A single mother had to keep her priorities in order. At home, Lauren had a job, and her parents wouldn’t throw her out in the street—although they wouldn’t be pleased. They’d reminded her often enough to avoid the fishermen who came to town and left a string of broken hearts and babies behind. And who knew better than her mother and the man who’d married her when she’d been six months pregnant and raised Lauren as his own daughter. Crap. They would be so disappointed. One more reason to call the adoption agency lady back and make the arrangements. Lauren was in no position to give a baby what Madelyn Castillo enjoyed.
She stumbled along, mourning what she had no right to wish for, past the tall, leaded glass windows on the side of the lodge. Snow fell outside, creating a fresh layer for the later festivities.
***
Jorell and Zach stepped into the elevator. “We have just about enough time to get changed, I think,” Zach said.
“Showered, if we hurry.” Jorell wrinkled his nose at the handsome man who stood beside him, reeking of horses.
Zach threw an arm around his shoulder. “C’mon brother. What are you saying?” He dragged him closer and gave him a squeeze. “Are you saying I stink?”
Jorell struggled to get free, but the fishing guide’s hold tightened. He had to fight the impulse to kiss him—but the horsey smell helped. “I am, yes. Now let me go before—”
“Before you what?” Zach nuzzled him, leaving him surprised and pleased. The charge between them undeniable, they’d never taken it beyond banter before. “What are you going to do?”
“Gag.” The arm dropped away and they both laughed. Close call. Did Zach realize the signals he sent out? Did he want to be taken up on them? And what about Lauren?
Comfortably bisexual, Jorell could see himself with her, if she didn’t mind the idea of leaving Alaska one day and heading to warmer climes—like the Castillo Las Vegas Hotel and Resort, their worldwide headquarters. Unlike Zach, she didn’t flirt. Sweet but a little bossy, she made his heart pump hard when she laughed at Zach’s clowning.
He left Zach in the hallway between their rooms. “I’ll see you after you shower. You do know the event tonight is dressy, right? Do you have anything to wear?”
“I have a formal flannel shirt.” He never cracked a smile, but the twinkle in his green eyes gave him away.
“Excellent.” Zach’s door clicked behind him and Jorell closed his eyes for a moment. He’d never expected to be attracted to such a woodsman. And Lauren. As if he’d known them forever. But he had no idea if his feelings were returned. They’d been working sixteen-and-more-hour days, laughing and enjoying one another’s company, clashing on occasion, and he’d never in his life been so happy.
Did the other two realize how perfect they were for one another? They belonged in Alaska. He was like a fish out of water—if any fish could survive the extreme cold there. He supposed they must since his new friend worked as a fishing guide. Lauren and Zach could spend the rest of their lives in the frozen wilderness, having wilderness babies and snowshoeing through their days in bliss. And he’d wish them well. Damn it, he would.
The moment the holidays were over, he’d travel to the far-flung islands, scouting for new sites and arranging for their purchase and development into Castillo resorts. The government owned much of the property, but he’d already found a handful of suitable locations. He’d stop hanging around with Zach and Lauren after dinner, give them the time alone they should have, and instead use the time for useful research. Get back on track for the vice-presidency and an office in Las Vegas.
Where it’s warm. He stood in the shower under the hottest water he could stand for a good twenty minutes until it ran cold. The chill in his limbs came from the idea of being on his own without the other two. How could he have built up such a connection with two strangers he had zero in common with in only a week? Just as well he wasn’t staying long-term.
Wrapping a heavy velour robe around him, he belted it and headed for the closet. He hadn’t brought a tuxedo—he rarely used his in the Caribbean and had not thought to grab it in his rush for the flight—but he did have a nice dark suit that would be appropriate for the occasion. Or maybe a flannel and jeans. A smile quirked the corner of his lips at the image of Zach in formal flannel. That man would be hot no matter what he wore.
