Chapter 2
2
Noelle
“ C ome dance with us!” Karli squeals, pulling me in for a hug where I’m suddenly sandwiched between her and the guy she’s been obsessed with for the last few weeks.
Tom’s hand is still attached to mine and somehow ends up squashed against my boobs as I stumble into them. My shoes are wobbly and hurt my feet and I never should have put them on, but Karli told me tonight was the perfect time to wear them.
“Sorry,” Tom’s deep voice growls in my ear but he doesn’t move his hand, managing to cop a feel, his thumb grazing my nipple. A shiver runs through me at his rough touch, but it isn’t one of pleasure. What a creep.
What a weird night this is turning out to be. I try to squirm away, but Tom latches his other arm around my waist, guiding both me and Karli to the dance floor.
“Catch you later, mate,” he calls over his shoulder.
Seconds later, Tom’s arm is forcibly removed from my body. Hiro takes my hand, standing by my side. “I don’t think so, mate ,” he sneers.
Tom bristles, his dark eyes flashing dangerously. “Both ladies are staying with me.”
Karli tugs on his arm. “Don’t worry about it, Tom. He’s a friend of Noelle’s brother. I’m sure he’s just delivering gifts or something.” She wiggles her fingers at Noelle. “See what he wants, then come find us to dance.”
Tom’s shoulders straighten when Karli mentions Hiro is a friend of my brother’s. His eyes narrow and he looks between me and Hiro. Something in his expression leaves me with a bad feeling.
Is it possible Karli has told Tom who my brother is? I keep my family name a secret for a reason. People treat me differently when they find out Henry Black is my brother. As one of the world’s richest men, there’s a lot of scrutiny on him, and consequently on the rest us, especially since Dad died.
My throat closes and I swallow hard, sniffling. The drinks, the Christmas music, and the stifling crowd all of a sudden making me melancholy.
I wouldn’t have told Karli anything about my family, except that I lost it this year on the anniversary of Dad’s death, the full force of grief catching up with me when I thought about the fact that he wouldn’t be here to watch me walk across the stage in the spring to receive my degree. In my lowest moment, I confessed what my real name was and who my family was.
She told me she’d wondered why I never seemed to worry about money the way our friends did and assumed I was a secret sex-worker. She swore she’d never tell anyone.
I take a couple of steps back, bumping into Hiro’s hard, warm body. He huffs out a sigh of impatience and I roll my eyes. Hiro has always been stiff, controlling and about as much fun as a corpse at Christmas. He’s only thirty-one but he acts like he’s fifty. He’s always been so over-protective and over-bearing. I still remember the time he broke up a little party I was having in Henry’s Manhattan apartment. And yes, I was only sixteen, and yes, Henry was in London at the time, but it’s not really stealing a plane if it’s your family’s private jet, right?
I mean forty people isn’t that big of a party. And it was totally not my fault that Mrs. Albrecht got an eyeful of my friend Jonas’, um, appendage which is now famous thanks to his raw performance in last year’s Oscar-winning movie.
It’s such a shame because Hiro is drop-dead gorgeous, with his dark hair, dark eyes and lean, muscular body. He doesn’t even seem to notice the way he turns heads, that or he doesn’t care. He’s so straightlaced, sex is probably too messy for him.
That might just be sour grapes on my part. He’s turned down every flirtatious smile I ever threw him, and I’ve never caught his eyes lingering on me, even when I wore a bikini that nearly gave my brother a heart attack. Hiro treats me like an annoyance, his cold attitude sending me a clear message. He does not like me.
And although I’ve heard it loud and clear over the years, I was surprised tonight when he put his hand over my shoe and I met his gaze. I would swear I saw desire in his eyes. It must be the tequila playing tricks on me.
Hiro’s hands slide up my bare arms, leaving little trails of heat in their wake. I shake my head to clear it. Karli is tugging on Tom, who doesn’t look like her type at all, and doesn’t seem interested in dancing or even being here. His eyes are on me. I blink as Tom takes a step towards me, earning me a glare from Karli.
I nearly groan. We’re just getting past the Owen thing. I can’t deal with her suspecting this new guy is interested in me too, just because he looked at me more than once. I’m certain Tom checked out everything with boobs in here tonight. Maybe he’s chivalrous and is worried about the way I’m being manhandled towards the door by a guy in a three-piece suit.
Hiro deftly guides me through the club and soon an icy blast of winter wind is hitting my bare skin. I shiver and Hiro whips off his jacket, covering my shoulders. “Did you bring a jacket?” he asks jiggling a set of keys in his hand, an SUV flashing its lights in the parking lot when he presses a button.
“No, but you could have asked before you dragged me out of the party. What are you doing here anyway?”
A sudden jolt from behind knocks me to my knees and I cry out at the sharp bite of pain. I turn to look over my shoulder to see Tom grappling with Hiro. What the actual fuck is happening?
