“Oh my god,” she said as she got up, moving away from me.
“What?” I asked, already on the defense. I turned around and got up, checking to see what had caught her attention. Of course, my eyes landed on the Santa suit right away and I figured she’d seen it. “Oh, shit.”
“Is that what I think it is?” she asked.
“Um. Depends what you think it is, I guess,” I said, my cheeks reddening.
She put her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows, a look of mischief in her eyes. “I should’ve known…you’re into creepy festive roleplaying stuff, aren’t you?”
I grinned. “Yeah, sure. I like to dress up as Santa and spank all the naughty little elves,” I said. “By the way, I wouldn’t mind coming down your chimney, if you catch my drift.”
Her eyes crinkled around the sides with amusement. “Ho ho ho…hey, that suits you, because you’re a giant man-ho!”
We both cracked up at that, and the sound of Rory’s laughter was like music to my ears, as much of a giant fucking cliché as that sounded. I finally managed to stop laughing a moment later, but a grin was still firmly in place on my face as I watched her trying to stifle her own giggles.
Christ, she was hot…and impossible to resist.
I strode across the room towards her, grabbing her by the hips and pulling her closer. Her laughter immediately dried up, and she took a sharp intake of breath, her mouth popping open in surprise.
“Thanks for the compliment,” I said, my lips only inches from hers. “But the suit is actually for my job.”
“Sure it is,” Rory replied, her words strained as she struggled to keep her cool at being so close to me again. “Since when do you dress up as Santa at the hotel? What’s it really for? Costume party?”
“It’s really for work. But not here at the hotel.” I smiled at her, finally stepping away and folding the suit on the bed. I could sense Rory’s confusion, but I figured if there was one person I could tell my secret to, it was her. “In the hospital,” I added.
Her forehead wrinkled with confusion. “What?”
I knew I’d have to explain it all sooner or later. It wasn’t an easy story to tell, and even though it had been years since it all happened, I hadn’t forgotten. I never would.
I busied myself putting my suit in the bag as I started talking. “Remember that time we ran into each other in the hospital?”
And made out in the elevator and almost dry humped each other? I silently added.#p#分页标题#e#
“...Yeah.”
“Well, I wasn’t there for a penis reduction, contrary to popular belief.”
“Because your penis is already tiny?”
“Hilarious, but no, that’s not it,” I said.
I gave her a tight smile over my shoulder, and then I closed the door of the closet. It was getting increasingly hard to look her in the eye.
Part of the truth finally seemed to dawn on her. “Wait…it was you I saw in the Santa suit that day! I saw a Santa go around the corner, and then three minutes later you appeared. I had no idea it was you,” she said.
I nodded. “I volunteer at the hospital when I have free time. This time of the year is especially busy with the Christmas season, so yeah, sometimes I’ll even wear a Santa costume. I was supposed to go there this morning but my shift got held up till this afternoon. I was just putting my stuff in my bag when you came in.”
I knew what was coming. She’d want to ask why I worked there, and I’d have to tell her. A long, awkward silence followed my admission, and I could sense her fidgeting behind me as I made my bed. Anything to stop me from looking at her, because I was suddenly certain I’d fucking break down if I so much as dared a look at her.
“Wow,” she said. “I didn’t know...I’m sorry, I honestly thought the suit was a joke costume when I saw it a few seconds ago. Why do you do it?”
The inevitable question and now, the inevitable answer, made my heart ache. I sat down on the bed, fixing my gaze firmly on the floor.
“I’m not sure you know much about my family,” I said. “My Dad was obviously married before your Mom.”
“Yes,” Rory said softly, still standing in the middle of the room. “I know you lost your mother, Finn. I’m really sorry.”
I waved my hand as if to say it didn’t matter, even though it fucking did. Even after all these years, it still mattered.
“Yeah. My Mom and Dad had me when they were pretty young. They had another kid, too,” I said, my voice as bland and impersonal as I could manage.