So…the gala and then back to the room to start work. With his priorities organized, he dressed and headed into the bathroom to splash on some aftershave and comb his hair. His mixed race showed itself best in his dark locks, not as tightly curled as his father’s, but with a soft wave closer to his Scandinavian mother’s. And, of course, her dark blue eyes met his in the mirror every time he looked. She’d come on vacation, met his father, and never left. But then, she’d chosen paradise and a man she loved over her colder climes and loneliness. No similarities existed in their situations at all.
On his way out the door, a note on the desk caught his eye and he picked it up.
Jorell,
In thanks for your willingness to accept your last minute transfer, Jagger Castillo has arranged a special surprise for you. Madame Eve of the 1Night Stand service has set you up with a special date. The details will be available at the concierge desk after the event.
Enjoy!
Nick and Kathryn Castillo
& Madelyn
A pity date. Wonderful. Someone had noticed him drooling over Zach and Lauren while they drooled over one another. If he had a choice, he’d be on the next flight out of Castle—but that wouldn’t be until the next day, weather permitting, and he had no intention of blowing his career by leaving a job undone.
Or refusing a gift from the Castillo family.
He’d have to accept. A one-night stand? Probably through a local escort service, if they even had them way out here in the frosty butt-crack of beyond. Lovely.
***
The evening passed quickly. Lauren and the guys greeted guests and directed them to various activities. Food and drink flowed in the ballroom and a small orchestra played until ten, followed by a DJ with faster, more modern tunes. The madrigal group hired to carol strolled from one public area to another, sharing angelic harmonies while the sleighs pulled up at the door with jingling bells and flashing lights, then drove off into the starlit countryside, shushing over the pristine snow. When midnight came, the trio stood side by side under a fireworks spectacular that reflected off the snowy grounds, bathing everything in a multitude of colors.
“So, we’re done for the night, I guess,” Zach said.
“Should be. I think it all went pretty well, don’t you?” Jorell pulled his infamous, ugly orange parka closer around him and shivered. “I’m going inside.”
Lauren took in the laughing crowds, some parading back into the lodge, others mounting snow machines, dogsleds, and a couple of the hotel shuttle sleighs to return to town. The partying would go on in the lounge.
“I’ll be there in a minute.” More like, she didn’t want them to know her aunt and uncle had set her up on a date.
What were they thinking? A one-night stand of all things. She’d found the note pinned to a sky-blue halter-top gown—now hidden under the long coat she kept for the coldest nights—and the sexy heels she’d exchanged for boots when she stepped outside. Even if she wanted a date, it would be with—well, no point in thinking about that now. She had other worries. The adoption agency lady had returned her call, wanting to begin the paperwork as soon as she returned in January.
She would have to meet the man she’d been set up with of course, then excuse herself and return to her room. A woman in her position should not have a wild one-night anything. She’d learned her lesson about casual sex. Although the sex that created her situation had not been casual on her part.
Turning toward the lodge, she made her way along the path, careful not to slip. Not something she usually worried about, but then she wasn’t usually pregnant.
Seeking out the concierge desk as she’d been instructed in her emai
l from 1Night Stand, she accepted an envelope and opened it.
Lauren,
Your aunt and uncle love you very much and, as a special Christmas gift, they allowed me to arrange a unique evening for you. Your date will meet you at the large cabin behind the lodge, for a night you will never forget.
Madame Eve
Perfect. Might as well get it over with—although it would have been simpler to give the guy the slip in the coffee shop or another public area. Kathryn and Nick met through Madame Eve and shared a world-class romance, even now that they were married and parents. Sweet looks, private jokes, stolen kisses…everything any girl could want. She stuffed the paper into her bodice with a sigh.
But she’d already set her course and, if it weren’t for her previous poor judgment and the fact that she’d already fallen hard for two men who had eyes only for each other, it could indeed be a night to remember. Instead, she cut through the gleaming kitchen, smiling at the late night staffers, and out the back door. A light beamed from the front window of the cabin where, according to Andie, she’d spent her first night with her true loves. For just a second, an image flashed through her mind—of Jorell and Zach, their nude white and mocha bodies in a four-poster bed, arms outstretched to her in invitation.
