over dinner, he’d leaned over the table to whisper how he
couldn’t wait to fuck me with his tongue until I was a quivering mess.
“Yes, Daddy,” I said, the words falling from my lips without a thought.
“Fuck!” He groaned as his hands tightened on the steering wheel and my
thigh. “You’re such a goddamn tease, baby. You know that?”
The hand on my thigh moved upward until his fingers found the seam of
my green leggings, making me cry out from the simple contact.
“Christ, you’re soaked through already.” His fingers kept playing with
me, pressing harder into my clit as he drove, but it wasn’t enough to send me
over the edge.
By the time we reached the parking lot to my apartment, I was panting
hard, and more turned on than I’d ever been in my life.
 www.aknovels.com

“You sure you want me to come up with you?” Charles asked after he
parked and removed his fingers from me.
“Yes, I’m sure.” I was. God, was I ever. I needed to feel this man in every
single way.
If he left me like this, I knew my toys wouldn’t satisfy me no matter how
hard I went at them.
“It’s okay if you want to back out.” His fingers gripped my chin and
pulled my attention to his face. I could smell my arousal mixed with the scent
of him, and it was making me dizzy, but I did my best to focus.
“No,” I said again, and he smirked.
“Promise me one thing,” he asked, and I nodded.
“Of course.”
“If you need to stop this at any time, for any reason, you can. Just say red,
and everything stops.” He held eye contact the entire time he spoke. I could
tell how serious he was, and it just made me want him hard.
“Deal. Now, Santa, are you going to fuck me from naughty to nice and
make me your good girl?”
 www.aknovels.com

CHAPTER NINE
CHARLES

H ER APARTMENT WASN ’ T AS SMALL AS SHE MADE IT OUT TO BE . F OR A SINGLE

woman still in college, it was definitely more than most other students had.
Though, Kara was one of the few students who worked their asses off to
afford an apartment.
She explained to me that she’d rather have an apartment where she could
focus on her studies instead of sharing a dorm with someone else who would
only stand in her way of reaching her goals.
“Would you like something to drink?” she asked as we walked into the
living room.
“No, thank you,” I said, feeling my dick twitch at the sight of a baby blue
bra on the couch.
“That’s, uh…” She laughed softly and grabbed it quickly, hiding it from
me behind her back. “Had I known there would be a handsome Santa
standing in my living room this morning, I would’ve cleaned up around
here.”
My jaw tightened as I let my eyes wander over her body.
I wanted those clothes off.
“Come here.”
Her eyes widened for a moment, showing off nervousness as if we hadn’t
just made out like hungry cavemen in the damn car.
She took a step toward me, and I grabbed her hips to pull her against me.
“Don’t get all shy on me now, Kara. You’ve already shown me how
naughty you are, and I want to give you the opportunity to show me just how
nice you can be.” I moved my hands to her ass, gripping it tightly before
lifting one hand to cup her face. “You gonna do what I say, little elf? Gonna
 www.aknovels.com

behave?”
Her eyes were wide, staring into mine with a fire burning bright inside of
them.
A small nod was all I needed from her, and I took her mouth again to
taste that sweetness.
With my one hand still on her ass, I pulled her off the floor to have her
legs wrapped around my waist.
She clung to me as our tongues curled around each other, and she let go
of the bra she was holding, letting it fall to the ground behind me.
Once I sat down on the couch with her on top of me, I pulled back to look
into her eyes.
“I wanna be inside you so fucking bad, but I need to be careful.”
She frowned, not understanding what I meant to say by that. She’d find
out soon enough, though.
I leaned in to kiss her again, and as I deepened the kiss, I moved my hand
under her sweater.
She moaned as my fingers grazed the underside of her tits, and because I
didn’t hold back on things when I knew exactly what I wanted, I cupped them
with both hands, rolling her nipples between my forefingers and thumbs.
“Oh!” She moaned into the kiss as her fingers dug into my hair, pulling
and tugging and attempting to be in control.
I wouldn’t let her take over. It was my turn first, and afterward, she could
do whatever she wanted to me.
I broke the kiss again, and we both breathed heavily, sweat already
building on my forehead.
I needed to take off all our clothes. Fuck, I needed her to be naked.
Moving fast, I made her lie on her back as I moved over her with one
hand still on her tit while I used the other to hold myself up.
“You can still opt out of this, baby,” I told her, and she surprised me by
rolling her pretty eyes at me.
“Just fuck me already!”
Her demand made me want to put her over my lap and spank her, but I
was way too damn amused–and way too damn hard already–to not move
forward and finally thrust into her.
Her clothes came off first, and mine followed close behind, piling up on
the floor next to the couch.
“Fuck,” I growled, my eyes moving all over her body.
 www.aknovels.com

