Page 5 of His Christmas Wife

“We work together, and that covers how I met you. Can you do it?” He leaned in closer, overwhelming her senses with the sight of his naked torso. “Pretend for a few hours?”

“No.” Frantically she shook her head.Positively, absolutely not.

But this was Frost she was talking to. And he might as well be a brick wall.

As if she’d never said a word, he continued. “If you calculate the cost you’ll be earning per hour, you’ll find the compensation to be more than adequate. Generous, even.”

Since he was being ridiculous, she followed suit. “When you say paid vacation, are you talking about a standard forty-hour workweek? Or the time you demand that I put in?”

His eyes flashed with fire. “You’re asking for sixty hours of compensation in addition to the airfare?”

I’m negotiating with him?Exhaustion had no doubt made her as delusional as he was. His suggestion was beyond absurd, and she should respond in one of two ways: no, or hell no. “Actually, I’m not asking for that at all.” Still, she and her family desperately needed the money, which was why she was still listening. “I want to be paid for the actual hours I put in, which is more than seventy, and you know it.”

“Done.” He stuck out his hand for her to shake.

Pointedly she ignored it. This couldn’t be happening. And what else would he have agreed to in order to get her to go along with his farce?

“You made a deal.”

“I did no such thing.”

“Seventy hours of pay for the week you’re gone, plus a first-class airline ticket.”

It was the kind of Christmas gift she’d been fantasizing about, but she was a grown-up now who knew how costly that would be.

“And since you’re not afraid of me—or so you insist—you’ll also fulfill your obligation to be my assistant for the night.”

As he’d no doubt intended, his pointed barb found its mark. “Just when I thought you couldn’t be a bigger asshole.”

Ignoring her, he went on. “Meet me back here before midnight so we can get the bag ready.”

She preferred his businesslike attitude. It was much better—safer—than thinking about showing up for his family dinner.

“Aviana has a surprise in store.”

Members had been speculating for months on what the owner might be planning.

“We will be bringing up the rear of the parade, right after Aviana and the rest of her court.”

She has royalty?

“As I understand it, we’ll be making three trips through the dungeon, and then there will be a receiving line.”

Even for Mistress Aviana, the event sounded extravagant.

“After that, I’ll be handing out gifts while you manage the crowd.”

All members had been asked to bring a wrapped present for Santa’s bag.

“Fine.” Sounded easy enough.

Now that he was evidently done speaking, she turned away, seizing the opportunity to escape. After all, she still needed to change into her elf shoes and hat, and now she had completely run out of time to get herself ready.

“Ms. Robbins.”

The snap of command in his voice made her freeze in place.

“Perhaps I can convince you I’m not an asshole after all.”

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