Kanton.
G ORGEOUS.
Elegant.
Stunning.
Beautiful.
So fucking perfect .
That was the bottom line. The moment Noel stepped into the living room wearing the gown I purchased for her, something primal in me took over. This woman was gorgeous. Her wild curls were no longer, and, instead, her hair was straight, twisted, and pinned at the nape of her neck, with a few loose tendrils floating around her face.
Light makeup layered her skin, but naturally so. The only reason I knew for certain was because of the hints of gold around her eyes, the way her lashes lengthened, and the bronze color that coated her lips.
Those damn lips.
Fuck me.
No, fuck her. I wanted to fuck her right here in the living room while she was in that dress.
“Well . . .” Noel smiled and slowly twirled, offering me a full view of every inch of her. My dick was the first to react, and when the rest of me caught up, I moved closer. Brushing a finger down her cheek over the curve of her jaw, I said, “You’re trying to sabotage my efforts to win over Brighton.”
She frowned slightly, those bronze-painted lips pushing into a subtle pout. “Why would you say that?”
I leaned close, inhaling deeply the light scent of brown sugar and vanilla, speaking as my mouth grazed her ear. “With you in this dress, there’s very little chance he’ll give me his full attention tonight.”
“Then I’ll change because his full attention is the only reason we’re going tonight.” Her voice was teasing, and while I pulled back, granting a full view of her beautiful face, those lips were in a soft smile.
“Not happening; now, let’s go.”
I rolled my shoulders back and walked to the kitchen counter where the candles and case of cigars that we purchased for Brighton and his wife were sitting. I lifted them both, and we were on our way.
We took the elevator to the penthouse floor and walked out to the end of the hall, where two black double doors awaited us. A doorman greeted us and opened the doors. I waited while Noel entered first.
The space was elegant and reminded me of my mother. She would have approved. Hints of red and green dominated the silver and gold theme. There were beautifully carved ice sculptures of snowflakes positioned throughout the space, and holiday music was performed by a seven-person live orchestra. Horns and keyboards created a soft background noise that was not too overbearing but just enough to set the tone for the evening.
“Noel, you came.” A woman came into view, wearing a silver gown that hugged her body and brushed the floor. With her golden brown skin and soft eyes, she was just as elegant as the decorations. I was sure that had been the intention. My mother was the queen of graceful subtlety.
“Kristian. Hi. Thank you so much for inviting me.”
“We invite you every year, Noel. This is the first time you accepted, and although I understand why, I’m grateful you’re here.”
“Me too. I hate I couldn’t get home to be with my family, but this is so perfect. It feels like Christmas magic in here. You did an amazing job.”
“My team did an amazing job. I’ll be sure to pass that along, but for now, I thank you for the compliment on their behalf.” She winked and then turned to “And who do we have here?”
“This is Kanton Joseph. He’s—”
I didn’t know if she would announce my company or fumble over why I was here, but either way, I needed to ensure she didn’t put my intentions out there, so I balanced the gifts on one arm and extended my free hand to her.
“A good friend of Noel’s. I hope you don’t mind me tagging along as her plus-one.”
Kristian’s eyes bounced between us as she accepted my hand and then focused on me. “No, not at all. You two are adding to the ambiance.” She grinned smugly.
“Thank you. And those are for you.” I motioned to the candles and cigars. “You and your husband.”
“Handsome and bearing gifts. I like him, Noel.”
“With me crashing the party, I thought it was best not to show up empty-handed.”
“Hmm, smart man, and it seems you’ve done your research. These are our favorites.”
I glanced at Noel. “I had a little help in that department.”
“It appears you did, but regardless, I appreciate the effort. I would be grateful if you don’t mind placing those over there. Grab a drink and enjoy the evening. I’m going to continue doing my rounds. It was nice to meet you, Kanton, and Noel, I’m pleased you could join us this year.”
“Thanks, me too,” Noel said from beside me.
After placing the candles on the small credenzas, I snagged two glasses of champagne from the silver tray of one of the servers walking around.
“I wasn’t going to introduce you as my boyfriend. You didn’t have to cut me off.” Noel grinned behind her glass.
“I wouldn’t have minded if you had. What I didn’t want was for you to spill about my company or why I was here.”
