Stallion Magic

by Deborah Fletcher Mello

  Disbelief washed over her expression. “He was behind that? You’re kidding me, right?”

  Kendrick shook his head. “Sorry.”

  Catherine rubbed at her eyes with both hands. The man across the table from her resumed his questioning of more things that she had no knowledge of. It was about three hours later when the agents finally packed their belongings. Fly High attorneys had turned over all relevant documents that were needed to support the case against Frederick.

  Relief came in abundance when Kendrick shook her hand, assuring her that she had nothing to worry about and wishing her much success with taking her company public.

  “I’m sure we’ll have more questions for you, Cat, but Mr. Ross wasn’t as thorough about covering his tracks as he had thought. We won’t have any problems building a case against him. Your cooperation has been essential and I’m confident that we’ll have no issues showing that he manipulated you and your company for his own personal gain.”

  Catherine nodded. “What about the threatening emails? Why did he do that?”

  Noah answered that question. “I think he figured that if he staged and controlled the threats then he could make himself look good when they magically went away.”

  “That man’s delusional.”

  Kendrick and Noah exchanged an all-knowing look between them.

  Noah shrugged. “Being in love can make a man crazy.”

  “And if he’s already crazy it will make him psychotic,” Kendrick added.

  Catherine looked from one to the other. She didn’t bother to respond, turning her attention instead to Noah. “What now?”

  Noah smiled, an air of mischief suddenly shimmering in his eyes.

  Chapter 12

  They’d been in the air for over an hour, and Catherine still had more questions than she did answers. Their day had started early and it didn’t look like it was going to end anytime soon.

  Noah had been right by her side when she’d rung the bell to announce that the stock market had officially opened. Then she’d become obsessed with the ticker. For some the flashing series of letters, arrows and numbers scrolling across the screen was puzzling but for Catherine that cryptic script was everything she had been dreaming about. It was her lifeline, keeping her abreast of market sentiment. It had been her intentions to follow each tick, every up and down movement in the price of the security until the closing bell rang. But Noah hadn’t allowed it.

  After lunch and the last celebratory toast Noah had escorted her to a waiting car and then to the airport. After a heated argument he’d taken her cell phone and her iPad, leaving her technologically challenged, and she was still angry about it, desperate to see where they were on the NASDAQ.

  She cut her eye at him, becoming even more annoyed by the smug expression on his face. She then directed her gaze back to the view outside, marveling at the cushion of clouds they were floating on. She let out a heavy gust of breath past her glossed lips.

  Noah laughed heartily.

  “What?” she snapped, her head whipping around to glare at him.

  “You and that poor attitude of yours,” he said.

  Catherine prickled. “My attitude?”

  He nodded. “Yes, and I’m putting you on notice right now that if you don’t adjust it and quick, I won’t have any problem adjusting it for you.”

  Her eyes widened, her mouth falling open. “I beg your pardon!”

  Noah shifted forward in his seat. “I firmly believe in corporal punishment. I won’t have any problems spanking that delectable backside of yours.”

  Catherine stared at him then suddenly burst out laughing. “Spank me? I wish you would!” she quipped.

  Noah’s smirk widened. “Be careful what you wish for,” he said, his tone low and seductive. “I would love to palm that bare bottom.” Amusement danced in the look he was giving her.

  Catherine laughed again, a hint of nervousness teasing her senses. “You’re a fool, Noah Stallion!”

  He leaned forward and kissed her lips. “A fool in love,” he said.

  She kissed him back. “Keep working that Stallion magic and I might not stay mad at you.”

  “I don’t know why you’re mad at all.”

  She tossed up her hands in frustration. “You’ve cut me off from everything! How can you not know?”

  “You need to unwind. I didn’t have any other choice.”

  “So can I have my devices back now?”

  “No.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Then I’m going to stay mad. You know I want to check the stock prices and see how we’re doing.”

  “You don’t need to check. The underwriters said they would send you an update at the end of the day. And they will.”

