Seducing Santa (Holiday Series Book One)

Chapter Nine~Run, Run Rudolph

The sun was just beginning to rise when Holly began to stir. She did not want to leave the warmth of the bed, it was so cozy and the blanket was heavy making her feel secure and safe. Also, she could feel the beginnings of a headache and did not wish to welcome the consequences of her previous nights actions just yet. She may have not indulged in a drink in along time but this kind of headache she knew well. Though, Holly could not exactly remember why she had chosen to drink, still half asleep and caught between dreaming and awake.

All she knew was that the moment she opened her eyes the headache would come full force and she would instantly regret whatever the reason it may have been. As she lay there she could not help the nagging feeling that told her she had to be somewhere important and needed to get up, but could be so important that she had to get up so early and leave this comfortable bed?

Then, she heard the distinct sound of a snore that was not her own causing her eyes to pop open in surprise. All the events of the night before rushing back to her as she came face to face with one of those consequences.

Grayson.

He had his arm wrapped around her, her head resting on his other one and his face just inches from hers. She realized there was no blanket at all and the warmth was just coming directly from his body and the heaviness of his arm holding her close. He appeared to be fast asleep and Holly did not want to wake him, not wanting to face him after the night they had shared. He probably thought she was easy, after jumping into bed with him when they had only met hours before! She could already feel her face turning red with embarrassment. She had to get out of here fast!

She took a deep breath and held it in before moving out from under his arm, going as slow as she possibly could. When she was just inches from escape his snoring ceased and she froze, afraid she had woken him up, but instead he just rolled onto his back. She slide the rest of the way off the bed and let out a soft sigh of relief as Grayson took his arm back that she had been laying on, turning completely the other way before his breathing slowed once again and she could hear the soft rumble of his snore again.

She tiptoed quietly around the room, picking up her clothes and putting them back on before catching a glimpse at herself in the mirror on the far wall. Her hair was a mess and her make-up had smeared making her look like she had not gotten any sleep at all, even though she slept better than she had in a long time. She tried her best to tame her wild curls before glancing over at Grayson one last time. He truly was a beautiful man, the comforter around his waist leaving the upper half of him exposed.

For a moment she started to wonder why she was so embarrassed, it had been one of the best s****l experiences of her life. However, that was all it could be. She did not have time for a relationship and in truth did not want one after the disaster of Logan and him stalking her for almost a year after she had ended things with him. She needed to be focusing on her career and trying to once and for all make her father notice her and what she could bring to the company.

She glanced at the clock on the bedside table, it was only six in the morning so she still had plenty of time to go back to the B&B and get ready for her meeting with the mayor. She picked up her purse and threw it over her shoulder before quietly opening the door and closing it behind her. The inn seemed quiet as if all the guests were still sleeping. She hoped to sneak out of the building without running into anyone at all, just wanting to escape and get her life back on track. She had come here for a reason and that reason had not been sleeping with Sexy Santa, regardless of how nice and possibly life-altering it had been.

She made her way down the stairs and was relieved to see no one at the front desk. She heard voices coming from the dining hall and sprinted over to the door, jumping at the jingle of the bell that was attached to it that she had forgotten about.

“Hello?” came a voice from behind her that she believed belonged to the owner, but Holly ran out straight to her car, not daring to turn around.

She got in and started the engine, pulling out of the parking lot and onto the main road that would lead her out of town and toward the Christmas tree farm. She started to settle down, her embarrassment slowly subsiding until she realized that she might run into people on her way to her room at the B&B. She hoped that the owner had not been waiting for her all night to come back!

She turned down the road that led to the old farmhouse, amazed at the size of the farm now that she could see more of it in the early morning light. Maggie May must have farm hands that worked for her to maintain the place, she could not imagine the old lady did this all on her own. Just as she thought that she caught sight of a red stocking cap among the trees, the old lady looked to be inspecting the tree branches while holding a long yardstick in one hand that she held up to the tree to see its height.

She turned at the sound of a car and smiled when she saw it was Holly, waving and then going to jump on the back of a quad cycle that she kick-started and raced through the trees back to the house. When Holly pulled into the gravel drive, Maggie May was already there and rushing over to help her out of her car.

