Page 2 of Santa Baby

Talia

I try to keep up with her but just can’t figure out where she is going with this. What act? And what’s all this about me being pretty enough to turn men’s heads? Is she being mean now? I stare into her big wide blue eyes and realize she’s not being mean. Maybe she’s just telling me that to boost my morale.

“So, the whole innocent thing…not an act, huh?” She rubs her chin in a classic thinking pose. “That might actually be a good thing.”

She says it softly, almost to herself instead of me.

“I’m thinking…what if you find someone who you could marry?”

“What? I…I don’t know anyone. I told you…I don’t…”

“But you could go online. To a dating service. And find someone.” She says it so happily I almost go along with it to keep her from getting all bummed out with me again.

“I…I don’t have…there isn’t time to date. I have just a matter of weeks. You can’t meet someone, fall in love, and marry in a matter of weeks.”

“Maybe not fall in love but sometimes love comes later.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Well, there are dating sites…” she starts out slowly like I might not be okay with what she’s about to say, “and then there’s Littles For Us.”

“Littles for us? What is that?”

“Well…it’s a dating site for people who like taking care of women, who like being…you know…a Daddy.”

Her eyes widen and I can feel my cheeks flush bright red. I typeset books for authors and small indie publishers. Romance authors are one of my biggest clients. I know what a Daddy is. But she just keeps going without seeing my flaming cheeks.

“These older men will take care of you and treat you like a…a…princess.”

Not the word I would have used. “I know what it is…what they are. I just don’t understand how that is going to help my situation. I don’t need a boyfriend. I need a…someone who…oh, it’s hopeless.”

“Just hear me out.” She reaches out to keep me from hiding my face again. “I have a friend who used to date this one guy and he was very interested in finding a wife. She wasn’t all about that, so they ended their contract.”

I try to think things through. There is so much to unpack I'm not sure where to begin. “Why does he need a wife so bad?”

She shrugs her shoulders but starts texting madly. “I don’t know why but if you want I can ask for his number and you can ask him yourself. Besides, what difference does it make? He needs a wife, and you need to be one. It’s perfect.”

“I don’t…” I start shaking my head no, “I don’t really think that’s going to be safe. I don’t really…”

“Got it!” She holds her phone up like it’s an ancient golden icon she’s unearthed when it dings.

“What?”

“I texted my girlfriend and she texted back his number.”

“I don’t…” think this is going to work but I also don’t get to say anything before she calls. She immediately hits the speaker button.

“Hello.”

The voice that answers is deep and rumbly. It makes me want to reach for the phone and hit cancel. “Hi. Is this Chris?”

There is a long pause that has me tucking my lip between my teeth and holding my breath. “No. He’s not here right now. May I take a message?”

“Do you have any idea when he’s going to be back…and if he’s married to anyone?”

I close my eyes and exhale. She means well but…I would already have hung up if I got this kind of call.

“Who the hell is this? And what do you want with Chris?”

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