  “But...”

  “But nothing. You can’t single-handedly control the stock market and you need to stop trying. It’s going to be fine. You just need to let it go and relax.”

  Her eyes rolled into the back of her head once again. “Then I’m staying mad.”

  He gave her a quick shrug of his broad shoulders. “Like I said, I can fix that attitude of yours.” He rubbed his palms together, still grinning at her.

  Catherine stared back at him, fighting not to laugh at his silliness. She changed the subject. “Can you at least tell me where we’re going?” she questioned.

  Noah nodded. “Paris.”

  “France?”

  “That’s where Paris is, Ms. Moore.” He tilted his head just so as he looked at her.

  Her face flushed with color. “I’ve never been to Paris,” she said softly.

  Noah looked surprised. “Really? I don’t know why I thought...”

  She shook her head. “I always imagined that the first time I went to Paris that it would be on my honeymoon or anniversary.”

  “I hope you’re not disappointed.”

  Catherine smiled. “How could I be disappointed about seeing Paris with the man I love?”

  Noah’s smile was sugar sweet as he reached for her hand and held it, gently squeezing her fingers beneath his own.

  “So, why are we going to Paris, France?” she asked.

  “It’s Fashion Week and I wanted you to meet my family.”

  Confusion washed over her expression and it made him laugh.

  “My sister Natalie is walking Paris Fashion Week and her husband is introducing his new fall clothing line. The entire Stallion clan will be there to support them. I thought it would be nice if we were there, too.”

  Catherine nodded, allowing what Noah told her to settle into her head. A few minutes later she held up her hand, having one last question to ask him.

  “Yes?” Noah smiled.

  “Who owns this plane? Because it’s not one of mine.”

  * * *

  After another hour of lighthearted banter, Catherine was still testy, and Noah continued to tease her. Finally, tired of trying to cajole him into giving her electronics back to her, she pulled her body across the leather seats and laid her head in Noah’s lap, drifting off into a deep sleep.

  Noah drew his hand over her hair, his fingers gently tracing her profile. It felt good to see her finally relax. After everything that had happened Noah realized that he would have to take a few drastic measures in order to get her to step back and regroup.

  After their Friday-morning encounter with the federal authorities, she’d been beside herself with anxiety and nothing seemed to soothe her shattered nerves. Despite her best efforts to resume her business-as-usual attitude there had been nothing familiar or normal about what she was feeling. Nothing Noah had said or done had moved her back to a state of normalcy.

  His sister’s late-night call to ask yet again if he could come to Paris for her runway show had been all the convincing he’d needed. His cousins John and Matthew Stallion had arranged their transportation, sending the Stallion family jet to retrieve them. Refusing Catherine access to her phone and the internet had been the least of his concerns, knowing that nothing else would have helped
him achieve his goal.

  Now they were a few short hours from landing. He’d already planned an early-morning meal with his family, and sometime before the week was finished he would be asking her to marry him atop the Eiffel Tower. With much help from his family and friends he could only hope and pray that his plans would come together before Catherine would be kicking and screaming to get back to the Fly High headquarters.

  He smiled down at her. It was the first time in days that she actually looked at peace. Frederick’s betrayal had devastated her. She had genuinely considered him her friend and she had never wanted to believe that he could actually cause her pain. She didn’t have to tell him how hurt she was because she wore it over her spirit, the weight so heavy that he could literally see it stealing every ounce of her joy when it crossed her thoughts. Noah knew it would take time and prayer to move her past that wealth of pain.

  She shifted against him, slipping a hand beneath her head as she made herself more comfortable. Her fingers teased the length of his manhood and the grazing of her nails moved him to smile, a current of electricity shooting through his groin.

  Noah took a deep breath and then another, holding the air in his lungs until it burned, distracting him from the rise of nature that strained for attention. He dropped his hand against the curve of her waist, allowing his palm to gently tease the round of her buttocks. He tapped the sumptuous flesh gently and drifted off to sleep.

