Whispers of Winter: A Limited Edition Collection of Winter Romances

by Nicole Morgan

She shook hands with each member of Hemi’s team as they exited the boardroom. Before she was ready, it was her and him. Alone. She could do this. She was no longer the young girl who worshipped the ground Hemi walked on. She was an adult. She was a professional.

  Maintain your professionalism.

  Maintain your professionalism.

  Her mantra ran through her head as he approached her. No licking the CEO.

  “I owe you an apology.” The words rushed out like a train. Hemi’s eyes locked on her as he hitched one leg on the side of the boardroom table sitting on the edge.

  Boy did those pants frame his thighs nicely.

  She dragged her eyes upwards.

  Big mistake.

  They caressed his abdomen. Measured the width of his chest and the breadth of his shoulders before they even reached his face.

  Sexy.

  Kamiya gaze continued its upward journey. She refused to look at his sensual bottom lip. It was the only way she was able to stop herself from nibbling on it, by not acknowledging it. It trailed along his strong nose and stuttered to a stop at those gorgeous dark chocolate eyes.

  “For what?” Damn. Nobody should look cute when they are frowning. And brown eyes should be boring. She had to get control of her body before it took over and did something utterly stupid. Like, offer to lick Hemi clean like they were two cats in need of a bath.

  She stiffened her spine. Her spice brown eyes were locked with ones of rich, dark chocolate as she spoke. “I had no right to listen in on your private conversation with your cousin, nor to judge. I don’t know anything about you or your problems, and it was wrong of me to brush them off as insignificant just because you have wealth.” The words rushed out of her mouth in one long string. She always hated to admit when she was wrong, but it was especially hard to admit it to Hemi.

  “Apology accepted.” She could grow to love the velvety smoothness of his voice. It was a big change from the higher tones of most of the men she interacted with spoke in. Just the sound of it was enough to get her thinking about cold nights, snuggling in front of the fireplace with a cup of rich, decadent coffee.

  She barely contained her body’s response to him, wanting to reach out and touch him. Instead, she shifted from one leg to another, hoping to keep them from sticking to her.

  Bad Kamiya.

  Hemi is off limits.

  By the enthusiasm of his team, they would hopefully become colleagues, and it would not be conducive to a good working relationship to always be fantasizing about him.

  “Besides we have history,” he continued, unaware of her predicament. She was dangerously close to turning into a puddle of passionate need, “we have been friends for many years and if you can’t be honest with friends then who can you be honest with?”

  Her eyebrow drew into a “v” at the statement. “I guess you could look at it that way,” she cautiously agreed, surprised he so readily accepted her apology.

  “Then as friends with a long history, there is something you can do to make it up to me though.”

  “Oh?” her eyes narrowed further. She tilted her head to observe Hemi better. He started fidgeting under her scrutiny. He started cracking his knuckles. First the ones on his left hand, then the ones on his right the longer she looked at him without asking any question.

  She remembered from their youth when he was set on a plan of action that he hadn’t thought through completely he followed a pattern. It was good to see that some things hadn’t changed. She looked at his ears which were visible from his close crop haircut. Yep, the tip of his ears were red. She braced herself for something of epic stupidity.

  “Would you consider marrying me?”

  Her mouth dropped open.

  Eyes widened.

  She stuttered speechlessly. It took more than a few seconds before she managed to bark out a response. “Wha—what?” A marriage proposal was the last thing Kamiya expected to hear come out of Hemi’s mouth. Epic stupidity.

  “I am asking you to marry me,” Hemi repeated.

  “This is so sudden.” She managed to stutter out glancing away from him, “We haven’t seen each other in years.” As the shock of his proposal started to wear off, her brain kicked in and started processing it.

  “Oh, I get it.” He must think she was dumb. Her blood started to slowly boil.

  She could feel her body temperature rise as she thought of the reason for his proposal. She stood up straight, her spine stiff as a rod.

  “You’re trying to use me to satisfy your father’s ultimatum. The one you were bitching to your cousin. What’s the matter, Hemi? Don’t know any decent women?” She gritted between clenched teeth. She tugged on the hem of her suit coat, straightening it.

