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CHAPTER TWO
JUNIPER
When my not-so-sistersuggested a charity mission for Christmas, I wasn't sure how to take the suggestion. She suffered a loss and I was intent on staying by her side, but she gave me a not-so-subtle push anyway. That’s what not-so-sisters did.
We were born to different families, though I mourned when she lost hers, too. I even tried to counsel her on the sweetheart she moped on about, or rather, I counseled her against him, but she remained certain that if she asked himonce more,he’d miraculously return home to her.
I doubted it.
But then Zander Klauss—another Klauss brother—blipped up on my radar, and off I was pushed. Was I too cheerful around Holly? Did I need something more to occupy my time?
Nope. As it turned out there wassomeoneI needed to occupy, and taking on Mister Miserly Grumpy Pants might actually be a fun Christmas week activity.
It wasn’t like I had a job, and my only family, Holly—or at least who I considered family—was pining over the soldier who hadn’t made the trip back home to see her.
Maybe sweethearts didn’t last forever, although I would have put an exorbitant amount of moolah on Keegan Klauss and Holly Douglas getting together as soon as he came home.If heever came to see her.
“Why are you so eternally cheerful?” Zander bitched behind me.
“Because uniform, helloooo?” I called, throwing him a slightly snarky grin over my shoulder and wiggling my stripey tush for good measure.
I heard about how Zander Klauss locked himself away from the world one year out of the blue, away from his family, existing in a castle of diamonds and gold, or in this case, San Diego's most preeminent address. It wasn’t like I didn’t understand families that fell apart. I had a not-sister who sported a different last name to mine after all.
“So, if I strip that costume off you...” he started slowly, his gaze raking over me in a way that could only mean trouble. Heat lingered there as his dark eyes hooded.
My heart stumbled as my elf costume constricted around my chest and throat. Heast flushed over my breasts, leaving me tingling in a dire state of need from a single look. I blinked. What the hell was wrong with me? I worked for the man, dressed as an elf. For the first time I wondered if I hadn't poked the bear a little too hard on the spanking front. I meant it as a joke, for heaven’s sake. Well, mostly.
Zander Klauss was out of my league. I wasnotinterested in pitching a relationship to a self-made billionaire. The season might be silly, but it wasn’tthatsilly.
“Then I'd have a very icy...elvish behind.” I recovered my humor and threw the words back at him. A flash of red around knee-level drew my attention. I grinned at a child so rugged up in a puffer jacket, mitts, muff and scarf that I could barely see a face.
Shrugging at Zander’s snort, I waved my fingers under the kid’s nose and magicked a candy cane out of thin air. Well, from behind my fingers, but who’s counting?
“Can you do other magic tricks too? You really do belong in a circus,” he added, just to be an ass, I suspected.
“I can pull plenty out of my ass, Mister Klauss. And I’d happily join your circus.” I tapped a finger to my chin, staring up at the marle gray clouds and pretended to think. “Oh wait, I already did that. And here we are.” I waved my hands in a broad circle, ignoring the huff of laughter from a random parent situated behind me and waved a candy cane under Zander’s nose, too. Just because I could.
I smiled cheerfully the entire time.
“Touche, Chief Elf.” Zander shook his head.
The hours passed in banter as we worked with the kids until the sky darkened and the already chilly day turned icy.
“All right, Santa, you’re done for the day.” The last over-swaddled child groaned as his parent towed him away.
I watched them leave, holding firm to my smile and refusing to let the moment trigger me. Just because I had no one to go home to didn’t mean I couldn't enjoy the sight of other people celebrating with theirs. I had plenty, including a roof over my head every night, even if my aged apartment hosted a single person. Maybe I should get a cat?
“Thank fucking Christ for that.” Zander stretched his shoulders and something in his neck popped. “Damn. That’s better. What do you do now?” His question appeared to surprise both of us.
I blinked at him. “What?”
“Well, do you go home, have a husband of children of your own to keep you awake or warm at night?”
My blink became a hard stare as I willed the heat rising around my too-tight collar back down. Zander didn’t back down from the challenge he’d set himself, and for the life of me, I could swear he was interested in the answer. Not interested in me, because that would be ridiculous.
Like, laughingly ridiculous.
I was his pet for the season, nothing more. A fun distraction before he returned to his billionaire cave and I...well. We both understood the unspoken situation for what it was, and I swore to myself I’d make the man crack a full smile and maybe even earn a deep belly laugh before Christmas came to a close for the year. I mean, a girl has to have goals.
