by Leslie North
“Can’t say. Sorry.”
“Are we going to the New Owner’s Suite at the Resort?” she asked.
“No further information at this time,” he said.
“Or maybe you’re stealing me back to New York?”
His smile stretched wider. “Keep trying.”
“Oh! I know. We’re heading back to Denton Headquarters for one last run as boss and assistant.”
A laugh erupted from him, his white teeth glinting in the early morning light. “I like all these wrong answers. Keep going.”
“You’re taking me to a different hotel that we can rent by the hour just so we can take all these clothes off and celebrate Christmas Eve on our own?”
“Hmmm.” He squeezed her hand as he pulled onto Main Street. “Now I like that idea. We might have a change of plans.”
Amelia looked around as he pulled into a parking spot downtown. Wreaths hung from every lamp post, and ornaments dotted the well-manicured bushes outside the coffee shop.
“Okay. I bite. Where are we going?”
Josh didn’t say anything but instead offered his arm. She took it and walked alongside him, staring up at him in wonder.
“I’m still not certain this isn’t a dream.”
“If it was a dream,” Josh said, looking down at her, “would you be able to feel this?” He dipped down and pressed his lips to hers, cupping her face between his hands. She pushed up onto her tiptoes, deepening the kiss, clutching at him as if he might disappear if she didn’t hang on tight.
When they broke for air, she felt like she could float into outer space.
“No more of that here,” Josh said, leading her further down the sidewalk. “Not until we reach our destination.”
She giggled. Which only proved this man was for her. She was back to giggling. “Our destination. How mysterious.”
He rounded the corner onto Jackson Street, and that’s when the horse-drawn carriage came into view. She sucked in a breath, and the way his smile gleamed only proved that the carriage was their “destination.”
“Shut up,” she said, though he had said nothing.
“Come on.” He tightened his arm around her. “We have a very important date with this horse.”
“A Christmas Eve horse-drawn carriage ride!” She laughed into her palm as they approached the driver, who talked to Josh like he’d been expecting them. Josh helped her inside first and then followed. They settled back into the ultra-comfy leather seat tucked into the gilded red and silver wooden carriage. Josh pulled a heavy wool blanket over their laps. Once they lurched forward, one majestic chestnut horse pulling them, Amelia turned to him.
“Now that we’ve reached our destination, can we make out like teenagers?”
In lieu of a response, Josh surged forward, his warm lips claiming hers. They kissed as the horse clip-clopped down the street, then turned down a pine-lined avenue leading out of town.
“I haven’t even had a chance to explain anything,” Josh said, running his thumb over her temple once they’d broken for air.
“Oh. Sorry.” She brushed her nose against his. “Go ahead.”
He wet his bottom lip, eyeing her hungrily. “Maybe I don’t want to.”
He dove in for more kisses, which she accepted eagerly. The feel of his lips against hers satisfied something she couldn’t define, much less understand. Like his was the only mouth for her. Like it didn’t matter where life took her or how many other lovers she tested out. Josh would always be the one for her.
The carriage took a turn up a gently inclining street. The downtown scenes slowly transformed into trees and untouched woods. He kept his arm tight around her.
“This is so beautiful,” she whispered to him. “I’ve never done this before, even though the carriage is always here during the holidays.”
“So you don’t even know that this isn’t the normal route?”
She laughed, shaking her head. “Nope. Had no idea.”
“I paid off the driver. He’s taking us someplace off the beaten path.”
Amelia nestled into his side, and the two of them enjoyed the scenery as they wound deeper into the woods. After about a half mile, the driver hung a right onto a heavily wooded property. A single-lane path wound through the trees. Tiny snowflakes started falling as soon as they crested the new path. As if God himself knew that they were entering the romantic phase of the trip.
“Do you know where we are right now?” he asked, once they’d gotten a little lost in the woods around them.
“Definitely not.”
“We’re on the Cedar Grove Hotel property.”
Her eyes widened. “Seriously?”
“I like that I’m showing you new things in your own hometown.” He pressed a kiss to her temple. “My mom would love it too.”
Amelia buried her face in his chest.
“That’s why we’re coming to this spot specifically. Because it was my mom’s favorite spot on the entire property.” The end of the gently inclining path was in sight, and the driver slowed the horse as they came upon an outlook. To the left of them, the property ended in a jagged cliff, tree roots exposed through the ground, like the earth had been ripped away.
Sprawling in front of them, for miles and miles, was pure, untouched nature. Bare trees stretched as far as the eye could see, a small river cutting through the expanse. Josh sighed softly as he looked at it.
“She always liked coming in the winter,” he said slowly, “because she said you could see the Earth’s secrets that way.”
Amelia blinked, emotion tightening her throat. Whenever he talked about his mom, this happened.
