Page 10 of Warming Up Coco (Santa Daddy)

We stood, and I grabbed the bag then reached for her hand with my free one.

“Lucas—” She started to say, but I cut her off in case she was going to ask why I was suddenly touching her. I wasn’t sure myself. It was like one small caress had broken me, and I couldn’t keep my hands to myself.

“Come on, we still have a little bit of a drive to go,” I muttered under my breath.

We walked out quietly, but one thing I was hyperaware of was the fact she didn’t let go of my hand. If anything, her hand wrapped around mine.

I had a feeling it was going to take more work than I’d thought to win Coco’s heart. But as I watched her settle into the passenger seat and pull the seatbelt across her front, I knew I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Anything worthwhile took work, and Coco was more than worth the effort.

Chapter4

Coco

The higher we went up the mountain, the heavier the snow fell around us.

The scenery was beautiful. Tall trees covered in the fluffy stuff as snowflakes hit the windshield. It felt magical. Like we were driving straight into Narnia or something.

But I had to admit, never having experienced weather like that, I had a white-knuckled grip on the door handle. If Lucas was worried, he didn’t show it.

Then again, it was rare to see the mask he wore drop from his face.

Usually, that ticked me off. It made me think of him as some kind of tinman without a heart.

But while he drove and I tried not to freak out about the narrow roads, steep inclines, and sharp turns, I had to admit there was something soothing about the calm way he drove. It eased my anxiety. If that wasn’t enough, about thirty minutes into the drive, he gripped the steering wheel with one hand and covered mine with the other.

My eyes kept dropping to watch. Lucas Star, my bosshole to rival any other bossholes, the man who had requested I stop wearing my perfume in the office and acted like he couldn’t stand sharing the same air, was holding my hand!

And not just to drag me from place to place, how I would have imagined it might have happened if he ever put his hands on me, but he was holding it with such a tender, gentle touch that it made my mind spin.

I didn’t know why, but I did know I didn’t want him to stop.

I smiled quietly, stealing glances at him here and there while we drove to a mountain city with an adorable name for who knew what reason.

My thoughts ran wild. Letting myself pretend things were different between us.

What would it feel like if Lucas were mine? If I were his?

My imagination went down a dangerous road.

One where I let myself daydream we were on a getaway for Christmas.Together.That he wasn’t just my jerky boss but my lover.My daddy.My college boyfriend had known all about my kink. Being my first love, young with stars in my eyes, I had shared all about my kink and preferences, but his possessive ways turned abusive.

Physically and emotionally.

Until one day, I looked at myself in the mirror and knew I had to get out from under his thumb. A daddy, a real one, wouldn’t be hurtful. Not the way my ex had been. A daddy, a man, would be supportive instead of trying to tear down my self-confidence at every turn.

Daddy.

I glanced at Lucas. His green gaze was laser-focused on the road while he hummed along with the Christmas carols that played softly.Who would have thought he even knew the lyrics to Christmas carols?

I’d always known my interests were different than most. After my relationship in college all but exploded in my face, I learned a lesson. I dated here and there, but nothing came from it.

And I never admitted my likes other than to my best friend, Serena.

I wondered, not for the first time, if Lucas Star had a dirty side.

A filthy-mouthed one that could keep me in line, yet a softer side, too. One that would baby and spoil me. Not with things. I made my own money to buy materialistic things, but spoil me with his attention and time. The thought almost made me giggle while breaking my heart at the same time.

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