  * * *

  Catherine woke to the low roar of jet engines and Noah snoring lightly. He’d fallen slightly to the side, his bent elbow and hand supporting his head. She nuzzled herself closer against him, steeling herself against his firm frame.

  The nap had been exactly what she had needed, suddenly feeling like all was well in the world. Relinquishing control to Noah had been difficult, but she liked how he’d commanded the reins, refusing to let her run roughshod over him.

  Her father had wanted a son. Instead, he’d fathered a daughter. And Catherine had been a very prissy little girl. Papa Moore had no interest in her being a girly girl so she’d been programmed to master boy skills growing up. The patriarch had wanted to ensure she could take care of herself without the need to be dependent on a man to take care of her. That mindset had been to Catherine’s benefit. She knew her way around a shotgun, could hold her own on a basketball court and she loved boxing. There wasn’t anything with an engine or motor that she couldn’t fix and she could scale a ladder with the best of them. Building a multi-million-dollar aviation business had been the cherry on top.

  She wasn’t used to having a man come to her rescue, but Noah seemed to do exactly that without reservation. Noah was the kind of man who wouldn’t let her change a tire even though she knew how. She was discovering that she needed Noah just as much as she wanted him. But admitting that to him, and herself, didn’t come without challenges. Relinquishing control wasn’t easy despite his best efforts to help her do so.

  Lifting her body upward, she nuzzled a path up his torso, wrapping her arms around his waist as she laid her head on his chest. Noah let out a deep breath as he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, his eyes still closed tightly. She relaxed into the rhythm of his breathing, the slow inhale and exhale like a sweet balm.

  He held her, and she felt protected, feeling like nothing in the world could ever cause her harm. She soon fell back asleep, thoughts of Noah filling her dreams.

  * * *

  There was a car and driver waiting for them as they disembarked. In the distance the morning sun was just finding its spot in a cloud-filled sky. There was a distinct chill to the temperature and the promise of rain hung heavily in the air.

  Noah greeted the man cheerily. “Bonjour! Comment allez-vous?”

  The driver responded and the two enjoyed a brief conversation that Catherine found engaging. Noah’s command of the French language came as a complete surprise to her.

  “You speak French?”

  He nodded. “Yes, and Italian,” he answered.

  “Wow!”

  Noah laughed. “Why do you look so surprised?”

  “I just didn’t expect it.”

  “It’s high school French. Back then I thought learning the romance languages would make me more attractive to the girls. I wanted to be suave and debonair.”

  She nodded. “It’s definitely sexy as hell!” she exclaimed, a wry smile pulling at her mouth.

  The eight-hour flight had afforded them a good night’s sleep. The luxury shower had been a sheer delight, giving Catherine ideas for the expansion of their international fleet. Both showered and dressed, Noah was ready to show Catherine a full day of Parisian flair.

  “So where are we off to?” Catherine asked, staring out the limousine window.

  “Breakfast with my family right now.” He looked at his watch. “And we’re right on time.”

  Catherine suddenly looked like a deer in headlights. “Your family?”

  He nodded. “What’s wrong?”

  She was frantically searching inside her leather backpack for her hairbrush and makeup bag. “What’s wrong?” she quipped back. “Do you see how I look?”

  He laughed. “You look beautiful!”

  “I look like I just got off a plane after an eight-hour flight. What are they going to think?”

  Noah laughed again. “Girl, please! You’ve bathed and you’ve used deodorant. As long as you don’t smell I don’t see what the problem is.”

  Catherine rolled her eyes as she checked her compact mirror. She looked refreshed, her complexion clear, her eyes bright. She opted not to add any more makeup. Instead, she pulled her hair into a loose bun atop her head. She shot Noah a look then laughed with him as he shook his head at her.

  “I just want your family to like me,” she exclaimed.

  Noah leaned to kiss her lips. “My darling, they already love you.”

