Page 69 of Santa of the Creek

Another pause.

“I kind of hate you right now.”

“You’re welcome. Come on,” I say.

We arrive at Randy’s exactly fifteen minutes before his shift starts.

Echo unbuckles his seatbelt and turns to look at me. “You know what I love about you the most?”

My heart leaps at the love part but I know that’s not what he means. “My monster cock. That’s it, isn’t it. You love my?—”

“Much as I love your cock, that’s not what I was thinking of.”

I pout at him, and then I grin. “Tell me what you love the most.”

“You never say I told you so.”

“About?”

Now he scowls at me. “Do you want me to spell it out?”

I wait.

He sighs. “Thanks for getting me here on time.”

“You’re welcome.” I squeeze his thigh. “Go on. I’ll look for your keys later. Don’t overdo it on your ankle, okay?”

“Fine, fine.”

“And call me when you need a ride home.”

“I can walk.”

I fix him with the stare my brother always uses on me. Echo shudders. I’ve got to thank Danny for teaching me that ‘don’t fuck with me’ look. It won’t work with Echo forever; Danny’s family are immune to it, but while it does, happy days.

I look around. No one is watching. I lean forward and give him a kiss. “Let me take care of you while I can?”

Echo lets out a gusty sigh. “I’m not used to anyone caring enough to worry about what I do.”

“What about Hebe?”

“She’s only interested if I get into trouble. We have this agreement.”

I chuckle. “You can be a good boy or a bad boy with me.”

He waggles his eyebrows and almost purrs his reply. “I am very happy to be a bad boy with you.”

I shiver in anticipation. Then I do a decent impression of a snake shedding its skin at the knock on the window. I look over my shoulder to see Randy scowling at me.

“Is your boyfriend shifting his butt?”

I’m not sure why that is aimed at me, and I try hard not to flinch at the boyfriend crack. Echo brushes my thigh, a comforting gesture, and then he slides out of the car, telling Randy to “Keep your panties on. It’s still ten minutes before my shift starts.”

“You’re always early,” Randy grumbles. “Don’t change your habit now.”

“I’m still early,” Echo points out. “Dean made sure I was here on time.”

He turns to smile at me, mouths, “I love you,” and he’s gone inside the bar before I even have a chance to respond.