“For those of you who haven’t already heard the very happy news,” he told the roomful of guests, “I’m very pleased to announce that I became engaged this past September. I’m sure most of you will remember Tessa from her years working here at the office, and it was the happiest day of my life when she agreed to become my wife. Ladies and gentleman, it gives me tremendous pleasure to present my fiancée - who is also the love of my life - to all of you this evening.”
And then he really shocked Tessa - not to mention every other person in the room - by sweeping her into his arms and kissing her with great enthusiasm. Her hands drifted up to rest on his shoulders, and she found herself kissing him back eagerly, not even aware of the dozens of cell phone cameras flashing around her as Ian’s startled employees rushed to capture a photo of their normally formal, reserved boss French kissing his bride-to-be right in front of everyone. It was only the wild round of applause that finally made Ian break the kiss.
Tessa’s rosy cheeks were flushed a vivid shade of crimson as Ian guided her to their table, murmuring her thanks shyly to everyone who congratulated her along the short walk. Once seated, she buried her face in her hands, giving her head a little shake of disbelief.
“You might have warned me you were planning to do that,” she whispered to Ian urgently as he took his seat. “I almost fainted from shock. And from the looks on everyone’s faces, I think they almost did, too.”
Ian grinned, and began to fill her wine glass with a very fine vintage of Chardonnay. “Once in awhile, it pays to throw the staff off balance a bit. And I think it’s fair to say that little kiss did the trick.”
She stared at him wide-eyed. “Little kiss? For a few moments there, I thought you were going to - never mind.”
He leaned over to whisper in her ear, “Never fear. You know I’m not into exhibitionism. A kiss is pretty much the extent of any - what do they call it - PDA? - that I’m willing to engage in.”
Tessa rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her wine. “That was way more than a simple kiss and you know it. It felt like - well, like you were claiming me up there.”
“That’s silly, love.” He brushed a kiss over her flushed cheek. “You and I both know that I claimed you months ago. Ah, here’s the waiter with our first courses.”
It took her some time to recover from the dual surprises that Ian had sprung tonight - proudly announcing their engagement to everyone here, and then boldly kissing her for what had felt like five full minutes. But she was deeply touched by his very, very public declaration of love for her, and knew somehow that it had been his way of making sure that none of his staff would ever dare to speculate about whether or not she was worthy of a man like him.
Once the superb dinner and dessert had been consumed and the dishes cleared away, the dancing began. Tessa sighed in utter contentment as Ian drew her into his arms, guiding her around the dance floor with his usual expertise. The band was playing a jazzy version of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, and she couldn’t help remembering how sad and alone and more than a little frightened about the future she’d felt at this same time last year.
But what a difference a year could make, she thought dreamily, turning her face against Ian’s strong, tanned throat and inhaling yet again of his scent. Now, tonight, she was dancing with the man of her dreams, being held safe and warm and protected in his arms. And next year at this time, she would be his wife, would be greeted as Mrs. Gregson, and would never again feel as lonely and unhappy as she had a year ago.
“Penny for your thoughts, love?”
She glanced up into Ian’s inquisitive gaze, and gave his hand a squeeze where it held hers as they danced. “Just remembering this same party last year,” she confessed. “And how different everything is now - my life, our relationship, me.”
He nodded. “I told you once that I wanted more than anything last year to ask you to dance with me. And then when I found out you and Peter had split up, all I could think about was finding some way of taking you home with me. Though I quickly dismissed that idea since my parents were staying with me. I did, however, have a Plan B that I could have put into action if I had thought of it at that time.”
Tessa regarded him curiously. “And exactly what was this Plan B?”
Ian smoothly danced her over to the very edge of the dance floor, somehow maneuvering her through the crowd of bodies. He kept a hand at the small of her back, guiding her out of the ballroom, past the bar and coat check, and finally to the bank of elevators. He had done all of this without a single word, leaving her to puzzle over his intentions until they were inside the elevator car. Once inside, Ian inserted a card key into the slot reserved for the penthouse floor, and pressed the Close Door button.
“Plan B,” he announced very matter-of-factly, “was to whisk you off to the owner’s suite, confess that I’d been in love with you for more than two years, and then doing everything in my power to seduce you. But unfortunately I forgot one small detail.”
She was staring at him, astonished that he had quite literally just waltzed her out of a crowded party - of which they were the host and hostess - and was now spiriting her away to the penthouse suite.
“What detail would that be?” she asked in something of a daze.
Ian grinned as the elevator stopped at the top floor, and he extracted the card key from its slot, holding it up for her inspection. “I somehow forgot that I had the damned key in my pocket. But since it’s been burning a hole in my pocket all evening, I figured we shouldn’t waste the opportunity this time around. After you, love.”
He unlocked the front double doors to the suite and urged her inside. Evidently they had been expected, for lights had been left on, flowers were arranged in vases, and a bottle of champagne was chilling on the bar.
Tessa shook her head in amused exasperation. “You’ve been planning this, haven’t you?” she asked in mock disapproval. “You planned all along to smuggle me out of the party and have your wicked way with me in your private suite, didn’t you, Mr. Gregson?”
