Page 8 of Santa Daddies

“It’s that time!” He whistled through his teeth. “Gather round while I introduce you to Papa Elf, or as we like to call himSanta Daddy!”

I was enthralled as the big man himself danced out on stage. And big man he was. Tall and thick, Santa Daddy waswide-shouldered and muscular, and I felt instantly attracted. He danced out in his big black boots, fur-trimmed red pants, Santa hat, and nothing else. His chest, unlike Bo’s smooth one, had light hair over it and a happy trail that I’d follow like a map, anywhere.

My jaw went slack and every bit of the alcohol I’d consumed went right to my head. And the blood that should be there went right to my…I looked down where some gentle throbbing made itself known. Damn, I really did have a thing for Santa.And Daddies.And this was Daddy Santa, or was it Santa Daddy… did it really matter?

When I finally took a minute to look at Santa Daddy’s face, I bit my lip. It was indeed the man with the impressive Christmas package from the changing room.Oh my.

His dirty-blond hair was long, to his shoulders and wavy, and his beard trimmed short. Other than his suit, he’d made no attempt to look like the iconic overweight, gift-giving, senior citizen, and he certainly didn’t look jolly. He looked more like a Nordic God than Santa Claus, but he was still Santa enough to make my inner five-year-old self squeal in delight. Because,hot damn,I still believed in Christmas miracles, and this was one.

“All right, Ladies, it’s time to come sit on Santa Daddy’s lap and tell him all your Christmas wishes,” Ryder said into a microphone as the music lowered. I shivered as Santa’s sort of stormy gray-blue eyes scanned the room and landed on me. Tingles scattered through me as his gaze roamed up and down, from my face to my feet, leaving heat in their wake.

Santa’s chest was so much more sculpted than his elves, well maybe not Bo, but it wasn’t any less impressive at least, and by his eight-pack, it was clear he hadn’t been eating any cookies. And that V, gosh, that V. This man must spend three hundred and sixty-four days a year in a gym because he was absolutely ripped.

“Who’s first?” Ryder asked, searching the crowd of hands waving in the air. Mine, however, remained firmly down.I was too drunk and too enamored by Santa Daddy to put myself in a situation where I might repeat my nineteen-year-old mistakes. And that off-duty cop was not nearly as sexy and hot as Santa Daddy. Or as deeply rooted in my fantasies.

Mm.Daddy.I had daddy issues.Santa Daddy issues.

“Hey Santa,” Bo asked, looking at the sexiest daddy to ever wear fur-trimmed red. “I think I see someone who’s been naughty. She’s not raising her hand, so she must be afraid.”

My eyes widened on Bo and I shook my head, feeling it spin a little. “No, I’m not naughty,” I said, sounding a little drunker than I thought I was. “I’m nice. I’m good. The goodest girl here, except for Lottie, but she’s an angel. My brother’s angel.” I was drunk rambling. Ugh.

“Ho, ho, I think you’re right,” Dirty Santa, er, I mean Santa Daddy said, his gray-blue eyes still on my blue ones. One of his dirty-blond brows suddenly arched in a way that made my tummy flip-flop and my, er,kittypurr.

“You afraid of me, little girl?” Santa Daddy asked, shifting forward and leaning his big forearms on his thick, thick, thighs. He looked a little grumpy, but I was so here for it.

I swallowed hard, shaking my head but slowly so I didn’t get the spins. He leaned back then, showing me that delicious stomach again, and patted his big palm on his leg. My eyes landed on that thick muscular thigh and my mouth went dry.

There was a bunch of catcalls from the bridal party and my throat worked to swallow.

“Shouldn’t the bride go first?” I asked, shyly pointing at Charlotte, but Ryder put the microphone in front of me, so the last half of my sentence was amplified.

Ryder clucked his tongue. “The bride told us one of you had been super naughty, so we asked around.” He turned his headback to Santa, the jingle bells on his hat ringing. “What do you think Santa Daddy, Lottie?”

In an excited voice, Charlotte said, “It’s definitely her.” And she pointed at me. My jaw dropped at her betrayal, but somewhere deep inside I loved her even more for her shenanigans. There was no doubt in my mind she’d fit in with my family.

“She’s always had a thing for Santa,” Madeline yells. “And now I know why!”

I groaned inwardly at my people turning on me.

“Let’s just check my naughty list,” Santa said in a voice that hit me somewhere between my thighs. He reached down and picked up a scroll, unrolling it ceremoniously. And after scanning the list and announcing the name of every woman in the bridal party, including Lottie, the hottie bride, and Madly. The only name not called? Mine.

“Those are the names on my nice list.” He turned to look at Ryder. “Only one name over here on the naughty list.”

“Uh oh, Daddy Santa. Who’s the lady on the naughty list?”

“Memmy,” he announced as his predatory glare landed on me.

My knees went weak. I seriously thought I might swoon. What the hell was wrong with me?

“Get up here, Memmy!” Charlotte hollered, waving me up to the little stage where she was still perched on her velvet chair beside Santa Daddy’s. I cursed her for enjoying this so much more than she let on she would earlier.

Santa crooked his finger at me, his eyes intense, as two elves escort me up onto stage.My heart thumped in my chest and in my?—

“Ryder Elf, get this naughty minx a pillow up here on stage with me so I can keep an eye on her. But first…”

A dark-haired elf with two dimples and a slightly crooked nose spun me around behind a curtain away from the prying eyes of the others and shoved a form in my hand. “Is this your signature?”

I blinked at the paper with Sexy Santa Inc on the top. My name and signature were on it and I vaguely remember my sister making us all sigh non-disclosure and consent paperwork for the party.