Page 7 of Shy Santa

“You can change in the bathroom.” Dillon pointed at a door on the other side of the office. “I won’t subject you to the staff locker room yet. Deloris is on her way up to get you fitted properly.”

He had to be kidding me. “Please tell me this is just some elaborate hoax Benson thought up.”

Dillon blinked at me. “Hurry up, Deloris gets pissy if she’s kept waiting. I pulled her in because she’s the most levelheaded of the bunch.” The man sat at his desk and turned on the computer.

Growling under my breath, I headed toward the door he pointed to. The things I did to make sure my daughter has a roof over her head.

Shit, I have a daughter I needed to worry about. The thought struck me harder than it ever had before.

Yeah, we’ve been together for a month, but it wasn’t until this moment things really sunk in.

Shirley coming over last night to help with Ace’s hair was eye opening. I never knew women went to such lengths with their hair. And when I saw how much it hurt Ace’s head when Shirley had to brush out the tangles, it killed me. And the nasty dirty looks both shot me when I suggested cutting it. I’m still surprised to be alive.

Ace’s mom and I never lived together in the year we dated. We started talking about looking at getting a place together, but then she got transferred, and we ended things. Neither of us willing to give up our careers to support the other.

Someone knocked on the door as I stared at my reflection in the mirror over the sink.

Taking a deep breath, I walked over and opened the door and stepped out.

“Ooooweee sugar, aren’t you a fine one! Dillon said you were good looking, but you are one fine piece of ass.” A rotund, short, gray-haired woman said, her accent thick.

“Del, let the poor man be. I told him you were the least scary of the bunch.” Dillon said, not taking his eyes off his computer. I bet the fucker was trying not to laugh at the ridiculousness that squeezed my junk tight.

“Those shorts are a bit too tight, and they need a bit of length added. Too bad you are going to be behind the bar.” The older woman clucked her tongue.

Relief washed through me at knowing she wasn’t fitting me for the stage. Sadly, my modesty and personal space were short-lived. A hot flush covered my body as she got up close and personal with my lower half. “Dillon, what’s the policy for staff and chest hair?”

My head snapped up, a glare on my face.

“Everyone needs to be shaved or waxed. The health department rules say that hair has to be covered when possible.” Dillon said before he looked up at me. “Shit.”

“Fuck that shit.” Ready to bolt like Usain from the room, I stepped back a growl working up my throat at the excited gleam in the woman’s eyes.

CHAPTER5

Addy

“Ibrought treats!” Maya shouted, walking into my house. “Get your ass down here!”

Grabbing my clutch off the dresser, I headed downstairs. Maya made herself at home at the dinette table; an assortment of little drink bottles and a couple of snack plates filled with food sat there.

“Everything looks amazing.” I snagged a handful of grapes and popped them in my mouth.

“Girl, you look killer.” Maya eyed me up and down.

The little black dress I picked out wasn’t anything special. Nope, just a simple chiffon capped sleeved dress that hit at my knee. No, what made it special was the shoes.

I saved for a year to get these red-soled beauties. The crystals at the peep-toe and on the slender ankle strap gave just enough bling to this outfit to take it from sweet and cute to fuck me now. Probably didn’t hurt the heel was a stiletto and could kill a man. But damn, what it did to my legs and ass.

“Thanks. If I’m going to be around that hoe, then I’m going to play the part.” I had my make-up done and everything, but my hair finished. I wielded a make-up brush like a pro. But when it came to hair, I was more braid or messy bun type. “Grab my curling iron. You need to be quick getting the curls in, so we are only fashionably late and not insultingly late.”

“Gotcha.” Maya tested the curling iron and started brushing through my mess of hair. “I brought some gourmet gummy bears. They are hella expensive, so try one first.” She handed me a gummy from a bag in her purse.

“Did you get a new dress?” I asked as I popped the gummy, not seeing how it was anything special.

“Nope, made this beauty myself. Couldn’t find a good cut off the rack.”

We lapsed into silence while Maya worked her magic on my dull hair, and we munched on snacks. By the time she was done, I had sleek curly black hair that defied gravity. Maya even attached in a few sparkly hair clips.

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