Page 8 of Yours to Ho Ho Hold
Martha smiles and gives me a once over. “Thank you. I like your suit.”
I flash her a mischievous smile but keep my dirty retorts to myself. She’s probably in her seventies, and though she may be flirting, I don’t want to give the old bird a heart attack.
She returns to the keyboard and types something else. “Okay, this could work.” She looks up with a smile. “The hotel in town is completely booked, but I was able to find you a room at the local bed and breakfast. It’s conveniently located downtown, which is only about a thirty-minute carriage ride from here.”
Holly looks to me, then back to Martha and shakes her head. “But … there’s two of us … We need two rooms, not one.”
Martha gives her a knowing look. “Now, honey, you don’t strike me as someone who saves it for the marriage bed, especially when you pulled someone who looks like that,” She licks her lips as she stares at my chest.
Holly glares at me over her shoulder. “I’ll take it. You can put me down—”
I reach over and hand my ticket information to Martha. “Both of us. You can put both of us down. Thank you so much for going the extra mile to ensure we have somewhere to sleep tonight.”
Holly tries to push past me, but I block her out, stepping in front of her until Martha’s taken all my information.
“Wonderful. I’ll have Jasper bring the carriage around to the front.”
“Carriage? Is that the name of a taxi or Uber service or something …”
Martha just smiles. “Welcome to Chestnut Crossing, the North Pole of the Midwest. I think you’ll love it here.”
* * *
“You’re shitting me.It’s freezing outside, and we’re actually riding in a carriage? What year is it again?”
I wrap my arm around her and pull her close to me as the driver places a heavy fur throw over our legs. “This should keep the chill away.”
“I can’t believe this is happening right now. Did that plane take us to a different dimension?” She looks around and behind us. “Am I in the Bad Place? Is this some kind of test?”
“Oh, come on, lighten up a little. You have to admit, this is pretty awesome. It’s not every day your plane emergency lands in a tiny Christmas town that looks straight out of a movie.” The carriage bobbles and bounces over the cobblestone path as I take in the quaint little town. Lights are strung overhead, and the streets are completely empty, giving it a picturesque feeling. Crystal white snow glistens around us as we pass by the cutest little shops with Christmas displays in their windows.
“Why couldn’t we drive?” Holly asks with irritation in her tone.
“I think they said they don’t allow any vehicles on the streets to preserve the authentic Christmas village feel,” I answer, squeezing her tighter against me.
The movement must remind her we’re touching because she grabs my hand and pries me off. “Let’s state some ground rules about this shared room situation, shall we?”
I fold my hands together and look at her. “I’m all ears. What did you have in mind?
“No funny business. We are here to sleep, and first thing in the morning, we’ll part ways and never speak again.”
I tense my jaw but don’t argue. “Anything else?”
She shivers and wraps her hands around her arms to warm herself. Stubborn girl would rather freeze to death than accept a little help. “Yes. You stay in your bed, and I’ll stay in mine.”
I hold up my hands. “Not a problem for me.”
“Good.”
* * *
“Um … Where’s the other bed?”She drops her backpack with a thud and runs into the small room like she’s going to find a hidden hallway or door hiding another bed.
I drop my own bag by the wall and take a seat on the bed in question as I take in the cozy cottage-style room. The bed’s adorned with a Christmas flannel comforter, complete with reindeer-shaped throw pillows set across from a cozy fireplace. Two big windows frame the room on either side of the fireplace, providing an amazing view of the snow-covered mountains and little shops in the distance.
I bounce on the bed, making it creak a little, and the sound gives me a semi. I stopped wondering why seemingly normal smells and noises gave me boners a long time ago. Now, I just roll with it, learning new things about myself every day.
“What are you doing?” She glares at me.