  * * *

  The Stallion family resemblance ran deep. Catherine would have known Noah’s family anywhere. All the men were tall, decadent drinks of water and the women Cover Girl pretty. They all had strong, chiseled features and their complexions were a range of Hershey’s dark chocolate to black coffee with much, much cream.

  The family was gathered for brunch at Nolita, the restaurant facing the Champs-Elysées complete with a view of the Eiffel Tower. It was ultracontemporary with a chic black-and-white interior and a trendy minimalist atmosphere. The menu was a melding of beautiful regional produce, Sicilian classics and unusual combinations that were sheer culinary magic. From the moment they stepped through the door, the aroma of rich, dark coffee and butter-and sugar-laced pastries intoxicated their senses.

  Noah threw up his hand in greeting, the family cheering his name.

  “You made it!” Natalie Stallion-Braddy shouted as she jumped to her feet when they entered. She rushed to throw her arms around her brother first and then Catherine. “It’s so nice to meet you,” she exclaimed as she pulled her into the room to meet the rest of the family.

  Natalie tried to make the introductions easy, adding tidbits of information about each of her family to help Catherine remember who was who. She started with her husband Tinjin Braddy. Then there were Noah’s twin brothers, Nathaniel and Nicholas, his sister Naomi, and his cousins and their spouses—John and Marah Stallion, Matthew and Katrina Stallion, Mark and Michelle Stallion, Luke and Joanne Stallion, Travis and Tierra Stallion and Phaedra Stallion Boudreaux and her husband, Mason.

  “Katrina and Mason are sister and brother. And my husband, Tinjin, and Travis’s wife, Tierra, are siblings,” Natalie said, connecting as many of the dots as she could.

  Everyone greeted Noah and her with hugs and kisses. They were all warm and welcoming and Catherine was made to feel right at home.

  John Stallion gestured for the couple to take a seat. “Congratulations,” he said. “Fly High has had two great trading days. You should be very proud.”

  Catherine’s eyes widened.
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  Noah shook his head. “She’s not allowed to check the numbers until we get back. This is a no-business business trip.”

  Catherine shook her fists feigning a temper tantrum. “He’s going to drive me crazy!”

  They all laughed.

  “Well, we can assure you that you’ll be pleased,” Matthew interjected. “In fact, we couldn’t resist making a sizeable investment ourselves.”

  “I’ve heard you’re quite the business shark,” Catherine said, eyeing John curiously. “You’re not thinking about sneaking in to take my company, are you?”

  “No.” John laughed. “At least not today!”

  “So when did you two get here?” Naomi asked, looking from Noah to Catherine and back.

  “About an hour ago. We haven’t even checked into the hotel yet.”

  “You’ll love it!” Marah Stallion exclaimed. “It’s one of my favorite places to stay.”

  “Do you get to Paris often?” Catherine asked.

  Marah nodded. “Not as often as I’d like,” she said, explaining that she and her husband were the proud adoptive parents of a rambunctious four-year-old. “Gabrielle is a handful.”

  “Do you want children?” Natalie asked, leaning closer to her.

  “Don’t answer that,” Noah said, shaking his head.

  Catherine laughed. “But...”

  “I mean it. Do not give her any details about our relationship. Trust me when I tell you it’s nothing but baby sister madness. They’re crazy and they will make you crazy.”

  The Stallion men all laughed as Natalie and Phaedra shot each other a look.

  “What’s he trying to say?” Natalie questioned.

  Phaedra shook her head. “I think he’s being unreasonable. I have that problem with my big brothers every now and then, too.”

  Laughter was abundant as the family enjoyed their time together and they got to know her and she got to know them. Catherine was only slightly overwhelmed as she was pulled from one conversation to another.

  “Now if you go to Brasserie Lipp for lunch, ask for a table on the ground floor. The ground floor is where the locals dine, and don’t worry about your French. Most of the waiters speak perfect English,” Tinjin said.