  It was bad enough that he dropped their friendship like a hot rock years ago. That was something she could have lived with. They had been kids, and it had been a long time ago. But somewhere along the line, he must have gotten the idea she was desperate.

  “Listen up buddy. You may be handsome as fuck with nonstop muscles, but you are dumb as hell if you think I am just going to jump on the Hemi bandwagon with the rest of your…your…floozies.” She threw her hands in the air, her mouth pulling down in at the corners, brows drawn to a sharp point between her eyes. Her tone rivaled the cold wind of a Colorado winter.

  Kamiya stomped over to the projector and unhooked her tablet. She turned to Hemi sitting on the table stunned. This must be the first time a woman ever told him no. Turning on her heels, glowering, she headed straight towards the boardroom door breezing past the stilted form of her old friend.

  “The only relationship I am interested in with you is a business one. Contact me if you want to have further dealings with the Global Heart Foundation.”

  “I will make a private donation to your foundation of two million dollars if you agree to marry me for a year. I will give you half when the wedding takes place and the other half at the end of the year.” Hemi threw out the last-ditch offer to her as she opened the door to leave the boardroom. The desperation in his voice apparent to anyone listening.

  Kamiya came to an abrupt halt. She slowly turned her head to face Hemi her face set in granite. Her eyes glittered with strong emotions as she turned her piercing stare on Hemi. “I am not now or never will be a whore. Consider this my withdrawal of the Global Heart Foundation request.” She opened the door and marched through it, head held high. The pictures on the wall rattled at the force if her exit.

  Hemi was left alone in the boardroom with regret. Instead of making things better between him and Kamiya, he just managed to make them worse.

  Chapter Six

  “How long are you going to continue to laugh? It’s been over three weeks,” Hemi belligerently asked his cousin as he lounged back on the high-back leather bar stool sitting at the main bar in Club Envy.

  “I am sorry,” Brad wiped tears from his eyes, snorting at the look of disgust on Hemi’s face. It just triggered more laughter from him. “It still funny, and to think our family considered you to be the charming one,” he snorted wiping his eyes with a napkin the bartender handed him.

  Hemi was willing to have his cousin laugh at him; he still wasn’t quite the same. Brad had been a highly sought-after surgeon who had risked his life and livelihood to rescue two children and their mother from a burning car on a deserted road. He sustained severe burns to his hands. Though he made a full recovery, he lost some dexterity in his fingers. Enough to prevent him from continuing his surgery career.

  “Then it is a good thing I decided to take you up on your offer to become the Chief Financial Officer when Deuce retires,” Brad casually tossed the used napkin into the garbage can behind the bar.

  “Seriously?” Hemi sat up quickly, a wide smile covering his face. He grabbed his cousin in a manly hug, the grin broadening.

  “Hey what has you two so excited?” Hemi looked over at the source of the male voice, Jericho Ryder, the owner of Club Envy, the exclusive nightclub they were having a dri
nk in was standing next to them.

  Club Envy was the most exclusive club in Colorado; some people speculated the world. You had to know someone, who knows someone, WHO KNEW SOMEONE, to be allowed entrance into the elite part of Club Envy.

  Luckily Hemi and Brad fell into the category of someone. Club Envy was a regular stomping ground for them. Hemi liked to impress the models he dated by bringing them here.

  “Hey Jericho,” Hemi clasped Jericho’s hand, “I just got the good news, Brad is going to join me in the boardroom of Hemingway Industries.”

  “I have to. With the stupid things, Hemi has been doing lately, someone with some sense needs to ensure he doesn’t run HI into the ground.” Brad’s tone was almost as dry as the glass he had been sipping his drink out of.

  “Congratulations,” Jericho shook Brad’s hands, not paying any attention to the scars covering them, slapping him on the shoulder. “In that case, your drinks are on me tonight. And as a bonus, you can use my private VIP tent.” Jericho powerful voice carried to them easily; they could hear it over the lights flashing on the octagon-shaped dance floor, the pounding bass.

