Page 17 of Twelve Dates of Christmas

Chapter Seven

~ Rylan ~

I had never hated Monday so much. Stationed behind my desk on the twentieth floor of my building, I stared out the window at the curtain of snow falling outside, so thick it actually obscured a lot of the landscape below me.

The snow didn’t bother me. It was being away from Holly. It was knowing that I might not see her for days. Not if I didn’t convince her to take advantage of some late-night dates after she left work.

Though, I was supposed to be focusing on my contracts, all I could really think of was her. How soon would be too soon to convince her to move in with me, to let me take care of her, to get her to quit that job she didn’t really like, to talk her into marrying me?

Yeah, we hadn’t even slept together, but my mind was in all those places. So the Padrik contracts held no interest. They should, since the builder would be erecting about three hundred homes in Texas for us. It was a huge deal, and I couldn’t give a fuck right now.

Pulling out my phone, I shot off a quick text to Holly telling her good morning. It was ten, so I figured I wouldn’t be waking her. I hoped not. I knew she had an odd sleep schedule due to her hours.

Holly:Good morning, handsome. How’s your day?

Rylan:Sucks because I’m not with you. Did you sleep well?

Holly:Yeah. I was tired out after the tubing yesterday. You?

For date six, we’d gone to one of the local ski slopes. I hadn’t known if she skied, but there was snowboarding and several hills dedicated solely to tubes. That was what we’d done, until our faces were windburned and our throats were hoarse from yelling as we plummeted down the tracks.

Rylan:No. I wanted you there with me.

There was a long pause, and I thought maybe I’d scared her away. A knot in my gut, I considered how to backpedal. The ping of her message took me by surprise.

Holly:Maybe soon.

Rylan:I hope so. Even if it’s just holding you.

That would be torture, but not as bad as sleeping alone.

Holly:I’d like that. Heading into the shower to get ready for my day. Talk to you later.

Rylan:Count on it.

I shoved away my cell as a sharp rap sounded on my door. The person knocking didn’t wait before opening the door. That told me it was one of two people—Kenton or Keaton.

A second later, Kenton stalked into the room as if he owned the place. While I owned the business and was still the CEO, running a lot of the operation, I’d brought him into the firm as soon as he turned eighteen too. After he’d finished college, all the while working through the ranks, I made him the VP of Operations. In essence, he was my number two. Nepotism? Yeah, but ask me if I gave a fuck.

“Contracts look good, right?” He sank into the chair across from my desk.

“Yeah.”

“You haven’t really looked at them yet, have you?” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he studied me. “What’s up with you since Friday?”

“I met your future sister-in-law.”

His mouth dropped open, because yeah, I didn’t really date. Yes, there had been women in my past—my very distant past—but I’d never thought of them as my future wife. None had been remotely serious. Holly was the opposite of everything I’d ever known.

Holly was twenty-five to my thirty, and I knew I probably wasn’t her first, either. I didn’t want to think about it. She was mine now, and that was all that mattered. I smiled when I remembered her telling me I was her first kiss. Okay…so…yeah, now I was a caveman.

“Does Mom know?” Kenton gasped. From his tone, I just knew his twin would hear about this minutes after he left my office. That being the case, Mom would know within the hour.

“Not yet,” I replied dryly, mentally penciling in that oncoming phone call.

“She is going to freak. Who’s this girl? Not one of Mom’s Barbie dolls?”

“Hell no.” I knew my stepmother wouldn’t care. She just wanted me to find someone. “Her name is Holly. I met her last week.”

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