Stars, Snow and Mistletoe: A Holiday Naughty List Collection Read online

  “It was everything,” I protested. “But enough talk of work for now. I wish to treat you to a meal before you return home.”

  “I really should get back to Molly,” he replied regretfully. Disappointment filled me. He was right though. My problems had taken him from his bed early in the morning and kept him well into the evening. “I’d love to have dinner with you another night though?” His tone sounded hopeful.

  “Indeed. I would enjoy that greatly as well. You must return your tools to storage yes? There is a cafeteria nearby I believe. Can you linger long enough to accept a meal to take home with you? You do need to eat and I wish to thank you for your help,” I suggested. He nodded with a small smile and collected his case. Holding his hand out to me, he waited until I slipped mine in his and we walked down the corridor together.

  6

  Layalla

  It came just in time. My gift to Molly. Nexlin delivered it just a few moments ago. It was beautiful. A little smaller than I’d have liked, but a larger one would have been too difficult to transport. I couldn’t wait to see Molly’s face, or Maxwell’s when he realized my gift to him.

  Carefully closing the box and adding a decorative bow like the human texts had suggested was suitable for a gift, I gathered my nerves and carried the surprise through the station. This would be my first visit to a male’s domicile and I was more anxious than I had anticipated. I knew I was taking a huge step in my courtship of Maxwell and his offspring. There was very little left between the beginning of our wooing and completion of the bond. Did Maxwell even see our encounters as courting? I didn’t at first, but the more I thought about it, the more right it felt. Was I misinterpreting the touches and the laughter? Maxwell hadn’t even shared his address with me yet, I’d pulled it from the employee directory. Perhaps I was overstepping?

  The more I thought about it, the closer I got to his quarters, the more worried I grew. My hands practically shook as I clung to the case I held. If not for the grav-unit underneath, I might have dropped it and that would be terrible. His door loomed in front of me. I debated leaving the box and comm-ing him after I left, but I couldn’t risk Molly not receiving her gift. Taking a deep steadying breath, I raised my hand to rap on his door.

  Max

  Who could that be? I wondered as I went to answer the knock. None of my nonhuman friends came to my cabin, some weird alien idea of the sanctity of the lair, and my human friends were all celebrating their own Christmases with their families. Molly was busy coloring paper ornaments for the cellu-board tree we’d made for the wall. She wasn’t thrilled with it, but promises of ordering a proper tree for next year went a long way to assuaging the five-year-old’s disappointment. It didn’t hurt that tomorrow meant presents whether there was a tree or not.

  Pressing the door button, I was surprised when it slid open to reveal a large box and pearly pink feet in strappy red sandals. The box was about three-and-a-half to four feet tall and probably two-and-a-half feet wide. It sat on a grav-unit, but a familiar pair of hands gripped the sides rather tightly, as if she was afraid of dropping it. A large green bow sat on top, trailing ribbons over the edges.

  “Layalla?” I asked, trying to peer passed the box.

  “May I enter your domicile, Maxwell?” Her voice was slightly muffled from the other side.

  “Uh, yeah! Yeah, come on in. Do you need me to take that?” I offered.

  “I do not need assistance as of yet Maxwell,” she replied easily, pushing the container forward into the entry.

  “You know, you really can call me Max,” I chuckled. She peeped out from behind the box, eyeing me with a soft expression, then dropped her gaze shyly and retreated. Molly skipped out of her bedroom as Layalla directed the crate to a table in the main room.

  “Layalla!” She squealed happily. “Did you bring me a present?” Molly jumped around, happily clapping her hands.

  “Molly, that is very rude,” I scolded gently. “You know you’re not supposed to ask that. If it’s for you, she will tell you, but be polite and wait.”

  “Oh!” Molly clapped a hand over her mouth. “Sorry.”

  “It is well, little one,” Layalla smiled, setting the box down. “It actually is for you and I must insist that you open it right away.”

  “Can I Daddy? Can I? Can I? Please!?” Molly begged.

