It’s also all too expensive for a girl who just quit her job, and then doubled down on that by informing her boss that she definitely didn’t want that job back—and also didn’t want any other job that might be offered to her, if it meant moving away from the now ex-boss, new boyfriend.

A problem for any other day, but not the day before Christmas Eve.

In the third store I go into, I strike gold. There’s a wall of “perfect last-minute gifts for dads”, and since Jacob leaned into the fact he’s a dad type—who wants to spank me—I’m going to push that button as hard as I can.

Innocently, because he likes that, too.

Since he needs a haircut, which he usually gets at the barbershop on Main Street in Conception Ridge, complete with a close shave, I grab him a fancy shave kit that comes with barber scissors.

I think he’ll enjoy me threatening to give him a trim myself.

I also choose a coffee-table book about interstate highways, which feels like something he’ll find fascinating, and a few packets of coffee and latte in solid bar form. Then I call my mom.

“Jake needs a stocking,” I tell her when she picks up.

“I know, darling, I’m already on it. And I’ve found—” Her voice crackles, cutting off the rest of what she’s saying.

“Pardon?”

“Can’t hear you, baby! See you back at—”

I hang up and take my purchases to the counter, where I add a pack of vintage themed sweet mints to the pile, feeling very pleased with myself.

After a rocky start, the wholesome family vacay is back on track. Sure, I can’t stop thinking about Jacob spanking me, but that feels wholesome too, in its own special way.

Like him taking me over his knee might make me feel like a very good girl.

His special girl.

Okay, there’s nothing wholesome about that.

Why does that feel extra-dirty in a hot, electric kind of way?

Chapter Six

Jake

I find Sienna as she’s stuffing a shopping bag into a locker in the ski chalet.

“Ready to hit the easy run again with me?”

She doesn’t quite make eye contact with me, and her cheeks are pink. “Yep.”

I tug off my gloves and catch her chin, lifting her face so she’s looking at me.

The blush deepens.

“Yes?”

Her breath hitches and she nods. “Yes.”

I’m struck by a nearly overwhelming temptation to make her say “Yes, Daddy”, something I’ve only ever fantasized about and never played out in real life.

The only thing holding me back is the fact she’s an innocent virgin.

That should hold me back from everything, but it won’t. It will only slow roll my plans to shift gears and go from being her boss to being her everything.