Page 7 of Daddies’ Holiday Toy (Kissmass Daddies #1)

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 you that well to have the place looking this good. ”

“He uh…”

When I turn to her, I spot her pressing her cherry red lips together in a tight, indecisive line.

Her eyes flick between us all, like she’s trying to weigh what she should say against what she actually wants to.

The hesitation only fuels the little theory that’s growing in the back of my head, that Carson’s invited her up here because he was hoping to get lucky.

I had to hand it to him, she’s incredibly pretty and completely out of his league.

Not to mention younger than any girl he’s ever gone after before.

Finally, her lips part.

“My dad paid me pretty well. And I don’t really mind cleaning like this. It helps me decompress.”

“Your dad?” Reece blinks, confusion knitting his brows together.

He glances at me and Jack, his expression suddenly sharpening as a thought clicks into place. “Wait. Hold up. Is your dad Carson ?”

She blinks then nods, her expression growing a little guarded. “Yeah…”

The three of us just…pause.

There’s a beat of silence that falls over us, long enough that the only sound is the wind whistling through the chimney and the occasional hiss from the fire.

Well, shit.

So much for my damn theory.

Jack is the first to recover.

“Smells better in here than it ever has. Thanks for cleaning, though you didn’t need to make the place look this nice for just us.”

He flashes her a kind smile, the wrinkles around his eyes crinkling slightly.

Holly returns it but it’s tight, almost polite in the way you give a stranger the same look when they hold the door open for you.

“It’s no problem. He also asked me to bring some treats for you guys. They’re in the kitchen. All fresh baked and everything.”

“That man’s never brought us so much as a stale donut on these trips… Guess we’ve been missing out,” Reece mutters, standing up front his crouch and brushing his hands off on his jeans.

Jack disappears into the kitchen, a low whistle caring back a moment later.

“Holy hell. Look at these. Gingerbread, sugar cookies…is that a Yule log?”

Holly’s cheeks flush a faint pink.

She tucks a loose strand of hair back behind her ear.

“I—yeah. Just some extra stuff from the shop.”

“Your shop?” I ask, tilting my head.

She hesitates then nods, that guarded look returning once again. “Yeah. I run a bakery back in town.”

“Well, thank you for bringing it all,” I tell her just as Jack is returning to the living room with a cardboard box in his hands, brimming with perfectly iced cookies and the glossy chocolate-rolled log cake.

The sweet smell hits the air instantly, all cinnamon sugar and butter, cutting through the woodsmoke cleaning.

Reece’s hand shoots out toward the box, freezing mid-grab when I shoot him a look. “What?”

“Maybe ask first?” I say, dryly.

Holly waves a hand, a small smile returning to her face.

“It’s fine. Help yourselves, seriously. I made a ton so if you don’t, they’ll go to waste.”

That’s all the permission Reece needs before he’s plucking a sugar cookie from the top of the pile and grinning. “Don’t mind if I do.”

Holly huffs out a small laugh, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

She’s retreating back into herself now for some reason, gaze fixed back on her mug.

I wonder if she even wants to be here.

Hopefully our company isn’t too bad to get along with in the meantime.