  “Well, if Layalla is insisting that you open it, I suppose you should open it,” I allowed with a laugh. Molly cheered and circled the box, looking for the best place to open it.

  Stepping out of her way, I nearly bumped into Layalla. She smiled a little nervously, but didn’t step away. Instead, I felt a soft touch at my ankle. Glancing down, I realized she’d wrapped her tail loosely around my leg. That was when I realized she was in a dress today. Her lower legs were bare from the knees down, save for the red strappy sandals. Her gown was layers of soft red fabric that floated around her legs, the edges trimmed in white ribbon. And her tail was bare. This was the first time I’d ever seen her tail bare, and I knew it meant something very important.

  Surprised, I looked up at her. She watched me very carefully, waiting for a sign, an answer to her unspoken question. Catching her hand, I placed a soft kiss to the back of it. Those beautiful soft eyes crinkled happily and her tail tightened.

  “How do I open it?” Molly interrupted. Layalla gave a small chuckle and reached over, lifting the top of the box. Underneath was a big flower pot holding a two-and-a-half-foot tall tree. The wood of the trunk was a bright purple, leading up to straight, stiff limbs covered in fluffy looking dark bronze needles tipped in more of the bright purple. The small tree’s form was almost perfectly conical with a sharp sturdy point on the top. Molly stared in silent awe at the odd little tree for so long that Layalla began to shift uncomfortably.

  “If it is unsuita…” she started

  “It’s the most perfectest Christmas tree I ever seen!” Molly screeched, cutting her off and throwing herself into the trellian’s arms. Layalla laughed with relief, returning Molly’s exuberant hug. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!” She crowed as she squeezed Layalla’s neck. “What is it?”

  “That is a lorian liru, I had my cousin locate a small one and bring it here. In a few months, we can repot it in a larger pot and it will grow taller. Then next Christmas you will have a larger tree for your celebration and you don’t have to worry about it getting too big. The liru only grows to fit it’s environment and careful pruning will keep it healthy,” Layalla answered.

  “I gonna get my decorations!” Molly said excitedly before running out of the room.

  Layalla

  The youngling ran from the room in a blur of color, face beaming with joy.

  “You just made her decade,” Maxwell commented with a grin. “And purple happens to be her favorite color. Thank you.”

  “I am pleased it arrived in time,” I replied demurely. Maxwell had not stepped away from me and my tail was still looped around his ankle. He laced his fingers through mine and gave me a light squeeze, returning my courting gesture it seemed. I was relieved to know he felt an attraction to me, as I did to him. If all went well, perhaps we could make the final connection.

  “Would you like a drink? Something to eat maybe? We had dinner earlier, but you’re just in time for a quick snack before Molly goes to bed,” Maxwell offered, inviting me to sit. Did he know what he did? Or was this merely human hospitality? I should have researched human courting rituals before I came. In trellian society, being welcomed into the male’s lair, sharing physical touch, and receiving an offer of food was seen as a demonstration of said male’s desire and ability to provide for a mate. Had he studied trellian courting instead? He was following all the right steps after all.

  “Yes, I would like to share with you,” I answered almost formally. Maxwell cocked his head thoughtfully at me, then smiled and headed for the kitchen unit.

  Molly returned, shoving a box of brightly colored objects in front of her. I watched curiously as she beg
an to pull different items from it, studying them one at a time before sorting them into different piles. Every so often, she would hold one up towards the tree, looking at them together before deciding which pile to set it in. Larger items all went in the same pile, but the smaller ones received a more careful perusal.

  “What are you doing youngling?” I finally asked.

  “The tree is too little for all my ornaments,” she said distractedly as she studied the sparkly bauble in her hand. “I’m gonna put the prettiest ones on it today. When it gets bigger, I can use the others.” I felt pleasure that she thought my gift rated only her prettiest decorations. Soon the little girl had enough adornments set aside that she began hanging them on the branches, eyeing each placement with a serious air and moving any that didn’t suit her desires until she was happy.

