Page 22 of Daddies' Holiday Toy

I can see the conflict in her eyes, the pride warring against practicality with maybe a dash of stubbornness thrown in.

Finally, with a sharp exhale, she scrubs a hand over her face.

“Fine. I can stay out of your way while you guys get settled in. I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to stay so long.”

Reece chuckles. “Hey, don’t make yourself scarce on our account. You have a name?”

That earns a small huff from her. “Yes. I’m Holly. Like I said, I came to clean this place for you guys. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Holly. I’m Liam. This is Jack and Reece. We’re friends with Carson,” I reply.

She glances at me, a slight blush coloring her already flushed cheeks. “Oh. Yeah, I know.”

I get a good look at her, then.

She’s younger than I expected, maybe early twenties or mid, with tired eyes that hold a depth I can’t quite place.

There’s something about the way she keeps her shoulders squared, like she’s bracing for impact, that I can sympathize with.

We get to settling in and keep to ourselves for the most part so we don’t disturb Holly too much, dropping our bags off in our rooms then coming out to the living room where she had been sleeping to get a fire going.

Snow pelts against the windows in relentless sheets, breaking up the weirdly awkward silence that’s fallen over all of us.

I stay standing near the hallway, hands shoved into the pockets of my jacket while the other two move around me.

Holly settles back down onto the couch, sitting stiff-backed with her knees drawn up under the blanket she’s tucked around herself again.

She’s got her hands wrapped around her lukewarm mug.

Part of me doesn’t want to crowd her by asking her more questions again, but another part doesn’t quite trust her presence here.

Not because I think she’s dangerous or anything like that, but because Carson never mentioned anyone would be up at the cabin when we got here.

Sure, it’s not surprising he’d hire a cleaner to get the place livable, but why not tell us ahead of time?

It isn’t like him to omit stuff like that, even with him being a forgetful bastard.

In all the years I’ve known him, Carson doesn’t forget to mention things that have to do with a pretty young thing looking as alone and lost as Holly.

He’s the type to omit purposefully.

So, who the hell is she then?

Some girl Carson hired off the streets and bribed into coming up here to clean for him?

Was he expecting her to stick around and talk her into joining us for the rest of the night?

Maybe even warm her up to the idea of taking her back to his bedroom to have a little fun?

The sad thing is, I wouldn’t put it past him.

She’s pretty skittish around us, though the same can’t be said for Carson.

For all I know, she’s his current side piece.

“You know, I am kind of wondering,” Reece says from where he’s crouched by the fire, tossing in another log and poking it with the sticker. “What are you doing up here all alone in this weather? I know you said you were cleaning, but Carson’ couldn’t have paid youthatwell to have the place looking this good.”

“He uh…”