A Very Furry Christmas

Jason hovered at the edge of the festivities trying his best to avoid inebriated fans and failing miserably. These events simply weren't his style. He preferred a little one-to-one action on his down time.

"Could I get a photo with you, please Jason?" Another heavily made-up blonde slung an arm around his waist, whilst her camera wielding friend tottered over next to them.

"Sure." What else could he do but pose and accept the invasion of his personal space when these supporters paid his wages. This was part of the job and the reason he tended not to mix business with pleasure. Who these people thought he was, and the real Jason Lewis were two different people?

"Jason, could you sign this for me?" Without the safety glass of the arena around to shield him, shirts and game programs were thrust at him for his autograph.

A lot of the guys thrived on the mostly female attention, but he'd encountered too many shallow women along that road to get drawn in. He couldn't afford to have his private life out in the public domain when they were only interested in him for his fame. His sexual partners needed to have something in common with him. A deeper connection than an interest in hockey.

Oddly enough, the one person he thought would have clung to him all night didn't appear the least bit interested in him. At the hospital, Caitlin had given him the impression she would have jumped his bones given half a chance. He worried he'd be tempted since she'd been on his mind since the second she touched him.

Tonight, however, she definitely didn't have the same celebrity fetish as these other girls going from player to player. If anything, she'd displayed a distinct look of boredom throughout the evening.

His ego took a knock at her impassive hands. Okay, his military style buzz cut, and broken-once-too-often nose didn't scream movie idol, but he kept in shape, and didn't understand her sudden change of heart. He should be grateful, he supposed. It would save him having to turn down any proposition which happened his way. Except he couldn't take his eyes or mind off her when they were standing in the same room.

She stood out from the crowd and he watched as she moved back to stand with her friend. The green velvet dress she wore, nipped in at the waist and stopping short enough to show off shapely pins, made her look every inch the Irish Colleen. Especially teamed with the luscious waves of red hair tumbling down to her shoulders. He wondered if she had a temper to match and if it would be possible to tame it.

His wayward thoughts travelled south of his belt buckle and he fought hard to focus them somewhere safer. Abandoning the inane chatter going on around him, Jason decided it was time for another beer.

"Is everyone all right for drinks?" Apparently a glutton for punishment, he butted in on the gathering at the bar, but Nev and his lady friend raised their full glasses. "What about you, Caitlin?" It would have been rude not to offer. "Not for me, thanks. I'm gonna head home." She yawned and hiked the strap of her bag onto her shoulder.

Perhaps it was her sudden lack of interest and his curiosity around the change of attitude towards him, but as she made to leave, panic gripped him. If she walked out now, he might never see her again and she fascinated him in a way nobody had for a very long time.

"Don't go."

They all stared at his outburst and he tried to salvage his dignity. "I mean, you can't leave before Santa comes."

"That's right. If you stick around, me and Jase are reprising our roles for one night only." Nev jumped in to save his blushes or humiliate him further, depending on which way he looked at the situation.

Unless he was imagining it, he was sure Caitlin's green eyes flashed with amber fire at the prospect. "Maybe I'll stay for a bit longer."

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An unexpected surge of relief crashed over him as he anticipated spending the rest of the night here in her presence.

"Yay!" The brunette hanging off Nev's arm let go of him long enough to hug Caitlin.

"Um, maybe you should go get changed." Caitlin's renewed interest both confused and thrilled him. Tonight, she no longer seemed the hearts and flowers type of girl he was wary of. Perhaps the night wouldn't be a complete loss after all if he'd found someone who could handle what he had to give.

****

Caitlin soon sobered up at the prospect of Santa bringing her everything she wanted for Christmas. I really do believe. Shannon applied a fresh coat of lip gloss and fluffed her hair while they waited. "I can't wait to sit on Santa's lap."

"Personally, I'm looking forward to a one on one with his not-so-little helper." Caitlin puckered up for some lip action too and grabbed the tube of gloss from her friend. She'd had enough Dutch courage to at least make her move. If he turned her down, hopefully she'd get so wasted she wouldn't remember.

A round of drunken jeers and applause heralded the men's return. The stampeding herd of desperate women eager to get up close and personal with their idols, left Caitlin and Shannon trailing in their wake and they ended up at the back of the line for the present giving.

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"Hurry up, love." Shannon harangued any woman she deemed to be milking their time with Santa.

Caitlin figured by the meager gift of candy canes handed out, the whole selling point was the meet and great with the players, but she understood Shannon's impatience.

That plush suit of pure tactile decadence called to her like silk sheets to a playboy bunny. Imagining the soft clouds of fluff caressing her naked skin turned her on to such a degree it forced her to cross her legs and prevent the evidence trickling down her inner thigh.

"My turn." Shannon stalked up to the tinsel draped chair giving Santa her sultriest look. Not that she needed to. Nev patted his lap like an excited schoolboy and Shannon jumped on.

"You could be waiting a while." She passed her candy cane to Caitlin, but she wouldn't be pacified so easily.

"I'd prefer to receive my gift from the qualified personnel if you don't mind." Caitlin set her sights on Jason and refused to budge until he got the message. "I get the distinct impression Santa ditched me for a better offer. I didn't even get to sit on his knee." She sucked on the tip of the candy.

"We can't have anyone feeling left out now, can we?" Jason pulled up a chair to sit down. "Now little girl, what would you like for Christmas?" Finally, he was getting with the program as his wicked grin matched hers.

Sitting astride him, Caitlin took time to study the man inside the suit for the first time, and found his soulful brown eyes warmed her skin every bit as much as his cuddly exterior.

****