Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 49005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 245(@200wpm)___ 196(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 245(@200wpm)___ 196(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
“You can share the Santa costumes—I’ll have them cleaned every week—and I’ll order helper costumes for everyone right away. You know, I’d better get your measurements, because those outfits have a tighter fit. Holly, can you help me?”
The next thing I know, I’m on my tiptoes, helping Lisa hold a measuring tape across one of the new men’s shoulders. He’s warm, even through his t-shirt, and smells of spice, and the number of butterflies in my stomach have now doubled.
We measure the Frost brothers too, who smile sweetly at me, in contrast to the volunteers from Club Red, who still look like they want to eat me up.
When we’re done, Lisa returns to her desk to jot down the measurements. “What are your names?” she asks the latecomers.
The man with longer hair and the devilish grin speaks up first. “I’m Felix.”
“Jasper,” says the other man, who looks brooding when he’s not giving me sex eyes. “Jasper Winter.”
“We’re brothers,” Felix says.
Lisa’s still making notes. “Two sets of brothers. How nice.” She goes over more details with all of us, answers questions, then wishes us a Happy Thanksgiving and tells us she’ll see us on Saturday. “I’ll have the elf costumes for you at the park,” she adds as an afterthought, as the five of us are leaving her office.
“Elf costumes,” Jasper grumbles, shooting his brother a dirty look.
In reply, Felix looks at me and arches a dark brow, and I’m surprised I don’t dissolve into a puff of smoke.
The Frost brothers, ever the gentlemen, rush to open the door again, and I nod my thanks.
“Do you have any plans after this?” blond-haired Nick asks me as soon as we’re outside.
Felix slides a leather-jacketed arm around my shoulder, claiming me. “We’re going to go practice being Mr. and Mrs. Claus. What’s your name, darling?”
Despite the fact that it feels good being tucked in against him, I pull away, and he lets me go without resistance. “Holly,” I tell Felix, then turning to Nick, I say, “I don’t have any plans.”
“Can we take you out for coffee?” Nick tips his head toward his brother to indicate that his invitation includes the three of us.
“Don’t think you’re staking a claim on Mrs. Claus.” Jasper’s voice is a deep rumble as he fixes me in his seductive gaze. “Maybe she’d rather hang out with us.”
I’m flustered and dazzled, and wracked with indecision, because I completely gave up on men a couple of months ago. After a ridiculously long string of bad dates, capped off by a man who claimed to be a car salesman but turned out to be a drug dealer, enough was enough.
Not dating has been surprisingly easy so far, if a little lonely. Sure, companionship during cozy season would be nice, but I’ve been envisioning a stress-free, man-free Christmas.
However, I’ve never been asked out by a man anywhere near as appealing as these four.
I should say no to coffee, but maybe it makes sense to get to know the Frost brothers better … you know, since we’re going to be volunteering together.
A sudden gust of wind has me wishing I’d stayed under Felix’s arm. I try to zip up my hoodie, but can’t manage it with my hands full of costume packages.
Nick’s still grinning amiably, even as he pointedly ignores the Winter brothers. “What do you say, Holly? Want to warm up with a hot drink?”
Felix takes a step back. “Hey, I get it. Maybe you need to go out with these guys first to find out you like us better. After your boring coffee date, why don’t you come see us at Club Red?” He reaches into one of the pockets of his leather jacket and hands me what looks like a business card.
It turns out to be a coupon for half-price admission. “Are you strippers?”
“Performers. Revue dancers,” Felix says.
When I glance at Jasper, he winks at me. “We only take it all off for the luckiest women.”
After planting that distracting image in my head, the Winter brothers take their leave, heading toward two motorcycles parked in the lot, and I make plans with Nick and Rudy to follow them to the coffee shop.
Despite the way my body reacts to them, I can’t imagine going out with Felix or Jasper. They look like heartbreakers, the type who’d give you one unforgettable night in bed, then disappear.
Chapter 3
“So, what led you to volunteer for the shelter?” After Rudy asks, he uses the tip of his tongue to collect whipped cream from his moustache.
We’re huddled around a small table in the busy coffee shop, all three of us enjoying decadent peppermint mochas that came topped with not only the aforementioned whipped cream, but also miniature chocolate chips, red and green sprinkles, crushed peppermint, and a candy cane. Though I’m still not feeling the Christmas spirit, this drink is doing its best to get me there.