  Jericho, Hemi, and Brad’s friendship was years in the making stemming from their college days.

  He was tall like the cousins, with thick black hair that he wore just to his collar. Women continued to flock to him because of his piercing blue eyes despite his new status as husband and father. He walked around the bar with its dark wood-polish top, picking up bottles, starting to mix up a drink.

  “Is this celebration what brought you into Club Envy this lovely Friday night?” Jericho’s gaze traveled between the two as he slid a drink in front of each of them. “Here try this.”

  “What girly shit is this?” Hemi picked up the short glass filled with multi-colored liquid bringing it to his nose for a sniff. This was not the high-end Bourbon he normally drank.

  “It is one of our new shots. It is popular with the ladies. It is called a Wet Pussy.” Jericho grinned at them leaning on the bar, “Go ahead and try it.” He encouraged them.

  “What is in it?” Brad picked up the drink, sniffing it. He took a tiny taste of it.

  “Well?” Hemi tapped his fingers waiting for the verdict. He didn’t want to ruin his palate with something crazy.

  “It’s sweet. Just like a pussy should be.” Brad grinned before downing the shot. “Mmmm, this is good.” He tipped his glass towards Jericho, nodding his head as if he got exactly what he expected from the drink.

  “In that case, bottoms up,” Hemi tipped his glass in Jericho’s direction before tossing back the drink. His eyes widened when the sweet drink hit his taste buds, sliding slowly down his throat. He tasted the lightness of pineapple, peach, and watermelon mixed. “What is in this?”

  “Coconut Rum, Peach Schnapps, Watermelon Pucker, pineapple and cranberry juice,” Jericho listed the ingredients tapping a finger at each one.

  “I can understand why it is a big hit with the ladies,” Hemi gestured to the row of bottles behind Jericho, “but I think I will stick to my usual Bourbon.”

  Laughter escaped the club owner as he picked up a bottle of Hemi’s preferred drink and poured him a glass. “You still didn’t answer my question. What brings you two out tonight other than celebrating Brad’s career change? Usually, if I see you Hemi on a Friday night, it's with a lovely lady attached to you. Haven’t seen you in here lately. Have you hit a dry spell, or have you already worked your way through all of the lovely ladies in the Springs?”

  “He is drowning his misery,” Brad answered before Hemi could say anything. “He struck out with a lovely lady. He got turned down flat.” Brad covered his mouth, unable to contain his guffaw.

  “Shut up Brad,” Hemi spoke through gritted teeth.

  “What does he mean you struck out?” Jericho leaned on the bar focusing on Brad. He waved Hemi off gesturing for Brad to continue.

  “Jericho, a lady came to Charity Pitch Day to get funding for her charity. Mr. Smooth over here,” Brad pointed to Hemi who was ducking his head and covering his face as Brad shared his humiliation with one of their oldest friends. “Asked her to marry him. Didn’t ask her on a date. Didn’t take her out for coffee at one of the many shops his family owns. Nope, he went straight to asking her to marry him.” Brad chortled.

  “What?” the surprise on Jericho’s face sent Brad off on another round of laughter as he gasped for air, slapping his thigh before he was able to get himself under control.

  “Oh, it gets better.” Brad continued, wiping a tear from his eye. Hemi covered his whole face with his hands. This couldn’t get worse. “Instead of apologizing or attempting to make the situation better, Boy Genius offers her two million dollars for her charity, practically call her a money-grubbing slut, and then has the nerve to be shocked when she turned him down.”

  “What the hell?” Jericho stood in stunned amazement as he looked Hemi.

  Hemi knew he screwed up when he insulted Kamiya. With any of his past women, he could have offered them half the money he did Kamiya, and they would have jumped on it. Kamiya was insulted that he thought he could buy her like some whore. Instead, she turned him down flat. It just proved she was the decent woman he needed in his life. Any other woman he knew would have snatched up the offer of such a large amount of money without looking back.