“Do you like what you see?” she asked, but instead of sounding
confident, she sounded fairly nervous.
There was no need for her to be. She was beautiful.
I breathed out a laugh, placing both my hands on her waist and brushing
my thumbs along her skin. “You’re so fucking beautiful, Kara. And not just
on the outside.”
Her lips curled into a gentle smile, and she tilted her head to the side as
her eyes twinkled with an emotion I couldn’t quite read.
Gratitude, maybe?
Or surprise?
Either way, she must not have heard those words before. Or at least, in a
while.
I could tell she wanted to say something, but I didn’t want her to.
Therefore, I lowered myself over her to kiss her again and continued to
explore her body with my hand.
Her skin felt incredible underneath my fingertips, and I loved caressing
every curve of hers.
Once my fingers reached her thigh, I pulled her legs apart to position
myself between them.
I trailed kisses down to her neck, sucking on her soft skin and feeling her
pulse against my lips.
Her breath caught every now and then, letting me know that she liked
what I was doing.
I felt the heat coming from her pussy, and with my hand lingering close to
her wetness, I had to give her some more attention.
My fingers grazed the inside of her thigh, and moving them up more, I
finally slid my fingers through her slit.
“So fucking wet. Is this how I make you feel, little elf?”
She nodded, moaning again and lifting her hips to feel more of my
fingers.
“Have you noticed how you make me feel?” I asked, pressing my dick
against her thigh.
She nodded again, and she finally reached between us to wrap her hand
around my base.
“You’re so big,” she praised, licking her lips to show me that she wanted
a taste.
I smirked and pressed another kiss to her neck, then moved further down
 www.aknovels.com

to pull one of her nipples into my mouth.

It’s been a while since I’ve been inside a woman, but I could only
imagine how tight she’d be.
And by pushing two fingers inside of her pussy, my theory was proven to
be right.
 www.aknovels.com

CHAPTER TEN
KARA

C HARLES WAS TOUCHING ME ALL OVER , KISSING ME ALL OVER , AND MAKING
me feel incredible with his fingers moving in and out of me.
He had pushed two inside, curling them to rub against my walls and
sending sparks through my whole body.
I loved the way he touched and kissed me, but I wanted him to fuck me.
Thrust into me recklessly and without mercy.
He was being careful, though I knew he wanted to go harder.
“Charles,” I croaked out with my head thrown back. “Please, fuck me. I
want you to fuck me.”
He had heard me say those words before, but this time, it did something
to him.
He pulled his fingers out of my pussy, then he lifted his hand and cupped
my throat with it–digging his fingers into my skin.
My eyes were on his again, and I had to hold my breath as he tightened
his grip around my neck.
“Sure you’re ready for that, baby? Thought you wanted me to go down on
you first.”
I managed to shake my head. I wanted to tell him again. Tell him to fuck
me, but I couldn’t.
“No?”
No.
God, just fuck me!
He laughed, mocking me while I had no chance to say or do anything.
Then, finally, he moved his hand and reached between us to grab his
cock, directing it to my entrance until his tip nudged against it.
 www.aknovels.com

“Is this what you want?”

