A Mistletoe Kiss with the Boss (13 page)

He laughed.

Lars picked up his corresponding roll. “Mine.”

Dean laughed again. “It's nice that you saved them.”

Kristen's mom said, “We like to remember Christmases past.”

Kristen's gaze flew to Dean. But he hardly responded. If she hadn't known to look for the quiet indrawn breath, she wouldn't even have known the comment had affected him.

Still, she'd seen the breath. But though she knew walking through a family's Christmas memories might be difficult for him, she also knew he needed to do this. He needed to stop avoiding the holiday that gave most people pure joy and get involved, so that someday he'd feel a part of that joy.

“Grandma Anderson lived with us till her passing when I was in high school. She loved to make nut rolls.”

As her father reached to loop a string of lights over the tree, he said, “There was nothing like warm nut roll on Christmas morning.”

“With a glass of milk,” Lars agreed.

Dean set down his wine and walked over to the tree. Standing on the opposite side of her father, he caught the strings of lights when her dad tossed them, placed them on a branch—as her father had been doing—and guided them back to her dad.

Knowing there was no time like the present, Kristen said, “So do you have any special memories, Dean?”

Kristen's mother's eyes widened and her dad's head jerked toward Kristen, but she knew this was what had to be done. Face the elephant in the room head-on.

Dean quietly said, “No.” Working with the lights, he kept his gaze averted. Still, Kristen knew this was the best thing for him, so she persisted.

“I told my parents about your parents.”

Apparently finally figuring out what Kristen was doing, her mom jumped in saying, “That was tragic and difficult for you.”

“Yes. It was,” Dean said.

“Worse that your grandmother was too old to care for you,” Joan said sympathetically.

With all that out in the open, Kristen knew it was time to shift gears. “But that's over now. And you have an entire holiday of traditions to investigate and experiment with. Lars, why don't you get a tray of those fruit horns Mom made this morning?”

Not needing to be asked twice, Lars raced out of the room.

Dean looked up at her mother, his head tilting as he studied her. “These cookies are good?”

“These cookies are excellent,” Kristen's mom answered without a hint of humility. “Christmas baking is my specialty. If you like banana nut bread, you'll be thrilled when you eat mine.”

Dean laughed. “Okay. Bring on the cookies.”

Kristen breathed a sigh of relief. With Dean's past now acknowledged, Dean didn't have to pretend anymore. Kristen would have been thrilled that her idea had worked out, except in New York, she'd seen Dean noticing Christmas decorations, being part of Christmas celebrations.

He had been ready to not just acknowledge there was a Christmas, but also to ease himself into it.

But she was falling in love with him—and he'd been hurt, used in the worst possible way. A few Christmas cookies and an afternoon decorating a tree wouldn't be enough to get him past Nina.

He might never get past Nina.

And then what would she do? Be in love with a man who couldn't trust enough to return her feelings?

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

O
N
M
ONDAY
MORNING
, the royals had been back for three days and were settled in. Rumor around the palace was that Dean had been invited to dinner Sunday night, and that he and Alex had been cordial. No one expected them to become best friends, but for Grennady's sake, Kristen was glad they'd made a peace of a sort.

Around noon, Kristen's intercom buzzed. She pressed the button. “Yes?”

Eva said, “Kristen, could I see you in my office, please.”

“Of course.”

When she walked into Eva's office, Prince Alex rose from his chair beside Eva's. He smiled. “Sit.”

Confusion rumbled through her, but she sat.

Eva said, “We understand you and Dean spent time together while we were away.”

“Yes. I mentioned to you already that he needed a guest for a Christmas party and when he brought his staff here I kept our relationship going to make sure he and his staff were comfortable.”

“He told us that he's advising you on your charity, specifically talking about your board of advisors.”

“He told you that?”

“Yes. We had a very good conversation.” Eva reached out and took Alex's hand. “This isn't an easy situation for any of us. But ten years have gone by, and Xaviera's Royal Guard, headed by Alex's brother, absolved Dean of any guilt in the death of their mutual friend. It was time to let go.”

Kristen sat back on her seat. She tried to picture Dean's reaction to that and couldn't. The royals might not blame him for Nina's death, but Nina had used him.

“Which was how the conversation naturally flowed to you and your charity. Dean is very impressed. We've always been impressed with you. And now that everything seems to be falling into place, Alex and I would like to offer our suggestions on that too.”

“I'd love to hear them.”

“We also want to be one of your first benefactors. As soon as you have your corporation and bank accounts set up, we'll be donating a million dollars.”

Kristen's face fell. “Thank you.”

Alex said, “We also think it's time for you to quit your post here.”

Something inside of Kristen blossomed to life. For years she'd been dreaming, researching, and the day was finally here. She was going to do something important not for herself but for the world.

The thrill of it shimmied through her and she sat up taller in her chair. “Yes. It is. Thank you.”

