Sadie's Little Christmas - Maren Smith Page 0,47
in the rapidly dwindling line for her turn on Santa’s knee. She hadn’t been here long, but there was a toy in his bag for her. Unlike the others, he’d actually picked this one out himself. He hoped she liked it. He really hoped she’d get over her reluctance enough to come to him, so he could give it to her.
“I want makeup, and nail polish, and a pretty red princess dress with a puffy skirt, and hot chocolate with marshmallows, and pretty shoes that light up when you walk, but they never have them in my size, and a Daddy of my own,” Amy said all in one breath.
“That’s quite a list,” Derek said in his Santa best. He already had a Daddy in mind for her. It would be another three weeks, at least before Maxim wrapped up his current business ventures and came to the Ranch and meet her. He was almost sure they’d get along like peas, which she hated, and carrots, which she also hated—and which she’d invariable have to eat anyway with her bottom hot and throbbing and thoroughly well-spanked. Maxim was a loving Daddy, stern, and nurturing. He loved shenanigans but didn’t put up with them. Amy had shenanigans in spades.
She had a little snowflake pinned to her collar, so Derek reached into his “magic” sack and pulled out a glitter-encrusted box packed full of glitter-infused nail polish.
She squealed when she saw it.
“Thank you, Santa!” Throwing her arms around him, she then hopped off his lap and skipped away to join a few of her friends and show off her prize.
There was one more Little between him and Sadie. One more person before he’d have the girl he wanted the most sitting on his knee.
He welcomed green-eyed, red-haired Lacey Davidson onto his lap and went through the motions again.
At fifty-one, Lacey was one of his older Littles. A car accident three years ago had cursed her with two back surgeries and three cervical discs that had to be fused together. She had special Daddy Dom needs, which he was taking his time in fulfilling. The last thing he wanted was for the person he picked for her to, accidentally or intentionally, inflict further injury on her already taxed body.
He smiled as Lacey settled on his knee, bracing himself for the “no” that would have to follow. He already knew what she wanted. She’d been asking for it for all six of the months that she’d been with the Ranch so far.
“Hi,” she said, equally braced because, apparently, she already knew she wasn’t going to get it.
He bopped her on the end of the nose, hoping to get that thin smile to reach as far as her eyes. “How is my Lacey Little-bit today?”
“Good.” Her gray eyes lit with a look that was both knowing and mischievous. “How is Master Derek? Sick to death yet of being squealed at and sat on?”
“Never,” he replied with a smile. “I’ll never get tired of it.”
“Sounds like famous last words to me.”
She was relaxing as she smiled, so he didn’t take offense.
“Sounds to me like some had an extra helping of Cynical Cereal this morning. Be careful because I happen to know for a fact a good helping of the Loopy Johnny cures that in a minute.”
“Don’t threaten me with a good time,” she promptly bratted.
He didn’t even have to look at her collar to find her present. There were only two left in his bag, and he knew what Sadie’s felt like the instant his fingers brushed it. Switching directions, he found Lacey’s.
One Loopy Johnny coming right up. It was three long loops of paracord, all tied up with a crimson and black handle. He’d had it made especially for her. Unlike any other implement he could think of, the cords were light enough not to damage her back, whisper-soft upon impact, and packed one hell of a sting. Enough to reduce any born-certified brat like Lacey from incorrigible to determined-never-to-be-naughty-again within the first few swipes.
“Not fair!” she wailed with a laugh when she saw it. “Why does everyone else get toys?”
“Everyone gets their own ‘good time.’ Take that to Headmaster Jenkins and tell him I said not to stop too soon.”
“Ugh!” Her head fell back on her shoulders as she groaned. She started to get up, then stopped. Her face said she already knew the answer, but still, she said, “Is there any point in asking?”
She wanted to ride a horse so badly, but he