But the single tear froze on her cheek along with her dreams as she plodded up the path to the cabin and lifted her hand to the door.
It jerked open, and she gasped. Christmas music poured out on a gust of warm, pine-scented air. A tall spruce, decked for the holidays, glittered in a corner. Low laughter from somewhere near the flickering flames of the fireplace did not come from the auburn-bearded man who greeted her in the open doorway. It came from Jorell.
And Zach’s hand was the one that tugged her inside when her feet became one with the doorstep. Lauren’s heart thudded so loud in her ears, it drowned out the Carol of the Bells. Her hopes rose to the high rafters then crashed down when she realized….
“I’m so sorry to interrupt your evening. I must be at the wrong cabin.” And she’d be going back to her room after that, date be darned.
But Zach didn’t let her leave. Instead he unbuttoned her coat and slid it off her shoulders. “Lauren, I think you’re in the right place. Right, Jorell?”
The other man unfolded his long frame from the sofa and joined them, pushing the door closed. “Yes, but we aren’t going to have much fun if we freeze to death.” He rested a hand on her waist and guided her toward the sofa. “That dress is pretty, but it’s not warm.”
Zach laughed and moved toward the kitchen. “Hot drink, Lauren? We’re having wassail—there’s a whole pot of it hanging over the fire. And a thermos of cocoa, if you’d rather?”
“Cocoa, please.”
He poured a cup then joined them on the deep-cushioned couch. “J-man here has had more than his share of the wine already, and if we don’t distract him, he’ll pass out and be no fun whatsoever.”
“I’m always fun, and I can hold my liquor.” He snuggled closer to her on the right side. He no longer wore the stuffy suit jacket, and his long-sleeved white button-down enhanced his naturally dark skin, drawing attention to his graceful hands. “It’s the cold I can’t handle.”
“We know.” Zach moved in to rest against her left shoulder and snaked an arm around her neck. “But I think the idea is for us to keep each other warm.”
Lauren struggled to make sense of the happenings. “Guys, I’m supposed to meet a blind date here—somewhere, anyway. And while I would rather spend my evening with the two of you, I can’t just blow him off.” She reached into her bodice and pulled out the note. “See?”
“Does it say to meet your date at the big cabin?” Zach dragged a sheet of paper from his pocket and waved it at her.
“I left mine back at the lodge,” Jorell said. “And at first we thought we were just each other’s date. But once you knocked on that door, it all came together.”
Her breath stuttered in her chest and she became lightheaded. “You can’t think we were intended to be together—all three of us? My aunt and uncle set this up. Would they…?”
“They set us up, too.” Zach nuzzled her neck and goose bumps chased up and down her back. “But would they want their niece in a threesome?”
“Andie is Aunt Kathryn’s best friend.”
Jorell drew circles on her bare arm with his fingertips, and she shivered. “I can’t think she’d be so close to someone in an unconventional relationship like that if she had a problem with it.”
True.
The warmth of the room and of the big bodies to either side of her made any further questions pointless. How often would she have a chance to share such a moment with the two men she admired most in the world? For a single night, after all, and then she’d return to the dull, safe world she knew and begin the heartbreaking process of giving away her baby.
Just one night of love and light to hold her through the long winter’s nights.
“I have a question, though.” She bit her lip, trying to phrase her query in the right way. “And I’m sure it’s none of my business, but I need to know we’re all on the same page.”
Zach pressed another kiss to her throat and raised his head. “Go ahead.”
“You two are attracted to one another?”
They nodded.
“And to me?”
“Yes,” Zach said, and Jorell nodded again.
“And this is the first time you’ve been together, except as friends and co-workers?”
“Right.” Jorell sat up straight, his mouth in a serious line. “We’ve never even kissed.”
She flicked her glance from one to the other, unsure of what her reaction would be when they did—or more than that. A one-night stand implied more than wassail and caroling, after all. “Then do it. Now. Please.”
