Holiday Guests

3

“Hey Leah. Damn, somehow you’re even more gorgeous than you were earlier.” He hands out the roses. “These are for you.”

“Thank you. They’re lovely. Please come in.” I take the flowers and step back, feeling warm all over. Flowers and compliments. A girl could get used to this.

He moves inside, his hazel eyes sweeping across my living room and dining room, which are both decked out in lights, tinsel, and other holiday decorations. “Wow. It’s like a Christmas wonderland in here.”

I head into the kitchen to grab a vase. “I might have overdone it a bit, but I really love Christmas. And I guess I thought the house would feel less empty this year if it was decorated. Not quite as lonely, you know?”

As I put the flowers in the vase, he moves behind me and rests his hands on my upper arms. His mouth is right at my ear as he says, “You don’t have to worry about being lonely anymore.”

A sense of relief fills me at his words and his touch. “I’m so happy you’re all coming over tonight.” I turn toward him and notice how close we are, with a rush of heat. “Why are you alone on Christmas Eve, anyway? You said you don’t have any family either?”

“No, I don’t.” His eyes darken and he looks away. “It’s not a nice story though.”

I rest a hand on his shoulder and give it a quick squeeze. “It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me. But my parents died when I was fourteen, so I might understand what you’ve been through.”

He takes that hand and presses a kiss to my palm. “You’re right. We’re both orphans.” He continues to hold my hand as he says, “My parents overdosed on h****n when I was six. I’ve spent my entire life moving from one foster home to another.”

“I’m so sorry. That’s horrible.” I wrap my arms around his neck and give him a warm hug. His big hands slide around my back, holding me close. He smells so good, like pine trees and snow, like he’s brought in the outdoors with him, and I don’t want to let him go. He seems to feel the same, because he keeps his hands on my waist when he pulls back just enough to look at me.

“It was rough sometimes, but I managed to get into college on a scholarship. There I met Finn and Mark, and they became my new family.”

“I’m glad you found them.” My arms seem to have a mind of their own and are now wrapped around his neck, like I’m waiting for him to kiss me. I’m not even sure how this happened, but he doesn’t seem to mind.

“Me too.” He pulls me tighter against him, his gaze falling to my lips. “But there’s definitely room for one more person in my life.”

My heart skips a beat. Is he saying what I think he’s saying?

He lowers his head and I think for sure he’s going to kiss me, but then the doorbell rings. I release him, silently cursing whoever is at the door. “I should get that.”

He grins. “Do you have to?”

I playfully nudge him, and together we walk to the front door. When I open it, both brothers are standing on my front porch, looking deliciously sexy as snow falls behind them and Christmas lights twinkle. I smile at the two of them. “You both made it!”

“Of course,” Finn says. He gives me a hug and his hand slides down my back slowly, like he’s reluctant to release me.

“We brought wine,” Mark says, showing me a box full of red and white. “Lots of wine.”

“Perfect.” I glance between the three guys. “I have lots of guest rooms, so you’re all welcome to drink as much as you want and then crash here tonight. It’ll be nice to have someone in the house other than myself.” And maybe, just maybe, I’ll get one of them to join me in my bed at some point too. Fingers crossed.

“This does seem like a large house for one person,” Mark says, as they step inside.

My smile falls at the reminder. “This was my grandmother’s house. I inherited it when she passed away in February.”

“I’m sorry,” Mark says. “Were you close?”

“Very,” I say with a sigh.

“What about the rest of your family?” Finn asks.

“She was all I had left. She raised me after my parents died in a car crash when I was fourteen.” I feel the familiar grief trying to bring tears to my eyes, and I blink quickly to keep them away. “It’s such a relief to have the three of you here. This is my first Christmas without her and I’m really glad I don’t have to spend it alone.”

“We’re happy to be here with you,” Josh says.

“Don’t the two of you have family to send the holidays with?” I ask the twins.

“We do, but things are…tense at the moment,” Finn says.

“Our parents are divorced and they’ve both gotten remarried this year,” Mark says, with a scowl. “They hate each other and wanted us to pick a family to spend the holidays with, mainly so they could rub it in the other one’s face. We didn’t want to get involved with that competitive s**t so we elected to spend the holidays without them.”

“That’s terrible that they would use you both like that,” I say. “Especially during the holidays.”

Mark shrugs. “That’s how it’s been our entire lives.”

“Yep,” Finn says. “I’m honestly looking forward to a Christmas away from them. Especially one with you instead.”

“Maybe we can start a new tradition with the four of us,” Josh says, with a grin.

“I’d like that,” I say. “Starting with Christmas Eve dinner tonight. It should be just about ready now.”