“My mom grew up in a small town, and she always wanted her sons to appreciate the joys of nature, even though we lived in the city. She never wanted us to lack that heart that comes from having a tight-knit community.” He paused, turning to look at her. “And that’s what I love about you. You have a big-city spirit, but you’re from here. And it shows. You have a big-city heart, but you stay grounded. And you help me stay grounded.”
Tears were welling in her eyes now, and her voice had totally disappeared.
“You’re amazing, Amelia,” he whispered, brushing his nose against hers. “I’m sorry I tried to hold you back. You should have moved on much earlier. But I don’t want to promote you anymore.”
She blinked, confusion breaking through the overwhelming emotion. “What?”
“You can still have it if you want,” Josh started, that mysterious smile returning to his face. “But I want more for you. I called a friend who works in the Urban Planning Department at Grayson International Development, the sustainable development policy think tank, and told him all about you. Your skills, your smarts. I told him how perfect you’d be for the position of Manager of Global Research and Strategic Planning that just opened up. You have an interview in January if you want it.”
Amelia’s mouth clattered to the seat, and she could only stare at him.
“The job would involve a lot of travel around the world,” Josh went on, his grin turning mischievous. Like he knew just how perfect this opportunity was for her. “Making recommendations based on your research and findings. I don’t know. Sound like something you might be interested in?”
Amelia started laughing then. Deep, belly laughing. This was almost too good to be true.
But it wasn’t. It was her reality. Her new reality, with Josh at her side.
“I love you,” she murmured, melting into him, her lips landing on his.
“You beat me to the punch,” Josh said through their kiss. “That was going to be my next point.” He grinned once he broke the kiss, holding her chin between thumb and forefinger. “Amelia, I love you. And please say you’ll be mine.”
“I have been,” she murmured, resting her head on his chest. “Since I started working for you. Except neither of us knew it.
Josh pressed a kiss to the top of her head, and they watched as the snow fell over the bare trees in the valley.
This was the best Christmas of her entire life.
Epilogue
FIVE MONTHS LATER
“Over there!” Josh barked out the command, pointing to an unfinished mound of landscaping near the hotel. “This one needs to happen first. Then we can start the last cul-de-sac.”
Amelia laughed to herself, trying to keep her heels from clicking too loudly on the brick path. She’d flown in that morning from France, where she’d been working for the past week. Her new job was the dream she suspected it would be, and the past few months had flown by in a challenging but amazing haze.
What made it even better was that Josh flew out to meet her, no matter where she was in the world, to wine and dine her.
And now she had flown to Cedar Grove to surprise him.
Once she was within arm’s reach, she hurried forward, throwing her arm around him. Josh stiffened, but gasped once he realized who was around him. Laughter whooped out of him as he pulled her into his arms, as if they hadn’t just seen each other five days ago in Paris.
“Meelie!” He still used that nickname sometimes, but it didn’t bother her as much. “What are you doing here?”
“Just wanted to drop in on my favorite head gardener.” She grinned up at him, propping her chin against the plain gray T-shirt he wore. It was only mid-May, but it felt like summer already. She knew Josh had been working hard to get things renovated and ready for the upcoming busy holiday season. He’d adopted the Cedar Grove property as his pet project, even though he could have outsourced it to one of about a dozen employees.
“Aww, babe,” he murmured, lifting his sunglasses. She melted against him once she could look into his baby blues. She might never tire of looking at this man. Of getting lost in his gaze.
“You smell like the fresh outdoors and totally manly sweat,” she said, squeezing her arms tighter around his waist. “You got a room we could use real quick?”
He laughed, looking around. “I’ve got about thirty or so at our disposal. Which is perfect, because I wanted you to see the newest renovations.”
They walked hand in hand toward the hotel, Josh gazing down at her.
“God damn, I missed you,” he murmured, bringing the back of her hand to his lips.
“Me too.” She rested her head against his shoulder as they walked inside the hotel. He led her past the ballroom, which had been renamed The Amelia Room in her honor. Then to the top floor, where all the suites were. He slid a keycard into room 515, which had been their suite the first time they’d stayed here together.
“Woooow,” Amelia breathed as she checked out the newest changes. He’d updated the carpet and removed the wood paneling. The bathrooms were being overhauled with raindrop shower heads and lots of stony-looking tiles.
“Your brother has been a huge help,” Josh said, leaning against the doorframe as she checked out the bedroom. “He’s already been promoted once.”
Amelia beamed over at him, feeling the rush of love and passion fill her, as it often did when she looked at this man. “I’m so happy to hear that.”
“But there’s one more big thing,” Josh said, straightening suddenly. He led her over to the bay window overlooking the back of the property. Together they looked out the window, until Amelia noticed he’d started breathing faster.
“Josh—” she started, unsure if he was okay.
He suddenly dropped to one knee, taking her hand in his. He pressed what seemed like a hundred kisses to the back of her hand as Amelia just stared in wonder.
