by Pixie Chica
I’m not sure how I feel about facing him just yet, but it’s inevitable because we need to come to terms with what’s happening at home. He comes over and Crystal stands as he reaches her. When he picks her up, I turn my head, not wanting to see that.
After they pull apart, his eyes fall on me and I give him a slight wave. “Brandie! Shit, I’ve been looking for you. It’s just I met Crystal and...”
“Nothing else mattered,” I say, finishing his sentence and glancing at Grace. “The same thing happened to me, so I get it.”
“Wait, how do you two know each other? I thought you played for the other team, or do you like it both ways? I don’t care either way, but I am not someone’s second choice.”
“I’ve already said you’re the only fucking woman I’ve ever noticed. That’s my sister.”
“Well, fuck,” is her response. “Sis, we need to talk, but I gotta take my girl out of here. Can we meet for coffee in the morning?”
I nod, knowing how much I want to get out of here with my own girl, and in a split second, they’re gone. “What are the odds?” Kent asks as he’d returned to the table in time for the revelation. “Siblings falling for my two best friends. You don’t have another that might be interested in me, do you? A hunk that’s not as crazy as him, nor as grumpy as you.”
“No, but I have a friend, well, he’s more like family. I could totally see you and him happening,” I reply, knowing full well they’d be perfect for each other.
“Oh yeah, well leave me out of it. My heart is not open for business...but out of curiosity, what is his name?”
“John Alexander.”
“His name alone sounds hot, but next year is all about Kent. No relationships.”
“How’s that any different than this year?” Grace asks. “Or the year before that? You’ve had one date the last three years.”
“You bitch. If I didn’t love you as much as I do... I like being single. Now get the fuck out of here. I see the way she keeps fidgeting and looking down your shirt when she thinks nobody is watching.” Then he turns to me and says, “You ain’t fooling no one. You want to eat that cookie and I’d rather it not be in front of me.”
Taking Kent’s advice, I take my girl home, a feeling so right I’m floating on air. Damn does it feel good to know she’s mine.
Chapter 7
Grace
HOLY SHIT, IT’S HAPPENING, I’m about to climb this woman like a tree. I thought it’d be a lot harder to get her to come to her senses, but now that we’re on the same page, I’m not backing down. Hell, I’d drag her ass to the courthouse right now if I could. I can’t wait to be Mrs... Shit, what’s her last name? Just goes to show how gone I am for her, ready to get married to a woman I know little about, aside from the fact that I love her.
“Give me two minutes. You go wait for me, naked, on my bed, Brandie.”
“Exactly what are you planning on doing to me?”
“You’ll see,” I say, blowing her a kiss before running into the bathroom where I yank my tank top over my head, thankful I had the forethought to wear sexy lingerie, the same outfit I purchased only hours within meeting her. If this number doesn’t get rid of whatever hang up she has against Christmas, I don’t know what will. My lace bra barely covers my nipples and the matching see-through panties hide nothing. Deciding to keep on the stockings and heels, I take a couple candy canes from my drawer and stick them in my pigtails. Taking a deep breath, I open the door and hope to hell I can pull off this seduction. “Are you ready for me baby?”
“Have been, now get your sexy ass out here,” she responds as I’m turning the corner, the moan leaving her when she sees me giving me instant satisfaction. “Fuck, you’re...fuck.”
“I take it you like it?” I ask and she nods. “Why are you still wearing panties?”
“I wasn’t sure how serious you were about that. I’m not great at this. It’s been a long time, so I’m fucking nervous as hell I might mess this up.” She licks her lips and my gaze zones in on it. Climbing over her, I push her to her back and straddle her, leaning forward until her breasts touch mine. Her breathing turns erratic and I bite my lip in anticipation.
“You don’t need to be. It’s just us. We want each other, we’ll figure out the rest along the way,” I say, kissing her softly as I move one hand above her head and use the other to push my panties to the side, so she can touch my aching pussy. “See how wet I am for you? It's been like that since I first saw you. My fingers aren’t enough.”
