My Secret Santa Daddies (Silver Ridge Christmas)

6. Cody

6

CODY

I think I just fucked up.

Big time.

What in the actual fuck was I thinking, barging into her room like that? I’m usually more careful than this—more in control. But seeing her there, half-naked and flushed, brought out something in me that I thought I’d buried long ago.

Her golden hair is tousled and her naked body partially exposed under the comforter. The blush spreads down her neck and chest, her skin glowing in the soft light. Her hands hurriedly try to cover herself up, but it's already too late. I can't help but take in every inch of her beauty, from the curve of her hips to the swell of her breasts.

And now here we are, frozen in place, staring at each other like deer caught in headlights.

I should’ve knocked or something, but when I heard her moaning my name, something in my brain just snapped. I lost all control.

“I—I’m so sorry,” I manage to stammer out, my face on fire.

“What the hell are you doing?”

What the hell am I doing?

I shut my mouth, grinding my teeth together as it takes a moment for my brain to recover from near short circuiting and for some of the blood to drain from my cock, but I’m worried that may never go down.

When Dr. Harper called me earlier, asking if I could make sure Sierra was planning on coming to the Secret Santa event, I figured it would be a quick check. I called, left a voicemail, and even knocked on the door a few times. No response. That’s when I noticed the front door wasn’t locked.

Sierra’s not the kind to just leave her door unlocked. Not with the snowstorm, and everything going on.

So, I stepped into the house, worried. It was almost noon anyways, I figured she’d be up, going about her day at least.

Now I grimace, feeling like a complete idiot. “I knocked! You didn’t answer. The door was unlocked, and I got worried. Dr. Harper asked me to check in on you, and when you didn’t pick up the phone… Look, I thought something was wrong.”

Sierra stares at me.

Her cheeks are still flaming red, and her chest is heaving with each rapid breath she takes. But after a moment, some of the tension leaves her body, and she sighs.

“I forgot to lock the door,” she mutters, more to herself than to me.

“Well, yeah, that’s why I freaked out.” I run a hand through my hair, feeling more awkward than I’ve felt in a long time. “I thought something might’ve happened. I didn’t mean to... walk in on you like that.”

Her blue eyes are wide, but the embarrassment and arousal from moments ago is replaced with something else. Anger?

“Cody, you ass?—”

“I know, I know. I’m sorry. I should’ve just left a damn note and minded my own business.”

Sierra’s jaw works as if she’s trying to find the right words. “It’s fine,” she finally says with a sigh, her cheeks still flushed. “It’s not like you haven’t seen me naked before.”

That shuts me up right quick.

The lines of her face soften, and the anger in her eyes fade, replaced by a look I can’t quite read. “Just… please, can you give me a minute to get dressed? And for the love of God, close the damn door on your way.”

“Right,” I mumble, taking a step back. “I’ll—um— be in the living room.”

I take the not-so-subtle hint and do just that, closing the door behind me with a quiet thud.

“Great job, Cody. Just great.” I mutter to myself.

It takes all my self-control not to punch the wall next to me.

I can still see her—flushed and breathless and slick with her own arousal. The memory alone makes my cock twitch, and I curse under my breath.

Genius.

I lean against the wall, closing my eyes and willing my cock to go down.

What the fuck was I thinking? I haven’t seen her in years, and yet here I am, acting like a horny teenager all over again. This trip is going to be a disaster if I don’t get a handle on myself.

I need to get out of here, fast. Before I do something even more stupid.

But as I turn to leave, the door creaks open again, this time revealing a fully clothed and much more composed Sierra. She’s got on a pair of sweats and an old sweatshirt.

“I’m sorry about that.” She rakes a hand through her hair, sending those golden strands into more disarray than before, and I have to force myself not to reach out and tuck them behind her ear.

When she speaks, her voice is barely above a whisper. “Why did Dr. Harper call you?”

“She just wanted to make sure you were coming to the Secret Santa thing tonight at the Winter Festival,” I mumble, rubbing the back of my neck, feeling like an absolute schmuck. “I didn’t mind... you know... I'm kinda sorta in the area.”

She glances at me sideways as if she doesn't quite believe me.

“She called you?”

“Yeah.”

“Jesus Christ.” Sierra shakes her head walking past me.

“Well, are you going to come?”

She pauses at the bottom of the stairs and turns back to face me. There’s a sadness in her eyes that wasn’t there before, and it cuts me straight to the core.

“I don't know, Cody. I haven't thought about it.”

“Come on, Sierra. It’ll be good for you to get out of the house. Get some fresh air. And...” I hesitate, unsure if I should voice the next words out loud. “And... maybe it'll be nice to see some friendly faces for a change.”

Her back is to me as she rummages through the fridge, so I can’t see her face. “I have my reasons for not wanting to attend this damn thing, you know.” She says in irritation.

“I know.” I said softly, walking to where she now stood.

“Then why do you want me to go so bad?” She turns to face me, her eyes searching mine.

“Because... I care about you, Sierra. I don’t want you to be alone at a time like this. I mean. It’s Christmas.”

The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them, and I cringe inwardly. God, I'm such an idiot.

But instead of the expected anger or rejection, Sierra’s face softens. “You always were too damn nice for your own good, Cody Bellamy”

She swallows hard, shutting the fridge door with a bit more force than necessary before turning to face me head on.