“Babe—” He fished a tiny black box out of his pocket. “This is where it all began. Your hometown. This special property that means so much to both of us. But it also began right here. Room 515.” He grinned, then popped open the ring box. A gasp ripped out of her as she beheld the enormous diamond waiting there.
This was an engagement ring—no question. Tears immediately came to her eyes, and she clamped a hand over her mouth.
“It just so happens that I had this ring on me today because I just got it back from the jeweler. But I’ve been thinking about what ring I’d get you since Christmas. And I was going to propose next Christmas, to make it sentimental and all, but dammit, I couldn’t wait any longer. Amelia, my love. I want to travel the world with you, love you, and grow with you until the day we die. Will you marry me?”
A laugh rocketed out of her, and she jumped up and down a couple times, squealing. “Yes! Of course! Yes!”
Josh surged to his feet, his lips against hers faster than the first tear could spill from her eyes. The tenderness of his proposal swept through her, the thoughtful touches making her even more emotional. The unplanned nature of it. The location. The fact that it was here, in the room where it really had begun for them as a couple.
This man was made for her.
And she’d go anywhere, do anything, as long as she was by his side.
End of The Billionaire’s Christmas Fiancée
The Billionaire’s Christmas Fiancée, December 5 2019
The Billionaire’s Sudden Christmas Baby, December 12 2019
The Billionaire’s Second Chance Christmas, December 19 2019
PS: Do you love bad-boy billionaires at Christmas? Then keep reading for exclusive extracts from The Billionaire’s Sudden Christmas Baby and The Sheikh’s Christmas Fling.
Thank You!
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About Leslie
Leslie North is the USA Today Bestselling pen name for a critically-acclaimed author of women's contemporary romance and fiction. The anonymity gives her the perfect opportunity to paint with her full artistic palette, especially in the romance and erotic fantasy genres.
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BLURB
The Denton Hotels Christmas gala has always been a big deal, but this Christmas must be the most extravagant ever. Billionaire Mitch Denton’s CEO father is set to make a major announcement at this year’s gala, and Mitch hopes it’s what he’s been waiting for: his promotion to head of the company. Mitch is more than a little surprised when Jules Cardwell, assistant to the now-AWOL event planner, walks into his office, ready to oversee the gala’s planning. With so much on the line, he doesn’t need the distraction of a beautiful woman like her. When they find a real baby in the manger just as a major snowstorm rolls in, the two have little choice but to rely on each other. In Mitch’s luxury penthouse.
Jules tells herself she’s staying for the good of baby Noelle. It’s not because Mitch is gorgeous, rich, charming, and everything Jules has tried to avoid in a man. It’s difficult for her to breathe whenever he’s near. Worse, he’s sweet and kind and makes her heart ache in a way that’s not at all welcome. With Christmas drawing closer, the two work frantically during the day to make the gala perfect, but the nights are completely different. They’re hot and swoon-worthy, and Jules never wants them to end.
But just as Jules thinks they might actually become a real family, she gets a cold splash of reality: this is just a holiday romance. She could never fit into Mitch’s world, and even the magic of Christmas can’t change that.
When Mitch is given everything he’s ever strived for professionally, he realizes the one thing he truly wants might soon be gone forever.
Grab your copy of The Billionaire’s Sudden Christmas Baby
Available December 12, 2019
www.LeslieNorthBooks.com
EXCERPT
This year’s Christmas display needs to be bigger than ever. Make it happen because I’m pl
anning a big announcement this year.
Mitch Denton stared at the text from his father for what felt like a full hour. The Denton Hotels Christmas gala at the end of each year was a famous event known to most New York City socialites. Tickets for outsiders were scarce, but invariably some insider shots of the event showed up in the tabloids one way or another.
But this year, his dad wanted things even more over the top, which sent Mitch’s stomach into a hopeful knot.
There was only one announcement that mattered to Mitch—the announcement that his father would be handing over the reins of the company to him.
It was sure to come. He’d been anticipating it and working toward this for years. His younger brother Josh surely wouldn’t be interested in taking over the company. Especially not now that he and his fiancée Amelia were head-over-heels traveling the world and enjoying life together.
Mitch was the only workaholic brother left, which meant that this empire could only become his.
He leaned back in his leather desk chair, swiveling around to gaze out the large curved window overlooking downtown Manhattan. Skyscrapers clawed their way toward the clouds, glittering steel and glinting window panes as far as the eye could see. The sight was inspiring. This was the stuff that grounded him—being up in the air and looking down at it all.
A soft knock on his door sounded. His secretary Rose poked her head in, her silver hair swept back into a low bun.
“Mitch, we’ve got a little problem,” she said, worry straining her voice in a motherly way as it often did. Denton Hotels was a fast-paced work environment, and Mitch made sure she earned her pay.
“What is it?” Mitch swiveled around to face the door, checking his phone. “Where’s the event planner?”