Holiday Guests Read online

  Holiday Guests

  A Reverse Harem Romance

  Elizabeth Briggs

  Contents

  1. Leah

  2. Josh

  3. Leah

  4. Leah

  5. Finn

  6. Leah

  7. Leah

  8. Mark

  9. Leah

  10. Leah

  11. Leah

  12. Leah

  Hollywood Roommates - Excerpt

  Stroke The Flame - Excerpt

  Also by Elizabeth Briggs

  About the Author

  1

  Leah

  Working on Christmas Eve is the actual worst. I mean, at least give us a half day off. A few hours. Something! But no, the managers at the Chesterton Plastic Bag Company are serious Scrooges who don’t care about letting us go home to spend time with our family, or to sit on our couches alone wishing we had family, or whatever. I mean sure, some of us don’t have anyone to go home to, but we still deserve a break from the daily grind. Don’t we?

  Apparently not. Most people were smart and requested the day off, but not me. Which is why I’m sitting at my desk, chin in hand, watching the clock tick by while holiday music plays softly in the background and snow falls outside. I can only get a glimpse of the snow from my cubicle, bit I’m sure it’s beautiful. A white Christmas Eve, and I’m stuck inside under fluorescent lights, chained to my desk, unable to enjoy it.

  My one solace is that I’m not alone. And if I had to pick three people to spend a lonely afternoon with, it would definitely be the guys here with me now.

  Josh sits a few cubicles over, tossing a mini basketball up in the air and catching it. All I can see over the cubicle dividers are his long fingers and masculine wrists as he throws the ball, just a little tease to remind me how appealing the rest of him is.

  I can’t see Mark, but I know he’s in the cubicle next to Josh, probably glowering at him with his ice blue eyes. They both work in Sales and have a little friendly rivalry going on to see who can get the most new accounts every quarter. So far Josh is up but only by a hair, which just makes Mark more determined.

  Mark’s identical twin brother, Finn, works in the IT department on the other end of the room. The door’s open, giving me the slightest glimpse of his dark blond hair as he moves inside. All the other IT guys are gone, but he’s here to make sure the servers stay up and none of us have computer problems. I’m tempted to try and make my computer freeze just to have an excuse to call him over.

  Other than the four of us, the office is empty.

  I sigh and glance at the phone, which hasn’t rung even once this entire day. I work in Customer Support, and it seems there are no plastic bag complaints on Christmas Eve, thankfully. Only problem is I’m bored out of my mind.

  I glance at the clock again. Two more hours. Oh, come on!

  There’s only one thing that will make this last stretch bearable: a cup of tea.

  I grab my mug and stand, stretching the stiffness from my limbs, and when I look over, both Mark and Josh are eyeing me. I flash them a smile before heading into the employee lounge, hoping the guys are watching as I go. I made sure to wear one of my favorite dresses today, a short, tight red one that is perfect for Christmas Eve while showing off all my curves.

  At my old job I didn’t put too much effort into what I wore. After I started working here—and met the three guys who began to star in my fantasies every night—I made sure to always look hot. High heels. Short skirts. Low cut tops. Not sexy enough to get me fired or anything, but just enough to make me feel feminine and confident.

  Of course, none of the guys have taken the hint, so it’s been all for naught anyway. Sure, they’re always friendly with me, and I’ve caught them checking me out from time to time, but not a single one of them has asked me out, much to my dismay.

  Once in the employee lounge, I grab a package of my favorite tea—a special lavender one that is hard to find—and pour myself some hot water to brew it in.

  Josh walks in and my heart does a little excited flutter. He’s handsome, tall, and broad shouldered, with devilish hazel eyes and silky hair that always looks slightly messy, along with dark stubble across his jaw. Sometimes I sit at my desk and have fantasies of running my fingers through that beautiful hair or along his sexy scruff. He’s muscular too, from what I can tell under his white button-up shirt, which gives me a tantalizing tease of skin at his neck.

  “Hey, Leah,” he says, as he walks over to the coffee machine. He pours himself a cup, then leans against the counter and gazes at me, his eyes lingering on my bare legs. “Nice dress.”

  “Thanks.” Finally one of them notices.

  Josh takes a sip of coffee. “You look way too pretty to be stuck working behind a desk all day. Especially on Christmas Eve.”

  My cheeks flush with pleasure at his compliment. “I can’t believe we have to work today.”

  “Tell me about it,” Finn says, as he walks into the employee lounge. He’s wearing a festive green polo shirt that skims across his muscles over dark slacks that hug his nice ass. Even though he’s a total geek, Finn works out at the gym and has the body to prove it. Not to mention, he’s gorgeous, with bright blue eyes, a chiseled jaw, and dark blond hair. “They should have given everyone the day off. It’s not like there’s anything to do here.”

  “I haven’t had a single call all day,” I say, with a dramatic sigh.

