Free A Time for Charity by A. Willingham

A Time for Charity
     
     
     
     
    “ Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells …”
    Seriously , Mitch couldn’t believe that it was that time of year again. He did not relish the idea of spending the holiday season alone. Again.
    Mitch fought the urge to growl aloud as he struggled through crowded mall. All he needed was one little birthday gift to send across the country to his sister. If her birthday weren’t so close to Christmas, he would have mailed a gift card, regardless of how impersonal the damn things were. Hell, that’s what everyone was going to get for Christmas, as far as he was concerned. Let them pick their own presents.
    He formulated a plan. Get to Redmond’s department store as quickly as possible. Grab the first bottle of perfume that caught his eye. Then make a mad dash for his car and the quiet of his little apartment. He could run to the post office to mail it tomorrow on the way home from work.
    Assaulted by mind-numbing odors as he entered the teeming store, he spotted a bottle of H.G.L. perfume. Jill would definitely think the cartoonish looking bottle was “cute.” He grabbed it and made his way to the line, annoyed even before he got behind the six other men obviously buying gifts for the females in their lives.
    The only positive was the guy behind the counter. Definite eye-candy, despite all the extra holes he seemed to need: three in one ear, five in the other, and one in his eyebrow for good measure.
    Despite his six foot two size, Mitch had always had a thing for small, lean, and handsome. And this guy was all of that. He couldn’t have been more than five foot six with a small compact body that didn’t look like it had an ounce of extra flesh on it. And he was gorgeous and mouth-watering with his black hair and full, kissable, suckable lips.
    The poor guy would definitely be starring in Mitch’s fantasies. Hell, just watching the guy smile and chat amiably with customers was beginning to make Mitch’s blood flow south, making him wish his jeans had more room in them.
    The guy had a great laugh. Mitch wondered what that voice would sound like in his bedroom, moaning under him as he kissed his way down that delicious looking neck.
    Mitch groaned aloud. He needed to stop before he embarrassed himself. He gave himself a good shake and looked up.
    The guy behind the counter smirked and raised a brow, an amused twinkle in his green eyes.
    Shit! Mitch didn’t realize that he was already at the front of the line. He had been too busy imagining what he could do with that lithe little body.
    “Sir? Can I help you?” the guy asked, his grin growing as Mitch stood there staring at the devilish mouth that had revealed a tenth, hidden hole. The silver of the cashier’s tongue ring caught Mitch’s attention.
    “Sir?” the clerk—Sam, according to his name tag—asked again, barely concealing his chuckle at Mitch’s inability to talk.
    “Um, yeah?” Mitch fumbled and practically threw the perfume at the clerk, winning another poorly concealed laugh.
    Mitch felt a blush spread over his face as he handed his check card to Sam. He cleared his throat and pretended to be interested in the perfume display by the counter, tiny little spray bottles disguised as snow globes.
    “Those are really popular with the ladies as well. Could I interest you in one for $10.95? It’s a great price. Plus, you can put any type of perfume in them.”
    “Huh?” Mitch jerked at the sound of Sam’s voice, neatly knocking three of the perfume boxes by the register onto the floor.
    “Uh, sorry about that. No thanks.” Mitch bent to pick up the boxes and bumped his head on the edge of the counter, hard.
    “Sir? Are you all right?” Sam asked, handing Mitch back his bank card.
    “Uh, yeah. Thanks.” Mitch reached for the card, his focus straying to the delectable little smirk that Sam wore. Without thinking, Mitch licked his lips.
    Before letting go of the card, Sam stuck out his tongue enough to catch the stainless