Holiday Guests

4

We head into the kitchen and Mark opens the wine, while I check on the pasta. The other two guys lounge around, looking sexy and distracting without even trying.

“That smells amazing,” Finn says.

I flash him a smile as I stir the sauce. “Thanks. I’m making my grandmother’s spaghetti tonight. I know it’s not the normal Christmas Eve meal, but it always makes me feel like she’s with me. Tomorrow I’ll do the big Christmas dinner with all the side dishes and everything.”

“Spaghetti is perfect,” Josh says.

Each of us fills a plate and grabs some garlic bread before we all sit down at my dining table. I gaze across it at the three most gorgeous men I’ve ever seen and think how lucky I am to have them here with me on Christmas Eve. Especially since it seems they want to make this a regular thing.

Plus, Josh nearly kissed me in the kitchen. I wanted him to so bad. But now that Mark and Finn are here, I’m torn because I have feelings for them also. It wouldn’t be fair to be with Josh when I’m lusting after his two best friends. This could get really complicated fast. But how am I supposed to choose between them?

4

Leah

Conversation flows easily over dinner. We all joke about our horrible bosses, commiserate over how there are no good lunch places near the office, and wonder what some of our coworkers are doing for the holidays. Then the conversation turns away from work and to other things. Movies and TV shows we’ve seen lately. Books. Music. I find I have something in common with each guy. Josh and I both enjoy spending time outdoors. Mark and I both love going to concerts. Finn and I both read tons of books. It definitely doesn’t make my decision any easier, because I can see myself in a relationship with any one of them.

“That was so good,” Josh says, when we’re finished eating.

“It was,” Mark adds. “I loved the little kick to it. Did you put hot peppers in it?”

“I did,” I say, pleased that he noticed. “I like it a tiny bit spicy, and that’s how my grandmother always made it.”

“I’ll have to copy your recipe next time I make spaghetti.”

“Do you cook?” I ask.

“Mark is a great cook,” Finn says. “Thank god cause otherwise we would just eat ramen and take-out every night.”

Mark smirks. “Yes, my brother is useless in the kitchen. As is Josh.”

“Ugh, I hate cooking,” Josh says. “I do like eating though. I’d eat anything you put in front of me, Leah.” He says it with such a devilish smile I have no doubt what he means, and warmth floods my face…and other parts of me.

Finn jumps to his feet. “Let’s clean up and then you can give us a tour of the place. I want to see your book collection.”

We bring all the dishes into the kitchen, and with the four of us it doesn’t take much time to get everything loaded into the dishwasher. Mark opens another bottle of wine and pours us all a glass, and then we set off on a tour of the house.

“Well, you’ve already seen the kitchen, dining room, and living room,” I tell them. “That’s most of this floor, except for a guest room back there, and then there’s the backyard.” I move to the back door and open it. It’s no longer snowing, but there’s a layer of soft white snow covering everything outside, and under the moonlight it looks magical. “This is one of my favorite things about this house—the huge yard.”

“It’s awesome,” Josh says. “Great trees, tons of space. You must have at least an acre or more.”

I nod. “It’s a bit overgrown at the moment but I don’t mind. Makes it feel like my own private forest.”

Next we head up the stairs, which I’ve decorated with Christmas lights and holly. “Up here we have two more guest rooms,” I say, as I show them each one. “You can fight over the rooms later tonight if you decide to stay.”

“Oh, we’re definitely staying,” Mark says, his voice low.

I flash him a smile. “Right. We’ve all had a lot of wine. Not safe for any of you to drive now.”

“Mmhmm.” His eyes roam over my body and I get the impression he’s got another reason he wants to stay.

As desire flickers through me, I quickly move to the next room on the tour. “This is my office and library.”

“Wow, you have a lot of books,” Josh says.

“Yep, and I have even more on my k****e. I really love to read.”

Finn chuckles softly. “We figured that from all the times we’ve caught you with your nose in a book at the office.”

“Just don’t tell the boss,” I say, in a teasing voice.

“Never,” Josh replies.

As the guys look at my bookshelves, I suddenly blurt out, “I really want to be a writer myself one day,” Whoa, I can’t believe I just told them that. I’ve never told anyone else before.

“I bet you’d be good at it,” Josh says.

“Have you written anything yet?” Mark asks.

I look away, wishing I’d never said anything. “I have a couple manuscripts finished, but I’ve never done anything with them. They’re not very good.”

“I bet that’s not true,” Finn says. “You should fix them up and publish them.”

“What are they about?” Mark asks.

I stare at the floor, suddenly way too warm. “They’re um...romance novels.” Really erotic romance novels. About a girl with more than one guy. Sometimes even two or three. But I’m definitely not telling them that.

“Oh really,” Josh says, clearly intrigued.