  Josh grins at me. “I can call the hotline with a fake complaint if it will make you happy. ‘Help, my cat is wearing a plastic bag like a dress, what do I do?’“

  I laugh and put on a fake voice. “‘Well, sir, in that case, I suggest taking a photo and posting it on Instagram.’”

  “What’s going on in here?” Mark asks from the doorway, where he glares at all of us for daring to have fun. He looks just like his twin brother except he has a tiny scar through his left eyebrow, he usually wears a frown instead of a smile, and tends to favor all black clothes. He’s the epitome of tall, sexy, and brooding, all wrapped up in one panty-melting package.

  “Just killing some time,” Finn says.

  Josh shrugs. “We’re the only three people in the office. Might as well spend these last few hours together.”

  “I suppose.” Mark’s gaze lands on me. “You look beautiful today, Leah.”

  A kind word from Mark? Wow. “Thank you.”

  “She looks beautiful every day,” Finn says. “But she is especially festive today.”

  My jaw falls open. I’ve been waiting forever to get this much attention from just one of the guys, and today I’m getting compliments from all three of them. It must be some kind of Christmas miracle.

  “You got any big plans for tonight after we’re finally allowed to leave?” Josh asks me.

  “Not really.” I take a sip of tea. “Drinking hot chocolate. Sitting by the tree. Baking some cookies. Nothing exciting.”

  “With your family?” Mark asks.

  “Oh, no. It’s just me.” I stare into my mug as I add, “I’m alone this year.”

  “No way,” Josh says. “You’re spending Christmas alone?”

  “Yes, but it’s not a big deal.”

  Finn shakes his head. “That’s not right. You shouldn’t be alone during the holidays.”

  “No choice, really. My family are all gone. It’s just me.” I shrug casually and smile at them, feeling awkward. “But it’s okay. I’ll be fine, really. What about you guys?”

  The three of them glance between each other, like they’re communicating silently, and then their eyes harden like they’ve made a decision.

  Josh drains the rest of his coffee. “No family here either. I’m not doing anything tonight, and tomorrow I was just going to sit around w
atching sports all day.”

  “We don’t have plans either,” Mark says.

  “Nope,” Finn agrees.

  “Really?” I find it hard to believe all three of these handsome, smart men will be alone for the holidays. But if they are… Well, maybe none of us need to be alone. “I have a great idea. You should all come over tonight and have dinner with me. And if you want, you can spend Christmas at my place too. My house is decorated and we can open presents and I’ll cook us a big feast. What do you think?”

  “I’d love that,” Josh says.

  “Count us in,” Finn says, and Mark nods.

  “Perfect!” I bounce a little on my feet, getting excited now. “I can’t wait.”

  I give them all my address and instruct them to come over around 8 PM tonight. Then I hurry back to my desk and begin making a list of all the things I need to pick up at the store.

  My Christmas plans suddenly went from non-existent to amazing. Now I won’t be alone, and the three guys of my dreams will be joining me. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll get one of them as my Christmas present this year.

  Or if I’m really lucky…all three of them.

  2

  Josh

  “Our plan worked,” I say to the other three guys with a grin. Leah’s gone back to her desk, and we’re huddling in the IT office so she can’t hear us.

  Finn puts on a cocky smile and crosses his arms. “Of course it did. It was my plan.”

  We’ve been plotting this for weeks. All three of us have wanted Leah since she started working here a few months ago, but we all agreed not to act on it. At least, not yet. We wanted to make sure Leah was really interested in each of us individually first. Plus, getting involved with someone at work can be tricky, especially in a small office with HR breathing down your neck.

  For months we spent time talking to Leah one-on-one to get to know her better. Finn eventually heard she was going to be alone and working on Christmas, and thus began our plan. We made sure the three of us would be working today also. Then we just had to wait for her kind heart to kick in so she’d invite us over for Christmas. Now it was all falling into place.

  “Do you think she’ll go for it?” Finn asks, referring to the next step of our plan.

  “She will,” Mark says. “And then she’ll be ours.”

  I peer out of the office, where I can see Leah at her desk. Her long black hair is down today, and I imagine what it’d be like splayed across a pillow as I thrust into her, or pulled back in Mark’s hand as he takes her from behind, or hanging down as she sucks Finn’s cock.

  Ever since I became friends with the twins, we’ve shared our women. Originally it was just the two of them who shared, until I met them in college and they brought me in on their wild nights, first with their girlfriend, then with another girl after her. Overall, we’ve shared quite a few women, but none of them have lasted. Now we want someone permanent. Someone we can all love forever. And we’re pretty sure we’ve found her.

  Now all we have to do is convince her.

  3

  Leah

  The doorbell rings while I’m setting the dining table. Butterflies flutter around my stomach as I go to open the door. Josh waits on the other side, holding a bouquet of red roses and looking good enough to eat.

  “Hi Josh,” I say, with a shy smile. I still can’t believe he’s really here, or that the other guys will be here soon.

  “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 heroin 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 shit 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.”

  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.