“Yes.”
He raised a challenging brow at me. “What’s that?”
“Yes, please, Charles!” I cried, lifting my hips in an attempt to get him to
finally push inside of me. “Fuck me. I want you to fuck me senseless!”
He didn’t expect me to say that, and to be fully honest, I hadn’t either.
I often surprised myself with my own words, but I was glad I could be
this open and confident when it came to sex.
I wanted to smack that smirk off his face, but I decided it was not going
to help me get what I wanted.
If I had taken the upper hand and done whatever I wanted right now, he’d
quickly put me in my place.
We were both dominant, but I had already indirectly offered for him to
take over this time.
My turn would come, though.
He leaned in to kiss me, pulling my bottom lip between his teeth and
nibbling on it hard to make me moan again.
When he then pulled back, he moved up to tower over me with his dick
still positioned at my entrance.
He was teasing me–knowingly–and he enjoyed it.
It was torture.
A low chuckle sent shivers down my spine, and just as I thought he was
going to keep torturing me, he finally thrust into me without a damn warning.
He filled me out, making my walls stretch around him and squeeze him
so hard that I felt the veins along his length press against my inside.
“FUUUCK!” he groaned, pushing more inside me until his hips were
pressed against mine.
He held my waist tightly, his fingers digging into my skin and his dick
pulsating inside of me.
I needed him to move, but I couldn’t find the right words. I was still in
shock at how much he was filling me out and at how good he was making me
feel, even if he wasn’t moving.
“Goddamn, little elf, you’re gonna kill this old man.”
I hoped not.
I had plans for this old man. Not just for today, but for as long as the
future would want us to be together.
He finally moved with his hands back on my hips, and he slowly pulled
 www.aknovels.com

back while I managed to take a deep breath.

“Holy shit,” I whispered, looking up at him with tearful eyes. “I knew
you’d feel incredible inside of me.”
His eyes met mine, and I saw the same emotions that I was feeling. A
smile broke out on his lips, and as he slowly pushed back into me, he said, “I
think I found my missing piece.”

CHARLES

She felt amazing.

Her warmth closing me in and keeping me so damn close was something
I had longed for but never imagined I’d find.
I was old–way older than this magical little elf–yet I got blessed with her.
No damn clue how I got so damn lucky, but I was glad Kara took the first
step and made me take her out for that first drink.
Being inside of her was like euphoria.
I wanted to keep feeling this way forever, but all good things had to come
to an end.
Temporarily, at least.
I thrust into her while keeping a steady rhythm as we kept looking into
each other’s eyes.
“Charles.” She said my name as the softest moan escaped her.
“Yes, baby?” My voice was breathy, and I wondered how I still had that
much stamina to keep fucking her like this.
“Take me to my bedroom.”
I didn’t think the couch was that uncomfortable, but I knew she wanted
me to take me to her bed because it had a whole different meaning.
This wasn’t just a one night stand.
I’d be returning to her apartment again, and I also wanted her to come to
my home sometime.
With her still inside of me, I got up from the couch and made her wrap
her legs around me before I walked in the only direction I knew rooms would
be.
“Left,” she whispered, leaning her forehead against mine as I walked
down a hallway.
I entered her bedroom and went straight to the bed, where I sat down on
 www.aknovels.com

the side of it before sliding all the way to the middle of it–with Kara still
straddling my lap and my dick still inside of her tightness.
I looked at her after we both adjusted, and I brushed back her hair to see
her beautiful face. “Show me just how naughty you are, little elf. Ride me.
Make me come in this tight pussy. After that, I will show you just how good
of a girl you are.”
 www.aknovels.com

CHAPTER ELEVEN
KARA

H ELL . Y ES .
There was no need to tell me twice.
I wiggled around, adjusting to how deep he was inside of me this way,
and fuck did I love it.
“That’s it, baby. Move those hips for me. Christ,” he grunted when I
circled my hips as I pulled myself up a bit before dropping back down.
He felt so damned good I never wanted this to end.
“You’re so deep like this,” I panted as I lifted myself higher and slowly
slid back down. “It’s incredible.”
His hands moved to my hips and started lifting me up and down to the
tempo he desired. His one hand then moved between us, using his thumb to
stroke my clit in hard, determined swipes.
“Fuck, yes, little elf. You feel that?” he grunted, thrusting his hips upward
and making me scream.
“Yes, Daddy! Oh! Fuck me, Santa!” I knew my words weren’t all that
coherent, but he seemed to get me just the same.
“That’s it, baby. Take this cock deep into your sweet cunt and come for
me,” he groaned, ordering me to fuck him hard and fast.
I dug my nails into his chest and leaned down to kiss him hard as my hips
started an erratic rhythm.
I could feel my desire coiling inside my belly as he hit that spot deep
inside of me with every thrust of his hips.
“Fuck,” he whispered, thrusting his tongue deep into my mouth as he
moved the other hand on my hip into my hair.
The bite of pain combined with his tongue and thumb caused me to
 www.aknovels.com

shatter on top of him.