Zach frowned, but sat forward and reached over to draw Jorell’s face close to his. Lauren held her breath as inches from her, the two men she liked best brought their lips together. Jorell rested a hand on the other man’s nape and held him in place, moving his mouth, deepening the contact.
No, she wasn’t put off. In fact, the sight sent heat arrowing between her heart and her womb. Why hadn’t she picked a man like one of them to be the father of her child? Zach with his sense of fun and lean strength. Jorell’s business acumen and serious kindness. Either would have been a massive improvement over the smooth-talking fisherman she’d wasted her time with.
But if she had one night to love them, she’d use every second to save up memories for the rest of her life. These men wouldn’t want the burden that came with loving Lauren.
Loving.
As if.
Chapter Four
How had Zach waited so long to kiss Jorell? The moment their lips connected, the missing part of himself snapped into place. Despite his attraction to men, Zach had never acted on it, and somewhere inside a niggling doubt had lived, nurturing the fear he might not have what it took to kiss another man.
Jorell’s masculine scent, the flavor of the wassail, and his intensity surrounded them. Zach closed his eyes and opened his mouth, welcoming the firm, probing tongue, his own dancing back in return. He rested his hand on the other man’s cheek, a faint roughness tingling against his palm. Kissing him was nothing like his experiences with women. More like a battle of wills, giving and taking, stealing his breath and hardening his cock.
But that was the easy part, right? What would it be like to fuck and be fucked? He dropped his touch to Zach’s lap, tracing the outline of a prodigious erection. Exciting, frightening….
He broke away when the frantic thoughts spinning through his mind drove out the passion and let the fear return.
“Ohhh.” The soft, feminine sigh snapped his eyes open. Jorell’s indigo gaze met his then they both turned to stare at Lauren. “Please don’t stop.”
Her cerulean eyes held a suspicious sheen in the reflected firelight.
“I’m so sorry, Lauren.” He stood to add a log,
speaking toward the hearth to hide what his own expression might show. “We were totally leaving you out.”
“It didn’t feel like that to me.” He turned to find her leaning on Jorell’s shoulder, the tall man’s arm around her. “But somebody had better kiss me, quick.” She buried her face before peeking out. “That is, if you even need me here.”
“No,” Jorell said. “I mean yes, of course we need you, want you. You’re our Christmas surprise.”
She choked then laughed. “I’m a little inexperienced at being a gift. I suppose you should unwrap me, anyway.” Her fingers went to her neck and she fumbled a moment before turning her back to Jorell. “Better start with this knot. I tied it extra tight so it wouldn’t fall off. Not much excuse for dresses like this back home.”
Jorell went to work, picking at the knot. “The Caribbean is halter heaven. If I had to count the number of pushy women tourists who ask me to help them secure their tops when they meant just the opposite. Well, I couldn’t count them.”
“And do you?” she asked in a small voice. “Help them?”
He brushed his lips close to her ear. “Help who? I only see you and Zach here.”
Zach sank down on her opposite side again and pushed at the other man’s hands, facing her away from him. “I’ll do it then. Wouldn’t want you to feel like you’re at work.”
Jorell spun her back. “No trouble.” Before Zach could make another go at it, the top came free and her breasts spilled out. Dark rose nipples hardened on contact with the air, leaving him no regrets that he hadn’t been behind her to loosen that knot.
“Great job, J-man.” He drove his focus higher, wanting to taste lips the same deep pink first, to show her he wasn’t an animal. Cupping her cheek, he savored its softness and tilted her head into kissing position.
He urged her lips apart, licking at the edge of her teeth and meeting her tongue halfway. She tasted like chocolate and cream and he wanted more. The connection between them flared to life as well, and the soft sensuality of the woman contrasted with the strength of the man, her rich chocolate and Jorell’s wine and sweet spices, or was Jorell chocolate? He didn’t know anymore.
Two Dads for Christmas Page 3
