Page 12 of Dark Christmas
I’m trying to sound casual, feeling anything but.
Melor seems amused, his lips curving into that little half-smirk that’s starting to drive me wild. He leans back slightly, all relaxed and in control.
“Yes,” he says, his voice smooth, leaving it at that. No further elaboration. Not even a hint of what he thought about them.
I slowly sip my whiskey, trying to play it cool. I got what I came for so there’s really no reason for me to sit here awkwardly with a man who melts my panties with a single look.
Right?
Just as I’m about to make up an excuse to go, Melor speaks. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure,” I reply, swallowing hard.
He tilts his head, studying me with those intense, dark eyes. “Why did you pose for the pictures? Were they for a boyfriend orperhaps husband?”
His button-down shirt is undone just enough to show off a glimpse of his pecs, and it’s taking everything in me not to stare. My heart races as I try to keep it together.
“No. No boyfriend or husband. They were kind of a gift to myself,” I say, blushing. Why does answering him feel like I’m admitting something way more personal than it is?
“They were a gift from my best friend,” I continue, rambling like I always do when I’m nervous. “You know, just for fun. To remind me that I’m a woman with needs.”
As the words leave my mouth, I freeze, realizing I’m oversharing. Like,majorlyoversharing.
Melor chuckles, clearly enjoying this way too much. His amusement only makes me squirm more, and I’m hoping that my face isn’t completely red from embarrassment at this point.
“Did it work?”
I blink. “Did what work?”
“Did they make you feel sexy?”
His words send my pulse racing, and I can feel my pussy clench involuntarily. The way he says it, so casually yet so full of innuendo, makes my whole body heat up.
“Well, kind of,” I manage, my voice barely above a whisper.
He leans in just slightly, those dark eyes watching me. “Did you have fun?”
The question is loaded with meaning, and I know exactly what he’s getting at. I clear my throat, trying to stay composed. “Notthe kind of fun I wanted to have,” I admit, surprising myself with how easily I’m playing along.
This man has me tangled in his words, and it’s both terrifying and thrilling.
I can’t believe I’m flirting with him like this. I don’t even know him, and yet here I am, having a conversation with him knowing full well he’s seen me in vulnerable poses nearly naked. There’s no denying it—he brings something out in me I didn’t even realize was there.
I clear my throat, desperate for a change in topic. “So, um… did you like the muffins?”
He chuckles again. “Yes, they were amazing.”
I raise an eyebrow, glancing over him. “You don’t look like the kind of guy who lets carbs come anywhere near him.”
His lips curl into an amused smirk. “I like to indulge every now and then. Life wouldn’t be nearly as fun without the occasional indulgence.”
His eyes roam over me as he says it, making his meaning very clear. My breath catches, and my heart feels like it’s going to explode right out of my chest. The room suddenly feels ten degrees warmer, and I’m fighting the urge to squirm under his gaze.
“Well,” I manage, trying to keep my cool, “glad I could satisfy some indulgence for you.”
He watches me like a predator sizing up its prey, and I’m not sure whether I want to run or let him catch me.
“I have to admit something,” he says, his voice low and husky. “Those pictures? They were the sexiest damn things I’ve ever seen.”