"Annie, did you see who was working tonight?" The plump blonde brushing her long, straight hair, crinkled her face into a smile. "Jon. He was here when I came up to change. Ohmigawd, I can hardly believe it," she started to bounce up and down. "Jon will be here and I can spend the whole night just staring at him. I can fill up my horny dream imagination." A blissful sigh escaped her lips.

The other woman in the mirror smiled back at her. She ran her fingers through her short, red curls and shrugged her shoulders. There wasn't a brush made that would change those springy curls into the long, silken locks of her co-worker. She shook her head slightly; her green eyes sparkled as she watched Shannon's excitement.

"A whole night of staring at that Adonis of the fire department would be great, only we really need to pay a little attention to work. You remember, work? The reason we are wearing these insanely ridiculous outfits?" Annie asked gently. "Unless this is something you often wear? Shannon, is there some fashion statement you want to make that I don't get?"

Both women wore long sleeved Polos, short, pleated shirts, tights, soft shoes with long curled toes, and little pointed caps. All green. Bright green, with a few tinkly red and silver bells. Bells that sounded so cheery the first twenty minutes that first day at work, and which now drove Annie crazy.

Shannon half turned and looked into the mirror trying to see her rear end. She eyed Annie ruefully.

"I wish I looked as good as you do in this stupid elf outfit. It does nothing for anyone the least little bit broad in the beam. You look like a Christmas sprite, direct from Santa's workshop and I look more like the Jolly Green Giant, ho, ho, ho. If I wish hard enough, maybe I'll find Jon all wrapped up under my tree."

"Did you ask Santa?"

"Hardly. Besides, I see you drooling over Jon too. Maybe you should ask Santa."

"I don't know if Santa would understand. Maybe I should write to Mrs. Santa and ask for a hot hunk for the holidays."

Annie and Shannon laughed and walked out to the Santa's Workshop at Southpointe Mall. Shannon slipped behind the camera and Annie took up the list so she could keep the line moving. It was already the twenty-second of December and she would be so glad when this job was over. This was her last year at the art institute and next year she would be in Paris working as an assistant for some famous designer. Or so she hoped. One day, if she worked hard, it would be her name, Annie Lawrence, on the fashion programs. She could see them now, and it was a certainty that they would not be colored green.

"Annie? Uh, Annie?" A voice broke through the accolades she was accepting for her first fashion collection. She blinked her eyes and focused on Shannon's voice.

"Annie, Jon is looking over here. Isn't he gorgeous? Tall, lovely muscles, those melty brown eyes, incredible chest, and a cute, round, pinchable ass, that's all I want for Christmas, for sure. To hell with Santa baby coming down my chimney, Jon can come down anything in my house he wants. Or I could go down..."

"Shh, Shan, he might be able to hear you."