December 10

DECEMBER 10

“Yeah, I’m really not feeling well,” I croaked. I reached over to where Daddy was slicing up strawberries, and I stole a piece and popped it into my mouth. Delicious breakfast coming up! He was even making pancakes. And I was just sitting here on the counter, wearing his dress shirt, and enjoying the porn of watching Daddy cook in his boxer briefs.

“It’s interesting, though,” Mya said, drawing out every syllable. “Mr. Williams was complaining that Mr. Abrams called in sick too, for the second day in a row. Just like you did.”

“That is interesting,” I said. “Maybe he gave me the flu the other day. I should call and yell at him.”

Daddy narrowed his eyes at me and failed to hide his amusement.

I licked some strawberry juice off my thumb.

“Yeah, you do that,” Mya deadpanned. “Enjoy your fuckfest. I gotta go call the print place in Paris.”

I stifled a giggle. “Ask for Raphael—he speaks English. Have a great day! Bye.”

Soon as I’d ended the call, Daddy came over and stepped between my legs.

“So this fake flu is my fault, huh?” He snuck in and growl-kissed my neck.

I laughed. “Totally your fault.”

He shook his head, and we met in a kiss. He must miss his shirt, because he was often trying to get inside it. Or he just liked skin-on-skin!

“You’re a terrible influence,” he murmured into the kiss. “But don’t stop. I haven’t been this happy in decades.”

I smiled and locked my arms around his neck. “I like making you happy.”

He’d already shown me he liked making me happy too. Case in point, he was having an actual decorator come over here today to turn his home into a winter wonderland—because of my midnight Christmas bitching the other night. I’d balked at him, maybe I’d even cursed once or twice, but he’d silenced me. He’d kissed me. He’d said he finally felt like the holidays were worth celebrating.

“When do we have to leave?” I scratched his beard a little and kissed his jaw.

We had a full day planned! We just had to run by my place first so I could change clothes and pack an overnight bag.

He eased away to check on the pancakes and the time. “About an hour.”

I could do a lot with an hour.

“Then maybe I should suck Daddy’s perfect cock,” I whispered.

The heat in his eyes turned me on every friggin’ time. He brushed his thumb over my bottom lip. “Perhaps you should.”

* * *

It was an outrage.

That Wyatt had never had Benny’s Tacos.

“Will you stop huffing at me, boy?”

I huffed.

As soon as he pulled into an empty parking spot, I climbed out of his car, and I huffed again. The man lived in LA—he’d lived here for as long as I’d been alive, almost! Whatever, he’d lived in New York, Boston, and Italy too. Whatever. His car was registered in California. That meant something. And he’d never had Benny’s Tacos.

I slipped my hand into his and nearly dragged him into the joint, which…I mean, maybe it didn’t look like much. It was a hole-in-the-wall without being surrounded by that many walls. Let’s call it a cantina that may or may not have been a run-down diner at some point—it didn’t matter! They had the best quesadillas in the world.

“What’re you doing?” I stared at him, offended, when he pulled out his wallet. “We have an agreement.”

He made a face and promptly tucked away his wallet again.

I might not be flush with cash like he was, but this was my stipulation. If he was paying a decorator God knew how much to add Christmas stuff to his home—primarily for my sake—I was buying him lunch and paying for our activities today. We’d been to the tar pits, we’d had ice cream sandwiches, I’d bought ingredients so I could bake cookies at his place, and I’d bought us two ugly Christmas sweaters!

He’d had the sexiest and, at the same time, humblest grin on his face when I’d picked the sweaters. ’Cause I got the sense that this was as meaningful to him as it was to me, and I never wanted him to think he was rushing too fast or smothering me. To use his word from earlier. He’d literally said, “You have to tell me if I’m smothering you or taking up too much of your time.”

Like, how about no? How about, he wasn’t taking up enough time?

Once we had our combo plate of tacos and quesadillas, I filled our tray with extra salsa and napkins, and he carried our sodas to a table.

“Okay, prepare to be amazed.” I sat down and hauled my hoodie over my head. I didn’t wanna get salsa on it.

He totally was amazed. At the first bite of his shrimp quesadilla, I could tell he was a Bennyliever.

“Jesus,” he muttered.

“I know.” I took a big chunk from my chicken taco and went straight to heaven.

And the chips…? Freaking yum.

“Makes me wonder what else you haven’t tried.” I spoke with my mouth full, ’cause that was me. “What if you’ve never had lunch at a food truck? Like, could we even be together?”

He snorted in amusement and picked up a napkin, only to reach across the table and wipe my mouth.

I smiled like a goof.

“First of all, swallow before you speak, sweetheart,” he reminded me. “Second of all, what do you take me for?”

I was gonna obey.

“I’m practically a food-truck regular at corporate,” he said. “This may shock you, but I don’t choose upscale restaurants because I don’t enjoy anything else.”

I circled a finger around my face. “This is my dubious face.”

He chuckled. “I’ll just have to show you.”

I leaned forward. “In the spirit of that, I also doubt you enjoy sex.”

He grinned and shook his head.

* * *

Holy Christmas, Santa had taken a huge crap in Wyatt’s house, and I loved it!

I dropped my freaking jaw as I walked through the kitchen and the living room, the hallway before too, and even the patio outside. Oh my gosh, the whole place was suddenly so warm and cozy and Christmassy. The tree! There was a big tree! And the fire was lit! Red and green blankets, super fuzzy and soft, draped over the couches. Plush pillows with snowflakes. All the lights! I was speechless. That decorator must’ve brought an entire crew over.

In five hours…I mean, it was a whole new place.

I beamed, hearing soft Christmas music from the speakers.

The glass railing of the terrace that stretched along the beach-side of the house had been covered in greenery and lights.

The living room was my new favorite room in the house. I wanted us to fuck on that soft rug in front of the tree, then on the one in front of the fire, and then on that couch, that couch, and up against the patio doors—

“Does this satisfy my little reindeer?” Wyatt came up behind me and hugged me tightly.

“My heart is so happy,” I whispered.

“Good. So is mine.” He kissed my neck. “Note that there are empty bowls, baskets, and trays scattered about.”

I lit up and spun around in his arms. “You want me to fill them with Christmas cookies and sweets, don’t you? Say you do, please.”

He grinned faintly and dipped down and kissed me. “I absolutely do.”