Page 10 of A Little Christmas Jericho
"Anyway," Colter continued, the corner of his mouth twitching. "There's something else I wanted to talk to you about."
My stomach dropped. Oh no. Here it comes. He was going to bring up the text. Tell me that he might not mind me as a client, but I'd crossed the line.
Instead, he cleared his throat and said, "The clinic's throwing a Christmas fundraiser this weekend. Silent auction, raffle, the works. We're raising money for rescue organisations and shelter programs."
I blinked at him, processing the words, but not comprehending where it was going. "That sounds... really nice?"
"It is." His grin softened into something less confident and more... wry. "It's also, well, my mother's favourite excuse to meddle. She loves to parade all the eligible bachelors in front of me like it's her life's mission to get me settled down. If I don't show up to this one with a plus one, she'll have me seated beside some poor accountant and engaged before I can say 'Merry Christmas'."
A startled laugh burst out of me. "Oh, no."
"Oh yes," he said dryly, eyes glittering. "So, I thought maybe—if you're free—you could save me from matchmaking hell. Be my plus one? You'd get a free dinner, some wine, a couple of awkward icebreakers, and the satisfaction of knowing you rescued me from yet another one of Mom's setups."
My jaw went slack. Of all the scenarios I'd braced myself for in this exam room,thishadn't even come close to making it on the list.
"You wantmeto come?" I squeaked.
"I do." He shrugged as if it was no big deal, but his gaze lingered on me, steady and warm. "You're clearly brilliant company, Jericho. And..." his smile deepened, softer this time. "I feel like we'd have plenty in common."
My heart launched into a full-on sprint.
And my mouth ran right along with it.
"You do know that my calling you Daddy wasn't just a sex thing right?"
Now why on earth did I go and dothat?
Chapter 6
For a beat, the world froze.
Colter's eyes locked onto mine. And I found it impossible to look away, no matter how hard I tried. I braced myself for his response.
Instead, the corner of his mouth lifted even more. His voice rumbled low, warm, and a smidge amused. "Buddy, you have Little boy written all over you. And having you call me Daddy for real, once I've actually earned it, is something I now have written on my Christmas wishlist."
The words hit like a punch straight to the heart. Except it was the good kind. The kind that knocked me breathless and made me feel like I could fly.
I gaped at him, my brain short-circuiting. Colter didn't just take my slip in stride. It wasn't just a man looking for a kinky hookup.
Oh no. He doubled down. Owned it. And somehow made me feel like I wasn't ridiculous at all for blurting it out.
Which means it was time for me to own it too. Own who I was.
I managed to shake myself out of my daze enough to close my mouth. My cheeks still burned, but somewhere under all the embarrassment, a spark of boldness flared.
"So," I said, trying for casual and probably landing closer to squeaky, "does this Christmas part invite of yours come with conditions? Like, do I have to dress up in tinsel or sing carols in exchange?"
Colter chuckled, deep and rough. "No conditions. I think you're perfect just the way you are."
The heat in my chest spread lower, making it way too hard to think. But then I remembered something he'd said earlier, and a grin tugged at my lips before I could stop it.
"Okay," I said, leaning in just enough to be cheeky. "I'll go to your Christmas fundraiser with you. But only if you promise me one thing."
He raised an eyebrow, clearly entertained and indulging me. "And what's that, buddy?"
"Youhaveto introduce me to this meddling mother of yours," I said, wagging a finger at him. "Otherwise, I'm just going to assume she's a myth you invented to guilt-trip poor unsuspecting boys into being your date."
Colter barked out a laugh that made my whole body buzz with pride. "Oh, she's real. Too real. And if you agree to meet her, and shereallylikes you, she might end up setting me up with the accountant anyway... so she could set you up with someone evenmoreimpressive."