  Once the liru was covered in flashy decorations, Molly twisted the pot this way and that until she’d decided which side was the best and centered that side to the front. Then she dug through her box once more.

  Something clattered in the kitchen, distracting me. When I looked back at Molly, I found her standing in front of me with her hands tucked behind her back. She smiled brightly when I met her gaze.

  “Wanna put the star on?” She asked sweetly.

  “The star?” Molly held up a delicate star made of gold wire.

  “It goes on the very top,” she explained gravely.

  7

  Max

  Layalla was acting rather odd tonight. She seemed so skittish. Then there was her dress and her words. The exposed tail though, that told me more than anything she’d said aloud. Using the excuse of preparing a snack, I pulled up an article on trellian culture, specifically their mating customs. It made for an interesting read.

  Trellian females typically initiated a sexual relationship. Males could indicate their interest, but it was frowned up for them to touch a female uninvited. When a female wanted more, she visited his home with her tail exposed. If he reciprocated, he offered to share food and drink. Seemed I was following the same pattern unknowingly. Not unwillingly though.

  The courting vow surprised me enough that I dropped a cup and it clattered across the floor before I could catch it. I would like to share with you. She’d uttered the invitation. She wanted more than sex from me. She wanted to explore the possibility of a mate bond. Is that what I wanted? If I accepted and a bond formed, it was permanent. There was no more dating, it just…was.

  How would Molly feel about it? Molly had never known her mom, but she was old enough to notice that her friends had moms and she didn’t. If the mate bond was successful, would Molly be happy with a non-human mom? I liked Layalla, a lot. Maybe more than liked. She was sweet, fun to be around, and really interesting. She was good with Molly and Molly seemed to like her. I wondered if it was lasting or simply the fascination of something new though.

  The ritual vow seemed simple enough and there was a side note that said the mate bond didn’t always manifest. It wasn’t a guarantee, no matter how the individuals felt about each other. It was just a promise to try.

  A quick glance into the other room made my heart melt. Layalla was putting Molly’s star on the tree. Molly always did the star herself. The fact that she was teaching Layalla how to put the star on the tree eased a few worries. Which brought me back to the question of, did I accept her invitation?

  “Daddy! Come see how pretty my tree is!” Molly called from the door.

  “Sure Peanut,” I said, picking up a plate of cookies and milk for her. The little alien tree was covered in flashy knick-knacks and baubles. Molly proudly posed as if displaying a brand-new hover cycle. Layalla watched shyly from the other side.

  “Aww, baby, it looks great.” She squirmed happily.

  “Layalla helped me put the star up!”

  “She did? Well that was awful nice of her. Did you tell her thank you?” Molly jumped like she’d been goosed and ran around the tree to throw her arms around the trellian.

  “Thank you, Layalla!” She chirped, hugging her tightly. Layalla smiled fondly and hugged her back.

  “You are most welcome youngling,” she replied.

  “Come eat your snack, then its bedtime,” I said, setting the plate on the little table in front of the tree. Molly plopped in front of it and gracelessly crammed the first cookie in her mouth as she stared at her new Christmas tree.

  “Daddy! We still hafta put the presents underneaf it!” She blurted around her mouthful.

  “Don’t talk with your mouth full and I will handle the presents later,” I chided. Typical kid, Molly scarfed her second cookie almost as quickly as the first and chugged the milk, thumping her cup down with a bang.

  “I’m done,” she announced, pointing out the obvious. Layalla covered her mouth with one hand, trying to hide her mirth.

  “Alright silly girl, let’s get you in bed,” I said, shooing her to the other room. “I’ll be right back, Layalla.” She bobbed a quick nod and moved to sit on the sofa.

  Molly bounced through the process of brushing her teeth, hopped across the hall to her room, and leaped into the bed with all the enthusiasm of a kid who was ready for Christmas Eve to be over. Tucking her in, we read a quick story and I kissed her goodnight.

  “Will Layalla be here in the morning?” Molly asked innocently.