“Then it’s a good thing you did interrupt. I surely would have done that.”
“I want the conversation with Brighton to be organic and not forced. No one likes to feel like they’re being worked over.”
“Charmed,” she added.
“No matter how you phrase it, I don’t think it will work in my favor if I immediately force my hand.”
She nodded, smiling up at me, which had my eyes narrowing.
“What?”
“You do have a plan.”
“More like a strategy, but for now, I plan to enjoy this beautiful space with a beautiful woman.” I paused and extended my elbow out to Noel. “Shall we?”
She shifted the glass from one hand to the other and placed her empty hand on my forearm.
“Let’s go shake up some shit.”
I laughed, peering down at her. “Shake up some shit?”
“Seemed wildly inappropriate to say, so, of course, it felt right.”
“Of course.”
We spent the next hour talking to guests. There were about fifty or so people in attendance, most of whom I learned were employees of the Brightons, a handful of friends, and some relatives. I purposely avoided any conversation with Brighton and, instead, enjoyed the evening with Noel at my side.
She was amazing, so full of life as she chatted with guests, asking questions, giving compliments, and handing over Christmas puns that kept smiles on everyone’s faces. She was a natural, and once again, I noticed that everyone was naturally drawn to her.
As was I.
By her third glass of champagne, she had a lazy smile on her face, lowered eyes, and clung to me for support. She wasn’t drunk, just a little buzzed, but I enjoyed the way she kept contact with me, leaning into my side, holding onto my arms, or when I stood behind her, slightly to the right or left, she leaned back into my chest, fitting perfectly with my frame.
We fit.
That was the one thought that remained in rotation throughout the evening. However, no matter how much I enjoyed my time with Noel, I kept an eye on Brighton. I watched who he spoke with, how he seemed relaxed, and when he stood quietly off to the side with employees wearing a tight expression. I had to make my move at some point, but this was no longer just about me.
I wanted Noel to enjoy her evening. I wasn’t sure why I cared so much that she did, but it mattered. She understood why we were here. This had been her idea, but knowing didn’t mean I couldn’t kill two birds with one stone. Close the deal with Brighton and allow Noel a perfect evening.
“Hey, aren’t you going to talk to him?” She frowned lazily as her eyes darted over to Brighton and then up to me.
“I am, but it’s not just about him.”
“Actually, it is. It’s why we’re here.”
“Part of the reason; the other is—”
My phone vibrated, and after I took it out of my pocket, I held up a finger. “It’s Shelby. I need to get this.”
She nodded and stepped away as I answered. “Hey?”
“How’s it going,”
“It’s Christmas Eve. Aren’t you supposed to be getting engaged?”
“Already done. Now, how’s it going?”
“Shit, congratulations. He really did it, huh?”
“Didn’t I tell you he would? I’m a bit like your mother regarding planning, which you know because you pay me well. Now, answer the question.”
All business.
“Things here are going well. We’re at the party, the setup is nice, Noel’s having a great time—”
“Please don’t take this wrong, but her enjoyment is not my concern. I want to know about Brighton. You talk to him yet?”
“No, I haven’t. I didn’t want to walk right in with ‘Hi, I’m Kanton Joseph with Global. I’m crashing your party to convince you to choose my firm to help your company stop hemorrhaging money. I can guarantee you’ll turn a profit by the end of the first quarter. I also know if you don’t, you’ll lose control of your company—’”
“Can you do that?”
I frowned at the soft but assertive feminine voice that came from beside me instead of through my phone.
Kristian Brighton.
“Shelby, I have to go.”
“Wait, no. First, let me tell you what I think you need to—”
I ended the call and turned to Kristian, lifting a brow. She stepped closer, hand on her hip in the most dominant yet elegant way. “I don’t pride myself on intruding in personal conversations, but that one was about two people I’m partial to. Noel and my husband. If you intend to use either one of them—”
“It’s not,” I asserted.
“Good. If it were, I’d throw your ass up out of here. Now, back to my question . . . can you?”
“I assume you mean, can I help your husband turn a profit by the end of the first quarter?”
“You would be correct.”
“I can.”
“How?”
“You have a lot of bad debt and pointless spending. You also need to bring in new clients, which won’t happen if you don’t appeal to those willing to splurge on your services.”