I squint into the semi-darkness, just in time to see Tom slash at Hiro with a wicked looking blade, and Hiro responding with a kick that looks like something out of an action movie. Tom stumbles, but isn’t down, a roar erupting from his throat as he launches at Hiro again.
Hiro catches him before he can land a blow, just as I see campus security running across the parking lot, and presses his wrist against Tom’s neck, the tendons bulging before he slides to his knees.
Hiro ignores the shouts from the guards as he lifts me into his arms and strides to the SUV, buckling me in like a child, before rounding to the driver’s side and pulling away smoothly as if he hadn’t just left a scene of chaos behind him.
He presses a button on the steering wheel. “Mr. Abbott.” The woman’s voice startles me.
“Madeleine. I need you to take care of something for me.” He rattles off the address for the campus bar where the Christmas party is. “Please have the security feeds pulled as well. I’m going to want to see who was at that party.”
“Consider it done, Mr. Abbott.”
The call disconnects. I blink rapidly, my brain trying to make sense of what just happened back there. “Why did Tom follow us outside? Why wasn’t he dancing with Karli?”
Hiro keeps his eyes straight ahead, and I realize he’s got the lights turned off as we snake through the campus streets. “I don’t think Tom was there to dance.”
I sit back, breathing heavily. “Why were you there?”
“Henry asked me to come.”
“Who is Madeleine?”
“She works for me.”
I think back to what I know about Hiro. I know he owns some kind of tech company, and he developed an app that he sold for millions. He doesn’t dress like a tech guy though, and the way he put down Tom isn’t exactly something I would think a tech guy capable of. “What kind of app development teaches you those moves?”
“You’d be surprised.”
I bet. This is answering none of my questions. I lean forward, peering into the darkness. “My building is just off the next right here.”
Hiro keeps driving.
“Hey, where are we going?” Alarm straightens my spine. I look out the back window, but no one is behind us. “Shouldn’t we go back and speak with security? Or maybe the police?” I pull out my phone.
“What are you doing?” Hiro asks.
“Texting Karli.”
“Don’t. Don’t use your phone.” He holds out his hand. “Give it to me.”
I hug it to my chest. “I’m not going to give you my phone.”
Hiro blows through the stone gate marking the entrance into campus. He makes several left turns heading down residential streets before he pulls into an empty driveway and touches the screen on his watch.
“What are we doing here?” I ask, looking up at the dark windows of the house.”
“Waiting.”
“I don’t think anyone is home. Do you know who lives here?”
“I don’t. And I don’t care if they’re home.” Hiro shifts, turning to me, his dark eyes flashing. “We’re going up to my cabin for a few days.”
“ We’re going? Like me and you?” I point my finger back and forth between us. “Is Henry there?”
He shakes his head. “No, he’s still in Singapore. It’s just temporary, until he can fly back and get you.”
“Why send you? I could just stay in my apartment until he gets here.”
“He asked me to take you.”
“Well, I don’t want to go. Besides, I’m not packed for a trip, and I’m certainly not dressed for anything other than a Christmas party.”
“I wouldn’t say you’re dressed at all,” he mutters.
I glance down at my pleated red cheerleader skirt, white blouse, and my white, red and green striped over-the-knee socks. I even took a green scarf and wrapped it around my waist as a belt. I look like a cute Christmas elf. Hiro probably only dates women who wear beige silk blouses and suits. I push aside the thought. I don’t care what Hiro does anymore.
My knee twinges and I lift it to see the tear in my socks and the angry, red welt underneath. In my shock, I didn’t even register the pain, but I’m definitely feeling the burn now. I sniffle back the tears that are threatening.
Hiro stops scanning the street behind us and focuses on me. I brace myself for whatever sarcastic comment I’m certain is on the tip of my tongue.
Warm hands cover mine, brushing them out of the way. “How bad does it hurt?” He leans over my lap, gently rolling my stocking down, lifting the torn fabric away so it doesn’t pull at my raw knee.
My mouth goes dry as his fingers skim my leg and my heart thuds in my ears. For years I would have given my left arm to have this kind of gentle attention from Hiro, instead of his usual scowl, sarcasm, or worse, complete obliviousness to the fact that I’m in the room.
I shift in my seat as he delicately presses around my abrased knee, my skirt riding up my thighs. I tense, desperately wishing he’d slide his hand higher to where my panties are suddenly soaking wet. He stills, lifting his head and meets my eyes.
The car is silent and my heart pounds, the ambient neighborhood light casting his face into beautiful relief. His caress is clinical, checking me for injuries and almost as light as a brush of air over my knee, but it lights up my nerve endings like the Fourth of July and for a minute I panic that I moaned out loud.
A muscle jumps in his jaw when I wince. “I’m sorry it hurts.”
“It’s not your fault,” I whisper, squeezing my legs together to stem the ache.
Hiro sits back, thumping his head against the leather head rest. “You shouldn’t have so much as broken a nail with me.”
