Page 252 of Santa Daddies
She could probably have dealt without hot water, although it was a bit annoying.
But. It. Was. Freezing.
She’d followed everything that the sexy bearded guy on the video had told her to do to light the fire but even though it would light up, it wouldn’t really catch for long.
Maybe her bits of wood were too big. He had small pieces in the video he called kindling. Had Joey brought her any of that? Had he even brought up enough for more than a day? After all, Mr. Caldwell was meant to be supplying the wood.
Her phone buzzed and she glanced down at it.
Anson:
Everything all right? Did you sleep in?
Sleep in? She’d barely slept at all. All she’d managed was to nod off now and then.
Alice:
Sorry, I forgot to message you this morning. Everything is good.
Shoot. She’d just lied. But he wouldn’t be able to tell that, right? And she wasn’t in his house anymore or under his rules. She could do what she liked when she liked.
Sure.
And why doesn’t that make you happy? Why aren’t you dancing around naked? Singing and laughing? Why do you wish you were back with him under his rules?
Because his rules made her feel safe.
Not ridiculed or suppressed.
Plus, his house was warm. She bit her lip.
Anson:
I don’t have any right to insist that you message me, but I’m going to do it anyway. Message me tonight when you go to bed. And if you need anything.
Like kindling? Firewood? Someone to work out what was going on with the heat and water?
It wasn’t fair to ask for his help with all of that, though. And Mr. Caldwell would surely get back to her soon. Right?
What are you going to do if he doesn’t get back to you?
Yeah. That was something she’d worry about later.
For now, she’d attempt to figure out the kindling situation.
Later on that evening, Alice was staring at the fireplace in satisfaction when her phone buzzed with a message.
Was that Mr. Caldwell?
Well, she had a few words for him. But she was pleasantly surprised to find it was Anson.
Anson:
Tell me something about yourself that no one else knows.
Her eyebrows rose. She hadn’t thought he’d ask her something like that. And she wasn’t certain how to answer.
What to tell him? What was something that no one else knew?