“I still can’t believe Susan called you , of all people.”

“The hell that’s supposed to mean?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t think you two were that close.”

“Sure. We were. It’s only been four years, Sierra.”

“Only four,” she mutters under her breath.

The weight of those four years hangs like an elephant in the room, the smell of ghosts and unspoken words heavy in the air.

Neither one of us says anything for a long while then she sighs, glancing down at her sweats. “I should probably start getting ready, huh?”

“So, you’re going to come?”

“I guess. But you better make sure no one crappy draws my name at the Secret Santa or else I’m out the door.”

I grin, relief washing over me. “Deal. And for the record, I don’t barge into people’s bedrooms on the regular.”

“Noted. When does this thing start?”

I glance down at my watch.

“Half hour.”

“Are Wyatt and Griffin going?”

“Yeah, I think so, but they’re probably going to be running late. Why?”

She shrugs, but I can see a blush creep into her cheeks, and she looks slightly nervous—a sight I haven’t seen in a long time.

“No reason. Just curious, that’s all.”

“Right,” I say, mirroring her casual tone. “Well, I’ll wait for you in the living room.”

“You do that.”

I kick back on her couch, studying the picture frames on the mantle. She still has one of the four of us from the night before graduation. Sierra’s got her arms slung over Wyatt and mine’s shoulder with Griffin standing behind, all of us sun-tanned, overly tired and too excited about living life. We look so young and innocent.

I can still remember the night vividly, the senior skip day spent at the lake, skinny dipping, sipping beer and laughing till our sides hurt.

So damn young.

I’m jolted out of my memories when Sierra emerges from her room, and I have to force my jaw not to drop.

She’s wearing a dark red knit dress that clings to her curves, accentuating every inch of her toned body. Her hair falls in loose waves around her shoulders, framing her face beautifully. Sierra always was a knockout, but right now?

She looks like a damn goddess.

“Y-you look...” I trail off, unsure of what to say next.

Her cheeks flush again, but this time it might be due to the temperature in here, or maybe it's just me?

“Shut up, Cody.” She blushes again, but I can see the corners of her lips pulling upward. “Let's just go before I change my mind.” She shoves her arm into a massive old Carhartt jacket.

“Your wish is my command,” I say, standing up and following her out the front door. I open the door to the truck and she hops in.

I rush to the driver’s side to get that heat blasting over us.

The truck hums along the snow covered roads, and I keep my eyes fixed straight ahead, trying to focus on driving and not on the fact that Sierra is sitting next to me, arms crossed, staring out the window with that stony expression of hers. The radio plays some soft Christmas tune.

I fiddle with the volume knob for a moment, hoping the music will kill the awkward silence.

I clear my throat, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel, searching for something to say—anything to break this silence. But there’s only one thing on my mind, and I know I’m probably an idiot for even thinking about bringing it up. But it’s been gnawing at me, and I can’t let it go.

I take a deep breath, glancing over at her. “So, uh... about earlier...”

Sierra’s head whips toward me so fast I almost miss the glare she throws in my direction. “Cody,” she snaps, her voice sharp and warning. “Don’t.”

I raise my hands off the wheel for a second, surrendering. “I’m just saying, it was?—”

“I said don’t. We’re not talking about it.”

“Right. Got it. But just for the record, it’s a totally normal human thing?—”

“Cody.” Her voice drops, icy and dangerous. “If you don’t shut the hell up about it, I will throw myself out of this truck and walk the rest of the way.”

I glance over at her again, catching the fire in her blue eyes.

“Okay, okay. Consider it forgotten,” I say, trying to sound casual as I grip the steering wheel tighter. But the image of Sierra, half-naked, touching herself, lost in the moment—has been burned into my brain. I’ve tried to shove it out of my mind, really, but... yeah, good luck with that.

Sierra rolls her eyes and turns back toward the window, clearly hoping this was the end of it. “Good. Because it never happened.”

I bite back a retort and focus on the road, but the awkwardness lingers, like an elephant sitting between us in the truck. It never happened .

Sure. I’d love to believe that too, but there’s no way I’m forgetting walking in on her like that anytime soon. It’s not the kind of thing you just erase from your memory. Especially not when it was my name she was moaning.

The silence stretches out again, the soft sound of the radio doing little to ease the tension. I want to crack another joke, say something stupid to lighten the mood, but I know better than to push her buttons right now. Sierra’s not the type to let stuff slide easily, especially when it’s something this... personal.

After a long moment, she sighs, leaning her head back against the seat. “I mean it, Cody. Let it go.”

“Consider it gone. Vanished. Never to be spoken of again.”

She snorts softly, and for the first time tonight, there’s a hint of amusement in her voice. “Good. Because I swear, if you ever bring it up again...”

“You’ll what? Punch me in the face?”

She turns her head slightly, meeting my gaze for a second. “Worse.”

A laugh escapes me, and despite the tension, it feels good to hear her teasing, even if it’s just for a moment. “Got it. Point taken.”

I’m still trying to shove the memory of that moment out of my head—of her lying there, and the way she looked—but I know it’s a losing battle.

Still, I’ll respect her wishes. As much as I’m capable of, anyway.

Hopefully, I’ll be able to sleep tonight.