“And you have a solution?”
“I do.”
She paused, thinking about what I said, and then gave me her answer. “It’s Christmas Eve, and we’re here amongst family and friends to celebrate as such. I put a lot of time and effort into ensuring tonight is perfect. There will be no business discussed this evening.”
Fuck.
“But I’ve been watching you all evening like you’ve been watching my husband.” She smiled smugly. “Most of my husband’s business partners are suits in his boardroom. I, on the other hand, hold much more power than they do because I wear nothing in his bedroom.” She winked, and I smirked.
Understood.
“Are you offering to help me sway his decision to choose my firm?”
“I’m offering you access to him, just not tonight. If he’s impressed, I will do the rest to persuade him to take you on. I trust his judgment, and he trusts mine, but please understand that the only reason why I’m agreeing to help is because, like I said, I’ve been watching you. You seem genuine in the way you’ve handled Noel.”
“I’m not using her to get to your husband. Me being here was her idea.”
She grinned. “I’m sure it was. She’s a sweetheart. Very selfless but also very biased about the men she allows to get close to her. I think maybe this time, she’s made a good choice, huh?”
The statement was both a question and a warning.
I simply nodded to agree.
“Great, then go, enjoy your evening, and you’ll hear from my husband soon.”
I opened my mouth to object, but she cut me off. “I’m giving you my word. You can count on that.”
I had to take what I could get. “Thank you.”
“Now go, and remember, no business talk tonight. Enjoy yourself.”
My hands were tied. I understood the dynamics of a marriage such as the one Brighton and his wife shared. It mirrored that of my own parents. My mother could persuade my father to do whatever she wanted. They tolerated each other most days. Brighton, however, seemed to love his wife.
That much I’d learned from my research about them. They were the real deal, so having her on my side was necessary. I could prove my worth if she got me in the room with him. Then she would seal the deal for me if he wasn’t wholly convinced. For now, I would do as she demanded and enjoy my evening.
My eyes moved to find Noel. I smiled brightly while she chatted away with a woman wearing a bright red dress. The two contrasted greatly. Both were elegant and beautiful, but Noel was still Noel. A little less polished based on the way she laughed too loudly, slapped her hand over her stomach, and snatched hors d’oeuvres from servers as they passed by. The woman in the red dress sipped her champagne in an elegant, poised fashion, stood with perfect posture, and smiled softly as if she were posing for a magazine shoot.
It was a complete contrast, but I preferred my awkward, wild child over her practiced perfection.
My . . .
Noel wasn’t mine . . .
But she could be . . .
I shook the thought and approached, moving behind Noel, who tilted her head back into my chest and smiled up at me.
“Hey, you.”
“Hey,” I returned her greeting and then turned to the woman she had been talking to.
“You mind if I steal her away for a moment?”
“Not at all,” she offered, focusing on Noel. “It was such a pleasure meeting you.”
“Same, and try the chowder puffs. They’re to die for.”
“I will.”
After she was gone, Noel turned again to me but remained close. “How did it go with her over there?”
Kristian Brighton.
“Good.”
“When are you meeting with him.”
“Not sure, but Kristian gave me her word it would happen.”
“Not tonight?” She frowned a bit.
“No, not tonight.”
“I can talk to—”
“Noel, it’s fine. She gave me her word. Now, I think you owe me a dance.”
“I never promised you a dance.” She lifted her eyes to me, placing her hands on my chest. Mine lowered to her waist and moved a little farther down, brushing over her hips.
“You in this dress was a promise of the two of us being close. The minute you put it on, you guaranteed me whatever I want with you tonight.”
Her breath hitched, and a smile eased onto her face. “I guess that means we dance.”
For now.
I guided her to the small area designated as a dance floor, separated by four concrete pillars that held ice sculptures of snowflakes. They were illuminated with lights on the base, which made them sparkle like diamonds.
Hanging from the insanely high ceilings were matching crystal icicles and snowflakes, making the small area appear as a winter wonderland. Perfect for dancing with the Queen of Christmas.
I held Noel close and pressed her into my body with my hands at the small of her back. She placed her hands on my chest, and I lowered my forehead to hers, trying to decide how on earth I was going to walk out of that apartment when my time was up and pretend like everything about me hadn’t changed.