“So as of today, you're free.” Eva laughed. “Which means I now have to give you a formal invitation to the reception we'll be hosting tonight for Suminski Stuff. Because you were the one who got them here, we'll feel it's only right you attend the reception—as yourself, not an employee anymore.”

Kristen rose. “Thank you, ma'am.”

Eva rose too. “Sweetie, you can call me Eva now. After all, if I'm on your board of advisors, I'll sort of be working for you.”

* * *

The reception that night hosted by King Mason to honor the guests from Suminski Stuff was as formal as a ball, just a lot smaller. Kristen dressed in a pink lace gown she'd bought for the royal Christmas Eve party the year before. She wasn't one to care about wearing the same dress twice. She'd actually seen Princess Eva do it. Plus, now that she was officially on her own, every cent she spent had meaning.

The princess straightened the cap sleeves of her gown. “You look perfect. Very smart. Are you ready for this?”

Kristen laughed. “I think dealing with Dean prepared me for a lot of it.”

Eva said, “Hmm...I hope you're being careful with him. His upbringing made him ruthless. That's not something a man gets over or forgets. It's part of who he is.”

“I'm fine with him. In fact, I like him.”

“Like him?”

With everything happening so fast in her life, Kristen decided it was time to take another plunge. “He's very different with me than he is with other people. He's been to dinner at my house, helped my family decorate our tree.”

“Oh, my gosh.” Eva's eyes widened. “You're in love with him.”

Kristen winced. “I think. Yes.”

Eva shook her head. “Just be careful.”

Eva's gown swished as she led Kristen from the staging area to the receiving line for the reception. Eva's father, King Mason, a tall, fair man stood with her mother, Queen Karen, who wore a black velvet gown and a diamond necklace—her gift from her husband for being so understanding about why he'd left her out of the details of their near coup the winter before.

The king saw Kristen and Eva entering, and a smile blossomed on his face. He took both of Kristen's hands. “I understand congratulations are in order.”

She bowed. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“The queen and I would also like to add a donation to your school project.”

Humbled, she bowed again. “Thank you, very much.”

Queen Karen hugged her. “Don't thank us. You're the star. Mr. Suminski using our country—even if it's only for short-term projects—is huge for us.” She smiled. “And we have you to thank for that.”

Kristen laughed. “I just took things one step at a time.”

King Mason said, “Then that's what you keep doing.”

They entered the reception room and took their places in the receiving line. Two butlers opened the wide double doors, offering entry to Dean first, who bowed to the king and queen, shook hands with Alex and Eva, and took a place next to King Mason, as the evening's official guest of honor.

Then the doors were opened and Dean's employees entered. Wide-eyed with amazement and curiosity, they glanced around the ornate reception room. Other dignitaries and guests filtered in, including the ones Princess Eva wanted Kristen to meet.

As Dean shook hands and talked of software and stock prices, Kristen spoke to the same guests, making plans to meet potential advisors and benefactors for lunch or dinner.

In what felt like a flick of a switch, her entire life changed.

Because Dean was with the king and queen, and Kristen was with the princess and Alex, their paths didn't cross until after dinner when the king and his wife mingled and Eva and Alex danced.

Kristen saw Dean standing off to the side with Jason and she walked over.

“Hello, again.”

Jason all but bowed. “Hello, again, to you too. It's quite a night for you.”

She laughed. “I've been building to this for years. I wasn't always giving a big push for my schools, but raising money and looking for people to help find real estate, teachers, textbooks was always in the back of my mind.” She took a long satisfied breath. “Now it's a reality.” She turned to Dean. “Would you like to dance?”

Jason laughed. “Look at her. Her first official event as a leader and she's already bold enough to ask a guy to dance.” He turned to Dean. “This is going to sound so odd, but you know who she reminds me of? Nina. Now there was a woman who was bold.”

His comment seemed out of place to Kristen, but she knew Jason and Dean had history. What he'd said probably made sense to Dean. Even if Kristen had no clue what he meant.

* * *

Dean put his drink on the tray of a passing waiter. In her pink dress, with her hair piled high on her head, Kristen looked as regal, as elegant as Princess Eva.

But she was more than royalty. She was an honest, open, wonderful person. Someone who liked him. Someone he liked—and trusted. She was nothing like Nina.

He smiled. “I'd love to dance.”

They walked out onto the dance floor and he smoothly took Kristen into his arms. As always, she felt like an equal. In a weird kind of way, she'd always been his equal.

No, if he remembered correctly, the night of their first Christmas party, in New York, he'd realized she was the woman of his dreams. The woman who could be his partner. Smart and sassy enough to keep him on his toes and beautiful enough to hold him spellbound, Kristen Anderson was everything he wanted.

And this was his moment.

“So how was your day?”

He laughed because her question, everything about the night felt right. Actually, a part of him was a little giddy.

“I snowboarded.”

Her eyes widened. “On your own?”

“Yes.” He smiled. “I took one of the buses that runs to the slopes and rented a board.”

A laugh bubbled up. “No kidding.”

