“Uh, Lil, someone’s cuttin’ down your tree.”

I look at my friend Casey. “What?”

“Someone’s cuttin’ down the tree that you dragged my ass out here to cut down.”

I look back to the perfect tree then notice a black, jean-clad thigh. “Hey wait! What are you doing?”

A dark set of eyes look back in my direction as I run up to my tree. “Cuttin’ down this tree.”

“That’s my tree.”

“How is it your tree?” comes another voice directly behind the tree.

“I found it first.”

The other person comes into sight. He looks more like a lumberjack than Casey did. I don’t even know how I missed him he so broad. He is definitely a solid-lookin’ guy complete with a full on beard nicely groomed, too. I blink a few times and take in his presence.

“Well then why didn’t you cut it down first?”

“Because I don’t have a chainsaw.” I saw looking back to Casey. I look back to mister dark eyes and black jeans. “Looks like you two don’t have one of these.”

“That’s because I prefer to do it old school.” replies dark-eyes.

“More like you forgot to put gas in your chainsaw before we left and by luck I keep an axe in my truck.” comes lumberjack. Casey snorts and I grin.

“Seriously lost points on that one.” Casey says coming up to stand beside me.

“But the fact remains ladies, we’re here and we’ve already started.” says dark-eyes.

“Don’t you mean lumberjack’s started? He’s the one that has the axe.” I retort.

“Does it matter?”

“I can do it a lot quicker.”

“You mean I can do it a lot quicker.” Casey says nudging my arm with her elbow.

“Yes, I meant my really great friend Casey can cut my tree a lot quicker than mister lumberjack.”

“Still doesn’t change the fact we’ve already started.” dark-eyes replies.

“Oh for fuck’s sake it’s Christmas time, I don’t own tree cutting equipment and my awesome friend here was working so I couldn’t get here until now.”

“You could have marked it.” he retorts.

“Would that have made a difference to you?”

Dark-eyes looks at me for a moment. “....No.”

“But it would have to me.” says lumberjack as he comes over. I look up to mister lumberjack. Damn it why do I have to be the shortest one here? We all stand there in silence. A few gushes of wind makes us blink away stray flakes of snow from our faces.

“It’s cold out here.” dark-eyes says. “Let’s finish this.”

“I saw it first.”

“But we’re the ones cutting it down, aren’t we.”

“You’re an ass.”

Dark-eyes chuckles. “So what are you gonna give me for it?”

“How about you get to leave in one piece.” I say crossing my arms in front of my chest.

“...Yeah, I’m not here to cut up people Lil. They got here with their equipment first. Let’s find another one.”

“I want this one!”

“Too bad, we got here first. Your really awesome wonderful, chainsaw-toting friend even said so. Tough cookie.”

“You are such a jackass!”

I hear Casey sigh. “Oh great, here comes the tirade.” Mister limberjack looks at me with a cool eye.

“How can you just stand there while you aren’t doing a damn thing and act like you own the whole damn forrest when I know for a fact I was here first and even took a picture of this tree to show my friend so she could help me get it and you’re-”

“Calm down Lil.”

“No Casey I will not! If I hadn’t found this tree first I wouldn’t give a fuck if they cut it down, even though I know I would have pouted a lot to try and get them to let me have it instead. But, I found it first and it’s mine!”

“A hundred bucks.” dark-eyes says.

“What?”

“You want it, it’ll cost you.”

“You’ve got to be fuckin’ kidding me!”

“He is,” lumberjack says, “What are you willing to give for it?”

“Anything!”

“Uh, Lil, you wanna think before you speak?”

“No damn it I want this tree!”

Mister lumberjack grins. I can see Casey shaking her head out of the corner of my eye. He hands Casey his axe. She looks at it for a second then shrugs and takes it.

“Dude, what are you doin’?”

“It’s a sign of good faith on my part that I won’t do anything thing bad to her friend.”

Casey shrugs then props the axe on her free shoulder. “Hell, as long as you don’t try to kill her I’m game.”

“Casey!”

“What, you’re the one sayin’ you’ll give anything.”

Dark-eyes chuckles again. “She’s right, you did say anything.”

“Fuck you.”

Lumberjack shakes his head. “Come with me Lil. Is it ok if I call you that?”

I blink at him. “...Yeah.”

He turns and starts walking around the curve of trees. I look back over my shoulder at Casey.

“Yell biscuit if you need me.”

“....Some friend you are.” I mutter as I follow mister lumberjack. We walk for about two mintues. A humongus oak tree comes into view and lumberjack makes his way around its wide base. What the hell did I get myself into? I take a breath and come to a stop just out of arm’s reach of the big burly man.

“You can come closer, I’m not gonna bite.”

“How do I know that.”

“Ok, I won’t bite unless you want me to. How about that.”

“I’m fine here.”

“Come closer to the tree, you’ll be out of the wind.”

I take a few steps and feel the rush of wind cut to half strength. I move to stand beside him as he leans against a large low branch.

“You really want that tree.”

“Yes, I found it first.”

“Trip does have a point, you didn’t mark it. Had I seen something to tell me someone picked that tree I would have left it alone.”

“So you’re still gonna take it?”

“Not if you’re willing to give me something for it.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “W-What do you want?”

“WIll you let me taste you?”

“...Huh?”

“To put it bluntly, I want to suck on you.”

That’s what I thought he meant. I look at him.

“I want to suck on your nipples and I want to suck on your clit.”

“H-Here? Now?”

“You afraid?”

“It’s….kinda cold out here.”

“Well that just means you nipples are hard and need to be warmed. Unless you already have someone to handle that.”

“No. I don’t.”

“I’ll give you the tree if you let me suck on you.”

“Haven’t had any lately or something?”

“It’s not that. I just have a feeling you have nice suckable nipples. And I always like to suck on a clit after I’ve sucked on a juicy pair of nipples.”

“No beating around the bush with you.”

“I’d rather lick my way to the center of it.”

“Hate to break it to ya, but there’s a desert down there.”

Mister lumberjack smiles and leans down. “Then may I drink at your oasis?”

“...A-All that for a tree that I already claimed?”

“I’ll finish cutting down the tree and even help load it for you.”

“I don’t even know your name lumberjack.”

“It’s James, and I’m a strength training coach.”

“So why do you look like a freakin’ Brawny man lumberjack from some romance novel?”

“It’s winter for one, and I happen to like wearing a beard this time of year.”

“Gee do you play Santa Claus, too?”

“No, I don’t like little girls sitting on my knee.”

“No?”

“No. I prefer women sitting on my face or their legs over my shoulders.”

“We...should get back.”

“Your friend gave you a safe word.”

“...Yeah I’m debating on her being a friend right now.”

“She did warn you.”

He straightens up and leans against the branch. I reach up and comb my fingers through the last few inches of his beard. It’s well taken care of. He looks at me as my index finger comes up to his lips. I brush his bottom lip lightly. Yeah, I’m getting ready to do something crazy.

“How about we do this somewhere warmer?”

“How about letting me suck your nipples now, I give you the tree just as I said before, you come to my place tonight and let me make you scream.”

“How do I know you won’t try something?”

“You can bring Casey if you’d like, but I have a feeling she’d pass on that.”

“You’re right, she would.” I stroke my thumb against his bottom lip. “You really want to suck on me don’t you.”

“Just as badly as you want that tree.”