  “Would you like that?”

  “Yes. I like being with her, she’s nice,” she stated seriously.

  “Yeah, she is real nice,” I agreed. “I like her too.”

  “Can we keep her?” Molly asked around a huge yawn. I chuckled, shaking my head wryly as I watched my daughter drift off to sleep.

  Layalla

  Maxwell returned with a plate of sliced fruits and cheeses, placing it on the table in front of us and selecting a piece. Hesitantly, he held it out to me.

  “I share the bounty of my harvest with you,” he said carefully, a small smile on his lips. I inhaled sharply at the unexpected words. It seemed he did know what he was doing. Opening my mouth, I allowed him to feed me the fruit. It was juicy and sweet, not unlike krulu. Picking up a piece, I wordlessly offered it to him. He accepted it, dragging his teeth lightly over my fingers and making me shiver. Turning, he picked up a cup and held it for me.

  “I drink the water from my spring with you,” he stated, continuing the traditional trellian courtship vow. This did not bind us as mates, but it signaled his desire to take us to the next step. My people were capable of pleasure mating like humans and we often took partners without the expectation of becoming mates, but the vow was a declaration of intent. It was an expression of the wish to deepen a relationship, to explore the possibility of a mate bond. He held it out and I placed my hands over his, allowing him to tilt it to my lips for a swallow, before I shifted it to his.

  “I offer the shelter of my roof, to shield you from danger.” Taking my hand, he pulled me to my feet and led me down the hall to his chambers. Shivers of anticipation rolled through me as I waited for the final words. He dropped my hand at the threshold and stepped into the room.

  “Layalla, I extend to you the comforts of my bed, to cradle you when you are tired and to share with you when you are lonely.” His arms opened wide in invitation. Unhesitating, I stepped into his nest and quietly shut the door behind me.

  I stepped forward again and let him wrap his arms around me. He was warm and I could hear the beat of his heart when I laid my head on his chest. It was strong and fast, nearly as fast as my own. Pulling away, I reached up and detached the clips at my shoulders, allowing my garment to fall. Maxwell breathed a sharp inhale, eyes wide and fixed on me.

  “I accept the gifts of harvest, hearth, and bed from you and offer you the same,” I finished, reaching for him.

  Stepping forward, his hands grasped mine and he pulled me close. I shivered at the feel of his fingers on my skin. They were hot and strong and I gasped as they slid over my shoulders and down my back. I smoothed my own over the planes of his chest, exploring the
dips and creases of his muscles.

  I pulled away gently and backed towards his bed, turning when my legs brushed the edge of the platform.

  8

  Max

  “I am ready,” she announced unexpectedly, flipping over and kneeling on the bed, raising her pretty pink ass. Her tail draped over her back so it was out of the way.

  “What…are you doing?” I asked, eyeing her gorgeous butt. Her backside was the same pearly pink as the rest of her skin, but the valley between her cheeks was a darker pink, drawing the eye to her core like the center of one of her flowers.

  “You wish to mate, yes?”

  “Well... yes, but don't you want a little foreplay first?” I was all for getting down to business, but she suddenly seemed so mechanical about it.

  “What is this foreplay? She asked with a confused frown.

  “Foreplay is all the kissing and touching and romantic shit you do before the sex to make sure both parties are ready and there's no discomfort,” I explained sheepishly.

  “Oh, but I am ready. I have been told the initial discomfort passes quickly,” she announced matter-of-factly. I cringed a little at that phrase.

  “You've been told? Sweetness, have you ever had sex before?” She rolled to look at me.

  “No. I have never encountered a male I wished to mate with before.”

  “But you do want to? With me?”

  “Of course, you are large and attractive, even for a human. I find your intelligence pleasing and you are an attentive father. I very much wish to mate with you. I feel different around you, in ways I do not entirely understand, but I like it. I like how you look at me. I like that your voice and your touch make me feel strange and shivery. I like that I feel warm and safe with you. I want you. Very much.” She stated, listing my qualities so clinically.