Page 37 of Santa’s Little Faker
I’d also spent a lot of energy making sure to see Orlando as just Orlando.
He shrugged and didn’t look bad about throwing me to the wolves. “I tried being honest and that didn’t work.”
Because his family was nuts.
“I’m glad you started there, but it doesn’t surprise me that you needed a different tactic.” Nothing they did surprised me. “And you’ll have to forgive me but I’ve spent a long time seeing you as a family friend. That’s not easy to change.”
The way his gaze narrowed made me think he was plotting chaos, but his words weren’t quite that dangerous. “Family friends don’t share binkies and bottles.”
I’d realized that…just a bit late…and that didn’t mean I understood anything else.
“That’s right.” I wasn’t going to even begin to guess what it meant, though. “However, habits are hard to break, so you’re going to have to be patient with me.”
While I did my best not to think about whatever we were doing.
“But I’m not just a family friend you’re taking to dinner.” He looked like he was barely holding back the urge to cross his arms over his chest and stomp his foot. “You’re not dragging your grandkid to church.”
For fuck’s sake.
“I’m not that old and if you keep insinuating otherwise, we’re going to talk about consequences.” Oh, no. That hadn’t been good. Neon danger lights would’ve been flashing all around us if we’d been in a cartoon…and there was a mischievous sparkle in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.
Shit.
“A spanking kind of consequence?” Somehow he’d shifted from pissed-off little to naughty and tempting in the flash of an eye. “Learning lessons is important.”
I wasn’t sure I was ready to ask what he was actually thinking, but I definitely wasn’t going to agree with him.
“I will not reward you for being dramatic.” The way he’d talked about spankings when he was little made me think they’d fall into the fun category no matter what headspace he was in. “I can, however, figure out lines you need to write or decide how long you need to stand in the corner.”
His dramatic sigh had me trying not to smile. “I’ve learned my lesson. Less drama. More communication. Got it.”
Brat.
“I’m so glad we’ve got that handled.” Tugging him just a bit closer, I thought about spanking him and let him see some of it in my eyes. I wasn’t going to do anything or say anything until I’d figured a few things out, but if he wanted more Dom and less grandma, I could do that. “I’d like to enjoy our date so I can show you off.”
The shiver that raced through him said he was thinking naughty thoughts, but he kept them to himself. “To my family?”
Rolling my eyes got a giggle from him. “To everyone.”
Letting my gaze scan down his body, I enjoyed the way his shirt showed off his chest and how the tight black pants he’d picked out showed off his legs. Somewhere over the last twenty-four hours I’d finally realized that he was a grown-up and not the kid I’d kept imagining him as. “Everyone.”
“Yes…I…” Sighing, he nodded. “Yes, Sir.”
There was no way I was going to ask a single clarifying question…he’d tell me what he was thinking.
“Good boy.” I was totally screwed. “Now, I’m ready for dinner and you’re going to behave.”
He nodded slowly, but his eyes had glazed over and I wasn’t sure he was completely with me any longer. “Yes, Sir. I’ll be a good boy.”
At least he was being polite?
“I’m glad.” For a variety of reasons. “If you can behave, we’ll talk about a reward later.”
I was a moron.
But I was a moron who had Orlando’s brain tuning back into reality. “What kind of reward?”
I shrugged, wrapping his arm around mine and getting a smile as I started the romantic portion of our date. “Maybe dessert. Maybe something else. I’ll have to think about it.”
