Page 5 of Little Bedtime Snack

My heart leapt. “So, it’s okay for me to go introduce myself?”

The boy nodded. “Yep, you’re being invited by me…so it counts. Just go say hi.”

While I stood there with my mind racing, Jeb turned to Jeff. "You probably don’t remember me, but you were Santa, right?"

I barely registered their conversation as my eyes locked on Eli. He was still focused intently on his creation, unaware of what was transpiring over here. I was technically toeing the line of what was permitted today, and there was a chance I’d be kicked out for what I was about to do. It didn’t even take a second for me to decide it was worth the risk.

My palms were sweaty as I approached the craft table from the other side of Eli and crouched down on my knees. I was never nervous like this. There was something special about this boy. "Excuse me, but you’re Eli, right?"

His head snapped up, and his eyes went wide. “Yes.”

"Your friend, um, Jeb, mentioned you might be ready for a snack?"

Eli's cheeks flushed pink, and he looked past me to his friend. “He did?”

“Yeah. I hope it’s okay that I came over.”

He gave a single nod, and I picked up a piece of dough and rolled it between my palms. “Was he right?”

Eli cleared his throat and nodded. "Y-yes.” He pulled his bottom lip in with his teeth. “Please." His voice was so low, I barely heard it.

Relief flooded me at his acceptance. I wanted nothing more than to wrap him in my arms and never let go. "Well then, little one." I looked down at his work. "Would you like to finish up here and then we can go to one of the private rooms?"

Eli fidgeted with the dough in his hands and then put it back in the pile. "I’m done. I was just making a skyscraper. It’s not important." He glanced up at me through long lashes. For a split second, I thought they might be false or possibly enhanced with that fancy mascara that was all the rage. But they weren’t. He was born with those beauties.

I cocked an eyebrow and held out my hand. "May I take a look?"

A small smile tugged at Eli's lips as he handed it over. "It’s not very good. The windows aren’t even straight.”

"It’s awesome. I work in commercial real estate and sell buildings just like this.” I put it back in the pile and held out my hand to him. “I'm Mason, by the way. It's very nice to meet you, Eli."

"Nice to meet you too," Eli mumbled shyly.

He grabbed my hand and let me pull him to his feet. “I better tell Jeb that we’re going to a room.” He looked up and his friend wasn’t around. Neither was Jeff.

“He might be with my friend, Jeff.” I chuckled. “He seemed…interested.”

Eli’s tight grip on my hand relaxed. “Yeah, he’s definitely interested. He, um, met Jeff before. At a milk-and-cookies party last Christmas.”

“He did bring up Santa.” I half remembered that he mentioned that earlier because my focus had been on Eli, but that explaineda lot. And it answered some of my questions about what Jeb was referring to when he mentioned a snack. “Were you at that party as well?”

Eli shook his head. “No, I wish. Sounds like it was…”

“Was what?” I squeezed his hand as I waved to one of the room monitors to let them know we were going into room three.

“Special.” He stopped in front of the door and looked up at me. “Are you special, like your friend?”

I grinned and guided Eli inside the room that had a bed with a plain white sheet on one side and sofa on the other side. There was also a stack of sheets and towels for our use. “Well, I guess there are some special things about me.”

His gaze went from my face down to my chest, and it was clear what he was asking. “Yeah, I think there are probably lots.”

5

ELI

I sat down beside Mason on the plush sofa with butterflies going wild in my tummy. The dim lighting of the private room cast shadows across his face that made him even more sexy. I’d been in private rooms before, but they had been designed with Littles in mind, complete with changing tables. This one was different, and I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.

Mason’s large, muscular frame shifted slightly toward me. He was masculinity personified, and yet he was the one who was going to be letting me drink from him. It was that hot juxtaposition that ticked off every button, including ones I never realized I had.

---