Ian took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, tipping her head back. “Yes,” he whispered, just before claiming her mouth in a wet, open-mouthed kiss that threatened to make her swoon right there on the spot.
“But - but, the party,” she murmured urgently as he swept her into his arms and began to carry her into the master bedroom. “You’re - we’re the hosts, and it’s going to look very bad, very suspicious, if we just disappear. Don’t you care -”
“Not even a little,” he assured her, depositing her on the lavishly appointed bed with a little bounce. “In fact, the only thing I care about is seeing you in that corset again. It’s all I’ve been able to focus on the entire evening, as a matter of fact.”
Tessa smiled up at him sultrily as he began to remove his tuxedo jacket. “Well, if I had known that, I would have suggested making a discreet exit before the dessert was served.”
“I thought about that actually,” mused Ian as he began to unbutton his shirt. “But I knew that crème Brule was your favorite dessert, so I delayed my pleasure so you could have yours.”
“Tsk, tsk. Silly man,” she scolded playfully, rising to her knees and scooting forward until her face was at eye level with his crotch. Ian’s breath escaped in a long, low hiss as she lowered his zipper and drew out his fully erect cock. She licked the single drop of pre-cum off the tip, and made a little smacking sound. “You’ve got that all wrong. Because I’d much rather have you than a whole buffet of desserts.”
“Jesus.” He cursed vividly as she took him into her mouth. “On second thought,” he panted, “we could have probably ducked out after the first course.”
Chapter Seven
London
“This is all so beautiful, Ian! Even better than the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, I think.”
Ian smiled down at the woman snuggled against his side. “But I haven’t seen any sign of Snoopy just yet. Does that change your opinion?”
&nbs
p; Tessa laughed, and leaned her head against his shoulder as they continued to stroll along at a leisurely pace. “Snoopy is an American dog, silly,” she teased. “I didn’t expect to see him over here in England.”
They were walking through the Winter Wonderland event being held at Hyde Park, and Tessa’s face was alive with pleasure as she took it all in - from the Magical Ice Kingdom with its ice forest of frozen sculptures including a castle, to the wonderful Christmas markets filled with arts and crafts, jewelry, and decorations, and a ride on the observation wheel that she’d cajoled him into taking her on. They stopped now to watch skaters navigate the ice rink that circled the famed Victorian Bandstand, but Ian gave her a stern look when she gazed at him hopefully.
“No,” he told her firmly. “The last time I was on ice skates was a good thirty years ago, and I wasn’t very good at it then.”
Tessa grinned, reaching up to kiss his cheek. “Impossible. Because you’re the best at whatever you set out to do.”
Ian rolled his eyes at her flattery. “That’s not going to work this time, darling. So spare yourself the effort, because there is no possible way you’re getting me out on that rink. Besides, it’s nearly time for us to leave for dinner.”
“Okay.” She placed her gloved hand in his. “Besides, you’ve indulged me an awful lot these past two days. I guess convincing you to go ice skating might be asking for too much.”
He gave her hand a squeeze. “Normally I would say you could ask me for anything, darling, and I’d give it to you happily. But slipping and falling on my arse on a cold brick of ice in front of all these people, in particular a great many children, is probably beyond what I’m willing to do - even for you.”
She gave a little shiver, and huddled deeper within the confines of her gray cashmere overcoat. The sun had set nearly two hours ago, and the temperature had been dropping steadily ever since. Snow flurries were forecast for later this evening, and Ian was anxious to get indoors before they began to fall.
They had arrived in London yesterday morning on a first-class, nonstop flight from San Francisco. His parents’ chauffeur had been waiting for them at Heathrow, and brought them directly to the townhouse in Belgravia. Edward and Joanna had already departed a few days earlier for their estate in Kent to begin preparations for the various holiday dinners and parties they would be hosting, so Ian and Tessa had the elegant, spacious townhouse to themselves.
After napping for a bit, he’d taken her to see some of the festively decorated shops along both Bond and Oxford Streets, two of London’s more famous shopping districts. Tessa had been especially enthralled with the wonderful Christmas window displays, as well as the glittering lights and other decorations. Ian had spent far more time watching her reactions than looking at the decorations themselves, and his heart had ached a little to realize she’d never known such simple pleasures before.
They’d had dinner out at an Italian restaurant in the West End before taking in a musical at one of the famed theatre district’s numerous venues. This morning they had slept in late before heading to the grand Gregson Hotel in the exclusive Mayfair district for brunch. Ian, of course, had been recognized instantly by many of the employees, and they had received the royal treatment during their meal. He’d given Tessa a tour of the fabulous hotel, the very first property his grandfather had purchased, and still considered the grand dame of the entire chain.
“I expect you spent a lot of time in this hotel growing up,” she’d mused as he had shown her the world class fitness center and spa. “Like Eloise at The Plaza.”
Ian had smiled at the comparison. “Not quite. We never actually lived here at the hotel, of course. And by the time my brothers and I came along, there were Gregson hotels all over Europe and starting to expand into America. But since this particular property was right here in London, you’re correct in assuming we spent a fair amount of time here. All of us learned how to swim in this pool, for example. And we always attended the tree lighting party each December. That’s something of a tradition in all of our hotels now.”