“My, My! Must have been a great party! Had a bit too much to drink? I hope you did not sleep in your car!” Maggie exclaimed, closing her car door for her and then latching her arm onto Holly’s as she led her back into the B&B.

“No, I did not sleep in my car.” She answered, her face turning a bit red, unwilling to say more.

“Oh good! You young ones should enjoy your youth! Since you did not stay the night here I will give you a bit of a discount. Though, I never asked how long you plan on staying?” Maggie asked as they walked through the door, Holly was instantly overcome with the smell of fresh-brewed coffee and pancakes.

“Um, well that depends on how my meeting goes today, but I will probably stay at least a few days.” She replied, her stomach letting out a soft rumble.

“Oh good! You are hungry! I made a large breakfast but no one has come down yet so you get first pick!” Maggie informed her while leading her through the large double doors on the left.

The dining area was basically one large pinewood table with benches that appeared to just be thick tree trunks cut in half with legs attached. Both the table and the benches, however, had a high gloss finish on them making them look smooth so you had no fear of getting splinters from either. At the end of the table was a fireplace that was already blazing and filling the room with warmth.

Holly looked to her right and saw a large kitchen with a big window looking out over the tree farm, The kitchen had a green and white tile backsplash and flooring with pine wood cabinets. It was a dream kitchen, with a bar and an island and an industrial stove and oven. The food laid out over the bar as kind of a buffet-style breakfast.

Holly walked over and her mouth watered at the sight of scrambled eggs, bacon, and three different kinds of pancakes; Plain, Chocolate chip, and Blueberry. Did Maggie cook this all herself? There was syrup and butter along with whip cream and fresh strawberries. Holly grabbed a plate and started filling it up, putting each kind of pancake on her plate and dousing the blueberry and plain one with syrup while the chocolate she topped with the whip cream and strawberries. Afterward, she walked over to the table and sat down and Maggie was quick to bring her utensils wrapped in a red gingham cloth napkin.

“Coffee or orange juice? I also have fresh pomegranate juice or apple juice and of course milk or water?” She asked, smiling.

“ Coffee, please, and possibly some orange juice if that is okay?” Holly asked, not wanting to be too demanding.

“Of course, sweetheart! No problem.” She assured her before turning to get her drinks.

Holly smiled and was just about to start digging into her eggs and bacon when a picture on the mantle caught her eye. She had sat close to the fireplace, always enjoying the warmth of a fire that she never got in her own home since they had turned their fireplaces into fake ones that were basically glorified heaters. Her father hated the smell of burning wood.

Holly stood up and walked over to the mantle, reaching out and grabbing the silver-framed photo. In the picture was a young girl around seventeen, her blonde hair in curls just like Holly’s as she sat in the back of a convertible wearing a sash that said: “Miss Snowflake 1996” with a silver crown on her head. She had on a beautiful light blue silk dress and a white furry wrap, making her look like the proper snow princess as she waved to the crowd with her white-gloved hands that went all the way up her arm. Why was there a picture of her mother here at the B&B?

“What has caught your eye there?” Maggie asked, making Holly jump a little having been too caught up in her own thoughts.

“Oh sorry, did not mean to scare you!” Maggie apologized, setting down the drinks she was holding before going over to Holly.

“No, no! it’s my fault! Um, can I ask you a question?” Holly asked.

“Of course, sweetheart,” Maggie assured, reminding Holly of those sweet grandmothers whom you only saw on television and never in real life.

“Do you know who this is?” Holly asked, pointing to the photo and handing it over to Maggie so she could get a better look.

“Oh yes! Why this is little Emma Greenwood. The Greenwoods used to own this farm before I took over and made it into a B&B. I do not know much about her other than that she got married very young and moved away.” Maggie replied, going to place the photo back on the mantle.

Greenwood? Holly had never known her mother’s maiden name and she had never thought to ask. She did know that her first name was Emma, having heard her father call her that many times. They did not have pet names for each other like honey or darling like most married couples did. Holly went back over to the table and took a large drink of her coffee, it just at the right temperature to not burn her mouth as she did so. She drank it black, hoping it would help her get rid of this headache so she could focus on getting ready. Trying to put the knowledge that this was her mother’s childhood home behind her until she had the proper time to fully process what she had just learned.