My skin begins to flush under his gaze and after a moment, I force my eyes away. “I… um… I should go sort out the spare room,” I announce, rising from my chair. “I’ll set aside some towels and some of my dad’s old clothes, you know, if you wanna take a shower or anything?”
“That’d be great, thanks.”
I hurry out of the room and make my way up to the spare bedroom, straightening out the sheets before going in search of towels and clothes.
What is happening to me?
I’ve known this man just shy of four hours and I’ve become a woman lusting after a man who’ll never be hers, letting her fantasies run away with her. I’m not denying my attraction to him, because it’s definitely there, the evidence is currently soaking through my panties for crying out loud, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
What would a successful, handsome multi-millionaire want with a small town girl like me? I’m sure I’m way off base when it comes to the women who surround him on a daily basis. I’m wasting my time even entertaining the idea of him carrying me upstairs and spreading me out on my back in the middle of my bed, making love to me hard enough to see stars and forget all the things that plague my mind.
No.
Enough.
I force my mind away from those thoughts and focus on the task at hand. Not long after I’ve finished, I return downstairs to find Royce inspecting the mistletoe that hangs above the doorframe that separates the living room and kitchen. He’s taken off his jacket, leaving him in just a white button-up with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his tie undone and hanging around his neck.
Why is that so attractive?
“It’s an old family tradition,” I explain, and he turns to me. “Every year at exactly eight forty-one on Christmas night, my mom and dad would kiss under the mistletoe. He proposed to her under it back in the eighties and it’s a thing that stuck ever since. That’s why I love Christmas so much, because of them.”
He steps towards me, peering down at me with those beautiful turquoise eyes as he dusts his fingers over the back of my hand, making me shiver. “I’ve hated this time of year for so long, but I have this strange feeling you’re going to change my mind on that,” he says with a grin.
“I hope so. It shouldn’t be a time of pain or loathing, it should be a time of happiness and peace… and love.”
His eyes flick down to my lips for a brief second and leans in slowly.
He’s going to kiss me.
My heart spikes and my breath hitches on a gasp, but just as his lips are about to brush mine, my phone begins to ring, a shrill noise that slices through the atmosphere, breaking the spell. He takes a step back as I turn to answer my phone, shooting him an apologetic smile.
“Hello?”
“Lorna? Hi, it’s Eddie.
“Hey! Is everything okay”
“Oh, perfect, perfect… Listen, are you still alright to join us tomorrow?” Eddie asks.
“Yes, absolutely! I’ll be there at around ten-thirty to help set up. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“Wonderful, see you tomorrow then, sweetheart.”
I say goodbye and hang up, then turn back to Royce, “so, I have this thing tomorrow, at the community hall. I volunteer there every year to help cook Christmas dinner for the homeless, or the elderly who are lonely, or even people who can’t afford to feed themselves. We have games and music and dancing… You’re welcome to come, you know… if you want?”
The corners of his mouth curve into a smile. “I’ll be there.”
“Great!” I beam.
A wave of silence falls between us as we hold each other’s gaze, just as the sound of soft music filters through the house from outside.
I head over to the window and peer out through the curtains to find a group of a dozen children dressed head to toe in their puffy coats, hats and scarfs as they sing from across the street.
“It’s carol singers!” I exclaim excitedly.
I’m sure as I hurry to the front door, I hear Royce grunt his disapproval behind me, but I don’t care. I pull open the door and lean against the door frame as I let the sweet sound of their voices singing‘Silent Night’soak through me and I can’t stop the wide smile that spreads across my face.
Royce comes to stand beside me, shoving his hands into his pockets and I glance up, surprised to find the ghost of a smile on his lips too.
