“Eve, love, would you be a dear and turn on some music?”

I smiled and raised an amused eyebrow at Sam. My brother’s wife, Carol, was a Christmas Nazi. She loved the holidays, but she also wanted everything to be absolutely perfect. Which meant that as soon as I showed up, I was put to work. Whether it was turning on the lights, helping turn on music, or making sure Sam didn’t eat all the Christmas cookies, we all had a job to do.

My brother lived in upstate New York, in this absolutely gorgeous house, with his gorgeous wife and sweet children. Two kids, a boy and a girl, whom I adored. His life was so very different from mine, filled with warmth and happiness. I didn’t envy him, I was proud of him, of what he’d accomplished. He’d managed to move on, to keep living for his family. We’d spent Christmas here for the last ten years. My parents loved coming up here and getting away from the city. So it was only right that my brother continue the tradition of Christmas at his house. And every year they’d drag me up here to spend the holidays together.

A three-hour drive away from the city meant that they could hold onto me as long as they possibly could. A few days was all I could handle, and I mostly did it for my brother. I knew he needed me and besides, I was his only family. So, I stayed, and I put on a pleasant smile, and I kept my sadness buried deep down inside until I left. Although I could hide from Carol and the kids, from friends that came by, I couldn’t hide from my older brother. “You doin’ okay sis?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m good.” I smiled at him as the Carol of the Bells started to play through the speakers. He smiled and wrapped his arm around me.

“I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me too,” I leaned my head on his shoulder and he squeezed me tight.

He didn’t say much, but he didn’t need to, his warm hugs said it all. He knew when I needed one without me even saying a word. He knew me too well and he knew that this time of year was the hardest for me. And tonight, I needed this. As much as I fought it, I needed family around in the holidays which is why he always made sure I was surrounded.

Sam was really excited this year, apparently an old of his was joining us tonight. An old college friend of Sam’s who he hadn’t seen in years. Christian, or something. I’d never met the man, but Carol had spilled the beans while I helped her make the salad. I wasn’t much of a cook so cutting tomatoes was as much as I could muster. While we chatted, she told me about the man. How he’d recently divorced and had just moved to New York City. How handsome he was from the pictures Sam had shown her. I’d smiled and listened to her soft whispers as she told me about how excited Sam was to have him here, and how he wanted things to be perfect for him. It was his first Christmas away from home and he wanted him to have that feeling of family. That was my brother, always bringing Christmas cheer to everyone.

I went to the window and watched the snow fall. It was finally sticking to the ground and I was sure that by morning there would be a thick white blanket covering the ground as far as the eye could see. I loved waking up to a White Christmas. Thoughts of Liam ran through my head. My handsome fiancé who was full of life, of love. I hadn’t looked at another man since. I didn’t need to, he’d filled my life with so many memories and so much happiness. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as a chill ran through me. Suddenly, the memory of warm, strong hands seeped into my thoughts. The deep rumble of a sexy voice ran through me, making me yearn to see that man again.

I’d left him early this morning, before the sun rose. My eyes had fluttered open, my cheek resting on his chest, the sound of his heart beating softly against my ear. It was such a quiet moment, comforting, and yet it scared me. So, I ran away. I felt guilty. Guilty to have these confounded feelings for another man that wasn’t my Liam. Guilty for wanting something more with another.

Yet, in this confusion one thing was certain, I’d never forget him. This stranger who’d walked into my life and made me feel things no other ever had. There was no way I could.

The doorbell rang, and I turned, smiling at the bright familiar faces that walked through the door. Friends of Carol and my brother’s, who had come to celebrate with us. We said our greetings, warm hugs all around as they all looked happy to be here. As Sam showed them in, the doorbell rang once again, and I quickly went to see in the next guest.

The man standing on the opposite side, was brushing away excess snow from his red scarf. I waited a moment, and when he turned, my world suddenly came crumbling down around me.

“Hi,” he rumbled as his eyes searched mine, and I swear, my breath just entirely got sucked out of me.

The man before me, the one I had just opened the door for, was the one I had left only hours before lying completely naked in bed.