Saint Nick

21. December

"These are amazing," Nick said and kissed the spot above her ear as they laid that early morning in Hazel's bed, looking through the raw images she had snapped yesterday. Nick was officially off Santa-duty as well, the mall slowly closing down for the holiday. The big night was coming fast and Hazel wasn't ready.

She was desperately clinging to the few moments she had left before she knew the inevitable would come. And then go.

"Thank you," She smiled faintly and looked down at the images on her camera display as well. She scrolled through them and found the one she liked the most; the one of all of them in front of the large ornate Santa sleigh which had been the most magical ride of Hazel's life. "This one is my favorite."

"I like that one, too," Nick agreed. "But I think it's missing something."

"What?"

He leaned in and kissed her cheek. "You. Do you always stay behind the camera, or is it that you don't like being in photos?"

"I... I don't know," Hazel slowly shrugged, noncommittally. "I never thought about it... I guess I always just take the pictures because there's not much to capture around me."

"Respectfully, I disagree," Nick chuckled and wrapped his arm around her, making Hazel laugh. He squeezed her good and growled teasingly against her shoulder. "I can find at least a dozen things I'd like to capture around you."

"Starting with your arms?" Hazel teased back and bit into his bicep, only hard enough to make him chuckle in confirmation.

But just then, she realized something else.

"You know what else my photos are missing?" She voiced and couldn't believe how perfect it was; "Santa Claus. Besides from the picture I took of you, Michael, Camille and Ashley at the mall, I haven't captured a single Santa shot yet."

"Hazel Duane, are you asking me to model for you?" Nick whispered in her ear. 

Hazel's whole body covered in goosebumps. Now there was an image; Nick spread out on the snow in his Santa suit, top half undone, maybe a hand down his pants with a sultry look on his face...

Her poor lens would most certainly break. Along with her panties.

Shaking her head, Hazel removed the dirty images from her mind. She wasn't a porn photographer after all, and she wasn't making a calendar. "Only if you want to. We could go around town and get a few different shots of Santa spreading Christmas cheer to the people. I mean, since you're done working at the mall anyway..."

Nick hummed thoughtfully. "That could actually be very nice."

"So you're in?" Hazel fluttered. There was no doubt that Nick would complete her Christmas collection and earn her a good grade in her class – but she also couldn't deny she would then have something beautiful to remember him by... other than memories and the crater he left in her heart, after he was gone.

"Let's do it," Nick smiled, leaning in to peck her lips again. He really couldn't get enough of them, Hazel thought and smiled back sillily.

"We'd better get to work then. It's going to be a long day."

~~~