“Fuck, you feel so good,” Brandie whispers.
“I bet you’re just as needy for me,” I guess, letting go of her hands as I kiss her neck, then move to her rib cage, causing her to shiver. When I finally make contact with her core it’s like heaven, the moment so intimate and sensual. Needing more, I push two digits inside her, deeper, faster, making sure my strokes hit her clit every time.
“That’s it, baby, right there,” I moan out as she follows my lead. I’m seconds from coming, but I don’t want to stop. Fisting her hair, I slam my mouth on hers, the rhythm of our bodies faltering as we fall at the same time. Afterward, I lay on her as she holds me tight, my ear to her chest letting me hear how loudly her heart is beating.
“I think you’ve converted me.” I tilt my head in confusion and ask what she means. “If you wearing that number means I get to do that for the rest of my life, I’ll get one just like it.” Her words cause my heart to pick up speed and I ask if she means it. “Yeah, I’d buy it now.”
“The other part, the rest of your life thing,” I clarify, preparing myself in case she isn’t there yet and it was just a heat of the moment statement. Brandie grabs my wrist and pulls me back down, our faces inches away.
“I thought I’d made it clear I’m not letting you go. You’re it for me, Grace.”
“Good, because I plan on being...Mrs...What? Or did you want to take mine?” I can’t decipher her expression, but I do know she’s not telling me everything. Needing to get to the bottom of this, I ask her last name, realizing she’s never told me.
“We need to talk.”
“Those words are never good. Is it Scrooge? That’d be fitting.” This makes her laugh.
“You’re going to like what I have to say, but I’ll warn you now, it’ll sound crazy. I simply ask that you trust me.”
“That sounds ominous.” Sensing this may be a more serious conversation than I was expecting, I sit next to her and cross my legs, and she does the same. Her nervous demeanor is hyping my own anxiety.
“I came here to get away from my family, which is why my brother was looking for me.”
“Are you in trouble? I can help you with whatever it is.” I promise, trying not to panic. I can’t lose her.
“It’s nothing like that. Let me get it all out, then you can decide where we go from there.” That only makes the fear that my newfound happiness is about to slip through my fingers.
“Until recently, I lived for the cause, the greater good. My routine ruled everything, blinding me to what I truly needed. And when my parents put my brother in charge, I bolted. I admit now that it was a bit selfish as this is our busiest time of the year, but I didn’t care. After all I’d done, I felt as if they’d taken it from me. I can’t say I regret running away because I found you and I’d gladly do it again for that alone.”
Figuring she’s hit a spot that’s extra hard I hold her hand and squeeze it. “Whatever it is, I’ll always be by your side. Are you part of the mob or a group of vigilantes?” When she giggles, I’m glad I was able to give her even that small reprieve, yet I need to know the rest.
“Your imagination is pretty wild, but you’ll never guess what I’m about to tell you. I’m the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Claus. My dad is, was, Santa Claus. My brother, the one you met today, took over as his heir.”
Chapter 8
Brandie
Her jaw falls open, and my little chatterbox has finally become speechless. “You ok there? I need to know
you’re breathing baby.” I ask, hoping she isn’t going to call the looney house on me. Only she doesn’t do that and instead jumps up and into my lap with a strangling hug around my neck.
“I’m going to be Mrs. Motherfucking Claus, because we’re getting married right away. That’s not a question, and I’m not proposing. I am going to get that name added to mine right away and you just confessed to wanting forever with me.”
Happiness courses through me and I kiss her right in the middle of her spiel. “I fucking love you, and here I was worried you’d think I’m crazy.”
“No, you’re crazy in love with me, and I’m glad because I lost my heart to you from the start. Now when do I get to meet my in-laws, I got loads of questions. Oh. My. Gawd. Does that mean we’re going to the North Pole?”
