Page 11 of A Little Christmas 4: Teller
“As soon as you clock out.” Briggs grinned.
“It might be close to ten-thirty. We’re on holiday hours now.”
Briggs nodded. “That’s not a problem. I’ll be back to pick you up at ten-thirty, and I’ll give you a ride home tonight. No rideshare needed.”
I was powerless to say no, so I nodded and took Mr. Carver’s purchases to the register. When he stepped out of the dressingroom, I looked for Briggs, but he was nowhere to be found. He’d said he’d be back, and I couldn’t wait.
I walked out of the store at ten-twenty, finding the sexy man leaning against a beautiful luxury sedan with a confident smirk. He had a commanding presence, that was for sure.
“I hope you didn’t wait too long. I had to clean out the fitting rooms in my area before I could leave.”
Briggs smiled and walked around to the passenger side of his vehicle. “No worries. How was your day? If it began the same way as it was going when I walked in, I feel for you.”
I giggled. “Thank you. Not so, uh, naked, but it was a day.” Hell, working at the store was a chore, but everyone had a job they hated. I wasn’t special.
When I slid into Briggs’s fancy car, I prayed I wasn’t making a deadly mistake. He winked at me before closing the door, and I buckled my seatbelt, bracing myself for whatever came next. Briggs got in, and my pulse quickened. His scent in the confined space was intoxicating.
“How about your day? Do you work in the office every day? I’m not exactly sure what you do.” I hoped to hell human trafficking wasn’t his profession…or serial killing handsome young men.
“I own commercial real estate around the world as investment properties. Today wasn’t bad at all because my new co-president started. He’ll share a lot of the burden with me, which I’m happy to let him do. I’ve known him for years. He worked for me before he left to be a prosecutor here in St. Louis County, but he’s come back to York Properties and is eager to get to work. Uh, you might know him. It’s Barrett Tarry, Maizie Brown’s Daddy.” Briggs side-eyed me at the stoplight.
I choked on spit for a second as the sound of my heartbeat echoed in my ears. Mylittlestatus was something I guarded closely. Did he know I was a little? Was his plan to blackmail me?
“Yes, uh, I’ve gone to Leather & Lollipops as Maizie’s guest several times. It’s, uh… It’s a unique club.” What the hell else could I say?
If I told Briggs that I liked drinking from sippy cups and watching princess movies as I fell asleep, would he pull over and kick me out of the car on a dark highway? If he knew I had a chest of drawers filled with training pants that I bought using my Bloomfield’s discount, what would he think? What if I told him I made myself sleepers, onesies, and short sets from used clothing I bought at thrift stores to support my kink? Would he walk away and never look back?
Being a little girl seemed to be more acceptable at the club than being a little boy. When I deeply regressed, I played with blocks, colors, and coloring books. If I didn’t go as deep, I enjoyed playing with race cars on a track, playing tag or hide and seek, playing with building sets, and making things with clay. Sometimes, I just played video games and read comic books like a teen. I could be energetic or lazy as a sloth. I didn’t think any Daddy would want to sign up for the many moods of Teller Buchanan.
We pulled into the parking lot of a fancy steakhouse that appeared to be closed. “Uh, Briggs, I think we’re too late. I’m fine with a burger from Steak & Shake.” I pointed to the local burger franchise across the parking lot that claimed to be the home of the original smashburger.
Briggs smiled. “I think we’ll be okay, though I do love a steakburger on occasion. How do you feel about White Castle?”
“If I’m home alone, I love them. They aren’t really date-friendly, but if I’m going to settle in for a movie marathon with Maizie, I’ll get the Crave Case.” I wasn’t about to lie. We definitely didn’t have anything in common, so there was no reason to lie. He was handsome and had a great sense of humor, so why not enjoy a meal?
“I understand that completely. So, are you hungry?” Briggs unbuckled his seatbelt and stared at me.
I had no idea how he thought he’d convince the staff to stick around for another hour, but hell, I’d give it a go if he wanted to try. I would be judging his powers of persuasion. “Starved.”
Briggs reached over and unbuckled my seatbelt before he got out. I opened the door and stepped out, adjusting my jacket before Briggs closed my door. “I’m glad you agreed to go to dinner with me. There are things I’d like to discuss, if you don’t mind.”
I reached into my pocket to be sure I had my phone in case I had to call a cab. I was still a little shaky about whether this was a good idea, but hell, I was hungry. “Shall we?”
We walked into the restaurant, and Briggs stepped up to the host stand. “York. Party of two.”
The young woman’s eyes doubled in size. “Oh, yes, Mr. York. Welcome. If you’ll follow me.”
I didn’t see a soul in the restaurant, but we didn’t stop in the dining area where servers were cleaning up tables and vacuuming the floor. We went back to the kitchen, which seemed really odd. I’d never been in the kitchen anywhere except for O’Malley’s, and hell, I worked there.
Briggs and I were seated at a nice table in a cozy corner of the sparkling kitchen at Gateway Steak, a newer steakhouse not far from Manchester Mall, where Bloomfield’s was located. I hoped to hell I didn’t get stuck with the check because it would take my whole month’s wages to cover the meal.
A good-looking man in a white chef’s jacket walked over to the table with a welcoming smile. “Good evening, gentlemen. I’m Chester Thane, and I’m the head chef of Gateway Steak. We’re honored to have you, Briggs.” He turned to Briggs, which surprised me.
Was I living under a rock? I’d never heard of Briggs York before he showed up at my jobs, so either Chef Thane knew him or he was a natural-born liar.
“Chef. It’s good to see you again. I was surprised when I found out you’d left Dallas,” Briggs responded.
The chef grinned. “New opportunities will take you places you never imagined. Now, any food allergies?”