“OH, MY GOD! PLEASE! Yes, Santa, YES!”
“Jesus Christ, little elf. You’re squeezing me so goddamn tight. Fuck!”
He thrust up into me once more before I felt his spend empty inside of me,
triggering aftershocks of the best orgasm of my life.
Once the desire started subsiding, I fell onto Charles, fighting to catch my
breath as he moved us down the bed.
He gently slid out of me and rolled us onto our sides, so he could pull me
into his chest.
“Fuck, Kara. That was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced,” he
admitted.
If I wasn’t so exhausted, I’d smile. “Same, Charles. Honestly, I feel like
I’ve missed out on what sex really is until tonight.”
It wasn’t an admission I made lightly, but it was so fucking true. The
guys I’d used to sate off my desire before had nothing on this man holding
me close.
“You’re also really good at snuggling.” I giggled at my own words,
making him huff out a laugh of his own.
“Hey, baby?” he said, sounding guarded. “I don’t want to ruin the high of
the moment, but uh… are you on anything?” he questioned.
Shit. I hadn’t even thought to mention that beforehand. Odd considering
I’ve never not used a condom before.
“I’m safe. I would never chance having to put school on hold.”
It’s true. While I’d possibly like to be a mother someday, I wanted to get
through medical school first. Preferably even some of my residency, but that
was slightly easier. I didn’t want to be a surgeon, so my residency wouldn’t
be nearly as strenuous as it could have been if I’d chosen a different field of
medicine.
“Good girl. I’m clean, by the way. I haven’t had sex without a condom in
a long fucking time, little elf,” he said, and that did make me smile.
“I feel special, then.” I nibbled at his chest. “I’m clean too. You’re the
first person I’ve ever gone without.”
A content sigh rumbled in his chest as he reached behind him to shut off
the lamp beside the bed.
“You’re something special, Kara. Thank you for letting me be a part of
your light.”
I purred and curled into his arms as sleep started to pull me under.
 www.aknovels.com

“Thank you for seeing me, Charles. You’re the first.”

“Always, little elf. Fucking always.”
 www.aknovels.com

EPILOGUE
KARA

O NE Y EAR L ATER …

If you’d told me last year that I would have been back at the mall this
Christmas, I wouldn’t have been surprised. Probably would have said you
were being obvious.
But if you’d told me I would be back as Mrs. Claus, I would have laughed
at you. No one saw this coming when the mall Santa let his heart melt enough
to give a cold, little elf a ride home so she didn’t have to wait for the bus.
I would have been wrong, though. Not only did I hook up with Santa, I
married him.
It hadn’t taken either of us long to realize what we felt wasn’t something
you came across every day, and we grabbed on with both hands and didn’t let
go.
“Excuse me,” a little voice said, pulling me from my thoughts.
I looked down at the child before me, and smiled. I knew him.
“Hello, what can I do for you?” I asked cheerfully, kneeling down so I
was level with him.
I remembered Tommy from last year. How could I possibly forget him
when he melted my heart so profoundly last year by giving me his trust.
Something like that was hard to forget.
Tommy looked wary and confused, even looked toward his mother before
focusing back on me.
“I had a friend here last year,” he began. He tilted his head to watch me
when I smiled.
“You did? That’s wonderful! Do you remember her name?” I questioned.
 www.aknovels.com