  “Yeah, I screwed up,” he admitted to Brad and Jericho. “And I am glad you find this entertaining, but you are not helping me. I need a way to make this right. I need to get back on Kamiya’s good side. With her by my side, I am sure I can lead Hemingway Industries into a great future. She has integrity. She also has a big heart. Do you know that she wants to start a charity to help homeless teenagers get off the street? Who does that? She also worked in the Peace Corps for years. Most of the women I know are worried about breaking a nail while she is worried about teaching artists in a foreign country financial literacy to help them make money to provide for their family.” He excitedly told Brad and Jericho. “Not only would she care about the employees of Hemingway Industries, but she would help better the image of HI with her charitable work.”

  “So, you only want her for the good that she will do for HI?” Jericho asked him.

  Hemi frowned at him. “No, I want her because she is smart, funny, sarcastic as hell, and sexy as fuck.”

  “If you believe she has all these assets then why did you insult her?” Jericho looked at Hemi like he lost his mind.

  “Excitement?” Hemi hedged.

  Then he sighed. “I was struck dumb when I realized she was everything I was looking for. My father would find her to be perfect, the board members would love her, and we have a history.”

  “Goodie for them, but what about you? Why do you want her?” Hemi knew Jericho was just trying to understand the situation. But with every question, Hemi was feeling dumber and dumber. “Have you dated her before?”

  “No.” He reluctantly admitted. “We knew each other growing up. We were best friends in high school before we got separated by distance. I hadn’t heard from her in a few years until we ran into each other a couple of months ago.”

  “So, you asked someone you haven’t seen in almost fifteen years to marry you? Someone you haven’t even dated. And when she rightfully tells you no, you insult her?” Jericho recapped.

  Hemi nodded.

  “Wow and I thought you had game?” Jericho picked up a rag, running it across the bar top.

  Hemi was hoping Jericho could offer him some words of wisdom. After all, Jericho had to have some advice after winning the heart and love of a woman older than him. Not only did he have to overcome her issues with relationships after his wife had gone through a bad divorce, but he also had to overcome being only a few years older than his new wife’s oldest child. In the end, he did all of that and now was a happily married man with a set of twins. If anyone could help him dig himself out of the hole he was in; it was Jericho Ryder.

  Hemi and Brad sat there waiting for something, anything
. Loud cheering filtered out of one of the other VIP tents.

  “What’s going on over there?” Brad nodded his head in the direction of the cheering.

  As they watched, suddenly a mass of women piled out of the tent heading for the dance floor.

  “Girl’s Night Out party. Marco is probably making a killing doing body shots.” Jericho absently answered.

  He stopped wiping the bar. “Why?” Hemi felt those blue eyes drilling him, digging deep into his soul.

  “Why what?” he was confused by the question.

  “Why this woman above all the other ones that you know? What makes her so special?”

  Hemi sat at the bar drumming his fingers on the top thinking about the question that Jericho asked him. His eyes closed as his mind delved deep into his recess trying to determine the answer. Why was he so obsessed by Kamiya? He knew Brad was sitting next to him, a faint smile on his face as he watched him closely. Waiting for him to reach some revelation.

  “She is the love of my life.” His answer was simple and honest. Something he had denied for years. The reason he wasn’t able to find the right woman. He had found her years ago, but hadn’t even known it.

  Jericho tilted his head to one side studying Hemi. Hemi could feel his eyes roaming across his face as he looked at him. The pounding music faded into the background. The world around them disappeared as he waited for Jericho to say something. “Grovel.”

  “Grovel?” Hemi repeated stunned. Confusion darkened his eyes.

  “Yes grovel. Kiss her ass. Smother her in meaningful gifts. Not the usual shit you send your lady friends, something that is important to her showing her you are serious about your proposal. Make the donation to her charity anyway with no strings attached. Then grovel some more.”

  “How do I find out what is meaningful to her?”

  “Don’t you remember anything from the time you were friends? Are you friendly with any of her family members? Hell, if you get desperate, ask her.” Brad suggested, showing he was on board with Jericho’s advice. It was something he never had to do when it came to women, but he guessed it was time for him to learn. After all, he was the one that screwed up not Kamiya.