“Is that what my brother said?”
He closes his eyes for a second and doesn’t acknowledge my question. There’s a low buzzing and he pulls out his phone.
“Hey, how come you can use your phone and I can’t touch mine?” I ask.
Holding up a hand he shoots me a dark look of annoyance. Now we’re back on familiar ground at least.
“Abbott, here.”
I can’t hear the person on the other end, but Hiro curses. “How is that even possible?” he asks, his tone frosty.
He issues a few directions that make no sense to me and then slides the phone into a slot built into the dash. He puts his arm up on the seat, twisting to look out the back and reverses out the driveway. My muscles are tense, responding to his body cues as he scans the road in front of him, steadily gaining speed as we approach the highway.
Wait. The highway?
“Hiro, I can’t go to your cabin, I don’t have any clothes, or any of my stuff. Let me call Henry.”
“Keep your phone off, Noelle.” He spares me a glance as he smoothly maneuvers around traffic.
“But it’s almost Christmas. Is your whole family going to be there for the holiday?” Considering the amount of time Henry and Hiro spend together, it’s odd I don’t actually know much about Hiro’s family. I know his mom is Japanese because I asked about his name once, but I don’t know if he has any brothers or sisters or if he had a goldfish growing up. I don’t even know his relationship status.
“My family is going to Whistler for the holiday.”
“Oh. Is your girlfriend staying with you for Christmas?” I wish I could bite my tongue and take the question back.
A muscle jumps in his jaw. “I’m currently single, Noelle.” He sighs. “I go to my cabin to decompress and be alone for a bit. That’s it. Your brother asked me to take care of you until he could get home so that’s what I’m doing.”
I hold up my hand, ticking off my fingers one by one. “I have no clothes, no essentials, no winter jacket or boots, I can’t use my phone and there’s just over a week left before Christmas.” I fold my arms. “This feels like a kidnapping.”
“Still so dramatic, Noelle?”
What is it about Hiro that always makes me feel like a stupid little girl? “I’m just highlighting the realities.”
“Well, the reality is that your brother asked me to take care of you. Otherwise, I’d already be at my cabin with nothing but silence and a good book.”
“Just drop me at the side of the road, then. I don’t want to invade your private, quiet time.”
Hiro sighs and I hold up my hands before he can speak. “I know, I know. My brother, blah, blah, blah.” When Henry says jump, everyone does it. “I don’t know why he thinks I’m still a little girl who can’t take care of herself for a few days.”
“Has he interfered while you’ve been away at college?” Hiro asks.
I think about it. There have been a few overprotective moments, but generally, he tried to give me the independence I crave. I wrinkle my brow. “Why now? What’s happening?”
“You met that guy Tom for the first time tonight, right?”
“Yes. Karli met him a couple of months ago.”
“Isn’t she your best friend? How come you only met him tonight?”
“He doesn’t go to school with us, and I’ve been really busy trying to get things tied up with my courses.” Plus, I thought Karli was super mad at me about Owen, so when she started seeing someone, I didn’t press her about it. Owen and I are just friends, even though he might be interested in something more. I know Karli liked him and they hooked up a few times, so I thought for sure they’d end up together. He thought they were very unattached, and when he asked her if she’d talk to me about giving him a chance, she was pretty angry. Rightfully so, in my opinion, but then she said she didn’t care. I’m not really interested in being more than friends with him, and I thought I made that clear, but he’s still hanging around.
I tilt my head against the headrest, watching the lights skim over Hiro’s profile. “How far away is your cabin?”
“We’ll drive through the night,” he says, flicking a glance at me. He leans over, pulling his jacket over my lap. “Warm enough?”
I nod. It feels surreal to be driving through the dark, the warm air from the vents blowing around me, Hiro’s big hands wrapped around the steering wheel. Something stirs in my belly, and I wonder if he remembers that night in Henry’s Manhattan apartment when I kissed him.
My phone dinged with the door feed, so I knew he’d shown up. I’d been dancing with some guy whose name I can’t remember now. My eyes connected with Hiro’s who looked madder than I’d ever seen him. I took off down the hallway, opening the door to the small room we were using for Seven Minutes in Heaven, and kicked out the protesting couple before shutting myself in.
It didn’t take too long for him to find me, the door swinging open as his stern voice said my name. I didn’t say a word, but pulled him in, sliding my hands into his silky hair and took advantage of the element of surprise to do exactly what I’d been fantasizing about for months at that point.
I’d still swear he kissed me back before he firmly set me away from him, called me irresponsible, and shut the whole party down.
As brief as it was, that kiss was better than anything I’d ever fantasized about. Clearly it didn’t have the same impact on Hiro, who acted like I’d burned him and avoided me like the plague.
I glance over at him, his full lips, and sharp cheekbones as handsome as ever. I snuggle into his coat and lean my head against the seat, watching the streetlights blur by as we race through the night.