Christmas Delights: A Ménage à Trois Romance

"Believe it or not, I used to love Christmas. It was my favorite time of the year. It kinda lost its zing in my life, ya know. I mean, as far as family goes, and exchanging gifts—yeah, that’s great stuff, but without a lover to share it with, it just becomes another day.” 

“Another day?” Squeezing my hand, he caressed my inner forearm with his fingertips. “When I came in and notice you, I watch you for long time.” He fiddled with the platinum ring on my forefinger. “Everyone around you smile, feel love and joy, except you.” 

“Ha. You think that’s bad? You should see me on Valentine’s Day.” That was my attempt to make light of an incredibly uncomfortable situation, but of course, I made it worse. The discomforting sting of his earlier observation took the wind right out of my sails. Was my demeanor that bad, or my mental grief that obvious? “Not like I wanna feel this way.” 

“What makes Tranell happy?” 

What an endearing question. I paused and just looked at him for a moment. “Puppies, rainbows, unicorns, the smell of roses, and, sitting here talking to you.” 

His cheeks flushed and his smile widened. “Merci, I hope to make you happier. Life too short to live in shadow of sadness. Someone so lovely shouldn’t be alone. This will be our night. It be very special. I make sure of it.” 

“Our night?” Giving him an impish glint, I snickered. “You are super charming, but presumptuous as well. I never said I was going to spend the night with you?” 

“Oui, you did. Just not with your mouth. You stay in hotel close to here?” 

“Yeah. Sorta.” Truth was, my company secured living quarters for my team and I in a condo building about twenty minutes from here. But I wasn’t going to tell a stranger that. No matter how hot he was, I had to keep in mind I was in a different country, away from everyone I knew. Bad enough he had me on the verge of giving up the goodies on the first night. 

Stephan picked up his glass of wine, turned it up to his mouth and consumed it like he was chugging a beer. 

“Whoa! Slow down there, sailor.” 

He repositioned himself in the seat next to me. He bent down, reached one arm across my lap and took hold of my seat. The legs of my chair grunted and scraped over the wood flooring as he dragged me closer to him. 

“What are you doing?” I latched onto the edge of the table, staring at him like he was crazy. 

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Once he had eliminated all the space between us, he dropped his heated palm on my knee. He then brushed his lips over the shell of my ear. “I want to make you come, Tranell.” 

My pulse quickened and the muscles in my thighs tightened. “Damn boy, you are too bold for your own good.” A little voice in my head told me to pump the brakes and move away, but my body wouldn’t budge. My eyes briefly fluttered shut as I took a deep breath. “So I guess we’re past flirting, huh?” 

“Come home with me,” he whispered. 

Wait, what? I turned to look into those hypnotizing eyes. “You expect me to believe you don’t have a woman at home waiting for you on Christmas Eve?” 

“Oui.” 

“Uh-huh,” I hummed, rolling my eyes. “I don’t believe you.” 

“I prove to you when I take you home. Please drink your wine.” 

I clucked my tongue and cocked my head. “Why? So you can get me drunk and my decision-making skills go out the window?” 

“No.” Smiling, he tapped the stem of the glass with his nail. “Drink to relax, so I can make you my lover.”