All Chapters of A Hot Daddy For Christmas: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The silence of the library was heavy, pressing against Ariana’s eardrums as the two-hour countdown began. She stared at the digital protocols on the tablet, but the words were just flickering lines of light. All she could see was the predatory glint in Mateo’s eyes and the way his hand had felt—heavy and possessive—at the nape of her neck.He’s right, a dark voice whispered in the back of her mind. You stayed. You whispered his name. You didn't run."No," she breathed, pushing the chair back so hard it screeched against the hardwood. "No, this is wrong. This is Cami's father. This is madness."She needed to fix this. She needed to reset the boundaries that had been obliterated the moment she stepped onto that moonlit balcony last night. If she could just be firm, if she could show him that she wasn't some girl playing a game, maybe they could go back to the way things were supposed to be before she officially moved her life into this house.Ariana hurried out of the library, her heels

The dining room was bathed in the amber glow of the setting sun. Mateo was already seated at the head of the table, his sleeves rolled up, focused on pouring a deep red Rioja into a crystal glass. He didn't look up as they entered; he simply waited for the air to change, which it did the moment Ariana stepped into the room."We’re back!" Cami announced, sliding into her chair. "The Plaza was gorgeous, Dad. You really should have come."Mateo finally lifted his gaze, his eyes skipping over his daughter to lock onto Ariana. "I had things to attend to, Camila. I see Ariana has managed to find something a bit more... understated to wear."Ariana sat down, her movements stiff. "I thought it was best.""It’s practical," Mateo murmured, taking a slow sip of his wine. "It allows one to focus on what matters without unnecessary distractions.""Oh, speaking of distractions!" Cami reached for the breadbasket, completely oblivious to the daggers being thrown across the table. "We ran into Dr. Mor

The guest room was silent, but the air felt charged, as if the molecules had been rearranged by Mateo’s presence. Ariana sat on the edge of the oversized bed, her hands clasped so tightly in her lap that her knuckles were bone-white. She stared at the closed door, half-expecting the handle to turn again, half-fearing that it wouldn't.How did I get here?The question looped in her mind like a broken record. Only a few days ago, she had touched down at the airport with nothing but a suitcase and a dream of a fresh start. She had come to Madrid to escape the stagnation of her old life, to prove she could make it in one of the most prestigious hospitals in Europe. She had come for a career, for her future, and for the chance to be near Cami, the one person who had been her anchor through five years of nursing school.But the moment she had bumped into that wall of charcoal wool at the airport, the trajectory of her life had shifted. She remembered the spark—that strange, instantaneous jo

The sunlight streaming through the windows of the Lopez breakfast nook felt like an insult to the chaos churning inside Ariana’s body. She sat rigidly, her spine barely touching the chair, clutching a cup of black coffee as if it were the only thing keeping her grounded. Every time she breathed, she felt the friction of her clothes against her skin—skin that was still hypersensitive from the night before.She couldn't stop the flashbacks. The image of Mateo’s face, the heat of her own hands, the way she had cried out his name in the dark of her suite while Tyler was a distant, fading memory of a life she no longer recognized. Tyler had been safe. Tyler had been gentle. But Tyler had never made her lose her mind the way the ghost of Mateo Lopez had last night."Ariana? Earth to Ari!" Cami laughed, waving a hand in front of Ariana's face. "I said, we have a massive day. The Christmas party is tomorrow night, and we still haven't picked out your gown. Dad is actually coming with us to th

The sun was barely up, but the Lopez estate was already a hive of frantic activity. Ariana woke to the distant, muffled sounds of crystal clinking and the rhythmic, hurried footsteps of the staff. She lay still for a long time, staring at the canopy of her bed, her body feeling heavy and strange.She moved to the bathroom like a sleepwalker. As she stepped into the steaming spray of the shower, the hot water hit the sensitive skin of her shoulder and thighs, sending a sharp, electric jolt through her core. Her fingers tentatively brushed the pale curve of her hip, and suddenly, she wasn't in the shower anymore. She was back in that velvet-lined changing room. She could feel the rough drag of Mateo’s thumb, the searing heat of his breath, and the terrifying, delicious weight of his dominance.A slow, pulsing ache blossomed between her legs—a heavy, insistent thrumming she had never felt before. "God, Ariana," she whispered, her forehead leaning against the wet tiles.She dressed quick