Nodding my head, she bolts from my hold. “I have to tell Kent and to go to the shop. I have to get all my ducks in a row. Oh shit, I just got that big order in, I’ll have to tell them I can’t keep supplying it. I need a wedding dress.” She says a mile a minute and I have to pull her back to me. “Hey, we got plenty of time for all that, but about that shipment.”
“What about it?” She asks a bit confused that I know what she’s talking about.
“SC Inc, it’s Santa Claus Inc., my parents aren’t that inventive. I was the one who ordered all the ornaments. I didn’t realize it was you who made them until earlier when I saw the boxes in the closet.”
“What are the odds? I still can’t believe everything. I didn’t think you’d ever kiss me the way you were that first time, let alone fall in love with me.”
“And look, I did, no magic needed, not even Mistletoe.”
Now it’s her turn to look at me like she’s got something to hide, and I furrow my brow. “Wellllllll... There may have been a little Mistletoe. My full name is Grace Mistletoe Frost, my grandmother was allowed to name the children and let’s just say she had a sense of humor. So, you did have a little Mistletoe after all.”
THIS MORNING WAKING up to her in my arms after making love multiple times during the night I felt like a new woman. My only thought is to make her happy, and all the issues from my past becoming irrelevant in the presence of my true purpose. To love Grace until my last breath, and make love to her until she passed out from exhaustion and pleasure.
Yup, my life had done a complete turnaround, to the point I am even willing to forgive my brother. Although, I’ll have a long talk with him first and then let him off the hook. We’re going to need to find a common ground if we’re going to work together. I still want to be part of the whole operation, and after talking it over with Grace, we decided we wanted to make our life up in the North Pole. It wouldn’t have matter if she wanted to stay here, because where she called home is where I belong.
“You ready to go talk to him?”
“Yeah, it’s been a long time coming and I think we both need this closure, especially to move forward.” Taking the cup of coffee she brings me, I take my time to enjoy it before heading over to Crystal’s apartment. Outside is Kent looking like he’s seen something he much rather he didn’t.
“Hey is my brother inside? I don’t know if he came over to Crystal’s or not.” I ask.
“Oh, I’m sure he’s inside something and came all over that apartment. I don’t know what freaky shit he’s into but when I walk in to her screaming, ‘yessss Santa let me ride that candy cane’... Yeah, nope, I’m done. I’m not going in there until someone disinfects it.”
His words hit me, and I immediately shudder at the thought. The last thing I want to think about is my twin doing the deed with anyone, let alone using the Santa name for his sexcapades. As I’m trying not to hurl at the thought, the door unlocks, and out comes my brother shirtless and with a huge smile on his face.
“Well it looks like a party, come in! Crystal’s in the shower getting cleaned up.”
Kent gives him a once over with a scowl on his face. “Yeah, I’m sure she is, that dirty bird. And you, you better not have done anything indecent in my living room. I will throw holy water on you and I’m not even religious. Santa, pfft, of all the damn kinks you got the anti-Christmas demon to chant about candy canes and Santa dick. I half expected that from this one.” Realizing his mistake, at the mental image he has created he grimaces. “Ewww, now I got both of you in my mind. I can only imagine what kind of ex-rated North Pole porn shit you two got into. I need to go somewhere that isn’t going to ruin my pure eyes.” He says walking away still reprimanding us under his breath.
“What was that all about?” Joe asks genuinely curious.
“That, my new brother-in-law, was you scarring our best friend for life. He heard you two in the act and was less than amused. No worries, I get it, your sister here is beast too.”
“Ewwww, why just why?” He yells out.
“You’re welcome, baby. Now you two are even.” My feisty defender says going past him and into the apartment. Leaving us both equally disturbed and with no choice but to deal with each other.
“So...You found yourself someone. I’m happy for you.”
“Yeah, she’s the one. You know, I came down here, looking for you, and found her. She yelled at me, and I was a goner. It’s as if I was under a spell. I don’t even care about being Santa, I just want to be happy and make her happy.”
