The Christmas Kiss

2.

Vesper’s POV

The kiss was everything I never expected. And yet, in some strange way, it was exactly what I needed.

Roman’s lips were soft and warm, sending a shockwave through my entire body that I couldn’t shake. For a moment, the world around me faded. The music dimmed, the chatter disappeared, and all I could feel was the press of his lips against mine and the steady beat of my heart racing in my chest.

But then, as quickly as it had begun, it ended. Roman pulled away with a satisfied grin, his eyes never leaving mine. I stood frozen, my fingers still tingling from where he’d touched my face, my head swirling with confusion and wonder.

“You’re not bad at this,” Roman teased, his voice low and playful, but there was an edge to it—something that made me question the hidden meaning behind his words.

“I—” I opened my mouth to say something, but my throat had gone dry. How was I supposed to respond to that?

Rowan, who had been standing next to Roman, gave me a small smile, his eyes warm but knowing. “Roman’s always like this. Don’t take him too seriously, Vesper,” he said, his voice calm and reassuring, though there was a hint of something else—maybe curiosity—beneath it.

Orion, ever the stoic figure, studied me for a moment before giving me a half-nod. “You’re not going to just stand there and leave it at that, are you?” he asked, his deep voice laced with a bit of challenge.

I blinked, still stunned by the rush of emotions flooding through me. “What do you mean?”

Roman grinned, clearly enjoying my discomfort. “We’re not done yet, are we?” His smirk deepened, and his gaze flicked to the mistletoe, hanging just above our heads, as if it were waiting for something more.

My heart pounded as I took a step back. “What’s the catch?” I blurted out, hoping to sound casual, though the fluttering in my chest betrayed me.

“No catch,” Rowan said smoothly, but there was an unmistakable hint of something more—something that had yet to fully reveal itself. “Just tradition. The mistletoe’s only the beginning, Vesper.”

The words seemed to hang in the air between us, leaving a strange tension in the room. I looked between the three of them, each one watching me with an intensity that made my stomach twist. There was something magnetic about their presence—something that pulled me in and made it impossible to look away. And yet, I had to.

“I—I didn’t expect this,” I admitted, my voice shaking slightly. My pulse was still racing from the kiss, and I had no idea how to process what had just happened.

Lily, who had been quietly watching from a distance, suddenly appeared at my side, her eyes wide with shock and excitement. “Vesper, are you okay?” she asked, her voice thick with curiosity. “That was… wow.”

I gave her a quick nod, still struggling to regain my composure. “I’m fine,” I managed to say, but even I could hear the uncertainty in my voice.

Roman, clearly enjoying the effect he had on me, leaned in close again, his lips curling into a playful grin. “No need to be so shy, Vesper,” he said, his breath warm against my ear. “You’ve had your first kiss under the mistletoe. Who knows? Maybe there’s more where that came from.”

The heat in my cheeks flared even brighter. I shot him a look, but the teasing glint in his eyes only made it worse. “I’m not interested in whatever that was,” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

But Roman wasn’t fazed by my resistance. In fact, it seemed to only fuel his amusement. “We’ll see,” he said with a shrug. “You’re fun. I like that.”

Rowan stepped forward, his expression softening as he addressed me. “Don’t mind Roman. He’s just… being himself,” he said, his voice a soothing contrast to his brother’s teasing tone. “We didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

I met his gaze, surprised by the sincerity in his eyes. Rowan had a way of making everything feel less overwhelming, and for a moment, I let my guard down just enough to breathe. “It’s okay. I just… didn’t expect any of this,” I said, glancing at the mistletoe once more. “I didn’t even think you three would notice me.”

Orion stepped forward now, his strong presence undeniable. He studied me carefully, his expression unreadable, but there was something about his quiet intensity that drew me in. “I noticed you the moment you walked in,” he said, his deep voice barely a whisper. “It wasn’t about whether or not you were with someone else. It was about you.”

My breath caught in my throat, and I quickly turned away, trying to hide the effect his words had on me. “I don’t need your pity,” I muttered under my breath.

It was Roman who spoke up again, his voice light but pointed. “It’s not pity, Vesper. It’s more… curiosity. You’ve got a way of standing out, even when you don’t try.”

The statement hung in the air like a challenge, and for a moment, I couldn’t bring myself to speak. The way they looked at me—like I was something they couldn’t quite understand, yet wanted to—felt like too much to process.

“I… don’t know what you want from me,” I finally said, my voice steadying as I turned back toward them. “You all act like we’ve known each other for years. But we haven’t. We’re strangers.”

Roman leaned against the wall again, his hands casually shoved into the pockets of his leather jacket. “Maybe we’re strangers,” he said with a smirk, “but who says strangers can’t have fun together?”

I frowned, shaking my head. “This isn’t fun,” I said quietly, my voice more reflective than I intended. “I don’t know what this is, but it’s not fun.”

Rowan’s gaze softened again, and he placed a hand gently on my shoulder. “It’s okay. You don’t have to have all the answers right now. We’re not trying to rush you, Vesper. We just—” He paused, as if searching for the right words. “We just want to get to know you.”

The sincerity in his voice disarmed me. I didn’t know why, but I believed him. I believed all of them.

But it didn’t make it any easier.

Lily, sensing the tension between us, took a step forward, her voice light and playful. “Okay, enough of the heavy talk,” she said, clapping her hands together. “We’re here to have fun, remember? Why don’t we dance? I think Vesper could use a distraction.”

Before I could protest, she had already grabbed my hand and was dragging me toward the dance floor. I shot a quick glance over my shoulder at the Triplets, who were still watching me intently. Roman winked, and my stomach did another flip.

Lily, oblivious to the storm of emotions I was battling, spun me around and grinned. “You’re not getting off that easy. Dance with me, and we’ll forget about everything else.”

I opened my mouth to say something—anything—but nothing came out. My legs moved on their own as Lily led me into the crowd of dancers, the music surrounding us, and I found myself lost in the rhythm.