Tessa had nodded. “It’s a lovely tradition. One that I’m looking forward to bringing our own children to someday.”
“Of course,” he’d agreed. “Though I’m not sure who would enjoy themselves more - you or our children.”
She had laughed at his teasing remark, but Ian knew that she was enjoying all of the festivity as much as any child would be doing. As she stood gazing almost wistfully at the bright lights, he couldn’t help thinking about how poor and deprived she’d been as a little girl, how shy and afraid and uncertain, and he instinctively wrapped her up in his arms as if to shelter her from all those bad times. Tessa snuggled against him happily, gazing up at him with so much pure joy in her eyes that he couldn’t help grinning down at her.
Despite the fact that she was well bundled up against the cold in the heavy overcoat, knee high boots, leather gloves, and a fleecy knit cap pulled low over her ears, she still managed to look gorgeous, and he couldn’t resist giving her a sweet, soft kiss.
She beamed at him. “What was that for?”
He tucked a stray blonde curl back inside of her fleecy cap. “Just because I can’t help myself sometimes,” he teased. “You’re so pretty, especially with your cheeks all rosy from the cold. Speaking of which, we should find a taxi and get ourselves to dinner so we can thaw out a bit.”
“All right.” She gave one last look around the festive scene and sighed a little. “It’s just so beautiful, Ian. So magical.” She tugged on his hand. “Promise me that we’ll bring our children here, too. I can’t think of a more wonderful place to spend Christmas than here in London every year.”
Once again Ian bit his tongue before he could blurt out that by the time they had children they might actually be residing permanently in London. Instead, he merely gave her an indulgent smile. “Of course we will,” he replied gently. “And I agree with you wholeheartedly - it is a wonderful place to be at Christmas. Ah, good. There’s a whole string of taxis waiting right over there.”
He’d made reservations - impossible for most anyone whose last name wasn’t Gregson to come by - at a famous French restaurant in the Covent Garden district. He had dined there last year with his parents, and had thought it one of the most thoroughly romantic and charming venues he’d ever seen. Ian knew that Tessa would love it immediately, and especially the conservatory where their table had been reserved.
These past two days, in fact, had been planned very carefully with her pleasure in mind - seeing all the sights and engaging in those activities that she would most enjoy. He’d wanted to spoil her and indulge her every whim, and thus far she had been having a wonderful time. And, truth be told, he’d also wanted to distract her a bit and get her mind off the large, lavish party being hosted by Hugh and Victoria that they would be attending tomorrow night.
The party was being held in the main ballroom of the Gregson hotel, and would be attended by at least two hundred guests, nearly all of whom would be total strangers to Tessa. Fortunately, Victoria had had the foresight to seat them with several of Ian’s friends, ones that Tessa had already met during their visit in late September. That would help the situation, of course, but Ian feared that nothing would completely ease Tessa’s uncertainty and fears about encountering so many new people at one time.
But for tonight at least it didn’t seem that she was giving tomorrow evening’s event much thought, especially when they arrived at the restaurant. The charming Provence-style restaurant, consistently ranked as one of London’s top ten dining establishments, was bedecked for the holidays with hundreds of colored, twinkling lights, and potted poinsettia plants. And while the retractable glass roof in the conservatory was closed for the winter, the room glowed with light from both the roaring fire and the dozens of candles that had been lit.
“Do you like it here?” asked Ian after they had been shown to their table - the best in the room - and handed menus.
Tessa nodded ent
husiastically, her blue eyes glowing nearly as brightly as the decorative lights. “It’s so lovely, Ian,” she told him, giving his hand a squeeze. “Have you been here before?”
“Just once. I had dinner here with my parents last year right around this same time. And,” he added, drawing her hand to his lips, “I knew then that I would bring you here one day, that it would be someplace you’d like. I even decided on this exact table.”
She glanced around the packed room, where there was not even a single table available. The other rooms of the restaurant were equally as crowded. “You must have made reservations months ago,” she murmured.
Ian grinned. “More like a few days ago. It helps, you see, when one of the partners happens to be the son of one of Mother’s oldest friends. And especially when I made arrangements for him to use the owner’s suite at one of our hotels in Florida earlier this year.”
Tessa’s voice sobered a little. “You know a lot of important people, don’t you?” she asked quietly. “Back home in San Francisco I never really paid much attention to that, but here in London everyone seems to know who you are, who your family is. Did - Davina know all of these people? Did she know most everyone who’s going to be at the party tomorrow night?”
He sensed the uncertainty in her voice, could almost see the wheels beginning to spin in her head as though this idea had never occurred to her before now. “I’m not sure that everyone is an accurate description,” he replied off-handedly, trying to sound as casual and unconcerned as possible. “But she would have known a good many of them, yes. Why do you ask, love?”
She glanced downwards, and he could see the way she was worrying her bottom lip dejectedly. “Because all of your friends are going to wonder why you broke off your engagement to her, someone who’s one of them, who’s from the same sort of background and social class as they all are, and asked me to marry you instead. I’m -”
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