“I think this is the first time we’ve agreed on something in forever. Once I met Grace, everything else was secondary. I don’t know how we got to the point where you hated me so much, but I don’t want to keep fighting. We’re family and I don’t want to lose that.”
“I never hated you Brandie, is that what you thought this whole time?” He asks and I nod, confirming my feelings.
“Shit, I never realized that’s what you thought. I mean yeah, we had our fights, but I have always loved you. You’re my sister, my twin and that can never go away.” I can see he feels miserable about all the misunderstandings and I feel it too. That special bond we once shared coming back. He’s hurting and honestly, I have been too.
“We used to be close, when we were younger, always dreamed about running it together, and then I don’t know, we drifted apart.”
“Then you outshined me in every way and it made me mad. It was supposed to be us and there was just no competing with you. Instead of talking it out or trying to reach out to you, I closed you off. This wasn’t on you; it was all me.”
“What do you mean I outshined you? You never cared to be part of anything. I know I may have been an ass, but I won’t apologize for being me. You’re going to have to tell me what the heck you’re talking about?”
“You want the truth, Brands?” He asks calling me the old nickname he had for me. It has been years since he used it and a memory of us running down the workshop together comes to mind.
“Yes the truth, what else would I want?”
“I know it’s just been so long since you and I have been friends, it’s hard to get the words out. But I don’t want to say the wrong thing here and start another fight. You should be in the North Pole, not me. You were always the brighter one, the one with more spirit and definitely the one Dad saw running things. Ron never wanted to be up there, he used us as an excuse to get out of it. So, by default it came to me and I know how everyone thinks I’m wrong for the job.”
“You’re joking, right? Dad has always wanted you to take over. And I really don’t know what you're getting at. All of a sudden you think I’m some Christmas miracle worker, I thought I was dragging the organization down, and keeping it in the last century.”
“I told you, I was jealous, years ago I overheard Mom and Dad talking, and I know I shouldn’t have eavesdropped but, they made it clear. I was there only because of tradition. Ron had the smarts, you had the Christmas spirit, and I well... I was just the one who was going to get it without any effort. So I became what they thought of me. I just didn’t care to put any effort into it. I fucked up, Brands.” He says and I can the sincerity behind his eyes. Is this what ca
used all this? Is this why we drifted so far apart? Needing to know I ask him. He simply nods.
“Oh Joe, why didn’t you come to me? We are twins, I always knew when you were upset, but you wouldn’t open up to me. You don’t think I missed my brother? Although, I believe you heard a conversation that maybe might not have been what you perceived. Our parents love you, and always speak so highly of you.”
“I don’t know you seemed fine without me dragging you down.”
Pulling him into a hug I hold him tight. “You never dragged me down, I was missing a part of me. And I see that now, no more fighting. We don’t need Ron, or our parents’ opinions. We can run it together, bring a little bit of both of us.”
He kisses the top of my forehead. “Okay, no more fighting, but... I don’t promise to not beat your ass in a snow fight.”
“Um... we are in Florida, unless it’s a sand fight, it’s not happening.”
“I mean when we go back to the North Pole. We have to eventually.”
“True...that place can’t function without us. But, um...how open are you to having Kent come with us. From what I gather, these two girls are his only family.”
“I’m gonna need all the backup I can get so Crystal doesn’t lose her shit when she finds out the place she’s been lobbying against actually exists. Although, with the earlier incident, he might want to kill me.”
“Good luck, you’re going to need it.”
Chapter 9
Brandie
Christmas Eve - North Pole...
“OH MRS. CLAUS, WHERE are you?” I call out to my wife. Wife, I can’t even believe those words are true. When my brother suggested the double wedding last night at the little chapel, I jumped right in wanting to give my wife her wish. Be Mrs. Claus before Christmas. What better way to start out new life up here than to be married with my one? We left Florida within a couple days, although it didn’t go over so well with Grace’s brother. He thought his sister had finally gone Christmas Crazy when she told him she was going to be Mrs. Claus. We promised we’d pay him a visit once the holiday season was over, and that seemed to calm him a bit.