“On the slopes I had some interesting revelations.”

“Sounds serious.”

He spun her around to change that mood. What he felt for her was serious, but it was also fun. Spontaneous. Wonderful. Snowboarding for the first time in a decade, he realized he'd already pushed through the hard stuff. Meeting her parents. Talking about his situation in front of them. Decorating a tree with her family. Eating cookies. And he knew that with everything in their relationship moving at the speed of light, he shouldn't stop what was happening between them. He should grab this opportunity and run with it.

But he wouldn't tarnish that by being ominous. He liked wonderful. He could get addicted to wonderful.

“My revelation wasn't serious as much as it was true. Coming to terms with everything with Prince Alex at dinner last night, I felt like I was knocked back to the place I was ten years ago.”

She frowned. “Ten years ago? When you were starting out?”

Her question reminded him of Jason's comment that she reminded him of Nina. It was ridiculous. She was nothing like Nina. “When I met the Saudi prince I wasn't so much starting out as I was collecting capital. I knew I was good at what I did. I was also learning to have fun.” His eyes met hers. She might be “nothing” like Nina, but they did have the common denominator that they'd both pushed him out of his comfort zone to have fun. “You reminded me that I like to have fun.”

“Everybody likes to have fun.”

“Yeah, but some of us need to learn how to do it.” Kristen had brought him into her family. Nina had eased him into her social circle.

She smiled. “Well, you caught on really quickly.”

His chest pinched with a pleasure-pain. This was why he liked her. And what made her different from Nina. Kristen didn't flirt. She didn't have to flirt to make him feel good about himself, or life, or her. All she had to do was make him feel normal, worthy, honorable...and she did that by being herself, letting him be himself.

So though there were similarities between her and Nina; there were also differences. Big differences. “I like having fun.”

“But...?”

“No but. Just a statement.” He blamed Jason's stupid comment for the fact that he was fumbling for what he really wanted to say. That she was warm. That she was honest. That she was everything he wanted.

The music stopped and they drifted out of their dance hold, but he didn't let go of her hand. He needed to take her somewhere out of the ballroom. Somewhere they could talk. As he glanced around for a doorway that might lead to a private alcove, there was a commotion at the entry, and then King Mason strode to the stage, carrying a baby.

He took the microphone. “For those who don't know, this is James Tiberius Sancho.” He kissed the little boy's cheek. “He's my daughter's nephew by marriage. Dom and Ginny Sancho's son.”

Dark haired, dark eyed, the child was as cute as a kid could be. The people clustered around the stage testified to that with their “Aw, isn't he cute,” and “What a beautiful little boy.”

Dom and Ginny stood only a few feet away, proud, beaming parents, with Ginny's mom and Dom's dad, the King and Queen of Xaviera, now also married, looking on like the happiest grandparents in the world.

Kristen laughed. “That kid is going to be one spoiled child.”

Dean slid a glance to her. “Yeah, well, he
is
going to be a king someday.”

“His parents will make sure he's raised right,” Kristen said with authority. “Dom looks all cool and sophisticated, but he's got a father's heart.”

A father's heart.

Dean's throat tightened. He had absolutely no idea what that was. Nina might have been able to ease him into her social group, and Kristen might be able to ease him into her family, but no amount of “easing” could make up for the shortcomings that counted.

Kristen tugged on his hand. “Come on. Let's go say good-night.”

Dean tugged her back. “To a baby?”

“Sure. He's a sweetie. I've met him a few times when Dom and Ginny visited Eva and Alex.”

She tugged again.

He tugged her back again. “But there's so much family around him already.”

Kristen laughed. “That's the way they like it. The Sancho men were alone for so long that they love being surrounded by people. They especially love showing off Jimmy.” She smiled. “Come on.”

He almost took a step. Almost. But something held him back. From the corner of his eye, he saw Jason approaching.

Relief rippled through him when Jason said, “What's going on?”

Kristen said, “We were just going to say good-night to Jimmy.”

Jason laughed. “Cutest kid I've ever seen. But Dean and I really need to talk about a thing. So why don't you go and we'll catch up later.”

He saw Kristen hesitate. Inside him, a small battle ensued. He wanted to go with her. He wanted to take this step. But he couldn't and he thanked the heavens Jason needed to talk to him.

Kristen walked away and Dean turned to Jason. “So what do we need to talk about?”

“Nothing.” He laughed. “I could just see that you needed rescuing.”

“That obvious?”

“Nah. I just know you. Kids freak you out.”

Dean stuffed his hands in his trouser pockets. “Yeah, well, I'm going to have to get over it.” He nudged his head in Kristen's direction. “I really like her.”

Jason snorted. “Of course you do. She's gorgeous. And just like with Nina, you're in love in two weeks.” He batted his hand. “You're so predictable with a certain kind of woman. You like them strong and smart. But it almost seems that subconsciously you pick somebody you really can't have. Nina was already taken, and this one—” He pointed at Kristen. “Is moving on.”