A Christmas Kiss

Aurora

December 24, 2024.

I blinked, not expecting him to ask for a dance. “I—I can’t dance like this.”

“You don’t have to,” he said, offering his hand. “Just hold on, and I will lead you.”

I hesitated at first, my hand trembling. But then I lifted my head to meet his blue eyes and saw the gentleness behind them, so I placed my hand in his.

It was going to be Christmas in a few minutes, and I didn’t want to spend it being miserable.

He led me onto the dance floor, weaving us through the bodies swaying under soft golden lights.

The Christmas song playing through the speakers was slow, warm, threaded with violin and soft bells. I placed one trembling hand on his shoulder while his settled lightly at my waist, and for a moment, neither of us moved. We just stayed there until he dipped his head slightly and whispered,

“You’re shaking.”

“I’m drunk,” I responded.

“You’re heartbroken,” he corrected. “I mean, your words and actions gave it all away.”

My throat tightened, and I looked away, then I chuckled. “You must be fun at parties if you psychoanalyze random women on Christmas Eve,” I said and looked at him again.

His mouth tugged into the faintest smile. “Only the ones crying into their cocktails.”

I snorted—it sounded embarrassing, but I didn’t care—because it sounded like he was trying to make me happy. “Great. Exactly how I wanted to be noticed tonight.”

“Trust me,” he murmured, guiding us into a slow sway, “you’re not as invisible as you think. I mean, your beautiful dark hair is the loveliest hair I have ever seen.”

I felt my heart flutter, but I said nothing as we slowly moved across the dance floor. Then he spoke again, gently.

“What’s your name?”

I blinked, realizing I hadn’t even told him, and I didn’t know his. “Aurora.”

“Like the Northern Lights?” he asked.

I rolled my eyes and chuckled. “Don’t make it sound poetic, please. I’m barely holding myself together.”

He chuckled softly. “Fair enough.” Then he shifted his hand on my waist carefully and respectfully. “Your name, Aurora, is beautiful. And it suits you, though.”

“And you?” I asked, lifting my gaze to meet his. “Do I get to know who’s rescuing me from my emotional apocalypse?”

“Leon,” he said. “Just Leon.”

The name fit him so well—just like I expected from him.

“Well, Leon,” I muttered, “thanks for stopping me from drinking myself to death tonight. It wouldn’t make sense that I have my name plastered on the news.”

He raised a brow in confusion. “Is that what I did?”

“Pretty much.”

“Then you’re welcome,” he said and smiled widely at me.

We swayed slowly, our bodies brushing just enough to feel real but not enough to cross a line. My heart pounded hard against my chest because the tiniest blush sent sparks flying through me.

When we stepped into the lights, I looked at him closely and couldn’t stop staring at his sharp features, soft blond hair falling slightly over his forehead.

“You came alone tonight?” I suddenly asked, having no idea why I couldn’t keep my thoughts in.

If he had someone, there was no way he would waste his time with me, but I was curious.

He shook his head. “Actually, I am not from around here. I came on a business trip from a city close to Paris.”

I gave him a questioning look. “You don’t have the French accent?”

He chuckled. “Is it required for me to have?”

“I mean…” I paused, realizing I was close to embarrassing myself. “Just forget I said that.”

He nodded. “What about you? So…” he said after a moment. “Who made you cry tonight, Aurora?”

I scoffed, bitterness bubbling up again at the thought of Sawyer and Clara. “My boyfriend and my best friend.” I swallowed hard. “Or… ex-boyfriend and ex–best friend?”

Leon’s jaw tightened, and I felt his hand around my waist tighten. “They sound like idiots,” he said, then released his tight hold around my waist. “They don’t deserve you.”

A weak laugh escaped me. “That’s the nicest thing anyone has said to me all day.”

He leaned down slightly, his forehead almost brushing mine. “Then I can keep going.”

“Please do.”

“You deserve better,” he said quietly. “Much better than the way you were treated. Those two assholes are the worst. Don’t let them make you feel less of yourself. I see you as a beautiful, strong woman.”

Something in my chest trembled at the softness in his voice. How can a man be all green flags?

We fell silent again, swaying to the music. Then the countdown to Christmas began around us.

“Ten!”

He leaned down and whispered, “Aurora.”

I looked up at him, my heart pounding wildly and my breath catching.

“Nine!”

“You’re stronger than you think, and as we are about to celebrate Christmas, I want you to be happy.”

“Eight!”

My heart squeezed painfully at his words, and I felt tears well up in my eyes.

“Seven!”

“And you deserve the best things this new Christmas.”

“Six!”

The tears streamed down my face.

“Five!”

“But tonight…” He ran a thumb gently along my cheek, wiping away a stray tear.

“Four!”

“I want you to forget your sorrows because Christmas is supposed to be a happy moment,” he said slowly, pulling me closer until our chests touched and I could feel his heartbeat racing wildly against mine.

“Three!”

His hand cupped the left side of my face, and he caressed it gently. Then, he leaned his face closer until I could feel his warm breath on mine.

“Two!”

He was closer now.

“One!”

And right then, right before the clock hit zero, I leaned closer, and our lips met.

Leon’s tongue brushed mine, a feather-light stroke that sent a shiver down my spine.

I let out a gasp, and he used the opening to kiss me deeper, tasting me like he had been waiting all night for this moment. His tongue slid against mine in a slow, coaxing tease that drew me into the kiss until my knees felt weak.

The heat of him pressed against me, and I felt his fingers slowly find my hair, gentle and without force.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him down to me as the kiss grew hotter and wetter. Our breaths mixed in uneven, hungry pulls, and every shift of his mouth was confident—like he knew exactly how I wanted him to kiss me—and I followed his lead without question.

Leon kissed me like he wanted to erase every tear I cried that night. He kissed me as if he were savoring the taste of my heartbreak to offer me something better in return.

When he finally pulled back, there was barely an inch of space between our lips as both of us breathed hard. Then Leon muttered in an insanely tempting deep voice.

“Aurora… do you want to get out of here?”