All I Want for Christmas by Linda Reilly Page B

returns.”
    I swallowed hard. What was I going to do? I had to give it back, didn’t I? It was the right thing to do, even if I was scared shitless to meet up with a male hooker. I only hoped he didn’t try anything. “Um, yeah, okay. Where do you want to meet up?”
    “ Meet up ?” Joey’s eyes popped out of his head. “What are you, fuckin’ nuts?”
    I shushed him. “Um, me? I’m at Cassidy’s on 55 th Street.”
    Tyler slugged my arm. “What the fuck are you doin’, man?” He did not look too happy with me for divulging our whereabouts.
    I pulled the phone away from my mouth again. “I gotta give it back.”
    “You don’t have to do anything, David. Joey found it in the bathroom. I say we stick it back in there and forget about it.” He stood up and tilted back his pint. The rest of his stout slid down his throat, and he slammed the glass back down. “End the call, Davey.” He was stern. I hate stern—it makes me all jittery!
    “Look, um, I gotta go. I can just give the phone to the bartender and tell him you’ll pick it up.” I got looks of disapproval from all around, but I just didn’t feel right putting it back in the bathroom.
    “David,” the stranger prompted, “I am not far from Cassidy’s. I could meet you outside in a few minutes.”
    “I—wait, how did you know my name?” I was surprisingly calm as I asked that question.
    “I could hear your friend through the receiver. I have excellent hearing, and pulling the phone away from your mouth and covering it with your hand is not enough to keep the conversation private.”
    “Oh.” Suddenly I felt like a dick. Why? I hadn’t done anything wrong. I was the good one of the group.
    “I will meet you outside in ten minutes,” he said confidently. “I am sure Oliver will be pleased that you returned his phone.”
    “Um, yeah, okay. Ten minutes. Bye.” I snapped the phone shut and looked into the faces of my friends. They looked at me as if I committed treason. “What?” I asked innocently with a shrug, holding out my hands.
    “You’re such a dork, David,” Tyler accused. “Why the hell did you agree to meet that guy?”
    “What?” I still didn’t see it as a big deal. I return the phone to this guy, end of story. “It’s no big deal.”
    “Fine. But you’ll be doing it alone. I’m not gettin’ arrested for male prostitution.” Tyler got up and his cronies followed.
    “Now you’re all against me?” I looked from Jack, to Joey, and to Tyler in hopes that someone would tell me they were just joking, that this was all just a scam to rag on me for being a Mr. Goody Two-Shoes. I waited for Joey to tell me they’d stand on the sidewalk with me and hand Oliver’s phone to the strange guy we speed dialed and that would be the end of it. But no, I got incredulous looks from all around. “Assholes,” I muttered as I grabbed my coat and pulled it on.
     
    *  *  *
    Outside , I watched my so-called friends disappear up the street. They were headed to O’Leary’s, another pub a several blocks away. I was going to join them as soon as I handed over Oliver’s property to his… well, whatever the guy was. Hell, I didn’t even ask his name. I was wishing this was all a dream when I heard someone behind me say my name. “David?”
    I spun around. Who I saw was nothing like I expected; my height, slender, late twenties maybe, well dressed, short hair spiked up in the front, determined gaze, hot as fuck. Okay, maybe he was what I expected, but his appearance still caught me off guard. “H-hi.” I extended my hand. Why I stuttered, I will never know.
    He shook my hand and offered his name without prompt. “Nicholai.”
    “Nicholai,” I repeated softly, as if surprised to meet someone with that name. He held my hand longer than normally accepted, and yet I didn’t protest. His eyes raked over me, and I felt a tinge of fear mingled with heat and desire course through my veins.
    Fuck! It’s like his eyes can see