“Her name was Kara.” His voice was quiet. “Do you know where she is?”
My heart ached with love for the little guy. The fact my kindness had
made such an impact in his life was something I’d never take for granted.
And just one more reason why I knew I was getting into the right career.
“Actually, Tommy, I do.” I winked when he gasped in shock that I knew
his name.
I looked beside me at Charles dressed as Santa, and though he was
smiling, I could see the fire in his eyes. He loved watching me interact with
kids.
“You do?”
“Mhm, I do. Want to know a secret?” I then asked him, giggling like it
was too secret to tell him.
“YES!” he squeaked, making his mom and Santa chuckle with me. His
excitement was contagious.
“I’m Kara.”
He looked at me with doubt, and called me out on my bullshit the way
only a little kid could.
“Kara was an elf. You’re not an elf.” He studied me. “You kind of look
like her, though. If you’re Kara, why are you dressed as Mrs. Claus?”
See, this direct and straightforward approach was a reason I loved kids so
much. They didn’t lie and think over their words the way adults did to try and
manipulate their thoughts to please others. They were just them.
“Hmm, do you know what happens when two people fall in love?” I
asked him, hoping he would say the generic thing kids usually did in order to
make life easier.
His mom was wearing a wedding set on her ring finger, so I felt confident
he’d answer the way I wanted him to.
“They get married!” he said confidently, making me smile.
“Some do, yep!” I didn’t want him to believe that everyone got married
because some people just never wanted to, so I tried to be open and honest as
I could without upsetting whatever his parents had taught him.
“Okay?” He didn’t look convinced.
“Well, when Santa and I were here last year, we fell madly and deeply in
love,” I explained, and his little brain did the rest.
“Ooohhh! So you got married and now you’re Mrs. Claus?” he then
asked, and I nodded.
“You got it! Good job, Tommy. You’re so smart!”
 www.aknovels.com

He giggled, then threw his arms around my neck to give me a bear hug
that melted my heart even more.
“Thank you for remembering me,” he whispered into my ear before he
pulled back and walked over to his mom. “Merry Christmas Santa and Mrs.
Claus!”
“Merry Christmas, Tommy!” we both said together as Santa reached out
to squeeze my hand.
Life was good.

CHARLES

“Ready to go home?” Kara asked as she entered the backroom where we kept
our coats.
I had just taken off the Santa hat and was about to put my scarf on, but
the sight of my beautiful baby wearing that way too sexy costume made me
stop in my tracks.
I didn’t have enough time observing her as we were working, but now
that we were done and people had left, I had all the time in the world.
“Are you in a hurry?”
“No, why?”
“Because you can’t seem to get out of here quick enough. Come here,” I
demanded, holding out my hand for her to take.
Once she slid hers in mine, I pulled her toward me and wrapped my other
arm around her waist, then I pressed a kiss to her lips.
A small moan escaped her, and I pulled back to look into her eyes again.
“You drive me crazy in this damn costume. You should wear it around the
house from now on.”
Kara laughed, with her head thrown back, and her nose curled. “You’re
crazy.”
“And you’re a fucking dream. Fuck, baby, I want to push you up against
this wall and fuck you so hard.”
She shivered in my arms, which only made the decision to take her right
here easier.
“I don’t think we can–”
“Oh, baby, you know damn well that we can. Haven’t we discussed this
before? When I say strip, you better stand in front of me naked in less than
 www.aknovels.com

fifteen seconds.”
I was being dead-serious, but for some damn reason, my sexy wife was
amused.
I raised a brow at her, taking a step forward to push her up against the
lockers behind her.
A thud echoed in the room, and I gripped her hips tightly before pulling
her up until she wrapped her legs around me. “You think I’m playing?”
“Of course not,” she replied immediately, her brows furrowed.
“Then take me seriously. ‘Cause, baby, I’m about to fuck you so
senseless.”
It took only a few seconds to rip those tights off of her, and after pushing
up her skirt, I managed to single-handedly unzip my pants and push them
down my hips–including my boxer briefs.
Without waiting for her to adjust, and without using spit to wet my dick, I
slid right into her pussy.
To my luck, she was dripping wet.
“OH!” She cried out and gripped my shoulders, digging her nails into
them.
Her forehead was pressed against mine, and we looked into each other’s
eyes as if our lives depended on the other.
This wasn’t going to take long. My dick was already throbbing like crazy.
“Charles, holy shit!”
“I never tell lies, baby. Told you I’d fuck you senseless.”
I grabbed her ass with one hand to hold her up, and with my other hand, I
reached between us to rub her swollen clit.
My grunts got louder, and though the janitor was probably the only other
person in the mall this late at night, I didn’t care if he’d hear us.
If he did, he knew to leave us alone.
“Come for me, little elf,” I encouraged as her pussy tightened around me,
her walls squeezing my cock so hard I almost exploded.
“I–” She tried her hardest to form words.
“What’s that, baby?”
“I’m not Mrs. Claus tonight?” she finally managed to say, and I huffed a
laugh as I thrusted harder into her.
“You’re Mrs. Claus when I make love to my wife. Right now, I’m
fucking my naughty little elf.”
She liked hearing that, and as if I had said some magic words, she started
 www.aknovels.com

circling her hips in the most sexy way ever.

“Fuuuck, yes,” I groaned, rubbing her clit harder. “Come. I want those
sweet juices all over me, baby.”
A few more thrusts and strokes, and she exploded in my arms at the same
damn moment my cum filled her pussy.
Her body went limp, and she rested her head on my shoulder as she tried
her hardest to breathe, and I kept moving my hips to ride out our orgasms.
“That was—”
“Shhh, I know. Let it all settle. Take deep breaths,” I encouraged her.
If you had told me one year ago that I’d be married to the cute little elf
who kept looking my way, I would’ve laughed.
One year ago, I had no faith in anything connected to love. But Kara
changed everything for me.
We fell in love fast and hard, and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other
way.
She was mine for now and forever, and I was ready for whatever our
future had in store for us.
I was the luckiest damn Santa alive, because I had found the naughtiest
girl in existence.
 www.aknovels.com

ABOUT SEVEN RUE

For everything about Author Seven Rue, click the link below!

https://linktr.ee/sevenrue
 www.aknovels.com

ABOUT CASSIE HARGROVE

Cassie Hargrove is an author of all things romance. She is a stay at home mom of three crazy kids.
Seven year old autistic twins, and a sassy four year old that 100% takes after her mother.

She lives in a small town with her husband and children, three cats and a dog. Writing is something
she’s enjoyed her entire life. It brings an element of calm into the chaos of life.

Newsletter
 www.aknovels.com

ALSO BY SEVEN RUE

All books are available on her website HERE

Desire Series
Single Dad, Age Gap Romances

Undisclosed Desire
Burning Desire

Why Choose/RH
Echo
- Echo: Hunting Season

Forbidden Romance

When October Starts

- Serendipity

Falling for Two

Fifty-Six
His Intern
Her Bikers

Taboo

Birdie (Baby Bird & Forbidden)

The Way We Get By

Extremely Taboo Romance

Raw
- White Fox

- Fever Dream

Comatose
- The Harbor
 www.aknovels.com

Azula
Fiamma
Blue Malibu
Genesis
- Amos

Home (A Genesis, Echo Crossover)

Sex Tape
Sex Tape 2
Sex Tape 3 (Coming Soon)
Depravity (Co-Write with Cassie Hargrove)
- The Art of Freedom and Growth (Co-Write with Cassie Hargrove)
 www.aknovels.com

ALSO BY CASSIE HARGROVE

Suited Up Daddies
1: Daddy’s Naughty Secretary
2: Daddy’s Little Novice
3: Daddy’s Proper Present
4: Daddy’s Precious Rose
5: Daddy’s Sexy Sub
6: Daddy’s Perfect Pair
Box Set with Bonus Novella

Serenity Stables
A Daddies and Doms Series

1: The Freedom of Safety

2: The Feeling of Home
3: The Power of Acceptance (Coming S00n)

Connerton Academy
(A College Paranormal Reverse Harem Romance)

1: Freshman Firsts
2: Sophomore Secrets
3: Junior Justice
4: Senior Sacrifices

The Revenge Diaries

(A Series of Dark/Very Dark Standalones)

1: Trick or Revenge
2: Beautiful Revenge (Original and Less Triggering Versions)
3: Love’s Dark Revenge (Coming Summer 2023)

Standalones

Depravity: An Extremely Taboo Novel (Co-Write with Seven Rue)

The Art of Freedom and Growth (A Depravity Extended Epilogue) (Co-Write with Seven Rue)
 www.aknovels.com

The Deadly Seven

A Co-Write with Story Brooks
1: Obsession
2: Seduction
3: Devotion
4: Salvation

Erotic Shorts

Taken By Him
Intern-al Affairs
Bound To Him
Santa Daddy’s Naughty Baby

C ASSIE H ARGROVE WRITING AS A.L. R YAN

Roommates: A Dark Sapphic Romance (Coming Nov 7, 2022)

Forbidden Kinks

Book 0.5:
Still His (Re-releasing Soon)
Previously Published as Still by Cassie Hargrove